Though it’s only February, it’s never too late to look ahead to warmer weather. Building snow-persons and sledding is fun, but let’s face it, if you want to run around, toss a ball, etc., you’ll likely need all the two-foot-high snow drifts to melt first. One toy that will definitely be worth the wait is Djubi, a cool catch/slingshot hybrid from AQI. Djubi comes with two rackets fitted with nets—I have it on good authority that they resemble lacrosse sticks—and two small, bright-orange foam balls with thick elastic bands. Utilizing the hook built into the top of each racket, a player launches the ball—it can travel an impressive distance—whereupon the other player catches it in their net before sending it right back.
Djubi can also be a fun game for one, with a player slinging the ball straight up and catching it on the way back down. The relatively simple mechanics allow users to make up all sorts of variations, though in my professional opinion, none of them should involve indoor play, given that the slingshot function has a learning curve and can pack quite a wallop. For those reasons, the recommended age range of 8 and up seems appropriate.