Hot Wheels Go From Table to Tablet

The collectable cars get a technological makeover. The Hot Wheels Apptivity Car Assortment for iPad allows kids to place their Hot Wheels cars on the tablet for a new racing experience. To play, parents download the free Hot Wheels Apptivity app from the iTunes store, and then kids place their vehicle on the screen to race. Even older fans of Hot Wheels will love this game.

The Hot Wheels Apptivity is part of Mattel new Apptivity line, which is described as “toy meets tablet,” creating a new play experience using its patent-pending “Active Touch” anti-scratch technology. The Active Touch technology on the bottom of the vehicles ensures that the tablet’s screen surface will go unscathed. Three games are included in the app, and the toy set includes two vehicles.

UNPLUGGED Summertime Play: Vital to a child’s well being


I’m intent on providing my children with every possible recreational opportunity; I’ve done the kiddie gym, music and movement classes and even splurged on high-tech gadgets and games. But all these extracurricular activities and expensive “play equipment” are beginning to hit my pocketbook pretty hard! Sure, I’ve had occasional lingering thoughts about instituting more old-fashioned types of play opportunities — but like every other 21st-century parent with a supersaturated schedule, I’ve been too busy to actually follow through and make those changes.

Then we had a blackout, courtesy of a thunderstorm and a change was literally forced upon us.

First, we all freaked out for a solid five minutes. My kids were upset they couldn’t watch television, while my husband and I frantically ransacked the house for our one working flashlight. Then something quite unexpected occurred, we lit candles, plopped ourselves on the couch and proceeded to play!I know, it sounds very kumbayish. But you’ll have to take my word for it: It was great! This compulsory family time forced us to engage in basic play such as word games, charades and sing-a-longs. For two hours, we were so occupied in ourunplugged play games, we barely noticed that there was no electricity.

Of course, once the lights went back on, we each rushed back to our respective corners: e-mailing, watching SpongeBob Square Pants, but
jointly vow to participate in unplugged play at least once a week.

My two kids Madi and Jack outdoors and READY TO PLAY!

Now with summer upon us– and the great outdoors beckoning my kids to hop, jump, skip, and scooter themselves silly, it is the perfect opportunity for parents like me and you (you know who you are) to institute play activities that require no batteries or electrical outlets — just good old-fashioned brain power.

So for all of you in need of a refresher course on some fabulous backyard, outdoor games here are a few of my favorite ones!

Get your kids outdoors and BREAK OUT the stuff you wouldn’t dare want them doing on your expensive dining room rug! Open-ended art experiences like; play dough, finger- and easel-painting, clay modeling and spin-art Playing in water — fill an outdoor tub with bubbles — run around the yard, walk the dog and engage in dramatic play scenarios. Of course no outdoor play would be complete without games like Red Light/Green Light, frisbee and pick-up soccer.

Still need a bit more inspiration?

Check out the book: “Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun,”

Bobbi Conner offers more than 700 ways to inspire valuable, creative play — that includes the essential ingredients of childhood: fresh air, make-believe, arts and crafts, problem solving and physical challenges.

By Melissa Chapman of www.thestatenislandfamily.com
Follow Toy Insider Parent Advisory Member, Melissa Chapman on Twitter @MelissaSChapman

Learn more about our Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board here.

The Return Of Gak & Floam

One of my favorite feelings I get when reviewing toys is the flashback from my own childhood. For some reason I love seeing toys and remembering the gazillion years ago that I played with toys. There is actually a museum in Philly called The Please Touch Museum where they have cases filled with toys from the ‘good old days’. You know what I’m talking about, right? Like Pogo Balls, My Little Pony, Gem and even the old ‘boxed’ Nintendo rocked my world as a kid. But now as an adult the old fashioned toys that we once spent hours on end with are so hard to find.

Needless to say-you know how excited I was when I was watching Nickelodeon with my kid and saw the commercials for Gak & Floam and its return! Awesomeness!


I love this product for so many reasons. (Let me tell you that being embedded in my carpet is not one of them…so buyer beware!!! It’s like playdoh in the respect that it does.not.come.out.)

But when Nickelodeon sent me some Gak & Floam to play with I knew it was gonna rock out!

Floam is my favorite. I have to admit. It’s probably because there is more fun to be make with it.

Gak on the other hand? Well…it’s just that. GAK. Goo. Ugh. Ew.

I love what the Urban Dictionary has for the definition of Gak.

GAK

A popular Nickolodeon slime, available in many variations such as glow in the dark, speckled, cocoanut smelling, etc. Useful for making fart noises, grossing out friends.

Me personally? I like to sniff it. And make fart sounds.

What? Immature? Well…sometimes. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone. It’s just me being a kid again. You should join me. It’s kinda gnarly dude.

By Parent Advisory Board Member: Joey Fortman
Follow Joey on Twitter @joeyfortman

A Day Without Tech: Getting Back To Classic Creative Play


Bottle Bowling


As most of you know, I review kid apps for various smartphones and tablets. As a new Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board member, I’ll be seeing a lot of toys over the next year too. Yet, I think it is important to remember that play doesn’t always have to have bells and whistles.

Toys, apps, puzzles, and dolls all help kids create imaginary places or be imaginary things, but so can other basic objects. That’s where we, as parents or caregivers, come in. It is easy to rely on the iPad or the board game to provide the stimulus and play opportunity. However, we need to think outside the box, in order to teach our kids to think outside the box too.

On a rainy day recently, we put away the iPad and the Playskool Ball Popper, and pulled out empty water bottles and a blue ball. We created our own bowling alley in our family room.

Since my son is only two, we focused on setting the bottles (using the opportunity to count).

Bottle Bowling 2

And, of course knocking them down. (Sometimes with the ball…and sometimes not.)

Bottle Bowling 3

For an older child, you can expand the play opportunity. Create homemade score sheets, find prizes that someone can win (maybe extra dessert that night or a pass on setting the table) and simulate a real game. It can be done inside on a rainy day or outside on a sunny day.

Keep a collection of bottles, paper towel rolls, and boxes in the basement, garage or closet. Pull them out from time to time to see what sparks the imagination, and to give everyone a break from technology and toys. It will expand the cognitive development of a child, but, frankly, a simple break will make the toys and tech-gear seem fresh and new again too.

All in all, the act of play should spur imagination. But sometimes, imagination itself, is what spurs the act of play.

Bottle Bowling 4

By Parent Advisory Board Member: Charlene DeLoach
Follow Charlene on Twitter @CharChronicles

Toys The Encourage Summer Learning

Brainy toys keep learning up in summer: wpri.com

Fun & Educational Todder Toy: Foam Letter Mats

The days of my floors covered with toys disappeared as my girls grew up. When my daughter had a baby, I was excited to be able to shop for toys again.

Today, I watch my grandson during the week and my house now looks like I have a toddler, with cars, trucks, toys that talk, toys that play music, and every other kind of toy scattered about. As a grandmother I love to buy loud toys but I also love toys that help my prince learn too.

One of my favorite toys that prince has at my house are big matted letters and numbers that we set up on the floor. These are my favorite for a few reasons.

I love that they cover a large area in my living room, making the ground soft for him. When my prince comes over, we set them up on the floor for his play area. They fit together like a puzzle. You can create words or set them up so the ABC’s are in order. It becomes a fun game that is new every time.

When we set them up we usually leave them down and play with other toys on top of them. We can jump, walk, and roll all over our number mat. These are great for a playroom and when he didn’t crawl, we never worried about him finding anything on the rug.

In addition to being great for functional reasons, throughout the day we find letters and sing our ABC’s as we hop from letter to letter making it educational.

I’m still not sure if I like these more than him. When he comes over, I sit on the floor creating my masterpiece. We’ll be able to use these for years to come spelling lots of words.


Who wouldn’t love giant over-sized colored foam letters?!



By Parent Advisory Board Member: Rachel Ferrucci
Follow Rachel on Twitter @RachelFerrucci

When the toy doesn’t deliver what’s on the package

by: Parent Advisory Board Member, Melissa Chapman www.thestatenislandfamily.com


My seven year old boy is extremely visual insofar as just seeing a particular painting, figure or even a snippet of a television commercial will inspire him to create his own artwork and rendering of said image. Which is why I do everything I possibly can to keep from taking him to a toy store, where like a moth to a flame, the seductive pictures of boys playing with trains and cars will have my son over a barrel claiming that each one of these toys is burgeoning with a magical world that is just “waiting for him to explore” ( I promise those are his words not mine-I told you this kid was crafty)… but I digress.

Case in point-a lovely toy company sent me a train set. The box it came in bore this wintry scene, of snow capped mountains and a bristling electric blue train traversing through a village nestled within these mountains while the kids on the box acted as conductors of said train. I have to admit, even I was taken aback by the sheer glory of this picture and I’m confident the experience it seemed to evoke within me- was magnified tenfold in that of my son. My boy took one look at the box and began to regale me with all the adventures he would take his characters on, on this magical train and how they too would whisk passed these whitened mountains and oh the hijinx which would ensue- well it would be legendary.

I tried to explain to my son, that this train scene he beared witness to on the box was not likely what he would experience once he opened said box; that these wintry scenes he expected to pull out of the box more than likely would be pieces of cardboard that would act as a back drops for his train scene. Of course not one to be deterred and far too influenced by the tantalizing pictures of fun filled scenes on the toy box, my seven year old gingerly pulled the train tracks out of this box along with those cardboard snows scenes. And then he continued digging into the box for more…until he looked and me and said, ” Mommy this is not the train set I thought I was going to get. Are you sure there are no mountains and snow in there?”

Lesson here parents-…beware of toy boxes that promise scenes of the great outdoors (oh and of ones that show a train moving on its own when indeed that train is NOT electric!) Not only will they more likely than not be disappointed, but then you’ll be stuck with one more toy in your house to attempt and find space for…and I don’t know about you but I’m trying to hoard less not more!

Follow Toy Insider Parent Advisory Member, Melissa Chapman on Twitter @MelissaSChapman

Learn more about our Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board here.

Toy Insider Mom On Today: Toys Using Your Smart Devices


The biggest trend we are seeing with toys right now is the use of technology in them, with them, and controlling them. Whether it’s driving, or flying, augmented reality, games for all ages, or tablets for the family, these toys are aging up, keeping “kids” in the game longer, and are using what’s already in kids (and adults) hands..their smart devices. This is the beginning of an entirely new generation of how we play.

Today, our Toy Insider Mom visited with the Today Show to give a the scoop on this hot new toy trend.

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

Porsche and Enzo Ferrari (Silverlit)

Age: 10+
MSRP: $79.99
www.Silverlit.com
– This R/C Car designed to run using the power of your iPod touch, iPhone or iPad as the remote control. The Bluetooth connection requires NO other attachments.
– Full gesture control allows you to control the car with the tilt of the controller.
– The app recreates the dashboard design from Porsche.
– Headlights, tail lights, signal lights are triggered from the app.


Wi-Spi Helicopter (Interactive Toy Concepts)
Age: 14+
MSRP: $99.99
Available fall
www.interactivetoy.com
– Live Video Feed direct to device
– 3 channel Wi-Fi Flight Control
– Apple/Android compatible
– Record Video and pictures while in flights
– Upload instantly to FB, You Tube, email, etc.



HELO TC Assault (Griffin Technology)
Age:14+
MSRP: $59.99
www.griffintechnology.com
– Plug the included Flight Deck module into the headphone jack of any iOS or Android device, download the HELO TC Assault app, and users are ready to fly and attack from the sky.
– Flight Deck translates commands from phone into infrared signals that beam to the helicopter
– Fly and attack, this heli is equipped with six live-fire missiles
– App also provides features not available with other RC helicopters, such as Auto Land
– Fly in one of two ways, Touch Control (using a virtual joystick on the touchscreen display) or Tilt to Steer (tilting the smartphone to maneuver the chopper)
– Similar to the original HELO TC, features a twin-rotor design and ability to record up to three flight plans for easy repetition

zAPPed (Hasbro)
zAPPed Games (Hasbro)
2 to 4 players
Ages: 8+
MSRP: $24.99 (THE GAME OF LIFE available now…other games in fall)
www.hasbro.com
– zAPPed games are available for THE GAME OF LIFE, MONOPOLY and BATTLESHIP.
– Elements of these games will come to life when apps on iOS devices join with a game board to create a unique social twist on the digital gaming experience.
– The first game available is THE GAME OF LIFE zAPPed,
– With more than 100 laugh-out-loud clips from “America’s Funniest Videos” mixed with humorous animations, the game provides a new spin on the beloved classic game.
– Simply download the THE GAME OF LIFE zAPPed app onto the iPad, cue up the game, place the iPad on the game board, and watch as game comes to life on each turn as you travel around the game board.
– Players can create and upgrade their own Peg Person and spin THE GAME OF LIFE zAPPed virtual spinner in the accompanying iPad app.


iPieces (Pressman Toy)
Compatible with iPad
For 2 to 4 players
Ages 4+
MSRP: $9.99 each
www.PressmanToy.com
– iPieces introduces a new generation of board games for the whole family, played with physical game pieces made specially for the iPad
– Buy the iPieces for the game you’d like to play and then download the corresponding iPieces app for free from the App store.
– Your iPad serves as the game board and iPieces game pieces activate astonishing animations and special effects, which literally bring the game to life.
– Assortment includes: Fishing Game, Air Hockey, Snakes & Ladders, and Game of Goose


Kurio7 (Techno Source)
Ages 4 to 14, and fun for the whole family
MSRP: $199 (8” and 10” models also available)
www.KurioTablet.com
Available July
– Kids today want real tablets like mom and dad’s, not toy versions; but, parents are often hesitant to hand theirs over because they are expensive and they have unrestricted access to online content
– Kurio7 is a real Android tablet for families that offers parents a more affordable kid-tough option and complete parental control; everything from internet access and time control, to app access and purchasing control. 
– Parents can create up to 8 different user profiles, including their own offering complete online access, and customize profiles for each child allowing access to age appropriate content—as the child gets older, they can allow for more access
– The Kurio app store will launch with 4,000 Android Market apps approved for children under the age of 14.  The apps will have no in-game advertising or micro-transactions.  Kurio7 will also come pre-loaded with 3 to 5 well-known apps (TBD).  
– Includes a durable protective shell.  

SPRING INTO SUMMER WITH TOP FUN IN THE SUN TOYS!



Here’s “What’s Hot” in the Toy Aisles This Coming Season…

New York, NY (April 24th, 2012) – The Toy Insider, the preeminent consumer publication for toys, has released its Spring Edition online at thetoyinsider.com. Featuring five categories for both spring and summer toys, the Toy Insider assists gift givers in selecting the “hottest” toys for the outdoor and travel season.

Entering its seventh year, the Toy Insider is made up of a panel of industry experts that review hundreds of products each and every year. As parents first and toy experts second, the team reviews each product to evaluate product features and overall value, narrowing their selections to the best of the best.

“After reviewing hundreds of products, we created a list that is jam-packed with play value and includes something for everyone,” says Laurie Schacht, Toy Insider Mom. “Whether you’re shopping for a 5-year-old boy or 13-year-old girl, we’ve got you covered.”

The five categories listed below offer a variety of products for boys and girls of all ages at varying price points:

OUTDOOR TOYS– Kids are ready to get outside and break a sweat with these fun toys!
WATER TOYS– A little H2O can go a long way with these toys. It’s amazing to see what the addition of water can do for a game of tag!
TRAVEL TOYS & GAMES- Whether you’re taking a ride across the country or just visiting grandparents a few towns over, these toys will help pass the time.
PHYSICAL/ACTIVE TOYS- Keep kids off the couch with these hands-on toys for great indoor or outdoor fun!
NATURE & EDUCATIONAL TOYS- Discover, learn, and explore with these unique products.

Log on to thetoyinsider.com to view the complete list of toys, including product descriptions and photos. Visit regularly throughout the season for updated blogs about all things of interest to gift givers and children.

For more information, contact pr@thetoyinsider.com.

Introducing Our Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board!


The response to our call for applications for our very first Parent Advisory Board was amazing! We had so many truly brilliant parent bloggers that applied (THANK YOU to each and every one of you!). The task of selecting just four was not an easy one- and we are seriously considering adding additional members in the near future.

But, after 2 wks of sifting through 200 applications and Pinterest boards, we are excited to tell you that our search for our first 4 members is officially complete!

Each board member has children of a various ages that they shop for and play with– one them is even a Grandma! We are confident that together these Moms will provide a keen insight into how parents today define “cool toys”.

Lead by Corine of ComplicatedMama.com, our parent advisory members will be contributing to our site every Wednesday giving you their thoughts and feedback on all things play.

The Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board will be meeting in the upcoming weeks to check out some of the toys we’ve begun checking out for our Spring List and voting on their favorites. We could not be more thrilled to meet with them and see which toys they pick as their favorites!

