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

The Geek Parent Gift Guide 2009

You're a nerd, and that is hip.  Seriously, geeks are great right now- just look at the success of a little show called Glee (yes, I am a big fan). So this geek parent got to thinking, "What should I, a nerd parent, buy my kids this year?"  So I made a list so you can embrace your inner geek and buy your kids some fun toys that might also inspire them to become a nerd in your own image. Because after all, don't nerds rule the world? 

example one:

enough said.

2009 Geek Parent Gift Guide:

1.  The Chemistry Set - Nothing better than a chemistry set to inspire the next generation of cancer fighters and inventors of just about everything. Here are a few good ones.

Thames and Kosmos The Dangerous Book for Boys Chemistry Set

Scientific Explorer's My 1st Science Kit - The Science of Color

2. Robots- Every geek needs a robot, a friend, a compadre, someone to bring them another Jolt cola...  Here are a couple we like.

Pleo Dinosaur - A UGOBE Life Form

LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0

Roboni-i Programmable Gaming Robot

3. A building set - It is well known that nerds love to build stuff.  Future engineers need the tools to get started.  Here are a few sets we love.

Eitech Deluxe Solar Powered Metal Building Kit

Toobeez 57-Piece Building Kit

4. Stuffed Creatures- Even nerds need something to hug.  Correct?

Giant Microbes

Bunk Bots

5. Math Games - Playing is the best way for children to learn so why not play with numbers?  Math games can be fun, educational, geeky-goodness.

Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction Game

Learning Resources Totally Tut Math Operations Game

Learning Mates Monkey Math

Mythmatical Battles Norse/Egyptian Double Deck Set

6. Electric Circuit Toys - These toys are great for safely exploring electricity (and keeping young explorers from tearing up the walls to explore your home's electrical network).

Snap Circuits SC-300

Snap Circuits RC Rover

I hope this list helps my fellow nerds to buy some awesome presents this year.  I am sure I forgot some nerd-o-rific gifts, so help me out and leave me a comment with suggestions.  Also, don't forget to check out our Holiday Toy List for all kinds of great gift ideas.

Happy Holidays!

--Laura M.

Transformers Halloween Display

Here's something you don't see everyday...or every Halloween for that matter.  This is a Halloween display that someone built out of wood and foam in their front yard in Cleveland, OH.  It took 6 months for each one to be built! 

So if after watching that, your children are inspired to be Bumblebee or Optimus Prime for Halloween- you are in luck! You can get 40% off Transformer costumes for kids right now and have them in time for Halloween. Check them out here.

--Laura McMullan

You Can Move Things With the Power of Your Mind!

This year there are two toys on the market that allow you to move objects with just your thoughts.  One of them, Mattel's Mind Flex, allows you to move a ball throughout a customizable obstacle course.  The other, the Star Wars-themed Force Trainer (made by Uncle Milton) doesn't have as much flexibility but it does give you sounds and phrases from the Star Wars universe.  You can compare them both below.  -- E. Christian Moore

Drive-in Movies Go High Tech - Guest Blogger Wendy Smolen

One of the hardest parts about family get-togethers is how to keep kids of all different ages occupied. Well, worry no more. Jakks Pacific’s new EyeClops® Mini Projector just hit the stores---way ahead of the Christmas rush, but not a minute too soon for end-of-summer bashes. Barely bigger than the palm of your hand, with its own stabilizing base, this clever mini-projector turns any space into a drive-in movie theater. For kids too young to even know what a drive-in movie is, the appeal of seeing their favorite DVD, game, or even TV show projected up to 60-inches wide on a wall, ceiling or a sheet hung outside in the yard represents the perfect marriage of old-school fun and high tech wizardry. My kids and I tested it using a Wii and an iPod. The appeal was instantaneous. While I have to admit, big screen projection is no longer a big deal, the concept of watching Sponge Bob waddle across the living room ceiling was pretty amusing. Inside, we used the power cord, but switched to batteries when we moved outdoors. Although the hook-up was a little trickier (we needed a standard iPod adaptor), the cool factor kicked in.  Screening Gossip Girl on the patio is definitely a conversation starter. I can’t wait to use this again for my Labor Day multi-generational get-together. I just have to decide what to show!

