Archive for the ‘dolls’ Category
Thursday, March 10th, 2011
The new Sing-a-ma-jigs from Fisher-Price
I loved Sing-a-ma-jigs when I first saw them last year at Toy Fair. To me they look like claymation characters with their little round mouths and big eyes.
Wallace and Gromit
I love that they are able to sing (and even harmonize) together. This year– the new versions come with a little mini-me attached the larger doll. They sing together. The upside, you don’t need to buy two dolls to have them harmonize. I’m not sure I love the mini-me aspect. The smaller doll cannot be removed and somehow the smaller animal looks slighter meaner than the bigger doe-eyed larger being. Kind of reminds me of the character Masterblaster from Mad Max.
To watch a video of the new dolls, click here.
For video of past videos, click here.
Masterblaster from Mad Max
Tags: claymation, Harmonizing, Hot High Tech toys, Mad Max, Masterblaster, mini-me, Sing-a-ma-jigs, Symbiotic, Toys that Sing, Wallace and Gromit
Posted in Best Music Toys for Kids, Best Plush Toys for Kids, Best Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Best Toys for Preschoolers, dolls, Gender Free Toys, High Tech toys, hot toys, Mattel, Play Time, preschoolers, pretend play, toy trends, toys, Toys for Kids with ADHD, Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Today’s toddlers and preschoolers have a new addiction. Forget the boob tube and those pesky videos – now we’re talking about little fingers that are incredibly adept at navigating APPS on your pricey iPad and/or iPhone.
What’s a toy maker to do? How can they compete with such amazing graphics?
Wasn’t it bad enough that video games have rob them of the tween market?
Here’s the industry response to date…
1. The “Can’t beat them, join them” approach. It seems like everyone has an APP for your child. Barbie, Leapfrog, Hot Wheels, Thinkfun….everywhere we went at Toy Fair…there was an APP we needed to “let our readers know about.” (Except of course for the dizzying number of embargo dates). And yes, we will have to start taking a closer look at all of these toy related APPs. I haven’t gotten to play with it yet, but I do have to say that the Barbie Fashionista APP–looked really appealing (this coming from someone who really didn’t play with Barbies).
Barbie's Fashionista APP
2. “This is not your father’s iPad” – really. Toy makers are rolling out there own versions of iPad inspired tablets for your child. LeapFrog and VTech will go head to head with their platforms. Are they cheaper? Yes. Will your child be satisfied? Maybe. As with any of these toys, they just don’t have the sizzle of the real thing (which is why toy companies are hedging their bets with approach #1.) We will have to take a look at each of these products to review the content (remember that?) and whether the interface is pleasing. I have a sense that if your toddler or preschooler is already schooled in your gadgets, this is going to be a hard transition. On the other hand, if you start here–you may get to play with your gadget without the constant refrain of “my turn!”
Vying for attention (all to be released later this year):
LeapFrog Explorer Tablet
LeapPad Explorer Tablet (LeapFrog)- Promises to come with a 5″ screen and leverages the library of games and content from this educational toy company. It will also come with a built in camera. Suggested retail will be $99.99.
VTECH InnoPad
InnoPad (VTech) -Also features a 5″ touch screen, promises educational games, ebooks, USB port, a headphone jack. Suggested retail will be $79.99.
We’ll have to take a look. Sadly, both companies have moved away from partnerships with traditional publishers –leaving the ebook experience to the domain of mostly licensed materials. On this point alone, you may want to invest in a Color Nook–if you don’t want to go the bigger bucks on an iPad. Technology only goes so far. The CONTENT is still what should rule the day. We want our kids enjoy reading quality picture books no matter the format. Disney Princesses and Scooby Doo are fun–but they shouldn’t replace children’s books as part of your child’s daily experience.
3. The “Ok, you can play, but please don’t break it” approach. Handing off your expensive toys to a toddler or preschooler is a balancing act between achieving calm (at the grocery store, at the restaurant, in the car, etc.) and the possible damage that came come to such gadgets from liquids (those pesky sippy cups) or a plain old “oops” moments. For those parents, Fisher-Price hopes to be of assistance with their new Laugh & Learn I Can Play Case that puts your smart phone into a bigger case with easy-to-grab handles. We look forward to trying this case–will little fingers find the case too intrusive? Of course your 3 year old will find this way too babyish.
Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn I Can Play Case
Tags: Barbie, Barbie Fashionista, Fisher-Price, High Tech toys, Hot Wheels, InnoPad, ipad, iphone, Laugh & Learn I Can Play Case, Leapfrog, LeapPad Explorer, tablet toys, thinkfun, toy addiction, vtech
Posted in Best Books for Kids, Best Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, Best Toys for Toddlers, dolls, Fisher-Price, Gender Free Toys, High Tech toys, hot toys, Leapfrog, Licensed Toys, Mattel, preschoolers, Toy Fair, toy trends, toys, Toys for Kids with ADHD, Toys for Kids with Special Needs, travel toys, Uncategorized | 9 Comments »
Friday, December 10th, 2010
As someone who walked away from a legal career to play with toys (and not regretted it for a moment) – I’m always curious about how other people land in the toy industry. Of course the toy business is a business–but there is something special about it. The continued connection to the magic of childhood–sounds sappy but it’s true for anyone really committed to making quality playthings for kids.
Mary Beth Minton
I especially love start up stories and Mary Beth Minton, of Arete LLC, has all of my favorite ingredients…a strong business education (she went to Wharton), a strong business background (she worked at Bankers Trust) and a desire to fill a niche she saw in the toy industry by observing her own kids. The result, The Adventures of Zylie Bear and Shen the Panda…both Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award winners this season. These high styled bears can travel the world in great fashion. Read our interview.
Tags: Arete LLC, Mary Beth Minton, Opppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winner, The Adventures of Zylie Bear and Shin the Panda, toyportfolio.com
Posted in Best Plush Toys for Kids, dolls, Gender Free Toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, pretend play | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
Over the years, this category has always been one that fascinates parents – often when they are in the throws of potty training. We had one testing family that was our go- to potty doll testers. Even dolls that I knew probably weren’t going to work out–they really wanted to test. One of the early potty dolls involved food and water…that you guessed it, had to come out. So the doll also came with disposable diapers. The only problem was that the food often got stuck and it was super difficult to get the doll to poop. Thankfully no doll enema included. Even Elmo got into the act with Potty Time Elmo…he was really polite about the whole experience and reinforced the idea that accidents happen. 
He made sound effects to simulate the experience…no actual diapers to change here. He made our Platinum List one year. As the mother of two boys, I was also particularly fond of Corolle’s Paul doll, an anatomically correct boy doll that pees (no pooping here).
So this is all to say that we are always interested in new dolls in this category. Yesterday we received a huge box of toys that we hadn’t seen yet (amazing since it just feels like we’ve seen every toy)…but we hadn’t tested this particular bunch. The one that caught our eye was Fisher-Price’s new Wipey Dipey from their Little Mommy line.
Fisher-Price's Little Mommy Wipey Dipey Doll
We usually like these novelty dolls and this one really made us curious. The box reads: “pee-pee and poo-poo disappear with a wipe!” Ok, not that unusual…but here’s the new twist. The diaper lights up with a light indicating that your dolly has made one or two…and then you wipe it away. No messy diapers (it comes with one plastic diaper that is not removable) and a wipe. You give Wipey Dipey her bottle and then she lets you know that she needs to be changed. She either tells you or makes an uncomfortable sound. In otherwords, this drink and wet doll…really doesn’t do either except in a high-tech manner.
Pros and Cons.
She’s a hard plastic doll…so she’s not soft and huggable. We also found some of her phrases difficult to understand. One could say she’s a mumbler…her supporters would also probably point out that she’s a baby doll. The novelty aspect of this doll is pretty unique and will appeal to small children that love the “let’s see what she made now” aspect of the doll play. My only real problem is that when you wipe the poo poo as they call it…you’re wiping in the wrong direction. I’m really amazed that I just constructed that sentence…but it is really an issue especially when you’re trying to teach kids how to properly wipe at this stage. On the other hand, nothing gets stuck in this doll and there is no water to clean up either. If you’re of the camp that likes to see the water come out of the doll, Wipey Dipey is probably going to disappoint you. On the other hand, if you are not big on messy dolls/toys in general…this high-tech no mess approach to potty training may just be what you’ve been looking for. Only if the real experience could be so mess free!
Watch our video.
