The way a parent judges a toy is completely different from the way a child does. A kid's judgment generally ends with the "is it cool?" question. A parent, on the other hand, takes many different things in account - how much does it cost, how long does it take to assemble, is it going to break anything, will there be a trip to the emergency room in our immediate future, how long does it take to clean up/will that stain ever come out, how much noise does it make and the granddaddy of them all - how many godforsaken batteries am I going to have to cram into this thing before they get bored with it?
One toy that passes this parental litmus test is stomp rockets. They come in different names, sizes and colors but the concept is the same - foam rockets that you place on a pad and then launch into the air with the stomp of a foot. That's it - guaranteed entertainment for children of all ages (and immature adults as well).
Of course by the end of the season (or even the afternoon), your gutters and trees will be filled with rockets but as long as you have some extras on hand you should be in good shape.
Stomp Rockets - all you need is a heavy foot and a dream.