Seven Year Old Secret Agent
Written: Dec 17 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Promotes imagination
Cons: Will not work through walls
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| Yzerman's Full Review: Spy Tool Kit Electronic Gadget Set |
For my nephew's seventh birthday, I got him the Wild Planet Spy Tool Electronic Gadget Set. Now, he thinks he is James Bond! He loves to sneak around the house and the neighborhood spying on people. Sometimes this is funny, but sometimes, it's not so funny! With the Christmas season here, we have to be very careful with our conversations knowing that a "little spy" may be listening.
This kit comes in a gray plastic briefcase making it easy to carry around. My nephew thought he was really cool carrying his briefcase around, even taking it to school. Once his teachers realized what it was and that it really worked, they asked him not to bring it back to school!
Inside the briefcase are the necessary tools to become a secret agent. First is the "listening device", which amplifies sound. This really does work! Obviously, being a child's toy, you can't sit outside someone's house and hear what is going on inside, but if there is an unobstructed path to the sound, it will amplify it. We have found that it doesn't work very well through closed doors or walls, but as long as the doors are open, the sound is pretty good. It will also work pretty well outside.
The second part of the kit is the telescope/microscope which magnifies images. It can be used kind of like binoculars, or you can put things directly under the lense and use it like a microscope.
The third part of the kit is the pen light. This is a basic flashlight, but it is small enough for a child to use easily. The light works very well and has a narrow beam of light.
The fourth item in the kit is the Spy Notebook. This is a small notebook that the "spy" can keep notes on their "investigation".
The three items, the listening device, the telescope/microscope, and the pen light can each be used separately. They also snap together so they call all be used at the same time, so you can hear and see, even at night.
The flashlight takes two AAA batteries and the listening device takes one 9-volt battery. My nephew has had his kit for several months and still has the original batteries, so the toys must not use a lot of energy.
The recommended age for this toy is 8 years and up. My nephew is only 7, but he has not had any difficulty using any of the devices, once we put the batteries in for him. His sister, who is 11 years old, enjoyed playing with it at first, but she lost interest after the first few weeks. I can't say whether it's because she is more into "girlie" things, or if it is her age. From what I have seen of this toy, I would say that this toy is most appropriate for 7-10 year olds, especially active children who are into imaginative games.
What I really like about this toy is that it encourages a child to use their imagination. It seems like children these days devote a lot of their free time to watching television or playing on the computer. While these things can be educational, I think children benefit more from games and activities that use their imagination and their energy.
The only bad thing about this toy is that it does work. My nephew has "spied" on his sister while talking to her friends, either in her room, or while on the telephone, and she screams bloody murder because he is listening to their conversations! We are not sure how much he really hears, but the fact that he is spying on her is enough to upset her.
Your child will probably not be able to solve any true crimes with this toy, it really is just a toy. The amplification and magnification are just enough to make a child feel like he is spying. My nephew has only had his a few months, he played with it everyday at first. After the "newness" of it wore off, he played with it a little less, but he still gets it out from time to time. He uses the pen light for other activities, and he also uses the telescope as a microscope to investigate worms, bugs, and all of the other things little boys are interested in!
The devices are made of plastic that will take some wear and tear, but they cannot be treated really rough on a regular basis.
I believe this toy normally sells around $17.99, but I got it on sale a few months ago for $14.99.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
Yzerman
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 - Top 1000 |
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Member: Diane
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Reviews written: 173
Trusted by: 391 members
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