BEST SELLERS

Teaching a kid how to manage time—hey, that’s up to you—but this wind-up clock kit teaches kids the basic mechanical principles of gears and pendulums. Clock has a clear body, approx 7-3/4” dia x 1” deep with a 1/2” tall base, and individually colored gears for easy identification. It’s spring-driven, so no batteries are needed. Bell "dings" in 15-minute intervals. Tweaking the pendulum mounting, and tuning it, takes a little focus. Ages 6-10. ! WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD–Small Parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.

UGears® is the model company that specializes is wooden steampunk versions of otherwise simple objects, perfect for perfectionist painstakers who revel in constructing complicated kits. (You know who you are.) In this case, you pick: the (43) piece Steampunk Clock, a beautiful collection of gears, lacy ornament, flowers, stars and a moon that you make into an imitation clock approx 2" x 3" x 5" when done; or the Wheel Organizer, the world's most delightfully complicated desktop pencil and pen holder. The (51) parts include wheels, gears and slots that deliver the pencil of choice when you turn the big ship-like wheel. Finished model will be 4-1/3" x 3-1/2" x 3-2/3". No glue or special tools needed, and you can paint or stain them if you like.

Could be a new line of cologne, but in fact, it’s a clever kinetic action demo kit called Wave Wires® with magnets marked for polarity, and mounted on (4) 8-1/2” long wires attached to a 4-1/4” square steel base. Includes a dozen 1/2” dia steel disc weights, an acrylic ring and an 8-page activity booklet. The attraction/repulsion magnetic properties cause the magnets to swing on top of the wires like old-time circus acrobats. Ages 8-14. Really cool, if we don’t say so ourselves.

You would be a fool to pass up this deal. These nice sized chunks of Iron Pyrite, aka fools gold, are about 1" so you'll feel like you hit the mother-load! Size is approximate so yours maybe a little smaller or larger. Bury some in your child's sandbox, leave footprints with boots and tell them pirates buried gold treasure for a fun backyard adventure. Don't have kids? They also make great decorations in all those succulent pots you have. Now get yourself some and get in on the gold rush. 

From Fascinations®, these small model kits are made from intricately laser-cut polished steel. Punch the pieces out from the 4-1/4" square sheet and put them together with the tiny tabs. You pick the dragonfly, with a 4-1/2" wingspan or the Black Pearl pirate ship, approx 3-1/2" long. For ages 14+, because they take plenty of small motor skills.

No need to limit the numbers you paint by. These kits all include 8” x 6” canvases, (6) acrylic paint pots, a #2 brush, color key and guide, plus tips for blending colors--a major improvement in the paint-by-numbers game. Packaging is also an easel, and becomes a self-adhesive hanger, which gives you a big leg up on the original artists. You pick: Van Gogh’s Starry Night; Sunflowers; Irises; Monet’s The Japanese Footbridge or Water Lillies.

Kids love dinosaur figurines, and we can’t say we blame them. If we’re being completely honest, we love dinos, too. We’ve got some good ones here, (5) different, all approx 6” long, and we’ll send you (1) per order. We promise we’ll pick a good one. They come in an attractive blue blister package (ie, they’re great as gifts), and they’re made of plastic with good-quality molding and printing. Ages 3+.

Build your own mini model dinosaur with these 3D puzzles. Each puzzle has (16) to (25) pre-cut pieces of thick, soft material, like foam posterboard. Pop them out of a panel and use the simple numbered diagram on the box to assemble your own dino. Putting them together is only half the fun since they’re also durable enough to play with. We’ll pick one—Stegosaurus, Triceratops or Acanthopholis—because by now you trust us, yes you yabba dabba do. Ages 3+.

These DIY cardboard game kits are fun and easy to assemble. A relatively small number of components and basic instructions allow kids to put them together and begin play quickly. No tools or batteries needed. Included instructions promise assembly in 45 minutes. Then, kids can start playing with their very own bowling alley or pinball machine. Each kit has (11) cardboard sheets and all the other parts needed for the games. Cardboard doesn’t last forever, but this stuff is durable enough that it’ll still be around when the kids have moved on to teenage rabble-rousing. You pick: the bowling alley, with (6) pins, (2) balls, and other parts, measuring approx 21-1/2” x 7” x 5-1/2”; or the pinball machine, with (1) marble, (3) elastic bands, and other parts, measuring approx 15” x 10” x 6”.

