Newark Children Receive Hundreds of Toys in Holiday Giveaway

Photo Credit: TIF

On December 17, children in need from the West Ward neighborhood of Newark, N.J. received hundreds of toys from the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) as part of a special holiday giveaway hosted by Franciscan Charities. In attendance were representatives from TIF and Franciscan Charities, as well as elves (local volunteers) and a special appearance by Santa.

More than 700 toys were distributed to more than 600 children. The gifts were among the 500,000 toys donated throughout the year by toy industry manufacturers to The Toy Bank. Gifts were also donated via TIF’s annual Holiday Toy Drive, which is held each year from November 1 to December 31. To date, more than 175,000 toys, valued at more than $2.5 million, have been donated for this year’s Holiday Toy Drive.

Toys for the Newark event were donated by Kid O Products; Pretty Ugly, LLC; Briarpatch, Inc.; and New Adventures, LLC.

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TIA Teams Up with PunchTab for “Play Happens” Toy Fair Game

Play Happens, the official game for registered attendees of the American International Toy Fair (February 12-15), will be more interactive and engaging, due to a new partnership between the Toy Industry Association (TIA) and PunchTab, an instant loyalty rewards platform.

Play Happens will kick off online in the weeks leading up to the fair before transitioning offline into the streets of New York City during Toy Fair week. PunchTab’s instant loyalty rewards program will enable players to earn Play Happens points by interacting with the Toy Fair blog before and during the show.

Points collected online can be traded in for prizes or stockpiled for the grand prize: a NYC New Year’s Eve 2012 package. During the show, Play Happens players also earn points on a virtual game board by checking-in via their smartphones at different locations throughout New York City. The geo-location component is powered by FourSquare.

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K’nex Partners for Special Exhibit at Science Museum

The Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. has opened “K’nex: Building Thrill Rides,” a special exhibit that enables young visitors to explore the science, math, and technology behind amusement park thrill rides. Kids can find out the angular velocity of the Blender Ride as it spins about the center post, and more.

K’nex Brands is displaying models made solely from K’nex rods and connectors. The models ranges from a rollercoaster measuring more than 10 feet tall to six-foot Ferris wheel and a variety of swing rides from three to 10 feet. In addition to the exhibit, the museum will feature activities and K’nex and Kid K’nex for kids ages 6 and up and ages 3-5, respectively. The exhibit will run at this location until May 6.

For more information, visit www.mods.org and www.knexexhibits.com.

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Revisions Made to Key Parts of ASTM F963

The ASTM International Committee F15 on Consumer Products has approved revisions to ASTM F963 (Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety). Changes made to the standard include revisions to the section on heavy metals, the introduction of compositing procedures, and new safety requirements and technical guidance for bath toy projections, acoustics, and other potential safety hazards in toys.

ASTM F963, under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F15.22 on Toy Safety, includes guidelines and test methods to prevent injuries from choking, sharp edges, and other potential hazards. The standard is reviewed and updated on a regular basis by the subcommittee, which includes technical experts from academia, consumer groups, industry, and government.

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ABC Kids Expo’s 2013 Show Moves Back to Vegas

ABC Kids Expo will be moving its 2013 show back to Las Vegas after feedback from industry participants, announced All Baby & Child, Inc. (ABC), the parent company and organizer of the trade show. The location for the upcoming 10th Annual Expo, to be held October 14-17, 2012, will remain at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Most of the exhibit space for the 2012 show (75 percent) has been sold.

ABC says it is working closely with Louisville officials and suppliers to address concerns for the 2012 show. Concerns being discussed include improving healthy food options and reduction in wait times, reconstructing the expo center’s Wi-Fi system, and having more restaurant options in the city on Sunday.

For more information, or to register for the 2012 show, visit www.theabcshow.com.

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Skylanders Announces Beta Launch of its Virtual World

Image Credit: universe.skylanders.com

Activision Publishing, Inc. has launched Skylanders Spyro’s Universe, in beta, which will add another dimension to Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure. The virtual world allows kids to engage with Skylanders characters and fellow players.

Found online at www.universe.skylanders.com, the Universe is a fantasy realm of floating islands designed to encourage world-building, exploration, and friendly competition. Players who own the game or figures can input each figure’s code, or use the Portal of Power, to bring them to life inside the universe.

Those who don’t own a figure can join the virtual world by creating a free online account. Eon, the helpful Skylanders guide, will then provide newbies with a digital starter kit. For more information, visit www.universe.skylanders.com.

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BabyZoo Introduces Line of Sleep Aid Products

Bedtime and morning rituals for young children have just become easier. BabyZoo, a manufacturer of sleep aids for kids, recently launched the BabyZoo Sleep Trainer, a timer-based night-light, and more.

The BabyZoo Sleep Trainer features a monkey named Momo who signals the child when it’s time to get up and when it’s time to sleep by opening and closing its eyes. The Sleep Trainer also displays a digital and analog clock to teach children how to read time. Parents can also choose between different alarm sounds with volume control. The alarm is available in two color combos: green-and-yellow and pink-and-blue.

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Hasbro to Eliminate PVC From Packaging

Hasbro, Inc. announced that it will eliminate polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from all new core toy and game packaging, beginning in 2013. Hasbro has already begun to phase out PVC from some packaging.

Phasing out PVC in packaging is Hasbro’s most recent effort in a series of sustainable packaging initiatives by the company. The efforts, including eliminating wire ties, increasing recycled content, and sourcing paper, are designed to minimize the impact on natural resources.

To learn more about Hasbro’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, visit www.hasbro.com/csr.

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One World Futbol Donates for a World of Play

One World Futbol

“Buy One, Get One” is the model for the One World Futbol Project; for every One World Futbol sold, the company donates a second ball to organizations working on the ground in war zones, refugee camps, inner cites, and harsh environments, aiming to improve the lives of youth and adults in disadvantaged communities worldwide.

The One World Futbol is a universal, durable soccer/sports ball—one that the Project says never deflates, even in the harshest environments. With the ball anyone can play soccer or other ball sports with any endurance level.

Since July 2010, the One World Futbol Project has delivered the balls to 123 organizations in 118 countries, spreading the spirit of play to an estimated 425,000 people. The patent-pending, durable, all-terrain ball is sold online for $39.95.

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VeggiesTales Embarks on Live Show Tour

Big Idea Entertainment, a studio and producer of children’s and family programming, characters, and brands, will debut its all-new VeggieTales Live! God Made You Special tour in more than 30 major markets nationwide—including Atlanta, Nashville, Jacksonville, Birmingham, and more—beginning February 23, 2012. For the current tour itinerary, ticket information and group sales, please visit veggietales.com/live or iTickets.com.

VeggieTales characters Bob, Larry, and the rest of the cast bring zany antics to the stage with amusing, engaging storytelling and music. The show includes silly songs like “His Cheeseburger,” “Love My Lips,” “The Hairbrush Song,” and more. The show is designed to celebrate how unique and special each person is in a high-energy musical extravaganza.

World Vision has partnered with Big Idea Entertainment as a sponsor for the VeggieTales Live! God Made You Special tour. World Vision’s child sponsorship efforts provide access to necessities like clean water, health care, education, and more.

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