MOM, I’m Bored (Ideas to Squash the Whineys)

Disclosure: The below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

Snowed in? Stuck home with endless “snow days” and “no school days” this winter? It’s been a brutal and snow-covered season for much of the country this year.  What to do to break up the boredom?  A new toy will get the kiddos off your back (for at least a little while- take what quiet you can get!)

Some fun new finds include;

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The Power Rangers Mega Force Giant 31″ Red Ranger Action Figure by Jakks Pacific Inc.  Available online, at WalMart, or Toy R Us, this Power Ranger is huge and features seven points of articulation that lets you put it into a number of poses.  He is more then half the size of my 6 year old, but is not very heavy, making it easy to play with.  It’s giant size let’s it do things that the smaller action figures can’t, such as cook with kids in the play kitchens, sit next to them to watch TV, and jump out behind doors to scare their mothers.  This (as you might have guessed) is my son’s new favorite activity.  While I am no longer startled (although I need to pretend to be each time, of course) it’s hysterical to him every time.  He also likes to tuck it in under a blanket on the couch, or leave it in the bathtub (so he is clean for his next mission?) from time to time.   It makes an excellent play-in-the-snow toy because it is too large to lose.  He stands on his own, and is large enough to be a “Godzilla” type destroyer of block cities and action figures- another of my son’s favorite activities.  $30
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AURORA’S VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS

Disclosure: The below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

Looking for something adorable to give your love this Valentine’s Day?  My son and I both adore stuffed animals, and so do many women and kids- so you know that these will be a hit for many on your list.  Try as I might, I still love a sweet stuffed animal.  I don’t get many for myself anymore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like them or wouldn’t love one as a gift now and again  🙂

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Aurora World, Inc. (www.auroragift.com) has more than 140 products for Valentine’s Day catalog. Highlights of Aurora’s Valentine’s Day catalog include fresh characters and exciting variations of popular lines and licenses including Pink Promise Elephant, YooHoo & Friends™, Butterball Bear, Sad Sam & Honey® and a 2,400 piece, special edition Raggedy Ann® named “Sweet Dove.”

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Pink Promise: The lovable elephant is fashioned with super soft-tipped, two tone fabric and has playful heart prints in its oversized ears. Pink Promise is available in four huggable sizes (10.5”, 12”, 14”; 22”, SRP: $20, $24, $33 and $72 respectively).  My son loves his sweet pachyderm, who is super soft and snugly.  It’s uber plush fur and floppy ears are cuddly and fun to play with or take to bed at night (or pass out on the couch with while watching a movie on a snow day, LOL). Also, it can go “on parade” with the pink elephants of Dumbo, which of course did not escape my son’s mind  🙂

VALENTINES DAY TOYS

 

YooHoo & Friends™: Luvee™, an endangered chimpanzee, joins Aurora’s best selling plush line (more than 23 million sold) as a three-color assortment. Luvee hugs a slightly askew heart, each with a different message including “Love U”, “Be Mine” and “XOXO!” Each makes a “smooch” sound when squeezed (5”, SRP: $9).  They make a “kissing” sound when you hug their bellies, and have adorable expressions and large eyes.  YooHoo are a lot of fun to collect as well, and come in a wide assortment of creatures and colors.  These are great for a collector or way to start your collection, and are very affordable.  My son loves this line, and has since he was very young.
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Valentines Day Gifts for Your Little Ones

Disclosure- I received the below in order to facilitate my post. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

Looking for a Valentines Day gift for your child? Something fun, sweet, and that they will love. Here are a few cute ideas for any age range.

The Build a Bouquet set from Green Toys is a very cute alternative to a set of blocks, and perfect for this holiday (or spring time). Your child can create flower arrangements in different shapes and patterns, or even bouquets. These brightly colored flowers are fun to play with in the winter when it’s drab outside, and kids can even make floral arrangements for their parents or grandparents and get their creative and artistic juices flowing. This is a gift you can feel good about giving, as well, as it’s made in the USA from 100% recycled plastic with no BPA, phthalates, PVC or external coatings. This 44 piece set includes 4 bases, 16 stem and leaf pieces, and 24 lilies, petunias, and daisy flower pieces. Recommended for Ages 2 and up and can be found in specialty toy stores or at http://www.greentoys.com for $28.

eco friendly toys

Prefer to grow a garden? Think outside the box with Thames and Kosmos. One of my favorite educational toy companies, they have created an adorable and fun to create (while learning and spending time with mom and dad) Crystal Garden kit. These quick “growing” crystals “bloom” from the centers of the four included cardboard flower trees. Learn how crystals grow, and choose the colors of the crystals you grow in your garden. You will see your garden in full bloom in less then 24 hours- but be careful, they are quite delicate. These crystals can’t be touched or moved, and never harden.

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Creative Toys for Kids

Disclosure- I received the below in order to review.  All opinions are my own and honest.

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Glitzi Globes Starter Kit

Got a girl that loves animals? How about all things pink and sparkly? Check out Glittzy Globes, a kit that lets your child create her own snow glob accessories.

Not for kids under 3, or for those who mouth everything, the Glitzi Globes Starter Kit comes with five globes kids can make themselves. They can design these glittery Globes by using the included dome maker (this looks sort of like an egg slicer, but with no blades obviously) that steadies their globe and hands as they add different characters and charms, as well as a “glitter pellet”. It has a little bottle that can be filled with water and is the right size (and colors, of course, to coordinate) to fill the globe and lock the base into place by pressing both ends together. The Glitzi Globes Starter Kit includes the water bottle, four snow domes, four bases, four pop sticks, one bag tag for displaying Globes, 12 floating charms, five glitter tablets, four characters and one instruction booklet.

