January 24th, 2012
Like Santa Claus no one really wants to talk with us in January. Most parents have spent nearly 60% of their toy dollars during the holidays. Time to take a break. We do too. Both Joanne and I take the time to write and work on other topics. Joanne is working on a great civil war story and I’m having fun working on a new screenplay. It’s nice to change gears.
This week, the toy-related emails and phone calls have started again. All in in anticipation of Toy Fair that will take place in New York in mid-February. The UPS delivery guy has resumed delivering boxes to our office of toys that are ready for Spring. In other words, toy season will be here any minute.
I’m often asked about how you get into the toy business. Since we only review toys, I’m of very little help in this regard. I know it can be a daunting prospect. For example, if you have a great idea but little capital, how do you move forward? This morning I got a twitter message (more about that in a moment) about a new construction company called Qubits. We haven’t tested them yet. They are taking an interesting path by using kickstarter.com to get on their feet. Here’s their page if you’d like to read more about their product. We look forward to testing their sets with our testers.
Twitter. Finally took the plunge in a meaningful way this month. I’ve been enjoying the process of connecting with companies, moms, dads about play and toys – not to mention my non-professional interest in sporting events and award programs. Much like my first few weeks on facebook, I found twitter can be all consuming. There’s always some interesting link someone has pointed me to– articles that I might not otherwise have read. Then there’s the fun of connecting with people about the daily things (in case your counting, I’m approaching nearly a week without a Diet Coke). So if you’re on twitter, let me know. My twitter name is…toyportfolio.
Tags: Facebook, qubits, Santa Claus, toyportfolio, Twitter
Posted in Construction Toys for Kids, Toy Fair, Uncategorized | No Comments »
January 12th, 2012
A proposed Cancer Survivor Barbie Doll
A group of moms are petitioning for a cancer-surviving version of Barbie.
We think it’s a great idea for the following reasons:
1. Kids going through their own cancer treatments will love this concept especially if there are fun wigs and head wraps for Barbie to wear. Of course this would also hold true for kids with moms going through treatment. Playing with dolls is an ideal way for children to play out and talk about their fears and concerns. There’s something very comforting about Barbie going through the same experience. We love the idea of her being a role model for this journey that touches so many families.
2. Barbie has a huge adult collectors market. This doll would certainly find an audience with adults.
3.Fund raiser. Seems like an ideal way to support cancer research.
Do you agree?
Posted in Barbie, Mattel, Toys for Kids with Special Needs | 1 Comment »
December 24th, 2011
After reviewing 1,000s of toys this year, these particular products were rated the worst by our testers.
The Trash Pack. You collect tiny garbage cans. Honestly, that’s the game play. You collect garbage.
AppBlaster. You attach your IPhone to the plastic gun for a more hands-on virtual shooting experience.
True Heroes. “Nothing says Christmas more than automatic weapons and rocket launchers.” 
Fake marshmallows and sticks. Come on. Would it kill you to buy the real thing?
Fake fish sticks. Bad enough we have to eat the real thing. 
Justin Bieber Real Hairstyle Doll. We kind of miss the molded plastic shag.
Real Construction Safety Nail Gun. Comes with 100 nails. 
Really?
For a list of amazing toys visit www.toyportfolio.com
Tags: worst toys of 2011
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
December 12th, 2011
While there is certainly room for novelty this time of year, it’s also important to bring home toys that have lasting play value. The toys that make the cut tend to be the classics–and often more open-ended. These toys place your child at the center of the play experience. So instead of dolls that do all the talking, dolls that say nothing will be enjoyed for a longer period of time because they will say whatever your child wants them to say! (The doll to the left is from Corolle Doll’s Calin line). We’ll be talking balls, blocks, trains, art supplies and games!
Take a toy inventory:
1. Does your child have a variety of playthings? Having a lot of one type of toy (whether it’s dolls or trucks) will often lead to a chorus of “I have nothing to play with.”
2. Gender Free- Is your child’s play experience only pink? only blue? We want boys to know how to be nurturing parents–so dolls are an important part of role playing “dad”. On the flip side, we want our daughters to excel in math– so blocks and construction toys should be part of their play world as well.
3. Art supplies - Encourage their creative side. With budgets being cut in many schools, kids have fewer opportunities for painting, using clay, and drawing. Whether it’s a juicy box of new Crayola crayons or an interesting set of watercolor pencils from Faber Castell or eeBoo– find a way to bring them back to the arts.
4. Games- One of the best ways to unplug your family is to play a game together. We have dozens of great suggestions on our list. Find a couple that become part of your family’s entertainment. I’m personally really a fan of Connect Four Launchers and Joanne’s favorite is almost anything with letters. She’s a beast at Upwords. (Never quite referred to my mother that way–but you know what I mean).