Now without further adue,
Meet our very first Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board–


Joey Fortman
www.joeyfortman.com
Twitter: @joeyfortman
Joey’s Toy Insider Pinterest Boarhttp://pinterest.com/joeyfortman/top-toys/

_________________________________________________________________________
Melissa Chapman
www.thestatenislandfamily.com /www.marriedmysugardaddy.com
Twitter: @Madijack
Melissa’s Toy Insider Pinterest Board: http://pinterest.com/melissachapma/toy-insider/

_________________________________________________________________________
Charlene DeLoach Oliver
www.charlenechronicles.com
Twitter: @CharChronicles
Charlene’s Toy Insider Pinterest Board– http://pinterest.com/charchronicles/toy-insider/

_________________________________________________________________________
Rachel Ferrucci
www.rachelferrucci.com
Twitter: @rachelferrucci
Rachel’s Toy Insider Pinterest Board: http://pinterest.com/rachelferrucci/toy-insider-top-picks/
_________________________________________________________________________
Lead by:
Corine Ingrassia
www.complicatedmama.com
Twitter: @Complicatedmama

Travel Toys With The Toy Insider Mom


Schools all over are getting ready for their Easter/Passover break. Many families plan on traveling to relatives houses and for mini get aways with the kids. If you have an upcoming trip with the little ones, our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht, visited with ABC Money Matters to giver her suggestions for travel toys this spring!

video platform
video management
video solutions
video player

Hello Kitty Small Case Ice Cream Palor or Pool Party (Mega Bloks)
Age: 4+
SRP: $14.99
– Portable cases to create and decorate on the go!
– Have Hello Kitty make some yummy ice cream for her and her friends or help her throw them a fun pool party for all to enjoy!
– All pieces included fit perfectly inside the cute cases and are easy to transport with the carrying handle!



LEGO® Star Wars™ ZipBin® Small Millennium Falcon™ Minifigure Case (Neat-oh!)
Ages: 3+
MSRP: $14.99
– This Millenium Falcon shaped case is home for 23 LEGO Star Wars Minifigures, each in their own pocket.
– The detailed artwork creates an awesome play experience and playmat on the inside and outside of the case!
– Race through space and dodge the pursuing Tie Fighters, all while keeping your figurines neatly tucked away.
– Weighs less than half a pound and wipes clean with a damp cloth. 


LEGO Star Wars Mini Figures (Lego)
Ages: 6 to 12
MSRP: $12.99 for Star Wars Endor Rebel Trooper & Imperial Trooper
– The Star Wars line has sold in excess of 200 million boxes worldwide since its 1999 launch.
– More than 340 LEGO Star Wars models have been developed, replicating iconic scenes and starships, as well as more than – – 425 minifigures from the Star Wars universe.
– Sets depict everything from the feature film Saga to the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
* These mini figures are not sold separately, but part of larger sets.


DIZZY DANCERS Assortment (HASBRO)
MSRP: $8.99
Ages: 4 & up
– Take a spin with DIZZY DANCERS pets, a playful assortment of twirling, spinning animals
– Simply pull the included dizzy cord to set these pets in motion and watch as they spin and dance wherever you place them.
– Each DIZZY DANCERS pet comes with a spinning base, dizzy cord and a twistin’ tricks card that challenges girls to complete cool tricks with their pets. Girls can collect more than 50 DIZZY DANCERS characters this year, and interchange the top and bottom of any pet to create a custom DIZZY DANCERS collection of her own.


My First Crayola Dry Erase Activity Mat (Crayola)
Age:  24 mo. and up
MSRP: $9.99
– Perfect for colorful on-the-go creativity, the My First Crayola Dry-Erase Activity Mat features 12 activities that slip into place in the map so little ones can draw, erase and draw again with Crayola Washable Triangular Dry-Erase Crayons.
– The crayons’ triangular shape guides little fingers into a “tripod” or writing grip.
– The mat folds up easily and features carrying handles and built-in storage for convenience and portability.
– The fun is endless, as the dry-erase colors cleanly and easily wipe off the mat.
– Includes a portable activity mat, 12 reusable activity sheets, 4 Washable Triangular Dry-Erase Crayons and an erasing cloth


PLAY-AWAY PUPPETS (Demdenco)
Ages: 0+
MSRP: $12
– Kids can play the day away with Nat & Jules’ new line of Play-Away Puppets!
– Made of super soft plush, the Play-Away Puppets are available as eight different animals, so kids can put on a show with the entire cast of friendly animals.
– Styles available include: Gunda (Giraffe), Griff (Lion), Bingley (Monkey), Elma (Elephant), Colbie (Pig), Graizey (Cow), Horace (Horse), Vert (Frog). Surface washable.


Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure (Activision)
Ages: 6+
MSRP: $7.99 each
– Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure is a boldly innovative adventure game and collectible play experience that allows you to “Bring Your Toys to Life.”
– Through a revolutionary use of technology players can collect real-world toys and transport them directly into the game using a mystical Portal of Power – a magical gateway between our world and the Skylands that allows players to bring their toys to life by teleporting them directly into the game.
– The additional cost of a new toy offers new content and play experiences on the consoles, the web, 3DS and soon on mobile devices – providing families with hours of additional entertainment in the virtual worlds, as well as in the real world.
– The game’s innovative online and offline play experience can spark kids’ imaginations in ways that neither a toy or video game alone can do.


Ryan Oakes Magic Sets (Poof Slinky)
Ages: 8+
MSRP: $5.00
– So easy to travel with with these travel size boxes
– Each has 15 magic tricks
– Keeps your little magicians busy and engaged


Nuzzles Alice Bunny (Gund)
Age: 1+
MSRP: $20
– This is the plush that hugs you back.
– This soft bunny with the extra large head (and cute bunny teeth!) is designed to lay gently and comfortably against your neck and cheek.
– A great addition to any child’s bedroom or playroom, Alice also offers a soft place to lay your head on longer car or plane rides, or while you’re watching TV!


Furry Couture (Douglas Company)
Ages 3+
MSRP: $25
– Meet Rachel Chihuahua who is crazy hot in regal purple cheetah print outlined in sheer purple ruffles that are trimmed in satin. And elegant in hot pink cheetah print is Kira Shih-Tzu.
– Each animal print Furry Couture bag wears a full feather boa around the animal’s neck for an extra touch of glam.
– Great for little girls to carry their most important items on the road with them


Goodnight Moon Bunny™ (Zoobies)
Ages: 3+ (safety tested for all ages)
MSRP: $39.99
– The polite and refined little bunny is the perfect cuddle buddy.
– From his cute rabbit ears to his soft, striped pajamas, Goodnight Moon is too adorable.
– This is a plush toy and it’s also a pillow with a printed cozy coral fleece blanket zipped inside.
– 100% polyester and easy to wash.
– Blanket unzips to machine wash and spot was the plush


LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet (LeapFrog)
Ages: 4-9
– LeapFrog will continue to be a “must have” item in 2012 thanks to its growing content library of educational entertainment offerings.  
– Educational and fun, comes built in with 4 apps
– New Self-paced Ultra eBooks such as the new Disney Princess Cinderella and LeapSchool: How Not to Clean Your Room are unique because kids read at their own pace with auto adjust for reading levels, have on-demand phonics help and comprehension activities
– Disney Cinderella has kids playing games and learning activities as they help her get ready for the ball which comes in cartridge and app form


The Little Tikes Bubble Camera (Imperial Toys)
Ages 3+
MSRP $12.99
– This is a great way for young photographers to enjoy hours of picture snapping fun while creating tons of magical bubbles!
– The Little Tikes Bubble Camera blows tons of bubbles out of the lenses
includes an easy grip handle and activator made especially for small hands.
– The Little Tikes Bubble Camera encourages active play, imagination, and love for the arts while mimicking mommy and daddy with their cameras!
– Includes Super Miracle Bubbles Premium Plus Solution in 100% recyclable bottle.

Lay N Go: Simplifying On The Go Play & Clean Up


You are trying to leave the house and your child asks–

“Mommy can I bring a toy?”
“Ok, but just one!”

Fast forward 10 minutes and 12 toys later, you are finally ready to leave with your suitcase of toys- knowing you are inevitably going to come home with one less.
As a Mom of two, this scenario is all too familiar. Other playtime scenarios that are familiar? Losing puzzle pieces, and stepping on legos {ouch} which is why I had to share with you this genius item below that was developed by a Mom!



It is called the Lay-n-Go.

The Lay-n-Go is a a play mat that cinches up to store toys, puzzle pieces, Legos, Matchbox cars or whatever else your child loves to play with, making it not only easier to travel with toys but to clean them up as well!

Product features:
– Quickly closes for hands free carrying and storage
– Washable and wipeable high quality fabrics
– Velcroed storage pocket to stow the drawstring
– 5′ Lay-n-Go features inside pockets / shoulder strap
– 18″ Lay-n-Go LITE is perfect for life life on the go
– Lead and Phthalate Free

This play mat/storage system is also a perfect baby shower gift because Moms of infants are always bringing toys on the go and also looking for a clean space for baby to play.

The Lay-n-Go retails between $ 24.95 – $64.95 and is currently available in 2 sizes-
Large (5′ pictured above) which is perfect for storing toys with many pieces- think Legos or in my sons case, a large collection of action figures and accessories.
Medium (18″)- which is ideal for taking along a few favorites on the road.


What do you think of the Lay-n-Go? How could you see yourself using it?

Little Tikes TykeStix: Indoor Fort Building Fun

For decades kids have used pillows, blankets and boxes to create forts, houses, racecars and more.
Well now, Little Tikes is taking that indoor building fun to new levels with their new TikeStix construction sets.
build an indoor fort

TikeStix allows kids to build their own large play environments with jumbo size interlocking building stix and connectors.

We love how these construction sets promotes child parent interaction! It is the perfect indoor activity for a rainy day!

The TikeStix™ building sets come with 30-50 pieces each and are all interchangeable.
There are currently four different play sets available for ages 4+ : clubhouse $49.99 , playhouse $49.99 , rocket $29.99 , and doghouse $29.99.

Goodnight Moon Zoobie- Exclusive Easter Discount!



There are so many reasons we love Zoobies, but if we had to name just a few we would have to tell you they are adorable, incredibly soft, and perfect cuddle toy.

If you are unfamiliar with Zoobies, they are high quality 3-in-1 plush toys that transform from toy to pillow to blanket. The Zoobies come in a variety of animals and classic story time favorites like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Good Night Moon.

The Good Night Moon Zoobie makes the perfect Easter gift. From his cute rabbit ears, to his soft, striped pajamas, Goodnight Moon is simply too adorable to resist.
The Goodnight Moon Zoobie retails for $39.99, but from now until April 8th, Toy Insider readers will receive 30% off by entering code: EASTER at check out.

March Madness With Alex Toys!


March Madness is not just about basketball anymore!

This week, our friends over at Alex Toys are kicking off a little March Madness bracket pool of their own, and the winner will receive an Alex Toys prize pack valued at $500!


From Alex Toys Facebook page:

Each round contestants will face off against an opponent. Whoever has the most votes (“likes”) at the end of the round, will move on to the next round. There are 3 rounds in total.


The winner of this pool not may be the envy of the office, but their kids will certainly dub them the “coolest Mom or Dad around!”

So, what do you say? You say you want in on this tournament?

Visit The official ALEX TOYS Facebook page today to enter your name for the first draft!

International Toy-Celeb: Sophie The Giraffe


Are you expecting or knowing someone who is?

If you answered yes, then we must introduce you to Sophie The Giraffe.


baby shower gift sophie giraffe
Sophie is a 7-inch-tall rubber teething toy that is manufactured in eastern France by Vulli.

This simplistic, classic infant toy has been around since 1961- and recently sent the internet buzzing when the Wall Street Journal reported that in 2010, one Sophie the Giraffe was sold for nearly every French newborn that was born (816,000 giraffes in France, and 828,000 babies were born).
YOWZERS!

Here in the U.S., Martha Stewart has named Sophie a baby must-have and Sophie has even been spotted in the hands of dozens of celeb babies.

photo credit: LuxLittle.com

So what is it about Sophie that new parents can’t get enough of?

Sophie is….

– Phthalates and BPA free
– Facilitates baby development
– Numerous parts to chew and play safely
– Made of 100% natural rubber and food paint



You can find Sophie online retailing between $20-$25.

Smurfs On Tour!


La, la, la-la, la, la…..

Who can resist the Smurfs? We just recieved some exciting news about Smurf-tastic appearances popping up across the country and we wanted to be sure to share!

Springtime Go-Kart fun with YBike


Even though we love the many cool video games that are available today, we are still always looking for ways to get kids to unplug and get moving.

The YBIKE Explorer is a 3 wheeled Go-Kart that will have kids enthusiastically working their muscles while having fun this spring.



What makes YBIKE’s new Explorer go-kart different from other go-karts is that it is powered completely by kid pedal power. It is sleek and functional in design and features two easy grip handles to make the ride secure. There is also a unique back wheel steering feature that makes this go-cart easy to maneuver while cruising around.


YBIKE Explorer features:

– Kid powered – no batteries just pedal power
– Gets kids to unplug and trade screen time for green time outdoors
– Beautifully designed, sleek engineering featuring rear wheel steering and easy to grip handles.
– Recommended for kids ages 5 and up (max weight 100 lbs)

The YBike is available in April and will retail for $189.99

Educational Games: Practice Math With Count em’ Up Popcorn

When we find a game that is both educational and fun- we can’t help but share.

If you are practicing skills like counting and number recognition, Smart Snacks Count Em’ Up Popcorn is a game we found during Toy Fair that we believe is both a fun and educational for kids (preschool thru kindergarten).

Pre-schoolers are visual learners and this game teaches number sequence by correlating it to cups that are all labeled by number smallest to largest- making math easy to understand.

What’s more is that the pieces to this set also double for great role play accessories for a pretend movie night!
We love toys that can offer various play options!

This set includes chunky popcorn kernels that are perfect for little hands, nested popcorn bowls labeled 1 thru 5. Each bowl perfectly fits the amount of kernels labeled.

Smart Snacks Count em’ Up Popcorn is currently available at retail for $17.99

St. Patricks Day Cheer With Plush!


St. Patricks day is just around the corner and we could not help ourselves but to dig around for some of the most fun and festive St. Patrick’s day toys!

Angry Birds seasons is still as popular as ever- and these Angry Bird plush definitely have the St.Patrick’s Day flair.

Little girls cannot get enough of Hello Kitty, and this Limited Edition Hello Kitty cannot get enough of Shamrocks.

Build-A-Bear has some adorable fun and festive animals you can build and customize to your liking- like Lucky Plaid Teddy.

Last but certainly not least, Webkinz Clover Cat. Webkinz pets are lovable plush pets that each come with a unique Secret Code that lets you enter Webkinz World and play with a virtual version of your pet and this little guy is ready to celebrate the luck of the irish!

Skylanders Introduces New Spyro’s Adventure Characters

Since last holiday season, Skylanders has been all the rage and now the action packed video game line has introduced even more characters to collect and play with!
Introducing….

Like the original characters, kids can bring Lightning Rod, Sunburn and Zook to life in the Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure video game or at the Skylanders Spyro’s Universe web world.

Lightning Rod is a celebrity among the Skylanders and joins Whirlwind and Sonic Boom to the roster of available air element characters. His primary attack, the lightning bolt, packs a powerful zap, while his secondary attack – grand lightning summoning – can take out a wider range of baddies.

Sunburn is part dragon and part phoenix, making him one of the most unique creatures in Skylands. Sunburn hails from the fire element and although he can breathe flames like the best of them, he can also teleport to protect himself. Sunburn rounds out the line-up of fire characters, joining Ignitor, Flameslinger and Eruptor.

Zook is a life character and comes locked and loaded with a bazooka attack. His hand-carved bamboo bazooka fires special explosive thorns and he can protect himself with his foliage barriers as he wanders throughout Skylands. Zook joins Stealth Elf and Stump Smash in the currently available line-up of life characters.

New Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure characters are now available at major retailers for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC and 3DS.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________
*** UPDATE ** In regards to recent retail shipments of the latest Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure figurines we received this statement from an OFFICIAL SKYLANDERS REP:

“Shipments have already gone out to retailers nationwide but these shipments were light and due to high product demand, many retailers sell out quick making it hard to find these toys. However, shipments to retailers will continue throughout the month and we are projecting heavier allotments and expect it will be easier to find them.

To help navigate, we wanted to send along some additional details on where you can find the different Skylanders in your area. The Dragon’s Peak Adventure Pack is available only at Toys ‘R Us so might be harder to find. The Zook and Lightning Rod characters are being shipped to retailers nationwide including Toys ‘R Us, Best Buy, Gamespot, Walmart and Target”

Nicktoons MLB Video Game – Now In 3-D

Remember that fun Nicktoons MLB Video Game we shared with you last year? Well, this year they are stepping up the game’s features by offering a version in for Nintendo 3DS!


