Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Review

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Feature

• Awards: The National Parenting Center-Seal of Approval, Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products, Dr Toy Best Educational Products
• Contains more than 30 Snap-Together parts
• Build more than 100 exciting projects
• Clear and concise illustrated manual included and available online
• Exciting projects include burglar alarm, doorbell and more

Give your child an exciting, hands-on introduction to electronics with Elenco Electronics Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100. This innovative kit contains over 30 color-coded, real circuit components that snap together to create working electronic circuits and devices. Recommended for children 8 and older, this set offers 101 do-it-yourself projects that will give your child an entertaining, concrete education on how electronics work.

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 At a Glance: Age: 8 years and up Requirements: 2 AA batteries (not included) Warranty: Warranted against manufacturer's defects Upgrade Kit: UC-30: Upgrades to SC-300 UC-40: Upgrades to SC-500 UC-60: Upgrades to SC-750 AC-SNAP: Battery replacement kit

Build 101 different electronic projects. View larger.

Electric Bombing Game View larger.

Create Working Electronic Circuits
Snap Circuits comes with over 30 pieces to create 101 different electronic projects. The pieces, which include snap wires, slide switches, an alarm circuit, a music integrated circuit, and a speaker, snap together easily on the included plastic grid--no soldering required. Each piece is numbered and color-coded to make identifying them easy. These components combine to create working circuit boards just like the ones found inside televisions, radios, and other electronic devices.

Simple, Fun Projects Let Kids Learn While They Play
With its easy-to-follow instructions, Snap Circuits gives your child a hands-on education in how electrical circuits work to run the everyday devices that they're familiar with. They'll also gain valuable lessons in building and in following instructions. The project manual includes large color illustrations and simple directions for each project.

The projects include a sound-activated switch, a musical doorbell, a voice-controlled lamp, a flying saucer, and a light police siren. With these projects, children will experiment with things like electric switches, integrated circuits, digital circuits, fuses, and the transformation of circuit sounds into other sounds.

Grow as You Go
Because the projects are arranged in order of complexity, kids can build on their skills as they progress through the manual. The lessons start out with a simple electric light and switch project that demonstrates how electricity is turned on and off with a switch. Further along, kids can put together a two-speed fan, create clap-controlled sounds, and more.

Design Your Own Circuits and Upgrade Your Kit
Once children have mastered several of the techniques introduced in this kit, they can use the components to experiment and create their own customized circuits and electronic devices. The Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 can also be upgraded to the Snap Circuits SC-300, Snap Circuits Pro, or Snap Circuits Extreme with the purchase of a UC-30, UC-40, UC-60 upgrade kits, respectively. Kids will enjoy additional parts, manuals, and projects that'll take their kit--and their fun--to the next level.

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 requires two AA batteries, which are not included.

What's in the Box
Plastic snap-grid, 32 electrical components, and 1 project manual.

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100	Snap Circuits SC-300	Snap Circuits Pro SC-500	Snap Circuits Extreme SC-750
Build over 100 projects Contains over 30 parts	Build over 300 projects Contains over 60 parts	Build over 500 projects Contains over 75 parts	Build over 750 projects Contains over 80 parts

Curious young minds can learn the basics of electronics as they build more than 100 exciting projects with this kit. Work on projects that make sound effects, engineer different types of alarms, build touch circuits and play games. Contains over 30 parts in all. No soldering is required -- pieces snap together. Requires 2 "AA" batteries, not included. Box measures 10" x 15" x 2".

Candyland - The World of Sweets Board Game

Candyland - The World of Sweets Board Game Review

Candyland - The World of Sweets Board Game Feature

• Classic game with updated graphics and sculpted, detailed pawns
• Passing the peppermint forest and the ice cream sea on the way, the first one to reach the candy castle wins
• No reading required to play
• This is the classic "child's first game", and preschoolers will love it
• Instructions are in both Spanish and English
• Children draw colored cards, and move their plastic gingerbread playing tokens to the next square of the same color

"Once upon a time, King Kandy, the Imperial Head Bonbon and Grand Jujube of Candy Land disappeared." Thus begins the magical journey of Milton Bradley's classic Candy Land board game. Captivated by the story of a kidnapped king and eager to help find him, little ones move their gingerbread pawns along a rainbow path and through a land of candy characters, all subjects of King Kandy's realm.

