Lego is still the most popular toy ever. Even though their patent recently ran out, resulting in a spate of competition, the quality control and sheer "cool factor" of Lego still makes it the 800 Pound Gorilla of the Building Toy World: Check out this must-see behind the scenes video!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Bed Bugs-Not just for the New York Carriage Trade! $8.95 & Free Shipping!
Lately you've heard about bed bugs showing up in posh (and not so posh) locations countrywide, notably in Manhattan.
Well, even if your address isn't fancy, you can have a Bedbug all your own from Pow!Science...but ours are the cute cuddly kind and come with Free Shipping as a bonus!
Giant Microbes Bedbug: $8.95 shipped
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Fun Free Experiment from Pow!Science
If you couldn't make it to this month's Family Science Night at either Pow!Science! Location, here's a little taste of what went down last night in Providence. Gather some simple materials and perform two quick, easy & fun experiments at home!
Experiment ONE: BALL LIFTER
Get This Stuff Ready:
• Marble
• Rubber Ball (like a super ball, no more than 1 inch diameter)
• Empty Spool or an empty toilet/paper towel roll (you’ll need a longer string if you use a paper towel roll)
• String
• Tape
Do This:
1) Tape one end of the string to the marble (use plenty of tape to make sure it’s secure).
2) Thread the string through the spool, and then tape the other end of the string to the rubber ball.
3) Even though the ball is heavier than the marble, you can use the marble to support and even lift up the ball by holding the spool and spinning the marble around like a lasso.
Experiment TWO: Up Against the Wall!
Get This Ready:
A Paper Towel
A Partner
Do This:
1) Stand with your heels right up against a wall.
2) Have your partner place the paper towel about 30 centimeters in front of your toes.
3) Try and bend down WITHOUT BENDING YOUR KNEES and pick up the paper towel. PARTNER: Be ready to help keep experimenter from falling!
What Happened?
4) Now stand about 60 centimeters away from the wall, and repeat the experiment with the paper towel.
What happened this time?
Pow!Science! offers free, fun Family Science Nights every month at both our Wakefield and Providence Locations. Check our online Events Calendar to learn about this and other Pow!Science Workshops & Activities.
Experiment ONE: BALL LIFTER
Get This Stuff Ready:
• Marble
• Rubber Ball (like a super ball, no more than 1 inch diameter)
• Empty Spool or an empty toilet/paper towel roll (you’ll need a longer string if you use a paper towel roll)
• String
• Tape
Do This:
1) Tape one end of the string to the marble (use plenty of tape to make sure it’s secure).
2) Thread the string through the spool, and then tape the other end of the string to the rubber ball.
3) Even though the ball is heavier than the marble, you can use the marble to support and even lift up the ball by holding the spool and spinning the marble around like a lasso.
Experiment TWO: Up Against the Wall!
Get This Ready:
A Paper Towel
A Partner
Do This:
1) Stand with your heels right up against a wall.
2) Have your partner place the paper towel about 30 centimeters in front of your toes.
3) Try and bend down WITHOUT BENDING YOUR KNEES and pick up the paper towel. PARTNER: Be ready to help keep experimenter from falling!
What Happened?
4) Now stand about 60 centimeters away from the wall, and repeat the experiment with the paper towel.
What happened this time?
Pow!Science! offers free, fun Family Science Nights every month at both our Wakefield and Providence Locations. Check our online Events Calendar to learn about this and other Pow!Science Workshops & Activities.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Classic Slime!
Parents: Read it through before performing this experiment!
Purpose: To create a fun-to-play with polymer
Materials:
Bowl
2 400ml Beakers (or 2 glasses/cups/empty jars of equal size)
Spoon
White Glue
Borax
Water
Food Coloring
Zip-lock style plastic bag
Funnel (optional)
Procedure:
1) Fill one beaker about halfway with glue. Add water until the beaker is nearly full, and gently stir until the water and glue are thoroughly mixed.
2) Add 4 or 5 drops of food coloring to the glue/water mixture and stir until the color is evenly distributed.
3) Pour your colored glue mixture into the bowl.
3) Fill the other beaker halfway with water. Add 4 heaping spoonfuls of Borax and stir gently until the water looks gray. Some Borax will settle onto the bottom of the beaker. That’s fine. Pour the gray water into the colored glue, being careful not to let the Borax that is still powdered plop in. Stir the contents of the bowl and watch what happens!
4) After gently but thoroughly stirring the glue/borax mixture, pick up the bowl and using your fingers as a strainer, pour the liquid portion back into one of the beakers while leaving just the gooey blob in the bowl.
5) Pick up the gooey blob and squeeze & squish it (use the same motion as if you were making a snowball). In a few moments, the wetness will disappear, leaving you with a cool ball of colored slime! Stretch it! Roll it! Bounce it! It's awesome!