From Press Release:

In addition to updated rosters and logos from last season’s Nintendo DS™ version – including the Miami Marlins’ colorful new uniform – Nicktoons MLB 3D features 15 ballparks like the all-new Ook Park of Monkey Quest fame and Chase Field™, the site of the 2011 All-Star Game. New gameplay modes allow players to create a custom All-Star match-up in Showdown; use the augmented reality (AR) feature to enhance their cutter in Frosty Freeze Toss; blast line drives at oncoming boulders in Rock ‘N Roll and more. Nicktoons MLB 3D also supports wireless two-player action for the ultimate in head to head competition (Two Nintendo 3DS systems and two copies of the game are required for this mode).


Nicktoons MLB 3D is the first baseball game for the Nintendo 3DS™ and is available at retail for the suggested price of $29.99.

Free Lorax Printable Activities




Did your kids love the Lorax this weekend?

The Lorax is not just an adorable children’s story, it also has a greater message telling children (and adults too!) that we need to care for the environment.

Every Inkling Makes A Difference

Checkout these free printable stickets and activity pages reminding kids of their new favorite movie and the environmental message it sends-

You can print any of the above Lorax activities and more on HP’s creative studio site

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!




The spirit of Dr. Seuss is in the air today! From Seussville to New York, every where we look people are sharing Dr. Seuss pictures, quotes, crafting activities and even some fun Dr. Seuss themed food ideas!

Today, the day that the highly anticipated children’s film- The Lorax – hits theaters, Dr. Seuss would have been 108 years old!

Through out his career, Dr. Seuss authored over 60 children’s books that families today still treasure. In honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday Random House and the National Education Association has named March “National Reading Month”, encouraging parents and children to read together.

Living in the age of tech some of Dr. Seuss’ most famous stories have been brought to life through apps- and in celebration of the Dr’s Birthday and national reading month- OceanHouse Media has put many of those interactive Seuss app on sale– some are even being offered for free!

Here are just a few of their apps on sale-

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

The Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board- The Search Is On!


If you are a mom or dad blogger with an eye for picking out the toys kids love, you could be part of The Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board!

For six years, the Toy Insider team has worked year round, scouting out the hottest toys for the holiday season. Our list is featured every holiday in Woman’s Day magazine and our toy picks have been showcased by our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht, on both local and national TV programs, such as The Today Show and CBS’ The Talk.

This year—for the first time ever—we are publishing a spring edition of the Toy Insider! As we gear up for our first spring toy selection process, we could think of no better time to add the voice of influential mom and dad bloggers to our team of toy testers.

Becoming Part of the Team

We are currently seeking four parent bloggers for a year-long commitment to join our very first Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board!

Parent Advisory members will be:

– Invited to our offices in New York City twice a year to preview the toys being considered for our spring and holiday guides. Travel stipend included.

– Involved in our toy selection process by voting on favorites and adding a “Parent Advisory Pick” badge to selected toys.

– Featured on a dedicated Parent Advisory page in digital editions of the 2012 spring and holiday Toy Insider. These issues reach over 40,000 subscribers in the toy licensing, retail and toy manufacturing community.

– Highlighted on thetoyinsider.com’s Parent Advisory page with picture, bio, personal blog, and social media links.

– Contributing their toy opinions to our official blog (compensation will be $40/per post)

– Fully promoted and supported by all Toy Insider social channels year round

{{REQUIREMENTS & APPLICATION}}

– At minimum, applicants must have one year blogging experience.

– When selected, board members are asked to announce their partnership to their readers on their blogs.

– Any and all posts on the participants’ blogs regarding the Toy Insider Parent Advisory Board must provide full disclosure in accordance to FTC guidelines.

– Board members must commit to submitting one original 400-500 word post per month on The Toy Insider® blog.

– Board members will be required to sign both an NDA and Non-compete form. The non-compete applies to online and print toy publications and does not apply to work done with manufacturers directly.

– Board members are asked to promote their Toy Insider posts through their social channels. Board members are also encouraged (though not required) to support other member’s posts as well.

Our application process is Pinteresting!
To apply for this opportunity, we are asking you to tell us which toys you would have selected as last years “hottest”, by creating your own “Toy Insider” Pinterest board filled with your top 5-10 picks from The Toy Insider 2011 Holiday (broken out by age on the right side of our home page). .

When complete, please fill out this short form.

Deadline for entry is midnight, March 19th.

Talking Toy Fair 2012 With Kathie Lee And Hoda

A Day At Toy Fair With The Toy Insider Mom

This week while at Toy Fair, our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht took ABC World News Now around the Expo floor showing them some of the cool new toys coming out in 2012.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Are Back!

Those lovable Heroes in a half shell will be back in 2012 in a big way!

Nickelodeon’s all-new CG-animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series will premiere in Fall 2012- leaving both parents and kids filled with excitement. This week at Toy Fair, we got a sneak peak at some of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys that are set to debut this year as well.

Playmates Toys, the driving force behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles toys in the 80’s– is now introducing a new product line for the new series. The 2012 toy line will consist of all-new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle basic and deluxe action figures, playsets and vehicles as well as Ninja role-play gear.

Here is a look at some of the TMNT toys we checked out this week at Toy Fair.

Toy Fair- Bandai 2012

Today we had the chance to take a look at some of the fun new toys Bandai has in store for 2012.

In the Ben 10 Omniverse series both the teenage-Ben and the much loved 10 year old Ben are getting a makeover and the toys reflect just that.



In addition to the action figures, Bandai’s new 2012 Ben 10 Omniverse licensed toys include several playsets and the Ben 10 Omnitrix Touch–

and spy gear, modeled here by Toy Trend Expert, Reyne Rice–

Our Toy Insider Mom was especially excited to see the new connect-and-play Pac Man game. Did you know that Pac-Man has 256 Levels?

Playing through 256 levels without being able to save the game seems almost unimaginable today, doesn’t it? In addition to PacMan, this connect-and-play system also includes 12 of your favorite retro arcade games and features a concealed storage area for TV connector cord.

Inside the Bandai booth we also saw some great Power Rangers Super Samurai action figures, vehicles, role play items and Megazords.

We fill you in on even more details about these toys and many others we’re finding here at Toy Fair over the next week.

Toy Fair Preview!

Curious to see some of the coolest toys that will be showcased at the Jacob Javits Center this week for the 2012 Toy Fair? Our Toy Insider Mom is giving you a preview– video platform
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Stay Tuned to The Toy Insider site and social channels for more sneak peeks from Toy Fair!

Nickelodeon introduces NickMom

Yesterday, Nickelodeon announced a new development slate for the newest addition to the Nickelodeon Family- NickMom.

NickMom will be a prime time comedy block (airing from 9pm-1am) and web site designed specifically for today’s moms. With a mix of talk shows, stand up, sketch comedy, hidden camera, and game shows, this all new mom programming will be debuting late 2012.

Here is a sneak peek at the line up–       

                                                                                                                                       
NickMom Night Out: (26 episodes) a stand-up comedy series that takes moms out for a night at the comedy club.  Featured comedians include Judy Gold, Corey Kahaney, B Phlat and Deena Blizzard, all offering their humorous takes on the joy and pain of parenting.

A hybrid sketch/talk series starring and executive produced by comedian and actress Caroline Rhea and Emily Cohen (Title TBD).

It’s Nighttime with Annabelle Gurwitch – A new breed of talk show that looks at the world through Gurwitch’s unique mom-colored glasses, executive produced by Gurwitch and Elyse Roth (former The Daily Show producer).

The 5th Hour – A scripted comedy show inspired by morning news shows and hosted by mom comics in the roles of the news team. Executive produced by Mad Cow Productions (Madeleine Smithberg, executive producer The Daily Show with John Stewart), Sarah North and Jordan Tilzer (Roar).

The Judi & Kate Show – A real-life, modern-day Laverne and Shirley, these two mom video bloggers have a lot to say, and the worldwide web is listening. The Judi & Kate Show is a show within a show, going inside their world for their own unique take on motherhood. Executive produced by Coolfire Productions (Welcome to Sweetie Pies).

Mommy Double – Because every mom wishes she had a twin helper, we bring in a mommy double to get the job done…or at least try to.  Executive produced by Magda Liolis and Eileen Braun (Figure It Out, Bet the House).

Oblivious – A game show contestants don’t know they are on, where unsuspecting moms get the chance to answer trivia for cold hard cash. Executive produced by Scott Stone (Stone and Company, Brain Surge).

My 63 Moms -Completely uneducated about babies, comic and first-time mom Andrea Rosen turns to moms across the country to tell her everything they think she needs to know, and then some. Executive produced by Linda Schaeffer and Barbara Kanowitz Small, with Andrea Rosen.

Road Mamas – This docu-series follows three stand-up comedian moms and eight kids in one RV, where they buckle up for a funny, messy ride. Executive produced by Chris Debeic/Triternal Studios.

What do you think? Will you be tuning in to NickMom when the kids have gone to bed?

Win A Set Of Cody Simpson Dolls!



If you have a tween in your family, the name Cody Simpson is surely a name you’re familiar with. From his overnight YouTube superstardom to being named Disney Channel’s NBT (Next Big Thing), Cody Simpson has made it into the hearts of millions of young fans.

Designed especially for Cody’s biggest fans, The Wish Factory has created a new line of Cody Simpson dolls available exclusively at Toys “R” Us.
{MSRP $19.99}
Besides looking exactly like Cody, these 11½ inch fashion dolls sport his signature side-swept surfer do and Aussie style of jeans and a t-shirt. The dolls feature bendable joints and each includes a pair of shoes, sunglasses, microphone, guitar pick and lanyard.

This Thursday, Cody Simpson kicks off his very first sold-out tour, “Welcome To Paradise”– and while we could not score a pair of tickets for you (and believe me we tried), we were able to score 2 sets of Cody Simpson dolls for 2 lucky fans!

To win all you have to do enter via the Win tab on our Facebook page It’s that simple!

Contest runs from 2/1/12 (12:00am ET) thru 2/8/12 (11:59pm ET)
2 winners will be selected and contacted 2/9/12. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.
Each prize pack contains 2 Cody Simpson dolls and is has an approx value of $40.00
For full contest rules please click here

Introducing Toy Insider Loyalty Rewards!


If there are 2 things we love just as much as (if not more than) we love toys- it is our community and rewarding them with fun giveaways! That is why we are very excited to introduce today, The Official Toy Insider Loyalty Rewards Program!

Based on a point system, we have a whole slew of awesome toy prizes you can potentially win just by reading about the toys you love & keeping in touch with us here at The Toy Insider!



Here Is How It Works:

* Look for the red rewards tab on the top of our site.

* Earn points daily by:
– Visiting our site= 100 points
– Liking our posts on Facebook= 100 points
– Share our posts on Twitter= 100 points
– Share our posts on Google +1= 100 points
– Commenting on our posts=100 points

That’s a potential 500 points a day!!


Each reward can be won one time per day. For example, if you “like” our post on Facebook and then “like” another post of ours later that day- you will only receive points for the first “like”. Updated 3/8/12: Re-likes will be disqualified from our Loyalty Program.


Sesame Street Augmented Reality Is On Its Way!

Sesame Workshop is exploring augmented reality experiences for children by creating a play set that brings physical toys to life.

This project explores the use of a tablet with a traditional play set, aiming to make children’s’ playtime more fun and educational. The prototype play set includes traditional elements such as common household objects and figurines of classic Sesame Street characters Cookie Monster, Bert, and Ernie. Additionally, the demo includes a tablet and an application that uses Qualcomm’s newly branded Vuforia augmented reality platform. When the tablet is pointed at the play set, the pieces and the play environment come alive through the tablet’s camera, transforming the play set into an interactive experience.

Toy Insider Mom Visits NBC Nightly News


It’s crunch time and our Toy Insider Mom is still making her rounds helping you come up with fun affordable ideas for those last minute toy purchases!

Last night, Laurie visited Nightly News with Chuck Scarborough. Chuck really enjoyed the Baja Beast.

Check it out-

View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.

Fun & Unique Last Minute Gifts & Stocking Stuffers


Still shopping? The Toy Insider Mom stopped by The Today show to visit once more with Hoda and Kathie Lee with some truly fun and unique last minute gift ideas! Check out these toys for kids from 0-99!

Fa-lala-la-la…la-la-la-la.

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

More Last Minute Gift Ideas with ABC News

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Toy Insider On FOX Dallas

Hot Holiday Toys: MyFoxDFW.com

AOL You’ve Got Laurie Schacht!

Last week our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht had a great time over at AOL doing the below piece for their You’ve Got series. In the video she talks great holiday toys and the upbeat music in the background makes us dread that last minute shopping just a little less.

Check it out-

Stocking Stuffers & Last Minute Gifts



The holiday shopping season is coming down to the wire, ….. but did you remember the kids stocking stuffers?

Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visits Fox Chicago to give them her recommendations for stocking stuffers as well as some great last minute gifts.

Great Gifts and Stocking Stuffers for Kids: Toy Insider Mom: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Still have shopping to do? Don’t stress!

This week Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited ABC World News to give her suggestions for some great last minute gift ideas for the kids on your list.

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For more great last minute toys this holiday season, see The Toy Insider Mom on WGN.

Toy Insider Mom Visits Today For The Holidays!

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

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town… And Nintendo!


Who doesn’t look forward to the great holiday classics that are on TV this time of year? Both kids and parents cannot get enough of them!
Now one holiday favorite, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town is available as a game for Nintendo DS and Wii! The game follows Kris’ path to becoming Santa Claus, including being adopted by the toymakers Kringle, meeting and being rescued by the future Mrs. Claus, and acquiring his famed flying reindeer. With a co-op mode that allows Kris’ penguin sidekick, Topper, to join the adventure, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town for Wii is an easy to play and fun game for the whole family.

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town is available on DVD (SRP $14.99) and is part of The Original Christmas Classics® gift set (SRP $44.95 Blu-ray, $29.98 DVD) also featuring, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

Toy Inisder on CBS Atlanta

Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked! Toys & Play

Alvin and The Chipmunks will be back in theaters December 16th for their 3rd big screen movie, “Alvin And The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked!” and to go along with this highly anticipated family movie there are some great licensed toys available for the biggest Alvin and the Chipmunk Fans!

Build-A-Bear Workshop®, in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox, has introduced make-your-own Alvin and Brittany plush characters into Build-A-Bear Workshop stores nationwide. Available in two sizes guests can make their very own large size Alvin and Brittany ($23 each), as well as purchase pre-stuffed mini form, all dressed in island apparel of Alvin and the Chipmunks friends Simon, Theodore, Jeanette and Eleanor ($12 each, or $10 each when Guests purchase two or more).

Majesco Entertainment Company has also teamed up with Twentieth Century Fox to bring Chipmunk fans the official Chipwrecked! video game. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked is a full-body motion-based dance experience on Kinect for Xbox 360 and Wii™ that is fun for all ages. Players can choose to dance to multiple routines as their favorite ‘Munk (Alvin, Simon, and Theodore) or Chipette (Brittany, Eleanor, and Jeanette), while earning more points if they can dance on the beat. In addition, players who fill their “Munk Power” meter are then able to perform ultra-cool dance moves that electrify the crowd.

Developed by Behaviour Interactive, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked video game is rated E10+ and now available on Kinect for Xbox 360 for a suggested retail price of $39.99, and on Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ for a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Good Day NY & Toy Insider Mom Talk Holiday Toys

Hot Holiday Toys: MyFoxNY.com

Toy Insider Mom Talks Toys In Washington

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

Annual 2011 Toy Insider Holiday List Is HERE!

Earlier this month we announced our Hot 20 Toys for the 2011 holiday season and our Hot 20 Holiday Toys Music Video, and today we are so excited to announce that our the 6th annual Toy Insider holiday gift guide has arrived!

Like every year, The Toy Insider panel of experts have been working hard all year scouring the isles for the best and hottest toys for the holiday season. We’ve created this comprehensive guide to provide you with the information you will need to get a jump-start on your holiday toy shopping.

This year’s guide is jam-packed with a brand new selection of over 100 toys that are topping wish lists this holiday season. Because all kids are unique, we’ve included a handy skill key, located on the Hot 20 pages to offer you even more assistance in finding just the right gifts for the kids on you shopping list. On the side bar, we’ve broken our list out in by age to make it even easier to find that perfect gift for the child/children on your list.

We would love to hear from you- Let us know which toys in our guide are on your child’s holiday wish list!

Music Accessories for Muppet Fans!

Do you have a rainbow connection? iHome has created Disney headphones, earbuds, alarm clocks and portable speakers featuring Kermit the Frog- perfect for Muppets fans of all ages. Prices range from $15-$50.

Pillow Pets For Nintedo’s DS


Pillow Pets are all the rage this year. But did you know that the lovable and cuddly Pillow Pets companions are available in an interactive adventure game for the Nintendo DS?


