Pick of the Day: Sprig Toys Eco-Trucks

51ildpwlsfl_sl500_aa280_Looking for a great lightweight truck to take to the sandbox–or just enjoy in your house?  Take a look at Sprig Toys new Eco-Trucks ($14.95).  We’ve been big fans of this truly green company that makes it toys from repurposed milk jugs and saw dust!  There are three trucks in the new in line:  a loader, a dump truck and an exacavator.  While we were concerned that some folks may find them too lightweight, our testers across the board thought the weight was a plus–making the toys easier for their kids to tote about.

It's Friday…time for Play-Doh!!!

6105076n1ol_sl500_aa280_I’ve discovered over the years – you either love or hate Play-Doh.  I just had a really good time trying out the new Spaghetti Factory ($9.99)…It’s similar to the “hair” makers of the past.  (If you haven’t played with Play Doh since you’re a kid–then you will have no idea what I’m talking about.)  In both cases you fill the toy with Play-Doh and you press down on the mechanism and the Play-Doh comes out in long “spaghetti-shaped” strands.  If you have a child with special needs and you’re working on building strength in your child’s hands–you may want to give this one a try.  You’ll want to attach the pasta machine to the table surface for added stability.

The base has molds for making other shapes…my mother made a lot of ravioli and bow ties–but for me it all about pushing down the plunger and making the spaghetti come out.

Pick of the Day: Crayola Window Crayons

My mother is giving a speech today at the University of Maryland  for her new book, Stanley Hayami: Nisei Son…go mom.  Apart from writing 50 plus children’s books and parenting books, my amazing mother has written this book–based on the diary of a young man who was sent ( along with 120,000 other Americans of Japanese descent ) to internment camps during World War II.  Stanley then served in the Army–and died serving his country.  My mother has taken this primary source and brought his story to life with such clarity and emotion, that people are moved to tears when they “meet” Stanley.  I recently heard her speak at NYU–and again I marveled at how my mother is such a gifted story teller.  I also highly recommend Dear Miss Breed–the story of a dedicated librarian who became an incredible and consistent source of support to so many children and their families sent to camps during WWII.

p91405bAll of this is by way of my saying that my mother and I usually play with window markers and crayons together.  So I’m proud that she’s off giving another speech–but I miss that she’s not here.  I have just tried out Crayola’s new Window Crayons. At first I felt a little awkward coloring on our office windows by myself–but I’ve loosened up…and have created a garden of flowers and grass. Try it, it’s liberating.

If you’re ok with kids drawing on windows/sliding doors–this is a REALLY FUN activity. At only $4.99–it’s a great buy. Comes with five colors.

Zoom, zoom…New Automoblox

c9r_08_front3qOk, so if a new sportscar isn’t in your future any time soon — this desk-size version from Automoblox may make you feel a bit better.  This particular car is their C9R model.  We’ve been big fans of these beautifully designed wooden cars that also can be taken apart. Designed for kids-but will also be enjoyed as a great office toy!

Fun…Deglingos!

36502-pikos-the-hedgehogDeglingos are deliciously quirky   — and were a welcome treat at toy fair. The rows and rows of collectable dolls were gone this year…the dolls that look like real babies (in a seriously creepy kind of way)…we were just commenting on their absence when we hit the end of a row and found these decidedly off beat (funky meets folk art) dolls that will appeal to both boys and girls. Probably because I have two boys–I’m always sensitive to finding huggables that have that gender free appeal.  The Deglingos are a collection of animals – there’s a Cow (Milkos), a Wolf (Bigbos), a Bunny (Lapinos)…you get the idea. We’re looking forward to seeing the new line of Baby Deglingos and sharing them with our testers.

Another Recycling Truck…

Probably not too many other people in the world would take note of the number of recyling trucks…but here’s another sighting…

Fisher-Price Little People will also have a Recycling Truck this fall…it will be call the Little People Sing’n Learn Recycling Truck. There will be singing and sorting…looks fun.

little-people-sing-n-learn-recycling-truck

Best New Infant Toy: Mary Meyer's Sweet Chocolate Chime Ball

show_image_in_imgtag This 8″ soft fabric ball makes that lovely chime sound when it’s rolled back and forth.  Just right for encouraging babies to crawl–and fun for back and forth games on the floor with older babies and toddlers.  It also comes in pink and part of a larger line that also includes a very cuddly Sweet Chocolate Pillow Bear that opens up to become a flat pillow.  When you connect the Velcro underneath the Bear, it looks like a regular stuffed bear. The ball retails for $19 and the bear is $49. show_image_in_imgtag-1

Trends From ToyFair 2009: SpinMasters Air Hogs Switchblade

airhogsswitchblade2Last year we spent way too much time flying Spin Master’s little Havoc Helis around our office. We got pretty good at it too–so we’re pretty psyched that they have new flying machines!  The Switchblade promises to take off like a UFO and transform in the air–into a hig powered aircraft.   We’ll have to go outside for this one…field trip!