Snuggling up With Cuddly Characters

June 23, 2016 by 3 Comments

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest. For more information, please see “I Disclose”.

My son is a cuddle monster, and he loves his stuffed animals.  In fact, I often joke that he likes to “Scrooge McDuck” in his pile of fluffy toys, making a huge pile and rolling around in it.  It’s how he sleeps.  It’s the oddest thing….but I guess we all have our “thing”, don’t we?

Recently, he found some video game stuffed toys that he loves. First there are the Nintendo Plush, which are not only cute, but also fun to play with and act out the games your child loves best.  Perfect for the collector or kids, they come in all sorts of characters, new and old, and even the more obscure.  Some of them even make the well knows Nintendo game sounds, like the coin bling, and the Koopa Troopa “hit” sound.  I’d try to spell those sounds for you, but I’m not willing to take the hate mail from fans (haha).  Find your child’s favorites (or your own) like Kirby, Mario, the coin box (really!) Koopa Troopa, Cat Toad or regular Toad- you can find most characters.  Visit any store that sells toys and pick yours up- prices vary, most are under $10.

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Collectors or kids will love the collectable Pokemon toys to commemorate Pokemon’s 20th anniversary. Every month until December 2016, one retailer-exclusive Mythical Pokémon will be released. These extremely rare Pokémon will be released as 8” plush in a very special crushed velvet material, as well as  2” pearlescent-finished figures that come with their own pearlescent-finished Poké Balls. There will also be various limited-edition Pikachu products all year long, but you gotta catch ’em all- because when they are gone, that’s it!  Visit http://tomycollections.com/ to see what Pokemon is being released each month and at what retailer. Prices vary.

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Precious Moments might not be out of a video game, but they are sweet and snuggely. They are perfect for even the smallest stuffed animal lovers, with a new 17-piece Precious Baby line just for your littlest cuddle bunnies. Now available through Aurora World (who you know we love, and make some of our favorite stuffed toys), the baby toys include a blanket puppet, wind up musical toys, plush rattles, toys that recite prayers (in either English or Spanish), and your traditional plush toys. Most toys are from $12-24.  You can visite www.auroragift.com for these and even more baby items, as well as stuffed animals for older children.

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Miles from Tomorrowland Season 2 Space Adventures

June 19, 2016 by 2 Comments

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest. For more, see “I Disclose”.
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Miles From Tomorrowland has always been a favorite in our household! My girls have been anxiously looking forward to the premiere of Season 2 starting. With Season 2 starting comes a new great line of toys that every Miles fan is going to love.

About the Miles From Tomorrowland Season 2 Toys:

TOMY brings storytelling and space adventure to life with its innovative toy line that captures the sense of wonder and exploration from the Disney Junior TV series “Miles from Tomorrowland.” The product line encourages STEAM learning, and features evergreen play patterns that kids can use to recreate adventures from the TV episodes or to discover new stories for Miles and his family and friends.

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About the Toys:

Photon Flyer: This great toy was built by Miles Callisto for a space race derby. It has now become Miles’ go-to mode of transportation. Miles can get anywhere in the galaxy in a flash with the super speed of the Photon Flyer. All you need to do to activate hyper speed mode is pull forward on the nose of the ship and race off after your target. You can turn on the hard light wings with the push of a button. If your race or mission requires surface exploration push back the hard light wings to drive around in surface mode.

This great toy transforms into 3 modes: surface mode, space mode, and hyperspeed mode.

Miles From Tomorrowland, Haruna: Haruna is Miles Calisto’s best friend from Earth. Haruna and Miles go way back and even learned to skateboard together when they were in kindergarten. Haruna still loves riding his skateboard, even in outer space. The Haruna action figure, with poseable arms and legs, can practice awesome moves on his skateboard accessory with rolling wheels.

Gadfly’s Scourge Vehicle: On his quest to steal the Rift Drive, galactic space theif Gadfly needs his ship, the Scourge, to make his get away from the Space Guard Police Force. The Scourge ship makes it easy to steal the rift drive with a grappling claw that extends from the bottom of the ship to pick up the included rift drive. Launch flash beams at any enemies coming your way as Gadfly zooms off.

