tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47117506362869888632024-02-06T21:39:50.588-07:00The Toy SnobToy reviews for the selective parentThe Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-69988466228726191742010-11-04T11:46:00.004-06:002010-11-04T12:00:17.577-06:00Review: Plan Toys Palomino<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm1qEBTL4fKwJf5Mbw-nqXNjAkJHvRutLOMBce6zh-a5p1v-Yawqs6Y4U8v2KL43uC1vfmBKuCbMZOrcaCGmG2JXvatYxmBUI-QTNw91blbc_TiUSHmh8OLTVPfJ65-vs9d3GqW39vGE/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm1qEBTL4fKwJf5Mbw-nqXNjAkJHvRutLOMBce6zh-a5p1v-Yawqs6Y4U8v2KL43uC1vfmBKuCbMZOrcaCGmG2JXvatYxmBUI-QTNw91blbc_TiUSHmh8OLTVPfJ65-vs9d3GqW39vGE/s400/DSC_0102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535755102676735778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">For some reason he insisted on wearing his swim hat and also liked starting with the back legs under the couch. I guess it propelled him forward a little more when he rocked forward.<br /></span><br /></div>My youngest just celebrated his second birthday last month. We've sure enjoyed having a new set of toys around here!<br /><br />I've had my eye on the Plan Toys' rocking horse, Palomino since my oldest was a toddler. I love Plan Toys for their aesthetic, educational value, and especially their play potential! Palomino only took about 5 minutes to hurry and put together, it was really easy and self-explanatory.<br /><br />Coen loved it from the beginning! The first night he rocked on it for a good 45 minutes, non-stop. He continues to ride on it every day. I think the movement and rocking motion are good for him and also help him strengthen muscles he wouldn't normally use by engaging them to make the horse rock back and forth.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=outofthiworho-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B000S5ZOV2" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-89331139568655638332010-10-15T15:07:00.001-06:002010-10-15T15:09:10.363-06:00That time of year againWho is excited for Christmas gift shopping?! I am!! Stay tuned for lots of new posts as I help you navigate the toy isles this holiday season!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-10322361730803507652010-10-15T14:40:00.009-06:002010-10-21T20:51:57.420-06:00Hedbanz Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/610IGhwvBlL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/610IGhwvBlL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AIM52A?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003AIM52A">Hedbanz Game</a> was a very fun game to review. My 5 year old loved it! We played one night after the toddler went to bed for the night and Marshall was able to enjoy some individual attention from mom and dad.<br /><br />Hedbanz is easy to play and great for little kids, it says 6 and up, but with help I think an advanced 4 year old could probably play. It took Marshall a couple rounds to begin asking the right questions, but once he understood, the game flowed smoothly.<br /><br />Each player puts on a headband and draws a card. Without looking, you place the card in your headband and the game begins. As the timer is started, the first player begins asking yes or no questions to help them guess what is on their card. They have until the timer runs out to guess. We laughed a lot and had a really fun time playing Hedbanz together as a family.<br /><br />I've said it before, but games are great for kids! Turn taking and losing gracefully are only two great benefits. Hedbanz also teaches critical thinking and memory as you think about what you already know based on the other players' answers.<br /><br />Hedbanz has definitely been requested several times since we received it! Thanks, Spin Master!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Disclaimer: Spin Master provided us with one Hedbanz game for our review. No other compensation was given.</span>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-61172993096933294752009-11-24T15:00:00.003-07:002009-11-24T15:17:32.983-07:00It's all about the CROWN!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.elliebelliekids.com/_images/crown_black.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 315px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.elliebelliekids.com/_images/crown_black.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I've been a long time fan of Ellie Bellie Kids <a href="http://thetoysnob.blogspot.com/search/label/capes">Capes</a>, and now they've added these <a href="http://www.elliebelliekids.com/crown.html#">Crowns</a> ($28) to their line! These are both so fun, I just love them!!! I love that the black one is masculine looking with the black, but bold and colorful at the same time. The white one reminds me of The Snow Queen for some reason. It's dainty and girly with just the right amount of pink. They're just perfect for the dress-up trunk!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.elliebelliekids.com/_images/crown_white.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 315px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.elliebelliekids.com/_images/crown_white.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-32055488389488412442009-11-23T17:58:00.008-07:002010-10-15T14:36:19.435-06:00Totally Rad ScienceWhen I was in college I heard first hand from elementary teachers who said there was just not enough time for cool science lessons and experiments. They said a lot of kids grow up uninterested in science because the teachers don't make it fun and exciting. Most of the time I remember having to read a super boring text book then answer all the odd questions in the Chapter Review section. That was the extent of my "science lessons" in elementary. By the time I got to junior high and high school I was at the point where I'd rather be in my seat reading about it instead of doing it because I just didn't care. None of my early years teachers had ever made it sound exciting enough to want to learn more. The kids that did like it were the "nerds" and were singled out. Well, that's all changing with today's cool science kits. Have you seen them? They are literally everywhere! They are super popular right now. Your kids will love doing these experiments with you. At LEAST once a week I hear from my almost-five-year-old, "Moooom, can we do a science esspearimint?" We do one at a time and they don't take longer than 15 minutes or so each. Then, I let him play and "esspearimint" on his own for a bit with the materials we've just used.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This experiment taught about acids and bases. My son went around the kitchen and bathroom selecting different liquids to test.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhQM6oUWFqg_m_4xeDuKejRveYjMWsQ98SeMng6IPoydOhbpbGhVaHBJWyxBB1ea8bM9eERC9EGL5kzCEXO1ZL4BbtZxjs9eB06KyUR0vFQ-RIBsNwD1kKr_xqJ3UwoOxTZsvqQhJytU/s1600/DSC_0735.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhQM6oUWFqg_m_4xeDuKejRveYjMWsQ98SeMng6IPoydOhbpbGhVaHBJWyxBB1ea8bM9eERC9EGL5kzCEXO1ZL4BbtZxjs9eB06KyUR0vFQ-RIBsNwD1kKr_xqJ3UwoOxTZsvqQhJytU/s400/DSC_0735.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407474452360516530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8jSaDs5chHXZcv9h0jAImAVfPiT7Y22ya3yHUveKd5B5BCdSav2tGUyyAURailRPab-fYibxZzdWanFRvPDR88Dzlz0gG5_X44tuS1Ebh062QaabtCdIlOYoIhZ-6C2dOeHYKprhqp8/s1600/DSC_0742.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8jSaDs5chHXZcv9h0jAImAVfPiT7Y22ya3yHUveKd5B5BCdSav2tGUyyAURailRPab-fYibxZzdWanFRvPDR88Dzlz0gG5_X44tuS1Ebh062QaabtCdIlOYoIhZ-6C2dOeHYKprhqp8/s400/DSC_0742.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407474475066423842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL-g93o0XYA3iRafrYMcr0aidTPggN_WemQ7l92TzZ2GvLZ54byui6oe0AAx-XAaqLYA2tcXFYtzWi5eN8BiAtTSuMSIPJltKX_oBRn5eISM9DqFNSvjhE2I-dlfDB-7BbM0MiiH9prM/s1600/DSC_0739.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRL-g93o0XYA3iRafrYMcr0aidTPggN_WemQ7l92TzZ2GvLZ54byui6oe0AAx-XAaqLYA2tcXFYtzWi5eN8BiAtTSuMSIPJltKX_oBRn5eISM9DqFNSvjhE2I-dlfDB-7BbM0MiiH9prM/s400/DSC_0739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407474469494403906" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwML-NlMQWGjqchCQdYA_bmZjpE84vTB73bDKE3Wi2m4vVqI74egx79xQuxnXMzeDY2WK30U6UhPJ5P4PNpNEatbJ9NsWy2e_tEeUHC0GXIXQtli1n_ArHbdNGOqWiAM8AW0LnQAmjqw8/s1600/DSC_0737.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwML-NlMQWGjqchCQdYA_bmZjpE84vTB73bDKE3Wi2m4vVqI74egx79xQuxnXMzeDY2WK30U6UhPJ5P4PNpNEatbJ9NsWy2e_tEeUHC0GXIXQtli1n_ArHbdNGOqWiAM8AW0LnQAmjqw8/s400/DSC_0737.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407474461623767490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gRprnGIrZE3LdZnE72mDIty8La0Dxt_cdXc2yeeGgPmw8XxZBNEYsTaVU3MOcMBkZX4xgzm6GFjnVRAYuR5I4VG9R057NCQsHYdqQ-xEmIqHEcPoUiugVtzwr7ouOeNMjBxPQ6gieZc/s1600/DSC_0732.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gRprnGIrZE3LdZnE72mDIty8La0Dxt_cdXc2yeeGgPmw8XxZBNEYsTaVU3MOcMBkZX4xgzm6GFjnVRAYuR5I4VG9R057NCQsHYdqQ-xEmIqHEcPoUiugVtzwr7ouOeNMjBxPQ6gieZc/s400/DSC_0732.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407474447288776722" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYNFS35XLse73K0VJoTpatcZfsOYl7c9oA-alA7WczJ1Jp0VovA06H2etqLVKe27PmKOHKfat4rW0420G8oprlCqLWk0iW4Ka6WS65AyE76Vr504kEAXu1CYF6iCS6ReagLnxtErBgxk/s1600/DSC_0746.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYNFS35XLse73K0VJoTpatcZfsOYl7c9oA-alA7WczJ1Jp0VovA06H2etqLVKe27PmKOHKfat4rW0420G8oprlCqLWk0iW4Ka6WS65AyE76Vr504kEAXu1CYF6iCS6ReagLnxtErBgxk/s400/DSC_0746.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407473743976492194" border="0" /></a><br />He loved using the dropper and test tubes!