I recently stumbled across these fractal fidget hexagons thanks to The Algorithm™ figuring out my deep appreciation for fidget toys and desk toys, and that I can especially become hypnotized by ones of a more visual nature. I spent an embarrassing amount of time watching an ad the first time it popped up in my feed

Now, I’m linking to a generic Amazon search page rather than any one product here, because they’re pretty much all the same thing as this:

Dangerously mesmerizing, isn’t it? Keep one of these on your desk and use that uniquely visual + tactile experience to soothe anxiety/stress whenever it strikes. I imagine it could also be used by some people to increase focus at times.

Most of these toys are priced around $9–$16 each and there are plenty of colorways to choose from. Happy fidgeting!

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Although learning a true programming language isn’t something I’d expect a kid to pick up until they’re a bit older, they can start learning the principles of coding at a pretty early age — and you don’t even need a computer to do it! The Botley 2.0 robot, for example, promises to teach kids as young as five how to code through 100% screen-free play.

Sure, it’s nothing so fancy as smart companions like Cozmo and Loona, but Botley is plenty clever enough for young’uns.

It comes as part of a 46-piece or 78-piece activity set, both of which include a remote control used to program actions, two detachable faceplates with robot arms, 40 coding cards, and a coding starter guide. The larger set adds 6 double-sided tiles and 27 obstacle building pieces.

Botley can be “coded” to move in six directions, play music, follow a ‘track’ of black electrical tape, light up in the dark, play memory games with you, and it can even pretend to be a train, a police car, a ghost, or a dozen other things.

Up to 150 steps can be programmed into an action sequence, so there’s plenty to keep your bright young coder busy as they learn creative problem solving and computational thinking skills.

Get the Botley 2.0 46-piece set for $64 or the 78-piece set for $81. There’s also a classroom bundle for $269 that combines several robot + accessory sets into one teacher-friendly package.

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PicassoTiles’ magnetic marble run sets combine two of my favorite kinds of toys for kids: marble runs and magna-tiles.

Based on that info alone, I’m sure you can guess how it works — constructing marble run towers using magnetic tiles and track pieces, through which you can propel a series of specially made weighted magnetic marbles. I like that those marbles are oversized, and thus less likely to be choking hazards.

The sets come in a few sizes: 50-piece, 70-piece, 100-piece, and 120-piece.

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Have your kids watched you making espresso and wanted to join in the fun, but you don’t really want them operating your expensive, delicate equipment? Well, maybe this toy is the answer.

Designed to look just like the De’Longhi La Specialista espresso machine, Casdon’s barista-style coffee machine toy will keep your little ones entertained for hours as they mimic the processes of pulling shots, brewing americanos, and steaming milk for cappuccinos — all while the machine makes realistic coffee brewing sounds.

I personally appreciate that the accessories stash away on the back side of the machine when playtime’s over:

You can get this awesome espresso toy for $34 on Amazon. You’ll need to provide a couple AAA batteries of your own though.

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Tease your brain and satisfy your restless hands for hours on end with the Shashibo magnetic puzzle cube, a mesmerizing fidget toy that can be snapped and twisted into more than 70 shapes, and eventually returned to cube shape.

Each cube features four different art designs/patterns that are revealed throughout its various transformations, sort of like a kaleidoscope you manipulate with your hands.

On top of that, multiple Shashibos can be connected together to create unique geometric structures, making the possibilities truly endless:

This is one of those fidget toys that’s satisfying from an auditory, visual, and tactile standpoint, as the videos below demonstrate:

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You can get the Shashibo cube in a whole bunch of different pattern combos for $25 each on Amazon.

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In 2004, a few years before the launch of the original iPhone, the devices being confiscated in classrooms the world over were the Tamagotchi Connection series of digital pets, which could interact with one another via infrared in order to become friends, play games, and even give birth to offspring.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of that original release, Bandai is about to relaunch the Tamagotchi Connection family, now with revamped programming but much of the same nostalgic gameplay that allows you to set up play dates, gift exchanges, and more between multiple Tamas.

The new Tamagotchi Connection releases on July 10th, 2024 and can be pre-ordered for $30 on Amazon in your choice of Bubbles, Ice Cream, Rainbow Sky, or Clear Retro shell designs. They also have a Blue and Pink Grafitti matching two-pack for $58.

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Jellycat, a London-based company we’ve previously featured, is known for making cute, super soft stuffed animals with plenty of quirky personality. However, they also make a number of non-animal plushies that are just as charming and playful.

Today’s example is the Bubble Tea plush, which comes from Jellycat’s Amuseables collection (a fair number of which are specifically food-and-drink themed). This yummily adorable guy looks just like the popular summer treat, down to the tapioca pearls and oversized straw.