Tags: Corolle Paul, Dolls that Wet, Elmo, Fisher-Price, High Tech Dolls, Interactive Dolls, Joanne Oppenheim, Little Mommy Wipey Dipey, Stephanie Oppenheim, toyportfolio.com
Posted in dolls, Fisher-Price, Play Time, preschoolers, pretend play, toy trends, toys, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Sunday, November 28th, 2010
Ever wonder how certain things get made whether it’s something to wear (in a hideous shade or impossible to wear shape) or a kitchen appliance you can’t imagine you’d ever use more than once-a la the Chickenborg Egg Cuber. 
I often find myself asking this question in toyland. It would be fun to sit in the design meetings (that perhaps were held during happy hour). Now take that ridiculous design concept and imagine it’s been sold to the brand manager, the sales force, etc. And then there are the retailers who also drink the kool aid and fill their shelves with these products. I then wonder if the design team that had a silly idea or I- can’t-believe- they’ll-go- for -it concept – has a good laugh.
Now one of these toys made our top Platinum Award list this year – I don’t necessarily mean they’re terrible products…I just wonder how they came to be. (Ok, for some, I do think they’re pretty dreadful.)
1. Cuponk – This wins as the ugliest designed toy we received. Much like playing quarters, the aim here is to get the eyeball into the container. 
Is it just me or does this just seem like great training for drinking games? And take a look at the images. They’re not just ghoulish, they’re unpleasant and certainly not visuals that are important to the 8 and up set.
2. Fish with Removable Bone- I’m all for pretend play but this one just struck me as going a bit too far. I think our kids can pretend to fillet the fish. Of course this is a refreshing and healthier choice than the countless number of plastic hot dogs and french fries we receive every year. 
3. Barbie Video Girl- This product is on our Platinum List…but we still would have loved to have been in the meeting where they decided to place the camera in the middle of Barbie’s chest. I’m just saying. In fact, I’ve spent way too long discussing where they could have placed it instead.
Barbie Video Girl
A possible solution that won the most votes–Barbie could have been holding a video camera rather than being the video camera. I see it–but I also appreciate the design elegance of having it where it is (on her “necklace”). If you want to talk pure silliness, the Barbie Glitterizer, where Barbie is put into a chamber and sprayed with glitter, wins hands down in my book.
4. Detainee Kit- If your child is saying “Mommy when I grow up I want to be a TSA employee”, then I guess this set makes sense! Complete with a body scanner and handcuffs…you’re child is ready for post 9/11 cops and robbers. The set also comes with a lie detector and evidence kit. 
Now that I’ve pointed out the obvious “wow, really” factor of this kit- I should point out that some kids will really love this kind of role playing…and enjoy the realistic props. For others role playing with the security wand may make the real life airport security experience a little less scary. It just makes me sad.
5.WWE Accessories. On the other hand if your child aspires to be a WWE champion, why not strap on the championship belt now, right? Complete with sounds effects (to me it sounds like Charo!).
6.Flatsy- Here’s how this meeting probably went. “What if it looks like you drove over your child’s doll with the mini-van?” “Yeah!” “Cool!” 
Truth be told, I kind of like the absolute silliness of the design-although I can already hear well-meaning body image advocates raising issues about what kind of dangerous role model these dolls present to young girls.
7.Learn & Groove Musical Wand. Really? No comment. 
Tags: Barbie Video Girl, Chickenborg Egg Cuber, Cuponk, Detainee Kit, Flatsy, Leapfrog, Learn & Groove Musical Wand, Lie Detector, Mattel, toy handcuffs, Toy Security Scanner, toy trends, WWE
Posted in Action Figures, Barbie, dolls, toy trends, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Thursday, November 4th, 2010
Video Girl Barbie
When we were first brought around the corner at Mattel’s showroom space at Toy Fair – and shown Video Girl Barbie – I turned around several times. I was positive that we were being punk’d. I kept looking at my mother, the pr folks…but they were all going straight ahead with the demo of Barbie as a video camera.
Here’s the deal. Barbie has a camera in the middle of her chest. My mother points out that it’s on a necklace. “Where else would you have liked them to put it?” she asked. True, the middle of her forehead? I guess the necklace option was the best choice.
I have always had a very jumbled relationship with Barbie. My brothers shamed me out of playing with them as a kid. We were very much a Hot Wheels house. I didn’t much like playing with dolls anyway…and the only Barbie I can remember actually asking for – I bought at Davco’s toy store in Monticello. She had on go-go boots and a short mini-dress. As a 4-5 year old, this was my dream outfit. (I had two pairs of go-go boots and going to any restaurant with a jukebox meant it was a dancing opportunity). This Barbie doll was left in a compromising position with a GI Joe doll in our hamper — and that was the end of Barbie in our house.
