The Berg Moov: Build it and climb on!

Imagine a Lego or Meccano set that was big and strong enough so that you could climb onto and drive!

Well this is the fantastic new concept from Dutch toymaker, Berg Toys: A ride-on construction kit! As an engineer and overgrown child myself, I’m regretting not being born two decades later so I could get my hands on this - surely it’s every child’s fantasy to build their very own scooter, go-kart or trike?

The wonderful thing about this toy is that no tools are required. The chunky wooden, rubber and metal parts can all be hand assembled and is within the capability of a typical 5 year old - that’s if he can get dad out of the way, that is!

The set consists of 175 sturdy pieces and instructions are provided for 4 ride-ons including a scooter, go kart, trike and recumbent bike.

One box, many outdoor toys

It’s like Lego meets the soap box! Not everyone has a workshop and spare sets of wheels, but with the Berg Moov, that won’t prevent your child having the wind in his or her hair as they thunder down the hill in their very own creation!

175 Pieces of outdoor construction fun

In a refreshing twist, as the rest of the world’s manufacturing migrates eastward, the Berg Moov is actually manufactured in the Netherlands. I find this comforting, but I can’t find a politically correct way of expressing why this is!

The Berg Moov retails for €299.99 at ToysOnline.ie

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Jody DIY Toys, Product Announcements, Retro Toys berg, berg moov, construction toys, go kart, Lego, moov, soap box

The DC3

These times of recession are great for rediscovering your childhood. We’ve just discovered paper aeroplanes in our house. Children are great. The plain and obvious to you is the new and undiscovered to them.

The Classic Dart

I came in the door one evening last week and my 6 year old girl was running around with a fairly primitive under performing model that my wife had rustled up. Apparently, the art of the paper aeroplane is rather under-developed in France. This wouldn’t do at all. When I placed that A4 piece of paper on the table, my hands started folding the paper all by themselves, just like it was 25 years ago! Shortly after its pretty successful maiden flight, which saw it soar through the gap in the conservatory doors, my “Classic Dart” went into mass production. Every eye in the house was at risk with paper aeroplanes flying everywhere. Brilliant stuff. They provided a full evening’s entertainment and I’m still being asked to make them days later. Fun, free and wholesome entertainment! After a little Googling, we can do a whole lot better than the rudimentary Classic Dart.

This page claims to have the best paper aeroplane in the world. After a quick glance at its main features, it’s hard to disagree.

The Best Paper Aeroplane in the World!

This page has instructions for no less than 27 different types of paper aeroplane, all ranked by difficulty level.

But that’s not all the fun you can have. I remember as a child, I had a book about space which came with a cut out and fold space shuttle which could “fly”. It also came with a cut out landing strip. Your objective was to glide your space shuttle onto the landing strip, just like the real thing (of course you know that the real space shuttle has to perform a glide landing too). So, with a little imagination, some A4 pages, a marker and some sellotape, you can create your very own runway and try to land your creations on it.

So there you have it - some simple, creative and inexpensive ways to spend quality time with your children.

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Jody Retro Toys, Toys and Parenting paper aeroplane, recession, toys

Darth Vader's Tie-Fighter

You thought he was dead didn’t you? When you saw Darth Vader’s Tie-Fighter spinning out of control  at the end of Star Wars Episode IV (the first Star Wars movie to be released in 1977) you thought he was a goner right? Well I did anyway!

For me, this has to be one of the iconic moments of movie history. I can close my eyes and see the scene perfectly.  I’ve been reliving the legendary trench run scene this morning on the very brilliant Star Wars Wiki.

The Rebel objective is to fire a proton torpedo through a thermal exhaust port on the northern hemisphere of the Death Star. Gold Squadron Y-Wings and a Squadron of X-Wings have failed, having been picked off by Darth Vader in his unique variant of the Tie-Fighter (TIE Advanced X1). Luke (call sign: Red 5) is leading the third and last trench run along with Red 2 and Red 3 at a distance to his rear - the Rebel’s last chance of destroying the Death Star. Approaching his objective, Darth Vader and two Tie-Fighter wing men pursue the attackers. Red 2 and Red 3 are taken out by Vader.

Luke's torpedoes find the mark

Luke is alone now with Vader in pursuit as he nears his firing position. Vader can’t get in a shot. “The Force is strong with this one” you’ll remember him say. Luke brushes aside his targeting computer causing great concern to the nerve wrecked Rebel command observing from their command vessel.  Vader gets a lock and fires, scoring a direct hit on R2-D2 and knocking him out of action. Luke is getting closer and the Death Star starts firing up its “superlaser”.  Vader gets a lock and starts firing. Just as he does, a volley of fire from above knocks out one of Vader’s wing men. It’s Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon! The second Tie wing man is caught by surprise and is knocked off course, clipping Vader’s wing who then glances off the side of the trench and is sent spinnig out of control into space. Using the force, Luke fires and finds the mark with his proton torpedoes.

A movie moment that will never be surpassed!

The Lego Version of Darth Vader's Tie-Fighter

Being a child of the eighties there are two things that featured above anything else. Star Wars and Lego. I grew up in a pile of Lego bricks was happy to spend the day building, breaking and rebuilding. What I’ll never understand is how Lego didn’t pursue licensing opportunities back then and produce Star Wars toys. Surely they would have made a killing! But the good news is that Lego did eventually see the opportunity second time around and as a grown up child, I now have the opportunity to have my very own Lego version of Darth Vader’s Tie-Fighter.

As a boy, I was also a big fan of Airfix and Revell plastic model kits. I remember spending a lot of time trying to get the glue off my hands! Anyway, it’s also taken Revell 30 years to see the licensing opportunities and you can now, also get Darth Vader’s Tie-Fighter as a plastic model kit. No painting and gluing with this range though, the kits come nicely pre-painted and the pieces snap together.

Man, to be 7 again, when your worst problem was finding that red 1×1 Lego piece at the bottom of the bucket.

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Jody Nostalgia, Retro Toys Darth Vader, Lego, Revell, Star Wars, Tie-Fighter, Trench Run, Vader