Just for Kids: Grand Illusions Toy Shop
Unique Online Store for Learning Toys and Optical Illusions
Mar 31, 2008
Calling Grand Illusions a toy store is a bit like saying that summers in Africa are slightly warm. Grand Illusions is surely one of the more unique online stores for unusual children’s toys and gifts that exists on the web.
Just for Kids - of All Ages, of Course
Grand Illusions, based in an 18th century barn in rural Buckinghamshire about an hour west of London, was formed in 1996 and was originally designed for the owners to share their enthusiasm for learning toys and games; various science based phenomena and optical illusions.
The Grand Illusions shop started in 1998, selling unusual children’s toys and gifts that are generally hard to source elsewhere. There is no physical Grand Illusions Shop (or Store as Americans call it) and the owners emphasize that they only stock the unique learning toys, optical illusions and other items that are on their web site. This is a toy store just for kids, of all ages of course.
Toys for Men - Optical Illusion
Grand Illusionssells a range of items – some could probably be classified in the toys for men category - that are hard or impossible to find anywhere else. Most of the toys are learning based or involve some science based phenomenon or optical illusion.
Some items Grand Illusions commission themselves, such as the Einstein Hollow Face Mask or the Non Transitive Dice. Other items, they say, are hand made in small quantities by artisans working in different countries around the world.
Amazing Toy Collection
Their toy expert, Tim, has built up an amazing collection of over 10,000 toys. These are not for sale, but check out some really interesting videos on the Toy Collection part of the web site.
Mind bending Optical Illusions
The Optical Illusionspart of the Grand Illusions website is just for looking – and for being amazed and baffled. After spending a few minutes looking at some of the best optical illusions around, it will be hard to ever trust anything you see again. Have a look at the Moving Cogs or the Moving Wave. Do you really believe your eyes?
What Unusual Gift to Choose
So, which unusual gift or learning toy is the prefect gift for the discerning youngster or older person with a liking for optical illusions or science based phenomena?
Top of the list of these unique toys and gifts may just be a kaleidoscope; a music box set, the famous Mirage, a Perpetual Top or a metal pen with no ink that will write on virtually any type of paper.
Some Categories of Learning Toys on the Grand Illusions Website:
- Optical Illusions
- Magnetic Toys
- Chemistry Toys
- Biology Toys
- Nitinol Magic Teaspoon
- Leonardo Kits
- Musical and Audio Toys
- Optical Toys
- Maths Puzzles
- Spinning Tops
- Mechanical Toys
Warm Hearts – a Personal Favorite
For many, Warm Hearts wins hands down as the coolest gift and they are not expensive. These little heart shaped hand warmers contain a gel and a small metal disc. To activate the hand warmer, just flex the disc a couple of times and the gel becomes hard. Because of a chemical reaction crystals are formed and the Warm Hearts will give off heat for up to 20 minutes. This is a prefect Christmas gift for children of all ages.
Reviewer’s Final Conclusion
The pound is a still pretty strong currency and Grand Illusions is a bit pricy, but after spending hours on the site there is only one outcome - at least five items on Grand Illusions should really be in the post on their way to this reviewer although this toy store is really just for kids.
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