On the way to add some sweetness to your day🧋

In the company’s own words, this plush is “a super-chill deskmate for hectic days.” Get it for $28 on Amazon.

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⤷ ️ Filed under: “As seen on Shark Tank”

Have you ever wanted to learn how to crochet but you’re not sure where to start? Or do you have a kid who’s expressed such an interest? Then you should have a look at The Woobles, a series of fun beginner kits that come with everything you need to create amigurumi, i.e. small yarn plushies:

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. The word is a compound of the Japanese words 編み ami, meaning “crocheted or knitted,” and 包み kurumi, literally “wrapping,” as in 縫い包み nuigurumi “stuffed doll.” Amigurumi vary in size and there are no restrictions about size or look.

Beginners can choose from a number of cute little plushie pals to create:

• Pierre the Penguin
• Sebastian the Lion
• Felix the Fox
• Fred the Dinosaur
• Bjørn the Narwhal
• JoJo the Bunny
• Kiki the Chick

Each one comes with something they call “Easy Peasy” yarn, a smooth medium-weight (#4) yarn that makes it easy to see your stitches as you go.

If you’ve got absolutely zero experience crocheting, that’s okay because the beginner kits offer clear step-by-step directions (for both left- and right-handed users!) and easy-to-follow patterns, and they even pre-start the yarn so you can jump right into the fun part of the project.

If you do happen to make a mistake along the way, they make it simple to start over: just tug on the yarn connected to the yarn ball to reset to the pre-started piece.

Once you’ve completed one (or a few) of the beginner kits and you’re ready to try your hand at slightly more complicated projects, you can pick up their 21 giftable-pattern book and fine-tune your crocheting abilities some more.

It’s never too late to learn a new skill, so check out the full collection of beginner Woobles kits and pick the one that speaks to you most.

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If you’ve already got a levitating moon lamp and some floating bookshelves in your office to create a physics-defying atmosphere, consider adding the Novium Hoverpen 2.0 to your workspace as well.

When not in use, this aircraft-grade aluminum pen rests within the ring of magnetic repulsion generated by its zinc-alloy pedestal stand, suspended at a 23.5° angle as if by magic. ️

Pictured here is the Mars Magma colorway.

Not only will this be an impossible-to-ignore centerpiece of your desk space, it’s also a cool fidget toy that spins freely for about 20 seconds if you need a break from the task you’re working on. The magnetic cap that snaps itself into place from a short distance can be considered a secondary fidget mechanism.

…and here is the Neptune Blue.

The Hoverpen accepts any D1 size ink refill — two Schmidt ones are included to get you started — and it comes with a small tweezer-like pincer ring tool that makes it easy to slide out the old cartridge so you can slide another in. {Insert John Wick reload sound effect here}

Get the Novium Hoverpen 2.0 for $99 on Amazon in your choice of Space Black, Mars Magma (my favorite), Neptune Blue, or Starlight Silver.

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As the title above states, Tumbling Timbers is essentially an oversized version of the classic Jenga block-stacking tower game (and it costs way less than the official “Jumbo” edition).

The premise is exactly the same: Stack the blocks into a tall tower, take turns removing a single block (one-handed) to be placed atop the structure, and try not to be the person who makes it all fall down in the process.

The blocks are hand-cut from sustainably sourced New Zealand pine wood and sanded smooth for comfortable play. They come with a nylon carry bag for easy transport, so it’ll be a hit at every party, cookout, tailgate, and beach/lake hangout you take it to this summer.

You can get Tumbling Timbers in three tower/block sizes:

• Giant (21 inches tall) — $42 for natural, $62 for stained
• Large (24 inches tall) — $49 for natural, $73 for stained
• Large Jr. (30 inches tall) — $80 for natural, $89 for stained

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In the late 1960s, Danish cabinetmaker Hans Gustav Ehrenreich decided the world needed a little more happiness and cheer. To that end he designed Hoptimist, a line of fun little bobbing-head figurines that serve no real purpose except to bring a smile to your face — and isn’t that needed more than ever these days?

Whenever you’re feeling blue or stressed out, just give your Hoptimist a little tap on the head and let its indomitable jaunty bouncing infect you with enthusiasm you didn’t know you had.

You’d probably have to be a sour soul indeed not to crack a smile, or at least a smirk, while watching this thingy go. I am given to catastrophizing, but this doojigger helps me to pause, get perspective, and reset with a sense of humor.

—Chantel Tattoli, The Strategist

The Classic Collection pictured above is the obvious place to start, but they have many other collections to choose from as well, like the Soft Collection:

…the Wood Collection:

…and the list goes on.

