Airjitzu

Hands up this might be one of the more juvenile products I rave about but it is definitely one of the most fun too, providing endless hours of entertainment to adults and children alike.

 

Okay, so picture this; you're walking through your local shopping centre when movement in the Lego store catches your eyes (as it does). You approach the window only to find a squad of young children playing with rip cord Lego toys and battling it out mid air with old school Beyblade style spin tops that appear to have been meshed with Lego, only instead of hitting the ground, these things fly!!! You're beyond mind blown so it's only natural that you storm in there, pick up an Airjitzu of your own and load as many mod's on to the structure as possible to make your Airjitzu the Airjitzu to beat all others.

 

On a serious note the Lego Ninjago Airjitzu's are probably some of the best toys you're going to find for under £10; making them great filler presents as well as the perfect toy for kids to save up their pocket money to get. There are six different 'types' of Airjitzu ninja's, which are basically different colour schemes and Lego characters for you to collect. And what people are loving about the Airjitzu's is that because they're made of Lego, they're a really solid toy that can survive a kid's constant abuse/play.

 

Impeccable quality, impressive flight capabilities and easy assembly make this an awesome toy for all ages. I was astounded by the flight these things get and the way that you don't care when your Airjitzu gets completely destroyed by it's opponent because it just means you can reinforce your Airjitzu defences better next time with an assortment of your Lego pieces.

 

 

Famous OTO

Tomorrow morning kids all over the world will be waking up eager to rip in to layers upon layers of wrapping paper, and if you've got 'em one of these bad boys you better be careful they don't tear clean through the cardboard. 

Famous OTO are a small, New York based toy company who aim to bring enjoyment to kids with nothing more than illustrated cardboard. These cardboard playhouses for kids offer unlimited hours of play with their top quality prints and easy assembly and storage capabilities. So now those hooligans you love to hate can sell ice-creams and taco's galore with these awesome playhouses. 

Each truck comes with a fold-down window for kids to serve food from and they are plenty spacious so your little one's can set up shop and play for real. And if you want to get your hands on an OTO Taco Truck or OTO Ice Cream Truck then all you need is £40. And if you're not a kid person and cats are more your bag, then they even do a smaller sized OTO Ice Cream Truck for your cats to burrow away in. 

One a Penny

Skateboard fanatics and designers alike will be glad to know that you can very easily make your own personalized version of the penny board now thanks to these free downloadable files from MyMiniFactory courtesy of designer Simone Fontana, who shows a perfect tutorial of how to print and assemble you're very own replica Penny Board. 

Of course because of the limited printing capacity of the 3D printer, this means that Fontana's download comes in five pieces that need to be put together using steel bars to give the board a bit of stability, but other than that it's pretty much a simple process that's a lot cheaper and more original than you going out and buying yourself a brand new board.

You can mix and match your Penny Board by picking your own wheels and printing each section in different colours etc; go mad with it because this is an awesome free download for the creative boarders out there. And whilst you're over at MMF don't forget to tip the designer, give back to the amazing creators out there. 

Crazy Arms

Ever wish your Lego characters could do more than just lift their arms up and down at their sides? (Yeah, I know it might not be the most prevalent thing on your mind but it's damn important to a plastic figure enthusiast let me tell you.)

Well a set of Crazy Arms will let your favourite brick based figure do out of the box things such as carrying a sword and a bow in their arms, finally you can let your little Lego man salsa!!!

Crazy Arms is a crazily genius invention that takes the pose ability of the plastic mini figures to a whole new dimension. Crazy Arms are removable, letting you modify at your own pace without tampering or damaging your figures. The plastic Crazy Arms parts snugly fit in to the inner holes on the figures hips and provide a loop support for the arms to fit in to which then allow you to pose your figure however you like. 

Crazy Arms are amazing for letting children and adults alike unlike modelling and playing potential by interchanging their figures limbs and they come in a variety of initial colours; white, black, tan, dark tan and dark grey with more colours to unlock as the Kickstarter campaign gains pledges.

And for $20 you can get your hands on three pairs of Crazy Arms in whatever colour you long for.

