A 3D Lesson in Animation!

If you’ve been around GeekMom for a while, you’ll remember the posts I’ve done about an outside-the-box kind of thinker, named Rufus Butler Seder, and his company, named Eye Think Inc. Many of you might know Rufus for his series of children’s books that seem to come to life. Do these pictures ring a bell?

And of course many of you might own the Star Wars version.

His company has created tiles that seem to come to life for many aquariums across the globe. They also love to make fun toys that challenge the mind. Here is my review of their Scanimation Lamp, which my kids and their friends loved.

I was thrilled to get an email from Rufus a few weeks go, because I knew whatever he had created next would be just as fun as his other creations. And I was right. This one is called Busy Body. It’s such a simple concept that brings to life what animation is all about.

Regular animation is time consuming. It takes hours to draw enough pictures that look almost alike to create any decent animation scene. The Busy Body is a way for even young kids to see how animation works. The carousel spins and you see the image of the little blue guys as they whirl past. The fun comes when you stop the spinning and move his bendable hands and legs into different positions. You can make him skip, jump, dance, all with the help of a simple instruction sheet.

My household has older kids these days but I was pleased to see my college son and the three buddies he brought home for Easter having a blast, making the little figure do all kinds of creative movements. I have no doubt that kids of all ages (and their parents) will enjoy this toy. The best way to see all the things Busy Body can do is to watch this short video demonstration. Fair warning: Gather the kids around the screen before you hit the play button. They’re going to love this.

It retails for less than twenty-five bucks, which makes it a perfect gift for birthday parties or holidays. If you’d like a whole list of creative toys that will intrigue you and your kids, go visit the Eye Think Inc. website. It’s filled with interactive, creative activities, books, cards, and toys.

Note: GeekMom received a sample of Busy Body for review purposes.