<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiown1lDpZBA0vabXf8q0omHvD6kP5AcA4pQzj15jVD3Z-g7Ina8AuxqsgoJCGNKXjKfHeYoXjHbya88H8RytRimHEDtv07Yi6ZW2BOyPPjoAdUVuO0dWv6Wce1aBtFSaRSegmlMHwl-jY/s1600/DSC_0727.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiown1lDpZBA0vabXf8q0omHvD6kP5AcA4pQzj15jVD3Z-g7Ina8AuxqsgoJCGNKXjKfHeYoXjHbya88H8RytRimHEDtv07Yi6ZW2BOyPPjoAdUVuO0dWv6Wce1aBtFSaRSegmlMHwl-jY/s400/DSC_0727.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407473739519040578" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTrjcUBdr66-7oscXllOb1NhTutM1HEjgxN102RlI8C3pBtzC8XZJp0JhNvt6CYaW_n4ZuIzzjTYwr7rRGpt240IKQIhkllMW7E72PfnZ5_S7_Spk4w5S7Q6-Q_8r0w2TS3pFNfZV26I/s1600/DSC_0726.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTrjcUBdr66-7oscXllOb1NhTutM1HEjgxN102RlI8C3pBtzC8XZJp0JhNvt6CYaW_n4ZuIzzjTYwr7rRGpt240IKQIhkllMW7E72PfnZ5_S7_Spk4w5S7Q6-Q_8r0w2TS3pFNfZV26I/s400/DSC_0726.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407473730508633026" border="0" /></a><br />Mixing different ingredients to make fizz!<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYU6o0LnPik0tFlSDnPGt-4vRcLHbZxW262MWrMAMJclCiMCyaJw7v1HfMU2JG8uUQ7IOHBpFXWJRCIXeO5mvVM4VZPXrIU911XY77Q77nD6npkG6uHyVaolQCdFkF8fJT8iBi8PtAmo/s1600/DSC_0244.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYU6o0LnPik0tFlSDnPGt-4vRcLHbZxW262MWrMAMJclCiMCyaJw7v1HfMU2JG8uUQ7IOHBpFXWJRCIXeO5mvVM4VZPXrIU911XY77Q77nD6npkG6uHyVaolQCdFkF8fJT8iBi8PtAmo/s400/DSC_0244.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407473724748906978" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90BdKzAHiGLQiyBOVf5XiAgXT3BlZMVTbbfE-2e1Mn_iCQwxjINVMsSYHW9SAAcXNGojftxTDToaKMWF3q7wCANAVWcFj_xWNA2pzCxkJrf1Wj_WoSqrXi046cHlySBs7niDyDuouuwA/s1600/DSC_0228.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90BdKzAHiGLQiyBOVf5XiAgXT3BlZMVTbbfE-2e1Mn_iCQwxjINVMsSYHW9SAAcXNGojftxTDToaKMWF3q7wCANAVWcFj_xWNA2pzCxkJrf1Wj_WoSqrXi046cHlySBs7niDyDuouuwA/s400/DSC_0228.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407473714738751330" border="0" /></a>This experiment taught about magnets, and their north and south poles.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><br />The first few experiments featured were from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BURAP2?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000BURAP2">Scientific Explorer's Mind Blowing Science Kit for Young Scientists</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000BURAP2" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /> by Scientific Explorer ($19.99). I purchased this locally at Tutoring Toy.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=thetoysnobcom-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B000BURAP2" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /></div><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000BURAP2" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /><br /><br />The last experiment, the magnets, was from this set, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00066ISRK?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00066ISRK">Young Scientist Series - Set 1: Recycling (Kit 1) - Scientific Measurements (Kit 2) - Magnets (Kit 3)</a>. A big THANK YOU to <a href="http://www.discoverthis.com/">Discover This</a> for sending it for us to review!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=thetoysnobcom-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&m=amazon&f=ifr&md=10FE9736YVPPT7A0FBG2&asins=B00066ISRK" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><br /></div><br />Either of these or the many more out there would make a fun, entertaining, and educational Christmas present for the 4 and up set! There are a whole bunch of science kits out there just waiting to be "discovered." And who knows, you just might spark of love of science in your child!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-82167618099171732472009-11-15T01:00:00.005-07:002009-11-15T01:05:45.640-07:00Baby Einstein UpdateSome of you have contacted me about the links in the previous blog not working. I've done it over and over, trying different things but it just doesn't like the link. Baby Einstein just doesn't want to refund your money ;] So, try this, go to the <a href="http://www.commercialexploitation.com/index.html">Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood</a> website and click on the <a href="http://www.commercialexploitation.com/pressreleases/babyeinsteinurgedtocomeclean.html">link</a> to it there. It's right at the top under "The Latest," you can't miss it. At the bottom of the article, it says, "For information on how to obtain a Baby Einstein refund visit..." and that link should take you to the right page. Sorry for all the confusion!!! Let me know if this doesn't work.The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-11631402492607982502009-11-11T15:26:00.004-07:002009-11-11T17:04:25.747-07:00North Star Toys<a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/">North Star Toys</a> is a family owned business that makes high-quality wooden toys that help foster creativity and imagination in children. I love their entire line of fine wooden toys. These are truly heirloom quality toys that look like the toys your grandparents played with.<br /><br />For my first order (trust me, I will definitely be placing many more) I bought my 1 year old son the following:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/jungle_set_medium.jpg?1244223400"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/jungle_set_medium.jpg?1244223400" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is the <a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/animals-of-the-jungle">Animals of the Jungle Set</a> ($15.00) and I think it's to die for! They even through in an alligator for free!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/rainbow_collection_medium.jpg?1244223400"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/rainbow_collection_medium.jpg?1244223400" alt="" border="0" /></a>My mom got him the <a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/happy-hybrid">Happy Hybrid</a> ($16.00) and I hope to complete the set with the People Mover and Busy Boat ($52.00 for the <a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/rainbow-collection">whole set</a>).<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/br_truck_medium.jpg?1244223400"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/br_truck_medium.jpg?1244223400" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is the <a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/big-rollie-flatbed-truck">Big Rollie Flatbed Truck</a> ($16.00)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/br_car_medium.jpg?1244223400"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="http://static.shopify.com/s/files/1/0002/1032/products/br_car_medium.jpg?1244223400" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />and the <a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/big-rollie-bug-car">Big Rollie Bug Car</a> ($16.00)<br /><br />also check out the following:<br /><a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/camera">Camera</a> ($23.00)<br /><a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/little-rollie-vehicle-complete-set">Little Rollie Vehicle Complete Set</a> ($45.00)<br /><a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/helicopter">Helicopter</a> ($20.00)<br />and <a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/collections/all-collections/products/animals-of-the-sea">Animals of the Sea</a> ($15.00) or <a href="http://www.northstartoys.com/products/farm">Farm</a> ($15.00)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">North Star Toys shipped my order very quickly and even addressed a charge for tax before I even knew it was there. They emailed me personally to let me know of it and again to let me know it had been reversed. They even included a hand-written thank you card for ordering with them! And like I mentioned before, they said an alligator had gotten in with my order. I thought all this added a personalized, caring touch. Thank you North Star Toys!<br /></div></div>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-88184297537264076272009-11-11T14:22:00.004-07:002010-10-15T14:53:12.429-06:00Books!We were sent some wonderful books to review from our friends over at Simon & Schuster. My kids have loved these books! Here's why:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" id="Player_cd30a225-ddff-48ed-aa2f-f1d9e7cf8f0c" width="336px" height="280px"> <param name="movie" value="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fcd30a225-ddff-48ed-aa2f-f1d9e7cf8f0c&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fcd30a225-ddff-48ed-aa2f-f1d9e7cf8f0c&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate" id="Player_cd30a225-ddff-48ed-aa2f-f1d9e7cf8f0c" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="Player_cd30a225-ddff-48ed-aa2f-f1d9e7cf8f0c" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="336px" align="middle" height="280px"></embed></object> <noscript><a href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fcd30a225-ddff-48ed-aa2f-f1d9e7cf8f0c&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</a></noscript><br /><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1416940944" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /><br /></div><br /><a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/White-Noise/David-A-Carter/9781416940944"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416940944?