Whatever you used to play with as a child, what if I were to suggest that everyone labels some toys in particular that get recorded in history and constitute healthy conversation topics even long after those toys have gone out of fashion? One such toy is “Lego”. Lego has actually become so popular that they have Legoland parks at various locations around the world right now; which attract thousands of visitors from across the world every year. And Star Wars has also been especially popular all this time, among geeks and non-geeks alike. (Maybe you have heard of the “Star Wars Kid” and that Star Wars cartoon made up entirely of text characters?) But the Star Wars franchise has been appropriated in several projects – including the above mentioned Lego. And you can purchase and make the Lego Millennium Falcon today!

Before Nintendo, Playstation and Xbox 360 existed, Kids, especially boys, were playing with construction toys. The most popular are The Erector Set (change the name to Meccano) that was first produced in 1913. The toy had a collection of screws, bolts, metal beams, nuts, gears, and electric motors. Other famous construction toys were Girder and Panel building sets of Kenner Products and were introduced in 1957. They were one of the first to advertise their product on television.

Just when you thought every children’s toy was powered exclusively by batteries, along comes one that is powered by a child’s imagination.

A single Crazy Forts kit contains 25 geometrically precise balls and 44 sticks that connect to create a multitude of possible play structures. Simply throw a bed sheet over top and watch their creativity flourish. A rocket today, an undiscovered cave tomorrow, a princess castle one day and a wild horse in a corral next week are all possible with Crazy Forts. 

Best of all, there’s blueprints for multiple designs to download from their website, www.crazyforts.com. And toys that promote collaborative play between boys and girls are few and far between. The more you have, the better it gets as multiple kit structures are even more impressive. Children learn through play and this toy allows them to mentally visualize a structure and easily create it. It also allows them to grasp rudimentary engineering and physics concepts in a fun way. It’s perfect for outdoor and indoor play and best of all, there’s no couches or chairs to put back in place when play is over.

Crazy Forts will be available at amazon.com later this week.