There’s no shortage of skill toys for those who enjoy swinging and throwing balls, from traditional objects like Poi to modern toys like Astrojax. If you enjoy those, here’s another one to add to your list: Monkey Knuckles.
Created by Matt Hiebert for Yomega, it’s a ball-and-string toy that offers open-ended and creative play. It’s like nunchucks, but with balls on each end and a longer string, allowing you to swing, throw, and spin in entertaining ways.
Monkey Knuckles holds two balls on each end: a large one that can slide the entire length of the string and a small one meant to stay at the end. The large balls obviously provide the needed weight to throw it around, while the smaller ones can serve as a handle when you need to grab the toy by the end. All the balls are made of wood, too, giving it a more substantial feel. According to Yomega, the toy has perfect balance, making it easy to get a handle on. Of course, mastering it is another thing entirely. Most importantly, though, the open-ended design allows for free and inventive play, so you can make up a whole load of tricks, whether planned or on the fly.
Like other skill toys, of course, playing with balls is only half the fun. The real fun comes once you get good enough that you can set the balls on fire, weaponize them for killing zombies (I mean, they’re like nunchuck balls), and use them for similarly wild, crazy tricks. Monkey Knuckles is available now, priced at $14.95.