Beyblades, what are they exactly and are they suitable for 5yo?

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Ds wants one for xmas and, not knowing what they are, I've just looked on the internet. They seem to me to be types of spinning tops but I don't understand about the launchers etc. Do I need one? And the Toys R Us site says they are only suitable for 8 yrs+ - is this rubbish? Are they violent? Complete beyblade novice and would appreciate advice, thanks!

Have seen the kids from downstairs playing with them (age range 4-11) and they look pretty harmless. I think you try and keep your top spinning longest or something. There's some rules about how to play here . Seems to imply you need a launcher but maybe kids make up their own rules if they don't have one? Doesn't sound violent per se, just marketed as a "fighting top".

WWW

Basically they are a spinning top with a launcher so that they go very fast, and there are different types of blade, defence and attack, they are not violent unless you count being hit on the foot, or getting cut hands from the launcher cord a sort of wand thing with teeth.
My 6 year old and 8 year old have them and they launch them and see whose blade spins the longest. V Boring IMO but it is the latest craze.
Hope this helps. Can be difficult to get hold of two as they are so popular

www,
my 5 yo ds has one and loves it so I don't think your ds would be too young. A word of warning though, they have been banned from ds's school. Just asked him why and he said it was because someone had been hit in the eye by the blade although for this to happen I imagine he must have had his head right down on the ground watching the blade.

If you're lucky enough to find one, you can get a bey blade stadium where they can battle against each other. It looks a bit like a cross between a potty and an ashtray. I'm told that they battle very well in a washing up bowl too, but of course you will need more than one to do battle.

Hi, WWW. They have been banned indoors (wet play) at my DS's school because there is less space for the kids and they do tend to huddle over them. (Someone was hit in the face apparently.) They are still allowed in the playground. (They are very small - only about 1.5" across.)

As kk girl says the launcher is just a strip of plastic with teeth, you thread it through a hole in the blade and then yank it out - the yanking elbow itself would damage anybody in the wrong place!

You can buy an arena - about 18" across, basically a bowl with 3 square side bays around it - 2 or 3 kids launch theirs into the bowl all at once - they move differently according to whether attacker, defender or neutral and can jump right out of the bowl if struck in the wrong place. (Or you can use a large frisbee or even just do it on the floor - safest way!)

DS has had 3 - 2 have broken. They are fun (I've had a few battles myself - blush - and always lost, whichever blade I was using!) but I think the age limit is quite valid - a 5 year old playing alone would be fine but I'm not sure about battles.

That's really helpful and clear, isn't it! Sorry.

They were £5.99 in Toys R Us a few weeks ago and the price has recently been put up to £9.99 a complete rip-off IMO. You can get a lot of look a likes and some are only £1.99.

A couple of months ago (I think my son was exactly 3½ he was fascinated with a beyblade that another boy (aged 6) was playing with while we waited for a bus. The other boy was very patient and kept showing DS what to do but try as he might, DS couldn't get the knack of the launcher.

I don't know if the problem was the size of his hands, hand/eye coordination, lack of strength, manual dexterity or what but he got so frustrated. He's pretty advanced for his age with construction kits etc, and loves playing Robot Wars games but he just couldn't get the hang of beyblades. When we've seen them in shops since then he hasn't said he wanted them either (unusual for him!!)

Oh so thats what happens when you use an Alt character and a close bracket!

Thanks so much everyone, OK, I now want to buy one but Toys R Us are out of stock, Argos won't sell them online (go figure), the Woolworths site closes if I enter beyblade as a search item...aaaggghhh! Any other suggestions welcome, even if it's not online. I'll be in London at the weekend for the meet up and could easily stop in Bristol or Bath on the way.

Mandy D, reading yours reminds me that a) you have to click the blade into a plastic holder and insert the serrated strip into that, not the blade itself and b) I had trouble launching them too sometimes - the beyblade would just dangle from the plastic holder and whirl in the air! - I got frustrated too

WWW, we always get our flavour-of-the-month toys from the local toyshop - got our arena/stadium there too. Have a root through Yellow Pages.

www, bit of a bey blade novice myself but gearing up for christmas and need to get some fast. I wonder if John Lewis online stock them? If so,I am going to use that 'ten pounds off if you spend twenty pounds' link (see bargain thread) and get two bey blades and a launcher.

BTW, the boys at my son's school play with them aged 5 and upwards.

Do you have an Entertainer near you - they had some in a couple of weeks ago - they have a website too www.thetoyshop.com I think - good luck - I think they are the Buzz Lightyear or Teletubby of this year!!

A child showed me one of these as I dropped at school this morning, I can't believe they're SO tiny! I'd thought from looking at them on web sites that they were about the size of a normal spinning top, but now I know they're actually the size of a kiwi fruit I agree, £9.99 is a COMPLETE rip off!

Oh yes indeedy - they are the toy of choice for Christmas!
We have tried to find a stadium everywhere with no joy. I have just spoken to the toy dept in John Lewis/Oxford Street and they said that they won't be stocking them in advance of Christmas.
We did track the actual bey blades down in a local toy shop (as recommeded earlier in this thread), so I guess our son will be using a tea tray for his stadium!

WWW, I did tell you how small they are!

I got one in local toyshop today - there were 2 there - they have been very popular around here since before the summer holidays so I think the novelty's worn off. Still only 5.99 here.

I've a feeling we're going to know what beyblades are only too well. Famous by their absance!

Better get out my yellow pages and start phoning round the local toy shops.

we got the stadium from ebay

Tigermoth and anyone else who's after one, I found some today in The Gadget Shop (after trying a lot of places, they seem to be sold out all over the place). They weren't beyblades, they had a different brand name but are apparently exactly the same thing according to the woman in the shop. Tigermoth, if you're desperate I could bring 1 to the meetup tomorrow night, they were £3 each so I bought 3 but ds will be happy with 2 since I've warned him I may not be able to get any at all. Let me know if you want one. Your son is older though so may be bothered by the non branding, I'm pretty sure mine won't care.

yes please, www! two if possible!