Toy Whimsy

Tiny Toy Testers: Fisher-Price Imaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur

So who out there has a dinosaur fan? Anyone looking for a child's first remote control toy this holiday season? Well today the Tiny Toy Testers took on Spike, the Ultra Dinosaur by Fisher-Price.  And boy oh boy, is he fierce!  Check him out in the video below...
Fisher-Price Imaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur...

With a special remote that is kid-sized and kid-friendly, you can make Spike obey your every wish.  As you can see, my four year old had no problem exploring the remote.  Spike is rather loud, and did scare her for the first thirty minutes or so, but then she was all giggles and delight.  What you also see in the video is that mom (me) has just as much fun testing out Spike.  This fearsome, but friendly, pal is sure to make a huge splash this holiday season.
Rating System: On a five star scale, one being horrible, five being wonderful.
Durability: 5 stars, this is a big, tough and sturdy dino that is ready to rumble though your living room.
Fun Factor: 4 stars, I give this such high marks because I can see where it would be fun for a variety of different aged children.
Educational Factor: 2 stars. Probably not educational, but it could lead to both indoor and outdoor pretend play (if he stayed in my house, you can be sure he would be dressed up in princess clothes!)
Playability:   (I define this as how long a child would actually PLAY with a toy and not abandon it to the dust bunnies) 4.5 stars, while his movements are simple, they are BIG and loud, and *not* cheesey- very much what you would expect from a dinosaur. This is a toy that I feel children would be able to use in different ways over the months and years.

--Laura McMullan

T.O.Y. (Toy of the Year) Awards from FamilyFun Magazine

Didn't I just say tis' the season for toy lists?  Well, I have another one for you.  This one is the Toy of the Year (or T.O.Y.) awards from FamilyFun magazine.  The top ten toys are the following (but the full list can be found here):

1. Air Hogs Zero Gravity by Spinmaster
2. 50's Diner by Step2
3. Captain Clueless by Gamewright
4. Circus Ring by Playmobil
5. Disney Pix Jr. Digital Camera by Disney/Digital Blue (*FamilyFun is a Disney Magazine)
6. Mobile Command Center by LEGO
7. Food Chain Friends by Pint Size Productions
8. Build-A-Road by International Playthings
9. Tag Reading System by LeapFrog
10. Glow Station by Crayola

Our own Tiny Toy Testers have tried out both the Crayola Glow Station and the Tag Reading System and have loved both choices.   Look for our testers (and a few friends) to post about many more toys as the holidays approach.

--Laura McMullan

Parenting.com Releases Top 25 Toys of the Year List

'Tis the season for toy lists!  I was reading Parenting.com's top 25 toys of the year, and as a toy editor, I was very surprised to see some toys that I was not familiar with. Since it was such and interesting and diverse list, I decided to post it here for anyone who is looking for a unique present this holiday season. While it is a little heavy on the younger set's toys, and light on the tech toys, it does include some green options (I have marked them with a *), and many creative choices. Take a look and tell us what you think!

Birth to 1.5 yrs:

'Round the Farm by Alex
Explore and Learn Helicopter by VTech
Discovery Playhouse by Yookidoo
Playtime Activity Center by Infantino
Puppetivity Pal by Earlyears
Count and Compose Piano by Baby Einstein

1.5 to 3 years

Ducati Monster by Chicco
Clipo Creativity Table by Playskool
Flip Book by Haba
Laugh and Learn Smart Spin Pony by Fisher-Price
50's Diner by Step2

3 to 5 Years

Guess What I Am? by Techno Source
My Little Pony So Soft Make Me Better Rarity the Unicorn by Hasbro
Octopus Puzzle by ImagiPlay *
KidiJamz Studio by VTech
iTeddy by Zizzle
Cookware and Dining Set by Green Toys *

5 to 8 Years

Pengoloo by Blue Orange Games *
FlyTech Butterfly by WowWee
Hyper Jump by Wild Planet
Didj by LeapFrog
Royal Rescue by Educational Insights

8 to 12 Years

Uno Flash by Mattel
Pictionary Man by Mattel
Car Design Studio by ArtLab


--Laura McMullan

     

     

The Playful Parent with Marianne Szymanski

Editor's Note: Marianne Szymanski is a leading expert in toy reviews, and the founder of the Toy Tips Research Institute.  She is the author of Toy Tips: A Parent's Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices and also the editor of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine. This is the first in a series of blog posts by Marianne in which she will be discussing creative ways to interact and play with your children. --Laura McMullan

Are you a Playful Parent?

