At Mint Gadgets, we’re on the hunt for the latest innovative gadgets and gizmos of all kinds, anywhere we can find them. So where do all these great gadget ideas and inventions come from anyway? Well, we like to think that educational toys like the Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 by Elenco play an important role in inspiring our kids of today with the knowledge and skills they need to grow up and create the great gadgets and inventions of tomorrow.

So we think the Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 by Elenco qualifies as a world class toy gadget that will entertain, educate and thrill your kids through the discovery of electronics.  With the Electronic Snap Circuits kit, you can provide your child with an exciting and valuable introduction to electronics. Who knows, you may be paving the way for a brilliant electronics engineering future for your child.

The Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 kit includes over 60 color-coded electronic circuit components that snap together to create actual functional electronic circuits and devices. The kit is recommended for children 8 and older and right on the package it lists the suitable age range as 8 to 108. I guess that’s another way of saying “suitable for kids of all ages” and that includes the kid in all of us!

The Electronic Snap Circuits Kit includes over 60 electronic pieces and components. With these discrete kit components, you can create over 305 different electronic projects. The kit contents include:

• Snap Wires
• Slide Switch
• Resistors
• Microphone
• Capacitors
• Transistors
• Diodes
• Integrated circuits
• Amplifier
• Lamps
• Audio Speaker
• Antenna Coil
• and more …

And you can build exciting and entertaining electronic projects like …

• Two transistor light alarm
• Voice controlled rays of light
• Space war radio
• Musical motion detector
• Radio music alarm
• Water detector
• Battery polarity tester
• Adjustable metronome
• Laser light
• NPN emitter – motor
• NPN collector – motor
• Lie detector
• Delayed action fan
• Time delay circuits
• AM radio
• Burgler alarm
• and more …

The projects are easy to follow and assemble. Each electronic component easily snaps together on the block circuit grid board, no soldering required and no tools needed. The component pieces are numbered and color-coded to make them easy to identify. And each project includes a large color illustration with simple directions that make learning about the fundamentals of electronics and circuit construction easy, fun and educational.

The Electronic Snap Circuits projects are presented in order of complexity from the most simple to the more complex. This helps kids build their skills and understanding of electronics as they proceed through the manual, step by step. Once kids have begun to master some of the fundamentals and skills, they can actually use the kit components to experiment on their own and build customized electronic circuits and devices. There are also a series of Snap Circuits accessories and upgrades to extend and expand the capability of the kit and add additional projects.

The Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 kit even has a feature to connect the electronic circuits that you build to your PC computer, and with the supplied software, turn your PC into an “oscilloscope” so you can see the electrical activity between any two points in the circuit. Now  that is very cool!

As a parent, the Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 kit is the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to the wonders of science and provide an education in the fundamentals of electronics and electronic circuit  design. And you’ll have hours and hours of fun interacting with your child through the creative learning process. It’s no wonder that Electronic Snap Circuits SC-300 by Elenco has won several awards including the “National Parenting Center-Seal of Approval”, “Dr. Toy 100 Best Children’s Products”, and “Dr Toy Best Educational Products”.

Available: Amazon

Price: $30.33

It’s the winter season and you may be getting ready to throw some snowballs. Have you been looking for a little “snowball throwing” advantage? Then how about the Snowball Slingshot from Hammacher Schlemmer?

I’m not sure how good your throwing arm is, but I’m pretty sure you can hurl those snowballs further with the Snowball Slingshot. With this slingshot you’ll be able to propel a tennis ball sized snowball up to 60 feet. Now that’s a long-range snowball throwing tactical advantage when you’re engaged on the winter battlefield.

Snowball battlefield maneuvers are fun and easy with the Snowball Slingshot. Just place a tennis ball sized snowball in the slingshot’s muzzle. Draw back the handle-powered medical-grade elastic tubing. Release the handle trigger and launch your snowball at the enemy opposing forces. They’ll retreat or surrender, begging for mercy. Of course, if the opposing team have the Snowball Slingshot as well, then you’re probably looking at a fair fight.

The tactical battlefield opportunities are unlimited with the Snowball Slingshot. For example, you can improve your stealthy snowball salvo attacks while you remain unseen by launching the snowball over the crest of a hill.

