And we say that with a history of silly that’s virtually unmatched. You slip on this pair of lens-less glasses with the tiny bucket and ball on a string attached, and try, while looking like a demented chipmunk, to swing the little ball on its cord and drop it into the cup. In red and blue plastic, you will be filmed on a smart phone, it will be put on social media, and you will be famous for it for the rest of your life. Best to order a couple so you’re not alone.

Sometimes you need a drone that will work with your phone, and, as always, you’ve come to the right place. The X5UW--FPV Real-Time Drone, a quad-rotor from Syma/Tenergy, features a 1MP photo/video camera that will send real-time video to your iPhone or Android, which will also act as the controller for the drone by just tilting it. Also has headless and flip modes and auto-hover. Measures approx 15” dia x 2-3/4” thick with a second rechargeable battery, so you get (2) 7-minute flights on each 2-hour charge. Comes with spare blades, a USB charger and a 16-page manual. You’ll need (4) “AA”s for the controller if you don’t use your phone, and you’ll need an SD card. Has 720P FPV (first-person view). For ages 12+. 

Great balls of air! The mighty AIRZOOKA is back--and as cool as ever! Looking like a plastic bucket with a handle and a flip-up gun sight, it blasts a puff of air up to 50 feet. Blow out candles from across the room (and avoid spitting on birthday cakes), spook the cat, disperse bugs, take target practice at styrofoam cups or buy a pair and play air-tag. Measures roughly 11” tall x 11” dia in bright blue plastic and is, frankly, much more fun than you would imagine.

A real desktop mesmerizer. This 7"x 5" moving sand sculpture creates endless sand-dune vistas, and can be so easily flipped to start over that you need never go back to actually working. The sand is so fine it's nearly liquid, and comes in varying shades, plus a little glitter. Black base and frame. We'll pick sand in shades of orange, purple, green or red for you.

Budding lapidarians will lap up this rock polishing kit which is so complete it even contains some rocks. The polishing tumbler has a (3 lb. /1 qt.) fifteen sided rubber barrel and is driven by a 115 VAC motor. Overall dimensions are 6" x 6" x 7-1/2" high. In addition to the tumbler, the kit includes an assortment of jewelry findings, a #300 4-Step Grit Pack and a detailed manual giving you easy to follow instructions. But don't think of it only as useful for jewelry making. As a hobby, our Uncle George for many years collected and polished a wide variety of rocks which he found interesting and made beautiful in and of themselves. The #300 4-Step Grit Pack is also available separately, for when your grit has run low, and includes 4oz. coarse, 4oz fine, 2oz. prepolish and 2oz polish grits. 

Spin this spindle and watch it turn in perpetuity!!  Well, for a long time anyway.  Inside the 5-1/2" long colored plastic spindle are magnets which are repelled by magnets in the 5" x 3" black plastic base.  The variously colored spindle floats in the air above the base thus virtually free of normal friction. Nifty desk toy named "Revolution".

Please note #91664 with flashing red lights was incorrectly advertised, that item is not available. 

Our each is a dozen glass gems, in a round cut in (12) different colors, including pink, green, blue, red, golden, white, and various shades of each. Think diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, topaz, whatever. In a dark blue book-like presentation box, the Liz Taylor collection features (12) gems at 40mm across (1.57” or tad bigger than a silver dollar) by 27mm (1.06”) deep.

Based on drawings from Da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus, this Pathfinders catapult kit uses a pair of bent wooden arms as springs to launch clay balls (included) over (4) meters at enemy fortifications (not included, go make your own enemies). The assembled model will be approx 9" tall on a 10" x 7-1/4" base. Made from pre-cut, untreated wood from sustainable forests, and built with pegs for added strength and verisimilitude. A 2013 Creative Child Magazine Top Toy of the Year Winner and a great resource for STEM activities. For ages 12 and up.

