Category Archives: Toys

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From Butterfly Kits to Butterfly Puzzles, These Winged Creatures Mean Summer’s Arriving

Indianapolis toy storeButterflies are quiet, subtle welcome signs of summer. These insects begin life as squirmy caterpillars only to disappear for a costume change and return as butterflies. And that’s not the only amazing thing about a butterfly. Did you know that butterflies only see three colors?  If it’s not red, green or yellow, a butterfly doesn’t see it.

Butterflies can also fly up to 12 miles per hour. That may sound impressive due to their size, but some moths double that speed at 25 miles per hour!

And if the butterfly’s body temperature drops below 68 degrees, it can’t fly.

Earth Explorer Toys can help you introduce your children to these amazing insects with a Butterfly Garden ($19.99). Watch the amazing metamorphosis as your Painted Lady butterflies go from larvae to adult butterflies. The kit includes a habitat, guide and a send-away certificate for five larvae and food. Releasing the butterflies can be just as fun as watching them grow.

The Busy Butterfly puzzle ($9.99) introduces small children to butterflies while stimulating their young minds. Puzzles help develop hand-eye coordination, problem-solving skills and memory skills. Make all that learning fun with this colorful, wooden, 14-piece puzzle.

The Sticky Mosaic Butterflies ($17.99) lets your children’s imaginations soar as they create their own butterflies! The kit includes four designs, four hangers and hundreds of jewels and foam to give each butterfly a unique look.

Summer is here, so enjoy it with your children and the butterflies!

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Raskullz Bike Helmets: A Helmet Any Kid Will Want to Wear

Indianapolis toy storeWhat kind of reaction do you normally get when you tell Johnnie or Susie to put on a helmet before they ride their bike, scooter or skateboard? If it’s, “Aww, Mom! Do I have to?” we have a solution for you: Raskullz!

These super cool helmets are taking the nation by storm, enticing kids to protect their noggins by wearing a helmet that doesn’t really look like a helmet. Called Raskullz, these helmets combine the latest in helmet safety technology with toy-inspired characters including animals, insects and even … hairstyles! Raskullz helmets are the first ever to use full 3-D technology to catch a kid’s eye.

Earth Explorer Toys carries the same Mohawk-style helmet you may have seen Gwen Stefani’s son, Kingston, sporting while riding his skateboard. We carry the blue and black versions of this Mohawk helmet ($24.99) to help your little one release his/her inner rock star, as well as the black, yellow or grey Shark Attack helmet ($24.99). The girls may go more for our Cutie Cat in purple or the Ladybug in red. There’s something for everyone!

Besides looking super cool, these helmets really do their job. They help keep your kid’s head safe. They meet CPSC standards for bicycle helmets with a shock-absorbing EPS inner shell and aerodynamic cooling vents that “keep your bucket fresh.” The nylon straps adjust to fit a variety of domes, too.

Come on into Earth Explorer Toys and pick up a cool Mohawk or Shark Attack helmet, and we’re pretty sure the next time you ask your kids to wear their bike helmet, they’ll say, “Sure, Mom!” Heck, you might not even have to ask…

 

 

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It’s National Kite Month. Let’s Go Flying!

Indianapolis Toy StoreWind blowing? Even just a bit? Hooray! Head outdoors with a new kite from Earth Explorer Toys and catch some air! It is National Kite Month, after all!

We did a little research and found that there are different types of kites for various wind speeds. Apparently, deltas, diamonds and dragon kites fly well in light to medium winds (approximately 6-15 mph), while box kites and stickless parafoil kites fly better when the winds get a little stronger (approximately 8-25 mph).

We don’t want you to miss celebrating National Kite Month, so come on down to Earth Explorer Toys where we have some really awesome kites in stock that are perfect for catching spring and summer breezes, right on into fall!

Our Fairy Kite ($29.99), for example, is made by Premier Kites. This fun, colorful design is perfect for light to moderate winds. It’s made of durable nylon and includes 300 feet of line and a winder.

Our Flo Tail Delta Poison Dart Frog ($29.99), also made by Premier Kites, is easy to launch and also perfect for light to moderate winds. It is made of durable nylon and includes 50 feet of line and a winder.

Here are a few kite flying tips from National Kite Month’s website. These tips are for single line kites.

  • Stand with your back to the wind. Hold your kite up by the bridle point and let the line out. If there is sufficient wind, your kite will go right up. Let the kite fly away from you a little, then pull in on the line as the kite points up so it will climb. Repeat this until your kite gains the altitude necessary to find a good steady wind.
  • Light wind? Have a helper take the kite downwind and hold it up. On command, the helper releases the kite and the flier pulls the line hand-over-hand while the kite gains altitude. Practice this high-launch technique.
  • No helper? Prop the kite up against a bush, post or wall. Reel out enough line for altitude and simply pull the kite aloft.
  • If the kite sinks tail first, there might not be enough wind. If it comes down head first or spins, there might be too much wind. Different kites fly in different winds.
  • Bridles: If your kite has an adjustable bridle, move it higher (nearer the top) in higher winds, and lower (towards the tail) in lower winds. (Adjust no more than 1/2″ at a time.)
  • Before heading out, it might be a good idea to review a few safety tips, too.

And don’t forget to take a picture of your kids outside flying their kites and post it to our Facebook page. We always “Like” to see our toys in action. J