Based on the beloved children’s line of plush pillows from CJ Products that easily transform into snuggly stuffed animals, with the Pillow Pets DS video game your pet can jump, fly, or buzz your way around dreamland. You can create your own pet’s personality by customizing them with glasses, hats and more. When your favorite pal goes missing, you must set out on a journey to bring your lost pet home safely. But don’t fret!  Along the way you’ll make friends and uncover rewards that will make for an unforgettable journey. 
Whether playing alone or side by side with friends, the Pillow Pets game for Nintendo DS creates a fun fantasy filled adventure that can be enjoyed by boys and girls of all ages.


Pillow Pets for the Nintendo DS comes with many game features such as:

Collectibles: Meet and collect up to 16 well-known Pillow Pets™ characters including farm critters and jungle animals!
Beautiful Lands to Explore: Venture into magical lands including Fantasy Woods, Rainbow Valley and Slumber Land Castle!
Customization: Accessorize your Pillow Pets™ character from head to toe!  Up to 40 accessories to unlock from hats to glasses and much more!
Rewards: Gather tokens, unlock bonuses and garner prizes in each level!

The Pillow Pets game for the Nintendo DS is currently available in stores for $19.99 and is rated E for Everyone to play.

Nicktoons MLB Video Game


Bringing two totally different worlds together, Nicktoons MLB is the perfect example showing that video games can make anything possible. Now you can take your favorite Nicktoons character such as: SpongeBob SquarePants, ZIM, Dudley Puppy, Fanboy, Chum Chum, and Ren and Stimpy to the Baseball diamond and play against all 30 MLB teams. Nicktoons MLB gamers can play with greats such as Matt Holiday and Derek Jeter.
For the first time Xbox 360 gamers will be able to experience controller-free pitching, batting and fielding with the Kinect for Xbox 360 sensor option. Wii gamers can utilize the Wii Remote to bat, pitch and slide, while the optional Nunchuk controls allow for precision throwing.



Features include:

– Play-by-play commentary by Perch Perkins, anchorman for the Bikini Bottom News and the IRKIN EMPIRE’s irrepressible GIR
– Multiple gameplay modes, including Pick-up Game, Tournament, Showdown and the swing-for-the fences Distance Derby.

Happy Nappers Facebook Contest

If you are like us an love Happy Nappers and their catchy jingle, you are going to love their new Facebook contest.





Fans are encouraged to submit a video of themselves/their family singing the upbeat Happy Nappers theme song their most creative way! All eligible entries are open for fan voting and the winner with the most votes will receive one $200 Toys”R”Us gift card and a very special “super-sized” Happy Napper reversible play pillow!


Everyone can show off their singing skills right now – until December 2 at 12:00 am ET!

Big Bang Theory-Pegged ‘Soft Kitty’ Plush Toy Sings!


If you or someone you know are a fan of The Big Bang Theory- this is a must see.


Introducing Soft Kitty…


Uniquely inspired by an episode of CBS’ ratings-busting The Big Bang Theory – the song immediately became a viral sensation.
Press the button on its paw to hear the wildly popular “Soft Kitty Song”





Sing with us…. “Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr.”


Available for $29.99 at www.StylinOnline.com/softkitty

AnyBook Recordable Reader


For those times we cannot be there to tuck our kids in at night, recordable books can be a great way to allow parents and other family members to still be part of a child’s bed time story routine.


Available in 2 versions, the AnyBook reader, from Franklin Electronics, allows users to record their voice to “any book” in a personal library. The device is targeted to children ages 3 and up, and does not require any additional software. AnyBook’s electronic stickers can also help bring a personal touch to the bedtime story experience.


Crayola’s Trace And Draw: Taking Creativity To New Levels

After 100 Years, Crayola is now bringing its creativity to the I-pad 2 introducing a new accessory/activity app called Trace and Draw. With today’s tech generation, the transition seems to be a natural one with kids today playing on tablets even as young as 2 years old.


Crayola’s “The Trace And Draw” is both a protective case and art station in one, so you don’t have to worry about getting fingerprints all over your screen. Surrounded by a shatter-resistant shell, the iPad 2 paired with Trace and Draw becomes an interactive art center.





This App has taken the idea of coloring and creativity to the next level, giving young artists more than 35 different characters to trace along with fun animations and activities that provide hours of creative play; perfect for keeping little ones entertained on those boring rainy days, long waits at restaurants or doctors offices and long car rides!


Recommended for ages 3+

Wuggle Pets


Kids love collectables. Wuggle Pets™ are a new variety of adorable pets that you can build and collect. From the Funny Monkey, to the Playful Pony and Bashful Bear these plush pals magically come to life, right at home and make a great playdate or party activity!

This magic and fun is simple- children add stuffing using the Fun Fill Factory, sprinkle a little magical dust and watch their pals grows. Each pet comes with a customizable birth certificate and a backpack clip so kids can bring their baby pet wherever they go.

The 12-piece Starter Kit retails for $19.99 and comes with 2 pets – a Magical Unicorn and a Cuddly Puppy – the Fun Factory, and all the fluffy stuffing, magic dust, and personality charms needed to bring these pets to life. Individual kits are available for $7.99. https://www.wugglepets.com/

Toy Insider Mom On NBC Washington: Hot Holiday Toys 2011

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

Celebs Team Up with Cabbage Patch Kids For National Adoption Month


November is National Adoption Month and in an effort to benefit Children’s Action Network (CAN), a national organization dedicated to finding homes for children in the U.S. who are in foster care, celebrities including Steven Tyler, Al Roker, Katherine Heigl, Kristin Chenoweth and Raven-Symoné are having their likeness made into one-of-a kind Cabbage Patch Kids that will be auctioned on eBay.




Distinctive features of the Celebrity ‘Kids include Steven Tyler’s rocker inspired outfit and mic stand; Al Roker’s signature glasses and tailored suit; Katherine Heigl’s favorite red carpet couture; Kristin Chenoweth’s royal blue ball gown; and Raven-Symoné’s trendy romper and blinged out platform heels. Each Celebrity ‘Kid, will also come with its own autographed birth certificate.


The auction will end November 17th.
To bid and/or check out one of these one-of-a-kind Celebrity Cabbage Patch Kids, you can log on to www.cpkauctionforcharity.com

Grease is the word is the word..is the word… have you heard?


This fall, musical movie favorite Grease was turned int a video game for both Kinect for Xbox 360 and PlayStation.


Whether playing as a solo act, in a duet or as a team, Grease provides an interactive social singing and dancing experience where players can turn up their style and release their inner rock ‘n roller; delivering the movie’s signature choreography and legendary songs combined with today’s motion-sensor technology. Now every adult (like me) can re-live their favorite 1980’s musical– sing along to their favorite Grease tunes including iconic anthems like “You’re the One That I Want”, “Greased Lightning” and “Summer Nights– and even learn to hand drive along the way.





Grease key features include:
– Sing: The game features 15 song compositions from the original film and 5 bonus classic rock ‘n’ roll tracks.
– Dance: Hours of fun with rock ‘n’ roll routines from the movie, including duet choreography and freestyle sections where players can express their individuality and dance for increased points.
– Gameplay modes: Game includes Dance Mode and Karaoke Mode with both featuring versus and co-operative play.  
– Cooperative gamplay: Up to eight-players can compete in Party Mode — two teams of four players consisting of 2 dancers and 2 singers at any one time.

Grease is sure to be the game to have seen how it is still receiving recognition for its great chorography to this day. This greatly family oriented game is rated T for Teen and is in stores for a price of $49.99.

Moxie Girlz Now On Nintendo DS


Moxie Girlz for the Nintendo DS is available now in retail stores nationwide just in time for holidays.


The popular fashion doll has is joining the video game world with its fun filled imagination video game featuring activities that capture the positive Moxie Girlz messages that focus on building confidence, courage and creativity.

Moxie Girls for DS creates hours of fun just by Customizing your Moxie Girlz character and express your creativity in Fashion Play mode with dozens of hair styles, accessories and more.





Additional Moxie Girlz video game features:
– Customization: Pick which Moxie Girlz character you want to be or upload pictures of yourself.
– Variety of Modes: Art Play, Fashion Play, Games and more!
– Personality Quizzes: Discover the Moxie Girlz character that resembles you!
– Picture Fun: Use DSi functionality for picture taking and puzzle games – mix and match!
– Positive Message: All modes and game play focus on the positive Moxie Girlz message be true, be you!


This Nintendo DS Game hit stores on October 25th , is rated “E” for everyone and is retailing for $19.99.

Holiday Kids Gift Idea: Get Creative With Build-A-Bear


Build-A-Bear Workshop wants there to be no limits on your imagination this holiday season. This create-your-own favorite is now letting you design your favorite characters from animated films such as: Happy Feet, Alvin and the Chipmunks and more!

In addition to the new line of famous stuffed pals, Build-A-Bear is taking its work to X-Box to.  Select stuffed animals sold in all Build-A-Bear Workshop stores and buildabear.com can be imported into the new Kinect for X-Box 360 game Kinectimals. Each of the 4 bears currently available has a hand tag connected to it that is scanable to the X-box 360 Kinect system putting them right into the action. Kids will have a ball designing accesorizing and playing with their bear in this new interactive format.

Angelina Ballerina Holiday DVD Set Available


Who can get enough of the sweet, adorable Angelina Ballerina? This holiday you can take family night to the next level with brand a new Holiday Angelina Ballerina DVD collection.

In this Holiday DVD collection, Angelina and all her friends prepare for the big holiday showcase and learn brand new dances from home!

As a bonus, this box set includes a Bonus Puzzle Games, Front Row Seats to Karaoke songs the whole family can perform and a Create Your Own Dream Routine activity.
This set is available in stores today and retailing for $19.99.


DVDs Include:
 
Angelina Ballerina: Nutcracker Sweet
Enter the land of sugar and spice with Angelina as she excitedly prepares to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in the holiday showcase. But when too many candy canes and fruitcakes give her a tummy ache, she learns that sharing with friends is a lot more rewarding.
Bonus Features:
Prima Ballerina Puzzle Game
Front Row Seat Karaoke Song
 
Angelina Ballerina: Love to Dance
Take center stage with Angelina Ballerina on her first day at Camembert Academy as she learns about new forms of music and dance like jazz, tap and hip-hop. Angelina and her friends quickly discover that becoming a prima ballerina requires collaboration, compromise and commitment.
 
Bonus Features:
Angelina Says Game
Get Up and Dance Karaoke Video
 
Angelina Ballerina: Ballet Dreams
Join Camembert Academy’s shining star, Angelina Ballerina, as she finds her way in a new school, puts together her own show and tries to land a leading role in the Mouskinov Ballet. Angelina blossoms as she adjusts to her new teacher’s style and learns the importance of being a patient big sister.
 
Bonus Features:
Create Your Own Dream Routine Game

Stealth Learning’s All The Buzz!

The Toy Insider Mom has a new buzz word parents are going to love, STEALTH LEARNING.
So what is stealth learning? It is playtime that are is so much fun, children don’t even realize they’re learning.

This week The Toy Insider Mom visited ABC News to talk about some of her favorite fun and educational toys out this year.

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About the featured products:

Baby Einstein (Disney)
Discover the joy of classical music, discovering colors, learning about animals, and so much more with your baby. Each kit includes a DVD, a picture book, and a musical CD. For each kit, listen and explore in English, Spanish and French. Three levels of discovery allow your baby to experience music, explore nature and celebrate expression. These are made to be viewed with your baby.
MSRP: $19.99
Ages 0-2

Magnet Zoo Animal Playset (Leapfrog)
Mix and match heads and tails while learning animal facts and more with 25 unique songs Listen to songs to celebrate correct matches or fun songs about silly animal creations. Learn with zoo animal friends about colors, facts and animal sounds. Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path for customized learning insights and ideas to expand the learning. Magnetic and also portable for on the go play.
MSRP: $15.99
Ages: 12 to 36 months

Alphabeasts (Alpha Toys)
Alphabeasts is a brand new line of education plush dolls designed to help children learn while playing. All 26 characters have a different name that stars with their letter of the alphabet along with a different story and personality trait that help define the characters They work together to help teach the alphabet and spelling Beasts come together to spell out words so children can mix and match.
Age 3+
MSRP: $20.00
Books: $16.00

Who’s Riding On The Bus? (Pressman Toy)
This is a fun game for preschoolers that improves upon important everyday learning and development skills including: matching, image recognition, pattern identification, and concentration. Players start by choosing a folded solution card with nine animals riding on the bus – five on top and four on the bottom.  The card is placed between them so that both players can see which animals they are looking for and where they are seated.
Players must then race to match the order of the animals on the solution card to their game boards, searching with their bus viewfinder.  The first player to correctly match how the animals are sitting on the bus wins that round.  Collect five solution cards to win the game!
For 2 players
Ages 4 and up
MSRP: $15.00

SAVINGS GOAL ATM (Summit)
Now you can have your own ATM in your room! The Savings Goal ATM works with real money. Stand it up or hang on a wall with the built-in wall mount. The Savings Goal ATM features a single-screen backlit digital display. Just insert the ATM card to activate the screen and view your savings. The coin slot recognizes the value of each coin and the automatic bill feeder accepts real currency. The secure vault will also keep your money safe – only you have access with your digital access code. Available in two different color combinations: steel/blue and pink/lavender.
MSRP: $29.99
Ages 5+

TI-Nspire CX (Texas Instruments)
The new color-screen TI-Nspire CX graphing calculator is more than just a calculator – it’s a handheld device that helps students explore real-world math & science concepts. Helps students better visualize formulas and scientific equations; interpret data, charts and graphics; and view full-color images and animations to highlight concepts and deepen understanding. The TI-Nspire CX handheld’s ability to show visual representations of a math activity using color enhances students’ connections to key ideas no matter what their learning style. They can view and analyze their work side-by-side as an equation, table, graph or text problem. Students really understand the math and science they’re learning using this so they’re more apt to love math and science and pursue careers where they can use these skills.

Ages: middle school and up (they will take this to college)
MSRP: $165.00

Cabbage CPK Fashionalities (Jakks Pacific)
Fashion dolls meet large dolls with the new Cabbage Patch Kids Fashionalities.
Twelve unique personalities will appeal to kids today from prepsters and skateboarders, to girly girls and artsy girls. There’s a style for every personality just like Mom’s cabbage Patch Kids, each kid comes with a unique one of a kind name, Birth Certificate and a unique code.
MRSP $34.99
Ages: 3+

Girl Scouts 4-
Ever Friends dolls (Adora)
Girl Scouts of the USA is considered one of the world’s premier leadership organizations for girls throughout the world
For generations, Girl Scouts have acquired courage, confidence and character for successes in the real world. For the first time there is a beautiful collection of 5 dolls in a range of diverse ethnicities, each wearing a girl scout outfit
The uniforms represent the Daisy’s, Brownies, and the Girl Scouts.
MSRP: $59.99
Ages 6+

Kindle (Amazon)
As your favorite student heads back to school, lighten their backpack’s load with the Kindle – it’s faster, smaller, smarter, and more affordable than ever..30% lighter than before, less than 6 ounces, and 18% smaller, but same screen size..fits in your pocket. Kindle has features that any student would find helpful, whether it’s looking up words with the built in dictionary, or adding annotations to text, just like you might write in the margins of a book. With Kindle Textbook Rentals, students can now save up to 80% off textbook list prices by renting from the Kindle store. Kids have access to rent for periods of 30 to 360 days and they only pay for the amount of time they need a book
There are hundreds of classics (many on required reading lists) that are FREE. Students share their thoughts on book passages with friends and other students and the Kindle community by turning on Public Notes and can even share meaningful passages by postting to social networks like Facebook and Twitter directly from their Kindle. Over 1 million titles, and over 800,000 titles are $9.99 or less.

Notes can be added and since it’s digital you can edit, delete and export your notes—even after a rental expires, you can still have full access to your notes.Page numbers now match the paper editions and most advanced e-ink display, reads like paper. Keyword search allows you to search for a word or phrase which helps when studying. Built-in WiFi downloads books in 60 seconds.
Ages: 11+
MSRP: $79


Snap Circuits XP (Elenco)
A great introduction to microcontrollers and how they are used in the world around us. As easy as snapping together the circuits and downloading programs Write your own programs using Basic commands and create your own. No prior understanding of micro-controllers required and has color coded parts. Over 50 projects and over 50 parts with over 40 programs ready for download. Download programs and have fun while Snap CircuitsR XPT does the thinking! Projects include Clap Light, Photon Counter, Dancing Motor, 
 Launch Pad, Counting to the Stars, Flip-Flop, Scratchy Amplifier, Sunrise Alarm, BatteryTester and Data Logger. Includes 64-page manual with easy circuit assembly and programming
 instructions.
MSRP:
Ages: 8+

Dr. Dreadful (SpinMaster)
From the twisted mind of Doctor Dreadful comes heaps of horrifying but delicious treats that you create. It looks gross and tastes great, leaving you completely disgusted that you want more! Each lab truly turns you into a mad scientist as you devour your creations savoring every squiggly slurp! Be your own mad scientist with Dr. Dreadful!  Make your kitchen a laboratory! Making Dr. Dreadful creations is like conducting science experiments in your own home, but while having fun at the same time. With Dr. Dreadful, not only do you get to make your own disgusting creations, you get to eat them too – and they taste great! Make slimy spiders, bubbling zombie brains, zombie skin, barf, ear wax snot shots, and more. Measure the ingredients as instructed, or experiment with the amounts of candy and drink mixes to create your own spin on the disgusting treats.
MSRP: $24.99
Ages: 7+

Kinect’s Motion Explosion Keeps You Moving


Kinect never ceases to wow us. Their new release, Motion Explosion is sure to be one of Kinect’s most energetic games yet.