Whatever design you choose, it will happily fulfill its role as desk toy, conversation piece, or special gift to someone. Every Hoptimist is assembled by hand too, so each one has a degree of uniqueness.

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I’m always down for a good globe, particularly one with a unique hook that sets it apart from most others. This light-up globe from USA Toyz is exactly the type of thing I like.

During the day, you can use it like a typical globe, with color-coded countries/states, major cities, capitals, waterways, and other natural features clearly marked around the world. ☀️

At night however, you can switch on the inner LED backlight to turn it into a map of the stars, with all 88 officially recognized constellations denoted, along with planets from our solar system, navigational lines, and major stars. ✨

It’s a really cool effect, and not only is it a great educational tool for kids, it also makes a fantastic night light for them to fall asleep with.

The 7.2″ diameter globe is $40 on Amazon, while the 9″ diameter one is $65.

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These die-cast Poké Ball replicas by The Wand Company are the ultimate officially licensed collectibles for Pokémon trainers and lifelong fans everywhere.

Featuring a beautifully crafted and deeply colored metal shell with a high-gloss lacquer finish, each Poké Ball replica is so faithfully true to the source material that Professor Oak himself wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. Just holding it in your hand, you can feel the quality of its construction from the substantial weight alone.

But the magic doesn’t stop there — when you do reach for one of these Poké Balls, you’ll notice the proximity- and touch-sensing technology it’s equipped with, as the button in the center lights up and glows brighter the closer your hand gets, reaching max brightness when you make contact with both halves at once.

Pressing that button starts a Pokémon-catching illumination sequence, or by double-clicking, rotates through its three light colors (white → red → green).

Even the display box is neatly designed. As you open the lid, an inner platform raises the ball and multicolored lights activate underneath (which themselves can be controlled by touching the metal plaque/button on the front), creating a fantastic presentation that wows every time.

There’s also a hidden polished stainless steel ring within the case that you can take out and set the Poké Ball on, standalone-style.

As any avid collector would wish, they have a whole bunch of Poké Ball styles to choose from:

• Original red/white/black ($139)
• Great Ball ($97)
• Ultra Ball ($100)
• Premier Ball ($100)
• Quick Ball ($100)
• Friend Ball ($95)
• Dive Ball ($100)
• Heal Ball ($100)
• Love Ball ($152)
• Net Ball ($100)
• Dusk Ball ($100)
• Cherish Ball ($101)
• Luxury Ball ($120)

The most notable exclusion from the list is the Master Ball, which they did sell for a time through Pokémon Center in early 2021, but is no longer available for some reason.

As I write this on February 11th, 2024, the company is priming to release mini editions of the Poké Balls, which you can learn more about on their website.

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ROKR is a company that specializes in crafting intricate wooden mechanical model kits and 3D puzzles, often with moving parts, gears, and mechanisms that you can assemble without glue or special tools.

Perhaps two of their more whimsical offerings are a pair of wooden wind-up “instrument” music boxes that you assemble yourself:

1. Magic Cello (model #: AMK63) — 199 pieces, plays Nocturne, Op.9, No.2 in E-flat

   
   

2. Magic Piano (model #: AMK81) — 223 pieces, plays “Canon Variations”

   
   

Both of them are impressively detailed in terms of design and moving parts — the latter of which you can observe through the body of the instrument as it operates — and each makes an elegant display piece that comes to life whenever you desire it.

Normally the kits are priced at around $40 each, but you can buy them both as a bundle for $67 and save some money. Happy building and listening! ⚙️

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At the intersection of modern innovation and childhood nostalgia, you’ll find the PowerUp 4.0, a fun and innovative kit that lets your imagination literally take flight, allowing you to turn a humble self-made paper airplane into a smartphone-controlled flying machine!

This STEM-friendly gizmo + mobile app combo started out as a Kickstarter project in 2013 and has seen continuous refinements ever since.

With the release of version 4.0 in 2019, the kit added an onboard flight computer, two new sensors (gyro and accelerometer), two high-speed motors, an autopilot assist function that works with just about any plane design, better durability, and auto-looping trick capabilities.

On top of being a thrilling toy to play with, it’s a fantastic teaching tool that inspires kids to explore the principles of aerodynamics, engineering, and experimentation. After their first flight, they’re bound to be hooked, testing and comparing multiple plane designs to find out which are the most stable and efficient, as well as customizing flight controls in the app to get the best results in each case.

Get the PowerUp 4.0 kit for $70 on Amazon and enjoy the endless opportunities for creativity and exploration in the world of flight ✈️

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