This little swinging device with balls attached to it is the ActionFly Newtons Cradle.

You may have seen something similar to this concept at the mall, but this one has a unique design that I haven’t seen before. If you’ve played with one of these things in the past out of curiosity, then you might agree that this looks different. It’s hanging on 2 main supports with a Z-shape on top, rather than 4 support legs as is typical. I’ll just let the photo do the explaining for me…

I don’t know if there’s a specific purpose for that design, but it does give it a different look. The device is approximately 7 inch tall x 7 inch wide. This particular unit has a chrome-plated plastic base — which to some appears cheap. I myself would prefer real chrome, but then again, at this price I don’t expect that at all.

The packaging box that the product came in was a little faded and beat up, as if it’s been in storage for some time getting tossed around in the process — either that or the printing machine that they used for the box packaging needs an upgrade. LOL. It’s disappointing when you open up a package to a product that looks like that on the outside.

The good news is, the item inside is well-padded with foam. In fact, it was kinda challenging to pull the balls out of the slots…

All that being said, the ActionFly Newtons Cradle is a good way to not only entertain the kids but also get their attention while teaching them about science. My little girls were intrigued by this when I showed them how it works. They could care less about the faded box or the plastic chrome, LOL!

My only complaint is that the amount of time that the balls go back and forth does not last long. I’ve played with other types in the mall that last much significantly longer than this.

It’s the right size to leave on any desk. Whether you just want to take a break from your desk job and entertain yourself momentarily before getting overwhelmed, or just want to play with the kids and capture their curiosity, the ActionFly Newtons Cradle may do the trick. One of my daughters actually asked if she could keep this in her room. I’ll give it to her once she has her own desk in there. Actually, I think this particular item from ActionFly is more of a kids toy than an adult, really.

UPDATE 2/18/16: Swinging balls can get tangled up with each other if you are not careful. It can be annoying trying to untangle the strings so move them carefully or you’ll find yourself untangling for several minutes.

Thinking of having one? You can find the ActionFly Newtons Cradle Balance Balls Physics Pendulum on Amazon where it’s currently being sold at a 78 percent discount at the time of this writing.