GROSS TOYS of 2013

One of the BIG  trends of 2013 is the return of gross in toyland. These toys are purposefully full of snot, gas, and overflowing toilets.  Here are the notable winners  in this dubious category.

Gooey Louie (Goliath Games) – He’s back.  The game play remains the same –  to “pick” a winner. If you pick the wrong piece out of his nose, his brain will pop out.

He's back - Gooey Louie

He’s back – Gooey Louie

 

2.  Doctor Dreadful Organ Grinder (Umagine/Spin Master)game play is to make zombie organs, infuse them with goop and bugs — and then eat them. Yum.

Doctor Dreadful Organ Grinder

Doctor Dreadful Organ Grinder

 

3. The Ugglys Electronic Pup Pet (Moose Toys) – A toy that lives up to its name. Purposefully ugly and even though this toy is mainly a head, this pup sounds like he swallowed a whoopee cushion.

The Ugglys Electronic Pup Pet has a serious gas problem

The Ugglys Electronic Pup Pet has a serious gas problem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Gross Science Lab (SmartLab) -Among the activities- create a mixture to make the included toy toilet (with flushing sound) overflow. Just hope it doesn’t spark an idea to do it for real!

Gross Science from SmartLab

Gross Science from SmartLab

For reviews of other (less gross) toys, visit www.toyportfolio.com.

Does anyone still need a teddy bear or baby doll?

The short answer is: of course they do.

So yesterday before our Today Show segment I went to say hi to the 20 plus kids that agreed to be “elves” in our toy test on the plaza. They were all really well behaved…and many totally tuned into their phones and ipads. If you have kids you know the drill and

Wobbly Carmel by Bunnies by the Bay

Wobbly Carmel by Bunnies by the Bay

even if you don’t…if you go out to a restaurant and look around…you see kids engaged with their screens. Makes you wonder about more traditional types of play and the toys that will engage this digital generation. While everyone is totally abuzz about today’s kids monopolizing their parents’ smartphones and tablets, the last generation was equally sucked into their handheld players. The notable difference is that while most kids did not get their first Gameboy until they hit the early school years, infants are now part of the swipe-generation.

From a developmental point of view, the answer to my question is a resounding yes. Especially for younger children, we know that they learn best from real life interactions. Language development comes from talking (not just swiping or zapping a fruit ninja). When kids play with their stuffed animals, dolls, castles, dollhouses and other pretend settings – they are at

Calin Naima by Corolle

Calin Naima by Corolle

the center of their play experience. Things happen at their command and as a result of their own imagination not something created or dictated by a toy designer.  Elmo and his friends are fine for novelty appeal…but they do not offer the same open-ended type of pretend play.

Mon Premier Calin by Corolle

Here’s what else you should know about yesterday. The teddy bears and dolls that we brought to the show (but sadly ran out of time to talk about) were loved by the kids. We planned on talking about the wonderful collection of multicultural Calin baby dolls from Corolle (there is also a boy in the collection), the delicious Teddy Bear and Dog from Bunnies by the Bay and the always popular Calico Critters from International Playthings.

Calico Critters by International Playthings

Calico Critters by International Playthings

These toys may seem old-fashioned or boring compared to their high-tech counterparts, but to kids all of these toys are new and able props to their pretend world. And we certainly need our kids to pretend, to dream, to imagine and not just watch a screen.

To read reviews about all  of these wonderful toys, please visit our site.

TODAY Show Toy Test with toyportfolio.com winners

Today Show Toy Test "Elves" with Natalie Morales and Stephanie Oppenheim

Today Show Toy Test “Elves” with Natalie Morales and Stephanie Oppenheim

We had a blast yesterday at the Today Show. The show asked that we put many of our Platinum Award winners of 2013 to the test with “elves” on the plaza. With huge candy canes and the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in the background (not to mention the North Pole like temperature!), it was the perfect backdrop for this holiday tradition.P1010476To read about all the toys featured, click here. To see all of our award winners in all categories visit www.toyportfolio.com.

To see the segment, click here.

 

 

 

Toys for Future Shipping Magnates or Fedex Executives

IMG_0026Not sure we really talked about Playmobil’s Cargo setting sufficiently. The plane is super big and the cargo ship is amazing, but it’s the actual shipping containers and crane that deliver the complete  experience. The sets are not inexpensive, but they really do combine to make a wonderful pretend setting.    For more details on the specific sets, visit www.toyportfolio.com.