Posted in Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Kids with ADHD, Best Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Best Toys for Toddlers, classic toys, Construction Toys for Kids, Crayola, dolls, International Playthings, multi-cultural toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, preschoolers, pretend play, Retro Toys, Today Show, Toys for Kids with ADHD, Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Wooden Toys | No Comments »
November 10th, 2011
This morning we headed back up to the studio to take another shot at talking about Hot Toys of the season. The segment had been bumped on Tuesday. This time we got into the right car. On Tuesday we had gotten into a car that was headed to the airport -which should have been a signal to us that the rest of the morning was probably not going to go smoothly.
With Joanne (the best biz partner and mother!) outside the studio
We arrive at the Today Show. All was unusually quiet in the green room. The Duggars had been there on Tuesday–making for a very crowded room! This time Robert Pattinson was upstairs
Robert Pattinson visits Today Show
…we never got to see him but he certainly draws a crowd outside the studio. I always wonder about the fans that wait overnight to catch a glimpse. I thought it was fitting that we were there with Mattel’s Monster High Dolls that are really part of the Twilightization of America. Our tween testers, many of whom have not read the books or seen the movies really still love these dolls.
Mattel's Monster High Doll Collection
At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about them. They’re so over the top–but I’ve come around. Their focus is on character traits of each monster and how they navigate high school. It’s less about their body image. I also like that there are boys in the line, and that Mattel participated in an anti-bullying campaign this year with the collection. I certainly wouldn’t characterize them as beautiful dolls–but they do have a sense of humor that appeals to the 7 & up crowd.
Getting to know Let's Rock Elmo
Many of the kids who were scheduled to be on the segment on Tuesday came back today. We were very grateful to their parents! We were also joined by some other families who quickly got into the swing of the segment. I’d always rather do a segment with kids there–it just adds more energy and I think it’s useful to see kids actually playing with the toys we’re talking about.
Right before the segment
For complete reviews of the toys we showed on the segment, visit www.toyportfolio.com. You can also watch the segment on the Today Show by clicking here.
Natalie Morales, Stephanie Oppenheim and toy testers at the Today Show
One of our favorite testing families!
Tags: Natalie Morales, Robert Pattinson, Today Show, Twilight, Twilightization of America
Posted in Barbie, Best Games for Kids, Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, dolls, Elmo, Flying Toys, Hasbro, High Tech toys, hot toys, Leapfrog, Lego, Licensed Toys, Mattel, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Play Time, preschoolers, pretend play, Today Show, toy trends, toys, Uncategorized | No Comments »
November 8th, 2011
This morning my mother and I headed uptown to do a segment on the Today Show about the season’s hot toys. Let’s Rock Elmo is one of the toys we’re going to talk about. My overriding concern going uptown was the massive zit on my face. Don’t you think at a certain age that you should get a pass on acne? My hitting the Halloween candy hard last week probably didn’t help the situation…but still, I do believe that there should be a time limit on the whole adult acne thing.
The good news is that the AMAZING makeup artist Christine waved her magic brushes over my face (in other words spackle was used) and the zit was gone. Seriously–it’s pretty magical. My hair is done–all is good. The kids started arriving for the segment.
The Duggars graciously agreed to let two of their daughters join us. The Duggars were on the Today Show to announce that they were expecting baby #20! Michelle Duggar and I had a conversation about our respective cravings during pregnancy. I wondered if they changed over time. I take my hat off to her–I can’t imagine twenty trips down that road. She has a very calm core– also necessary to run a household with that many kids! 
Our segment was bumped so we were scheduled to post-tape. So we had the kids in the studio, turning the toys on…but then it was decided to have us back live on Thursday instead-so off we go.
So before we left, I went to the ladies room. And then Lisa VanderPump joined me as I was waiting my turn. She was very friendly.
I’ll own up to it, I am a RHWBH watcher. I don’t want to – but then I can’t stop myself. It’s the sheer genius of Bravo programming. That’s probably a whole other blog posting. Anyway, I marveled at the seriously high Brian Atwood leopard print pumps she was wearing. I’ve tried them on (not in the leopard print) –and while I think I look pretty silly in them, they looked great on her. 
They make my Jimmy Choo’s look like they’re from the children’s department. For the record, most of these shoes are not in keeping with my feminist roots or my desire not to be crippled, but I also do enjoy being taller. So maybe I’m more a height-ist than a feminist. I just always wonder whether anyone finds these shoes comfortable? In any case, Lisa looked terrific and was on the show to discuss her new book about entertaining.