Playing cards thoughtfully designed for non-readers are coded with colorful squares matching the jeweled stepping-stone path or an occasional token matching one of the characters' symbols: draw a blue card, move to the nearest blue stepping-stone; draw a snowflake and earn a visit to Queen Frostine's iceberg. There are occasional pitfalls, too: land on the wrong square and you might be stuck in Molasses Swamp until a red card is drawn. With all these enticing, sugarcoated images (and King Kandy plainly visible at path's end), children can't help but be delighted by Candy Land. It's delicious! Instructions are in both Spanish and English. Candy Land is for two to four players) --Julie Ubben This is the classic "child's first game", and preschoolers will love it. Children draw colored cards, and move their plastic gingerbread playing tokens to the next square of the same color. Passing the peppermint forest and the ice cream sea on the way, the first one to reach the candy castle wins. No need to read to play this game.2 to 4 players can play this game. This board game includes a game board, four plastic playing pieces, 64 cards, "Legend of the Lost Candy Castle", and instructions in English and Spanish.

Quiddler

Quiddler Review

Quiddler Feature

• Easy to learn
• Tons of replay value
• Great family game, kids can compete with adults
• The Play: 8 rounds per game, players draw and discard until someone forms their hand into words using two or more cards per word
• Once a player goes out, everyone else gets one last chance to draw and put down the words they have made

The rules are brutal, but the rewards are worth it in this card game that works a bit like Scrabble. Although there is a solitary version of the game for one player, you can play with up to eight. Cards containing letters of the alphabet and special combinations of letters are dealt in increasing number each time the dealer completes a round. Once you've collected your share, you can discard and pick up a new card with each turn. The object is to turn all the letters in your possession into dictionary-proof words while leaving one stray card as a final discard. You want to be the first to accomplish the goal, of course, but there is a scoring system that makes the play competitive for everyone. One nice element is the cards themselves: the letter design is based on beautiful artwork from Celtic manuscripts. This card game is a 1999 Parents' Choice Silver Award winner. --Tom Keogh The challenge of Quiddler is to arrange your entire hand into everyday words. In this fast-paced game, draw and discard in turn. Try to use those high point letters, but don't get caught with them uncombined. A bonus is given for the most words in each round (so little words can help you win), as well as for the longest word. Quiddler is a delightful challenge for both rookies and word game lovers. For up to 8 players.

7 Wonders Game

7 Wonders Game Review

7 Wonders Game Feature

• For 3 to 7 players
• Play time of 30 minutes
• 7 wonders is a simple and addictive game for the whole family
• In 30 minutes you can raise a complete civilization and build the greatest Wonders of the World

7 Wonders lasts three ages. In each age, players receive seven cards from a particular deck, choose one of those cards, then pass the remainder to an adjacent player, as in Fairy Tale or a Magic: the Gathering booster draft. Players reveal their cards simultaneously, paying resources if needed or collecting resources or interacting with other players in various ways. (Players have individual boards with special powers on which to organize their cards, and the boards are double-sided as in Bauza's Ghost Stories.) Each player then chooses another card from the deck they were passed, and the process repeats until players have six cards in play from that age. After three ages, the game ends. In essence 7 Wonders is a card development game along the lines of Race for the Galaxy or Dominion. Some cards have immediate effects, while others provide bonuses or upgrades later in the game. Some cards provide discounts on future purchases. Some provide military strength to overpower your neighbors and others give nothing but victory points. Unlike Magic or Fairy Tale, however, each card is played immediately after being drafted, so you'll know which cards your neighbor is receiving and how his choices might affect what you've already built up. Cards are passed left-right-left over the three ages, so you need to keep an eye on the neighbors in both directions. Though the box is listed as being for 3-7 players, there is an official 2-player variant included in the instructions.