As a tween and teen that advocated for women’s right, the whole Barbie mystique just didn’t fit with my desire for women to be taken seriously. By this point I had traded in my go-go boots for gender-free work boots (much to the dismay of my mother). I also would not play with anyone who had Barbies in their room. During the 70s- girls played with Barbies well into their tween years (as opposed to now when they seem to age out of Barbie earlier and earlier.)
So here I am defending Barbie. We got the Video Now Barbie during the summer when we had several teenage interns. They were quite amused that the batteries must be loaded into her thigh and that her display screen is in her back. We had to take many, many videos before I could get them to settle down. At the end of the day when we tested Barbie- we discovered that she worked extremely well. Our kid testers loved that her USB cord is pink (of course) and that they could use her with ease to record their doll play or other aspects of their life in general.
Could, as the Australian psychologist suggests, this video camera be used in inappropriate ways? Sure. As could ALL of the new video cameras targeted to kids this year. In fact, video cameras designed specifically for kids is one of the hottest categories in toyland this holiday season. I’m not sure why the Barbie camera should be singled out. On our award list this year, we feature a Fisher Price Kid Touch Video Camera–even easier to use than Barbie. There is also a Spy Watch Video Camera from Jakks Pacific and the new Air Hogs RC Helicopter with Video Camera from Spinmaster. All of these are marketed to children–and without supervision all could be used to capture and post inappropriate content.
The back of Video Camera Barbie
To call for a boycott of the Barbie Video Camera is ridiculous. If you want to pick on Barbie because of the body image issues she raises, that’s one thing. But because she has a video camera proudly in the middle of her chest– that’s just really discriminating against a girl that just wants to be part of the digital age.
To read our full review at toyportfolio.com, click here.
To read our article about all the other video cameras for kids this season, click here.
Posted in Barbie, dolls, Mattel, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
Laura Rangel - CEO of KidsGive
Karito Kids from Kids Give is one of our favorite award-winning collections of multi-cultural dolls this year. The collection has been updated and features a range of dolls from all over the world. When I was growing up I had dolls from other lands — but these were all no-touching dolls. The ones meant to be put on a shelf and appreciated. The only one that was able to play with was my London go-go girl. She had hair like Marlo Thomas and she had white go-go boots just like mine. Maybe she wasn’t meant to be played with either–but since I so rarely played with dolls, my mother never said a word.
I love that these dolls are meant to be enjoyed. Their clothes reflect modern girls from all over the world. The books that come with them aren’t my favorite…but it doesn’t take away that these dolls do help introduce girls to a more global view. Here’s my visit with founder Laura Rangel. The company also has a commitment to giving back to the communities where the dolls come from as well as new bracelets that are being made here in the USA by people with disabilities.
Reviews of the new dolls are all on our site at www.toyportfolio.com.
New Dolls from Karito Kids
Tags: Karito Kids, Kidsgive, Laura Rangel, Multi-cultural dolls, Stephanie Oppenheim, toyportfolio.com
Posted in Best Toys for School Aged Kids, dolls, multi-cultural toys, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winners, pretend play, toy trends, toys, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
Lock and load–there is a doll wars this year! Read Joanne’s article. Our take away–all really great for consumers!
Tags: American Girl, Best Friends, Corolle, Doll Wars, Karito Kids, MGA, Multi-cultural dolls, Playmates, toyportfolio.com
Posted in Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, dolls, hot toys, multi-cultural toys, pretend play, toy trends, toys | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010
Sing-a-ma-jigs
I love these dolls. The harmonizing is fun. Here’s another video where we demonstrate that they each sing a different song. For a full review visit our site, www.toyportfolio.com. I’ll try to stop writing about them…but when the new batch arrives – I may have to post some more.
Tags: dolls that sing, Fisher-Price, novelty dolls, Sing-a-ma-jigs, toyportfolio.com
Posted in Best Toys for Kids with Special Needs, Best Toys for Preschoolers, Best Toys for School Aged Kids, dolls, Fisher-Price, hot toys | 2 Comments »
If you’re looking for a first doll – we love Corolle’s Babipouce line – perfect for older babies and toddlers. No hair makes this a safe choice…the outfits are soft and cozy and extremely huggable! 