Miles From Tomorrowland, Prince Rygan: Prince Rygan is the sole heir to the throne of the empire of the Dethalian Race. But Prince Rygan likes nothing better than hanging out with Miles Callisto playing a game of Kalok. Even though his mother, Queen Gemma, is very strict, Rygan has a way of charming her to get his way. He’s adventurous like Miles and is always ready to get into and out of trouble with Miles. The Prince Rygan action figure, with articulated arms and legs, can keep up with Miles on any adventure on his super cool Dethalian Blast Board accessory.

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My Thoughts:

My daughters have had a blast playing with these awesome toys. They love shooting from Gadfly’s Scourge Vehicle, and they absolutely love lighting up the Photon Flyer. The toys are a great way to ring in the new season. I know that they are a great way to pump up any Miles Lover and prepare them for the wonderful Season 2 that is in store.

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Hot Summer Toys For Travel and Fun

June 15, 2016 by 6 Comments

Disclosure- We received the below in order to facility reviews. All opinions are our own and honest. For more information, see “I Disclose”.

 

With many of us already into a long summer break from school with the kids at home, we think about what to do with all this time off.  Travel, outside play, day trips, and of course- what to do when you are stuck inside on blistering hot or rainy days.

Here are some of our current favorites.

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The Nerf Action Camera  is perfect for documenting all your child’s favorite summer activities (while keeping their little hands off your own camera and phone).  With a colorful Nerf-inspired design, it is easy to spot and can take a tumble. While it is made for kids, it’s high quality (and nicer then my first few “grown up” cameras were).  Your kids can see what they shot or line it up with a 1.8 TFT preview screen, comes with 5.1 mega pixels for great photos, and 720p HD video capabilities so they can take recordings as well. That always keeps them occupied (and laughing). My favorite thing is that it is waterproof, so it is not only safe in mishaps, but also for pool, waterpark, and beach fun.  And the price is right as well- available at http://www.toysrus.com for $50.

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Taking a long trip? Be it a plane, train, or automobile, your kids will love the new Kurio Xtreme 2.  The newest in the Kurio line, it is also the safest, most full-featured Android tablet built especially for kids (*according to website). Of course, it is great for use at home as well, and can keep kids off your tablet and occupied with their own. It comes with 60 apps  like Fruit Ninja and Subway Surfers, as well as more active body-controlled Kurio Motion games. Kids can also read e-books, take photos or shoot video, and watch movies.  It also connects to the Google Play Store, but requires parent permission. There are a TON of free parent controls, and the tablet comes with a free lifetime subscription to “Kurio’s best-in-class parental controls and their comprehensive Kurio Genius internet filtering system” (as per Kurio).  It can take a minute to set up- best to charge it and do while the kids are in bed so they don’t drive you insane.  This sturdy tablet is made tough, and has bumper and screen protector included, as well as a kickstand.  If you need help with setup, Kurio techs are available 24 hours a day, and can even take over the tablet for you to fix what ails it.   Grab yours for $100 at http://www.kurioworld.com

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Stuck inside?  If your kids are like mine, they love the newly released movie Zootopia.  The playsets have been a huge hit over here, and we have spent hours playing with them.  They also travel well (there are 3 characters in my purse right now) and are good for busting boredom at restaurants and the like while you wait. You can find plush, figure sets, vehicle sets, and more- let your child choose what they love best. There are several vehicle sets to choose from, from Nick and his convertible to Judy and her Police Cruiser (that has been a huge hit, it even has a little jail cell in the back). Character figure sets come in two packs, three packs, and larger- you will save money if you just get the large pack, honestly.  (If you are going to end up getting more then 2 sets, just get the big one!)  The plush come in talking and non talking, and two sizes.  There are choices for all your little fans- and you will end up playing as well.  It’s a cute movie, the toys don’t disappoint. Prices vary.

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The big hit of the season has been Budsies.  The absolute cutest stuffed things in the world (yes, just according to me).  Your child draws a photo of what they would like to crate, uploads it to the website, and then stuffed animal version is mailed home to you in a few weeks.  Along the way, you get emails telling you and your child about your little creation’s progress, giving you updates, and letting you know how your Budsies is progressing.  Those are adorable as well, little progress reports.  It’s so creative, and fun for the kids to see a real life version of what they imagined. My son was thrilled beyond my expectation when his Budsies arrived, a polar bear with a rainbow sweater he drew.  It takes a while before it arrives, but the anticipation likely makes it that much more fun. This is a wonderful gift, project, or memento for any child, and will be a toy you never give away or get rid of.  It’s a treasured keepsake for all times. You can also choose a “Selfie”, which is made in the likeness of anyone you choose, and is a great gift for people in the armed services.