Halloween is coming! Whether your child is Tinkerbell or Batman for the day, almost all Halloween costumes can be recycled as fun role play all year long! Having a costume box in the playroom or a dedicated space in a closet encourages imaginative play. Help your kids put on a puppet show with stuffed animals in costume, host theatrical productions in the family room or welcome kids wearing bunny suits at the dinner table. This stimulates a creative mind and fosters social skills. Invite grandma over and make animal masks out of construction paper . Then wear them as you all watch The Animal Planet. Some families choose to hold un-scary Halloween celebration parties filled with games, crafts and alternatives to candy for trick or treats. Regardless of how you celebrate or don't celebrate Halloween, join in the fun, interact with your kids and continue to be a playful parent! These memories last a lifetime.

--Marianne Szymanski

Flashback Friday: Hot Christmas Toys

For today's Flashback Friday, I got to thinking of some of the hottest toys of past Christmases.  Who could forget the insanity of Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle Me Elmo, Furbies and the like? According to Wikipedia, Tickle Me Elmo caused injuries:
"A clerk at the Wal-Mart in Fredericton, New Brunswick was among those injured by "Elmo-mania". A crowd of 300 stampeded into the store on 14 December, 1996; spotting him with one of the remaining toys, he "was pulled under, trampled—the crotch was yanked out of [his] brand-new jeans." According to People, the clerk "suffered a pulled hamstring, injuries to his back, jaw and knee, a broken rib and a concussion."
I sure won't forget the Cabbage Patch craze in which a "near riot" and caused a store manager in West Virgina to say:
"They knocked over the display table. People were grabbing at each other, pushing and shoving. It got ugly."

When I really wanted a Cabbage Patch Kid that first year they were out, my mother couldn't get one, so my aunt had one "made".  It was made of fabric and the face was painted on. Now, I can appreciate the effort, skill, and care that went into that doll.  Then, all I cared about was the fact that it wasn't real.  In years following, the dolls got easier to find and I did have quite a few before I grew out of the doll stage, so don't feel sorry for my little kid self.

So what is going to be the hot toy this year?  No doubt that the new Elmo Live is hot, but many people are predicting that it might be Kota, the dinosaur that moves, talks, and lets your kid grab a prehistoric ride.  Kota has been grabbing a lot of press these days, from Gadling, Engadget, to geekdad and Youtube. So what do you think?  Will people be breaking down toy store doors for this amazing toy?  Or will the $299.99 price be just too much with the troubled economy?  Would you buy it for your child? Tell us what you think!
--Laura McMullan        

Hot Dozen Toys: Kate Napolitano, Guest Blogger

Our Guest Blogger today is Katie Napolitano, Managing Editor of Toy Wishes  magazine.  Each year, Toy Wishes announces their "Hot Dozen Toys," the toys they predict will be bestsellers this holiday season.  --ECM

Hi there! My name’s Katie, and, I guess, let’s face it: I’m scared. Apparently the economy is hanging by dental floss, and bigwig execs out there still insist on greedily stringing it through their teeth, even post-bailout. Disgusting. In the words of John Lennon: So this is Christmas?

Who knows what this holiday season is going to be like?

I say: you do. An economy, a country, a family is only a group of people making choices. You can make the choice this year to give your children holidays filled with more love and joy than ever. Remember: kids dig the boxes as much (if not more sometimes, ha ha) as the toy itself. And above all, they really dig you (yeah, even the tweens who might intimate, rather loudly with a stomp of the Geox, that they don’t). I’ve made this mistake myself, but you don’t have to break the bank to make them happy.

As the Managing Editor of Toy Wishes magazine, I witnessed Wendy Smolen and Gareb Shamus spend hours playing with their kids to decide together which toys would make our Hot Dozen list this year. And what’s very special, I think, about each of these toys, is that they’re all very interactive: that is, they’re a ton of fun to share with a buddy, a sibling, or certainly Mom and Dad. Spend time petting and feeding Kota the Dinosaur with your kids; mix up yummy Holiday desserts for everyone using the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker; the possibilities to experience mutual awe, imagination and creation with your child is almost endless with all the toys below. In short, they’ll allow you to get back to basics with your kids in these pretty scary times, and remind you both, to hopefully not sound too full of cheddar, that all you really need is love (apparently this blog is brought to you by The Beatles, ha ha…).

I will note, lastly, that at the time we made this list, months ago, we did not know what lay ahead for our economy. Some of these toys are pricier than others. However, as I noted above, each of them are well worth the money (none are simply high-priced trendy garbage plastic). If there is one you think your kids would love, start saving now: throw a jar on top of the fridge, or maybe ask grandparents to chip in instead of buying a separate present. And, most importantly, I’d suggest talking to your kids: let them know that this year might be different from other years. I’m no psychologist, so I won’t make suggestions on what specifically to say, but I do know communication is key. Communication and fun. And I promise, that’s definitely what any toy from our Hot Dozen will bring.

