16 June 2008

Bantooka Maker!

Warning: This is a completely gratuitous rave about a toy!!

Last fall, M. got a set of Tubation tubes for her birthday. It's a clever building toy and she's been enchanted with it - making houses for dolls, strange contraptions, and bantookas. You might ask, "what's a bantooka?" Well, it's a musical instrument - a wacky shaped thing into which you blow. You know, a bantooka.

The only problem with the set was that 40 pieces weren't enough - we kept running out of bits. So I figured I'd get another set.

And what did my marveling eyes find on Amazon? A compatible set of tubes to create your own musical instruments! I ordered it instantly, and we are smitten. The Saxoflute set is even better than described - in addition to a couple of mouthpieces and bells, it comes with stoppers for the ends of the tubes, and straight tubes with holes so you can play multiple notes. I think it's genius. Besides being fun, it's educational - you can explore how a wind instrument really works by changing what you've got strung together. Many a bantooka is in our future.

14 comments:

  1. Ah, yes. We have the saxoflute. Both girls love it. Red has yet to figure out a way to destroy it so it gets 5 stars just for indestructability.

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  2. oh, that's so wonderful! my own kids are all grown up, but my cousin's little girls NEED this!

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  3. Anonymous9:08 PM

    Hey, we have that one! It's great. Well, any kind of instrument is great, in my book. :)

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  4. Another one of those toys that looks pretty fun for parents, too!

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  5. It's fun just to SAY "bantooka."

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  6. That looks like SOOO much fun! I always joke that all I had to play with as a kid was a log, a big ole hunk of wood. It made nice sounds if you banged it on your head. Or maybe that was just a concussion.

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  7. Anonymous10:01 AM

    Wow! This looks like super fun! Oh dear! Why am I in Singapore?! They don't have it over at this tiny spot on the globe. Damn! Can I get it on any website?

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  8. This looks very fun; maybe for my nephews at Christmas.

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  9. Hellsa! Everyone needs a bantooka.

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  10. Oh, boy--this looks perfect for L., and his birthday is coming up!

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  11. Oh, boy! That looks like a must have!

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  12. Anonymous11:24 PM

    Oh, God bless you. I run from the noise-making toys. Bad mom, I know. Here, boys, how about a book? I've got it coming, though. My 11-yr old is hoping to take up drums next year. Real ones. Help!

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  13. These sound fabulous!

    (BTW, thanks for your comment on my column. I love that Wells Mother Goose, too--check out the Bunny Planet ones for yourself some day!)

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  14. I have something like that. It was mine in childhood and my mom saved it and now Baby Nora loves it!

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