Toy Whimsy

Toys and The Big Game

So, I keep seeing these teaser commercials for Sunday's big game from car manufacturer Kia.  They feature a bunch of toys enjoying a night on the town, including Muno from the kids' show, "Yo Gabba Gabba" a sock monkey, a robot and something that looks kinda like the Hamburglar and Grimace combined, except hairier.  All will be revealed in the full-length commercial, scheduled to air in the 3rd quarter of the game.  In case you haven't seen any of the the teaser versions, enjoy this:

(By the way, the song is "How you Like Me Now?" by The Heavy.)  -- E. Christian Moore

Dragon Training School Party - Guest Blogger Lisa Kothari

How To Train Your Dragon is the upcoming release from DreamWorks this March.  It’s all about a Viking teenage, Hiccup, who must join his tribe’s heroic dragon slaying.  However, when Hiccup has his chance to slay his dragon, he instead befriends him and takes on the task of teaching his fellow Viking tribe that they shouldn’t be slaying the dragons any longer.  What a great movie to take the kids to over the spring break.  If you want to continue the fun before and/or after the film, how about creating your own Dragon Training School for the kids to enjoy and to celebrate the movie.

So, what does Dragon Training entail?  How about these ideas:

1. Create one very large dragon as a craft.  Using heavy card stock, egg cartons, glitter glue, markers, and crayons, create a large dragon to hang on a wall.

2. Read the original book and compare it to the movie.

3. Play Dragon Tag.  Have the kids form one line and hold on to each other’s waists.  The first person in line must try and tag the last person in the line while the people in the middle must try to keep this from happening.

 

4. Have the kids search for Dragon’s Eggs in a bowl full of spaghetti noodles.  Use small meatballs for the dragon’s eggs and see who can find the most.  You can also hold a Dragon’s Egg Eating Contest, but watch that the kids eat safely.

5. Create a Dragon Obstacle Course with chairs, furniture, rope, and any other items you have around your home and set up an obstacle course that the kids must complete for their training.

6. Create a set of Dragon Commands to train your dragons.  It could be anything and everything: sit, stay, wag your tail, screech, etc.  Encourage the kids to be as creative as possible and have everyone follow the commands.

7. Dragons are slayed with swords.  Have the kids use cardboard and tin foil to create their own and hold mock sword contests with one another.

Serve the kids Dragon Juice, red punch, with lime green ice cubes (use green food coloring) and serve a batch of cupcakes with a dragon’s tail atop each one created out of small chocolate candies.

Happy Dragon Training, but remember they can be friends too just like Hiccup learns!

--Lisa Kothari
Peppers and Pollywogs, Inc.
www.pepperspollywogs

A Win-Win Game in Time for the Winter Olympics: Guest Blogger Wendy Smolen

So, you didn’t get tickets to the Olympics? You can still get your family in the game with the latest version of Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun. This E-rated Wii game will have your clan racing down the slopes, sliding along the luge, tossing snowballs, skating on thin ice and boarding with the pros. Made for playing with up to 4 (customizable) athletes at a time, it’s a seamless way to surf from the real games to the fun games when everyone’s tired of sitting on the same couch. (And if you don’t have 4 players, the Wii-guys fill in the empty slots.) The games themselves are pretty authentic. In speed skating, for example, putting your hand down when taking those sharp turns keeps you from tipping over. A snowball fight is a virtual free-for-all. I tried to tube down a hill at better-than-breakneck speed and found myself tumbling. But none of this hurt, and I didn’t end up with one black and blue mark. The games are all short spurts -- you can probably even play a round or two during an Olympic commercial. It’s great for young kids and squabbling teens. Besides, Vancouver is probably too cold to be standing outside watching others work up a sweat. Family Party: 30 Great Games Winter Fun is available now. -- Wendy Smolen

Guest Blogger Wendy Smolen is co-founder of Sandbox Summit®.  She has been professionally evaluating toys for over 15 years. Her three children have literally gone from crib to college proving (or dis-proving!) her theories on play.

Nerd Toys to Develop Young Nerd Minds

One of the toy sites that I keep an eye on for news about action figures, movie toys, and more is Topless Robot.  A recent post on this site of awesomeness was "10 Great Nerd Toys for Developing Young Nerd Minds"

I enjoyed the post so much that I wanted to share these nerd toys with our readers and ask what other nerd toys are out there?  Over the holidays we published the "Geek Parent Gift Guide" and loved our reader's suggestions.  Leave some comments for us on what you would consider a great Nerd Toy.

