Swingy- Ping Pong with your Feet

October 16, 2015 by 2 Comments

Disclosure- I received the below in order to compensate this post.  All opinions are my own and honest. Please see “I Disclose” for more information.”
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We all know that learning to Balance is very important for people at all ages. I must say that I am incredibly impressed with this awesome new game called Swingy.

About Swingy:

SWINGY is the world’s first wireless balance board for playing games on tablets and smartphones. It is redefining screen time by turning digital gaming into a beneficial physical activity. Swingy is handmade of wood and was developed for children aged 4 and up. There are also special Kickstarter designs for the young-at-heart adults who seem to enjoy playing just as much. 🙂

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My Thoughts:

This product is absolutely amazing. My girls are both enrolled in dance class, and have really been working on their balance. I feel that they are pretty good for their ages: 3 and 5. I also would say that I feel that I am pretty balanced as well as my husband so it was fun to test out our abilities together as a family. As of now my best score is only 50…I haven’t played a lot because the girls have wanted to play it so much. My oldest has a score of 32 already and the 3 year old is at 26, so they are doing exceptionally well if you ask me 🙂

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I think that this is a great product to work on balance for your kids, as well as the fact that it is lots of fun. I can’t wait to see the other games that they come out with as well. I teach and am planning on taking it to school to help a few of the kiddos in my class be encouraged to balance better!

KickStarter:

This great game is on KickstartER right now. I can’t wait for it to launch and go on sale because I know of several people that are going to love it. Head on over to KickstartER and help get the ball rolling for swingy. I promise that your family will be addicted.

There also is a special Super Early Bird price. Let me know if you are interested!  I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

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

American Girl Beforever Maryellen Review

September 25, 2015 by 3 Comments

Disclosure- We received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and honest.


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Meet the newest American Girl Doll Maryellen Larkin from the 1950s.

About American Girl:

At American Girl, they celebrate girls and all that they can be. That’s why they develop products and experiences that help girls grow up in a wholesome way, while encouraging them to enjoy girlhood through fun and enchanting play.

They have a wide variety of products that they offer which include:

  • American Girl Characters
  • My American Girl dolls
  • Bitty Baby
  • American Girl magazine
  • American Girl Retail Stores
  • Books
  • e-books

They hope that their stories, characters, and more speak to girls everywhere, helping them become all that they can be.

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About Maryellen Larkin:

Maryellen Larkin is the latest addition to American Girl’s stable of historical dolls (BeForever line), which includes characters from World War II years, colonial times, The Great Depression, the Civil War, 1970s, and even more.

Maryellen, whose story is set in 1954, is a strawberry blonde doll that loves to draw. She even has many adorable outfits from the 1950s era.

She comes with 1 of the three books in the series that have her navigating the post-war world of the 50’s.

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My Thoughts:

My girls were absolutely thrilled when they received the amazing Maryellen Larkin. She was absolutely adorable. My girls loved her outfit- even down to the shoes :). Her hair is adorable in the ponytail and is very soft so it is easy for the girls to style her hair in different styles. The outfit that she is wearing is adorable on her as well as my daughter ;). The additional outfits that are available for Maryellen are also absolutely perfect for the era.

My girls love playing with Maryellen and have a hard time being willing to take turns with her, even though they know that they have to.

American Girl dolls are our favorite. They are great dolls that are made to last many years into the future, and they are made extremely well. Your child can play with the doll daily, it doesn’t need to just sit on the shelf and look pretty.

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Purchase:

If you would like to purchase the Maryellen doll, you only have a few more days to purchase her before the year is over. However, there are many other great products that American Girl has to offer. I am sure that any little girl in your life would be excited to open an American Girl doll on Christmas morning. Head on over to the American Girl website to find the right item for you!

Filed Under: Holiday Gift Guide 2015, kids, review, toys Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Miles from Tomorrow Land Awesome Toys

September 18, 2015 by 3 Comments

Disclosure- The below has been provided in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own and honest.

