This winter has been a brutal one for New Yorkers (and I’m not even sure it’s over yet). I for one was more than willing to load up on the cold weather gear, donning a new bubble coat, an oversized infinity scarf, and fingerless gloves with mitten covers in a concerned effort to keep out the cold and stave off the flu. Long johns were even necessary on a few of the more brutal days this year. Though most adults are eager to be as warm as possible during the winter months, it can be difficult to get kids to bundle up willingly. My niece and nephew whine and whine about putting on their winter’s finest: “The zipper pinches my chin!,” “I can’t breathe!,” “I can’t see with this hat on,” etc., etc. A good way to combat the incessant complaining and layering reluctance is to let kids make their own cold weather accessories. [Read more...]
COMMENTARY: Everyone Has One, But I Want Mine to be Unique
Last Friday marked my niece Courtney’s eighth birthday, and what was she hoping for most? An iPod. Now, in my opinion, an 8-year-old doesn’t have much business with an iPod, but kids today are getting into electronics at a much younger age. Though part of Courtney’s argument for “needing” an iPod was, “everyone has one except for me,” the first thing she did when she got it was personalize it. Before even putting a song on it, she slapped a peace-sign sticker right on the back of it—10 minutes out of the box (hence why 8-year-olds probably shouldn’t have iPods). But, this was her way of making it her own.
For parents buying their children expensive devices such as smartphones, iPods, or even portable gaming devices like the Nintendo 3DS or the PS Vita, there are some awesome products on the market that will allow kids to dazzle and personalize their devices without placing a never-gonna-come-off, gooey-backed sticker on said device.
Plugy, from Hashy, is a universal 3.5mm plug that fits snuggly into all standard headphone jacks. Plugys come in more than 40 different styles, including zoo animals, robots, and glow-in-the-dark options. Plugy has something for everyone, including a rainbow, Eiffel Tower, and an apple stem, and allows kids to take their smart device to a more personal level in a not-so-permanent way. Plugys are made of rubber and will not break when inserted into the headphone jack. They even protect the device from rain, dust, and sand when earphones are not plugged in. Plugys are available on amazon.com and from Hanging Mobile Gallery. For more information on Plugys, email plugyUSA@gmail.com. [Read more...]
COMMENTARY: MindWare Games Test Brain Power Without Words, Numbers, or Trivia
There are so many games on the market that get the gears moving in your brain, including Scrabble, Bananagrams, Trivial Pursuit, and Boggle. But what about those of us who didn’t major in English in college or don’t have a plethora of interesting facts stored away for a rainy day? MindWare has the answer… or well, answers.
Cirplexed! is a 360-degree game of strategy that doesn’t include numbers, facts, or words. Each tile features quarter circles of different colors. Each player creates his or her own game board by drawing and placing tiles, in an attempt to create the most single-color circles. It sounds simple, but even at 23 years old, I could only match about eight circles total. Though the game is designed for two to six players, it can be played solo, as well, to put your brain to work when friends and family members aren’t around.
Moose Toys Introduces Glitzi Globes
Paul Solomon, Co-CEO, Moose Toys
Moose Toys, Australian toy company and creators of arts & crafts lines Gelarti and Blingles, introduces Glitzi Globes, a new DIY line that comes with all of the materials girls need to create their own miniature, collectible snow globes. Glitzi Globes will be available at select toy retailers nationwide starting this fall.
Glitzi Globes took home top honors at the Australian Toy Association’s (ATA) Toy Hobby & Nursery Fair earlier this week. Moose won Toy of the Year, as well as Craft & Activity Toy of the Year for Glitzi Globes. [Read more...]
Oots to Release New Products in Time for New York International Gift Fair
Oots will introduce a new range of products at the upcoming New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF), to be held from January 26 to 30 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.
First introduced last year, Woodmobiel now comes in four new models: a vanity table, a dollhouse, a helicopter, and a moped. Woodmobiel is a do-it-yourself kit of wooden parts and real tools that get kids active, stimulates creativity, and will help them understand construction.
Need Help Shopping for a Child with Special Needs? Check This Infographic
Toy Guide infographic brought to you by Child Birth Injuries.
Share VeggieTales Silliness, Songs, Fun with Select Episode Clips, Greetings on Facebook
Big Idea Entertainment, a leading studio and producer of children’s and family programming, characters, and brands, and GorillaSpot Media launch video clips from select VeggieTales episodes and greetings for special occasions through GorillaSpot Media’s ReelCards application on Facebook. The VeggieTales clips and greetings can be shared with Facebook users and their friends via social networks and over email. [Read more...]
Lego Travel Adventure Lands at the National Museum of Play in January
Where will you travel? How will you get there? The Lego Travel Adventure exhibit lands at the National Museum of Play at The Strong on January 19. The newest Lego exhibit is filled with colorful backdrops, kid-friendly building activities, and eye-popping Lego brick sculptures built by Lego Master Builders.
In Lego Travel Adventure, museum guests are invited to fly, drive, or float anywhere their imaginations take them by creating extraordinary vehicles out of Lego bricks. Hands-on activities will include: [Read more...]
Kids Wish Network Supports U.S. Military with Toys, Necessities for Operation Toy Drop
Florida-based children’s charity Kids Wish Network has provided more than $280,000 in toys and necessities in support of the U.S. Army’s Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop for children in need in Fort Bragg, N.C., and in agencies across the U.S. Kids Wish Network is an international charitable organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children having experienced life-altering situations. [Read more...]
COMMENTARY: Taking the Stress out of Travel
Seemingly endless construction and bumper-to-bumper traffic. Dead batteries in the PS Vita or Nintendo 3DS. No wi-fi connection and nothing good on the radio. Uncomfortable seatbelts and restless little bodies. Though road tripping is a great option for a large family looking for an affordable summer getaway, sometimes a long journey in a crowded car can make a vacation more stressful than it’s worth. Portable gaming systems can be great (especially when coupled with headphones), but sometimes battery-free options are a safer bet for long journeys. For parents just looking to relax, there are a few great products on the market sure to keep little ones occupied in the car for extended time periods.
Brain Box Animals, from University Games, is great for on-the-go fun. Players ages 8 and up choose a card from the box and study the picture on one side until the timer runs out. Then the players flip the card over to the question side and try to answer as many questions about the picture side as they can. The player who can answer the most questions correctly wins. Brain Box Animals helps kids stay entertained while practicing memorization and recognition and learning new information.
Each of these products are noise-free, don’t require any batteries, and will provide easy entertainment for kids during long trips. There’s enough play value in these items to keep kids happy, while mom and dad stay stress-free (as long as the GPS doesn’t malfunction).
For more commentary from Marissa, check back each Monday afternoon. Views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Toy Book as a whole. We hope that you will share your comments and feedback below. Until next time!