Tidal Tikes is a gadget that helps kids vacuum up their own Lego and marbles

SOLD. In fact, I’ll buy two! TAKE MY MONEY… If it works as promised – always something to bear in mind when eyeing up a tempting gadget that’s raising money on Kickstarter – the Tidal Tikes could be the answer to many parents’ prayers.

It’s not just a vacuum cleaner to pick up Lego, marbles, beads and other small, parental-foot-jabbing toys. No, it’s a vacuum-cleaner attachment to pick up Lego, marbles, beads and other small, parental-foot-jabbing toys designed for children to use themselves. AND it looks like a shark.

The device’s creators are trying to raise $25,000 on Kickstarter, with pledges of $20 or more getting you one of the gadgets, which are due to ship before Christmas. At the moment, the Tidal Tike is a prototype getting ready for its production phase according to the listing.

“We are working hard as we complete the prototypes and prepare for production, but the costs are immense when you have to manufacture thousands of pieces that the factory requires,” explains the listing. “We already have spoken to many major retailers and they are very excited about Tidal Tikes and are interested in working with us to bring them on board. We just need to have working Tidal Tikes to show them.”

The Kickstarter campaign is only shipping within the United States, so those of us elsewhere in the world can’t chip in. But if this product works and gets into retailers in 2018, it could be a marvellous thing indeed. Check the crowdfunding campaign here.