Are your kids do-it-yourselfers? Toy Insider Senior Editor Ali Mierzejewski stopped by Better Connecticut in New Haven to talk about the most fun D.I.Y. toys on the market. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for our complete rundown of the best gifts for the holidays, check out our complete holiday gift guide.
- Viral sensation Nimuno Loops, the original toy block tape, is now in collaboration with ZURU’s Mayka Toy Block Tape construction brand. The product originally launched on Indiegogo, raising more than $1.6 million dollars in crowdfunding in just 30 days. It’s billed as “one of 2017’s greatest inventions,” revolutionizing the way construction bricks are played with.
- Mayka Tape transforms virtually any surface into a base for construction toy bricks and figures. One side features a bendable, flexible surface with a toy block pattern that is compatible with LEGO toys and other toy construction brands and can be cut to any desired size. The other side has a re-usable adhesive backing to allow builders to construct on nearly any object, around corners, and on curved surfaces to make 3-D creations.
- The line will comprise of three core sizes: Small (2 stud / 3.3 ft), Medium (2 stud / 6.6 ft), and Large (4 stud / 6.6 ft) in 10 base colors.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: Small: $6.99 Medium: $9.99, Large: $14.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
CRAYOLA COLOR WONDER MAGIC LIGHT BRUSH (CRAYOLA)
- Crayola Color Wonder Magic Light Brush lets kids create colorful art without the mess.
- Color Wonder paints are clear and only work on Color Wonder special paper—it won’t color on skin, carpet, or furniture. The Magic Light Brush lights up to match whatever paint color kids are using.
- The set comes with six classic colors and 18 sheets of Color Wonder paper
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart, Crayola.com
MAKIN STATION BY COMPOUND KINGS (WECOOL TOYS)
- A DIY set for making more than one pound of super stretchy squishy slime compound with just two ingredients: powder and water.
- The set includes the Makin Station, which mixes up the powder and water to create the compound, plus 16 slime powder packets (four each of orange, blue, purple, and green), plus six glitter packets (one each of gold, pink, silver, blue, purple, green), 10 storage pods, and a measuring cup.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: BJs, Toys “R” Us
ALEX DIY SWEETLINGS SPRINKLE SHOP (ALEX BRANDS)
- ALEX DIY Sweetlings Sprinkle Shop is a decoration station that comes with everything kids need to bring three Sweetlings characters to life.
- Kids can use whipped clay icing to frost two plastic cupcakes and a cone in the Sprinkle Shop workstation.
- Frost the characters easily as they rotate on the base.
- When ready, kids can add the final pizazz with the glitterizer—star-shaped glitter will sparkle as their creation rotates on the stage for their special moment under the strobing lights.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $39.99
- Available: Amazon, Toys “R” Us
DISCOVERY 3D MOTION SANDSCAPE (HORIZON GROUP USA)
- Kids can create their own constantly evolving sandscapes by filling the observation tank with sand and water with this 3-D Motion Sandscape kit.
- Kids can watch how the power of gravity helps create stunning geometric designs and abstract swirls in this sandscape kit from Discovery.
- Ages: 12+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Michael’s
K’NEX THRILL RIDES: WEB WEAVER ROLLER COASTER BUILDING SET (K’NEX)
- Kids can use the included parts and pieces to send the air propelled coaster car through horizontal and vertical thrills.
- Once kids are done building, they can turn off the lights and this coaster glows-in-the-dark.
- Once built, the coaster can be used horizontally or vertically and can be turned mid-movement.
- Set includes more than 430 K’NEX parts and pieces, including rods, connectors, glow-in-the dark track, and an air-propelled coaster car.
- Ages: 9+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Amazon, knex.com