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1416940944">White Noise: A Pop-up Book for Children of All Ages</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1416940944" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /> by David Carter is a very very intricate pop-up book. The description on the page illustrates with words what the pop-up is about. The neatest thing about this book, that I missed upon first reading, is that the words on the page tell what the sound is when you open the pop-up. You have to listen very carefully, something children need to learn to do. This book is fabulous and beautiful, a real piece of artwork!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" id="Player_867896da-3cf3-4937-8dba-0cbf28053d5d" width="336px" height="280px"> <param name="movie" value="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F867896da-3cf3-4937-8dba-0cbf28053d5d&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F867896da-3cf3-4937-8dba-0cbf28053d5d&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate" id="Player_867896da-3cf3-4937-8dba-0cbf28053d5d" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="Player_867896da-3cf3-4937-8dba-0cbf28053d5d" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="336px" align="middle" height="280px"></embed></object> <noscript><a href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F867896da-3cf3-4937-8dba-0cbf28053d5d&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</a></noscript><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://assets0.snsassets.com/images/books/9781416950547.jpg?1239390373"><br /></a>Another book by David Carter, <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/Snow-Bugs/David-A-Carter/9781416950547"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416950540?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1416950540">Snow Bugs: A Wintery Pop-up Book (Bugs in a Box Books)</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1416950540" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /> is cute for the littler age set. My 1-year-old just loves this book. It has a little bit of everything from lift-the-flap, pop-up, and pull tabs. It's perfect for this time of year.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" id="Player_cdd936f5-c4b9-4579-848a-4d91be45cb69" width="300px" height="250px"> <param name="movie" value="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fcdd936f5-c4b9-4579-848a-4d91be45cb69&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fcdd936f5-c4b9-4579-848a-4d91be45cb69&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate" id="Player_cdd936f5-c4b9-4579-848a-4d91be45cb69" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="Player_cdd936f5-c4b9-4579-848a-4d91be45cb69" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300px" align="middle" height="250px"></embed></object> <noscript><a href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fcdd936f5-c4b9-4579-848a-4d91be45cb69&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</a></noscript><br /></div><br />And last but not least, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416963944?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1416963944">Robot Zot!</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1416963944" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /></span> by Jon Scieska, illustrated by my favorite...DAVID SHANNON!!! Who doesn't love a good David Shannon book?! Think "Alice the Fairy", robot style. My 5-year-old was just getting into robots after his dad taught him how to walk around and talk like one when this book arrived on our doorstep. This cute little robot walks around the house thinking everyday household objects are enemies that need to be destroyed to save his robot girlfriend. Kids will love the humor hidden in this book.<br /><br />Thanks for the good reads Simon & Schuster!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-62477106741777977012009-10-22T22:33:00.006-06:002009-11-15T00:59:40.180-07:00this is what I'm talking about<strong>CCFC Victory: Disney Offers Refunds on Baby Einstein Videos</strong> <p>CCFC’s ongoing campaign to stop the false and deceptive marketing of baby videos has had an important success. We’ve persuaded the Walt Disney Company to offer <a href="http://www.babyeinstein.com/%28S%283qnoffi1whnnnt55h2ljk355%29%29/parentsguide/satisfaction/upgrade_us.html"><strong></strong></a><a href="http://www.babyeinstein.com/%28S%283qnoffi1whnnnt55h2ljk355%29%29/parentsguide/satisfaction/upgrade_us.html"><strong></strong></a><strong><a target="_blank">a full refund</a></strong> to anyone who purchased a <em>Baby Einstein</em> DVD in the last five years. The refund is only available for a limited time, so please help us spread the word now. </p> <table width="650" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" height="38"> <tbody><tr> <td width="165"><table width="159" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td width="183" height="194"><img src="http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/images/BE-Baby-Mozart-Cover.jpg" width="153" height="198" /></td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <td width="471"><div align="left"> <p> As a result of our 2006 Federal Trade Commission complaint, Disney stopped claiming that <em>Baby Einstein </em>videos were educational for infants, but the company made no move to compensate parents who purchased them. </p> <p>We thought parents deserved better. So, with help from CCFC members like you, we kept the pressure on until Disney agreed to reimburse <em>Baby Einstein</em> customers. </p> <p>The refund offer is a wonderful victory for families and anyone who cares about children. Recent research shows that screen time is not educational for babies. Now parents who purchased <em>Baby Einstein</em> DVDs, mistakenly believing the videos would make their babies smarter, can recoup their money.<br /> </p> </div></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p>You can help by spreading the word. Letting friends and family members know about the refund will help parents get their money back – it’s also the perfect way to start a conversation about babies, marketing, and screen media. After all, a screen-free babyhood is a critical component of a commercial-free childhood.<br /> </p> <div align="center"><img src="http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/images/AAP-Recommends-No-Screen-Time.jpg" width="250" height="72" /></div> <p> </p> <p>For information about how to obtain a Baby Einstein refund , visit<br /> <a href="http://www.babyeinstein.com/%28S%283qnoffi1whnnnt55h2ljk355%29%29/parentsguide/satisfaction/upgrade_us.html" target="_blank">http://www.commercialexploitation.com/pressreleases/babyeinsteinrefund.html</a> </p> <p>To read CCFC’s Federal Trade Commission complaint, visithttp://www.commercialexploitation.com/pressreleases/babyeinsteinrefund.html .<br /></p>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-49941672106883677472009-08-08T23:03:00.006-06:002010-10-21T20:36:24.677-06:00Peaceable Kingdom Press<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pkpress.com/images/products/buyonline/card_games/cg2.gif"></a>Summer got under way, my computer was in the repair shop for a few weeks, but hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon with all the cool toys we've been getting!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Back in June we were sent some awesome toys from <a href="http://www.pkpress.com/index.php">Peaceable Kingdom Press</a>. They make games, puzzles, books, and more with the funnest, most whimsical pictures! Our samples included:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pkpress.com/images/products/buyonline/card_games/cg6.gif"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" id="Player_56b06fd2-0fdd-4829-8453-4c56de97c07c" width="300px" height="250px"> <param name="movie" value="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F56b06fd2-0fdd-4829-8453-4c56de97c07c&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F56b06fd2-0fdd-4829-8453-4c56de97c07c&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate" id="Player_56b06fd2-0fdd-4829-8453-4c56de97c07c" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="Player_56b06fd2-0fdd-4829-8453-4c56de97c07c" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300px" align="middle" height="250px"></embed></object> <noscript><a href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F56b06fd2-0fdd-4829-8453-4c56de97c07c&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</a></noscript><br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593955855?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1593955855">Dodge the Dragon Card Game</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1593955855" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /><br />(Old Maid)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pkpress.com/images/products/buyonline/card_games/cg2.gif"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" id="Player_738e35e4-6920-47c2-b750-dfd053bfb035" width="300px" height="250px"> <param name="movie" value="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F738e35e4-6920-47c2-b750-dfd053bfb035&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F738e35e4-6920-47c2-b750-dfd053bfb035&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate" id="Player_738e35e4-6920-47c2-b750-dfd053bfb035" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="Player_738e35e4-6920-47c2-b750-dfd053bfb035" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300px" align="middle" height="250px"></embed></object> <noscript><a href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F738e35e4-6920-47c2-b750-dfd053bfb035&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</a></noscript><br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1593955219?