The Snowball Slingshot is made of durable, polypropylene and styrene-based plastic that withstands the will stand up to all that rigorous winter play. And if you’re not quite the sharpshooter yet, it includes a target for practicing your snowball slingshot shooting skills. Great winter fun for ages 8 and up.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $39.95

Every child has a favorite toy. For little girls, it’s probably a doll or a teddy bear. On the other hand, the boys typically go more for cars, trucks and guns. One toy, however, is a big hit with boys and girls alike. For that matter, even adults can’t help playing with RC Toys (remote controlled or sometimes referred to as radio controlled toys).  There’s an unspoken thrill and excitement to be able to control a small object and make it speed around the house as fast as its wheels can take it.

The one downside with these RC toys perhaps is that they tend to chew up a lot of batteries. And that’s not too eco-friendly, or easy on the pocketbook.

As an alternative, check out the RC Solar Car – a solar rechargeable remote control car. This bright yellow solar car is powered by the sun’s rays which are absorbed by a solar panel located on the roof of the car. And when you don’t have a suitable solar light source available, the RC Solar Car can also be re-charged from a USB port (a USB cable is included). Even the remote control panel also charges using the solar panel on the car, simply plug the remote control panel into the port on the car’s back bumper and it will re-charge from the solar panel as well.

With the RC Solar Car, you have full maneuverability from the remote with forward/reverse and left/right steering control. The RC Solar Car is recommended for kids eight years of age and up. But don’t kid yourself, the adults can’t keep their hands off this little amusement either (must be the kid in all of us). And what better way to teach your kids about environmental responsibility with this eco-friendly RC car at the same time.

RC Solar Car – Charging and Play Times

Solar Charge:

• 30 minutes solar charge  gives you 5 minutes of power
• 1 hour solar charge gives you 10 minutes of power
• 2 hours solar charge gives you 15 minutes of power

USB Charge:

• 1 hour USB charge gives you 20 minutes of  play time

Get the RC Solar Car that runs on sunshine. Very affordable at a price of £24.99, your kids will enjoy hours of entertainment, and you’ll enjoy the savings when you don’t have to buy or replace all of those batteries.

Available: IWantOneOfThose

Price: £24.99

As the world has raised the concern in regard to environmental issues many of us would like to help nurture the awareness of our most precious commodity, our children. It’s nice to see our youngest generation becoming more concerned and interested in saving Mother Nature. Even toy manufacturers can play a role. Bruder, the renowned German toymaker, has come out with their latest eco-friendly toy design, the Working Recycling Truck for the youngsters.

The Working Recycling Truck  is fabricated from fade-resistant and high-quality ABS plastic which can be found in different colours. The solid construction does not utilize any glue or screws so it’s safe for children and especially toddlers who are curious enough to put any tiny objects into their mouths. The Working Recycling Truck provides detailed realism and functions to stimulate and encourage imaginative play. It’s a terrific toy for kids to enjoy both indoors and outdoors.

The realistic green and yellow recycling garbage truck has dimensions of 24.4” (length) x 10.4” (width) x 7.3” (height) and weighs 2 pounds. The six-wheeled garbage recycling truck also provides a couple of 3.25” x 2” recycling bins (yellow and blue) which are hinged to the tailgate of the truck with a lifting grapple.

In addition, Bruder Toys has designed turning knobs on the Working Recycling Truck which functions to tilt the trash collected to the trash compactor. By twisting the knob, a packer blade will be activated to scoop up debris into the internal storage compartment which stores crumpled paper or other small items.

This heavy duty German-made toy is recommended for children of 4 years and above. Parents may choose to supervise the very youngest children while they play with the truck as the small components of the truck could be choking hazards. The Bruder’s Working Recycling Truck has definitely created a beautifully made and  educational toy that encourages children to become more active eco-friendly participants.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $119.95

There’s something really entertaining and mesmerizing about RC (radio and remote controlled) toys. That’s one of the reasons why RC gizmos are so popular, they’re so much fun to play with. Here’s a new twist on a radio controlled flying gadget called “Air Swimmers“. Imagine a giant Shark or Clownfish magically swimming through the air with remarkably lifelike fish movement. The Air Simmer Remote Controlled Flying Shark and Clownfish remote controlled flying toys actually swim like a fish through the air.

Unlike typical radio controlled flying devices, the air swimmers don’t have a noisy motor with a propeller to propel the flying fish through the air. Instead, with a much more lifelike fish inspired motion, the air swimmers actually move the tail fin back and forth just like a fish to literally swim through the air. And the air swimmer tail fin motion is virtually silent without a distracting motorized propeller to spoil the sensation of swimming through the air. The way these air swimmer RC toys move through the air is truly magical to behold.