$18, Toys R US

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KRE-O CityVille Invasion Police Station Zombie Defense

Kids can build their own city with CityVille Invasion KRE-O sets and defend it from zombie invasion. This police station comes compete with a rotating gun turret,combat vehicle, 2 police and 2 zombie figures, 5 motion bricks and 1 Sonic Motion brick, as well as a “mystery figure”. Defend the station against attac, and sound the alarm if you get in trouble! The “sonic motion” bricks make real police sounds as well as moves the set around.
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Fun Toys For Boys

New Year, New Toys?  If you are like me, yes- definitely!  LOL  Here are a few of my top picks for boys.

Transformers Rescue Bots Beam Box

There is a surge of video game themed toys recently.  Not only are they video game themed, but they take your toy and bring them into the game.  Hasbro has joined the fray with Transformers Rescue Bots Beam Box.  This new game/toy is meant for the younger crowd but is still fun and will keep everyone entertained.

Rescue Bots are one of the newest lines of Transformers, created for smaller hands, and with less intricate parts.  The unit comes with a controller and one figure, Optimus Prime. When put inside the system, Optimus is your main character in the game.  There are five games to play as Optimus, all of which are easy to control and have simple control schemes.  These games are meant for 3 to 7 year olds

The starter set containing Optimus and the console itself retails for 49.99, with additional figures retailing at 6.99.  Both are available in just about every toy store and online- batteries required.

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The Ugglys Pug Electronic Pet

My son’s new favorite toy is completely gross- on purpose.  But really, it’s disgusting- and my husband (and every male that has seen it (whether he is 5, 35, or 85) has enjoyed it a little too much, laughing as if they were watching Comedy Central. I’m not in any way exaggerating. “The Ugglys Pug Electronic Pet” is all about bodily functions and the noises they make- it burps and passes gas. How can it get any better, you ask?  Well, your child (spouse, father, whatever) can control the timber of said gas as well as manipulate the sounds and decide how long it will create this sound (in 30 varieties) for your auditory pleasure with the “warp feature” on it’s collar.  For added insanity, it will ring like a telephone or buzz like a bee at random. Why, you ask? Because boys think it’s funny.  Also- it’s a hand puppet, which all kids love. $35, Toys R Us.
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Adorable Aurora Stuffed Toys

Disclosure: The below was provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

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Looking for soft and snugly?  If you are like my son, winter (ok, all times of the year) mean cuddling up with a soft, fluffy stuffed animal.  Or 12.  There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that makes him happier then a new stuffed animal.  If I save it until the end of the day, he will even willingly go to bed.  It was one of the only things he asked Santa for this year- Stuffed animals, action figures, and Skylanders.

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Some adorable stuffies come from Aurora.  They have some of his favorites, including the popular “YooHoos” (many of which make funny sounds, speak, or sing when their stomach is pressed) and the new Miyoni, which are available in several sizes.  The have such sweet faces, very expressive- even the smallest ones.
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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Toys

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My son loves Power Ranger Toys.  He is a little young for the TV show, being only 6, but he loves the toys and games and playing with them with his friends. My little brother used to love this show as a kid- I remember that going to get one of these toys during a “holiday craze” was my first experience of adults acting like lunatics during the holidays.  I rode my bike to the local Toys R Us, and waited in a long, long line one cold morning to get him the red and blue rangers.  I was so shocked when the doors opened and people were trampling each other to grab one, I almost forgot to go get some myself!  (And yes, mission successful!  LOL)

This year, the Power Rangers celebrate 20 years of teamwork, action, adventure and entertaining children and the newest season of Power Rangers Megaforce, airing Saturdays on Nickelodeon, is currently the #1 kids’ action series. Since its inception in 1993 with the iconic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series, the brand has been recognized throughout the world for its exciting and humorous adventures that include ordinary teenagers who “morph” into superheroes and call upon their robotic Zords and Megazords in their fight against evil.  Now in its 20th season, Saban Brands is marking this anniversary with the launch of a Power Rangers Megaforce all-new live action TV series, which will air on Nickelodeon and will feature new Rangers, Zords, Megazords, villains, explosions, special Power Cards, and the comeback of many historic Rangers for the ultimate battle to save the world.
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Chuggington Toys and App Giveaway

Disclosure: The below will be provided for me in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

Christmas Sale on all StoryToys books & apps

chug patrol app

StoryToys, a leading publisher of interactive books and games for children, is delighted to announce the release of “Chug Patrol: Ready to Rescue,” a 3D interactive storybook for children produced in collaboration with Ludorum, the children’s entertainment specialist behind the hugely popular television show “Chuggington.” The show is a global sensation in 175 territories worldwide.

“Chuggington” is an action-packed, animated train series for children. It follows the adventures of three young trainees – Wilson, Brewster and Koko – as they take on exciting challenges that test their courage, speed and determination. The “Chug Patrol: Ready To Rescue” app is available starting September 5 in the Apple App Store, Google Play and Amazon Appstore for $4.99 on smartphones and tablets.

 StoryToys is launching a two week Christmas promotion that runs from December 19 – January 3.

StoryToys 3D interactive pop-up books are available in the Apple App Store, Google Play and Amazon.
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