6) Store your slime in the plastic bag when not in use.
Try This!
Put a funnel into one of the beakers (or an empty jar, if you don’t have a beaker). Roll the slime into a nice, round ball and plop the ball into the funnel. Observe the funnel/slime setup every ten minutes or so. Does anything change?
What’s Going On?
Mixing with Borax causes the glue to polymerize, or convert into an amorphous (“shape changing") solid. Since this is a chemical change, the slime cannot be converted back into glue.
Caution: Do not leave slime on carpets, furniture or anything made of cloth, as it may stain such items. Only play with it on hard, smooth surfaces! Hot water will dissolve hardened slime.
©2010 Pow!Science!
Parents: Read it through before performing this experiment!
Purpose: To create a fun-to-play with polymer
Materials:
Bowl
2 400ml Beakers (or 2 glasses/cups/empty jars of equal size)
Spoon
White Glue
Borax
Water
Food Coloring
Zip-lock style plastic bag
Funnel (optional)
Procedure:
1) Fill one beaker about halfway with glue. Add water until the beaker is nearly full, and gently stir until the water and glue are thoroughly mixed.
2) Add 4 or 5 drops of food coloring to the glue/water mixture and stir until the color is evenly distributed.
3) Pour your colored glue mixture into the bowl.
3) Fill the other beaker halfway with water. Add 4 heaping spoonfuls of Borax and stir gently until the water looks gray. Some Borax will settle onto the bottom of the beaker. That’s fine. Pour the gray water into the colored glue, being careful not to let the Borax that is still powdered plop in. Stir the contents of the bowl and watch what happens!
4) After gently but thoroughly stirring the glue/borax mixture, pick up the bowl and using your fingers as a strainer, pour the liquid portion back into one of the beakers while leaving just the gooey blob in the bowl.
5) Pick up the gooey blob and squeeze & squish it (use the same motion as if you were making a snowball). In a few moments, the wetness will disappear, leaving you with a cool ball of colored slime! Stretch it! Roll it! Bounce it! It's awesome!
6) Store your slime in the plastic bag when not in use.
Try This!
Put a funnel into one of the beakers (or an empty jar, if you don’t have a beaker). Roll the slime into a nice, round ball and plop the ball into the funnel. Observe the funnel/slime setup every ten minutes or so. Does anything change?
What’s Going On?
Mixing with Borax causes the glue to polymerize, or convert into an amorphous (“shape changing") solid. Since this is a chemical change, the slime cannot be converted back into glue.
Caution: Do not leave slime on carpets, furniture or anything made of cloth, as it may stain such items. Only play with it on hard, smooth surfaces! Hot water will dissolve hardened slime.
©2010 Pow!Science!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Pow!Science Home Experiment: Electric Water (Adult Supervision Required)
Electric Water
Purpose: To observe the effects of electricity on water
Materials:
- Beaker, Jar or large glass
- 2 insulated wires(ideally one red & one black, but use what you've got) each equipped with an alligator clip at one end (or with an inch or two of uninsulated wire at each end)
- Water
- Salt
- Spoon
- 6V battery
CAUTION: THIS EXPERIMENT IS TO BE CONDUCTED ONLY WITH ADULT SUPERVISION!
Procedure:
PART ONE:
1) Fill the beaker with water until water is about an inch from the top (amount is not critical).
2) Clip the end of the black wire to the NEGATIVE ( - ) pole of the 6V battery.
3) Place the other end of the black wire into the water, so that the exposed end is fully submerged (bending the wire over the lip of your beaker/container will help keep the wire in there).
4) Clip the end of the red wire to the POSITIVE (+) pole of the 6V battery.
5) Carefully place the other end of the red wire into the water so that the exposed end is fully submerged.
What, if anything happened when you placed the second wire into the water? Nothing, right?
CAUTION: AT NO TIME SHOULD THE TWO ENDS OF THE WIRES IN THE WATER BE ALLOWED TO TOUCH. If they do, you're setting up a 'no load' or 'short' circuit and the wires and battery will begin to heat up.
PART TWO:
1) Disconnect the wires from the battery and remove them from the water.
2) Repeat steps 2) through 5) from Part One, EXCEPT THIS TIME, first add 5 or 6 spoonfuls of salt to the water and stir until it is completely dissolved.
3) Allow this setup to run for several minutes.
Did anything different happen this time (if it didn't, add more salt--amount needed will vary based on the size of your container)?
What’s Going On?
Despite its bad reputation from movies and TV, fresh water does not really conduct electricity well, as you observed from Part One of our experiment. When Salt is added to water, it dissolves into ions of Sodium and Chlorine, which conduct electricity very well indeed! The gross stuff that started to form in the water (starting out yellow and turning green if you watched long enough) is Sodium Hydroxide (also known as Caustic Soda or Lye), a major ingredient in soap!
Think and Talk About This!