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.

 

Flash Back Friday - Name That Toy!

How many toys can you identify in the following video for the song "Fireflies" by Owl City?

Fireflies - Owl City

Check out the video, believe me, it is worth it.  The room where the video is shot is just Chock FULL of toys- classic toys, art toys, toys from the 70s and 80s.  And the song isn't too bad either.  Click over and then leave us a comment on what toys you saw in the video.  My favorite is the "Speak & Spell" from Texas Instruments.  I had one of those and it was super cool.  I think my cousins tried to make it say bad words.

Here's Adam Young, who is Owl City.  He hails from Minnesota (one of my favorite states!) Learn more about him on wikipedia.  Side Note: Does Owl City remind anyone else of the side project of Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard- The Postal Service?

Anyway, here is the Speak & Spell
:
you can learn more about it at wikipedia too. 

So watch the video and then leave us a comment about the toys you are able to find.  I am very excited to hear what everyone can find!

--Laura McMullan

Little Professor Calculator - Flash Back Friday

I am not, nor have I ever been, a math whiz.  When Barbie said "Math is hard!" instead of getting offended, I said "Yes Barbie, it sure is!".  My parents thought a good gift for Christmas one year in the 80s would be the Little Professor Calculator.  I guess they thought I could use a crutch and they were probably right. I don't remember playing with him too often, but I do remember that I could play some games on it, and I did like the red light up numbers for playing games after I was supposed to be in bed.

Here's some history on the Little Professor from Retroland.
"Texas Instruments, who had long been recognized as a leading calculator manufacturer, came out with the Little Professor in  1976. The front of the device depicted a kindly old professor that appeared to have his nose buried in a book. An LED display at the top appeared to be a window into the professor’s advanced brain functions and allowed users see what the professor was thinking. While it might have appeared to be a calculator, however, it didn’t actually give you any answers. Kids would do the grunt work, figuring out various math problems, then enter the answers into the device which would give them points for a correct answer or display a dreaded “EEE” when they had miscalculated. Packed with 16,000 individual problems, this simple handheld device tested them in the areas of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and offered five different levels of increased difficulty – ensuring that up-and-coming Einsteins had their work cut out for them if they wanted to please the old man."

You can check out other children of the 80's memories here on In the 80's.  I loved this quote from "dave":
"I had one of these as a kid, poor thing didn't last long. Every time I got a question wrong I'd smack it in the 'face' screaming 'I am right!'." 

that sounds like a future accountant, am I right?

I even found a classic commercial:

Have a great weekend!
--Laura McMullan

UltraMan, ComiCon and You: Flashback Friday

With Comic-Con going on this weekend in San Diego, I know many of you are ready to get your sci-fi geek on.  Since I'm not there, I started thinking about what "they" could remake next and thought about a show I remember from being a little kid, "Ultraman."   (They showed re-runs of it in the 70's and very early 80's on American television.) With the success of Iron Man (and the internet abuzz with rumors about a new screen adaptation) it's only a matter of time before Hollywood makes an uninspired remake brings it to the big screen.  To get you up to speed, check out the ultra-groovy clip below.  If the movie is anywhere NEAR as good as the opening sequence of the original TV show, they just might have a chance. -- E. Christian Moore 

Transformers Party Ideas - Guest Blogger Lisa Kothari

Transformers are too cool! These popular toys have inspired a TV show and two movies. The first movie was released in 2008, and now a second movie, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, is set to hit the big screen on June 24, 2009. So, this is going to be a fun and popular party theme again this year!

Transformers is all about the Autobots (the good guys!) v. the Decepticons (the bad guys!), with humans somewhere in the middle. I have to admit; I grew up with these toys and played with them for hours with my little brother. The coolest one, of course, was Optimus Prime (the big eighteen-wheeler truck). He was a good guy, but we just wanted to play and didn’t care which side he was on!

