Author Archives: Stephanie

Behind the scenes at the Today Show

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A quiet moment before the segment...

So I have to say that I didn’t realize I was in the Green Room with the stars of the Boston Bruins when we first arrived. They had a separate camera crew shadowing them as well–so in fairness I was trying to stay out of the way. It’s a very small room. I’m pretty up-to-speed with most sports…just not hockey, sorry.

It wasn’t until I was coming up the stairs from getting my hair and make-up done and saw the Stanley Cup (it’s kind of hard to miss)…that I got it.   When I went back to the Green Room and asked my son Adam if he knew they had been in the same room with the Bruins…I realized almost immediately that I had set myself up for one of those “really, Mom?” looks.

While we were waiting outside the Green Room (to avoid the above-mentioned Bruins and crew), Ann Curry was great to stop, give me a hug.  I will miss doing segments with her but so happy that she is now co-anchor! People always ask me if she is as nice as she appears on tv. I think the answer is really more so.   She has that special gift of connecting with people and has done such an important job to spotlight the less fortunate all over the globe.

Everyone at play!

This is the first segment I did with Tamron Hall.  I love Tamron…I watch her all the time on MSNBC. I think she was a little daunted by the ten kids running around the set–but we got through the segment without incident!  To read the article about the toys featured, visit our site, www.toyportfolio.com.

You can also watch the segment below.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

TODAY show tomorrow…

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Tomorrow I’ll be talking about Active Play- just in time for having the kids home for the summer.  It’s been great to get back to work. I’ve gotten many emails from our incredible core of toy testers…”so, what’s going on?”

Well, it’s been one of those times that you just keep moving. We have had two graduations, a prom,  a wedding and a stroke.  When you’re in a family business the good and bad that hits your family also colors your work day.  I’m happy to report (now collectively knock on a HUGE piece of wood) that my dad is doing very well. We have been going through the toys that always arrive by the cartons this time of year…but quietly.

The emotional roller coaster of graduating children getting ready for the next big chapters of their lives, seeing the family’s first grandchild get married  – all against the precarious backdrop of having a sick family member–it’s part of life. Sitting at LaGuardia Airport – getting ready to board and bursting into tears because my parents were unable to attend my son’s graduation….life. Filling up with happy tears the next day when my son received his diploma…life.  Watching the young woman I knew as a baby take her vows…life. Being the mom asking for one more “picture” to capture yet another moment you know is going all too quickly…life. My younger son’s outdoor graduation from high school was interrupted by a thunder and lightening storm…pretty much summed up how this month just didn’t go as I had planned.  But of course, that’s life too. You have to roll (or run) with what is — and not miss the joy of that moment because it’s not exactly how you envisioned it.  I thought I had already learned that lesson…but I certainly got a refresher course!

I’m proud of my family that we got through all of the scary and joyful moments with good grace and good humor.  We cleaned up well. Seeing my dad in his tux at my niece’s wedding surrounded by his grandchildren reminded me of how grateful I am to be a member of my family. Everyone stepped up.

So that’s where I’ve been.  Now back to work…

 

Royal Wedding: Disney style

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Love that we got a press release for Disney’s Princess App. this week– while we’re all in royal wedding countdown.

The exact name is Disney Princess Dress-Up: My Sticker Book – it retails for $3.99 from the App Store.

The App is basically this generation’s version of paper dolls–you can dress all of the Disney princesses (selecting everything from their tiara to SHOES). There is also a feature where you can put your child’s picture on one of the dolls (on the sample video, the proportions seemed off).  While we’re usually not big on the whole be a “princess” mantra…for many girls this app will be very appealing.

You can preview the App on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwurQ2yAXZU

 

Fine Arts Contest for Kids from Colorforms

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To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Colorforms is having a  fine arts contest for kids 3 to 12.

 

Here are the details from their press release:

What began as an offbeat idea for creative expression of art students Harry and Patricia Kislevitz in their bathroom quickly became a playful, imaginative medium for children of all ages to harness their creativity and build language and problem-solving skills. From the discovery that their roll of flexible vinyl material would stick to semigloss surfaces, the Kislevitzes created a play set featuring basic geometric shapes in bright, primary colors.