Sodium Hydroxide is made of Sodium, Oxygen and Hydrogen. The Sodium comes from the salt. Where does the Oxygen and Hydrogen come from? (HINT: Think about the chemical formula for water).
Optional Method for enhancing the results:
To make the reaction a bit more noticeable, try wrapping a small strip of aluminum foil around the end of the black wire that goes into the water.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
M.A.P. -Why I don't like Minimum Advertised Pricing.
M.A.P. -Why I don't like Minimum Advertised Pricing.
More and more toy manufacturers are attempting to enforce "Minimum Advertised Pricing" policies for online sales. The general idea is to impose a minimum price, below which a product may not be sold. Selling for less can result in non-shipment of new product to the offending retailer. On the surface, this seems an honorable act. Usually we're told that it's to "level the playing field" between us and the big boxes such as Target or Walmart. Companies don't want to "cheapen the brand".
Thanks, but not only didn't I ask for the field to be leveled, I didn't realize that a level playing field was the point of owning a business in a capitalist society! I didn't get into business to even try and compete with big boxes. I'm not that stupid.
While we appreciate and understand the intent of fair pricing, what it essentially does is make small stores like Pow!Science! virtually invisible in web search results, despite our best SEO efforts. We can't buy the top spots (which no matter what you may have read elsewhere, are for sale) or afford to run up huge AdSense bills, so we end up on page 3, or 6....or deeper still. And when all the prices are the same, nobody will search past page 1 or 2 of their search results. Heck, they don't even do that when prices are all over the map (no pun intended). Price is the one edge we've got, and because we've got lower overhead and other avenues of income, we can usually afford to offer a pretty competitive one--M.A.P. takes that away.
Our superior customer service and product knowledge don't count for much when we can't even get seen. Our lower overhead loses its advantageous properties when we can't utilize it to give ourselves an edge on price just to get noticed online.
And of course, it's just not enforceable. Every time I get an email from a manufacturer telling me of new M.A.P. Policies, I do a product search, and invariably find sites that are selling for less.
We're not saying M.A.P. is wrong. Even Communism works on paper. We're just saying that without exception, it has resulted in decreased online sales for us in every line that imposes it, and there are always businesses out there that ignore it. Me, I'd rather have the opportunity to sell ten units at a lower profit than Zero units but with the integrity and warm fuzzy feeling of knowing I'm not "cheapening the brand". Can't eat warm fuzzies.
What do you think?
More and more toy manufacturers are attempting to enforce "Minimum Advertised Pricing" policies for online sales. The general idea is to impose a minimum price, below which a product may not be sold. Selling for less can result in non-shipment of new product to the offending retailer. On the surface, this seems an honorable act. Usually we're told that it's to "level the playing field" between us and the big boxes such as Target or Walmart. Companies don't want to "cheapen the brand".
Thanks, but not only didn't I ask for the field to be leveled, I didn't realize that a level playing field was the point of owning a business in a capitalist society! I didn't get into business to even try and compete with big boxes. I'm not that stupid.
While we appreciate and understand the intent of fair pricing, what it essentially does is make small stores like Pow!Science! virtually invisible in web search results, despite our best SEO efforts. We can't buy the top spots (which no matter what you may have read elsewhere, are for sale) or afford to run up huge AdSense bills, so we end up on page 3, or 6....or deeper still. And when all the prices are the same, nobody will search past page 1 or 2 of their search results. Heck, they don't even do that when prices are all over the map (no pun intended). Price is the one edge we've got, and because we've got lower overhead and other avenues of income, we can usually afford to offer a pretty competitive one--M.A.P. takes that away.
Our superior customer service and product knowledge don't count for much when we can't even get seen. Our lower overhead loses its advantageous properties when we can't utilize it to give ourselves an edge on price just to get noticed online.
And of course, it's just not enforceable. Every time I get an email from a manufacturer telling me of new M.A.P. Policies, I do a product search, and invariably find sites that are selling for less.
We're not saying M.A.P. is wrong. Even Communism works on paper. We're just saying that without exception, it has resulted in decreased online sales for us in every line that imposes it, and there are always businesses out there that ignore it. Me, I'd rather have the opportunity to sell ten units at a lower profit than Zero units but with the integrity and warm fuzzy feeling of knowing I'm not "cheapening the brand". Can't eat warm fuzzies.
What do you think?
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Da Vinci Machine - The Coolest Logic/Puzzle Game You've Never Heard Of
The Da Vinci Machine
Detect. Deduce. Decode. And a 15% Discount (see below)!
What does this intriguing game have to do with Leonardo Da Vinci? Absolutely nothing. But don't hold that against it. This game has a sophisticated look and mode of play that gets kids excited, but is both educational and simple enough so as not to frustrate younger players. That said, adults will find it sufficiently challenging and far from "too easy".