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Miles From Tomorrowland is a favorite around this house! My girls have the schedule memorized, even with school in session, we still wake up and have time to watch it after we get ready :). We were so very excited to be able to host our very own Miles from Tomorrowland party and invite our friends over to play with the awesome new Miles From Tomorrowland Toys from Tomy.

About Miles From Tomorrowland:

Miles from Tomorrowland is an animated Disney Junior series. It centers around the Callisto family who live on a spaceship called the Stellosphere and work for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority.

Miles is an enthusiastic boy with a rambunctious boys streak. Miles has a sister Loretta Callisto who is the ‘brains’. Their mom Phoebe and dad Leo are the captain and the engineer of the ship. M.E.R.C. is the family’s pet robo-ostrich who is never far from Miles’ side.

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About the Toys:

StarJetter: Miles and his family, the Callistos, are on a mission to connect the universe. The StarJetter, their most nimble and versatile exploratory shuttle, transports them anywhere in the galaxy. Let the StarJetter help your child on any missions with all 3 of its exploration modes:

  • Space Mode, with the Stellosphere and the Callisto family
  • Once they land, put the legs down for extreme height to walk over any obstacles
  • For rocky and mountainous terrain, pull the legs down for extreme height to walk over any obstacles

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Stellosphere: The Callistos are on a mission to connect the universe. Explore the galaxy on the Stellosphere, the home base space station for the Callistos, where they relax, recharge and receive new missions from the TTA.

The Stellosphere comes apart into 3 separate ships to make space explorations easier. Open up the large Stellosphere playset to reveal the Callisto’s command center where Miles and the Callisto Family 9figures sold separately) can receive missions from the TTA. For short, quick missions, take the mini StarJetter that is stored in the Stellosphere. For longer missions that require a greater distance to travel take the Zip Ship that can be removed from the top of the Stellosphere.

To boost any ship with lights and sounds remove the XVR system form the bottom of the Stellosphere and attach to the other ships. With that many ways to explore, no mission is too difficult.

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Superstellar Blastboard: Blastboard, go!

Miles rockets through the cosmos in nanoseconds on his Blastboard and your child can too! Choose from three different game modes to practice balance skills on the Blastboard:

  • “Blastboard Surfing!” Keep up with Miles’ Blastboard surfing directions to complete the mission.
  • “LightSpeed!” Lean towards the flashing lights as fast as possible.
  • Miles frequently moves to his own beat, and your child can too with “Let’s Race!” Your child can race against herself and move in any direction she chooses with the music.

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Figurines:

There are many figurines of each of the different characters that are featured in Miles From Tomorrowland. We were able to play with a few of them and they were lots of fun!

About The Party:

We had an absolutely amazing time trying out all of these wonderful toys. The kids had so much fun playing with each of the awesome toys. There was a great variety of toys. The kids never got bored and were great at sharing all of the toys. I can say from observing them playing for the 2 hours that they were here I can’t tell you what their favorite toy would be, as they all played with each toy equally. The kids at the party ranged from ages 2 to 7.

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Here’s a little photo of most of our party guests!  As you can see they couldn’t sit still for long as they were ready to play some more with their amazing new toys!

Purchase:

If you are interested in purchasing any of these great toys, head on over to ToysRUs and pick out the perfect toys for you Miles from Tomorrowland fan!

Filed Under: disney, Holiday Gift Guide 2015, kids, review, toys Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Bears For Humanity Plush Teddy Bears @bears4humanity

September 14, 2015 by 26 Comments

A simple Teddy Bear can make the world a better place, one bear at a time.

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How, you may be asking, can a stuffed bear do such a thing?  The gift of a teddy bear can be a soft friend to snuggle with at night, and make their days and nights a bit better, but with Bears For Humanity they take this idea of helping a step further, for every bear purchased another bear is given to a child in need through on of the following non profit groups:

·          Toys for Tots

·          Expect Miracles Foundation

·          Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

·          One Simple Wish

·          Save the Children

·          Semper Fi

This is both refreshing and incredibly fulfilling when buying.  Instead of simply getting a soft, snugly, well made plush, you are also improving a child’s life just by purchasing the bear you wanted anyway.

