Oh how I remember envying my cousins their tiny horses, and how much I enjoyed playing with them when we visited in their home. I have a feeling that, if Noah's Pals had been around back then, my cousins would have been envying me.
Noah's Pals animals appeal to the collector in all of us. They are carefully sculpted to 1:24 scale and hand painted; the result, while it is a toy, is more than just a toy. The first thing I noticed, as I placed my small collection on my desk, was scale. This is where I think most homeschooling parents will find delight.
I have Noah, with Derek and Delilah (doves). I suggest buying these first, not only because this collection is based on Noah's Ark, but so that your children can use Noah for a scale reference, comparing him to the animals they collect. For instance, while the doves and the pair of skunks are expectedly small, I was astounded to see that Kevin Kangaroo towers over the man with the staff. (One warning about the staff: While it will rest in his hand if you leave him standing, he doesn't really hold it.)
This collection would be particularly useful to families that do unit studies about animals. While you can buy the whole set, the idea is to purchase the animals one pair at a time, building your collection as you go. So, say you're studying cows or even farming, purchase the Clayton and Carol Cattle set and use it in your studies. (Note: At $14.98, this is the most expensive set I received. Prices range from $2 to $20.) You will find these to be accurate 1:24 scale representations of the Holstein that will delight your children (Especially when they realize Noah can't see over Clayton's back!) and educate them as well.
Each set (male and female, of course) comes with an ID card. On one side you'll see a photo of the pair; a graphic showing whether they're common, vulnerable, or endangered; more graphics that indicate where they are found geographically and the type of land they range in; a chart giving their names, gender, height, length, and weight (We're talking the real animal here); and a chart that shows the animal's "footprint" and provides both the family and scientific names. Flip the card over and find even more fun. You can log onto www.noahspals.com and register your pair as a part of your collection, learn more about the animal represented, and download a free coloring book.
There will be multiple series in the Noah's Pals collection. When you've completed a series collection (assuming you've been registering your pals) Caboodle! Toys will send you a reward. What will it be? We don't know; they're keeping that a secret.
Five percent (5%) of net profits from the sales of Noah's Pals goes to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Tammy Cardwell
Tammy Cardwell may be retired from homeschooling, but not from the homeschool arena. She is here at EHO to stay and actively serves her readers through TammyCardwell.net and her publishing company, CJ Press, as well as her blog, From a Cluttered Desk.
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