Toy Insider Senior Editor/Toy Book Editor-in-Chief James Zahn joined NewsNation’s Morning in America to show off the best new toys for parents to recreate the fun of summer camp right in their own backyard. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.
SMITHSONIAN ROCK AND GEM DIG KIT
With Rock and Gem Dig young scientists can carefully chip away at a sand block to excavate six different rocks and minerals and five real gemstones. Kids can learn how different types of rocks form and the difference between rocks and minerals, then use the magnifying glass to inspect their samples. Includes a color STEM…
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SMITHSONIAN PLANETARIUM PROJECTOR
When kids aim the projector at a light-colored wall or ceiling, it will project a rotating star pattern of the northern sky. The set includes three disks with 24 space images that kids can project alongside the stars.
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SMITHSONIAN MICROSCOPE KIT
The Smithsonian Microscope Kit lets kids view leaves, pollen, insect parts, fibers, and more at up to 900 times their actual size! This kit comes with everything kids need to study organisms around them — three prepared slides, six blank slides, two specimen vials, a petri dish, slide labels and covers, tools, a storage case,…
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VOLLEYSHOT
Each player operates a paddle, knocking the ball back and forth until somebody misses. All it takes is a single hiccup to miss, and every miss is a point for the opponent. Stay focused, stay steady. The first to 10 points wins.
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CRAYOLA PAINT YOUR OWN BEAN BAG TOSS
Kids can paint the cornhole boards with the included paint and brushes, then play the game with the included bean bags. When they’re ready for a redesign, kids can wipe the boards clean with a wet towel and paint them again.
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LITTLE TIKES BIG ADVENTURES LINE
These toy vehicles combine play, fun, and learning with real, working STEM tools. The Safari SUV includes three detachable tools: binoculars, a flashlight, and a compass. The spinning wheels detach from the Safari SUV and transform into binoculars with 3X magnification. The Safari SUV's headlights transform into a working flashlight and the Safari SUV's back…