This new title is composed of 12 mini games that keep your entire body moving fast, ducking, dodging, catching and balancing whatever might be thrown at you! Play levels range from simple to incredibly tricky with various controls, camera angles, multiple objects, faster pace, making this interactive game fun for all ages.

Motion Explosion also features turn-based competitive game play (supports 2-4 players). So while you are indoors this witer, invite friends and family to the ultimate Motion Explosion party right in your living room!

This game is Rated E for everyone and retails for $39.99 online and in stores.

Video Game Accessories for the Pint Size Gamers


These days kids are into video games earlier than ever before– especially if there is an older sibling in the home.

So whether you have a little gamer or are shopping for a little gamer, here are a few video game accessories especially made for little hands:



· The Cars 2 Kids Kit – 360 degrees of child friendly protection for the iPad 1 or iPad 2. The case has a built in stand for viewing in both portrait or landscape view, integrated screen protector to protect from spills and scratches, stylus for enhanced drawling functionality, a strap to mount the case to the back of a headrest and 2 separate inserts for universal compatibility with both iPad 1 and iPad 2.



· Lightning Mcqueen and Finn McMissile Racing Wheel – Rule the road with the Cars 2 Lightning McQueen and Finn McMissile Racing Wheels for Wii and BONUS Wii Remote Label. These fun and simple to use Racing Wheels feature perforated grips, colorful accents, and official artwork from Disney’s Cars 2. Available now for $12.99.


· My First Wii Remote – Micro-sized, kid-friendly remote designed for Wii players with smaller hands that also features interchangeable Disney artwork.





· NERF Armor for 3DS – The official NERF 3DS Armor protects your valuable Nintendo 3DS system from bumps, scrapes and bruises. Authentic, soft, NERF material on the armor gives you additional grip and comfort while playing. Available in September 2011 for $14.99.

CARS 2 Movie Night!

Is there anything better than a fun- family movie night complete with themed food to nosh on? When these fun CARS 2 themed dishes pinged our inbox celebrating today’s release of CARS 2 on Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray Hi-Def Combo Pack– we couldn’t help but share!

Enjoy your CARS 2 movie night and Bon Appetite!

Download Printable Cars 2 Recipes!

The Woogie 2: Perfect for the youngest iPhone users

Griffin Technology has released the Woogie 2, a colorful plush toy that securely houses a user’s iPhone or iPod touch in a Velcro-like pocket. The Woogie 2’s touchscreen protector allows kids to play a games without parents having to worry about cases of the “dropsies”.

The Woogie 2 is available in pink or blue for $19.99 online on the Griffin Technologies website.

Happy Halloween From The Toy Insider!

Last week our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited ABC News to talk about some of the trends we can expect to see on Halloween!

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While we have always been Halloween enthusiasts here at The Toy Insider, we recently learned some fun facts we thought we would share with you on this spook-tacular day!

Did you know?

According to a new survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF), this year more people plan to….

– Dress in costume (43.9 percent vs. 40.1 percent last year)
– Throw or attend a party (34.3 percent vs. 33.3 percent last year)
– Visit a haunted house (22.9 percent vs. 20.8 percent last year).

Additionally-

– 73.5% will hand out candy
– 47.8% will carve a pumpkin
– 49.5% have decorated their homes/yards (49.5 percent)
– 32.9% will go trick or treating
– 14.7% will be dressing their pets in costume

Board Game favorite, Clue is headed to TV!

Can you imagine what Colon Mustard, Professor Plum, Scarlet and Peacock were like in high school? Well, this November you just might find out!.

In a new five-part, live-action miniseries, Clue, will debut on The Hub Monday, November 14. This mini-series will based on the family game brand and will star the classic game character favorites as young modern-day detectives who stumble upon an adventure after witnessing a crime.

After debuting back-to-back episodes (starting November 14), new episodes will premiere daily through Thursday, November 17, with a back to back marathon on set to air November 19.

Kinect Takes Pre-School TV To New Interactive Levels

With pumpkins on our doorsteps and leaves falling from the trees- we know Spring sounds so very far away. But the latest news from Microsoft this past week was so exciting we wanted to bring you the scoop!

Launching next spring, The Kinect for Xbox 360 will allow preschoolers to visually and physically interact with Sesame Street characters on screen while watching Sesame Street episodes with their newest title: Sesame Street TV. While playing in areas unique to Sesame Street, such as Elmo’s World kids can help characters finding shape and counting objects.

Also launching in Spring, 2012- Kinect Nat Geo TV. Kinect Nat Geo TV will bring kids and their families around the world through its unique blend of the Nat Geo Wild TV show episodes and Kinect for Xbox 360 technology. Like Sesame Street TV, kids not only watch the episodes, but they also engage, play, and learn as Kinect Nat TV turns living rooms into habitats and viewers into animals.

And if as if all of that wasn’t fun enough, Microsoft’s Kinect team is also expected to release, Code-named “Rush,” a new title to debut in the spring that allows players to immerse themselves in iconic Disney-Pixar films, including The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Up, Toy Story 3, and Cars 2.

The Toy Insider Mom Talks Tech Toys

Demoing Lite Sprites on The Today Show.

Tech Toys…I’m sold!!

Nothing can replace games, dolls, actions figures, but I have to tell you that I am embracing technology of all sorts, even though it still confuses me and I can’t figure it all out (shhh, don’t tell anyone I just admitted that).

At first, too much technology was frightening to me, especially when my kids were younger. But here’s what I’ve discovered-

First, they just know what to do. What takes parents hours, days, weeks, to figure out, the kids do (without looking at instructions) in a heartbeat. They have been born in the age of tech.

Next, younger and younger, kids are using technology in the schools. In our high school, all the kids have a laptop and all the teachers use a whiteboard. The notes seamlessly pass to the kids computers, and teachers can zero in on a kid to make sure they are on task and not doodling. In fact my own daughter who is sitting with me while I’m writing this just admitted getting caught last year in a “doodling” moment:)

So of course this will stream into their play lives just as it’s streamed into our own. Look how many toddlers are playing with their parents iPads and iPhones. And look how addicted the adult community is with all of these toys (and you can count me into this number).

But the toys and the tools are truly amazing.


Look at the new LeapPad. This is a tablet for little kids. The right size for their hands, the right amount of strength to take a beating, and full touch screen- just like the grownups! Want to take pictures? video? play with apps? read ebooks?….it’s all right here. It will continue to assess how kids are doing across the board in terms of curriculum, and will report back to parents who want to keep track of their progress.

You will often hear me say, I am not a fan of “watch me toys” which is why I love Lets Rock Elmo! This Elmo has gone above and beyond giggles and tickles that had parents waiting in holiday shopping lines in the past!. He is interactive and fun. Let’s Rock Elmo will have kids singing and playing instruments with him. Place Elmo’s drum under his feet and he will thank you for giving him the drums. Pick up your guitar and Elmo will recognize that you have it so you can both play together. The two of you make up the rock band, and kids will be wowed.

Speaking of how advanced technology has become, forget everything you ever knew about remote control cars when you check out the newLazer Stunt Chasers. These cars are super fast and stunts and chase a laser beam and keep going no matter which way they land.

Lite Sprites is another amazing new technology where kids control the color of Lite-Topia and everyone who is lives there with a wand that can absorb color!

Voice pitch technology in Paper Jamz Pro Mic and the T Pain Mic are 2 others that I love this year. With these mics we can all sound like pop stars… and wait till you see what’s coming.

Every child, every person, needs the basics, and we’ll talk about how important this is in our children’s lives and what is really fun and cool for this year. You are getting a taste of the meshing of using your iPhone or iPad as a remote control…but “you ain’t seen nothing yet”. Next year will continue the trend of merging the tech world with the world of toys.

I love when I see new toy technology and say “WOW!”, like the I did with all those mentioned in this post. But when shopping for your kids’ tech toys this holiday, hers is my tip: have fun looking at the “WOW” technology but be sure to always look for the staying power that will be part of your children’s playtime.

Cabbage Patch Kids Fashionality

A new set of Cabbage Patch Kids are coming to town this holiday! The Cabage Patch Kids Fashionality line is just like the original Cabbage Patch Kids but with contemporary fashions and personalities that appeal to today’s kids.

Just like the lines of Cabbage Patch Kids many of us grew up with, each Kid comes with a one-of-a-kind name, a birth certificate, and an adoption paper.

This new new ‘crop’ of one-of-a-kind Cabbage Patch kids are 14 inches tall with silky hair. Each Fashionality Kid has a unique style that both girls and boys can relate to. There is a range of 12 personalities too! From “prepsters” and “skateboarders” to “girly girls” and “artsy” girls- this holiday parents and grandparents can help their kids create (or grow) their very own fashionable family tree.

The Cabbage Patch Kids Fashionality dolls are retailing for approx $34.99 and is for ages 3 and up.

The 2011 Toy Insider Holiday Toys Music Video

The Toy Insider {2011 Hot 20} Holiday Toy Picks Are Here!

We have been working feverishly checking out all of the hot new toys hitting shelves this holiday.

While our full list is available in Woman’s Day come November, we know many of you love to get ahead on your holiday shopping so we always like to give you a little sneak peek by bring you our Hot 20 Toys!

Below you will find our choices for The Hot 20 Toys For Holiday as picked by our panel of Toy Experts.

Feel free to DOWNLOAD the full pdf of these holiday must have toys here and bring it with you when you head to the stores.

Toy Experts Pick Must Haves For Holiday 2011

Back To School at The Today Show!




Learning doesn’t end in the classroom. No matter what age your child is, they can develop skills and a love for learning through play and educational toys.
This mrning, Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited Kathy Lee and Hoda to talk about some of her new favorites!


Sesame Street Elmo’s Find and Learn Alphabet Blocks
Cookie Monsers Find and Learn Number Blocks
by Playskool

– Learn about letters, the alphabet and counting!

Ages 2+
MSRP $29.99



School Bus & Take Along School
by Playmobil

– Spark imagination through role play.

Ages: 4+
MSRP:$19.99 & $29.99





Rose Art Make It Mine! Kits
by Mega Brands

– Let kids’ imaginations run wild by giving them a fun way to decorate their school gear this year.

Ages: 3+
MSRP: $3.00/ea




Rose Art Smart Tabletop Easel
by Mega Brands

– Set your art studio anywhere with this compact, portable and lightweight art easel

Ages: 8+
MSRP: $21.99



LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet
by LeapFrog

-Compatible with more than 100 cartridge games, apps, digital books and videos, this tablet is just like Mom & Dad’s.

Ages: 4+
MSRP: $99.99





Tag Solar System Adventure Pack
by LeapFrog

– Play more than 40 activities and family friendly games with this 2-in-1 3 foot map!

Ages: 4-8yrs
MSRP: $13.99



Remote Control Machines
by Thames and Kosmos

-Assemble ten models demonstrating different ways in which the motors can be used including a bulldozer, cars, cranes, robotic arms and more!

Ages: 8+
MSRP: $69.99





Perplexus Epic
by PlaSmart

– In this 3-dimensional maze game, players maneuver a small marble around more than 125 challenging barriers inside a large size transparent sphere.

Age: 8+
MSRP: $29.99






Scientific Explorer Disgusting Special Effects Make-up Kit
by Giddy Up

-Fun activities help kids learn all about the movie tricks, but while learning the “science” behind scabs, cuts, bruises and how your body helps protect you.

Ages: 9+
MSRP: $19.99







SmartGlobe
by Oregon Scientific

-Includes 30 learning activities in multiple subjects; SmartPen with built in speaker; pull out, touch sensitive, domestic map for additional learning; and a 24-page interactive book with information on animals, food and landmarks.

Age: 8+
MSRP: $159

Get The Scoop On Back To School Accessories and Educational Toys



Kids are officially back to school!

Earlier this week The Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited ABC News to give them a peek at some of the school gear kids will love as well as some educational toys that will keep them thinking. And the best part? They are all for less than $25!


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Penguin Young Readers (Penguin Books)
These books are part of a wonderful collection that help children learn and love to read.
Penguin early reader books are offered in a variety of fun and loveable preschool character including- “Butterfly Girl, “Skippy Jon Jones”, “Corduroy” & more.

MSRP: $16.99 each for the books; $9.99 each for plush
Ages: 2+



I Spy Ready to Read Game (Briarpatch)
I Spy is celebrating 100 years this year!
Get ready to read! Develops verbal, pre-reading skills and letter, shape and pattern recognition.
This game enhances observation and spotting skills; teaches rhyming and strengthens hand/ eye coordination.
To play, fill in the empty slots on the riddle/picture boards, match the words you see on the tokens to the place they belong on your game board.
5 ways to play
Includes 6 game boards and 24 double sided tokens

MSRP: $16.99
Ages: 4+

Time and Space Projection Alarm Clock (Blue Hat)
This rocket-shaped alarm clock projects a digital clock display against vivid galactic images on any wall or ceiling.
This interactive clock also features the year, month, date and day of the week.
Duel pivoting lenses project up to ten feet away to create images up to 4 feet wide
Displays images with or without time
Includes 4 space scenes with the option to project time
MSRP $19.99
Ages: 3+

Angry Birds Multi Pocket Backpack (Accessory Innovations)
Head to class in style with Angry Birds backpacks featuring smart details and spacious designs, including extra durable zippers, multiple pockets and organizers to keep everything close at hand.
Also features side pockets to hold water bottles and adjustable comfy straps
MSRP: $24.99
Ages: 3+

Shains Notebook (Shainsware)
Got Something to Say? Want to keep your thoughts in writing?
Let your inspiration and imagination flow with Shains Notebook.
Personalize the cover with your name, class subject, or decorate and change it whenever you want.
Use the unlined paper as a journal, sketchbook or scrapbook.
Easy to take in your backpack!
Comes with 60 elements for personalization.
MSRP: $16.00
Ages: 7+

Uglydoll School Planner (Ugly Doll)
Makes it easy to get and stay organized!
Includes weekly calendars, practical tips, more than 150 stickers for highlighting important events, and an elastic band to hold it together
Stay on top of homework, activites, and busy social lives
MSRP: $14.99
Ages: 10+

Squinkies™ Bubble Packs (Blip Toys)
Bubble Pack includes 16 collectable squishy, squashy, squooshy Squinkies characters, including four hidden “surprise” Squinkies
Each Squinkies comes in its own toy bubble capsule.
Squinkies are great as pencil toppers, too
Collections include your favorite Disney® Princesses, Barbie® and Hello Kitty®, as well as themed sets boys will love too; from monsters to aliens, to Cars 2, to Marvel super heroes
MSRP $9.99
Ages: 4+

Counting Money Jar (Summit Toy)
Who’s counting anyways? Now with the original Counting Money Jar – you are!
This handy jar will count your coins and digitally display your savings.
With Balance Guard ™, it remembers your balance…even if you have to replace the batteries.
Choose from two different colors: blue or pink.
MSRP: $9.99
Ages: 5+

Scruble Cube (RSV Entertainment)
Players rotate and twist rows and columns of the cube, with the goal to rearrange letters to create new words.
One word is formed per turn and can range from 3 to 16 letters spelled horizontally, vertically and, uniquely, around multiple faces of the cube. Each of the 96 letter pegs is assigned a point value.
Players can earn bonus points by using 2X Word Score or 2X Letter Score pieces in their word
Eight or more letters or spell a word across multiple faces also earn additional points
Sand timer included for more challenging play
1 to 4 players
MSRP: $24.99
Ages: 8+

20Q™ (Techno Source)
The new 20Q is an updated version of the best-selling electronic game of twenty questions.
Players think of any animal, vegetable, mineral or other object, and 20Q magically reads their minds by deducing the answer in twenty questions or less.
After each question, players answer yes, no, sometimes or rarely, with their object in mind. A new feature button allows players to skip a question, and there’s even an undo button for those who change their minds.
Features the most eerily accurate artificial intelligence (A.I.) to date.
Allows for easy on-the-go play and offers adjustable sound control
Promotes cognitive thinking and reinforces reading skills
Available in three colors: red, blue and pink
Batteries included (2AAA).
MSRP:  $12.99
Ages 6+

Inkoos (The Bridge Direct)
Inkoos are funky, quirky characters that are drawn to life with a little “Inkspiration”!
By using the Inkoos’ amazing washable markers, creative tweens can express themselves by drawing, designing and decorating their Inkoos into anything they imagine.
Then with a spin in the washing machine, Inkoos are ready to be designed all over again!
Available in a variety of colors and styles, each Inkoos includes 3 clip-on washable markers and the Inkspiration Wheel for tons of design ideas.
MSRP: $7.99
Ages: 4+

Toy Insider Mom Brings Summer Play To Today



Our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited the Today Show with Hoda and Kathy Lee to give them the scoop on some of this seasons great out door toys!

