Pretend Play Reviews

Do you have a boy or girl wonder at home? Then he or she will want to suit up and be ready to help out the Caped Crusader on Halloween night. Robin's costume comes with a red and green jumpsuit with attached black boot tops, a wide yellow belt, a black cape, and a black eye mask. --Marcie Bovetz

Here's weeks, months, maybe even years of fun. Kids startle and delight themselves and their audiences when they master the tricks in Marshall Brodien's Magic Show. Multiply two rabbits into six. Double a bowl of rice, then change it to water. Change red balls into blue balls. It's all here: the magician's table, wand, magic cups and cubes, thumb-trick gadget, little foam rabbits, fuzzy balls... all the specialized props and paraphernalia, plus the step-by-step instructions and drawings that let a young magician in on the secrets of 50 amazing tricks. Some tricks require the use of commonly available items such as a book, newspaper, rice, coins, etc. Some assembly of cardboard items is required. Includes a 32-page instruction booklet for 50 tricks, plus a bonus sheet with easy-to-follow instructions for 100 tricks such as Magic Arithmetic, Mind Reading, and The Square Puzzle. For best results, good reading skills are required. --Ava Natov

The caped crusader is ready to do good deeds and receive his reward in candy. Batman's costume includes a gray-and-black jump suit with attached black boot tops, a shiny yellow belt, and a long black cape with attached hood and mask. Others will get the impression that the young superhero has been working out, as the costume's chest has faux muscle definition molded into it and the upper sleeve areas are filled with extra padding to accentuate biceps. The well-known bat logo, in black and yellow, is centered above the pectorals. For children 8 to 10 years of age. --Pam Lauer

Play pizza parlor with this restaurant playset. You'll find everything your kids will need for an imaginary pizza delivery service: fake pizza, beverage cups, toy cheese sticks and sauce to dip them in, pizza slicer and server, oven mitt, and even shakers for spices. There are also little plates of spaghetti, if the customer's not in the mood for pizza. For delivery, there's a fairly realistic pizza delivery bag to keep the pie warm while it's on its way. --Megan Sullivan