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1593955219">Crazy Mates Card Game</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1593955219" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" /><br />(Crazy Eights)<br /><br />We love playing both these games as a family at night before bed. My son loves the pirates' funny names and lively illustrations. We love games at our house and I'll be buying their other card games to put in as stocking stuffers this Christmas. Another thing I liked about these was the packaging. They come in very sturdy boxes with an inner deck holder that slides in, making it even better. They call them Classic Card Games for Modern Kids because they're all the card games we grew up with but each have a new design and twist.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.pkpress.com/images/products/buyonline/pzg_big/pzg5.gif"><br /></a><a href="http://www.pkpress.com/products_buy_puzzles_big.php">Big Puzzles for Little Hands: Mermaid, Princess, Fairy, Ballerina</a><br />In addition to this set they also have Guess How Much I Love You, Curious George, and Dinosaur sets and more. These are perfect beginner jigsaw puzzles because each one only has 4 large pieces and comes with a fun picture to place underneath for guidance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEfVDQ-ZhSSdW2J1FsEq2tnrzq_5F_JLToNWJGpUgjm-PZzZ89eXznHqo6wBooVaYDMKc8nVSo18RkDq0-MBJ2G8yk4L3XmsIyCl2UOkm36fQQ2F8ddOG_Vj1dMQRQqtgwuOdVFhF34c/s1600-h/DSC_0408.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEfVDQ-ZhSSdW2J1FsEq2tnrzq_5F_JLToNWJGpUgjm-PZzZ89eXznHqo6wBooVaYDMKc8nVSo18RkDq0-MBJ2G8yk4L3XmsIyCl2UOkm36fQQ2F8ddOG_Vj1dMQRQqtgwuOdVFhF34c/s200/DSC_0408.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367830861273685314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-elUEShqZIKCuuVvhAhxaMzblTw283A_XMN65z663wy8i_T-Uu-KFVzNWnXC-EL1-PrXE3eGQ43v1U78RtwESGNeKdQolTeDpXVZhpszPYGMRmhQPzdAJUYscbbANcrDG53mRYpIuwI/s1600-h/DSC_0407.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-elUEShqZIKCuuVvhAhxaMzblTw283A_XMN65z663wy8i_T-Uu-KFVzNWnXC-EL1-PrXE3eGQ43v1U78RtwESGNeKdQolTeDpXVZhpszPYGMRmhQPzdAJUYscbbANcrDG53mRYpIuwI/s200/DSC_0407.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367830853195006306" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp8xyaxHt1Bg7WLtQzS4EiIl5oC9rC1jhsyDGp3lZAphuiw4jEmEcQ4HfxM0t1TQf3-4O-F4riDk6-CO2KP899Zb9fVdHAYIGEpCIscTE0hnsy-7tq565UXiamlu93BZOBkz_ocneJMw/s1600-h/DSC_0400.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDp8xyaxHt1Bg7WLtQzS4EiIl5oC9rC1jhsyDGp3lZAphuiw4jEmEcQ4HfxM0t1TQf3-4O-F4riDk6-CO2KP899Zb9fVdHAYIGEpCIscTE0hnsy-7tq565UXiamlu93BZOBkz_ocneJMw/s200/DSC_0400.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367830842424265586" border="0" /></a><br />My cute toy tester had fun with these!<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00259GSSC?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00259GSSC">'Get Going, America' Write & Wipe Activities</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00259GSSC" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" border="0" height="1" />, part of their Write and Wipe Activity Tote line. My son LOVES playing in this book! Anything he can write, wipe, and do again is always a big hit! My husband and I have even played a game or two in here by ourselves. They also have a Dr. Seuss, Fairy Mermaid Princess, and Pirates edition (see website for more). This toy alone has saved us an amazing amount of embarrassment at church, as my son sits there like the little angel he is while we get to enjoy the sermon. Nothing keeps the whining and screaming down like a really good toy. This one is highly, highly recommended. We have received many miles from this gem!<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" id="Player_8029087d-c13b-43a6-ad83-8b99ffd9444a" width="300px" height="250px"> <param name="movie" value="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F8029087d-c13b-43a6-ad83-8b99ffd9444a&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F8029087d-c13b-43a6-ad83-8b99ffd9444a&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate" id="Player_8029087d-c13b-43a6-ad83-8b99ffd9444a" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="Player_8029087d-c13b-43a6-ad83-8b99ffd9444a" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" height="250px" width="300px"></embed></object> <noscript><a href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2F8029087d-c13b-43a6-ad83-8b99ffd9444a&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</a></noscript><br /><br /><br /></div>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-40929192131937567842009-06-08T10:05:00.005-06:002010-11-02T10:52:08.257-06:00Wonderworld Toys from Toys and Games Online, Part 1<a href="http://www.toysandgamesonline.com/asp/show_cat.asp?catid96=105492&search=&filter=&ListFormat=&CurrentListFormat=1&sb_mvs=1&sortby=&itemsperpage=100">Wonderworld Toys</a> from Thailand are made from eco-friendly rubberwood. <a href="http://www.toysandgamesonline.com/">Toys and Games Online</a> has a wide selection of Wonderworld Toys and they generously agreed to let us review some of the Wonderworld line. First up:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.toysandgamesonline.com/Wonderworld-WW-2504-WRW1037.html"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017KQWZ4?ie=UTF8&tag=thetoysnobcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0017KQWZ4">Sliding Town City Themed Building Blocks</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=thetoysnobcom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0017KQWZ4" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab" id="Player_e413b3a5-3fca-44e6-827e-534500e8ccb2" width="300px" height="250px"> <param name="movie" value="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fe413b3a5-3fca-44e6-827e-534500e8ccb2&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fe413b3a5-3fca-44e6-827e-534500e8ccb2&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate" id="Player_e413b3a5-3fca-44e6-827e-534500e8ccb2" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="Player_e413b3a5-3fca-44e6-827e-534500e8ccb2" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" height="250px" width="300px"></embed></object> <noscript><a href="http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fthetoysnobcom-20%2F8003%2Fe413b3a5-3fca-44e6-827e-534500e8ccb2&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</a></noscript><br /></div><br />This set comes with a wooden base, 20 blocks for the buildings, a car, and a tree. What I love about this set is that there are several different ways to combine the blocks. You can make all three buildings the same height or you can make some taller than others. Building sets are great for kids! <span style="font-weight: bold;">Developmental benefits</span> include: hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and critical thinking skills. This set is nice for the toddler set because the blocks slide in-between the green towers making it less likely to tip over as you're stacking. The car adds a nice touch and adds some play value after the city scape is put together.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoG9pJdC7D77dRfvhIxVi6kn99pAVW7dz8kRHCKY9y2irlBhzIKVjTORmmPHmv9pO3x9WczxlH4N9saKgQ-4oVptQc31GEXqKD4Mim_zZIc7ErDWYS7ivQyBqoEURiiapAQHTzHT7Cug/s1600-h/DSC_0515.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoG9pJdC7D77dRfvhIxVi6kn99pAVW7dz8kRHCKY9y2irlBhzIKVjTORmmPHmv9pO3x9WczxlH4N9saKgQ-4oVptQc31GEXqKD4Mim_zZIc7ErDWYS7ivQyBqoEURiiapAQHTzHT7Cug/s200/DSC_0515.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345002549216712962" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaTlhY1Se9XpXBpHbF4mg7O_oVmAjS23h72MV2uPx11gFiDnBwtFD2dAC4pNWhCJgeYaz5ok4DdEHxobuBspXgygzRKBWuhLGSAvs25UNiEgFwD5HelMplQoMDGMAjuW5dF2LFHpIGxs/s1600-h/DSC_0517.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaTlhY1Se9XpXBpHbF4mg7O_oVmAjS23h72MV2uPx11gFiDnBwtFD2dAC4pNWhCJgeYaz5ok4DdEHxobuBspXgygzRKBWuhLGSAvs25UNiEgFwD5HelMplQoMDGMAjuW5dF2LFHpIGxs/s200/DSC_0517.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345002542247372194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUXHrfCLPv69ryr5ay4yHp6QWuFnVfZMkDSNjdQSnv9coA9DUvi3wJ2b6E4CgjD9qKoNigPn6oVUH5r47OrGNp8pME4kwlPe9wwd7WPcvUyYyzs03zN-PU8hyphenhyphenGFehEa1OrklRyWO-xKA/s1600-h/DSC_0518.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUXHrfCLPv69ryr5ay4yHp6QWuFnVfZMkDSNjdQSnv9coA9DUvi3wJ2b6E4CgjD9qKoNigPn6oVUH5r47OrGNp8pME4kwlPe9wwd7WPcvUyYyzs03zN-PU8hyphenhyphenGFehEa1OrklRyWO-xKA/s200/DSC_0518.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345002540570942258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAiPRelQUlMghkomMp1KKFhzTXutL3s7oe3DL1MDlawx009EEc_avs06wQKVf5GS7mFv2wEiQeGSVnkpgMS81UHUVy17LxkuyW1wHsb4cd2iMRUeLzrbHZY8Zm67VyFSdg8c3Fh8We6E/s1600-h/DSC_0530.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAiPRelQUlMghkomMp1KKFhzTXutL3s7oe3DL1MDlawx009EEc_avs06wQKVf5GS7mFv2wEiQeGSVnkpgMS81UHUVy17LxkuyW1wHsb4cd2iMRUeLzrbHZY8Zm67VyFSdg8c3Fh8We6E/s200/DSC_0530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345002536876981442" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqYTIMJqkSzv3EOKxaeExrcfefwzZZUEPPhT9Y971QDv7E64MpTbiHha589k6fQQluXK48PaNEW1RT_JorQUVa-DQJh5b7ziy1tMq90Hxjp4WrknJ3DTQawOeL0MwjLvoaZH8ZklVlTg/s1600-h/DSC_0534.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqYTIMJqkSzv3EOKxaeExrcfefwzZZUEPPhT9Y971QDv7E64MpTbiHha589k6fQQluXK48PaNEW1RT_JorQUVa-DQJh5b7ziy1tMq90Hxjp4WrknJ3DTQawOeL0MwjLvoaZH8ZklVlTg/s200/DSC_0534.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345002531063732162" border="0" /></a><br />My toy testers had so much fun with this. It's definitely a new favorite around here. They kept coming back to play with it all day. Thanks Toys and Game Online!