Feathered Heroes

Sick of seeing the next generation stuck behind their gadgets? Well take them away from their tech and bring their favourite feather based destructive app in to real life using your 3D printer and these free (yes! Free!) download files from MyMiniFactory.

Designers Marco Autilio and Lloyd Roberts are the brains who have collaborated Angry birds with the 3D printer, allowing you to download the files and print your own Angry Birds town to destroy with your fully working slingshot. 

You can design your own fortress with various blocks of ice, wood and stone and you can paint your pigs and birds whatever colour you desire. This is a great way to get kids interacting with the 3D printer, and to extend the fun by letting them paint their own piggies before they knock 'em down. You can play with all your favorites so if you're an angry birds fan you won't want to miss out on this game; so head on over to MyMiniFactory to download the file ready for printing. 

Rock, Scissors, Paper!

As Nerf has proven you don't have to be a kid to enjoy shooting a plastic gun and playing army with your friends, and with PaperShooters there's now a better way to get even with your buds and sharpen up your shooting skills. 

PaperShooters is a construction kit that lets you build all the components of your weapon; including the air chamber, springs and trigger mechanism. You can interchange the cardboard skins on your plastic 'skeleton' so that you can blend in with your battle field as you go to war. 

The ability to construct your own 124 piece weapon will give you extended fun before you do get round to mastering your weapon, ready for firing rounds at objects up to 65 feet away. 

No more collecting your plastic ammo after an intense shooting battle, because PaperShooters ammo is ultra safe, mess free and 100% biodegradable because the pellets are made out of paper, therefore no more ouchies when you do eventually get hit. 

And you'll never run out of ammo because each PaperShooters kit comes with a mold so that you can continuously make soft splat ammo, giving the perfect blend of functional and fun all in one innovative package. 

And you can get your hands on a PaperShooters 'Zombie Slayer' for just £30, which includes the authentic looking plastic and cardboard weapon as well as a wall target for accurate shooting and endless fun. 

Lego be gone! Pinblock's are upon us!!!

Now I know this'll be hard to come to terms with but sadly Lego isn't the 'It' thing any longer. You know all those times you got a chunky yellow brick stuck in your foot? And you got aggravated with the basic 90 degree joints on all your models? Well with Pinblock's your feet are safe and you can now make your models around six rotation points!!! There's nothing better than rotation points. 

Pinblock started as a Kickstarter project aiming to re-imagine the building block, to bring these tiny, flexible pieces of plastic to market so that every creator and dreamer out there can surpass the limitation of conventional construction.

These bad boys are amazing in that you no longer have to search through the box for the right piece; because all the pieces are the same size, dimension, width; what I'm basically saying is that every brick is identical! And no longer are your models stiff and lifeless, they're flexible and able to curve; no more restrictions in your buildings and creations.

Pinblock's aren't just for creators, they're also for designers, they provide the perfect, slim material to create pixelated images with. These Pinblock's are so clever yet so uncomplicated! There's really no end to what you can do with them; build watches, make portraits, construct the Empire State Building!!! Whatever you want to do you can do it.

I happened to make a loose interpretation of Mickey Mouse in my first go at Pinblock's, proving that even the simplest of minds can get carried away with this awesome new toy.

What's even better is the variety of boxes available. Pinblock offer a choice of freestyle colour schemes, as well as kit boxes which give you a step by step guide to building rockets, ships and jets. The genius minds behind Pinblock's - great mates Vlad and Jun who decided to change engineering for the better - are really on to something here and I hope to see Pinblock's go global; encouraging kids and adults alike to get their build on.

At the end of Pinblock's Kickstarter campaign they launched The Manual Challenge, which was a race among pledgers to share pages and collect all fifty two pages of the Silver Falcon Model Manual for the chance to win a box of each of the Pinblock sets (seven boxes in total) for absolutely nothing! Pinblock's sent different pages out to each person and it was a battle on Facebook, Twitter and Kickstarter to send pages to each other and share their own in order to gather all the pages of the manual. Of course by sheer determination and brazen annoyance, yours truly managed to wrangle together all 52 pages first and nabbed herself the awesome prize.