1. Giant Plush RPG Dice

2. Young Mad Scientist Alphabet Blocks

3. Batman Sounds and Lights Trike

4. Hasbro "Heroes" Figures

5. Dismember Me Plush Zombie

6. Fisher-Price Super Friends Toyline

7. Albert Einstein Action Figure

8. Disgusting Science

9. LeapFrog Leapster2

10.Star Wars Lightsaber

So that was the top ten from Topless Robot, what are your top ten?  Tell in in the comments section.

--Laura M.

Live "Avatar" Action Figure at Sundance Film Festival

This past week I attended the Sundance Film Festival in Park City to get away from the toy industry for a few days and to catch up with friends from my previous life in the entertainment industry.  But it seems that, even on top of a mountain in Utah, the world of toys was still able to find me. 

On a short shuttle ride to a screening of the documentary, "Waste Land" (excellent, by the way), I struck up a conversation with a group of people from Los Angeles, one of whom was an actor named Sean Moran.  His friends informed me that Sean not only plays Private Fike in the mega-successful film, "Avatar," but his likeness was also made into one of the action figures for the film.  (They apparently even incorporated Sean's own tattoos onto the action figure as well.)  It didn't occur to me to interview Sean about the process until after I was already in the screening (Sorry -- I was on vacation, remember?) but I'll try to contact him and ask him about the experience of becoming an action figure.  Stay tuned.  -- E. Christian Moore.

Scooby Doo Scavenger Hunt Party Ideas - Guest Blogger Lisa Kothari

Who’s kids’ favorite mystery sleuth? Scooby Doo, of course! All of us know that Scooby is more interested in his Scooby snacks than the actual mystery (he is a bit of a scaredy cat, after all). Still, kids will love to solve a Scooby mystery with their own sleuthing skills. Invite your gang over for a Scooby Party, complete with a scavenger hunt full of mystery fun.

When all of the kids have arrived, read this message aloud to get them started:

I love taking presents from children! If you want them back you must follow my clues. First find the string that is the color blue.

Web Maze.  Create a web maze out of blue string that the kids must follow to the next clue. Weave long pieces of blue yarn around the party room, and tie white balloons with a ghost faces drawn on them to the end of each string. Attach the next clue to one of the balloons, and have the kids untangle the webs to find it.
By untangling the web you found my clue on a ghost. Now tie it around your ankle and see who can stomp the most.
Stomp the Balloons. Inside each balloon, place a piece of the next clue. After the kids have popped all of the balloons, have them put the clue pieces together (number the pieces to make this easier).
Yikes! To find the presents you must search high and low, and sit on the carpet where the next game is ready to go. When the game is over, the last one in the chair will look underneath it to see what is there.

Scooby Where’s Your Bone.  Have one child sit on the chair and place a bone under it. Have all of the other kids sit on the floor where the child in the chair can’t see them. Next, have everyone take turns quietly and quickly taking the bone from underneath the chair. The person in the chair has to guess who took it. After everyone takes a turn, provide the next clue, which is taped to the bottom of the chair.

Scooby’s hungry from all these games! The next clue will be found where you see his name.
Pin the Sandwich on Scooby Doo.

So you think you are getting close, but you’re not! Let’s see how good you are with the biscuits you drop.

Scooby Snack Drop.  Have the kids try to get three dog biscuits into a jar while standing over it and dropping them with their chins. Place the next clue under the jar.

Zoinks! I unleashed the mummies and they are all around. Wrap up your teammates in hopes you’re not found.
Divide the kids into two teams and have them race to wrap up their mummies.
Have some adult helpers dress as the phantoms to surprise the kids and get into the Mystery Machine where all the gifts are hidden. Deliver the final clue.

Well the mummies didn’t stop you, but they gave me time to get away. So, now it’s all on you! Talk it over and think about what I might use to drive away.

Have the kids run to your garage, but don’t have any cars in the driveway. Open the garage door and have the Mystery Machine inside. Have the kids run to the car/van open the back door. The phantoms hiding inside can say, “Hey, we would have gotten away with it too if it weren’t for you meddling kids!”

What a creative way to celebrate with everyone’s favorite dog detective, Scooby Doo!

