Archive for the ‘Best Toys for Babies’ Category
Monday, 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 »
Thursday, 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 »
Tuesday, 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 »
Monday, October 17th, 2011
Halloween is fast approaching which for many means decorating, candy & costumes. For us, it signals that our season will soon be in full swing. Folks that usually think what we do is kind of silly–are now interested in what we found from our testing during the course of the year. We have a really full list of award winners this year that we look forward to talking about. We’ll be looking at the topic in all different kinds of ways –age, budget, high tech, low tech, green…you get the idea. If you have particular question or list you’d love to have, let us know!
I’ve been spending more time on twitter lately–finding the format both challenging and interesting. You can join the discussion with me, my twitter name is toyportfolio.
Posted in Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Best Toys for Toddlers, Best Toys for Tweens | No Comments »
Friday, December 17th, 2010
Right before we went on--I'm not sure what we were looking at!
Yesterday we did our last holiday piece of the season. The assignment was to feature toys for every budget. With so many toys on our award list, making the selection for this one was really hard. We had just four minutes to highlight toys that we really love. If left to our toy-geek selves, my mother and I could talk about each of these toys for at least that! Since this was more of a gift segment than a piece focusing on the developmental advantages of each toys, we did more toys than usual.
Two best friends getting ready for the segment!
Can you say cutie-pie?
When we got there at 7:30 the green room was already very full. We always want the kids to be there early but it is a really long, long time to wait. There are donuts — kids eat donuts–kids get a little hyper. It’s all part of the pre-segment experience! (I on the other hand wait to eat my chocolate donut until after the segment is over). Dustin Hoffman was also there. Unlike many stars that come through the green room…Dustin smiles at every one. He’s beloved at the Today Show for being such a nice guy–and you can see it. He looks great–and I guess the word is…happy. While the Meet the Fockers series just makes me uncomfortable (I guess it’s supposed to) I realize that he is one of those touchstone people that I have grown up with. Remember Little Big Man? I remember probably because my folks took us all to see it at the underground theater at Columbus Circle. As a kid, I thought that was amazingly cool.
Before the segment actual airs there are often teases – which promote what will be coming up on the show in the next half hour. So the girls did one tease with the dolls from Manhattan Toy and the Nursery Carriage from Corolle. I then did one with Jay–we played with the 3-D Flash Art from Hasbro.
Jay and I are using the 3-D Flash Art
You can see what the camera is getting from the 3-D Flash Art
After the tease! We did it!
I love this toy–we didn’t do it justice since we couldn’t turn down the lights…but it’s the best spin art toy you’ll ever find. The blue light changes the images as they spin on the black paper…and in the dark, it’s really special. I also like that you can wipe off the black papers and start over. The process of making the spin art is the thing here–not really the finished product.
The segment went well. The kids had a good time. Al and I were so worried about not getting through to the end that we rushed…and ended up with time to spare. I hate when that happens–but it’s worse not to finish.
The boys playing with the Citiblocs and Planimals
When the segment was over the set gets taken down super quickly to make room for the next segment that involves product. It’s a whirlwind…but definitely fun! (A special thanks to Donna for taking all the pics! Next time I’ll have a zoom!)
After the segment with Al and the boys!
Posted in Best Plush Toys for Kids, Best Puzzles for Kids, Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Best Toys for Toddlers, hot toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Star Wars, Today Show, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, November 19th, 2010
We’ve just posted our list of top green toys. It’s a fun mix of beautifully crafted wooden toys from companies like Plan Toys, Wonderworld, Citiblocs, Tegu and
Schylling. As well as some plastic toys from recycled materials (Green Toys) and even a nod to a plastic lamp that you crank rather than load with batteries. We even have two solar powered devices that will appeal to tween and teens.
What we passed on: scratchy organic dolls, dolls that got credit for being organic but were very muted, and in our opinion a little sad looking. We also passed on many solar activity kits that just didn’t work. Nothing like having a solar panel that just doesn’t feel like powering anything.
At the end of the day, I find any labels like Green or Educational to be only part of the story. If the toy isn’t fun and engaging, it doesn’t matter what great list it should be on. Probably too many negatives there–but you get the point. It doesn’t make the cut with us unless it’s also something that engages our testers.
Tags: Citiblocs, Green Toy Company, Oregon Scientifc, Plan Toys, Schylling, solar toys, Tegu, toyportfolio.com's Top Green Toys for 2010, toys from recycled materials, Wonderworld, Wooden Toys
Posted in Best Plush Toys for Kids, Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Green toys, hot toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Play Time, toy trends, Wooden Toys | No Comments »
Friday, November 5th, 2010
A whole new bunch of toys arrived from Sassy just in time for our holiday list! I love this activity ball–lots of aspects for babies to explore. Not only is this the perfect kind of floor toy to enjoy with your baby and toddler–it’s under $10- which just goes to show that you don’t have to spend a fortune on great toys. Read our full review.
Tags: Sassy's Bumpy Ball, toyportfolio.com, Toys for Babies and Toddlers
Posted in active play, Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Best Toys for Toddlers, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, Play Time, toy trends, toys, Toys for Kids with Special Needs | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
We’re getting ready for our annual trip uptown to see Richard Davies at ABC Radio Network. Richard was one of the first members of the mainstream press to take a chance on the toyportfolio when we first started. Each year we go up to the ABC studios with a collection of NOISY toys. It’s radio after all–so the noisier the better! Last year Richard started doing podcasts of his interviews – so now this also means there is video tape–calling for more toys and oh yes, some hair and makeup.
Radio -especially shows that are going to be edited always invite a much more laid back feeling to them. The video camera is another aspect – you have to sit up straight–you can’t poke your mother in the same way you would if no one was looking. No wacky faces. In other words you have to behave more.
We probably have too many toys in our bag–many are talking all on their own. The snake is hissing, Mickey is asking us to dance along!
Tags: ABC Radio, Hot toys for 2010, Richard Davies, toyportfolio.com
Posted in Best Toys for Babies, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Best Toys for Toddlers, hot toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, toy trends, toys | 1 Comment »