And this week the box turned up all large and full of tinkling brick noise and I practically wet myself in excitement, eager to get my build on. And build I did; cathedral's, characters and other cute critters! I did my best to test the durability and flexibility of these Pinblock bricks and am utterly astounded by the versatility in one tiny 1 cm wide brick!

Well done Pinblock; live long and prosper.

Unofish

If you've got a bit of a basketball obsession and you've got money to splash then maybe you should invest in a handcrafted leather basketball that takes swag to the next level. 

Unofish are the designers behind these sexy basketballs who use a range of different patterned and treated quality leathers to make these striking basketballs that'll make you feel like a queen or a king. Several of their 'crocodile' inspired balls feature alligator embossed leather, whilst balls like 'the state' have cross sections of pony hair leather which add an elegant edge to the material. 

With an Unofish basketball you're paying for great quality and finish to beat all others. And although your game might not be on your ball game definitely will be with everyone marveling over your basketball as you will stand out and above all others with your £160 basketball. 

Lazy Basketball

With society like it is it's a given that someone would come up with a way for people to play sport without having to move. And that product is the Lazy Basketball chair by Campeggi; a seat designed to allow you to shoot hoops without having to move an inch (well, depending on your shot to miss ratio). 

The metal structure of Lazy Basketball is covered in a synthetic net that catches the ball the minute you score a shot, and rolls it straight in to the arms of your friend in the other chair, ready for a game of back and forth free throwing. Lazy Basketball is colourful and would make a great garden game for both able bodied and disabled people alike. And although some may argue that Lazy Basketball will breed a, well, lazy generation, I'd argue that you're more than likely to miss the hoop altogether and end up running after the ball; as well, isn't it better to be sitting in the garden or house having an interactive game of Lazy Basketball than to be cuddled up in your room with your computer under your nose? 

Lazy Basketball is a great and fun invention and for roughly £600 you can get your hands on one of your own, ace for adding a new flare to your games room and getting your arms moving. 

My geek box

You're running low on cool action figures and need a new useless let utterly cool gadget to tinker with, then have no fear because My Geek Box are on hand to send you your monthly dose of madness. 

For £15.99 a month you can get a My Geek Box jam packed with awesome retro gear and geeky gamer gifts delivered right to your doorstop, ready for you to open up and play with. Your mystery items come with a different theme each time; ranging from zombies to heroes to video games and even your favourite films! All you do is sign up, select which shirt size you are, wait for them to pack your stuff and when you get your box you rip it open as if it's Christmas come every month.

If you doubt their awesomeness then you're going to want to check out their past boxes; they truly are well worth the money. And if you're looking to give a My Geek Box to someone who still has to hide behind the pillows when they watch Doctor Who then the Kids Geek Box is the one for you. Kids Geek Box is designed for padawans, with clothes to suit the age of the intended child with more appropriate and less horrific items to fill their room with. 

Tiko

It seems to be the case that 3D printers just aren't practical in size. They're bulky, and loud and give off god awful fumes, and don't even start on all those cables sticking out of the back. You see how I haven't even mentioned price yet? But what if someone made a 3D printer that's silent, compact, tidy and costs just $179? Well thank heavens for Tiko. 

Tiko is the unibody 3D printer that does it all and more; despite it's compact size of 39 cm tall, it has a relatively large printing space, with the electronics and mechanics behind all the hard work being shrunk in to a tiny compartment that looks both attractive and clean. It supports all the usual 3D printing materials; PLA, ABS, Nylon, Hips etc... With a spool chamber in the top that easily fits the average one kg roll of plastic. 

Rather than having tons of runners that control the movement of the printing head, Tiko consists of three sets of arms that move easily and freely without the shaking movements of many 3D printers, that lets you get high precision and accuracy with your printing. 

And because Tiko is enclosed, the wind and a slight breeze won't blow the arms about and mess up your design, and in corporation with Tiko's wireless function this means that you can take Tiko anywhere. Great for printing on the go and ace for repairs when you're miles from civilization, as Tiko can connect straight from your laptop to the device without any internet connection!

