I remember it like it was yesterday, though it’s been about 38 years ago. The muggy weather of Missouri during the summer and then the magic that lit of the yard in the evening before bed-Fire Flies. I caught them one by one and put them in my Mason Jar to be my night-light. I never wanted to leave! When my boys were young, they visted Grandma and Grandpa in North Carolina and were just as enamored by the brilliant beauty of a small FireFly.
FyrFlyz
Regrettably, my younger children don’t have that magic to fill their evenings. At least not until the folks at i-Star Entertainment created a spinning toy on a string that bedazzles with amazing light shows. They call this toy…FYRFLYZ. Even my husband was in on the fun as the kiddos wound their strings and watched as the mult-colored LED lights spun creating unique light patterns.
When I pulled the FyrFlyz out of the package, my mind instantly took me back to my dad creating button-on-a-string for my siblings and me. We played with that little do-dad for many afternoons. FyrFlyz is that toy, only far more hip and modern. It works on the same premise–grab one small plastic handle in each hand and with large loops, spin the FyrFlyz so the string gets twisted. The longer you spin it the longer it will go. Then, using the plastic handles, pull the strings apart to spin the FyrFlyz in the opposite direction. As you move the handles closer and pull apart the FyrFlyz creates unique light designs like Shooting Stars, Saturn Rings, Sun Blasts, and Flywheels. I’m not kidding! Take a peek at the different FyrFlyz moves on the FyrFlyz YouTube page at: http://www.youtube.com/TheFyrflyz.
FyrFlyz
We put FyrFlyz to the test! Would it be a toy the kiddos went to time and time again? Would it be an alternative to combat the endless video gaming?
One Saturday I pulled out the package from MomSelect. I got my husband to join me in the playroom (it’s in the basement which can turn dark in an instant with no lights and closed blinds. Together my husband and I started playing with the FyrFlyz. Unintentionally, we were exclaiming, “That’s so cool!”, “Wow! Did you see that?”, “I think I just did a trick”. Soon, the children, never wanting to miss out on anything found their way to us. They wanted to know what we were doing?
“Playing FyrFlyz!”
“Can I try?” asked Li’l Man.
“Sure!”
Reluctantly hubby and I handed off our FyrFlyz. We showed the kiddos how to wind them and manipulate the string and then we just walked out of the room. That’s right, we left. It’s a rare thing…usually, we have shadows (aka kiddos). They stayed in the basement, in their playroom, for over an hour. There were giggles and ah’s. There was fun!
We put the FyrFlyz away before dinner.
After dinner, the kiddos were begging for the FyrFlyz. This has been the pattern for a week now.
FyrFlyz are designed for kids ages 8+ (though Li’l Man is 5 and The Divine Miss M is 7, they did just fine) and are available at Toys “R” Us, Rite Aid and CVS.
FyrFlyz is already at the top of many “Hot Toy” lists including the coveted Oppenheim Toy Portfolio and Dr. Toy Top Ten Toys List.
More About FyrFlyz™ from the company :
Light up the night this summer with FyrFlyz, a revolutionary new spinning toy from i-Star Entertainment that puts the power to create an amazing light show in kids’ very own hands. Check it out: www.fyrflyz.com.
Since being introduced at the Hong Kong, Nuremberg, and New York Toy Fairs earlier this year, FyrFlyz™ are creating a sensation worldwide and in fact – topped Amazon’s Bestsellers list in the U.K.
Just in time for summer BBQs, FyrFlyz is set to hit the U.S. market with a nationwide launch!
The buzz keeps building as toy industry insiders are calling FyrFlyz one of the hot toys for the summer. Sales in test markets went so well, that the manufacturer had to ramp up production to rush product to store shelves nationwide ahead of schedule. But we’d love to see what you can do, so we encourage you to upload video to our YouTube Channel athttp://www.youtube.com/user/TheFyrflyz.
BACKGROUND:
- FyrFlyz were created by i-Star Entertainment President Joel Rosenzweig and CEO Marty Abrams, who has been the driving force behind a number of successful product launches over the past 35 years including Magna Doodle, Micronauts (the precursor to Transformers), and Sky Dancers. The company has earned a reputation for identifying, creating and bringing to market some of the hottest and most innovative products for kids, tweens and teens. The introduction of FyrFlyz will deliver a one-of–a-kind entertainment experience for fans of all ages.
- Each FyrFlyz toy is a precision balanced instrument designed to spin on its axis. Simply by swinging the connected two strings and applying tension or allowing slack, kids create a continuous movement (figure eights, rings, etc.). The fun begins when the lights go out and the FyrFlyz multi-color LED lights turn the movement into an amazing light show that kids can play themselves or show their friends.
- Kids can spin their FyrFlyz to create a wide array of tricks: they can turn them sideways to create slick Sydwynders, pull tight to create whizzing Black Holes or loosen the strings to make Shooting Stars – the more they spin, the more unique their tricks. As kids develop their skills, there are no boundaries to what their imaginations can create.
- FyrFlyz, retailing for under $10 each, will be available in a variety of light colors making them a collectible for ages 8 and up. Available nationwide end of July.
*I received FyrFlyz from FyrFlyz and MomSelect in order to facilitate an honest review. The opinions, where expressed are my own and were in no way influenced by the sponsor. Others experiences may vary.