Get yours here http://www.budsies.com/ No one will ever forget this gift.

Filed Under: kids, review, toys Tagged With: ,

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows Technodrome

June 14, 2016 by 5 Comments

Disclosure- The below was sent to me in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest.

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The “heroes in a half shell” are back and ready to save the world once more.  This time, they must face one of their most fearsome foes, Kraang.  Kraang is an alien brain in a high tech android body, and if that wasn’t enough of a challenge- he also has the technodrome.  The technodrome is a rolling sphere of a death in machine form, meant to destroy everything in the city.  As such, it is the Turtles job to defeat Kraang and his new fearsome vehicle.  Your kids can also help in the fight against Kraang with the new Technodrome play set.  This toy is a beast- it opens up to over two feet wide and is full of secrets, like trap doors, slides, and even a jail.

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It has missiles which fire and wheels which let it roll around.  It is the perfect play set to reenact Ninja Turtle fun from the new movie.  The technodrome is torn straight from the new movie, and has tons of details and a secret entrance.  The little guy loves Ninja Turtles, and this new play set is no different.  He loves having a huge place for his turtles to fight.  The play set is proportional to the 2.5 inch figures, and when you are done playing with it, it can even act as storage for your figures and their weapons.  The only thing to keep in mind while picking this huge play set up is there are no figures included.  This is always a bummer for kids, and my son is no exception- especially if you don’t have any.  Be sure either your little one has figures at home or to grab some while you are out to avoid sad kiddos.  There are many figures to choose from, both good guys and bad guys are available.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows Technodrome playset is available now and retails for $49.99.  It is recommended for children aged 4 and up.

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Kohl’s Cares for Kids

June 3, 2016 by 2 Comments

 

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As many of your know, shopping with children in tow can be interesting/taxing/mind boggling-ly difficult.  To help with this predicament, Kohls has a two prong answer- Kohls Cares.  This program has low cost plush and books of popular book titles, and all the proceeds from the net profit of the items are donated to kids’ health and education initiatives nationwide.  This means your little one gets a new toy, your wallet gets so stay a little heavier, AND you get to help children in need across the country.

The items available are always changing and are of the utmost quality.  You can give a gift that gives back with children’s books and soft toys from the Kohl’s Cares® summer collection. The pieces are priced at just $5 each, with 100 percent of the net profit supporting children’s health initiatives nationwide.

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The summer collection of Kohl’s Cares books and plush is available now through June 26 at Kohl’s Stores nationwide and online at Kohls.com and includes:

  • Penguin on Vacation book, Penguin’s Big Adventure book and penguin soft toy
  • Board Book Set and clownfish soft toy
  • Found book and bear soft toy
  • Stormy Night book and dinosaur soft toy

To date, Kohl‘s has raised nearly $300 million through the Kohl’s Cares merchandise program. To reinforce the company’s commitment to children’s health, Kohl’s has donated financial support to hospitals across the country. The donations fund hospital outreach programs focused on children’s health initiatives and address the specific issues needed most in each hospital’s community. These tailored programs provide vital resources to families at no cost and include topics such as injury prevention, asthma awareness, dental care, and fitness. A complete list of hospital partners is available online.

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These toys make great gifts as well in a pinch where you just have no idea what to get for a little one in your life.  They are also just fun to bring home for your child who enjoys plush toys.  The only issue with The Kohls Cares program is, it can be difficult to say no to your little one when they ask for one of them.  I know I never can, and we now have a giant collection of them. It’s hard to say no to a cute face asking for a cute plush or book, when you know the proceeds go to a good cause- AND it’s inexpensive. What can you do?  It’s one time in your life you don’t have to just say no.

Filed Under: charity/notforprofit, kids, review, toys Tagged With: ,

Putting The Kids To Bed

April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Getting kids to go to bed is no easy feat- many parents dread the nightly routine of the kids whining, crying, and tantruming to stay up.  Looking to make getting to bed sweeter?  Here are some of our current favorites.

