Gearing Up for Fun

Mechanical Marvels

• What: Gearing Up for Fun
• When: Six months and up
• Why: Fun, stimulating, mechanical
• Where: At home

Want to keep little minds spinning during the last days of summer break? Maybe you want to keep their wheels turning even after starting school. If you want to indulge a child who loves machines or introduce someone to the power of gears, these toys will get the job done.

Gears! Gears! Gears!: This open-ended toy lets kids combine the brightly colored gears to make all sorts of creations. The set comes with multiple base plates, though kids can use the gears on their own as well. Attach gears together and add the crank then watch the magic happen as kids set the gears in motion. These toys come with instructions for several different builds, or kids can create their own. 

VEX Robotics Screw Lift: For more advanced skills, try this robotics screw lift. A giant gear on the end works the elevator, which sets the balls rolling. Kids will need to assemble the entire mechanism using an illustrated instruction manual. Once they complete the machine, the crank will set the spinning gear in motion, powering the ball until your kids run out of steam.

Spirograph: If your child wants more creativity in their gears, let them loose with a classic Spirograph toy. Kids choose small toothed plastic gears from various sizes. Using one of the rods or other gears and a writing utensil, kids can create beautiful and individual works of art with the interlocking gears.

Pet Playland: A spinoff that works with Gears! Gears! Gears! or as a stand-alone toy, this set adds several animals to fair themed gear play. Kids can assemble an airplane toy, ferris wheel type ride, and much more for the four pets to ride and enjoy. Each animal, like the gears themselves, come in bright colors and attach securely to the gears. 

Spinagain Toy: For the youngest little mechanics, get them in on the gear action, too, thanks to this stacking spinning toy. Gears in graduated sizes can be stacked on the main pole, sending them spinning down to the base. The large pieces with bright rainbow colors will keep even the youngest engineers busy assembling and dismantling the stack for oodles of simple gear fun.