The positive aspects don’t stop there, either.  Each bear is also made of certified organic cotton and hemp, so they are naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial, so you can feel great giving this toy to your child.  The process to make a soft plush from organic materials was not easy, but Bears for Humanity stuck to it and took 3 years developing a process to make their bears organic instead of plastic based.  Each bear is also made in the USA at CalWORKs in Northern California.

I have to be honest with you- these bears are very cute and very soft, to the point you do not want to put it down.  My son is a plush enthusiast, and he loves it. I love it too, to the point I was tempted to keep it.  Honestly.  Each bear is well put together and they are available in two sizes and five colors, including blue, pink, white, brown, and black.

The larger sized premium bears retail for $39.99 and the smaller baby bears retail for $19.99.

Follow Bears for Humanity on their social media channels-

https://www.facebook.com/Bears4Humanity?fref=ts

https://instagram.com/bearsforhumanity/

https://twitter.com/bears4humanity

One of you can win a bear as well- feel free to use the RC form below to enter.  Good luck! Ends Oct. 10, 2015.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: giveaway, review, toys Tagged With:

My Friend Cayla – there’s an app for this doll

September 10, 2015 by 4 Comments

Welcome to the new age of toys.  No longer are there just smart TV’s and phones, now just about anything can be ‘smarter’ with a connection to the internet and some ingenuity.

With this in mind, we are taking a look at My Friend Cayla from Genesis Toys.  This doll is 18 inches tall and has a plethora of nifty features some of which include: answering just about any question, telling you a story, playing a game, discussing photos with you, speaking Spanish, and telling you about the weather to name a few of her talents. Cayla is a doll for the digital age- she interfaces with a free app.  Which after a quick install onto your smart phone or tablet, which is both iOS and Android supported, it acts as both an interface with Cayla and an internet connection.  The phone or tablet then allows you to read a story with Cayla, play games and even go through her photos, all of which work seamlessly and easily at distances up to 30 feet.

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Cayla does connect to your device via Bluetooth, so be sure that option is enabled on your phone/tablet.  Once Cayla is connected to your device, you can choose for her to use the internet to help answer questions or simply work offline if that is your preference.  The more you play with Cayla, the more intuitive play time gets and the better she gets to “know” your child.  I especially like the interactive aspect of her speech patterns, where instead of simply talking about candy, (for example) she will ask your child if they like treats, what their favorite is, and then tell them what her favorite candy is.  Your child will know when its time for them to talk by the charm on Cayla’s neck lighting up or the heart on the app page turning yellow.

Cayla is also a multiple award winning toy getting recognition as:
• Winner of Innovative Toy of the Year Award 2015
• Gadget of the Year recipient

Cayla is available now at stores everywhere and online.  She retails for $59.99.

For more information be sure to check out Cayla online:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MFCayla

Twitter: https://twitter.com/myfriendcayla

Instagram: https://instagram.com/myfriendcaylausa

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/myfriendcayla

 

 

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Star Wars Global Day of Play #StarWarsDayOfPlay

September 8, 2015 by 4 Comments

 Have you seen the out-of-this-world new line of toys will showcase the new characters and vehicles from STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS? They are based on the seventh film in the STAR WARS saga, hitting theaters in the U.S. on December 18th, and the kids (and big kids) are going to be clamoring for them. 

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Hasbro’s expansive toy line includes classic expressions like the 3.75-inch action figures and vehicles that have been synonymous with STAR WARS since the release of the very first film, as well as innovative new products. New for 2015, the FURBACCA toy gives the interactivity of Hasbro’s classic FURBY toy a fun, STAR WARS twist. The new BLADEBUILDERS system lets fans design and customize their own LIGHTSABERS, and STAR WARS HERO MASHERS action figures let kids mash up their own fun STAR WARS heroes and villains with interchangeable parts and accessories. From STAR WARS themed PLAY-DOH sets for preschoolers to highly detailed collectibles from STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES for fans of all ages, there will be something to make every STAR WARS fan want to run to stores as soon as possible.