“For sixty years, Colorforms has inspired creative, open-ended play rooted in colors and shapes and this contest celebrates the artist roots of the brand,” says Bob Moog, University Games, president. “ This contest is about celebrating and encouraging a lifelong passion for the arts.”

Running from April 1 through September 15, the contest is designed for kids, ages 3-12. There are few limits on the contest, other than the art is no bigger than 30” x 40” and not heavier than 5 lbs, for the sake of contest logistics.

One of three art camp scholarships will be awarded to the contest winners, along with a collection of Colorforms products to a winner in each age group. There will also be a special $500 US Treasury bond prize for the best use of Colorforms Stick-OnsÔ as an art medium.

For the 9-12 year old age group, the camp scholarship includes tuition at a nationally renown fine arts camp, including travel expenses. For the winners under age 9, a day camp scholarship will be awarded for use in the winner’s hometown.

Families can learn more about the contest at www.facebook.com/colorforms <http://www.facebook.com/colorforms> or at www.ugames.com/colorforms/ArtCampContest.asp <http://www.ugames.com/colorforms/ArtCampContest.asp>

A fun way to teach your kids to say thank you…

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Kids love getting gifts…writing thank you notes, not so much.  To the rescue..Letterlearning.com. A site that offers cards for all occasions for kids including thank you notes, birthday cards, Mother’s day (hint!)  and blank cards for just dropping a note (fast becoming a lost art!).

We especially liked the cards with lines on them–very helpful for kids to keep their message from running all over the page! There are also cards with word jumbles and color-coded pictures to fill in.

Now this is a serious HOT WHEELS Track

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Mattel, marketing its Hot Wheels brand to “older boys”,  is pulling out all the stops this year. Take a look at the planned Hot Wheels track at the Indianapolis 500. (Someone is actually going to jump the 90 foot ramp).  I thought they were kidding at toy fair- but it turns out to be for real.

Having spent a good number of hours running Hot Wheels tracks down our staircase as a kid (technically they were my brother Tony’s track), I know there are many of us out there that can truly appreciate this stunt. The door will be ten stories high. Yikes. Of course my adult-self wonders what happens to the brand if someone gets injured. Is all pr good?

Cleverly, you’ll be able to buy a smaller version of this track for your door at home. The idea is to bring men back to the brand – so this type of real world event (with IZOD as a partner)  is meant not only to wow current Hot Wheel fans but to entice their dads as well.  I guess you’re supposed to play with your Hot Wheels  while wearing your Izod shirt.

With pre-event coverage already on espn.com, I’d say they’re on the right track. Sorry.

If you want to engage with Team Hot Wheels, you can follow them on their site or on Facebook (they already have over a quarter of a million fans).  I wonder what the average age is on this page.

 

 

 

Super Fun Bowling Set from Step 2

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One of the pins from Step 2's Pin Pals Bowling Set

The new Pin Pals Bowling Set from Step 2 may rank as the best toy bowling set we’ve ever tested. The reason? The clever wide-based design. The ten pins are a little bit wider than a normal toy bowling pin–making them that much easier for older toddlers and preschoolers to place into position by themselves.  With other sets, the pins often tip over when they’re being set up…where’s the fun in that?

Also because of their design, the pins can be stacked. This added a whole new dimension to setting the pins up in vertical arrangements!

One of testers at play!

Our tester stacking them up on his own

Our testers also love the funny faces on each of the pins.  If you’re of a certain age, some of the them will remind you of Mr. Bill from Saturday Night Live.

Watch our video.

behind the scenes at the Today Show

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Stephanie practicing her bird calling technique

So I was preoccupied this morning with demonstrating the bird calling whistles for Backyard Safari. One requires filling it with water–it makes the BEST noise, but it does drip and if you don’t have the right amount of water in it–it just doesn’t do its thing. Ali took video of me practicing. Click here.

If you missed the segment this morning you can watch it by clicking here. I did the segment with Ann–we got through a lot of products…but I didn’t get to say everything I wanted to about all of them..so read the article and the reviews of the products featured  – it’s all on our website: www.toyportfolio.com.