Don't Break the Ice

Don't Break the Ice Review

Don't Break the Ice Feature

• Tread carefully and win in this classic game
• Tap out ice blocks one by one
• Take your time and do some thinking to keep the polar bear from sinking
• To win, the bear must stay on top
• For 2 to 4 players

A polar bear is happily skating across the ice. He's gesturing thumbs up. A big smile stretches his face. Uh-oh. What's that tapping sound? A block of ice just disappeared from his pond. And there goes another one. The polar bear is running out of room to skate. In Don't Break the Ice, two to four players take turns wielding plastic mallets and tapping out ice blocks. The goal is to keep the polar bear skating for as long as possible. But as the game progresses, ice blocks start falling faster and faster. And then, there goes the bear! Luckily, these ice blocks don't melt. The game can quickly be reassembled and soon the polar bear is skating again. This bear might lose his footing, but he's always got his smile. --Wendy Slotboom 3 years & up. Tap out ice blocks one by one, but Don't Break the Ice! To win, the bear must stay on top. One wrong block, and he'll go ker-plop! 2-4 players. No reading required.

Pictionary Card Game

Pictionary Card Game Review

Pictionary Card Game Feature

• Pictionary meets charades in the craziest card game ever, with no drawing required
• This new version of the classic game is sure to be a party favorite
• Race to act out clues for your team using nothing but the simple images on each Picture Card
• Head-to-head play wins a point, and the first team to score 5 points wins the game
• For 2 teams

Mattel Pictionary Card Game

Pictionary meets charades in the craziest card game ever, with no drawing required. This version of the classic game is sure to be a party favorite. Race to act out clues for your team using nothing but the simple images on each Picture Card. Head-to-head play wins a point and the first team to score 5 points wins the game. It's for 2 teams.

• Product Dimensions: 3.63 (L) x 0.75 (W) x 5.68 (H)
• Age: 8 years and up

SKIP BO Card Game

SKIP BO Card Game Review

SKIP BO Card Game Feature

• A fresh new look at the classic, strategic card game that's been a favorite with kids and adults for years
• Skip-Bo is the ultimate sequencing card game from the makers of UNO?!
• Players use skill and strategy to create sequential stacks of cards
• First player to use all the cards in their stockpile wins
• Recommended Age Range 7 and Up

A member of Mattel's popular family of Uno card games, Skip-Bo resembles speed (or spit) in the same way that Uno takes after crazy eights. Out of a 162-card deck, two to six players are each dealt 20-card "stockpiles"; the first one to deplete their pile wins. Competing either alone or in teams, players draw from a central pile and stack their cards sequentially onto one of four "build" piles (for example, an eight onto a seven, a three onto a two), using plentiful Skip-Bo wild cards to break up static situations. Deceptively simple and ingeniously designed, this classic game offers plenty of strategizing opportunities, or it can just make a nice backdrop to socializing and munching on potato chips. --Paul Hughes SKIP-BO is the ultimate sequencing card game from the makers of UNO! Players use skill and strategy to create sequential stacks of cards. The first player to use all the cards in their stockpile wins.

Say Anything

Say Anything Review

Say Anything Feature

• 3 to 8 player game
• 30 minutes
• Opinion guessing game
• What do your friends really think
• Builds social skills

Find out what your friends really think when everyone writes down answers to questions like, "What's the coolest thing to have at a mansion?" or "What's the funniest movie of all time?" All the players try to guess what the other players have written! Three to eight players can join in the fun. North Star Games. Ages: 13+

Angry Birds: On Thin Ice Game

Angry Birds: On Thin Ice Game Review

Angry Birds: On Thin Ice Game Feature

• Based on the on the best-selling phone app game, Angry Birds
• The second installment of the exciting skill and action game based on, Angry Birds
• Build, launch and destroy with fun new features, including pigs with helmets, breakable ice block building pieces, and exploding TNT box
• Includes 2 Angry Birds, 3 green pigs, 1 slingshot-style catapult launcher, structure pieces and mission cards
• For 2-4 players

Angry Birds On Thin Ice Game* Save the Angry Birds! The second installment of the exciting skill and action game based on the bestselling phone app, Angry Birds On Thin Ice, lets players build, launch and destroy with fun new features, including pigs with helmets, breakable ice block building pieces, an exploding TNT box and a new large red bird character. Players draw a card and build the structure shown before their opponents launch Angry Birds in an attempt to knock down the structureand the pigsto win points. Includes 2 Angry Birds, 3 green pigs, 1 slingshotstyle catapult launcher, structure pieces and mission cards. Ages 5 and older.

