September 1st, 2010
The new Mythbusters Game from Zimzala Games
Fans of the Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters will love this new game based on the hit show that puts myths to the test by trying them whether it’s by catapluting a car or blowing something up. I love that this show celebrates science and makes it fun. It’s a great show to share with your kids (or in my case, a show that they shared with me!)
Many games from tv shows are a disappointment but this one from Zimzala Games delivers. The concept is to get the trivia questions correct so that you get to launch Buster the dummy on the cataplut (how fun is that!). At first we didn’t get many questions right–so there was no launching but we were enjoying the questions and often surprising answers so much that we didn’t really care. For kids that are video gamers– this may be one of those few games that you can entice them away from their controller with — at least for a little while!
Watch our video demo!
Posted in Best Toys for Tweens, best board games, science toys, toy trends, toys | No Comments »
August 25th, 2010
Bed Bugs (the game!)
Every time I turn on the tv, there’s a new report of where bug bugs are now…forget tacky hotels, they’re now everywhere it seems (stores, movie theaters). The old expression “sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite” doesn’t seem like a cute little thing to say to your kids as you turn off the lights. I’m itchy just thinking about it.
Bed Bugs are also in toyland! This week I got a new updated version of the classic game Bed Bugs (now from Patch Products). The game was first released by Milton Bradley in 1985.
The game is still fun (if you can get over the current hype about the real bugs). Comes with a bed that’s just hopping with bed bugs, literally (the bed is motorized so the bugs really do move about). The youngest player calls out a color and then it’s a free for all where all players are trying to get those colored bugs out of the bed with a tong.
Wonder if the current epidemic will help or hurt the sales of this classic game.
Tags: Bed Bug Epidemic, Bed Bugs, Patch Products, Retro Games, toyportfolio.com
Posted in Best Games for Kids, Gender Free Toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Play Time, Retro Toys, best board games, toy trends, toys | 1 Comment »
August 3rd, 2010
An amazing new collection of dolls just arrived called Dollie & Me from Madame Alexander. They cost $29.99 – incredible. Additional clothes are available for both the doll (and girls). The two sample dresses we received were very holiday-ish…there are also “school outfits” and pjs. The clothes range from 2T to 16. They range from $34 to $62. They’re all are very special and much more reasonably priced than American Girl.
Tags: American Girl, Best Dolls, Dollie & Me, Madame Alexander, pretend play
Posted in Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Play Time, dolls, preschoolers, pretend play, toys | No Comments »
August 3rd, 2010
After two very intensive weeks of looking at what seemed like a boat load of plastic toys…I finally decided we were ready for a treat. We opened the box from blabla kids. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against plastic toys per se – many are on our top list this year- but there’s something really special about this collection of dolls. They’re both deliciously retro and fresh in design and spirit.
Take a look at just two of the new dolls that we’re reviewing this morning.
Tags: best huggables, blablakids, Retro Toys, toyportfolio.com
Posted in Best Plush Toys for Kids, Best Toys for Kids with ADHD, Best Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for Toddlers, Green toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Retro Toys, classic toys, dolls, preschoolers, pretend play | 1 Comment »
August 2nd, 2010
This just came into my mailbox…
Scholastic Media and Post Cereals Join Up Again for THE 39 CLUES® “The Lost Pages” Promotion
Following the successful THE 39 CLUES® “Race to Win” sweepstakes earlier this year, Scholastic and Post Foods LLC today announced the second wave of the 2010 promotion in conjunction with the release of the 10th and final book in the bestselling multi-media adventure series THE 39 CLUES®.
Beginning this month, “The 39 Clues: The Lost Pages” promotion will be featured on 4 million packages of Honeycomb, Alpha-bits, Golden Crisp and Waffle Crisp. The boxes – which will feature all ten books of The New York Times best-selling series – include an exclusive story about “The 39 Clues” protagonists Dan and Amy Cahill – and ask consumers to enter a secret code at www.The39Clues.com/mycards <http://www.the39clues.com/mycards> to get 6 free digital cards that jumpstart their own clue hunt.
