The Toys Store

Naturally Finished for a Classic Look
Wooden blocks have been around for centuries and make an excellent tool to teach basic math concepts, organizational skills, sequential skills, and spatial relations. It is no surprise that blocks are found in almost every pre-school and kindergarten classroom. Youngsters become the architect of their own world as they fit pieces together to form their vision. This open-ended play set stimulates creativity and hones basic motor skills.

Each set features a large variety shapes and sizes including arches, columns, squares, rectangles, triangles, cylinders, and circles, as well as basic, half, and double unit blocks. This block set is crafted to the standard unit block size (1-1/2-by-2-by-5-inches) and constructed from Rubberwood, a resilient hardwood. The blocks are big, chunky, and easy for kids to grasp and build with. Smoothly sanded surfaces tantalize fingertips and create a handsome natural aesthetic. Best of all, when the child finishes constructing their masterpiece, all the pieces store neatly into a wooden storage box.

There is no limit to the types of fortresses the child can build with these blocks. This deluxe set even contains pillars, buttresses, gothic circles, and half-circles for advanced architecture. As an added bonus, the storage box doubles as a building platform. Children and parents have fun as they complete projects together. Parents can purchase another set and add to the amusement. An essential for any child's toy box, these blocks are sturdy, durable, and beautiful enough to put on display. The box measures 15-by-12-1/2-by-15-1/4 inches.

From 6 months of age and up the stage is just the right height to sit and play.

Each mode offers just enough difficulty for your little one to be challenged and have fun at the same time. View larger.

Flashing Lights and Fun Music
The Sing-Along Stage features five fun songs for you and your baby to sing along with. It's easy and fun for your baby to play with: Just shake the "magical" microphone to start the music! While the music plays, your child will delight in the four dancing spotlights, the pop-up audience of friendly smiling fans, and the big picture mirror to watch him or herself groove. Four musical instruments sit along the bottom of the stage: Baby just presses the horn, the xylophone, the drum, or the guitar to hear them play. You and your child will have great fun singing and dancing together with all of the songs!

Different Stages to Grow with Baby
The Sing-Along Stage includes two levels of advancement for babies and toddlers. Each mode offers just enough difficulty for your little one to be challenged and have fun at the same time. For babies from 6 months of age, the stage is just the right height to sit and play. He or she can discover how to shake the microphone to make a song play! Your baby can also learn how to press each musical instrument to hear it play a solo, learning to differentiate between the different sounds. Musical lyrics are provided for you to sing along with the songs, providing quality interactive time with your baby. As your child gets older, he or she can stand, dance, and groove with the magical microphone while the music plays. In this more advanced secondary mode, the toy allows your child to get creative with the music. Start the song by pressing the button. Shake the microphone to add voice. Press each instrument to add their sounds to the song. This toy requires three AA batteries, which are included in the package. Adult assembly is necessary and requires a Phillips screwdriver (not included).

Spike stands on his hind legs, waves his tail, and roars. View larger.

Big, illustrated buttons make the remote control kid-friendly. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Dynamic remote-control dinosaur with lights and sound effects The Bad: Large size makes traveling with Spike tricky In a Nutshell: An awesome new friend for imaginative kids At a Glance Ages: 3 to 10 Requires: 3 AA batteries

A Fearsome New Friend
This awesome oversized, plastic dinosaur stands 27 inches tall, with textured green skin, a yellow underbelly, gnarly teeth, and plenty of serious spines--enough to make any young dino-enthusiast swoon. Before Spike is ready to roam the Earth, you'll need to snap his legs and tail into place. These pieces are color coded to prevent confusion, and the instruction booklet offers a nice illustration. Make sure all three connection points on each front leg are securely attached, otherwise he'll struggle to walk.

You'll also want to fully charge the included NiMH rechargeable battery before kids get their hands on this dinosaur, a process which may take up to four hours. With all the use Spike will be getting, you'll enjoy the long life of this power solution. The convenient wireless remote requires three AA batteries (not included) for operation.

Innovative and Easy to Control
As soon as you turn him on, spikes on this long-necked dinosaur's back and tail light up, and he starts blinking his eyes. Big, kid-friendly buttons on the durable remote control let you make Spike walk forward, turn left or right, and swing his neck around. At first he can be a little tricky to maneuver, but with just a few moments of practice, he becomes incredibly easy to control.

Holding down any one of the four middle buttons unleashes a new action. Pick between having him stand on his hind legs, swinging his neck around while unleashing a huge roar, or hanging his head low. Another button controls the motion of his jaw. Practice combining movements to snatch up the plastic boulders off the ground or toss them in the air (a skill we never perfected). There's even a mystery button that lets Spike pick any motion he wants to perform. Press it again and again to get a sense of his playful nature. Two modes let you pick between having continuous background music accompany play or just hearing occasional growls, snorts, and roars.

Durable and Adventurous
The well-crafted Spike was still going strong, even after our vigorous testing. We crashed him into table legs trying to make him crawl over obstacles that were just too high, and even though he might not have been happy about the way we dropped the remote control repeatedly, he kept right on doing all those dinosaur things that make him a fun addition to any family. While this ultra dinosaur held up well in the face of vigorous use, he could succumb to the rough reality of enthusiastic play and be damaged by children sitting on him or pulling apart his otherwise sturdy joints.

Spike's large size makes him a great outdoor playmate, but be sure to warn kids that, since he is battery-operated, he shouldn't play in streams or jump in puddles. Cooperative kids will love putting their heads together to think up new places for their friend dinosaur to explore. The height and length that make Spike so much fun may make it hard for smaller children to carry him around, especially if they are headed to a far off relative's house. While this dinosaur is recommended as a companion for children three through 10, even adults are likely to be charmed by Spike's fun-loving personality.