Click here to see the complete Toy Wishes 2008 Holiday Hot Dozen:

1. Kota the Triceratops by Hasbro. $300; Ages 3+
2. Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker by JAKKS Pacific. $29.99; Ages 8+
3. U-Dance by Hasbro. $74.99; Ages 8+
4. Glow Station by Crayola. $29.99; Ages 6+
5. Wonder Pets: This is Serious Ming Ming by Fisher-Price. $37.99; Ages 18 mos.+
6. Mobile Command Center by LEGO. $89.99; Ages 6+
7. Bratz Girlz Really Rock by MGA. $19.99; Ages 6+
8. Bakugan Battle Arena by Spin Master. $29.99; Ages 6-11
9. Ultimate Wall-E by Thinkway. $249.99; Ages 8+
10. Sit-to-Stand Alphabet Train by VTech. $49.99; Ages 1+
11. Animal Scramble by Wild Planet. $19.99; Ages 3-5
12. Disney Fairies Clickables by Techno Source. $4.99-$9.99; Ages 7+

-- Katie Napolitano

Tiny Toy Testers: Spin Master PixOs Super Studio

Ok, raise your hand if you had a Lite-Brite? Yeah, me too.  I loved that toy and I vividly remember placing all the little pegs in just the right place, flipping the switch, and wham-o! It was a beautiful glowing clown face, or hot air balloon, or whatever. But then the sadness of taking all the little pegs out of the black paper, that was now just a series of punched out holes that could never be re-used, and realizing that it was pretty for a moment, but then it had to all be taken apart again.  So now imagine a similar toy, shrunken down, that also has the ability to save your little creations forever.  Check out the Spin Master PixOs Super Studio in the video below: (oh yeah, and put your hand down!)
Spin Master PixOs Super Studio...

While I do think that my 4 year old was a little young for this toy (you can see that she needs a lot of help in the video), she was very drawn to it.  It has all the creative elements that she loves, bright colors, buttons to push, and projects to complete, plus the added bonus of a little tangible object at completion that you can then play with more. I'll admit, I was skeptical at first, I wasn't sure that it would work as it was promoted on the box.  In fact, it did work pretty well, and the little beads do stick together well after they dry.  There are lots of refills that can make this a toy that will get used quite a bit by your creative little minds. Older children will enjoy making designs of their own and creating uses for them like pins and key chains. You can also build in 3-D with the help of included instructions.  I think we'll revisit this toy in a few years when my little artist can create with a little less help. 
And another note-to-self for when we do revisit this toy (and that is inevitable with how much she loved it), I will make sure that not only is our younger child out of the room, but the dog is placed outside.  Our Airedale terrier was running around trying to eat any PiXo beads that fell on the floor, and although they are safe, I didn't want him to eat plastic and ended up chasing him and fishing little tiny beads out of his slobbery mouth.  Not fun.

Rating System: On a five star scale, one being horrible, five being wonderful.
Assembly: 4 stars, very easy for an adult, a child might need some help.
Fun Factor: 3 stars for younger children (<6) who will need a lot of adult help, but 4.5 stars for older kids (6+) who will have no problem and really enjoy making their own designs.
Educational Factor: 3 stars.  Kids can come up with their own designs and really push the envelope with 3-D designs.

--Laura McMullan

Tiny Toy Testers: Crayola Glow Station

As I have mentioned before, my children are currently in a coloring phase. We are big fans of the Crayola Color Wonder markers and books which allow my 20 month old to use markers and not end up with a rainbow on his face. Anything I can have them experience, without making my house or themselves a huge mess, is a plus with me. Another great product from Crayola is the new Glow Station.  Check out the video of my four year old playing with it below:

Crayola Glow Station...

Kids love to play with the lights off, and my daughter loved playing with this creative toy.  The Glow Station comes with some really neat extras as well. As you can see in the video, various stencils and background sheets allow your child to get really creative and use new shapes and textures.  We hung the Glow Station in the hallway, and were able to turn the lights off and on to make it a fun experience for both of the kids.  As you can see, my daughter is just starting to learn how to make letters and this is a fantastic way to get her to practice. I am always happy to find a toy that can be used with various ages, and the Glow Station was great at this. Older kids can get creative with the transparencies that are included, and smaller children will just love the novelty of drawing in the dark. The Glow Station is another hit from Crayola!
--Laura McMullan