Check out the clip and all toy info below, you may find just what the doctor ordered for a hot day of play like today!

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


Graffiti
 Scooter
 (Razor)

Ages
 6+

MSRP:
$59.99
• Colorful 
lines ,
squiggly 
twists, 
crazy
 designs
• Features
 an
 adjustable‐height
 folding 
handlebar,
 patented
 rear
 fender 
brake
 and 
smooth‐rolling
 urethane
 wheels


____________________________________________________________________________
Lazer
 Stunt 
Chasers 
(Thinkway 
Toys)


Ages
4+

MSRP:
Under
$45

• Perform
 mind
 boggling 
flips
 and
 stunts 
or
 race
 them!

• Chase
 after 
the 
light 
projected 
from
 the 
remote 
with
 amazing
 speed,
 agility 
and 
control
 using 
new 
patented

technology
 in
 light
 control

• Adjust
 the
 speed 
with 
the 
trigger,
hit 
the 
turbo 
button
 form
 maximum
 power
 or
 use 
the 
left/right
 buttons 
for

tight
 turns 
and
 maneuvering

• Race
 the 
Chaser
 on to 
the 
curved
 ramp
 included
 and
 they’ll
 flip
 over
 and
 keep 
on
 going

• Each
 set 
includes 
Lazer 
Stunt 
Chaser 
car,
with 
built
-in 
rechargeable
 battery,
 battery
 deck
 charger,
 wireless
 remote,
 stunt
 ramp 
and 
instruction
 guide.

 (Batteries 
for
 charger 
and
 remote
 not 
included).

____________________________________________________________________________
Backyard
 Safari
 Outfitters
 (Summit
Toy)


Ages
5+

MSRP:
$
14.99—39.99
each


• Base
 Camp 
Field
 Shelter
– 
large
 enough
 for 
several 
kids
 to 
set
up
 camp,
complete
 with
 storage
 for
 all
 their 
gear

• Camouflage
 Netting
– 
helps
 kids 
hide
 in 
plain
 sight

• Lazer 
Light
Bug
 Vacuum
–
 kids
 can
 capture 
bugs,
identify
 specimens,
and 
look
 at
 them
 up
 close 
using
 the
 built‐in

magnifying 
glass

• Bird 
Watcher’s
 Field
 Kit
– 
includes
 binoculars,
tripod 
and
 three
 different 
bird
 callers

• Butterfly
 Habitat
–
 the
 perfect
 environment 
for 
raising 
butterflies; 
includes
 a
 mail‐in 
coupon 
to 
receive 
live
 caterpillars 
and 
their
 food

• Expedition
 Two
– 
includes 
a
 sturdy
 hiking
 stick 
and
 special 
missions 
to 
complete
 out
 on
 the 
trail

____________________________________________________________________________
Lemonade
 Stand 
(ALEX
 Toys)




Ages
3+

MSRP:
$139.99

• Chalkboard
 front 
panel
 perfect
 for 
listing
 the
 day’s
 specials

• Oversized
 wheels 
and
 handle 
for 
easy
 movement

• Includes 
pitcher
 and
 four
cups

____________________________________________________________________________
Smash 
Stix
 (Wild
 Planet)

Ages
8+

MSRP:
$29.99


• Soft
 foam
 batons 
with
 electronic 
score
 pad

• Sound
 effects
 let
 you
 know
 when 
you’ve
 been
 hit

• Game
 automatically
 declares 
winner 
after
 10
 hits 
are
 registered 
against 
one
 player

____________________________________________________________________________
Nerf
 Dart
 Tag
 Swarmfire Blaster 
(Hasbro)



Ages
8+

MSRP:
$29.99;
 Jersey
 MSRP:
$15.99

• Players
 can 
launch
 a 
powerful
 stream 
of 
up
 to
 20
 darts, 
keeping
 opposing
 teams
 at
 bay

• Competition
jerseys
are
available
in
orange
or
blue,
featuring
 target 
panels
 on
 the 
front, 
back, 
and
 sleeves, 
as

well 
as 
mesh
 side 
panels 
to 
keep 
teams 
cool
in
 the
 heat 
of
 battle

____________________________________________________________________________
Sunny
 Patch
 Sand
 Play
 Sets
 (Melissa
&
Doug)



Ages
3+

MSRP:
 $14.99
each

• Kids 
can 
make 
delicious
 pretend
 desserts 
at 
the 
beach 
or 
in 
the 
sand box 
with
 these
 Sunny 
Patch
 sand 
play
sets

____________________________________________________________________________
Naturally 
Playful® 
Little
 Dunes 
Sandbox
 (Step
2)

Ages
2+

MSRP:
$49.99

• Design
 and 
modern
 styling
 blends 
in
 with 
traditional 
landscapes
 in
 residential
 outdoor 
living
 areas

• Molded‐in 
seats 
on
 either 
side
 give 
kids 
a 
place 
to 
sit 
while
 playing

• Holds
 up
 to
 150
lbs
(68
kg)
 of
 sand 
(sand 
not 
included)

• Included 
colorful 
lid
 products
 sand 
from 
weather
 and 
pets

• 8.5”
H
x
45.00”
x
W
x
29.25”
D

____________________________________________________________________________
Nerf
 Super
 Soaker
 Thunderstorm
 (Hasbro)


Ages
6+

MSRP:
$14.99


• Fully
 automatic
 for
 maximum 
speed
• Send
 soaking
 streams 
up 
to
 25
 feet 
away!

• Requires
 4
“AA” 
batteries 
(not
included)





____________________________________________________________________________
KAOS Nemesis
 (Imperial
Toy)


Ages
8+

MSRP:
$
14.99


• KAOS
 brings 
out
 the
 insane
 fun
 of 
an
 extreme
 water 
balloon
 fight

• Allows 
users
 to throw 
a 
water
 balloon 
over
 100
feet

____________________________________________________________________________
Play
 Up 
Teeter 
Totter
 (Step
2)


Ages
3+

MSRP:
$49.99


• Two 
side‐contoured
 seats

• Easy
 grip
 handles

• Wipes
 clean
 easily

• Limit 
2 
children; 
maximum 
weight 
limit:
162
lbs

• 14.5”
H
x
47.75”
W

x
15.25”
D


Even More Summer Fun with The Toy Insider Mom






Seaside Beach Mat (Pacific Playtents)
• Great to take along to the beach, lake, backyard or park
• Water resistant and easy to wipe clean
• Mat is easy to transport and fun to eat and play on
Ages 3+
MSRP: $24.99


Shapes & Sharing Picnic Basket (LeapFrog)
• Combines imaginative picnic play with learning and sharing
• Kids pretend to pack a meal and go on a picnic with friends and family and learn about shapes, colors, and manners
• Helps develop motor skills as kids empty and fill the basket, stack the cups and match the foods into the plate by shape
Ages: 6 months+
MSRP: $ 21.99


Pool with Water Slide (Playmobil)
• Kids will have fun role playing with this
summertime play set indoors and outdoors
• Kids can let their Playmobil figures go for a
refreshing swim in this pool that can be filled
with real water
• Features a water slide and functioning shower
• Includes six figures and many other summer
accessories
• Ages 4+
• MSRP: $39.99


John Deere Power Trimmer and Clipper (Learning Curve)
• Young John Deere fans can help with the yardwork with this
unique and realistic weed trimmer
• Brightly-colored, tough plastic construction provides for safe
handling
• No batteries needed! Power the motor by pulling on the
retractable cord and press the button for real weed trimming
action
• Ages 18mos+
• MSRP: $19.99 (each sold separately)


 Fisher-Price Little Mommy Bubble Wagon (Tolly Tots)
• Pulling baby in a wagon sure is fun – especially when there’s
bubbles involved!
• Kids simply pull this wagon along, and a trail of playful bubbles
follows them wherever they go
• Kids can fill the wagon with toys, books or strap in a favorite doll
with the secure seatbelt.
• Designed for dolls up to 16 inches (not included).
• Bubble solution is included
• Ages 3+
• MSRP: $24.99


Tidoo Lutin Bright (Corolle)
• Designed for bath-time and pool-time fun, this sweet 12″ baby
doll is soft, posable and so light it floats
• Tidoo’s vinyl limbs and face have a mild vanilla scent that
children love, and its eyes open and close so Tidoo can take a
nap — just like a real baby
• Ages 18mos+
• MSRP: $40




Bubble Wand Kit (Artterro)
• Bend high quality copper wire with marbles into two beautiful, sturdy wands.
• Blow huge bubbles, decorate a garden or use for magic!
• Includes recipe for homemade bubbles.
Ages 8+
MSRP: $19.95


Freeze Ball (Wild Planet)
• Soft colorful six sided ball and six number shaped wristbands
• Active game of colors, numbers, running, and reflexes
• Divide up the bands, put them on and the first player tosses the ball into the air while everyone scatters
• The player with the matching band picks up ball and yells freeze!
• Players then keep feet planted and try to catch the ball if thrown at them or duck away
• If a player catches the ball, the one who threw it gives the catcher a wristband..if a player is hit, they have to give up the wristband
Ages: 6+
MSRP: $ 12.99


Fun Go Play Sports Gear
• FunGoPlay is a fun, new online sports theme park that
rewards kids for real world active play
• Every time kids play with their real world sports gear—soccer
ball or flying disc to start—their playtime is tracked and they
are rewarded with extra medals, points and other cool stuff in
the online world
• The more kids play offline the more rewards they get online
• Ages 6+
• MSRP: $47.95 for Yearly Subscription and FunGoPlay Sports
Gear (choice of soccer ball or flying disc); additional sports
gear sold separately


OgoDisk 15-inch Mezo (Ogosport)
• Throw, catch, and bounce balls with these hand trampolines!
• Throw and catch like a flying disk or adapt to team sports like volleyball, baseball and tennis
• Great with water balloons and even floats
• Play alone or with many people
Ages: 3+
MSRP: $33.00


Baja Beast (Maisto)
• Unleash the beast with this awesome, hobby grade radio control 4×4 off road that handles like a champ
• Large pro-style controller for great control, and 3 kids can be playing at the same time
• Extra long range (165 feet)
• Lightweight body
Adges: 8+
MSRP: $ 50.00

Winnie The Pooh Movie: Classic Characters Hit Theaters Friday!


Winnie The Pooh is a classic favorite. How could you not love that “silly ol’ bear” and his cast of friends?

Last week we had the privileged of seeing an advance screening of Disney’s Winnie The Pooh – the 1st Winnie The Pooh featured animation film in over 35 years!

We saw the movie with my 6 year old son and 2 year old daughter who had been waiting anxiously ever since they started seeing the previews on TV- and we’ve all had Kean’s “Simple Things” stuck in our heads for weeks.

The film starts the Disney short “The Ballad Of Nessie“.



The Balland Of Nessie tells the tale of Nessie the Loch Ness Monster and her best friend MacQuack the rubber duck’s tough journey to a place they now call home. Despite the false rumors that this was a “lost Disney short”, the film does have a classic feel to it and the story is heart warming.

The Winnie The Pooh Movie is just as whimsical and funny as the ones you remember watching on TV and of course, there is lots of honey involved.


While we were in the theater, the movie had all of the kids in the theater laughing in their seats at the silly predicaments the characters get into on their journey to save Christopher Robin from “The Backson” (a fictitious monster Owl creates after misinterpreting a note from Christopher Robin).

The movie is surprisingly short in comparison to many other children’s movies (just one hour), but really is the perfect length for younger and first time movie goers.

The Winnie The Pooh Movie hits theaters this Friday, July 15th!

Light Up Your Summer BBQ’s With FyrFlyz!

FyrFlyz Summer 2011 Toys
Love fireworks? lightening bugs? glow in the dark necklaces at parades and shows?

Since being introduced at New York Toy Fairs earlier this year, FyrFlyz™ ­are creating a sensation worldwide. And this summer, your BBQ’s will not be complete without them!

Take a look and see what the buzz is all about:

How does it work?
By swinging the connected two strings and applying tension or allowing slack, kids create a continuous movement that lights up with the FyrFlyz LED lights. There are so many tricks kids can create too! Figure eights, rings, sydwynders, black holes and even shooting stars!

You can get some tips on how to do these FyrFlyz tricks on the official FyrFlyz website.

As kids develop their skills, there are no boundaries to what their imaginations can create, making this toy a true must have for summer!

FyrFlyz (ages 8 and up) is retailing for under $10 each and will be available in a variety of light colors. Available nationwide end of July.

Cars 2 Toys and Games: Something for every McQueen and Mater Fan

Cars 2 has finally hit movie theater and despite mixed reviews, one thing is for sure- kids cannot get enough of the lovable cars characters. Cars fans both new and old are going to love some of the great toys and games that our out this year. From new diecast cars to playsets and video games- there will not doubt be something for every Cars fan.

Here is a list of just a few that we’ve seen so far-

In this game cars fans can race around the world fine tuning their spy skills. This video game is available on all major gaming platforms.

Hide N Spy Mater
Retails: $19.99
Kids will have lots of poppin’ fun with these interactive electronic games shaped just like Lightning McQueen and Mater. Each game features four interactive parts that literally pop out of place. Listen to Lightning and Mater tell you which parts to twist or push back into place before time runs out. Game difficulty increases as you advance levels.

Quick Fix Water Blaster (Twin pack)
Retails: $9.99
Perfect for summer play, kids can give Team 95 a helping hand! With the quick fill water tank and super soaking power, Lightening Mcqueen will be back on the track in no time!


SHAKE N’ Go Playset
Retails $49.99
Great for pre-schoolers- Just shake ’em up to hear their engines rev. Then, let ’em go and watch ’em race! It’s a head-to-head race of speed and fun all the way to the finish line, just like in the Disney/Pixar Cars 2 movie.



Cars 2 Lego Sets
There’s a huge variety of these playsets out. Cars fans can build the Grand Prix Rivalry Set with Bernoulli and McQueen, Tokyo Pit Stop set with Luigi and the pit crew team, The Spy Jet Escape (pictured) and more!

Getting Back To Basics With Woman’s Day

Living in a tech-world, sometimes we forget that creativity and imagination can really go a long way. Sometimes it’s the basic toys that have little to no tech at all that will keep kids entertained for hours.

This week Laurie visited Woman’s Day to discuss some of the great basic toy options that are available today.

Baby Alive Baby’s New Teeth by Hasbro
MSRP: $19.99

Ben 10 by Bandai
MSRP: $14.99

Pirates of the Caribbean by CDI
MSRP: $14.99 to $19.99

Disney Princess costumes and accessories by CDI
MSRP: $19.99 for dresses and $5.99-$29.99 for accessories

Pop N Curve by Plasmart
MSRP: $9.99

Eco Crafts by Alex
MSRP: $21.99

FolkMonsters™ Blueper and Twickety by Folkmanis
MSRP: $34

My Take Along Puppet Theater by Playmobil
MSRP: $49.99

Discovery Kids Color Me Playhouse by MerchSource
MSRP: $29.99

The Toy Insider Mom Brings Summer Fun Back To Good Day New York!

Summer is almost here and Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht returned to Good Day NY to share this summer’s hottest toys with Greg and Roseanna.

Last year when Laurie visited the morning duo, it ended with an AirHog plan flying into a camera man followed by a Super Soaker fight out side of the studio.

Good Times!

So this year we were all interested to see what would happen when Laurie brought some of her new new summer toy favorites to the set.

Below you will find all toys included in the segment along with links to full product information.

20” Girls Mongoose FSG

Your browser may not support display of this image.16”Boys’Mongoose Mutant

Lazer Light Bug Vacuum


Your browser may not support display of this image. Bagball


Your browser may not support display of this image.Giant Tennis


Smash Stix


Ready Set Stilts

Flash Flyers


KAOS


Nerf Super Soaker Hydro Cannon Water Blaster


Your browser may not support display of this image. Nerf Super Soaker Tornado Strike Water Blaster


Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodderick Rules

Last year Diary Of A Wimpy Kid was a box office hit, and kids couldn’t get enough of the movie, books or licensed games!

Today, the sequel, Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Rodderick Rules’ hits theaters across the country.

Based on the best selling (follow up) novel by Jeff Kinney, Rodderick Rules picks up when Greg (The Wimpy Kid) is entering 7th grade and  facing pressures of his parents to get along with his older, bossy, some-what “torturous” brother Rodderick.

What we love about the Wimpy Kid series is that it is pure kid-humor, and who can’t relate to how comical and crazy middle school can be?