--Lisa Kothari
Peppers and Pollywogs, Inc.
www.pepperspollywogs

Valentine's Toys for Your Girls and Boys

The day of love is coming ever so close...are you looking for something sweet for your little pumpkins?  Something other than sugar-y treats?  Here's some ideas to get your brain in motion...

1. Ty Pluffie Kisser White and Red Giraffe

2. Barbie Valentine Wishes Doll

3. Valentine's Day Elmo

4. Shinning Stars Valentine Frog

5. Valentine Penguin with Rose

6. Tiny Love Follow me Fiona

7. Lava Lite Lava Lamp

8. Kid-O Bilibo - Pink

9. Scrabble Valentine's Day Card Kit and Game

10. Valentine Octopus Ring Toss Game

11. Mr. Potato Head Valentine's Day Sweetheart Spud

12. Alex Toys Heart and Crafts

I hope that dozen will give you some good ideas.  You can see here for more Valentine toys and games and then look here for more ideas for every loved one on your list in the Amazon.com Valentine's Store for Him and for Her.

Have a LOVE-ly day!

-Laura M.

Pippi Longstocking Party Ideas - Guest Blogger Lisa Kothari

Pippi Longstocking, a character in a series of books written by Astrid Lingren, is a children’s classic character. Pippi is an independent little girl who lives alone in a Tumbledown house with her pet monkey, Mr. Nilsson, and her horse. She is always doing things in an extraordinary way with a unique perspective.

I loved Pippi as a child and she lives on for all generations to enjoy. You may find that your own daughter reminds you of dear Pippi or that she is fascinated by the life of Miss Longstocking. Perhaps a party based on Pippi Longstocking would be extraordinary fun for your daughter and her friends. If the idea appeals, check out these ideas:

1.    Base your party on the tale of Pippi who has an adventure celebrating her own birthday with her neighbors, Aniika and Tommy.

2.    Send out a Pippi invitation with misspelled words, as Pippi sends to her friends.

3.    When the kids arrive, paint freckles on each of the kids’ faces.

4.    Either have the guests braid one another’s hair to look like Pippi or have adult volunteers braid the kids’ hair.

5.    Pippi won’t let her guests stand on the kitchen floor, and it becomes a game. Make different shapes and tape them all over your kitchen or party floor…make it a game that your guests cant touch the floor either. Play music and have the kids step on all of the different shapes. When the music stops, all the kids must be on a shape or they are out. Noone should touch the kitchen floor!

6.    Pippi takes great pleasure in giving her own guests gifts. Have your birthday kid give small trinket gifts to her guests.

7.    Have a scavenger hunt to look for penny candy ~ a favorite of Pippi’s. Provide little bags for the kids to gather their goodies…these can be the goody bag that they take home.

8.    Have the kids tell a tall tale together. Everyone sits in a circle, and the birthday kid can begin the tall tale, and the next person adds to the tale, and then the next person, and so on…by the end a tall tale will have been spun!

9.    Have the kids enjoy jump roping. Have a contest to see who can jump rope the longest.

10.    Have the kids make their own Tumbledown house using popsicle sticks, glue, markers, crayons, and glitter glue.

The ideas are endless, and you can find your inspiration just by reading Pippi’s adventures, and then using them in a way that brings her world alive for your party guests. It will be loads of fun to have a Pippi Party!!

--Lisa Kothari
Peppers and Pollywogs, Inc.
www.pepperspollywogs

Doll Parts

The long weekend is over and already you're thinking, "How can I get the kids out of the house during Spring Break?"  Well, something off the beaten path might be to take them to a place where they actually make toys.  One example:  The Madame Alexander Doll Company in New York City offers tours.  The 30 minute version of the tour is free (!) but for a mere $8 you can take the longer tour where you'll see how dolls are assembled, how hair is rooted in and even get a glimpse into the famous "Doll Hospital" where broken dolls go for rehab, er, mending.   Check out www.madamealexander.com for more details.-- E. Christian Moore

Lady Gaga Barbie and More News from America's Favorite Doll

What do you get when you cross a fan of Barbie with an uber-fan of Lady Gaga? 

This:

And this:

And this.  (and there is more here and here)

Also, in these economic hard times, Barbie, who has had 120 different careers, is thinking of switching jobs.  You can help.  She is enlisting the help of all her fans to help her decide on her next big move.  The choices are: an Environmentalist, a Surgeon, an Architect, a Computer Scientist or a News Anchor.  You can add your vote to the tally here on Barbie.com.

Have a great weekend!

--Laura M.