Your kids may also be inspired and enthralled by these robots and want a Transformers-themed party! If you are looking for ways to bring this robotic party alive, here are some creative ideas:

For the Invitations:
Send out note cards inviting the kids to carry out a secret mission:
Are you an Autobot or Decepticon? Whichever you are, meet at the secret base for the mission of a lifetime! The Decepticons are invading and planning to take all of the Earth’s resources and people. Only the Autobots can save the day by locating a secret cyber light stick, which holds the key to defeating the Decepticons!
Be sure to also include the party details.
Attach the note cards to rock-candy lollipops and hand-deliver them to your guests. If you would prefer to mail them, send the note card without the candy.
At the party, have a sign on the front door welcoming the kids to Cybertron.

For the Activities:
When the kids arrive at the party, divide them into teams of Autobots and Decepticons. Have each child pull a Transformer’s name out of a steel (or silver-colored) bowl. The character name the kid pulls will determine which team he is on. The names of the characters are:

For the Autobots: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Ironhide, and Ratchet.
For the Decepticons: Megatron, Barricade, Starscream, Blackout, and Frenzy.

If you have more than ten kids attending your party, you can double the characters up.
Once you have divided the kids into teams, have them go on a hunt looking for the cyber light stick (this can be a glow stick from last year’s Halloween). Make it a game to see which team can find the light stick first! You may want to hide more than one light stick, but have the “cyber” one wrapped in tin foil. Whichever group finds it first wins!
If the Decepticons find the light stick, have them hide it in a secret place that the Autobots must find before it’s too late! Have the Decepticons play Hotter/Colder with the Autobots until the Autobots find the light stick.
Before the party, draw a large Transformer on a piece of butcher paper (Optimus Prime would be a great one), and cut out wheels to pin on it. Have the kids play Pin the Tire on the Transformer.

Purchase some Transformers gummies, and hide them in your party area. Provide the kids with a clue that leads them to the gummies. For example, you could give the kids one that reads, “Barricade was seen collecting energy cubes on rock mountain,” and then have the gummies spread out over some rocks or the fireplace.

Have a water balloon fight with red and blue balloons, or sprinkle the kids with red and blue cosmic dust!
Make Cybertron planets. Provide the kids with Styrofoam balls, and have them paint the balls to look like the planet their Transformer originated from.

Play with an Optimash Prime Mr. Potato Head Transformer or Bumble Spud—these are too cool! They could be a birthday gift for the birthday child as well!

For the Menu:
Make Energon cubes—blue gelatin—and put sour gummy worms inside them!
Serve food that transforms, such as freeze-dried ice cream, malted milk balls, Pop Rocks (add them to soda for a cool effect!), rock candy, or Gobstoppers.
Cut sandwiches into truck and wheel shapes using a cookie cutter. Fill the sandwiches with grape jelly and cream cheese or peanut butter. Serve up chips with a variety of dips, too.
Take a photo of Optimus Prime, and have your local bakery transfer it onto a sheet cake for the perfect thematic treat!

For the Goody Bag:
Send the kids home with red and blue pencils, notepads, stickers, silly string, Matchbox cars, a mini-Transformer, a CD of the music from the movie, Pop Rocks, rock candy, and glow sticks.

This party certainly is about "More Than Meets the Eye"!  Have fun!

--Lisa Kothari

Dr. Who? : Flashback Friday

So, it seems as though there are a lot of Dr. Who collectors out there...and then there are the Dr. Who fanatics. (More on them -- or at least one of them -- in a moment.)   I'll admit, being American and all, I don't know a lot about Dr. Who but I thought I'd open up a conversation with you all and learn more about it. (This entry from Wikipedia did help, however.)  To me, Dr. Who was this strange British sci-fi show that came on late at night on PBS in the 1980's and starred some guy with a really long scarf.  But, since then, I've learned that, much like Star Wars or James Bond, the adventures keep going on and on.  (It is credited by Guinness World Records as being the longest-running science fiction television show in the world.)

I'm still not sure what to make of it or where to begin, but I'm fascinated by the YouTube clip below featuring the most dramatic footage EVER of someone looking at a box.  Check it out and let me know what you think. -- E. Christian Moore 

(Here's the link in case you can't view the YouTube clip below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6wygFpLfGY.)