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Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Snuggle and Glow Plush Toy is great for fans of the hit TV show, as well as any child who is afraid of the dark.  This cute tiger comes with his own toy, Tigey that glows. Daniel Tiger is dressed for bed in his trolly PJ’s, and ready to say helpful and comforting phrases as well as singing the “Goodnight” song from Mommy Tiger.  When you push Daniel’s hand, he will talk, sing, or just glow, depending on which “mode” you have him in.  Tigey lights up and begins to fade as the “Goodnight song” winds down, which kids will love.  It’s nice to have a familiar friend with you when you get scared, even better that it can glow in the dark. Requires 3 (AAA) batteries (Included). You can get this toy for around $25 at Amazon.

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A new, fun toy that my son loves (and is great for home, and travel) is FlipAZoo.  This toy is really a 2-in-1, where you can transform it from one animal from another.  Examples are dragon to unicorn, husky to polar bear, cat to mouse. It’s easy to do- jut flip the top over and bam- new animal.  It’s soft, crudely, and makes a great pillow for car rides, airplanes, and road trips. They come in three sizes, and kids will love them.  My son has brought his with him traveling, and likes to snuggle with it at home on the couch while watching movies as well. You can get yours at http://www.flipazoo.com for $20 (for the medium/regular sized).

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Based on the popular book “The Little Prince” by Antoine Saint-Exupery (soon to be a movie as well), YOTTOY’s has created the plush endearing The Little Prince collection to fly this Little Prince home to yours. You can choose between the “The Little Prince Figurine in Gift Box”, which is a 4″ Little Prince Figurine for $13  if your kids are a little older or more collectors, and the “The Little Prince & Fox Soft Toy Pair”.  My son loves this stuffed toy duo, and it is fun to recreate the stories and episodes out of the book.  The toy inspired us to re-read the story, and of course the Little Prince and his fox enjoyed being a part of that.  They loved “showing me” all the mischief they got into. Plush Little Prince is 12” plush and comes complete with Fox. You can get them for $27 at http://www.yottoy.com/home.html

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If you prefer the traditional, you can’t go wrong with Aurora’s line of Teddy Bears. They vary from “baby’s first” to the fuzziest furs and interesting colors that kids will enjoy.  Some of the latest are Smiley Buxley (with, of course, a fantastic teddy smile), and the fantasticly detailed Horace and Smokey.  The faces on these bears are just too sweet (you might get an extra for yourself- you won’t want to put it down either), and your children will be delighted.  Place one of these huggable cuties on your child’s bed in secret, so that when the bedtime protests start, they will quickly be derailed once they see the new fluffy friend that is waiting for them to come snuggle into sleep.  A fun bedtime surprise that will get your little one happily drifting off to sleep.  You can find these and more at http://www.auroragift.com/aurorababy/

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Learning Resources New Sprouts Grow It!

April 9, 2016 by Leave a Comment

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest. For more, see “I Disclose”.
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Finding great toys that help strengthen the imagination of my children is incredibly important to me. With The New Sprouts line from Learning Resources I have not been disappointed.

About Learning Resources:

Learning Resources is a leading global manufacturer of innovative, hands-on educational products trusted by teachers and parents and loved by children. The company has 1100+ products that are sold in more than 80 countries. Among the company’s brands are Pretend & Play, Smart Snacks, New Sprouts, Gears!Gears!Gears! Primary Science, now!Board, simple technology, Hands-On Standards publications, Rainbow Fractions, and Reading Rods.

About New Sprouts Grow It:

A garden full of imaginative play! Plant and grow flowers and veggies right before your eyes with gardening essentials including a watering can, a shovel, and 3 pots. Colorful mix-and-match flowers and veggies encourage role play and early vocabulary development while nurturing an appreciation for nature. Includes 2 flowers and 2 veggies (carrot and radish). Largest piece (watering can) measures 5 1/2″L x 4 1/2″H.

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  • You can grow imaginations
  • Simple in/out play along with learning new words keep kids active, learning, and having fun
  • Sized perfectly for small hands
  • Part of the New Sprouts line perfect for inviting early imaginative play with pieces that are durable and easy to hold-soft, plastic parts make them especially safe for toddlers
  • Ideal for ages 2+

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My Thoughts:

My girls had a great deal of fun playing with this great new toy. They just turned 4 and 6 recently and still had a great deal of fun. So if fun can start around 2 for your child, they are going to for sure get many years of great fun out of this awesome toy. The girls had fun mixing this and I was impressed at how much their little imaginations grow when they play new things or topics. The toy is perfect for little hands. It is going to last and will in no way break apart.