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The expansive toy line for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS is available now, so head out to local stores, visit your online destination of choice, etc- and see what they have that strikes your fancy.

Want to know who has what?  Check out this helpful list-

  • AMAZON: Pre-order the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES TROOPER EVOLUTION 4-PACK, featuring four 6-inch figures not available anywhere else, including the long-awaited PHASE II CLONE TROOPER and a FIRST ORDER STORMTROOPER with exclusive red pauldron!
  • COSTCO: The STAR WARSHERO MASHERS ULTIMATE BOUNTY MULTI-PACK features five 6-inch customizable action figures (including DARTH VADER, HAN SOLO and BOBA FETT), plus extra gear and accessories.
  • ENTERTAINMENT EARTH: Pre-order STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH FIGURE 4-PACK from entertainmentearth.com, featuring four exclusive 6-inch STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES figures, including a MAGMA STORMTROOPER and R2-Q5 DEATH STAR ASTROMECH DROID.
  • KMART: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS villain KYLO REN comes with an exclusive “snow” deco and a snow base in the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-inch exclusive, available for pre-order. The base will connect with a future exclusive in this series…

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  • KOHL’S: The STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENSKYLO REN MASK WITH CONNECT AND CUSTOMIZE LIGHTSABER SET at Kohl’s comes with a KYLO REN MASK and KYLO REN EXTEND LIGHTSABER, featuring a BLADEBUILDERS connector and a LIGHT DAGGER.
  • SAM’S CLUB: The CHEWBACCA ROLE-PLAY MULTI-PACK contains both the NERF CHEWBACCA BOWCASTER, which features exclusive deco and exclusive FIRST ORDER targets, and the CHEWBACCA ELECTRONIC MASK.
  • TARGET: Everyone’s favorite new Droid from STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENSis coming to Target! A limited number of REMOTE CONTROL BB-8 toys will be available exclusively in Target stores on Force Friday, with more stock to come throughout the fall season!

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  • TOYS “R” US: Toys “R” Us is your exclusive destination to pre-order the STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-inch FIRST ORDER SNOWTROOPER OFFICER action figure – this character won’t be available anywhere else! Build up your troops with this officer, which comes with a blaster and an exclusive red pauldron. Available for pre-order by 9/6.
  • WALGREENS: Fans can capture the climactic battle from STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDIwith this exclusive STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES 6-INCH DARTH VADER (EMPEROR’S WRATH) figure, featuring an exclusive translucent mask with a visible skull underneath it, as well as an exclusive removable hand.
  • WALMART: This fall, Walmart is the home for STAR WARScollectors and the exclusive home of the fan-favorite STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES3.75-inch action figure line. A limited number of the first wave of the new line will be available in Walmart stores, and the second wave, featuring brand-new figures from STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS and a brand-new PRINCESS LEIA figure, will be available for online pre-order!

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The BIRTHDAYKINS and The HUGGALOONS from Digiplush

August 21, 2015 by 7 Comments

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My son likes toys that he can play with on his tablet- while I don’t think there needs to be an app for every toy, a few here and there are cute.  This one celebrates your birthday with you, which is adorable.  For his birthday month, he tried out a BirthdayKins and Hugaloons toy, which he can cuddle as well as use to unlock premium parts and features in an otherwise free app.  My son’s favorite part of the game is making birthday cakes and knocking down pinatas- he also likes that it remembers when his birthday is.  It’s cute.

