How To Play

Since FW doesn't really understand imaginative play, he has very little interest in toys that, in his words, "don't do anything." At the same time, if we give him a battery-operated, moves-on-its-own toy, he'll get bored quickly and probably end up taking it apart to see how it works. This ongoing dilemma has been solved for the moment by Guillow's.

We're all about the balsa wood airplanes--they're inexpensive, and many can be found at craft or hobby stores. While these planes definitely "do something," they are completely kid-powered. The coolest one we've found yet is the Folding Wing Glider, which is supposed to be for kids 10 and up, but which FW has no problem using. This thing flies insanely high and loops around like a maniac, so make sure the area is clear of any big trees. I can sit and watch FW play with this all day, which suits him just fine.

Note: These planes, especially those with catapult/rubber band launchers, require some fine motor control, so they may be frustrating for a kid with clumsy fingers.