We then went to visit the wonderful Richard Davies at ABC Radio to talk toys!
So even though I didn’t get to discuss the hot toys of the season on the Today Show yet, it was still a fun day. The nexus of Michelle Duggar and Lisa Vanderpump–now that’s pretty intense. Tune in Thursday morning in the 9 o’clock hour to see our segment!
Tags: ABC Radio, big families, Brain Atwood, Bravo TV, Duggars, high heels, Lisa Vanderpump, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Richard Davies
Posted in Best Music Toys for Kids, Best Plush Toys for Kids, Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Best Toys for Tweens, Construction Toys for Kids, dolls, Elmo, Flying Toys, Hasbro, High Tech toys, hot toys, Leapfrog, Lego, Mattel, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Play Time, Playskool, preschoolers, pretend play, Today Show, Uncategorized | No Comments »
November 7th, 2011
Tomorrow morning I’ll be sharing some of our award winners that are what the media calls “hot toys.” These toys are often the ones your kids see again and again on tv commercials. Hot toys tend to be more about novelty than anything else, and while there’s absolutely nothing wrong with some novelty, it shouldn’t be the only type of toy your child receives for the holiday. A playroom full of novelty toys will invariably result in a chorus of “I have nothing to play with” before the Christmas tree is removed from your house.
That said, we always look at the toys that we know will get a great deal of hype. Do they work as well as they do on the commercials? I remember one year a doll that was supposed to flip and flip — but only really did one flip and that was with a great deal of assistance. Not exactly what the commercial promised. The toys on our “hot” list are products that our toy testers really enjoyed. 
Hot toys can take on a life of their own during the holiday season. Many lists are generated by toy retailers – this tends to be more about marketing than full reviews about the toys themselves. Hot toys provide the perfect “toy story” and is often the first question we’re asked this time of year, “so what’s the hot toy of the season?”
This type of toy frenzy doesn’t always mean the toy is right for your child. Furby, for example, got so much buzz from a Wired Magazine piece even before it hit a single toy store in this country. And while it was the toy to get, it certainly wasn’t the ideal toy for toddlers who would have been a little frightened by the gremlin-like nature of the toy. Grown-up collectors can also fan the fire of a toy- this can also lead to ridiculous prices on-line.
While no one toy seems to have taken on the mantel of the “it” toy of the season, there are several that are getting lots of buzz – from the latest Elmo (he now wants to be a rock star) to amazing Star Wars LEGO builds or a remote control flying Shark. If any of these toys are on your child’s wish list, our suggestion is to buy them early. As was the case last year, inventories are not particularly deep.
For full reviews of those we recommend, please visit our website at www.toyportfolio.com.
And be sure to check out our full list of Platinum, Gold, Blue Chip and SNAP (Special Needs Adaptable Product) Award winners.
Posted in Best Plush Toys for Kids, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Best Toys for Tweens, Construction Toys for Kids, dolls, Elmo, Flying Toys, Hasbro, High Tech toys, hot toys, Leapfrog, Lego, Licensed Toys, Mattel, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Playskool, preschoolers, pretend play, Star Wars, Today Show, toy trends, toys | 1 Comment »
October 27th, 2011
Why does the concept of something little becoming really big always fascinate? Check out the video of an 8′ tall LEGO MAN wash up on the beach in Florida. You can read more about local reaction here from Baynews9.
We reached out to the folks at LEGO – they said: “That activity is not sponsored or endorsed by The LEGO Group or its affiliates.” Turns out it is the work of a Dutch artist.
Either way, it’s great fun.
Tags: Florida, Lego, LEGO MAN on the beach
Posted in Lego | No Comments »
October 19th, 2011
This weekend I had owned up to my husband that I have had a recurring nightmare- that a lion was in my childhood backyard in the Catskills. All analysis aside, I also realized that it was one of the dreams that I wasn’t sure was just a dream for a long time. In all fairness, we did have a very large bear walk across the front yard. So when I heard the news this morning that there are wild animals loose in Ohio…I simply looked at my husband and said “see!”
Tags: Lions, nightmares, Ohio, Tigers and Bears
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
I’m often asked about how you get into the toy business. Since we only review toys, I’m of very little help in this regard. I know it can be a daunting prospect. For example, if you have a great idea but little capital, how do you move forward? This morning I got a twitter message (more about that in a moment) about a new construction company called Qubits. We haven’t tested them yet. They are taking an interesting path by using kickstarter.com to get on their feet. Here’s their page if you’d like to read more about their product. We look forward to testing their sets with our testers.