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-68004520402222249852009-06-04T11:29:00.008-06:002009-06-04T12:37:59.901-06:00Green Toys Tea Set<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.greentoys.com/images/teagroup.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 144px;" src="http://www.greentoys.com/images/teagroup.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm sure you've seen <a href="http://www.greentoys.com/index.html">Green Toys</a> around at places like Target. Green Toys are made in the USA from recycled milk jugs! They are BPA, phthalate, and lead-free. And since they don't have far to travel (they're made in California) they leave less of a carbon footprint. The packaging is 100% recyclable and they've made it super easy for small, eager hands to get the toys out quickly - no ridiculous twist ties or plastic covering! They are also dishwasher-safe, making clean up easy!<br /><br />I love the softer colors they use in their toys. They are also reasonably priced for "green" toys. They vary from $9.99 to $39.99 and are worth every penny! They're well built, sturdy toys that will last a long time.<br /><br />My toy testers loved using the <a href="http://www.greentoys.com/tea.html">Green Toys Tea Set</a> ($24.99). We had chocolate milk and graham cracker bugs to celebrate summer. I spread out a "tablecloth," stepped back and let them play tea party. Along with the Tea Pot, Creamer, and Sugar Bowl, the set came with 4 Spoons, Saucers, and Tea Cups. It's perfect for pretend or the real thing!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYVU1hsVyZyqmjQFB6fUvXuXBrCXMVtHg4j-b_BA0wqZZeN0xg02ke35j5Z206FeFxy5qcad_vqli3vz6GXoPNU2Sp4GKJXL3aZ8BpbTrFV5Yfs4-kLcmRZdtajXmPuJyyIFPhdcFUdU/s1600-h/DSC_0511.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyYVU1hsVyZyqmjQFB6fUvXuXBrCXMVtHg4j-b_BA0wqZZeN0xg02ke35j5Z206FeFxy5qcad_vqli3vz6GXoPNU2Sp4GKJXL3aZ8BpbTrFV5Yfs4-kLcmRZdtajXmPuJyyIFPhdcFUdU/s200/DSC_0511.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343531043916180738" border="0" /></a>Taking sugar cubes from the sugar bowl<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_WCiVM4z_CVAvIR1T9L4wBYEI7Ngv6GVSCKUx7klN0aqtiVEJ9XVTpSGHx-47131ZtmZFLyDfIMVa0gKvsO0OOIkLTIsnfbBzFMStDRfIMapWvkkc6u4_xOl6xlF8BwVEH06e6hKDkI/s1600-h/DSC_0514.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu_WCiVM4z_CVAvIR1T9L4wBYEI7Ngv6GVSCKUx7klN0aqtiVEJ9XVTpSGHx-47131ZtmZFLyDfIMVa0gKvsO0OOIkLTIsnfbBzFMStDRfIMapWvkkc6u4_xOl6xlF8BwVEH06e6hKDkI/s200/DSC_0514.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343531037473302738" border="0" /></a>Sipping "tea"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmj8C3YKRMwfQvvOlpi_Wvhi0QPE80RpjXaOUPBxPLbkRLUWT5_glRiJzxlib4ScS7tNJbxEn2XZcfNiEKa_U1EC3u7YgrCP9LSlELOgtHZrNuIZhc03HDhLrtZOkAZNfIcqF6p-ZvBs/s1600-h/DSC_0508.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOmj8C3YKRMwfQvvOlpi_Wvhi0QPE80RpjXaOUPBxPLbkRLUWT5_glRiJzxlib4ScS7tNJbxEn2XZcfNiEKa_U1EC3u7YgrCP9LSlELOgtHZrNuIZhc03HDhLrtZOkAZNfIcqF6p-ZvBs/s200/DSC_0508.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343529415895036786" border="0" /></a>Even my son had fun playing Tea Party<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1z8QDoOqFVkmgRjMdk-ZEMR_hHkiN7IretG2PSwuGymog9Uu82ZY5ikIV9EA6IBtoTuIBDskzXDV9cTWjhTXqQHaXpX7DCaUIKtWKyjjVjRJq_XZzNggY5PcGhwswR49VRqqzGYObLE/s1600-h/DSC_0505.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1z8QDoOqFVkmgRjMdk-ZEMR_hHkiN7IretG2PSwuGymog9Uu82ZY5ikIV9EA6IBtoTuIBDskzXDV9cTWjhTXqQHaXpX7DCaUIKtWKyjjVjRJq_XZzNggY5PcGhwswR49VRqqzGYObLE/s200/DSC_0505.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343529412480731634" border="0" /></a>Dipping daintily<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmFq1dqUGFn4X1AsJjSd-QHkOztIYTtuRRNTLeA5BnkRtjp2d5Ui1lta3lct7Oe9VqCDORArfshW1ZpiojtmRlTx3PTTSmnUnYp5CO9H9eeCRxRSawY1fVnh00pTSzRhwLPaIInyM3fY/s1600-h/DSC_0490.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmFq1dqUGFn4X1AsJjSd-QHkOztIYTtuRRNTLeA5BnkRtjp2d5Ui1lta3lct7Oe9VqCDORArfshW1ZpiojtmRlTx3PTTSmnUnYp5CO9H9eeCRxRSawY1fVnh00pTSzRhwLPaIInyM3fY/s200/DSC_0490.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343529406786566290" border="0" /></a>Enjoying a yummy treat<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFefsPIf7AXjEU-865yHmM1zLXjKttIfll_8gBaIh1fIlrXrMM_CSYQBGlq28F7a4549WPiETPpLRRdqlL1d7L89A140f9u6a3QHgmxx4P59G0_wCZ6heuj6p7oBjU0so0vpTl9gdnvc/s1600-h/DSC_0486.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFefsPIf7AXjEU-865yHmM1zLXjKttIfll_8gBaIh1fIlrXrMM_CSYQBGlq28F7a4549WPiETPpLRRdqlL1d7L89A140f9u6a3QHgmxx4P59G0_wCZ6heuj6p7oBjU0so0vpTl9gdnvc/s200/DSC_0486.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343529403802479794" border="0" /></a>"Can I pour you some more?"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBWRcnNjV_aLT7QSlEEa0p-9swo7boSh2GKVaDDw0qq_XbBEMidv8AEV99ozk0TOZI0RpovMZcao6uhpb3AVXYXOzWryiThiG-RU6MT6Pj_rHhyphenhyphengM-Hj6ILCoBcVqQoqQ4UpQBwD8Qs8/s1600-h/DSC_0485.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBWRcnNjV_aLT7QSlEEa0p-9swo7boSh2GKVaDDw0qq_XbBEMidv8AEV99ozk0TOZI0RpovMZcao6uhpb3AVXYXOzWryiThiG-RU6MT6Pj_rHhyphenhyphengM-Hj6ILCoBcVqQoqQ4UpQBwD8Qs8/s200/DSC_0485.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343529401306190178" border="0" /></a>"Yes, thank you."<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5-Q6myssTgh8lME9HR02jxjvU82AvbqJfbg4yWScI0D5z1jeTw7CrytNyHy31OY-ft5H_JpYwjsZ5tIMGHWGlE5B-pJw7b1mP8zcH5YfJ2pmISRMsW71AAYrg_9whZVaIRdbujLIbso/s1600-h/DSC_0512.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL5-Q6myssTgh8lME9HR02jxjvU82AvbqJfbg4yWScI0D5z1jeTw7CrytNyHy31OY-ft5H_JpYwjsZ5tIMGHWGlE5B-pJw7b1mP8zcH5YfJ2pmISRMsW71AAYrg_9whZVaIRdbujLIbso/s200/DSC_0512.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343531048973832258" border="0" /></a>Tea pot, creamer, and sugar bowl<br /><br />What my toy tester had to say:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >"This is so beautiful!"<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Developmental benefits include:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Socialization:</span> Playing in a pretend formal setting is a great place for kids to practice manners. Saying please, thank you, learning to serve guests first are all skills you can practice at your next tea party.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Motor skills:</span> Children can learn motor skill and hand-eye coordination by practicing pouring tea, holding the small handle on a tea cup, and being careful not to spill.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Imagination:</span> Dreaming up different settings for your tea party can be a fun way to practice creative thinking. You can also invite your stuffed animals or dolls and imagine what it would be like if they could talk, what would they say? Which leads to...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Language:</span> The art of conversation can also be learned in a fun way during a tea party. Children can learn to take turns talking and asking questions of each other.<br /><br />If your children get bored this summer, set up a tea party and let their imaginations run wild!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Green Toys also makes great outdoor toys for fun this summer. My favorite Green Toys include the Indoor Gardening Kit , the Recycling Truck, and the Cookware and Dining Set (a beautiful addition to the Tea Set). Be sure to check out the full line at the <a href="http://www.greentoys.com/toys.html">Green Toys</a> website. You can buy them on-line at Target, Amazon, and other toy stores but they are on sale right now at Amazon.<br /><br />Thanks Green Toys!<br /></div></div>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-34044937559588406902009-05-27T17:43:00.008-06:002009-05-27T20:23:25.496-06:00Piggy Paint Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=ad85baf555&view=att&th=1211d3b0da19e641&attid=0.2&disp=thd&zw"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 166px;" src="http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=ad85baf555&view=att&th=1211d3b0da19e641&attid=0.2&disp=thd&zw" alt="" border="0" /></a>What a great idea! This new <a href="http://piggypaint.com">Piggy Paint</a> nail polish is designed for kids and is non-toxic, odorless, and water-based. It was created by a mom who watched in horror as her girls' old polish melted through a foam plate after using it to paint their nails on. From that experience Piggy Paint was born!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br />Piggy Paint let us try their Girls Rule! Polish (.5 oz.) and their signature Piggy Paint Remover (4 oz.).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.piggypaint.com/images/c_girlsrule_21ss.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="http://www.piggypaint.com/images/c_girlsrule_21ss.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Girls Rule!<br /><br /></div>I first wanted to test out their "odor-free" claim so as soon as I opened the package I sniffed both the polish and the remover. While there is a scent to the polish, it's not chemically AT ALL! They claim that Piggy Paint is "Natural as Mud" and it sort of resembled a muddy smell, in a good way. It reminded me of puffy paint from when I was a kid. Next I tried the remover. This I found to have NO SMELL whatsoever! I was amazed!<br /><br />I set to work immediately painting my nails. It dried faster than any polish I've ever tried! I skipped the recommendation that you blow dry the polish after it's dried in order to set it and make it more chip resistant. By that evening it had chipped quite a bit and 3 of my toenails were completely stripped of the polish. Granted, as a mom and daycare provider I have my hands in and out of water all day long with all the dishes and diaper changes. With all the chipping I took it off after only a day. The polish makes you work a little to get it off but since it's odor free I didn't mind the extra time it took.