Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The Spirograph was a magical, steady go-to toy for whiling away my kid-hours ... before computers. I would run through a ream of typing paper like a paper shredder ... sometimes with carbon paper just to pass my creations around . Now as a physicist & grandpa, I relate to the Spirograph as a mathematical experiment that teaches important relationships. I bought the big Spirograph set for my granddaughter. My granddaughter has a creative streak, not particularly mathematical, but she spins the Spirograph in a perfectionist artsy way. The Spirograph is a fantastic elementary school entrée into critical thinking, proportionality and creativity. It's a trial and error superstar. Some combinations are pleasing to the eye, others are a visual dissonance. It's been a delight to watch her progression ... "What do you think about this, Grandpa!" ... she quietly discards ones that aren't ready for prime time Grandpa eyes. It's been great fun suggesting variations that she takes away and goes to work on with her own twist and fancy. You can see her mind working as her choice of 2 templates and a starting `point' reveals unexpected patterns within patterns . This set has all the bells and whistles of the original and then some. It's the 50th anniversary set. The number and configuration of templates just make a fascinating learning toy.