Review: Geomag Mechanics Challenge STEM Toy

Produced by Young Jeohn

Geomag’s Mechanics Challenge is a STEM Toy to teach kids physics. It's like building blocks for 7 years and older, except you have moving parts - in this case, a cannon and cannon fodder!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:07 - About this toy
00:20 - Unboxing
01:48 - Let's shoot the cannon
02:55 - How do pieces lock together?

04:34 - Game #1 - Shooting stick figures
06:02 - Game #2 - Don't miss the goal post
08:07 - Game #3 - A moving target
11:53 - Conclusion

The pieces use a locking mechanism that feel like a 3D jigsaw puzzle. The one that connect horizontally (sideways) use circular nibs while the ones that connect vertically (above and below) use square nibs.

Geomag_Mech_1pieces.jpg

The cannon uses gravity and a magnetic piece to "shoot" metal ball bearings, but you need to work on your aim. If you get good at it, you might even hit the moving target that's a part of game #3!

More info: https://www.geomagworld.com
(Review unit provided by Geomag)

Comment

Young Jeohn

Adding creative flair to Otakus & Geeks with his videos, photos and written musings. Having lived abroad with extensive travel experience from Scandinavian ice castles to the fashionable Harajuku district in Tokyo, he carries knowledge from old-skool anime days and enjoys eating with chopsticks (with expert precision), talking shop with companies large and small and other questionable activities he can't talk about in public. His website lives at http://www.YoungFromNewYork.com

GeoMag Goes Green with 100% Recycled Plastic (Toy Fair Everywhere 2020)

Directed & Produced by Young Jeohn

GeoMag is a STEM toy company making construction toys using magnetic rods and spheres. In fact, they're the original magnetic construction company with two very unique aspects:

  1. Everything is designed and manufactured in Switzerland

  2. The majority of their products are authenticated by stem.org

If you know anything about the Swiss, this means their products go through highly rigorous quality checks and must jump through hundreds of different compliance checklists to meet STEM's high standards.

Their latest product line, which just rolled out to the US this week is called the Green Line. It's aptly named "Green" because the whole line is made of 100% recycled plastic. So not only are GeoMag the first makers of magnetic construction toys, but also one of the first to use 100% recycled plastic.

Their rods have a patented design with magnets on each end, which are connected by a metal spine. The result of this genius is a very strong connection when a closed circuit is made (example: a triangle is made by connecting three rods and balls - or a square from 4 rods and balls.) You can sort of compare it to turning on a lamp - it only works if there's a closed circuit for electricity to run through.

It's crazy to imagine, but the level of magnetic strength is so high that GeoMag built a massive staircase (one story high) using rods, balls and panels - and successfully had someone walk on it!

The Mechanics line uses magnetic motion to teach science and physics - without any need for motors or batteries. They have a Gravity line that uses gravitational forces to make movement, a Compass pack using Earth's magnetic field, and even a Canon pack that uses repelling forces and gravity to simulate a kind of canon.

Finally, GeoMag carry a Pro-L line, which use magnets that are 33% stronger than any other line they carry. They also have polarity marks, cutting down your time to build any structure since you can visually detect which ends to connect at a glance. This line of product only come with silver rods and teal colored panels, giving it a professional look.

So there you have it. If you like building things and are up for learning some useful sciences along the way, Geomag's got you covered.

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More info:
https://www.geomagworld.com
Event: Toy Fair Everywhere