The 39 Clues is a groundbreaking multi-media adventure series for children ages 8-12 that spans 10 adrenaline-charged books / audio books, hundreds of collectible game cards, and a website that allows readers to play a role in the story and compete for prizes. There are more than 8.5 million copies in print – which has been on the New York Times series bestseller list for 55 weeks. The online game has logged more than 1.1 million registered users to date – drawing readers and gamers from all 50 states and 191 countries worldwide. Movie rights for The 39 Clues have been acquired by DreamWorks Studios with Steven Spielberg eyeing to direct and Deborah Forte of Scholastic to produce – and the series has been licensed for publication in 24 languages. Scholastic Media recently launched The 39 Clues Madrigal Maze App for the iPhone™ and iPod touch®, which has been ranked among the top “Paid Kids Games” on the App Store since release.
Tags: 39 Clues, Post Foods, Scholastic
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
July 29th, 2010
If you have a child that’s a fan of Dora, this doll may be of interest. Dora dances and sings. She’s the original Dora–not the older Dora that was rolled out last year. Dancing dolls like this one (and there are many of them this year) are pure novelty. They’re not soft so they do not double as a huggable — they are a push the button and see what I can do kind of toy. These types of toys have there place if your budget allows…and your child is completely into a character. That said–when I brought home an Elmo doll long ago (even before he was Tickle Me Elmo)…my then toddler went to the tv with his Elmo doll and started to swing it at the set. Elmo, as far as he was concerned, needed to get back in the tv. So — even though many of these toys are highly promoted and many kids will LOVE them…don’t be surprised if some run in the opposite direction.
For the record, I much prefer Dora as a doll–than Dora as a kitchen…Dora the talking kitchen was too out there for me. To watch the video, click here.
Tags: Dancing dolls, Dora the Explorer, Elmo, Fisher-Price, High Tech toys, Talking Dolls, We Did It!
Posted in Toys for Kids with Special Needs, preschoolers, toy trends, toys | No Comments »
July 29th, 2010
This new line of Classic Pooh just came in from Kids Preferred. They are super soft. I love the large and small Pooh. I can’t ever remember seeing swirly designs in the plush of a teddy bear–so that’s kind of novel. I’m not sure how kids are going to react..our interns (all in their teens) grew up on the Disney version of Pooh and his friends. None of them considered these versions “real”….so we’ll have to see how our testers respond. They sure are soft!
Tags: Classic Pooh, Disney, Huggables, Kids Preferred, Plush Toys, Winnie the Pooh
Posted in Best Plush Toys for Kids, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for Toddlers, Children's Books, Gender Free Toys, Play Time, Uncategorized, dolls, preschoolers, pretend play, toy trends, toys | 1 Comment »
July 21st, 2010
It’s quiet…my mother and I are both busy writing reviews and discussing our year-end Platinum List of top award winners. No interns today or toy testers…just the hum of the a/c on what has turned out to be another hot day in the city. When we started, we used to have only 20 toys on the list and some huge disputes about those 20 spots. The years have passed, we’ve both mellowed…the list is now usually closer to 45 (with ties). Family harmony trumps having a shorter list. I feel really fortunate to have such a great partner.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
July 20th, 2010
to mention that right before I went on the air today–something happened that I’ve always been worried about. First my lens moved off my eye. Ann was great and assured me I had enough time to go and fix it. So I went behind the set to the production area…I then touched my eye and the lens dropped out. Great. Now I’m all alone and I have to find my lens with my one good eye….I find it, hooray…it’s on a super duper dirty floor…and now I’m laughing – do I shove it back in? Or do the segment with partial vision? What about the segment they just did recently about the five second rule and basically that I’m putting Penn Station into my eye. I spot the sink, wash it off — and jam it back in. Of course now I can’t get it onto my eyeball. One of the great production guys shows up just at the moment and then takes me further in the back where there is a mirror…I keep leaning in, trying not to burn myself on the big light bulbs that surround the mirror. Happily I get the lens back in…but now I need to get back to my spot for the segment…but the door that I came through is locked. No way back. Happily I could get back into the studio through the other side.
My other greatest nightmare…there used to be amazing Christopher Radko decorated Christmas trees in the studio – each with literally hundreds of his amazingly detailed ornaments. I used to have recurring nightmare that I could not fight the temptation to touch one of the ornaments..and as soon as I do one tree starts to fall over…and then the next tree fell over…. until every last tree in the studio has crashed and all of the ornaments make that sick sound glass ornaments make when they are dropped. Thankfully they have since changed the decorations in the studio.
Tags: Nightmares from the Today Show
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
July 20th, 2010
The folks at Extreme Bubbles are running a special offer on their new Dip Stix (the ones I demonstrated on the Today Show this morning). I love these things…
Tags: Dip Stix, Outdoor toys, special offer from Extreme Bubbles
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