The only thing better than little plastic farm animals in birthday hats is little plastic farm animals in birthday hats at your birthday party. Be ready for that day with these brightly colored animals (all clothed except for the defiant horse) in pointed, pom-pom party hats. We have (5) animals (pig, sheep, cow, chicken and horse) and we’ll send you (2) different ones per order. All are textured plastic, nicely detailed, and measure approx 5” x 3” x 2”. Happy Birthday to you, and to them. Reusable year after year. Start a tradition for a lucky kid, or a fun adult.

We’d start with triops, lovely little crustacean-ettes with compound eyes that have been around since Triassic days. You pick the Ghost Triops, see-through honeys, or the larger Gigantic Triops, the biggest of the triops which is gigantic among lesser beasts. In both cases you get eggs, baby and adult food, and a pipette. You add a bright light source, bottled natural spring water and a small tank. They hatch in a day or three, are full grown in a month or so, and have a life-cycle of up to 90 days.  Ages 8+.

Someday all robots will be powered by the sun, and they won’t have people to get in their way. Until then, we’re still in charge. Show them who’s boss by building one of them. This (190)-piece Solar Robot Creation Kit lets you assemble (12) different kinds of bot configurations that walk, roll, crawl, row or otherwise locomote using the power of the sun, which they will one day harness in-full. Includes a solar panel, motor, gears, (100+) plastic body pieces, a nail file for cleanup, and illustrated instructions. Ages 8+. ! WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD–Small Parts. Not for children under 3 yrs

And teach a kid (8 and up) the basics of solar power. This excellent educational kit from Elenco comes with (9) 0.5VDC solar cells pre-wired in sets of (3) and mounted in a 5" x 4" x 7/16" black-plastic frame with screw terminals on the bottom. The kit includes a 1.5VDC motor with leads and a mount, a fan blade and (4) plastic discs from 5/8" dia to 2" dia for mounting on the motor shaft, a 1.5V incandescent bulb with leads, a sound module with leads, and graphic cards to mount on the discs. Comes with a 14-page instruction/experiment booklet, including info on increasing voltage and amperage, powering battery charges, radios, games, etc. Lots of science project potential. "Heuristic as all get-out," Jarvis said when he saw it. Ages 8+.

From Metal Earth®, the people who make shiny metal 3D models, now comes the Doctor Who T.A.R.D.I.S. metal model. All punch-outs with no glue or soldering required. 1-5/8” square x 3-1/4” tall. And if you don’t know what Tardis is, you should probably be catching up on classic British Sci-Fi. These are challenging models, so they're rated for all ages over 14.

Sort of like kleenex, because cellophane used to be trademarked but isn’t any longer so you can now say cellophane all you like. Cellophane, cellophane, cellophane. You’ll get (48) sheets of 12” square cellophane, a dozen each in red, yellow, green and blue, for teaching kids color mixing. But feel free to use them for anything. Includes instructions for making your own color paddle.

We’ve known for years that weaving requires replenishing our weaving bands. You weave, so you know that, too. We’ve got (4) packs of Rainbow Loom® latex-free additional bands, each with (600) bands and (24) “C” clips—and (1) pack of bands with tools to help you make bracelets, anklets and rings on the go. You pick the bands, which come in confetti-translucent with evenly spaced spots and multiple colors per pack; glow-in-the-dark white, translucent blue and translucent purple; solid assorted colors; and solid black. Ages 7+.! WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD–Small Parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.

Meet KC3, a one-of-a-kind, build-it-yourself Keypad Coding Robot. Like you, KC3 is unplugged! No need for a computer or app! Practically human! But seriously, bot builders, this adorbs 6” high x 7” long mission-based coding buddy is designed to inspire the budding coder, with beginner-friendly building and coding methods. Can be built and re-built into (3) roles: Shooter, Doodler and Sweeper. Elenco® made the KC3, so you know it’s a winner. You supply (4) “AAA” batteries, but that’s the least you can do, considering all that the KC3 is going to do for you. Ages 8+.

It's Colorful. It's Magic. That's what the package says about this 3-1/2" tall specimen, and that's more than you can say about those big, clunky un-magical trees. Just slide two parts together, stand them up in the little tray with the magical water in it, and watch your tiny tree begin to bloom with an array of multicolor crystals after an hour. Reaches full magical bloom in 12 hours. Just the thing to watch on those days when the cable goes out. Ages 8+.