Watch this video and observe how these giant Shark or Clownfish literally “swim” through the air with incredible lifelike fish movement and a tail fin that moves back and forth!

The air swimmer is constructed of a durable and light mylar material. You inflate the air swimmer fish with helium which you can readily find at toy stores, party stores and even some florists. For example, Toys R Us sells the Animal Planet brand of helium for $20. These tanks will provide enough helium for multiple fills and one helium fill can easily last for two weeks or more. Do be careful when you assemble your air swimmer to avoid any pinhole punctures as these type of leaks will greatly increase the rate that the helium leaks from the air swimmer.

There are a few different models of air swimmers, a less expensive version that uses “infrared remote control” and the full radio controlled version you see here. We highly recommend the full “radio controlled” version as you get a much better range with the radio, up to 50 feet. And you don’t have the “line of sight” problems with the radio control version that you run into with infrared when and object can easily block the remote control infrared signal.

Flying one of these air swimmers is a bit different than a typical propeller driven radio controlled device and can take some getting used to. You use your controller to nose the flying fish up or down to control the level of ascent or descent, and then you activate the tail fin to move back and forth to propel the air swimmer shark or clownfish forward. It takes a little practice, but it works remarkably well once you get the hang of it.

Initial assembly is a little bit involved, and for the impatient like most of us, be prepared to spend at least an hour putting your air swimmer together. The instructions suggest this is a suitable toy for kids 8 years and up, but we recommend you have an adult on-hand to assemble the air swimmer carefully. And be very careful to avoid puncturing the mylar skin as you definitely want the air swimmer to remain air tight (or helium tight actually)! Once you have your air swimmer assembled, the amazing air swimmer flying fish can definitely provide hours of remote control indoor fun for kids 8 years and up.

Here’s an instructional video on how to assemble and fly an air swimmer

The 5 ft. long air swimmer is recommended for indoor use only and requires four AAA batteries, one in the body and three for the remote controller. Batteries are not included.

You can find the Air Swimmers Remote Controlled Flying Shark and Clownfish at Amazon and if you hurry and place your order now, you can receive your air swimmer in plenty of time for Christmas!

Available: Amazon

Price: $52.75 (for full radio controlled air swimmer, infrared are lower price)

Seeing valuable property protected with a network of laser beams in movies is a familiar sight. How nice if that were an affordable reality! Even as kids, lasers were merely fantasies which we adopted in our play to liven things up. Until now! With the SpyNet Laser Trip Wire, you can have peace of mind knowing that your valuables are safely guarded with a reliable security system.

Each SpyNet Laser Trip Wire set comes packaged with a four base unit that is able to protect the area enclosed by a class one laser. The class one laser is detected by the Receiver Unit, creating a string of light. Anything that tries to make its way across it will sound the alarm.

Obviously, one laser beam is not enough to offer sufficient protection. You can use the mirror units to redirect the receiver unit while forming a perimeter around the object you wish to protect. You may set up multiple SpyNet Laser Trip Wire sets to strengthen your security system.

OK, let’s come clean. The SpyNet Laser Trip Wire is not exactly a commercial grade security device, more of a kid’s toy. But it’s for real and actually works. Yes, you can actually deploy this inexpensive security device in a real security protection application.

The SpyNet Laser Trip Wire – For Your Entertainment

Each kit comes with an instruction manual so you don’t have to worry too much about setting it up. It has simple instructions that allow you to get the job done in no time. SpyNet Laser Trip Wire runs on 6 AAA batteries. However, these batteries do not come packaged with your kit; you’ll have to purchase them separately.

SpyNet Laser Trip Wire is ideal for protecting small areas such as bedrooms, precious artifacts that you like to display at odd corners of your home or that huge yummy Toblerone you have been saving for a rainy day.

Available: ThinkGeek

Price: $39.99

Remember when we were small and there was a phase where every single paper in the house became an origami figure? Then there would be dozens of those little cranes, spiders, or pianos placed on top of the television, dining tables and also the floor where in the end they all would just end up in the rubbish bins thrown away by your very own beloved mother. Yes,

I’m sure that you would’ve wished that the origami figurines could do something and actually be useful in the house so that you could make dozens more of them and your mom wouldn’t even say a word. Gadget creators also felt the same way and that is why the Papertronics DIY Lunar Landers were created. They are small little paper toys that have circuits in them or more precisely a built in circuit origami figurine. What’s so special about it is that it is DIY which stands for Do It Yourself.