Tiko is flexible; which means that you don't have to fight to get your 3D printed item off of the bed, or leave it in a wash to dissolve the excess plastic over night, all it takes is one little bend and you've got your printed item ready to go.

It's so easy to use too with it's super friendly and easy software, meaning you don't have to fiddle around finding the right tools on the creation platform; making it fun and effortless. Tiko is light and strong, and after listing all these awesome features I'm wondering why I haven't headed on over to Kickstarter to get my pledge in?

My Retro

Gaming is in our blood; our father's did and our forefather's probably didn't do it, but that's only because they didn't have electricity in those days!

But now we do have electricity, and more games consoles than we know rightly what to do with, so why not stick your game head on and get your thumbs at the ready to punch those 'A' and 'B' buttons like mad? Because My Retro Game Box is sure to put you in the mood to fire up your old GameBoy Colour's, NES's and Sega Megadrive's. 

Much like a magazine subscription, My Retro Game Box is a service which sends you out at least three awesome new games for your console every month; but rather than ending up in your recycle pile, these games become your lifelong companions. My Retro Game Box don't rent games, oh no, they let you keep 'em. You tell them which consoles and games you have and they select games for you to work your way through each month on your retro gaming systems. And you won't end up with something you don't like; instead you tell them what sorts of games you do like and they'll do their best to meet your standards. 

And if you don't own the necessary consoles then relax a little, because they also sell the systems so that if you're not a retro gamer you can get in to it. At roughly £20/month it saves you from having to troll through Ebay looking for games you might like and waiting for them to be shipped from who knows where; so get on My Retro Game Box and subscribe! 

POLAROLL

The toilet selfie might not have taken off just yet but this toilet roll holder is a kitsch accessory for any keen photographer out there who used to love the art of printing out a Polaroid. 

POLAROLL works similarly to a instant picture camera which instead of giving you your developed image, gives you endless streams of toilet roll. How fun?!? 

This retro POLAROLL is cute and tidy, bringing an 80's vibe to your bathroom that allows you to disguise your one ply loo roll in a clever plastic caddy that will have you no doubt filling your guests with liquids just so they have an excuse to use the loo and see this awesome camera buddy. 

And asides from being an ace gift for camera lovers, the POLAROLL comes in two different varieties. You can get your bulk standard retro camera style of black and white, or if you're more into your pastels you can get the pink and blue model. Me thinks I need a POLAROLL in my life.

Lego Clutch

I can't recall how many of these plastic bricks I've had lodged in my feet over the years, but I can recall long day's spent trying to build the most insane towers. And what better way to feel that nostalgia again than with these fun and funky accessories made out of Lego bricks?

Agabag are the company behind these cute items that collaborate fashion with play in a series of clutches, handbags and bracelets that immortalize our favourite Lego building past time. Agabag offer multicolour, outrageous pieces that boast of their Lego heritage whilst on the other end of the spectrum also sell classy clutches that combine 24k gold plated Lego with solid colours to create bags worthy of socialites.

Asides from being attractive and playful, they're also very practical with careful stitches running up the sides to sustain quality and offer a great finish that keeps the bags from looking too bulky. Agabag also make funky lamps that use classic lines and different transparency's of Lego to make an effective looking house accessory.

It's alive! It's ALIIVVVEEE!

Creepy crawlies and prancing unicorns! Who doesn't want to watch 2D tattoos come to life? 

It's well known fact that kids (and adults alike) love stick on tattoos, and you're sure to impress with these awesome spiders, gorillas and dragons (oh no!) Magic Tattoos that come to life on your arm. 

Using clever augmented reality, the tattoo's work by using the camera on your phone to make a wicked 3D experience. The app lets you make your kittens play and your butterfly's flutter. 

Magic Tattoos are the perfect companion to any child's party, packs for both boys and girls contain over eight different designs and 24 tattoo's per pack! It's both freaky and cute and a great add on item to jazz up a kid's gift bag (especially now that it seems every kid has a smart phone). You just download the free app on the Apple Store or from Google Play and your tattoos become interactive; genius!

