Over the summer I had two babies (both just hovering around their first birthdays) over for a family get together. “Do you have anything for them to play with?” asked one of the grandmothers. Silly question of course since during the summer even our office bathroom tub is literally overflowing with toys. I pulled out the Munchkin Caterpillar Spillers much to everyone’s surprise. With all the big toys around–why such a small set of nesting cups?
They looked a little disappointed (the grown ups, not the babies)…until they watched as one of the babies became completely engaged in picking each cup up (the other baby was playing a mean game of peek a boo with several adults)…In any case our “tester” for the evening loved the cups…she could pick them up by their little tabs…move them about, taste them, toss them…all fun. She even enjoyed it when we stacked them up and then “blew” them down.

My point–this small and inexpensive toy at $6.95 may be something you’d tend to walk by on the way to the bigger ticket items–and yet this is a great toy that can be used on the go (the cups are a perfect take along travel toy), in the bath (each has holes that are fun for exploring as the water pours through) and on the floor (put a blankie over the cups and play peekaboo)…

We debated whether they were substantial enough to put on the Platinum List–but they do meet all the criteria — well made, lasting play value, engaging…all good!

If you’re shopping for a Lego fan–look no further. These small kits ($9.99 to $12.99) are great fun to put together. They have from 59-92 pieces so it’s not a difficult build and then you have something to really play with when you’re done. Our favorite kit Red Ace ($9.99/#8493) comes with a ramp–pull back your vehicle and watch it take off as it goes off the ramp. Really fun and the price is just right.

If you are shopping for a child with ADHD it can be tricky. Bringing home a product that will engage your child and not be frustrating can be a tall order. For some general guidelines and a list of 12 specific toys please read our full article. Our recommendation is that you share the guidelines with everyone in your family!

Easy Bake Oven is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. For me there was nothing better than making a small chocolate cake with my friend Jeannie. Her house, my house–it didn’t matter–it was all about making the cake all by ourselves.

The last time we tested an Easy Bake with kids, I have to say that their reaction didn’t match my childhood memories. After about 30 minutes of using the oven, they pulled out their creation. “All of this time to make mac and cheese- we could just have nuked it in the microwave!” True–I wonder if in our new age of “instant food” if this device still captures the same enthusiasm. If you’ve tried the Easy Bake with your kids let us know what they thought.

Perhaps to engage a new generation, the folks at Easy Bake are running a Baker of the Year Contest with a pretty amazing grand prize, a trip to Disney World!

Our toy testing family was a big fan of the original Hyper Dash from Wild Planet–so we thought this was the perfect family to try out the new version designed for preschoolers – Animal Scramble.  Instead of calling out numbers or colors, the game calls out clues (sounds) about the animals.  Players have to “tag” the smaller animals (monkey, parrot, elephant and tiger) with the larger giraffe.  Designed for one to six players, this is a friendly game that calls for listening. What we really like about the game and the original Hyper Dash is that it requires kids to be up on their feet–thinking and moving!  All good. For other great games visit our website.