Telestrations the Telephone Game Sketched Out!

Telestrations the Telephone Game Sketched Out! Review

Telestrations the Telephone Game Sketched Out! Feature

• 2,400 telestrations words on 200 Cards 6 words per side; 12 words per card
• 8 erasable telestrations sketch books
• 8 Erasable Markers

Telestrations is the visual equivalent of the classic school-yard game "telephone." It's a fun-filled sketching game in which everyone's attempts at "art" can turn hilarious. The game starts with a secret word that is passed from player to player. As the word is sketched, interpreted, and then sketched again, it undergoes a visual transformation that will surprise and delight everyone. Designed for players ages 13 and up, Telestrations is sure to be a hit at parties.

Telestrations Ages: 13+ Requires: 4 to 8 players

What We Think Fun factor: Durability: Ease of assembly: Novelty factor: The Good: Easy-to-learn game with cleverly designed, reusable game pieces. The Challenging: Scoring system caters to competitive players; others may wish to avoid it altogether. In a Nutshell: A creative and funny visual equivalent of classic game of "Telephone."

Telestrations turns the classic schoolyard game of "Telephone" into a hilarious sketching game.

With each guess, players get further from the original, intended interpretation. View larger.

Eight Players for Maximum Hilarity
Telestrations is designed for 4 to 8 players. As with the classic game "Telephone," the bigger the group, the more confusing -- and funny -- things can get. Gameplay requires little more than the included erasable markers and sketch books.

Each sketch book contains eight erasable pages, and each page is labeled with either an "S" (for sketch) or a "G" (for guess). The spiral binding allows you to flip pages before passing the sketch book to the next player, and the label lets that player know whether to sketch or guess. Aside from the occasional unrepressed snicker, gameplay is silent until the final results are revealed.

The erasable markers have a fine point to allow true artists to flourish. Clean-up cloths are provided, as is a timer and a deck of 144 cards, each of which contains six "secret" words.

Gameplay: Friendly or Competitive Mode?
Much like "Telephone," Telestrations leaves a lot of participants scratching their heads. One player's sketch of a pretzel might end up looking more like a ribbon, and that ribbon might evolve into a banana peel. Only rarely does the final guess match the original word, so playing Telestrations is almost always a delightful comedy of errors.

While the game is easy to learn, scoring can get a bit complicated. The instruction manual describes two different modes of gameplay: friendly and competitive. The friendly mode awards points based on the most creative and hilarious drawings, a subjective determination that can lead to either a fun debate or an irritating disagreement, depending on who is playing. In either case, a simple democratic vote may be necessary to speed things up.

The competitive mode awards points to players whose sketch helps another player win a point. This determination is straightforward enough, but going back over the drawings and assessing points may be tedious for those who would rather simply laugh at the results. Anyway you decide to play it, Telestrations will bring out the artists in your friends and family, along with lots of loud laughter.

What's in the Box
Telestrations game instructions, 8 erasable sketch books, 8 erasable markers, 4 eraser cloths, 144 cards in card box, 90-second sand timer, and die.

Designed for 4-8 players, Telestrations features intuitive, reusable game pieces for a great experience. View larger.

115443 Features: -Telestrations Party Game. -Telestrations is the hilarious new sketch, pass and guess party game . -Players simultaneously draw what they see and guess for uproarious laughter. -Unpredictable outcomes every time. -Includes: 8 erasable Felestrations' sketch books, 8 erasable markers, 8 eraser pads. -2,400 Telestrations' words on 200 cards, card box, 90 second plastic sand timer, die and instructions. -For 4 to 8 players. -Ages 12 to adult. Specifications: -Material: Plastic. -Overall dimensions: 10'' H x 10'' W x 3'' D.