Hyper gaming

If you're feeling nostalgic every time you look at your broken NES console and the stacks of games you used to slave over in the heydays, then the Hyperkin RetroN Gaming system is for you. This rocking console is 5 gaming systems in one, allowing for you to play a variety of different prehistoric cartridges such as; NES, SNES, Super Famicom, Genesis, Megadrive, Famicom, Gameboy Advance, Gameboy Colour & Gameboy. 

It's more than just a way to play all the old school games in one place; the console also includes a wireless remote (sweet!) and better audio and better visual than those crappy 80's graphics you're used to; it converts the graphics to clear and crisp HDTV standards for better colours and clearer images. 

However, having read some reviews this gaming system seems to be great in theory but no where near up to par in real life; some people complaining that many of their games aren't compatible and that the makers aren't at all helpful when something breaks or starts bugging. So my advice would be to buy with caution if you're still dead-set on gaming hipster style, and it'll cost you a tidy £95. 

Everything is Awesome

Everything is cool when you're part of a team... Part of a Lego team that is! Now this has to be the best costume ever produced; who hasn't imagined a world in which we all have brick yellow heads and move like we've got stiff joints? 

Well, we can make that dream a reality with these texture realistic Lego Character Costumes by the Etsy shop; Brack Daddy Brand. 

The Lego Character costumes allow for accurate movement and the most life sized replicas available to fit children between 4-54 inches tall with a removable head so that people don't think there's an inception going on. 

And if you're an adult who has a little (err, big) addiction to the plastic bricks, then you can request a custom order to suit your size and with character details of your own request; maybe even make a Lego you! 

Adventure Scents

For the fantasy fanatic out there, Adventure Scents will bring your game play and life to the next level. By adding Adventure Scents fantastic scented beads to your stories and games, you give the adventure a fourth dimension; as you walk into the Dragon's Cave with you sword on side, you can actually smell a Dragon's Cave, you know that familiar scent of dragon's breath and gold? 

What's fantastic about Adventure Scents is that you can literally use them anywhere; whilst reading, whilst playing, whilst gaming, and even whilst walking out and about. Using the their fantasy gilded locket, you can carry the perfumed scent of a Rowdy Tavern around your neck. And whilst playing with your friends, you can wield your scented sword to hit your pal with the smell of a Moldy Crypt. 

And if you can't commit to buying a full sized jar of scent, then go ahead to Kickstarter and order their five sample scent packs. With scents such as an Enchanted Forest, an Icy Castle, a Smoky Campfire and a Horse Stables, you're spoilt for choice.

Bringing books back to life!

Goodnight Lad is the genius book that merges technology with paperback to create an augmented reality story that allows a child to explore a book in the third dimension and to interact with many features of the story. 

The story follows young Logan who refuses to go to bed, so his parents hatch a plan to help him go down. Now what makes this story different from others is the fact that the book is compatible with smartphone devices and with the use of the Goodnight Lad app, the book comes to life with beautiful animations that let you really get stuck in to the book. And with 32 pages there is plenty of room for exploration. 

This augmented reality story is amazing as it helps bring back the dying tradition of reading to a child by melding it with technology. Goodnight Lad is a happy medium where technology use is not excessive, and the use of animation and hidden secrets inside the book mean that your not at risk of nodding off.

Goodnight Lad is available on Kickstarter for backing at as little as £19 (including postage to the UK), so why not get your hands on the chance to bring back the bedtime story? 

Think Geek

For those who are geeks at heart, ThinkGeek.com is the place to shop for all your slightly nerdy and quirky bits and bobs.

They sell merchandise for pretty much every geeky programme or film that you can think of; with Star Wars handbags, Star Trek baby grow and The Big Band Theory hoodies, you'll be spoilt for choice.

What makes ThinkGeek.com really stick out is that they sell products that are exclusive to them, and their products are all fairly priced. 

Another bonus is that they've got a reward system that means you can save up points from every purchase to earn a free geeky gift at a later date. Meaning you get more geek chic for your money.