<br /><br />Next, I waited for a good opportunity to try it out on my testers, my 2 nieces and my son. He just can't be left out. I've even been known to do his hair when it was longer.<br />Here's what they had to say:<br />"It's so pretty!"<br />"(With a giggle) It tickles a little when you put it on."<br /><div style="text-align: left;">"Look at my claws!" (my son, obviously!)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyosNf8ucorsXz0hpRcEXSvtU-4raUNuDqVTRynq7zbyaSpmHRaD8PtxQYeLipVQ3XVN_lx_whBbJm6Efcj_ncLmcCv5xrkFBX5e84Y28ITaaH8Moq7p8fMQljNIRc456laWOupR7NXQ/s1600-h/DSC_0343.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyosNf8ucorsXz0hpRcEXSvtU-4raUNuDqVTRynq7zbyaSpmHRaD8PtxQYeLipVQ3XVN_lx_whBbJm6Efcj_ncLmcCv5xrkFBX5e84Y28ITaaH8Moq7p8fMQljNIRc456laWOupR7NXQ/s200/DSC_0343.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340666373342511522" border="0" /></a>Washed, dried hands ready for polish!<br /></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-AQbJtXkSFYxc8WSR_HuWhdhWyuBzx6IjWTxY_BaR5g0hrgKz83szFvArU-yre2g0vK2KHYrUHrPoCFQ5AnY80tXPyhT_Ip2JMfVRDxqB57P3yD_mLxjfKrB4xFG36ODRM7tucOBRVA/s1600-h/DSC_0344.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-AQbJtXkSFYxc8WSR_HuWhdhWyuBzx6IjWTxY_BaR5g0hrgKz83szFvArU-yre2g0vK2KHYrUHrPoCFQ5AnY80tXPyhT_Ip2JMfVRDxqB57P3yD_mLxjfKrB4xFG36ODRM7tucOBRVA/s200/DSC_0344.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340665140876160882" border="0" /></a>After the first coat<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd6Z5JuZ50Hh0_uIoe-Rpd_BBt1phKCEeS21poEquYZnxWNUuR3cblQkWAtByoVzMJLnronxsgsUJQMIgUhYK3_CmKDC2hU07SBZj8mVsYKoGSM-DsN5ohlXanEJcxymojH7N1flKZso/s1600-h/DSC_0345.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnd6Z5JuZ50Hh0_uIoe-Rpd_BBt1phKCEeS21poEquYZnxWNUuR3cblQkWAtByoVzMJLnronxsgsUJQMIgUhYK3_CmKDC2hU07SBZj8mVsYKoGSM-DsN5ohlXanEJcxymojH7N1flKZso/s200/DSC_0345.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340665134756040962" border="0" /></a>After the second coat we used the blow dryer to set the polish and make it more chip resistant<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCja5jpP0YpA4G08NHKT7V79K6P_lpZ1PgG8-dUradfxw8ExNU3RhA6SZOpk-4nTwGr3ICoyMjGbdtpcCLa37kl5n9LAFVT1VkA8GAtn9r1hR_I-jdckj3IwbQUqlSLlyosRaisNTiJ0/s1600-h/DSC_0347.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghCja5jpP0YpA4G08NHKT7V79K6P_lpZ1PgG8-dUradfxw8ExNU3RhA6SZOpk-4nTwGr3ICoyMjGbdtpcCLa37kl5n9LAFVT1VkA8GAtn9r1hR_I-jdckj3IwbQUqlSLlyosRaisNTiJ0/s200/DSC_0347.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340665125648717906" border="0" /></a>Beautiful! All done!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cMBfCMzFUoeSPDDDyD9Hl-sS5T0lfu34nm2KxX6l3VNh6RIXpNVJPXT6Gfm0h1ppqO_ajH8REpYUVzt0Cx5_1rxsBMm4qaX5KtWifUXTytAqqWmB3bSoeGwaWxO0KVbUwebqLFJ5i44/s1600-h/DSC_0351.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9cMBfCMzFUoeSPDDDyD9Hl-sS5T0lfu34nm2KxX6l3VNh6RIXpNVJPXT6Gfm0h1ppqO_ajH8REpYUVzt0Cx5_1rxsBMm4qaX5KtWifUXTytAqqWmB3bSoeGwaWxO0KVbUwebqLFJ5i44/s200/DSC_0351.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340665118171101714" border="0" /></a>"Hey look, it matches my shirt!"<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZfQbiEMs5WfnFaQYibDnbNbTC02FZxCCJlHmkJbw89ZN-65v-0RZQ334VUGeIahDgANIOidGR9U-7RSIPSIb6eE2iakF7Ic8V0iGxJvisDAxHUIP0ZVpVAQWRvnd9YdUBPakLGm4e5U/s1600-h/DSC_0355.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZfQbiEMs5WfnFaQYibDnbNbTC02FZxCCJlHmkJbw89ZN-65v-0RZQ334VUGeIahDgANIOidGR9U-7RSIPSIb6eE2iakF7Ic8V0iGxJvisDAxHUIP0ZVpVAQWRvnd9YdUBPakLGm4e5U/s200/DSC_0355.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340665117694285458" border="0" /></a>Showing off his claws to the girls<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We had such a fun time playing "nail salon." With more fun colors like Glass Slippers (a sparkly topcoat), Mac-n-Cheese Please (yup, it's orange), and Forever Fancy (think Fancy Nancy pink) we'll definitely have to buy more to try! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.piggypaint.com/images/picbottles.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 192px;" src="http://www.piggypaint.com/images/picbottles.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Piggy paint has generously offered all my readers <span style="font-weight: bold;">20% off </span>(including sale items)<span style="font-weight: bold;"> until June 30th</span> with the coupon code <span style="font-weight: bold;">PINK20L</span> and if you spend $25 <span style="font-weight: bold;">shipping is free</span>! Order the Little Miss Firecracker set (red, white, and blue) in time for the Fourth of July! Piggy Paints also make a great birthday gift or stocking stuffer idea!!!<br /></div></div><br />While you and your kids are having fun playing nail salon you can incorporate some developmental benefits and make it a learning experience as well as a fun one:<br /><ul><li>Your child can hone in on her fine motor skills by painting her own nails (my 4 year old snuck and did his own pretty well) or by letting her practice on you or a friend.</li><li>If your toddler is beginning to learn her colors you can work on one color at a time by painting her nails and letting her find objects each day that match that color.</li><li>Try painting her nails in a pattern, say red blue red blue red blue for the upcoming Fourth of July. This is a great math and pre-reading skill to master.</li></ul>*Ideas taken from the Piggy Paint <a href="http://www.piggypaint.com/product.htm">website</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Piggy Paint Prices:</span><br /><br />Piggy Paint Nail Polish $9.99<br />Piggy Paint Remover $10.50<br />Nail Polish Gift Packs (3 Colors) - $26.50<br />Nail Polish (2 colors) and 1 Remover Gift Packs - $27.50<span style="color: rgb(102, 51, 0);font-family:Arial,helvetica;font-size:85%;" ></span><br /><br />Thanks Piggy Paint!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-86195372643675819982009-05-22T00:05:00.003-06:002009-05-22T00:18:38.951-06:00In the Land of Etsy<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.59157427.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 263px; height: 351px;" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.59157427.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=21601874">Wee Wood Natural Toys</a> ($8.00)<br />I love the vibrant pirate family and the simplicity of the people.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.71591891.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 283px;" src="http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_430xN.71591891.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25053081">Sun Beem Designs</a> ($19.00)<br />These are too cute! I think they would make a darling decoration on a bedroom shelf when they aren't being played with, of course.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.65409462.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 304px; height: 202px;" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.65409462.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23463678">Discovery Denim</a> ($40.00)<br />Capes are so fun! My son is always turning his blanky into some kind of cape or another. I love this pirate skull one.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.68523362.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 303px;" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.68523362.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.68523390.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 271px;" src="http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.68523390.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=24393702">Happy Squash Toys</a> ($65.00)<br />Great design! I love the simple nature of this ship and the peg people bodies.<br /><br />More wonderful things found on Etsy to come shortly...<br /></div>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-81006392122329824112009-05-06T23:21:00.004-06:002009-05-27T20:41:45.796-06:00Up Next:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://common.csnstores.com/common/manufacturers/2152.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 91px;" src="http://common.csnstores.com/common/manufacturers/2152.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://toysandgamesonline.com">WonderWorld Toys</a> are made from renewable rubber wood and are similar to other brands. I'm so excited to review these <a href="http://www.toysandgamesonline.com/">toys</a>. Look for them online at <a href="http://toysandgamesonline.com">Toys and Games Online</a>.The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-88308322511697010692009-05-06T21:59:00.007-06:002009-05-06T23:20:45.302-06:00New Sprig Toys are here!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sprigtoys.com/images/sprighollow_13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 432px; height: 144px;" src="http://www.sprigtoys.com/images/sprighollow_13.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Sprig Hollow is the newest line from <a href="http://www.sprigtoys.com/index.html">Sprig Toys</a>. Sprig is an environmentally friendly company concerned with keeping the planet healthy and keeping kids off the couch. Their lines are all "battery-free, eco-friendly, paint-free, kid-powered toys." A bio-composite material they call Sprigwood is made of wood and plastic that are recycled to form these child-safe toys.