Abstract: A toy structure building apparatus includes a plurality of connector members attached to a plurality of structural members. Each connector member has a pin portion and a retention element located on an external surface of the pin portion. The apparatus further includes a plurality of connectors, each connector having an aperture for receiving the pin portion of a connector member and a detent member disposed within the aperture. The detent member is adapted to lockingly engage the retention element and includes a flexible elongated locking element extending in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the pin portion when the detent member is lockingly engaged to the retention element. The pin portion is selectively insertable into the aperture to couple and uncouple the structural members to each other to build a toy structure.

Abstract: A backpack or other wearable object is comprised of a body, shoulder straps attached in a conventional manner to the rear of the body, deployable/stowable appendages or wings, and deploy/stow mechanism. In operation, the wings may be deployed and stowed via the user operated deploy/stow mechanism.

Abstract: A structure building system is described that utilizes a mat, a set of connectors and a set of structural members to build a structure. In a preferred embodiment, magnetic coupling/connection may be used to connect the piece of the structure together. The system may also have one or more pieces of material that may be draped over the structure.

Abstract: A game kit (20) includes a game playing surface (22) marked with a plurality of indicia (42), (44), (46), (48), and (50). The game kit also includes a plurality of markers (26a-26d) for positioning on indicia of the playing surface. A first deck of cards (24a) including a plurality of cards (56) is also included. Each card bearing instructions (64) for a player to carry out an activity. The activity instructions of the cards in the first deck each being associated with a first core or cluster of human competencies selected from the group of factual knowledge competencies, audio/video performance competencies, two and/or three-dimensional graphic competencies, and spelling/vocabulary competencies.