Toys & Games Archives - Page 20 of 31

Sofia the First: Ready to be a Princess on DVD

Much to my daughter’s dismay, I must have been the last mom on Earth to hear of Sofia the First. She has been trying for months to get me to buy Sofia toys and games whenever we saw them in stores, and it wasn’t until about two weeks ago that I realized they were licensed after a new show on Disney Jr.

So, I did my reading and found that Sofia the First is all about a little girl who becomes a princess overnight when her mom marries the king. The show is about adjusting to life as royalty while dealing with normal issues every kid faces, like honesty and loyalty and courage. I love the premise because it shows girls that even though Sofia may be living a fairytale, it’s important to know that she has problems just like everyone else.

My daughter was ridiculously excited when we received the new Sofia the First DVD last week with 5 new episodes from the TV series. After watching the first episode, she turned to me and said “this is the BEST SHOW EVER” and snuggled in. My daughter absolutely loves the show now that she's seen the new DVD, and I love that she’s learning lessons about telling the truth, believing in herself, and trying new things.

Corolle dolls for every age & stage

You may have noticed a new logo on the sidebar announcing my ambassadorship with Corolle dolls. With two doll loving kids at home, you can probably imagine the excitement upon finding out that we would get a chance to review a collection of new Corolle items this fall and winter.

But, before we get to the new products and how much I love their dolls and accessories, I should explain why this ambassadorship means so much to me. Corolle is a brand that I grew up with, playing with their baby dolls in my early childhood and then later collecting them as a young girl. I always dreamed of one day sharing this love of Corolle with my children and was thrilled when they gravitated towards the brand with no outside influence at all, and even more excited that they became such amazing fans themselves.

What started as a love of a company that made me nostalgic for childhood has shaped my own children’s childhood. It used to be that when I picked up a Corolle doll, I would remember all those nights spent hugging my baby dolls in bed, but now my children’s memories are forever intertwined with my own, and that sweet vanilla scent takes me back to both time periods simultaneously.

Back to School with the Step2 Flip & Doodle Easel Desk {Review}

I am a Step2 Test Drive Blogger. I received a product in exchange for my review and opinion. No other compensation was provided and all opinions are 100% ours.

Someday I’m going to build really nice wrap around desks in my kids’ rooms for homework and art, but that day is not today. So these days we do our messy art projects on my dining room table, my kitchen island, or in the living room around the couch. I don’t think it will come as a surprise that I avoid doing art projects with the kids because of the inevitable mess it leaves.

But, this year to celebrate back to school, we got the perfect addition to our house to keep the peace and still allow the kids to be creative: the Step2 Flip & Doodle Easel Desk with Stool. Once the kids got a glimpse of the package contents, they banded together with cuteness until we put it together.

Luckily, it went together quickly with only a couple pieces to snap together and a few screws. In a matter of moments, the kids were loading up the easel desk and organizing their art supplies.

Step2 makes all sorts of easels and desks in different colors and variations, but we loved the Flip & Doodle design because it can be either a stand-up easel or a flat-top desk with one quick motion. The easel has a great magnetic white board surface as well as clips that can hold art paper or boards with ease and then it flips down to become a more traditional desk with a flat
writing surface for homework, iPad time and more. With so many ways to use it, I know it's going to be one of the best-loved play pieces we own.

VTech Switch & Go Dinos

My son is crazy about dinosaurs and about vehicles of all kinds, so I knew he would think that the Switch & Go Dinos were basically the coolest thing ever. Whenever he sees the brightly colored dino covered boxes when we’re out shopping, he can’t help but hug them all. Of course I couldn't say no when offered a set of Switch & Go Dinos to review right before his birthday.

If you haven’t seen them in stores yet, Switch & Go Dinos are robotic dinosaurs that transform into various vehicles with just a few motions. When in dino mode, they roar like prehistoric animals, and when in car/truck/flying object mode, their engines rev and they make vrooming noises. Pretty much the best toy ever, in a little boy’s eyes.

I already knew that my son would think it was pretty awesome if a few Switch & Go Dinos came to live with us, so I was sure they would be the perfect birthday present for him this September. My daughter recognized this as well and decided that of all the other toys on the market, she really wanted to buy him one of these dinos for his birthday.

Chicago event introduces new expanded Bitty Baby line from American Girl

At American Girl, the message is about celebrating oneself and all the things that make us unique and special. In fact, they have a whole line of customizable 18” My American Girl dolls that are a perfect example of this. For the past few years they have been offering the award-winning My American Girl customizable doll experience where you can choose from different skin, eye, and hair colors and styles to best match your child’s unique features.