<br /><br />While the recommended age is 3 and up I think younger kids could get just as much fun out of these playsets. Our neighbor's son came over to join us and he is just shy of 18 months. You could also use these in the bathtub or even a kiddie pool outside this summer. They are just so open-ended. Take a look...<br /><br /><br />Sprig Hollow comes in three separate sets:<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.shopatron.com/img/product_images/1740/caf681cde21e99f2f5c7251963e04565.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.shopatron.com/img/product_images/1740/caf681cde21e99f2f5c7251963e04565.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=S8000/1740.0.56090.0.0.0.0">Bee & Buterfly's Farm</a> ($29.99) comes with the barn, truck, bee & butterfly figures, a scoop and funnel, and a beehive/flower pot with wildflower seeds embedded in paper. The barn and truck have pieces that snap together really quick! All the figures from this line have pop-out faces and wings and are all interchangeable.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.shopatron.com/img/product_images/1740/1028fab8ed034b3d4bb089fc841b3a4d.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.shopatron.com/img/product_images/1740/1028fab8ed034b3d4bb089fc841b3a4d.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=S8012/1740.0.56090.0.0.0.0">Dragonfly's HeliScoopter</a> ($14.99) comes with the Dragonfly figure, another seed paper for planting, a helicopter/sand shovel, and a landing pad/sifter. I love that all the equipment has dual uses and the sifter pad has to be my favorite!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.shopatron.com/img/product_images/1740/3c994539b1147168627544833ca3219d.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.shopatron.com/img/product_images/1740/3c994539b1147168627544833ca3219d.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=S8011/1740.0.56090.0.0.0.0">DuneBug's Sand Truck</a> ($14.99) includes the DuneBug figure, an easy to assemble truck with a bed that can be used as a bucket, a top top for a scoop, and a cab for a rake, and yet another seed paper! The figures sit atop the trucks or heliscooper perfectly.<br /><br />Marshall was so excited to take the set outside when it finally warmed up. Although it's great for indoor play, it's PERFECT for summer sand & water adventures! We were glad for the excuse to clean out our sand box and poor in some new sand. I loved watching as Marshall brought the little characters to life. His imagination grew as he made them interact with each other. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmfcc3G5fVBGEC9Adkvk-PfCPYXuKezprckCxEHC__dOVswTU2-tBA6ljfk_IPL0hBmOJqgYOQ4w4JRk78UL1GC25WEiLWCTZY1K7JnLBwLpHwmKGwT0d1mzcy_oLVoop5nPZNrvgUvw/s1600-h/DSC_0771.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmfcc3G5fVBGEC9Adkvk-PfCPYXuKezprckCxEHC__dOVswTU2-tBA6ljfk_IPL0hBmOJqgYOQ4w4JRk78UL1GC25WEiLWCTZY1K7JnLBwLpHwmKGwT0d1mzcy_oLVoop5nPZNrvgUvw/s200/DSC_0771.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332939534435251186" border="0" /></a>All set up and ready for play<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXzwrgEGCoVFMvTGDJFZyt3w9dRpFuKbbDE4rTnnWPrQm-8xPR0DSPp-oPw8MXMO7f6qME7g0mLwLaLfuEPNIHuP-pF3Wwdbc_mhqA7OC2wWqPA0MfLA84Vw3hP3p3LA89y0DF1TUu-E/s1600-h/DSC_0798.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIXzwrgEGCoVFMvTGDJFZyt3w9dRpFuKbbDE4rTnnWPrQm-8xPR0DSPp-oPw8MXMO7f6qME7g0mLwLaLfuEPNIHuP-pF3Wwdbc_mhqA7OC2wWqPA0MfLA84Vw3hP3p3LA89y0DF1TUu-E/s200/DSC_0798.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332940763165390018" border="0" /></a>Lined up and counting<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-NwsR2d4gwjAuwrpivvyges5oBs1OnV91Zr9H7qlGS4KdnXsN5V3vJdOBr5gkFQFJSw-lGGPLVsXtQX27_vzdUlsLsN6SWcYWyaLpXC7lhBYKH24YwlyXrhiNP1rpT8fg6bmht-i4aI/s1600-h/DSC_0791.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-NwsR2d4gwjAuwrpivvyges5oBs1OnV91Zr9H7qlGS4KdnXsN5V3vJdOBr5gkFQFJSw-lGGPLVsXtQX27_vzdUlsLsN6SWcYWyaLpXC7lhBYKH24YwlyXrhiNP1rpT8fg6bmht-i4aI/s200/DSC_0791.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332940385232749026" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpzKOQUs1Cb-QXJ3RNfJf9wXsZx1Xs4qU3sxNDVTPRCoD8ldgU5Wvzhafe2GQ7pqjd-eQqhStBz2fL1f0gEOO16qJRxyoRs5SjkuG7XKFX-SdjKv-ejqoYJ0AO3lFntEiJcGefdS_YpA/s1600-h/DSC_0793.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpzKOQUs1Cb-QXJ3RNfJf9wXsZx1Xs4qU3sxNDVTPRCoD8ldgU5Wvzhafe2GQ7pqjd-eQqhStBz2fL1f0gEOO16qJRxyoRs5SjkuG7XKFX-SdjKv-ejqoYJ0AO3lFntEiJcGefdS_YpA/s200/DSC_0793.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332940384654388050" border="0" /></a>DuneBug's Sandtruck<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DCvyFUkKHeNCpwtWGhMTBWkA4VWdFI50XRZzK2nYz1R8Zj6_orF5BjEHLCm1N94ZbasgtVEtNqYQXQieMJCdVYrke8NfleKzZS4ju36putDZ8OsZgtPoXkEOG4HpqteRWIjUz8JV53I/s1600-h/DSC_0803.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DCvyFUkKHeNCpwtWGhMTBWkA4VWdFI50XRZzK2nYz1R8Zj6_orF5BjEHLCm1N94ZbasgtVEtNqYQXQieMJCdVYrke8NfleKzZS4ju36putDZ8OsZgtPoXkEOG4HpqteRWIjUz8JV53I/s200/DSC_0803.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332940770585500130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLT3vByJDA49dDDPMAWWQv1OrLw5ZJeFLN_YC2hFsIGDIvjplr2q4QX2ZZC0fXzrQ3Ohxazg1mCgBlFwOCWLvpRbgiUDZvg111idz2-fXGCMe9uq3zXMNaEqxaxgsFQKBEDvUCcS22VAA/s1600-h/DSC_0845.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLT3vByJDA49dDDPMAWWQv1OrLw5ZJeFLN_YC2hFsIGDIvjplr2q4QX2ZZC0fXzrQ3Ohxazg1mCgBlFwOCWLvpRbgiUDZvg111idz2-fXGCMe9uq3zXMNaEqxaxgsFQKBEDvUCcS22VAA/s200/DSC_0845.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332940379751688818" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpV1PKIvx-r2nrSL2Ow1MIIQ1-0vmg4N76culfvnbQ8721zeA7tFHn8vlJHT61W77IK5K5ZUQZ10vYQW6y9gcQimFE2iNLcGB01_zu-2euCE7J6Uy9s286MVk-JtYRiig66yl4bsF1AY/s1600-h/DSC_0839.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpV1PKIvx-r2nrSL2Ow1MIIQ1-0vmg4N76culfvnbQ8721zeA7tFHn8vlJHT61W77IK5K5ZUQZ10vYQW6y9gcQimFE2iNLcGB01_zu-2euCE7J6Uy9s286MVk-JtYRiig66yl4bsF1AY/s200/DSC_0839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332940375990344258" border="0" /></a>Dragonfly's Heliscoopter<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA29lMRCBJ-bSQK7dVa33P7Vb_YQxAw_G0jyYXDn0QgORjL2gaW8mAVFyGpYf9-n-5U1ev9VaPt7J9hyTp0T98-QuPVLZIh1CPT3Gj33-h0rHOQBNPslEk-tkXlmr0qIZgSt38vbHM8xU/s1600-h/DSC_0822.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA29lMRCBJ-bSQK7dVa33P7Vb_YQxAw_G0jyYXDn0QgORjL2gaW8mAVFyGpYf9-n-5U1ev9VaPt7J9hyTp0T98-QuPVLZIh1CPT3Gj33-h0rHOQBNPslEk-tkXlmr0qIZgSt38vbHM8xU/s200/DSC_0822.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332940373708822482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRGM702laTK1XzEcNxyy6nSvDVKyl7kn6_Xxbl3w8brLeoFzzKLf1PfF5oWNWMjxkGa9rUV1SxdNlnRcGY3w1duRTFKH3Jxuhn0sNUz1dmW1iD-iSNdegtJ1-8GEtTuSa15xqvnJ60Ok/s1600-h/DSC_0783.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKRGM702laTK1XzEcNxyy6nSvDVKyl7kn6_Xxbl3w8brLeoFzzKLf1PfF5oWNWMjxkGa9rUV1SxdNlnRcGY3w1duRTFKH3Jxuhn0sNUz1dmW1iD-iSNdegtJ1-8GEtTuSa15xqvnJ60Ok/s200/DSC_0783.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332939544495129426" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagUe-Y10eWzn3liUoN6PGyIlsf_10JLNn6LrhyXJgZMq8np3MqIH2VppersFDrgC8IXJNwCz41kdC6jrcQLG-I5u6xHihVqq8cL6mDf85WwQVJmerYZe2Lr31diVxPTvhb3ytrCAovVw/s1600-h/DSC_0778.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagUe-Y10eWzn3liUoN6PGyIlsf_10JLNn6LrhyXJgZMq8np3MqIH2VppersFDrgC8IXJNwCz41kdC6jrcQLG-I5u6xHihVqq8cL6mDf85WwQVJmerYZe2Lr31diVxPTvhb3ytrCAovVw/s200/DSC_0778.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332939540691601682" border="0" /></a>The true toy test: every afternoon Marshall asks to go out and play in the sand box with his "barn set."<br /></div>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-38006262429037141632009-03-09T16:42:00.002-06:002009-03-09T16:51:42.472-06:00I'm back, temporarily...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.skiphop.com/images/store/products/pics/305306_image_0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 296px; height: 295px;" src="http://www.skiphop.com/images/store/products/pics/305306_image_0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />just to say that I wish I had seen this 5 months ago when I had my baby and before I bought the Haba Springtime Play Gym. I just love the <a href="http://www.skiphop.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SH&Category_Code=TY&Product_Code=305306">outerspace</a> theme from Skip Hop ($80). Check out their other fresh, new toys too!<br /><br />As for my recent blogging hiatus, there's a lot going on on the home front right now that's keeping me super busy. Plus, my husband lost his job. So, what good are toys when you don't have a job, right? Plus I assume with the recent economic downturn there aren't many of you out there buying toys just for fun anymore. Am I right? What are your thoughts on this, are you cutting down on wants yet to focus more on needs? Is your toy/gift budget lowered or done away with? I'd love to hear your thoughts.The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-59178356092285289822008-12-28T23:07:00.002-07:002008-12-28T23:11:42.186-07:00News ArticlesMy Grandpa just sent me a couple links to some news articles I'd like to pass on. The first is about our baby's <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200769,00.html">First Foods</a>, the second about the importance of <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html">The Family Meal</a>. I found both very helpful and important. I hope you take the time to think about the important message in each of these.<br /><br />Happy Holidays!