With this DIY characteristic, Papertronics DIY Lunar Landers enable the unique creativity of each and every person. Meaning that, your figurine might not be the same with another person’s figurine. Although the shape is basically the same the colours and patterns aren’t. It comes in a cool pack of three; Tabula Rasa, Spaceboy and Alien Girl. To encourage interactivity, Tabula Rasa is a blank Lunar Lander so that you can beautify it with your awesome creativity.

They can be turned into cool night lights, desk decor, and even party lights. When the spaceships are put in their landers in one way, the lights at the bottom of the Papertronic will light up. But when turned upside down, they will turn off. A cool gadget just to fulfil the dreams of many origami lovers.

Available: ThinkGeek

Price: $14.99

This is one of the many sophisticated toys which manufacturers create to try to recreate the experience of having a pet for those who aren’t able to experience it firsthand. Whether your child is allergic to dogs or you’re worried about the emotional burden that your child has to go through with the death of their pet dog, the plushy puppy is a close mimic to an actual canine.

Sensors are placed underneath the fur coat of the puppy at major areas such as the paws and head. There is also a built in microphone to pick up sounds from the puppy’s surrounding. The Emotional Response Puppy is then designed to react according to how the touch or sound has been perceived by it. It’ll behave in a pleasant manner when it’s stroke but could occasionally display certain antics to make the puppy appear even more real. A child could feel the response of the puppy as they touch it, a live experience that could be equally enriching for your child.

The facial features and movements of the emotional response puppy are also one that’s worth noticing as the puppy could form expressions to convey different emotions. Either by blinking its eyes, wiggling its ears or wagging its tails, the puppy is able to bring about a much lively atmosphere within the home.

Different lifelike sounds could also be heard at times when the puppy barks or whimper which engages a child for response. The puppy fully functions on batteries and weighs 3 pounds so that your child may carry it around.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $99.95

If you are a parent, chances are you will be pulling your hair wondering what activity your kids should be involved in during the holidays. After all, there is only so much screen time that is healthy for children of that age. You would love it if they were active at the same time. Well, I have something that will definitely be a huge hit in any household. What if I told you that there was a 50 square feet playhouse that you can utilize whenever you want to? Best of all, this playhouse can be set up in the comfort of your own home so you don’t even need to bring Junior out to the park for him to get his daily exercise.

The Pop Up Playhouse is definitely a dream come true for parents of young children. It definitely has a very wide area. The Pop Up Playhouse also encompasses a few different areas for your children to play in. It has a main area for your kids to set up their own gadgets and equipment as well as a side room for other activities they want to indulge in. The Pop Up Playhouse comes with a miniature stove, refrigerator and chest so your children will really feel that they are living in their own home.

If you are wondering how on earth you are supposed to store a 50 square feet playhouse in your house, do not worry because it has all been covered. Just like the name suggests, you can collapse the playhouse when not in use and deflate it till it becomes a small square.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $89.95

Every kid dreams of being a Jedi Master and when the first Star Wars Episodes came out, all we had was a long stick as a make believe light saber and sound effects that came out from our own mouths. Those were the days when it was fun being Luke and Obi Wan fighting the dark side and its lord, Darth Vader.

Since the year 1977 when the first star wars series came out, every kid knew that someday they will own a light saber and the force will be with them. Well if you were that kid, your dream came true thank to the Star Wars Force FX light sabers!

The Star Wars Force FX Lightsaber is an authentic replica of the actual light saber from the Star Wars series. It has a number of cool features towards it and has a good quality as well. There are five lightsabers that characters in the Star Wars movies used that you can choose from including Mace Windu, Luke ROTJ, Darth Vader, Darth Maul and Anakin Skywalker. Features consists of glowing blades with realistic power up and down effects, authentic sound effect, a four motion sensor controlled sound effect feature such as power down, power up, clash and hum. It has a durable metal hilt that makes it feel as if you are holding a real light saber.

The Star Wars FX Lightsaber uses three AAA alkaline batteries to operate and all the sabers are roughly about 44 inches long. The retail price for each saber costs about $100.

Available: ThinkGeek

Price: $99.99