Hypo-wha? A hypotrochoid (from the Greek for under and the Latin for hoop) is a roulette formed by a point attached to a circle rolling inside of another fixed circle. None of that mattered when it came to my childhood Spirograph obsession, but I had to look it up when I came across this Hypotrochoid Art Set.
This kit comes with two templates, three gears and three pens. We loved the aforementioned Spirograph, but Hasbro's chintzy revision has been panned by users. The Hypotrochoid Art Set gets good reviews and we appreciate the simple and compact kit design. Find it at Uncommon Goods ($8).
(Image: Uncommon Goods)
5 Online Services to Save Yourself a Trip to IKEA
Nikki’s Sweet and Cheery Print Studio
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Sprout Side Table
5 Things Paris Taught Me About Travel
Recipe: Ham, Cheddar & Chive Egg Bakes
What WAS it about Spirograph that was so compelling?? We'd spend entire afternoons drawing those chrysanthemums.
I bought this for my 5 year old daughter for a 3 hour plane trip. She played with it nonstop. Every spare moment we had in our hotel room she was playing with it. Great gift!
I loathed my Spirograph. Just bored me to sit there drawing in circles or, even worse, the evil football shaped one that never worked properly and would ruin your image!
LOVE this. I loved my Spirograph as a kid (although I hated the football one too, @jmorris26 -- but I'd blocked it out!). My son's birthday is next month and he'd go bananas for this.
We have this set, plus two more. I definitely recommend these sets if your kid likes to draw and try new things. Using a gel pen and pushing these along the circles help develop fine motor skills.
I gasped when I saw this. Count me in as having a spirograph love affair (with a football shape aversion). It's now on the Christmas list for my 6-year-old. If only they made a proper Lite Brite. The resurrected version is worthless.