Meccano M.A.X. is a robotics building set that produces an impressive, 12-inch tall robot with almost human-like qualities. And with nearly 350 parts to assemble, the patience, concentration, and care kids bring to bear in putting M.A.X. together yield a great many rewards. One of the final steps is to download M.A.X.'s mind into the MeccaBrain, a unit situated front and center on his torso that connects to all his hardwa...Read more

Mi Robot Builder is an outstanding STEM educational tool that offers up immensely engaging activities for kids age 10 and up. As the name implies, the build itself (with 978 plastic bricks, a controller and two motors) is a major part of the experience. Once the build is done, a free app interfaces with the robot's sophisticated mechanical structure to generate some truly exciting fun and learning. The fierce-looking robo...Read more

This wonderful educational game includes several excellent variations of the perennial children's favorite, hide and seek. The goal is to find Miffy, an adorable, talking 3D version of Dick Bruna's beloved rabbit. When Miffy's switch is set to 'on,' she calls out hints from her hiding place in a pleasing, singsong voice: "I'm hi-ding, yoo-hoo, I'm here! Can you find me?" Parent/child interactions and the skills targeted f...Read more

To observe the expressions of wonder on babies' faces as they explore and discover the captivating properties of Juballees is a delight in and of itself. With a gentle pull, any of these three colorful balls separates easily into two halves. The halves and balls click and hold together in various ways as if by magic, leading to unusual, gravity-defying stacking and rolling combinations. Their mix and match-ability generat...Read more

Mirari Shellby is a marvelous toy for promoting early stage development, a colorful, rollable snail that young ones fall in love with even before they discover the captivating surprises that await their exploration. Kids give Shellby a push, and a colorful ball pops out of the mouth. Tap Shellby's tail, and eureka, another ball, this one a different color! Keep pushing, or tapping, and different colored balls keep popping...Read more

There's a joyous look children get when tearing open the Mischief Maker Slingshot packaging, an uncontained excitement that speaks to the remarkably fresh appeal of this updated version of the classic slingshot. Made from real wood and soft foam, the Mischief Maker's construction includes symmetric, brightly colored patterns along its surface and a foam 'hammer' attached by a strong elastic band. Loading the slingshot con...Read more

Every parent quickly learns that any toy that can fit in a baby's mouth will end up in the baby's mouth, probably sooner rather than later. The Mochi Trumpet's design and functionality puts mouth-centric entertainment at the forefront in the form of a small bugle that emits a surprising range of sounds and is made predominantly from rice (more on that in a moment). Infants' natural sucking and teething motions quickly lea...Read more

These joyously fun silicone bath toys are soft to the touch, perfect for little hands to grasp, squish and submerge. Five animal-themed characters (sold individually) stimulate young ones' imaginations while inspiring mental and physical exploration through water play. Each toy has a head and body that, together, form a sealed unit that floats and bobs to the surface but that can be easily separated into two cup-like part...Read more

This fun-filled silicone bath toy puts smiles on young ones' faces, in or out of the bathtub. Like Marcus & Marcus's excellent animal themed bath toys, Rocket Bath Toy immediately engages young hands and minds while encouraging them to explore, investigate and play! A favorite feature is the squeeze and squirt action kids can use to suction up bathwater and unleash it in a directed stream with a simple squeeze. Youngsters...Read more

Monkeys Up is another exciting, fast-moving family game from RoosterFin. Setup takes only seconds. There are eighteen monkeys in all, heroic little fellows who stand upright but have a hidden secret. Fifteen of them are labeled on bottom with the numbers 1 through 15, while the remaining three are marked with an X (worth zero). At the outset, all monkeys are placed number-side down on the table and players randomly pick 3...Read more

mozi is jaw-droppingly entertaining to watch and even more fun to do, a set of intertwining metallic rings with near-magical qualities that let even first time users amaze friends and family. Simply insert your hand through the rings and raise your arm. mozi springs to life, spinning continuously as it travels up and down one arm, from one arm to the other, or from one person's arm to another's. There is no power source o...Read more

Those who prefer predictable games would be well-advised to stay away from Mr. Game!, a highly entertaining board game whose twists and turns are a recipe for head-spinning fun! The basic premise is simple: players take turns rolling the dice, moving their pieces, trying to get to the goal space first. But what if the goal had other plans, like moving throughout the game, or all the spaces on the board were subject to cha...Read more

Mr. Pencil's Scribble & Write offers a range of hugely enjoyable educational activities through which children learn letters, numbers, writing, drawing and other word skills. The portable, handheld device contains a stylus kids use to make selections on the A to Z keyboard (with numbers 1 through 9 across the top) and explore interactive learning using the touch screen. Six activity buttons allow young learners to choose ...Read more

This enormously fun educational toy delights youngsters with its colorful appearance, audiovisual effects and nonstop interactivity. Flip the 'on' switch, and Mushroom Garden invites children to play and learn. A blue button lets kids choose among four modes of play - colors, numbers, music and games. In number or color mode, children can press the mushrooms (each of which has a different color and number of dots on it) t...Read more