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-43738079725025934572008-12-13T01:06:00.002-07:002008-12-13T01:11:33.103-07:00Outer Space Creations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_22601_0_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_22601_0_3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Moolka has a great new design to their website and with it are several new toys that I'm falling for! Among them is this <a href="http://www.moolka.com/jzv/prod/23451/Djeco/Toys/Building+Toys/Construction+Models/Super+Cosmos?p=YzI9MTA5">Super Cosmos</a> set from Djeco that lets you create 3 different rocket/space ships from 16 wooden pieces. The suggested age for this is 4 and up and it sells for $22.49 (on sale) at Moolka.The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-43564212727733891142008-12-13T00:58:00.004-07:002008-12-13T01:05:09.679-07:00Create a Garden Scene<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_22629_0_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_22629_0_3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Perfect for an older girl on your list! This little garden scene is made from pre-cut sheets of everything you need to create <a href="http://www.moolka.com/jzv/prod/23479/Djeco/Toys/Dollhouses+and+Accessories/Dolls/Billie+Brindille%27s+Garden?p=YzI9MTA5">Billie Brindille's Garden</a> from Djeco ($24.99 at Moolka). After it is complete it can be used as a decoration or a playscene. I used to love little craft sets when I was younger, but there was never anything like this! Moolka's age suggestion is 9 and up but you know your kids best. Happy Gardening!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-14731278103231698852008-12-09T00:18:00.004-07:002008-12-09T00:24:57.026-07:00An ICY time of year<div style="text-align: center;">Tonight I came across these two Ice Trays at Lavish. How fun are they?! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.shoplavish.com/catalog/images/imagecache/250x250_ice-princess-trays-ready.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://www.shoplavish.com/catalog/images/imagecache/250x250_ice-princess-trays-ready.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shoplavish.com/catalog/images/imagecache/250x250_ice-princess-trays-ready.jpg">Princess Ice Tray</a> ($9.00)<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.shoplavish.com/catalog/images/imagecache/250x250_fossil-ice-tray.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 250px;" src="http://www.shoplavish.com/catalog/images/imagecache/250x250_fossil-ice-tray.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.shoplavish.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=38_42&products_id=670">Fossilized Ice Tray</a> ($9.00)<br /></div>The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-31932585572935850402008-12-08T23:17:00.007-07:002008-12-10T19:04:12.714-07:00ZinkoTek!This is the greatest building set a kid could ever ask for! ZinkoTek is an amazing open-ended building system that lets you design just about anything, your imagination is the limit. We were sent a set to review and my husband and son instantly set to work building a castle! The pieces are made out of heavy duty, multi-layer foam. They feel indestructible and can be used indoors or outdoors. They would make a perfect addition to your play room, or any room! I also highly recommend ZinkoTek for preschools and daycare centers! Even if you build the house, it can be so much more...like a castle, school, puppet theater, store, the possibilities are endless! It's just open-ended all the way around. It would make the perfect "BIG" gift for your kids this Christmas! Check out more information <a href="http://www.zinkotek.com">here</a> on the ZinkoTek website. They have a photo gallery and building instructions for things like robots, airplanes, and more.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0thqcpO_XA0IOqbGi-KU80MyWEGzgylpeyujysT8fjriOxYaGb3fe0DbNBQB3izt6zd7mem_MT06uy854VbwsXKYIYaW5Oqzujl1_2AhyXBGWmi2RwQOQmZXUKDNGMNYfxoUpRNvye8k/s1600-h/2008+231.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0thqcpO_XA0IOqbGi-KU80MyWEGzgylpeyujysT8fjriOxYaGb3fe0DbNBQB3izt6zd7mem_MT06uy854VbwsXKYIYaW5Oqzujl1_2AhyXBGWmi2RwQOQmZXUKDNGMNYfxoUpRNvye8k/s320/2008+231.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277672925972163810" border="0" /> </a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk-NrddXm5NSd7TiiGSmxW7zVxgTZEoGF8i5gbx-3bcryZYEwJa-1twXfD2cok8P627_pFgbbQgB8MLPmG6aJojl9lVSdFZDRvQERdoQPJbfSTfq3tVyFN0u0d-D3sfD2BKBBScHXH-U/s1600-h/2008+236.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyk-NrddXm5NSd7TiiGSmxW7zVxgTZEoGF8i5gbx-3bcryZYEwJa-1twXfD2cok8P627_pFgbbQgB8MLPmG6aJojl9lVSdFZDRvQERdoQPJbfSTfq3tVyFN0u0d-D3sfD2BKBBScHXH-U/s320/2008+236.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277672937474714178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucHyzCOb8a5ym_4H4iH18vSB8agEGQe4TnfA3bD_1qmuX8UCiYzNdmcYiHMmidsdWJAfIL2GTqPex56Mi4VmCywpy87VyVOOz6-e_2WnSLvRGCHMnnfBGAbB9nC_NFc_lv3syzyQbTFw/s1600-h/2008+241.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgucHyzCOb8a5ym_4H4iH18vSB8agEGQe4TnfA3bD_1qmuX8UCiYzNdmcYiHMmidsdWJAfIL2GTqPex56Mi4VmCywpy87VyVOOz6-e_2WnSLvRGCHMnnfBGAbB9nC_NFc_lv3syzyQbTFw/s320/2008+241.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277672942763404194" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKvmGE5PfNFJFn-ploVIg1_bMjHBzOAeKlWcmt9mr18j6hWO28Cg4aKXfu8DE4-_R0Mtxzs6NohxUUr6VFpmYKZ2Gr-oD_9sFiNe17l_1N3bs-lMkQGiziE5q_vw61ZDXNuMBF1mQ8FM/s1600-h/2008+267.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKvmGE5PfNFJFn-ploVIg1_bMjHBzOAeKlWcmt9mr18j6hWO28Cg4aKXfu8DE4-_R0Mtxzs6NohxUUr6VFpmYKZ2Gr-oD_9sFiNe17l_1N3bs-lMkQGiziE5q_vw61ZDXNuMBF1mQ8FM/s320/2008+267.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277672953748212706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzIrVOFx9NkzgwoQ1t6IXOH2hKBq8wghNnz5lBo8uzXBRaQ2ao2d6eDpzppJEo0DXdQu86pCPJLW0JwWOPtibutssEfeNpzD7B0iVP9DqUj3Db9FIRN-DN_b1hPQUYji_2iXk3uu-E3M/s1600-h/2008+278.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzIrVOFx9NkzgwoQ1t6IXOH2hKBq8wghNnz5lBo8uzXBRaQ2ao2d6eDpzppJEo0DXdQu86pCPJLW0JwWOPtibutssEfeNpzD7B0iVP9DqUj3Db9FIRN-DN_b1hPQUYji_2iXk3uu-E3M/s320/2008+278.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277672960733452658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />k<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHJdEHILUi01FGk-3X3f8Z7IkSyfF8D0I2xQWhoqu5FSoBMUAAtVC8eG68rAxKB8_n0ibwMA3IswwPKIDa6Wd-OOHlmb9Izn1Zkv9OVXUcRUkLzsHLCW1MYH7wfUEYzLAmKnZoOCCylM/s1600-h/2008+299.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHJdEHILUi01FGk-3X3f8Z7IkSyfF8D0I2xQWhoqu5FSoBMUAAtVC8eG68rAxKB8_n0ibwMA3IswwPKIDa6Wd-OOHlmb9Izn1Zkv9OVXUcRUkLzsHLCW1MYH7wfUEYzLAmKnZoOCCylM/s320/2008+299.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277675571487630370" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWbndhNLaYdn_wckTUY-waPiZebYbX5YqswLwVdjeqvVWJsKttTpZYYym8X1MYpYRnVleKvLfwkoIxBo0VMy7vNws-glBoucexhxZf78squf0BU1xcKpJ6jXDKHVXwxyCIT3hMz3DX8Y/s1600-h/2008+290.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWbndhNLaYdn_wckTUY-waPiZebYbX5YqswLwVdjeqvVWJsKttTpZYYym8X1MYpYRnVleKvLfwkoIxBo0VMy7vNws-glBoucexhxZf78squf0BU1xcKpJ6jXDKHVXwxyCIT3hMz3DX8Y/s320/2008+290.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277675562524778066" border="0" /></a><br />I just love the bright, fun colors! My son and the little girl I tend have had so much fun playing in it! Thanks, ZinkoTek!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-40313612776579093192008-11-18T08:38:00.003-07:002008-11-18T08:42:44.898-07:00A Thing for Robots<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.kangarooboo.com/product_images/10996/6171_A_72dpi_medium.jpg?1220565732"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.kangarooboo.com/product_images/10996/6171_A_72dpi_medium.jpg?1220565732" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I have had a thing for robots lately! I also love Vilac! So what do you get when you put the two together? This <a href="http://www.kangarooboo.com/product/details/1169-Vilac-Magnetic-Robots-Game">Vilac Magnetic Robots</a> game from Kangaroo Boo ($35.99).The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-58406746208498555962008-11-16T22:49:00.003-07:002008-11-16T22:54:46.570-07:00from Scratch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_23551_0_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 320px;" src="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_23551_0_3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />There's a new line at Moolka called Scratch that makes this friendly <a href="http://www.moolka.com/jzv/prod/24405/Scratch/Toys/Building+Toys/Ball+%7C+Marble+Tracks/Ball+Track+Lion?p=YzI9MTA5">Lion Ball Track</a>. I loooove ball tracks for the 1-2 year olds. They love to watch the balls go down, down, down then they grab them and put them back at the top. They are truly fascinated by it!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4711750636286988863.post-28252278156105197382008-11-16T22:36:00.004-07:002008-11-16T22:56:15.426-07:00I'm Leavin' on a Jet Plane<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_23429_0_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://www.moolka.com/moolka/images/products/z_23429_0_3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />New from Vilac is this <a href="http://www.moolka.com/jzv/prod/24283/Vilac/Toys/Cars%2C+Planes%2C+Trains/Planes+and+Helicopters/Vilac+AIR?p=c3E9dmlsYWMrYWly">Vilac Air</a> airplane available on Moolka ($54.99). SO much better than it's plastic/electronic counterparts! My son has the Vilac race track and loves it and this has a similar build. I love that it comes with removable passengers. So cute!The Toy Snobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138097433660667293noreply@blogger.com0