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R/C Tarantula
by Chris Byrne
Uncle Milton — the folks who brought us the original Ant Farm in 1956 — can’t seem to get past this thing with bugs. Their latest introduction is an R/C Tarantula. (R/C stands for “Radio Control.”)
The size and finish of the real thing, this furry little device is just what the name says. It has realistic movements and when kids push the buttons it crawls backwards and forwards. The eyes light up and can rotate a full 360 degrees.
Now, in broad daylight, it’s unlikely that anyone will be fooled by this critter, but that’s not the point. It’s all about that moment when someone catches it out of the corner of their eye peeking out from under the sofa…
Why it’s fun
Kids love feeling as though they have the power or the upper hand. To make a sibling, pet, or yes, grandparent jump when they see an unknown arachnid-like thing coming at them is the height of comedy, especially if you’re an 8-year-old boy.
The fact that the kids can control it and make it move realistically only adds to the fun.
Who’s going to love it
As mentioned above, this is the ideal toy for an 8-year-old boy. Girls who were initially grossed out were then intrigued, and wanted to play with it. But, they soon lost interest.
Boys, however, got completely into figuring out a variety of different things they could do with it. They spent a long time playing with it — and returned to it for days at a time. There is always the thrill of trying to surprise someone new with it, and, of course, boys get into thinking about where they can put it to have maximum scare impact.
What grandparents should know
This is endlessly entertaining for boys, and if you’re feeling a little waggish yourself, you too might enjoy playing with it.
You may need to set some boundaries, however, to ensure that the toy is not used to scare people who might not share your sense of humor.
What to be aware of
The R/C Tarantula requires two AAA and two AA batteries, not included.
There is no obvious off switch, so the character will keep talking and dancing long after the child has stopped playing with him. To make him stop — and you’ll want to — push and hold his nose for five seconds and he will turn off. A quick tap on the nose again starts him up.
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