Browsing Tag

Toy

How One Toy Designer Followed His Passion For Great Inventions

Posted on October 24, 2018

Hasbro’s Rich Mazel Unloads On How To Spot A Good Invention Opportunity

Trading a secure and buttoned-up job in finance for a trend-driven and ultra-competitive career as a toy and game inventor isn’t a typical career track. But for Rich Mazel, his dream of inventing and designing cool toys couldn’t wait any longer.

Rich Mazel, Senior Director of Global Product Acquisition at Hasbro, began his post-Notre Dame (M.B.A.) career in Chicago as a wide-eyed financial consultant for Deloitte, all while frantically sketching and pitching new product ideas to anyone who would listen, and to many that wouldn’t. In 2005, … READ MORE

Product & Book Reviews

Gettin’ Fizzy with the Beaker Creatures Liquid Reactor Super Lab

Posted on August 12, 2018

Raising Nerd Product Review: Learning Resources Beaker Creatures Liquid Reactor Super Lab

Rogue Mom Rating 4.5 Nerds (out of 5)

The 7 second summary is this super cool reactor lab is a great science toy for kids who love to experiment. But don’t worry, kids who aren’t very interested in science or adults who want to control the mess in their house will also enjoy the fun as well.

What We Like About Beaker Creatures

SCIENCE! We love that the guide explains how acids and bases react to form carbon dioxide. NERD FACT: In this experiment, you’re adding water,

Gift Guide 2017

Your Ultimate STEAM Gift Guide for Finding the Perfect Nerd Gift – Part 2 ($20-$50)

Posted on November 22, 2017

The 2nd Annual Raising Nerd
Mega Holiday Wish List (Part 2)

How about a second pre-Thanksgiving helping of Nerd-inspiring, creative problem-solving toy goodness? In Part 1 of our Mega Holiday Wish List, which we considered the shopping appetizer, we recommended more than 60 STEAM Gift toys priced under $20 to satisfy any Nerd’s curiosity and passion for discovery. In today’s edition of our annual gift guide, we cover dozens more STEAM toys in the $20-$50 range. Once again, we’ve segmented toys by age group to help make your online browsing easier.

STEAM Gift Ideas for Little Nerdlings

Product & Book Reviews

With The Aquascope, Your Budding Marine Biologist Can Get Up Close & Personal with Water Life

Posted on October 26, 2017

Educational Insights Aquascope™ Review

During the spring and summer, my Nerds practically live in the water. Whether they’re wading through a creek, diving into the pool at swim practice, or splashing around in the surf, they love taking a plunge. In addition to cooling off, one of the big draws for my curious girls is being able to explore what life is like below the surface. They love touring aquariums and other aquatic adventures.

Educational Insights, makers of the GeoSafari line among other STEM toys, knows that kids like mine love diving into nature. That’s why the toymaker … READ MORE

Reviews

When it comes to a STEM Toy, Mindware Is On the Right Track

Posted on May 22, 2017

STEM Toy Review: MindWare Q-BA-Maze

One recent rainy, soccer-free Saturday, RocketteGirl, Lightning McQueen, and I took the opportunity to liven up our dreary confinement by opening a new box of building blocks from MindWare. These weren’t just any ordinary blocks, of course. They were MindWare’s multi-colored, Q-BA-MAZE 2.0 Ultimate Stunt Set marble run blocks. A perfect STEM Toy to entertain the kids on a rainy day.

The TV-sized box had been sitting under our makerspace table since late-March, patiently waiting for us to finally find some free time to test it out. The good people at MindWare … READ MORE

Inventors

How This Psychotherapist Went From A Steady Practice to Invent A Toy to Breakdown the Gender Barrier … For Boys

Posted on April 25, 2017

Meet the Inventor: Laurel Wider of Wonder Crew

“As a mother to a son and as a psychotherapist, I felt it was time to move beyond gender stereotypes and address the developmental needs of the whole child.”

We continue our celebration of National Inventors Month at Raising Nerd with a profile of Laurel Wider: mom, psychotherapist, and superhero inventor! I met this mild-mannered, toy innovator and founder of Wonder Crew at Toy Fair back in February.

After seeing so many other Toy Fair displays of action figures, battlebots, Minions, drones, and other toys appealing to the rowdier, aggressive side … READ MORE

Toy