Packed with lots of physical-comedy (ie- wedgies, being tossed in trash cans and sitting on melted chocolate.) you can safely take your 6 year old and your 12 year old to go see this movie and will find everyone belly laughing.

Nintendo 3DS Preorders and Augmented Reality

Yesterday retailers such as Amazon.com and Game Stop began taking preorders for Nintendo‘s newest portable gaming system, the Nintendo 3DS.

Retailing for $249.99, The Nintendo allows 3D gaming on a touch- LCD screen without the need for glasses.

Along with 30 titles set to be available at launch, the 3DS will also include a 3D camera which we hear is quite impressive and  augmented reality cards which will allow for augmented reality picture taking as well as gaming.

Below is one of the first looks of that augmented reality gaming, conducted by Engadget.

We think it’s pretty cool- what do you think?

The 90’s are ALL THAT!: Nickelodeon brings back 90’s favorites

At the Nickelodeon upfronts this afternoon, it was announced that iconic live-action and animated shows from Nickelodeon’s 1990s library will be returning for a programming block they are calling “The 90’s are all that!” .

Nickelodeon 90’s programming fans are still talking about the shows they loved as children. Though off the air for years, over 1million fans are declaring “I want my 90’s Nickelodeon back!” the official Clarissa Explains It All Facebook page has over 54,000 fans, Salute Your Shorts Facebook page has has over 32,00 fans.

“There is an entire generation of young people who literally grew up on these great 1990s’ series, and many of them have been vocal about wanting to see and experience these shows again,” said Keith Dawkins, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Nicktoons and TeenNick. “TeenNick caters to the older segment of the Nick audience, so it’s the perfect place to reconnect these shows to their original fans and introduce them to younger viewers for the very first time.”

Included in the “90’s Are All That!” line up are 90’s favorites- All That, Clarissa Explains it All, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Rugrats, Rocket Power, Salute Your Shorts, The Amanda Show and Kenan & Kel.

So for you children of the 90’s we leave you with this…


Brian Dunkleman Reaches For The Sky (Ball League)

Our staff caught up with him at the Maui Toys both during Toy Fair to get the scoop-

From Maui Toys:
Skyball, the highest bouncing ball ever made! Bounce it Straight up and it goes up to 75 feet in the air! That’s 4 times higher then a basketball, 5 times higher then a play ball, and 3 times higher then a tennis ball! That’s even higher then a 1.5 inch superball. Only maybe flubber bounces higher (which by the way doesn’t really exist).

More information about the league and its competitions can be found on The Sky Ball League site.

Trailer released for Toy Story Short Film

Disney/Pixar fans have been all a buzz about the new animated Toy Story short film slated to be featured before the opening of Cars2.

A few months ago, there was much speculation as to if the plot for this short film was leaked on Amazon through a pre-order listing for a new Toy Story book.

This week, those speculations were confirmed.

Disney Princess Squinkies Coming To Walmart!

photo credit: Squinkies
photo credit: Squinkies

While pursuing our morning reads we came across a Royal Announcement from this year’s TOTY winner & new toy favorite, Squinkies!

Beginning March 15th you will be able to find new Disney Princess Squinkies items in your local Walmart.

According to their website their new line will feature Disney Princess Bubble Packs, Bracelet Packs and Light-up Rings!

We have a feeling there will be some very happy little girls this Spring!

Know Someone With Bieber Fever? Join us Friday & Win!

Bieber Fever has reached all new levels this week when Justin not only got fitted for his shiny wax figure at Madame Tussaud’s but also got a new hair do!

So lets have fun!

We have 3 Justin Bieber hair dolls we want to give away to you!

(Yes, the hair before the cut 😉 )

Join us Friday at 3:30pm ET on Twitter (@TheToyInsider) for a Justin Bieber trivia game where you can win a Justin Bieber hair doll!

Tweet ya’ later!

Toy Insider Mom on ABC: Get the 411 on Toy Fair, Dino Poop and More.

Reddaki– Ages 6+ (5.99)

Angry Birds Plush – Ages 2+ (9.99)

Crayola Color Wonder Metallic– Ages 3+ (9.99)

Cars 2 Lightening McQueen Pit Crew Panic/ Hide N’ Spy Mater–  Ages 4+ (19.99)

Shoulder Buddies– Ages

Sesame Squeeze A Song Plus– Ages 18mo+ (14.99)

Dino Poop– Ages 4+ (9.99)

Perplexus Rookie– Ages 4+ (17.99)

LeapFrog and VTech tablets just like Mom & Dad’s

Kids all want what Mom and Dad have, and today Mom and Dad have some pretty cool toys- especially those toys designed by Steve Jobs 😉

This year at Toy Fair we were introduced to two very cool Ipad-like toys that we think kids will love.

The first launches this summer, it is The LeapPad by LeapFrog. Retailing for $99.99, and offering  downloadable applications starting at $7.50 and game cartridges at $24.99 this Ipad looks and operates so much like the real thing  kids are going to love it!

Competing with LeapFrog’s LeapPad and available in the fall, is The Innopad by VTech which will retail for $79.99. Like the cartridges for LeapFrog tablet, the VTech Innopad cartridges will be sold for $24.99

Innopad by Vtech

Which is a parent to choose?

While you have some time to decide, the decision will be tough that is sure.  As these items get closer to launch we hope to have a more in-depth review of them but here is what we can tell you from our first glance at Toy Fair-

Both tablets offer a large variety of fun and educational games kids will enjoy.

Both tablets are durable for kids.

Both are touch sensored and tilt-sensored.

Both will have games and apps featuring kid’s favorite characters

Both feature microphones and vivid graphics

Both screens are 5″

The First Glance Differences?

Besides the obvious $20 price difference-

The Innopad tablet has a microphone jack

The LeapPad has a built in camera (which may just might make the $20 difference worth it to many)

The LeapPad is slimmer

The LeapPad is part of LeapFrogs LearningPath allowing parents to track their child’s development.


2011 TOTY Winners Announced!

Toy Fair 2011 is here and the TOTY award winners have been announced.

Check out all of this year’s winners!


Activity Toy Of The Year- Crayola Color Wonder Sound Studio

———————————————————————-

Preschool Toy Of The Year- Sing-a-ma-jigs

Best Innovative Toy – Sing-a-ma-jigs

———————————————————————-

Best Specialty Toy- Hex Bug Nano

———————————————————————-

Best Girl Toy- Squinkies Cupcake Surprise

———————————————————————-

Best Boy Toy- NERF N-Strike Stampede ECS blaster

———————————————————————-

Best Infant/Toddler Toy- My Own Leaptop

———————————————————————-

Property of The Year- Toy Story

———————————————————————-

Outdoor Toy Of The Year- Nerf Super Soaker Shot Blast

———————————————————————-

Game of The Year- Scrabble Flash

———————————————————————-

Educational Toy Of The Year- Leapster Explorer Learning Experience

Mega Blok’s Halo Vehicle Makes Its 1st Stop At Toy Fair!


Inspired by the Halo’s Warthog, Mega Bloks is getting excited to launch its Mega Bloks Halo Vehicle North American Tour!

First stop? Toy Fair- of course!

You will be able to sneak a peek and take photos with this awesome vehicle at The Jacob Javits Center during Toy Fair 2011 (located in the Javits Convention Center’s Crystal Palace).

If you are unable to attend Toy Fair- no fears! Be sure to look out for it in a town near you! The Mega Bloks Halo Vehicle will be travelling across Canada and the United States making appearances at toy shows, convention centers, retail stores and many others.

Today Show Gets A Sneak Peek at Toy Fair 2011

Toy Fair is less than a week away! We can hardly wait to check out all of the fantastic toys hitting shelves this year.

This morning, our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited The Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda to give a sneak peek into what this year’s show has in store.

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

Lite Sprites (WowWee)
It begins with an all powerful Lite Wand that can magically capture
color and light from any flat surface and cast color spells onto the
Sprites and playsets of Lite-Topia, while emitting enchanting sounds
This unique play pattern empowers a girl to color her play world in
whatever way she chooses.
Includes 3 interactive games: Color Hunt, Color Mix, and Memory
The Sprite Sisterhood includes four Sprites: Prisma, Astra, Meadow and
Brooke. Bleak, the naughty one, rejects color and uses her powers to
eliminate and disrupt the color of Lite-Topia.
Each Sprite comes with a Lite Pod.
Ages 4+
Lite Wand and Prisma and Pod: MSRP: $29.99; Tree of Lite: $39.99; Deluxe
playsets: $19.99
Fall 2011

Lite Sprites by WowWee (Fall 2011)

An all powerful Lite Wand magically captures color and light from any flat surface and cast color spells onto the Sprites and playsets of Lite-Topia, while emitting enchanting sounds.

Each Sprite comes with a Lite Pod. Includes 3 interactive games: Color Hunt, Color Mix, and Memory

The Sprite Sisterhood includes four Sprites: Prisma, Astra, Meadow and Brooke.

Bleak, the naughty one, rejects color and uses her powers to eliminate and disrupt the color of Lite-Topia.

Ages 4+

Lite Wand and Prisma and Pod: MSRP: $29.99; Tree of Lite: $39.99; Deluxe playsets: $19.99

Tetris® Link™ by Techno Source (Fall 2011)

Tetris is the most recognized video game brand in the world—Now, fans can experience the Tetris effect with Tetris Link, a new tabletop strategy game that the whole family can play together

In Tetris Link, players battle to score the most points by linking colored Tetriminos, the iconic Tetris playing pieces, into an upright game tower while attempting to block competitors from linking their game pieces.

For 2 to 4 players.

MSRP: $19.99

Secret Agent Headquarters with Alarm System by Playmobil (Fall 2011)

Playmobil is introducing a whole new line of Secret Agent playsets The well-disguised Secret Agent Headquarters contains covert features, such as a trapdoor leading to the jail, a jet ski hiding place for an emergency escape, and a secret command center with LED board. The set comes with five figures, including a double agent with a changeable face.

Another exciting feature is the functional alarm system that can be placed in rooms at home to warn off “intruders”

Ages 7+/ MSRP: $89.99

Bizu by Spin Master (Fall 2011)

Bizu is a Twist on Beads allows girls to create and magically
transform their accessories. Make bracelets, charms, and necklaces any way you want. Give the jewelry a twist and create cute, posable, and lovable characters.

With the Bizu Style Studio you can sort, dispense, and style all of your Bizu characters! Comes with 4 ultra-rare characters. Create 4 stylish bracelets, link 3 together to make a necklace, or start a backpack and cell phone accessory trend.

Ages 6+/ MSRP: $19.99

Justin Bieber Rockin’ Tour Bus and Concert Stage by The Bridge Direct (Fall 2011)

Justin’s fans can recreate their favorite concert experience at home with the new Rockin’ Tour Bus, which opens up to reveal a rockin’ concert stage with lights and cool sound effects! There’s also a special port for connecting mp3 players or laptops, so that all your favorite digital music can be part of the show!

Ages 6+ / MSRP: $79.99

JB Real Hairstyle Doll by The Bridge Direct (Fall 2011)

It’s the doll that all Justin Bieber fans have been waiting for – the JB Signature Hairstyle Doll has soft and styled hair that replicates Justin’s signature “swoosh” hairstyle! Each Hairstyle Doll also comes with several cool accessories such as a skateboard, backpack or sunglasses.
Ages 6+ / MSRP: $17.99

Green Lantern Quickshot Game by Pressman Toy (May 2011)

Green Lantern stars Ryan Reynolds as the newest member of the of the intergalactic police force Green Lantern Corps—in theaters June 17, 2011 Green Lantern Quickshot Game is an action-packed game that allows kids to put their dexterity to the test as they load up their shooters with marbles and try to pop out the Green Lanterns.

For 2 players
Ages: 6+ MSRP under $19.99

Transformers Cine-Mask 3D Masks by Hasbro (May 2011)

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON will be the first- ever TRANSFORMERS film in 3D — opens worldwide on July 1, 2011.

Hasbro is introducing OPTIMUS PRIME and BUMBLEBEE role play/ 3D masks.

Each mask is equipped with built in RealD 3D lenses that allow fans to watch any RealD 3D compatible movie! Each mask sold separately.
Ages 5+
MSRP: $9.99

The Smurfs Carnival by MEGA Bloks (Summer 2011)

The Smurfs in 3D will be in theaters August 3, 2011!

With the Smurf Buildable Carnival playset, kids can build and rebuild their very own Smuf-tastic Carnival however they want.

The set includes a ferris wheel that really turs with a hand-powered crank, a windmill that really spins with a twisting slide, and a combination of two buildable mushroom houses stacked one on top of the other!

Age: 4+
MSRP: $29.99


Paper Jamz Microphoneby Wow Wee (Fall 2011)

The new Paper Jamz microphone uses cutting-edge technology(Perfect Pitch) to deliver a unique and fun singing experience to your favorite songs.

Modes include perfect pitch which analyze and tunes singer’s pitch, solo/ duet, to sing with the artist or become the lead singer, as well as harmony and auto-vibrato. You can even change to chorus which multiplies singer’s vocals to add depth. Includes 2 built in hits and holds up to 3 songs at a time. Additional songs will be available on Paperjamz.com

Ages 8+
$29.99

Snuggle Puppy: Great Starter Book For Toddlers

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Instilling a love for reading in our children is so important. That is why we made it part of our 2011 goals to bring you some more book recommendations.

I couldn’t think of a better book to kick off the year with than Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton.

I picked this book because it was one of the first we read to our son. And it quickly became one of his favorites.

This sweet story is about a parent telling their child how much they love them them- in the form of song.

My son would have us read him this book 3, sometimes 4 times a night! What he loved most was that when Daddy read the book, the song sounded different than when Mommy sang the song… we would take turns and it cracked him up.

What cracked us up?

When our son received  The Philadelphia Chickens book and CD filled with Sandra Boynton’s short stories… and learned that neither of our sing-song versions of Snuggle Puppy sounded like “the real” song.

Sandra Boyton’s rhyming, sing-song stories are adorably illustrated and offered in board book-form,  making them all great starter books for toddlers.

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Angry Birds Cartoon Series- coming to a TV near you?

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Earlier this month we told you a new Angry Birds game Mattel unveiled at CES. Well, if you are an Angry Bird fan-atic (you know who you are) and you thought that announcement was exciting, you will be thrilled to hear the latest Buzz surrounding app developer, Rovio‘s mobile phenomenon.

According to the New York Post, Rovio CEO Mikael Hed told the British TV industry site C21media.net about plans of an Angry Bird Cartoon!

When asked about the plans for a cartoon, Hed told C21media.net  “We have been looking at that for quite a while, and that is definitely one of my personal big focus areas right now — to work on broadcast content for Angry Birds.”

Last year, there was interest expressed from Hollywood in producing an Angry Birds series for the theater or television. Could this cartoon be for one of those mediums? Though Hed did not confirm either, it sounds like it could be a definite possibility!

Which would you rather see, an Angry Birds television cartoon or animated movie?

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Celebrating Martin Luther King Day and Inspiring Kids Dreams

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When you hear the name “Martin Luther King” undoubtably one of the first things that pops into your head is “I had a dream”. It was an incredibly moving speech that changed our country’s history perhaps even more than Dr. King realized at the time.

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Today our children learn about Dr. King and his “I had a dream” speech from a very young age, and we came across an Martin Luther King craft that we wanted to share.

credit: Activity Village Co. Uk

I Have  A Dream Children’s Craft

by: www.activityvillage.co.uk

It’s important to teach kids exactly why they have the day off today. This craft could be a great conversation starter.

While talking to them about Dr. King, this craft also teaches children to realize their dreams, no matter how small.

It sends a great message of inspiration and we love that.

So today, while you are home with your kids take sometime to pop over to Activity Village and learn how you and your kids can make your own “I have a dream” poster.

Fun twist on snow play with Wham-O blasters, launchers & snow boogies

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Snow days have always provided tons of play time fun, but Wham-O is putting a fun new twist on good ol’ fashion snow days with some of the great products they have in the market today.

So if you’re like us and find your local news channels predicting lots snow, we recommend you check these out:

Front top clockwise:

Snowball Blaster– Snowball fights have never been more fun. The Snowball blaster can hold up to 3 snowballs at a time and launches up to 100 feet! Also available in a solo model that launches 50 feet!

Snowball Launcher– More compact than the Snowball Blaster and with a built in snowball maker, this launcher can launch snow balls up to 50% further than you can throw them!

Polar Bear SnowBoogie- For Boogie board lovers, this fun boogie board is in the shape a polar bear and has a slick bottom for smooth snow fun.

Disc Foam SnowBoogie- This foam disc is light weight (3lbs) and its rocker design gives it better spinning action than your averaged snow disc.

Keep warm!

– Corine

Mattel Takes Angry Birds From App To Toy Shelves

photo credit: curiouslee.

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When it comes to mobile app games, Angry Birds by far stole the spotlight in 2010.