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Purchase:

If you are interested in purchasing this great toy from New Sprouts or any of the other great ones that they have to offer, head on over to their website and get one ordered today.

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Filling Easter Baskets with Fun

March 16, 2016 by 2 Comments

Are you ready for the Easter Bunny to hop into your house?  Check out these fun spring toys to fill your little one’s baskets with.

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For your smallest bunnies, take a look at these fun “Easter” eggs.  The HABA Shakin’ Eggs are perfect for baskets and they don’t ever go bad.  Little ones will love them- not only for their bright colors, but also for the fun sounds they make. Each box contains a set of five colored beech wood eggs- and yes the paint is safe and non-toxic (since we all know little ones are going to put them into their mouths).  Each egg makes a different sound- one jingles, another rattles, etc, so that your child can make some fun “music”.  It is recommended by the manufacturer for ages 2 and up, but in my opinion, smaller kids can play with these as well- they can’t fit into mouths and there are no small parts.   You can get them at http://www.habausa.com/musical-eggs.html or a store near you for around $20.

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Great for nearly any age is the Aurora plush toy line.  You can choose from many adorable stuffed friends, some of our favorites being the Cheekeez Bunny and the oh-so-soft Lamb (this one seems to be in a “downward dog” yoga pose, which my son will just love, being that we do yoga together).  To me, no basket is complete without a sweet fluffy toy, and these Aurora makes some high quality toys without a ridiculous price tag.  They are soft, cuddly, and any child would love to cuddle up with one of these cuties. Cheekeez Bunny is $9, and the lamb is $15.50- you can pick them up (and more to choose from) at http://www.auroragift.com/ and gift stores like Hallmark.

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For your gamer, Skylanders has released two limited edition, exclusive Easter themed toys for the Skylanders SuperChargers game.  Spring Ahead Dive Bomber ($14.99) is a new vehicle that the Skylanders have disguised as an Easter egg to protect their bounty! This is a fun new addition to the “vehicles” line of toys, which my son absolutely adores. The Skylanders figures can interact and ride inside them in the game, adding a new layer of fun. Also out for the holiday is Eggcited Thrillipede ($12.99) who, with an extra set of arms, is the reigning Dragon Egg Toss Champion.  Maybe they will substitute some Easter Eggs this year, who knows.  You can pick these up at Game Stop, Toys R Us, and other stores that carry video games.

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If you are not in the mood to crate your own basket, you ran short on time, or perhaps your little chicks live far from you- not to worry!  You can order one to be delivered in time for Easter from GourmetGiftBaskets.com . There are a large variety of pre-made baskets to choose from, no matter what the age, likes, or destination of the gift-ee. You can send them to your older children who live far away (there are options like the Gift Basket for Men, Premium Wine Spa Gift Basket, and more) as well as diabetics (Sugar Free Gift Basket), Happy Easter Brownie Cake, and more.  For families with more then one child, a great option would be the DOUBLE-BUNNY EASTER BASKET This basket has two of everything- candies, toys, chocolate bunnies- and of course, stuffed toys.  When you want to be there but just can’t be, you can send your hugs and chocolate kisses via mail. Head over and see what fits your fancy- prices vary.

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When you are ready to get cooking, and before you head to the supermarket to deal with long lines, visit Tastefully Simple.  If you are like me, and want to make sure everything comes out perfect (but maybe aren’t the whiz in the kitchen you wish you were) you can get an extra hand with some amazing recipes, menus, and packages that will help make your Easter dinner turn out right. While you will still need to pick up the ham (or whatever it is you prefer to cook up), you can order a time saving, easy to prepare yet delicious Easter Celebration Menu that has nearly everything you need in it.  You will need to pick up the fresh items, but it makes cooking and planning so much easier. There are even ideas and “how to’s” on how to make your food look amazing- things you are going to want to share on Instagram, even if you are no Martha Stewart. Easter Basket Cookies, Chick Deviled Eggs, Easter Brownie Truffles, and more.  You are going to love they way your food turns out.  Visit https://www.tastefullysimple.com and see what I mean- then place your order.

Disclosure- We received the above in order to facilitate reviews.  All opinions are my own and honest.

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