But, until this August, the Bitty Baby line was far less customizable. With only 7 options available to choose from up until now, the line was not all-encompassing by any means. There were many children, my daughter included, that didn’t have a Bitty Baby option for them.

My daughter has light hair, light skin and brown eyes, which I have realized doesn’t really exist in the doll world. Dolls with brown eyes have dark hair and oftentimes darker skin as well, and blonde haired dolls almost always have blue eyes.

Or, at least they did. On August 27th, the new Bitty Baby dolls will come in 11 options with all sorts of combinations of light and dark skin and eyes, which makes it far more likely that you will find that perfect doll as unique as your child. Like their My American Girl line, now you can pick skin tone, eye color, and hair color to customize your child’s Bitty Baby experience.

Turn your kid’s drawing into a one-of-a-kind toy with Cryoow!

My daughter has had an imaginary friend since she was about 2 years old. During the past three years, I have heard an unlimited number of stories about “Sheeky Baby” {who surprisingly isn’t an actual baby} and the many adventures her and my daughter have embarked on. But, with as many stories as I have heard, I’ve never been exactly sure what she looks like. That is, until now.

My daughter drew this picture of Sheeky Baby for me this past month, and it all became so clear. Of course Sheeky’s a princess. And, of course she has a dress that matches my daughter; they are BFFs after all.

As much as I adored the picture my daughter drew, I started thinking wouldn’t it be pretty awesome if my daughter had a mini Sheeky Baby she could play with? Almost as if they had heard me wonder, I got an email from a company called Cryoow! asking if I wanted to turn my child’s art into a doll.

Naturally, I said yes.

Cryoow! is short for Create Your Own, and their goal is to take your child’s art and turn it into customized stuffed animals, personalized dolls, and just about anything else your child can dream up. It all starts with a beloved original picture by your child, which you can scan and send to Cryoow with any notes or messages about the design.

From there the artists at Cryoow do their absolute best to follow your child’s drawing – complete with all the quirks and special touches – to make a truly one-of-a-kind doll. Once they have completed all the detailing, including hand embroidery, yarning, and beading, the doll is ready to be sent back to the designer {AKA your child}.

Welcome to the world of Mike the Knight

by Susan, editor and reviewer

I'm not going to lie; my kids love TV. Sure, we love playing outside together, and building with blocks, but they are also big fans of the TV. When I was first pregnant, visions of sharing princess movies with my kids danced in my head. So far, I have boys. Boys who are not interested in princesses. Thank goodness for Mike the Knight!

When we first discovered Mike and his friends in Glendragon, I was very happy. It's a very vibrant show that really teaches kids about problem solving, being a good friend, and doing the right thing! "Be a knight; do it right!" is always the end motto – and the one most repeated by my 3 year old.

As a parent, I really appreciate the positive message the show teaches, including some deeper things like equality, accepting all people (or trolls or Vikings) for who they are. Mike, his horse Galahad, and his two dragon friends Sparkie and Squirt have many adventures, and work together to help Mike find the knightly way to handle every situation; including getting along with his little sister Evie!

VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Tablet prevents “Summer Brain Drain”

Do you remember as a kid you would go back to school each fall feeling like you were in shape from staying active all summer only to find your legs and abs burning after one gym class because you were now using muscles you had neglected during the past few month? Well, that is exactly what happens to your brain, too, and in a phenomenon commonly referred to as Summer Brain Drain.

What is Summer Brain Drain, you ask? According to research from the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, students typically lose one to two months of reading and math skills during the summer break because they are not regularly exercising their brains.

So, how do you combat Summer Brain Drain? You find fun ways to infuse learning into everyday activities to keep kids’ brains sharp even during the three long months of no formal schooling.

But, how can you do that when most of the summer is spent on the go and you don’t want to spend your days cooped up inside reading or in front of screens? You get a portable learning device that can grow with your child, offers age-appropriate content in a broad library of subjects and that keeps them learning no matter where they are.

Something like the awesome InnoTab 2S, the latest learning app tablet from V-Tech that is perfect for on the go as well as at home. We got to review the VTech InnoTab 2S for the past few weeks and we absolutely love how much fun it is for various ages and how it keeps the kids begging to keep learning.

Motorworks Customizable Cars and Tri-Level Super Garage

One night my daughter came to me, head down and forlorn, and she asked, “Why don’t I love cars like Brother does?” I started by explaining that people like different things and it’s what makes us all special and unique. Then I suggested that she not focus on the one thing the two of them … Read more

VINCI Tab III M 5” Learning Tablet {Review – Part II}

I’m so proud of my daughter these past few months. Right before my eyes she has gone from a child who cried every single time I dropped her off at preschool to a kid that bounds in the door of her classroom, excited about what they will be learning that day. It all stemmed from … Read more