With over 50 million downloads, it has become a game that is truly loved by children of all ages. In my family it is being played daily by not only my husband, but my in-laws, and yes even my 5 year old.

This past holiday,  along with their special edition, advent-like holiday Angry Birds, app developers Rovio were quick to create other merchandise for their hot-selling app and sold plush characters in their online store (My 5 year old very quickly added them to his list).

So what does Angry Birds have in store for 2011?

Well if your family is as in love with this mobile app as mine are, they will be over the moon to hear the buzz coming from the Mattel booth at CES this past week.

Expected to hit shelves this spring, Mattel will be releasing an Angry Birds card game and “Knock on Wood” play set.

The Angry Birds “Knock on Wood” play set is suggested for children 5+ and will include all of your favorite birds, pigs and a sling-shot. The set is expected to retail for $15.

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The Squinkies Craze Enters The Video Game World


photo credit: Squinkies blog.

Squinkies made our list of hot toys for holiday, and hot they were!

Between the  original Squinkies and the Squinkie-doo’s children all over started their collection of these adorable little characters this holiday. And while fans continue to await the release of the newest series, Squinkies Toons– this craze is being taken to new, interactive levels.

Yesterday, Blip Toys announced that it has granted exclusive rights to video game creator, Activision to develop, manufacture and distribute Squinkies video games!

The Squinkies video games are expected to be released throughout 2011 across multiple platforms, the first being Nintendo DS, which is expected to be released in April.



10 places to donate your old toys

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Happy New Year!

It always amazes me how after so many weeks of shopping and wrapping, in what seems like just the blink of an eye- the holidays are over and the New Year is here! And if your family is like mine, every year you find yourself in the same predicament- tons of new toys scattered about rooms that are already over crowded with last years toys.

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Before the holiday, I usually involve the kids in making a toy donation of the toys they no longer play with, but try as we might- the first week of the year we are always doing another round.

Today there are so many choices of where you can donate your gently used toys. Below is a list of some places you may want to consider.

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  1. – Grandparents (This is always the first place I consider, especially for toys the kids sorta-kinda still like)
  2. – Friends with kids with younger kids
  3. – Local Preschool or Daycare
  4. – Pediatrician Offices and Gyms with Babysitting centers
  5. – Local Library
  6. – Local Goodwill
  7. – Your child’s pediatrician’s office.
  8. – Woman’s Shelters
  9. – Ronald McDonald House
  10. – “Free Cycle” on  local Yahoo! Groups.

*Remember before making your donation, to check if the toy is in working order and most importantly please be sure to check for toy recalls! You can always check the Toy Industry Association’s site for the latest toy recalls.

Toy Story Short Film: Plot Leaked On Amazon?

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When Cars 2 hits theaters this summer, it has been rumored that Pixar will be including a pre-movie “Toy Story” short film. This past weekend when Amazon.com listed a new children’s book, “Play-cation” said to be “based on the latest animated short featuring the toys from Disney/Pixar Toy Story” – it only further fed those rumors.

As first reported by The Pixar Blog, according to Amazon the below describes the synoposis of this much anticipated short film:

“Bonnie is off to Hawaii, and Barbie and Ken are excited to go along on their first tropical vacation! But when they’re accidentally left behind, it’s up to Buzz, Woody, and the rest of the toys to create a Hawaiian paradise right in Bonnie’s room”

Cars 2 is slated to hit theaters June 24th. The Toy Story’s “Play-cation” book will be available in August (according to Amazon).

Remembering A Year Of Play (video)

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As we get ready to usher in a new year, and all of the many toys that will be introduced in it, we wanted to take a moment to recap our favorite toy trends and memories of 2010.

We hope you enjoy this compilation of what we consider to be some of the most fun moments of play in 2010.

Have a happy and safe New Year!

-The Toy Insider Team

Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Ideas!

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3 More shopping days to go! {{no pressure!}}

Yesterday we spoke about some great last minute gifts for friends. Today we are talking about stuffing the stocking!

Kids always look forward to opening up their stocking gifts on Christmas Day, but sometimes filling their stockings with small toys and gifts can be challenging.

Our Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited ABC World News yesterday to give some ideas on how you can stuff your kids stockings with truly great toys!

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Take a look-

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Below are items suggested in the segment-

1.) Zoobles– $5.99

2.) Squinkie Doos $6.99

3.) Fuzzoodles $9.99

4.) Hexbug Spiders $24.99

5.) Dragons Universe $6.99

6.) Grab & Go Games $11.99

8.) Rummikub 8 Round Rummy  $4.99

7.) SG Footwear Character Slippers $9.99

Last Minute Gift Ideas For Kids- Under $20

With just 5 days left until Christmas day, many of us are finding ourselves still searching for a few small last minute gifts for the children on our lists.

Whether it be a small gift for your own child or for a friend’s these gender neutral gifts are sure to be a hit- and they are all under $20 and available at Walmart!

For Babies & Toddlers, ages 0-2

Cook and Play Potsy $15

For Preschoolers, ages 3-5

Play-doh Mega Fun Factory $10

For school age kids, ages 6-8

Fuzzoodles Kits- $9.99 – $19.99


For Tweens, ages 8+

Twister Hoopla $15

Giving Back with “The Talk”

The holiday season is not just about receiving, it is also about giving back. And throughout the hustle and bustle, The Toy Insider team loves to do a lot of donating to various children’s drives and charities.

Last week, our Toy Insider Mom had the unique opportunity to not only visit the ladies of CBS’ new day time talkshow “The Talk”, but she was also able to help them pick some of the best toys to donate to a local LA Charity,  CHIPs For Kids.

After the drive was complete, Laurie took a moment to speak with Holly Robinson Peete about a few of those great toys The Toy Insider picked for the charity toy drive.

Below is a list of the toys highlighted-

Zoobles $5.99 +
Perplexus $24.99
GoGo My Walkin' Pup $49.99
Fuzzoodles $9.99+
Bubble Talk $19.99

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View the full clip below-

Yahoo Shine features The Toy Insider Mom

Talking Hot Toys For Holiday With Hoda & Kathy Lee

This Friday, our Toy Insider Mom visited The Today Show with Kathy Lee and Hoda to talk about Hot Toys under $50!

From Thomas and Friends to Bop It Bounce, the segment included a variety of great toys for every age category and were demonstrated by a few adorable Toy Insider helpers.

It was fun getting to share some of our picks this year with Today’s Moms because we love to talking about not only great toys, but truly affordable toys! This year there are so many choices under $50 you just don’t have to spend a ton of money to get that perfect toy for the child on your list.

In case you were already out Black Friday shopping and missed the segment, you can view the clip and list of featured toys below:

* Thomas & Friends Adventures On Misty Island

* Pop On  Pals Amusement Park

* Zoobles

* Squinkies

* Big Bag of Science

* Jewel Eco-Aquarium

* Fuzzoodles

* Paper Jamz

* Bop It Bounce

* Rock Crawler

The Race to Black Friday is on, but are we running on the right fuel?

Rev up your engines, powerful parents and gracious gift-givers! With Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend upon us, the daunting task of preparing that big holiday meal AND snagging all the best holiday gift-giving deals is right is upon us.

But you know that. You are prepared.  Most of us have already reviewed the sneaked  Black Friday lists, done our online research price-comparisons and built a strategy with our friends and family about who will cover which stores and who will buy which hot items!

But let’s take a step back this year. We are more prepared than ever to get the best deals, but have we  covered all of the bases?  Here’s a checklist that you may want to consider to add that extra layer of preparedness to your Holiday shopping regime, especially for the toys and games in your kids’ lives…

  1. Let’s take a few minutes and re-assess. You have asked your kids what products are on their wish lists, so you may know the name of their favorite branded treasures…the ones that they just gotta  have.  We work hard for our money, and we want to ensure that every precious penny spent is on a product that will be used often, and become treasured. And although we want our kids to be popular, we also want them to be active, empowered, imaginative, creative thinkers. We want them to be hands-on with their playthings, to learn a little something in the process and to grow up to be balanced young adults.
  2. – What are your kids’ interests and skills? What are their dreams, and what are they passionate about? Are there any areas that they are neglecting in their lives, and is there a great toy or game that could encourage their passion, or fill a need? Fill in the gaps with toys and games that deliver on playfulness,  offer challenges and encourage interactive, imaginative play. (Check out the skill sets in the Toy Insider guide , listed beside each toy to target particular skills).
  3. – It is all about balance, right? At least that’s what we parents tell ourselves. How can we set the bar for our kids to be balanced, and active, imaginative, social and gracious, intelligent and caring. It starts with their tools, their playthings and how they develop their minds, bodies and  spirit and keeping a playful and fun, positive attitude toward life, and others.
  4. – Dig deeper. What areas would you like to share with your kids, and how can their toys and games give you more quality time together.  Can you play social games together more often?  Many games today have both cooperative and competitive sets of rules, so they can be played many different ways. There are also many short-play timed games where you can have a great experience in 20 minutes or less. Engage more often, build great bonding and learning moments. Create daily long-lasting memories. (Click here for a list of family and social games to share)
  5. – Hands-on experiences teach kids valuable lessons and bring great AHA moments. Choosing a toy that is interactive and encourages experimentation leads to building self-esteem. Constuctable games is a new category this year and Lego, Megabrands and Hasbro Games have all designed games that you build, teaching kids about empowerment, building and social skills, since after the game is built, you play it! (Click here for a list of new constructable games)

Take a few minutes now, and look over the list that your kids have given you, and then take a look at the variety of toys that are described on these pages. These toys and games have been reviewed and chosen by a different set of toy experts, the ones who hear all of the pitches and then whittle down the list to the top 100. The Toy Insider selections are designed to appeal to different ages and genders,  to promote different skills, and to encourage a wide range of activities and learning moments. Take a  second, fresh look at your toylist, and see if you have your bases covered. By  building the tools in our kids toybox to develop all of their skill sets, we are better preparing them for a life of learning and making good choices.

Go get-um, prepared parents and caregivers, and have fun in the process. Your sanity is important, too. All week, and throughout the Holidays, we will offer additional tips and tricks.  So come back often.

Games Always Make Great Gifts

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Games- I love them!  Who doesn’t?

We start playing simple games such as peek-a-boo and hide and seek when our children are very young and then grow into games that teach important skills such as patience (wait for your turn), cooperation, memory, math and reading.

Other great things about games?

  • – Every time a game is played, it’s new.
  • – Games are always at an easy price point- which always makes them great gifts.
  • – They bring families and generations together (Which is possibly the biggest reason why I love games)

This year I have so many new favorites that I am sure your family will love too!

Here are a few:

  • Twister Hoopla: A classic favorite with a brand new “twist”.  The mat is gone, and we now have real hoops!  There are five games to choose from and you can play in teams or against one another individually. Twister Hoopla will leave you twisted and connected in so many new ways, you’ll never be able to keep from laughing!   (Ages 6+)
  • Scene It! Disney Magical Moments: Like the classic Scene It games, this is a DVD/board game.  This is classic Disney that everyone will be able (and want) to play!  Puzzles, trivia and activities for the whole family. (Ages 6+)

  • Glee CD Board Game: I have three teens- and there is not an episode of Glee that they will miss.  If your kids are “Gleeks” as well, this game is a must have.  Here fans will sing, dance, and act to figure out the who is in the character card.  Shopping for ages 13+ can become a stressful event, so this game is perfect when stuck on the what to get the teen on your list. (Ages 13+ for content)
  • Blockers: This is a really cool strategy game that takes about a minute to learn, but one you learn you can’t stop!  You need to make the fewest amount of clusters on the game board while blocking your opponent.  Once you get started, you’re hooked.  (Ages 8+)

  • Diary of a Wimpy Kids Cheese Touch Game: I am always a fan of literary adventures -turn- games. This one is no exception.  The Diary Of A Wimpy Kid series is one kids love, and they will love the game too!  In expanding the story into play,  players face challenges and wrong answers will leave them with moldy cheese that was found on the basketball court. Not only is the game fun, it will keep kids interested in reading the books- which is a great bonus! (Ages 7+)

  • UBuild Monopoly and Monopoly Revolution:  Another classic that has been in everyone’s home but with two new ways to play.  In UBuild Monopoly, you actually build and customize everything.  You can even build the game to be played in just 30 minutes.  In Monopoly Revolution, the board is round!  And forget the banker, this game uses credit cards not cash (but I will miss the colorful money).  Both of these great Monopoly games will keep generations playing together.  (Ages 8+)

  • Creationary: Roll those Lego dice (yes, I said LEGO) and start building.  This is the first collection of games that is build-able (even the Lego dice are buildable) as well as challenging.  There are four building categories with three levels of difficulty, which make this a great grow with me game. While you build. other players have to guess what you are creating.  This game is for 3 to 8 players, so fun for everyone.  (Ages 7+)
  • Beyblade: Metal Fusion Super Vortex Battle Set:  Thats right, Beyblades are back and better than ever.  Take that battle into the Beystadium arena and let her rip!!  These are metal fusion tops with ripcord launchers. There’s also codes to enter at Beybladerbattles.com so you can compete with other Beybladers online!

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I could go on and on because there are just so many games out that will grow with you family.

And always remember that a family that plays together, stays together 🙂

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-Laurie

The Toy Insider Mom

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Toy Insider Mom Talks Toys Under $30 On Fox Chicago!

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This morning our very own Toy Insider Mom, Laurie Schacht visited Good Day Chicago to talk about some fun and affordable toys out this holiday.

All of the toys featured on the segment are $30 and under and available for holiday.

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Here is a complete list with links of all of the toys featured:

– Fin Fin (Age 4+)

– Smarty Ants (Age 4+)

– Perplexus (Age 6+)

– Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Cheese Touch Game (Age 7+)

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If you have a question about these toys, or any other toy on your list, feel free to submit it on Woman’s Day Magazine’s Facebook Page. The Toy Insider Mom will be answering your questions there through out the holiday season!

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Smart Tech For Kids

Kids and technology are amazing today, aren’t they?

As a mother of 3 teenage girls, I can tell you that if there was a snow day in my school district and I was the only one to get a call about it,  I could ask one of my girls to blast this news out and within five minutes every kid in the school district would have gotten the memo.

It truly is amazing.

Today our kids are born surrounded by technology that  grown-ups are still trying to grasp. There is no learning curve. It’s become a natural progression of steps. Babies pick their heads up, learn to crawl, walk and somewhere in the middle they are playing with Mom and Dad’s cell phone.

So its no surprise that much of the fun in kids toys come from- what our Toy Insider team now calls- “Smart Tech”.  Smart Tech is not just a computer application or a toy with batteries. Smart Tech will wow you for its multiple “wow” features. And this Smart Tech, starts with babies!

Here are some of my favorites from our HOT 20 List.. in all different ages:

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Hide and Seek JOJO, Interactive Bunny. What child doesn’t love hide and seek?  Now, not only is it a fun game- it’s a great toy!  JOJO the bunny, comes with a carrot. The child takes the carrot and hides while JOJO covers his eyes with his ears (yes, he really does this) and counts to ten.  JOJO will begin seeking the child and the carrot.  Does JOJO always find your child?  Not always. Sometime the carrot is too far and JOJO needs help. If this happens, he will ask for a hint.  If your child yells here I am…JOJO will move in that direction.  After a couple of minutes if JOJO has not found your child he will say “come out, come out, where ever you are” just like the real game.  That is Smart Tech and great interactive fun for our youngest kids.

Read More…

Our 5th Annual Holiday Toy Guide Has Arrived!

I can’t believe our 5th annual Holiday Toy Guide is already on stands!.

I know it seems like the holidays are so far away, but there are a few key reasons why you see our list so early. Today retailers do not overstock anymore. They buy what they truly think they will sell and that’s it. And the toy manufacturers produce what is ordered.

So every year our Toy Insider team (who all have children of their own) spend all year looking at new products, working with kids and identifying trends. It’s all of that year round’ effort that gives us the unique ability to pinpoint which toys will sell out quickly each holiday.

So whether you are seeing our list on our site or in Woman’s Day Magazine- if you see something on there that is going to top your kids wish list this year, don’t wait to purchase- because we all remember how impossible it was to find those adorable little Zhu Zhu’s last season!

.Of course there are always alternatives and we’re always happy to help you come up with those ideas too- but now is the time to get those list-topping toys while shelves are still stocked..

To help simplify your holiday toy shopping experience we have included the following in this year’s Toy Insider:


We hope our list has you off to a great start on your holiday shopping and look forward to helping you with all the toy advice you may need!

.– Laurie

The Toy Insider Mom

The Toy Insider, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. The Toy Insider is an editorial site that receives free samples from manufacturers, but all editorial opinions are their own. The Toy Insider also accepts consideration from manufacturers, which is clearly marked as sponsored content. © Copyright 2006—2024 Toy Insider LLC. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without prior written consent of Toy Insider LLC. All photographs, logos and artwork are the property of their respective owners.
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