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You are here: Home / Activities / Fathers Day / NeoCube, Nanobots and Bucky Balls: great toys for kids or for Father’s Day

NeoCube, Nanobots and Bucky Balls: great toys for kids or for Father’s Day

May 14, 2011 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

My 5 year old son bought a version of these magnets “with his own money” at the SFMOMA two years ago and they were a hit at our house. Evidently, the ones we bought, Bucky Balls, weren’t in any way protected and the 2011 New York Toy Fair was filled with versions of them including a major display of NanoDots.

As with Lego displays, they even showed how you could create huge magnetic sculptures:

IMG_0176

Here is a fun video for NeoCube that shows just how tactily addictive these little magnets are. They come in packs of 216 magnet balls for about $30. It’s a fairly high price for a small package, but guaranteed to keep little or big hands busy.

I spoke with a NanoDots representative about whether the little magnets could ruin credit card, phones, or even computer hard drives, and he confidently stuck his phone and a credit card on the little magnets to show how well protected modern devices are from magnetic forces. Good to know.

NOTE: GreatDad did not receive samples of this product for review.

My son bought a version of these magnets “with his own money” at the SFMOMA two years ago and they were a hit at our house. Evidently, the ones we bought, Bucky Balls, weren’t in any way protected and the 2011 New York Toy Fair was filled with versions of them including a major display of NanoDots.

Filed Under: Fathers Day, Gifts

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

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Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

Spinning Out Family Stress with Michael Blair
byPaul Banas

Welcome to another episode of Great Dad Talks! This week, I sit down with life coach and former psychologist Michael Blair to explore modern tools for family harmony, emotional healing, and child development.

Michael shares the transformative power of his unique “spin” method—a tool rooted in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)—that helps kids, parents, and even whole families quickly change negative emotional patterns in just minutes. Listen in as Michael walks Paul through an anxiety-busting spin live, explains why dads’ involvement is critical to healthy families, and shares actionable tips on self-forgiveness and resilience.

Check out Michael’s website at blaircounselingandcoaching.com

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC

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