It’s an actual air pistol, on account of it shoots a puff of air. Not unlike those giant air cannons, but in a manageable size, and better for office situations. Imagine the cubicle wars you could have with a few of these--and no one would get hurt! Range is approx 8 feet. Like the larger cannons do, this pistol will blow out birthday candles, but you’ll need much better aim. Measures a mere 3-1/2" x 2" with a rubber membrane, a 2-1/2” handle, and a folding sight.

Stick a coin on top of the fishy plate on this plastic coin bank and it triggers a Hiya Kitty inside to mew some cat noises, then peeks out and reaches out a paw to snatch the coin. The box, which is mysteriously made to look like an fruit crate, measures 4-3/4" x 4" x 3-1/2". You’ll need to add a couple of “AA” batteries but that’s the standard price of kitten cuteness today. CLICK HERE for video.

Managing people will be so much easier with this pocket sized red NO! button on your keychain. Push it and hear a digital voice deliver (10) different versions of no, including No!; No, No, No; Noooooo; For the last time, NO!; and more. Great for denying tasks at work, and later-bedtime requests at home. (Remember--you can always change your mind to Yes, but going the other way never works.) Measures 1-3/4"" dia. x 1" tall in red with a black frame. Batteries included!

Or the Swanee whistle. Whatever you call it, this little slide whistle (just consider it the smallest trombone in the universe) has an outsized musical history. No elevator has ever fallen in a cartoon without its accompaniment, and no jug band is complete without one, but Louis Armstrong also played one on his Hot Five recordings, and Ravel even required one in an opera score. In assorted plastic colors with a steel slide, 6-7/8" long x 1/2" dia.

And more. This accessory kit for smart phones (works with iPhone, Samsung, HTC, iPad, tablets and many others) has a 2” long clip-on bracket with screw-in macro, wide-angle and fish-eye lenses. Paul loves his kit and he’s our optics expert. Use the macro for insects, coins and diamonds. Fish-eye and wide-angle for great visual effects. Includes a little pouch to carry it all in, and tiny lens caps.

Note: Two lenses come threaded together to conserve space. 

Ten furlongs are condensed to (7) inches, with very small horses, in the Desktop Derby, a 6-horse straight track that lets you win money while you teach the children the evils of pari-mutuel betting. The electric track pulsates and moves the nags along at a pace of about 45 seconds per race, with heart-stopping lead changes. The best part is that they're un-handicapable: a different horse, in a different lane, seems to win every time. Measures 9-7/8" x 3-1/2" x 2" high and runs off (2) "AA" batteries, included. (Stable the horses in the base between races.)

A pair of shades in assorted colors with the outer portion of each lens half silvered on the eyeball side. Glance left or right and see behind you. Cool undercover item for the younger sleuth or the dirty old man on the beach who doesn't want to be discovered. Whatever your motive, you need a pair now.

Dirt-cheap fun for the kids--at home and at school. Attach the (3) 5-1/2" long plastic blades to the whistling nozzle, blow up the little balloon and watch the world's cheapest helicopter fly away. Paul says it demonstrates Newton's third law, but he says a lot things. Great for classroom demos. Paul not included.

Imagine a not-unteletubbyish space guy, but with a couple sets of rotors in his head, and the ability to hover. Has sensors on his feet so he knows where the ground (our your hand) is, and he’ll keep hovering. Plus his blue eyes flash on and off, like a short, intergalactic Frank Sinatra. Measures 5” tall with a 5-1/2” rotor-span. Powered by an internal battery, rechargeable via a USB port with the included 10” cord. Run time is 4-5 mins.

Because it’s a squeezebox, a toy(ish) accordion with (7) bisonoric melody keys and (2) chordal keys, plus (1) to release the bellows. Measures 7-1/4” x 7” x 4-1/4” with thumb and hand straps, plus a strap to keep it shut between performances. Perfect for budding, one-kid bands or, in bulk, for starting an accordion orchestra to compete with all of those annoying ukulele players.