When it comes to the hottest toys of the season, you can pretty much guarantee that remote-controlled robots will be among them. This year, VEX Robotics by HEXBUG, the makers of Aquabot 2.0, bring you hands-on play as you construct your very own jumbo-sized robot ant. Drive the robot manually using the remote control or select the autonomous drive mode to send Ant scurrying about all by itself, mimicking real-life movement. 

My kids are at that age when the thought of adopting a pet is at the top of their minds. This is especially true when they visit their grandmother who owns a super cute dog named Luna. She is always so excited to see the kids and has so much fun curling up next to them. When they go for a walk to the park, she walks alongside them with her tail wagging happily. And when we leave, they are sad to part ways. As much as I would love to own a pet dog, I am not equipped with the patience that is required in taking care of an animal and cleaning up after them. Picking up doggy doo-doo while it is still piping hot is revolting and having to worry about potty training a puppy is not what I need at this particular point in my life. "How about a goldfish, mommy?" Well, that does require a little less work to take care of. But wait! How about a pet Aquabot?

What could be better than a pet HEXBUG that looks like a fish and acts like a fish? And better still, when it dies, you can just replace the batteries and he's as good as new! Our new pet Angelfish is similar to the HEXBUG Aquabot Shark and Clownfish. It is built with smart fish technology and added sensors, and gives off an inner glow to make it look more alive. There is also a Hammerhead Shark that looks just as cool.

Our pet Aquabot 2.0 came with his own fish bowl. Just fill with water and drop him in. Using fancy electro-magnetic propulsion and an automatic on and off sensor, the aquatic robo-fish propels around the bowl, swimming, diving and changing directions. After five minutes, the Aquabot will go into sleep mode to save battery life but you need only tap the outside of the bowl to awaken him from his nap.