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The first brand launching under the new Digiplush venture is “BirthdayLand.” Everyone celebrates a birthday, and yet this unique special day has never been supported by characters or a mythology similar to other major holidays.  Until now.  Each time a child blows out a candle, their wish drifts up to BirthdayLand, the place where their wishes comes true.  According to the BirthdayLand legend, everything that makes a birthday celebration special comes from BirthdayLand, from the candles on a cake to the paper wrapped around birthday presents.  The adorable characters of BirthdayLand, the Birthdaykins and the Huggaloons, will be the first physical products to market.  They are currently available at Toys”R”Us.

pic5The Birthdaykins are delightful birthday-themed plush toys that retail for $12.99.  They are the cute characters in BirthdayLand, the place where birthday wishes come true.  The Birthdaykins are also featured in the BirthdayLand app, which is filled with fun-tastic birthday-related games and activities.  The purchase any of the Birthdaykins includes a code that unlocks premium features inside the BirthdayLand app.  The app is a free download in the iTunes store, Google Play and Amazon Apps.

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The Huggaloons are soft, lovable plush toys that resemble balloon animals that retail for $16.99. They are the special guides in BirthdayLand, the place where birthday wishes come true.  The Huggaloons are also featured in the BirthdayLand app, which is filled with fun-tastic birthday-related games and activities.  The purchase any of the Huggaloons includes a code that unlocks premium features inside the BirthdayLand app.  The app is a free download in the iTunes store, Google Play and Amazon Apps.

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The BirthdayLand app is a free download and features two free activities.  Additional free games and activities within the app can be unlocked using a code displayed on signage in Toys”R”Us stores.  The Birthdayland plush toys, The Birthdaykins and the Huggaloons, also feature secret codes that unlock two additional games within the app. The free download includes:

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  • “Balloon Pop” – spell words by finding letters inside floating balloons and placing them correctly in the word below.
  • “Birthday Countdown Clock” – countdown birthdays for up to 5 different family members, friends or pets — whoever has a birthday to remember and celebrate.

The remaining games and activities are unlocked by using the special code that comes with the purchase of a BirthdayLand toy, or by entering the special code printed on the in-store BirthdayLand display, both available at Toys”R”Us locations.

The app is appropriate for children ages 3-7.   www.birthdayland.com

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New NeckNapperz for Travel

August 8, 2015 by 5 Comments
Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate this review.  All opinions are my own and honest.
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For those of you who love to travel, this is a product for you.  New NeckNapperz are great for roadtrips, planes, trains- or even for your child’s own bed.  These neck pillows transform from plush toy into a plush neck pillow and back again, which makes them great for dual uses.  Kids are easily bored, as we all know, and being able to entertain themselves while you wait to board the plane or snuggle up with in the car, then use it when they are ready to nap is doubly-useful.  Because it’s fun, it even helps those “I’m not tired!” moments- remind them that their snuggle buddy is ready for a nap too, and they are usually at the very least amused enough to try for sleep (and when they try, they normally go right out!)
The pillow offers support and cradles your child’s head, so none of those stiff shoulders and necks when they wake up from sleeping “funny”.  Goodness knows planes and cars are not the most comfortable sleeping spots.  The neck pillow has a snap on the end, so they can snap it shut and secure if they would like to. It is easy to attach it to luggage or a carry on while you are moving about, so it doesn’t get lost.   It has a nice snap- nothing that will break and fall off, or that will fall apart easily.
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My son really enjoys his new NeckNapperz- he has a basketball, which I have not seen on the website.  It would be nice to see sports ones for older kids or sports enthusiasts. The pillows come in quite a few varieties, including a monkey and a unicorn.  They come in many options, and are fun for boys or girls.  Honestly, they are so adorable I sort of want one (mine is the ugly blue kind that blows up, so not cute).  They are priced at only $19.99, so you can pick up more then one (no fighting to “share” with the kiddos that way).  Get yours now, and have fun traveling!
Follow NeckNapperz on social media
Like them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NeckNappers
Pin with them on Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.com/necknapperz/
And don’t forget to follow on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoVfwhmI4rFLy5o9RxWz01w
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