This season I have found that interacting coding toys are the best things around. That includes the fantastic new Cubelets Discovery Set.  This is he newest set that is packed to the brim with robot building fun for ages four and up. Which is just fantastic.

 For those of you who are new to the company- Cubelets are palm sized blocks of software filled hardware. Each of the cubes have a different functions which when put together create coding magic!  Coding is not necessarily a new thing in the toy world. However we are coming to a point where it is being conceptualized in a way that makes it user friendly for the whole family at a point price that allows many families able to afford it. This is fanatasitc because I like many other people understand that coding may soon be one of those skills everyone will need to have a general knowledge of.
    With Cubelets you explore different combinations in order to make your robot perform certain skills.  What makes this toy unique is that you  are using your physical building cubes to create that code so it can preform the intended task. Crazy right, it is literally a hands on way to learn code!
Want to hear something even crazier? They are magnetic so there are no screws to attach and detach, no "Mommmmm can you help me" nothing. They can do it all themselves! I think it is just the bees knees.
      The set also includes the Bluetooth Hat which will pair your robot constructions with wireless devices in the surrounding area. Using this feature you can add different abilities via the Cubelets app.
   Speaking of the App. This feature is not needed for all the fun but definitely enhances it. It is, in essence your portals inside the cube! A direct link to the software inside! You can use it to manipulate individual cubes and change your already constructed robot completely.  You can make pre-existing code and store it in the app and then with a touch of a button use the personality swap to change the code 123. There are also attachments that let you add Lego (or off brand Lego) bricks onto your robot making it as creative as you want. Personalizing both what is inside and outside of your robot! It becomes truly your own.
  Sounds pretty fantastic I know, but what I really love- other than just playing around with it, is the fact that it can grow with your child giving him or her years of enjoyment and learning. A Four year old will learn the basics of the Robotics, as well as cause and effect where a 7 and older will learn more about pattern recognition, critical thinking or design and engineering. This is a "toy" that will open up the world to your youngins for years to come. So if you are going for long lasting, educational, fun, and something you can do with your whole family- Look no further it has arrived! Available on Amazon and is on sale right now!

GIANTmicrobes: It's What Should Be Under Your Christmas Tree!

                                 

Available online for $9.99

      They are- ok well the name is also the description so I'll have to take this review in another direction. Ever want to show a child what let's say a blood cell looks like so you google it.  There pops a picture ok great. Well with GIANTmicrobes you can not only show them, you can have them hold a red blood cell plush that is only about a million times the size of the actual cell-bonus it's cute as heck too. The plushes are soft and well-crafted and look like the actual cell or virus in question with the bonus of black eye buttons.  They are great for education- as visual tools for projects and learning or for pelting each other with the common cold when your kids aren't looking.

Buy Now! 

   A great teacher gift is the sick day box set! Which is just as adorable! Filled with the common cold, cough, ear ache sore throat and cavity, something every teacher is acutely aware of. I also like to use this kit as an anger release and laughter generator when X is sick! Let’s say X has an earache- man does he not handle ear aches well. Well I give him the ear ache giant microbe and he flings it, stretches it, yells at it, and has the cat play with it. Seems silly I know but by the time that toy reaches the cat X is no longer crying but cracking up that he is playing with his ear ache! I swear nine out of ten times this is the key to getting my kid laughing while he is sick! Love these things!



Available Online for $24.95 on sale now for $19.99!
      What I really love about these toys though is giving them to germaphobes. I gave the Christmas bundle for my sister in law a few years ago who has "antibacterial" as her middle name and I thought it was the-funniest-thing-ever. To her credit she laughed a lot as well (one of the few times that that happened lol). This year there are three different Christmas themed gift packs, A Christmas wreath, Christmas tree, and a Christmas Stocking-which is what we received! This gift set includes "Penicillin, Salmonella, Red Blood Cell, Dust Mite and limited edition Green Amoeba".  They are all dolled up in there Christmas best, and have embroidery! Festively adorned with decorative puffs, embroidered holly, snowflakes, reindeer nose and antlers, and cute scarf and ear muffs!  The red blood cell has snowflakes, holly adorns Samonella, but my favorite is the Dust Mite that is all dolled up as Rudolph!. If it was possible to make these little guys cuter, they just did it. I love them.



      Yes germs are gross- viruses stink- and a computer virus can bring a grown man to tears. But even though these are real life problems isn't it great to have a product that not only educates, but can make you laugh about it! So while shopping for a truly unique gift make sure you check out GIANTmicrobes. They have a variety of wonderful products that will make you laugh, and make YOU the ultimate gift giver this holiday season!

*We were given products to review all opinions are our own!

Reviewed by Xander Aucone