Detect. Deduce. Decode. And a 15% Discount (see below)!
What does this intriguing game have to do with Leonardo Da Vinci? Absolutely nothing. But don't hold that against it. This game has a sophisticated look and mode of play that gets kids excited, but is both educational and simple enough so as not to frustrate younger players. That said, adults will find it sufficiently challenging and far from "too easy".
So, How do you play it?
1. One player is the Encoder, the other player is the Decoder. The Encoder must think of a three or four letter word after drawing two cards to determine the ‘Word Type’ and ‘Spelling Condition’ of the secret word to be formed. When choosing a secret word to encode, the Encoder must choose a word that obeys both the 'Word Type' and 'Spelling Condition' put forth by the cards drawn.
Examples:
Word Type~"The Word must be a living thing."
Spelling Condition ~ "The Word must contain two vowels."
Thus, the Encoder could choose words such as "Bee", "Mole" or "Boar". All of these words meet the conditions put forth by the cards...but so do many, many others.
2. The Encoder uses the red chips to form a secret word of his or her choosing by placing the chips in the correct sequence into the Code Machine.The Encoder then covers the secret word by closing all of the windows. Optionally, the Encoder may announce the number of letters used in the word, so as not to totally vex the Decoder.
3. The Decoder cracks the secret word with as few windows opened as possible. In each round, the Decoder opens one small window at any position and attempts to name the secret word. In each game, the Decoder has a total of three chances to ask the Encoder a question for a yes-or-no answer as a hint. The questions can be used all at once or separately. When the secret word is correctly cracked, count and record the total number of windows opened. Open all windows to confirm the code is correct.
4. Players switch sides and repeat Steps 1 to 3. The player (decoder) that requires the fewest windows opened is the winner.
There's even an option for 3 Players:
One player is the Encoder and the other two players are the competing Decoders. The set-up procedure is the same as the 2-Player game. The two Decoders take turns to open a window and attempt to crack the secret word. Each Decoder has a total of three chances to ask the Encoder a question for a yes-or-no answer as a hint. The Decoder who successfully cracks the secret word first is the winner.
It's sort of like "Mastermind" meets "Wheel of Fortune"...and it'll hook you quickly. I recommend keeping a pencil handy, not to keep score, but to assist in opening the windows; they're a bit small, and adult fingers sometimes have a bit of trouble opening them.
The Da Vinci Machine is available at the Pow!Science! Online store, and blog readers can get an additional 15% Off using Coupon Code 'bloggerfan' during checkout, now through June 30th,2010. Click here to visit the Pow!Science! Store.
Do you own The Da Vinci Machine? Write a Review!
1. One player is the Encoder, the other player is the Decoder. The Encoder must think of a three or four letter word after drawing two cards to determine the ‘Word Type’ and ‘Spelling Condition’ of the secret word to be formed. When choosing a secret word to encode, the Encoder must choose a word that obeys both the 'Word Type' and 'Spelling Condition' put forth by the cards drawn.
Examples:
Word Type~"The Word must be a living thing."
Spelling Condition ~ "The Word must contain two vowels."
Thus, the Encoder could choose words such as "Bee", "Mole" or "Boar". All of these words meet the conditions put forth by the cards...but so do many, many others.
2. The Encoder uses the red chips to form a secret word of his or her choosing by placing the chips in the correct sequence into the Code Machine.The Encoder then covers the secret word by closing all of the windows. Optionally, the Encoder may announce the number of letters used in the word, so as not to totally vex the Decoder.
3. The Decoder cracks the secret word with as few windows opened as possible. In each round, the Decoder opens one small window at any position and attempts to name the secret word. In each game, the Decoder has a total of three chances to ask the Encoder a question for a yes-or-no answer as a hint. The questions can be used all at once or separately. When the secret word is correctly cracked, count and record the total number of windows opened. Open all windows to confirm the code is correct.
4. Players switch sides and repeat Steps 1 to 3. The player (decoder) that requires the fewest windows opened is the winner.
There's even an option for 3 Players:
One player is the Encoder and the other two players are the competing Decoders. The set-up procedure is the same as the 2-Player game. The two Decoders take turns to open a window and attempt to crack the secret word. Each Decoder has a total of three chances to ask the Encoder a question for a yes-or-no answer as a hint. The Decoder who successfully cracks the secret word first is the winner.
It's sort of like "Mastermind" meets "Wheel of Fortune"...and it'll hook you quickly. I recommend keeping a pencil handy, not to keep score, but to assist in opening the windows; they're a bit small, and adult fingers sometimes have a bit of trouble opening them.
The Da Vinci Machine is available at the Pow!Science! Online store, and blog readers can get an additional 15% Off using Coupon Code 'bloggerfan' during checkout, now through June 30th,2010. Click here to visit the Pow!Science! Store.
Do you own The Da Vinci Machine? Write a Review!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)