I joke with my family that the difference between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day is that Mother’s Day is a holiday, while Father’s Day is a workday. Father’s Day just doesn’t have the same celebratory status as Mother’s Day in most families. On Mother’s Day, moms get the reservations while on Father’s Day, dad gets […]
5 Father’s Day Gift Ideas for the Playful Dad Read More »
2013 was a busy year for TimetoPlayMag.com. We reviewed thousands of toys and received over 193 MILLION views on our YouTube channel. Which 2013 toys had the most views? Here they are, the top toys of the year in order of views. Click the links to see instant price comparison & where they’re in stock.
Year in Review: The Top Toys of 2013 Read More »
If you’re planning to head to the stores the Friday after Thanksgiving in search of hot deals, you might want to rethink your strategy. Black Friday may be a thing of the past. In 2011, a large number of retailers opened up their stores Thursday evening for Thanksgiving deals, especially in the toy aisles. I
Goodbye Black Friday, Hello Black Thursday Read More »
Disney/Pixar’s Brave is now the #1 movie in theaters, and that seems to be a surprise to many but not the team here. Way back in April, we listed Merida dolls on our 2012 Spring Most Wanted list with a warning that stores had probably drastically under-ordered Brave toys. And guess what? The Merida fashion doll from Mattel is now sold out at many locations this past weekend, and Jakks-Pacific has tripled their production of the Merida toys to keep up with the demand.
Brave Outpaces All Predictions (Except Ours) Read More »
This past weekend I ventured to BroNYCon at the Hotel Pennsylvania in NYC. I had been to conferences like GenCon and Comic-Con before, but this was different. Leading up to the event, I really didn’t know what to expect and was a little apprehensive. It appeared a little odd to me; a convention for Bronies, mostly males 18+ who are huge fans of “My Little Pony Friendship is Magic,” a show whose target audience is 2 – 6 year old girls.
My Trot Through BroNYCon Read More »
You’re searching for the hot toy and can’t find it. Is there a trick to finding them? Absolutely. Here’s a little trick: During the holiday season, retailers sell most of the toys on a weekend, with traffic starting on Friday evening. Stores want to be prepared for the rush, so they make sure the shelves are full for the weekend. Late afternoon on Friday is a great time to shop, as the toy aisles are full, and you’ll beat the weekend rush.
How to find the hottest toy? Read More »
When you buy a toy that operates on batteries, often they are inexpensive batteries so the toy will work on the “Try Me” mode while on a retailers shelf. It’s important to have batteries to replace these batteries, as a toy won’t work properly on them, or those batteries will deplete shortly. If you’re not sure if they’re “Try Me” batteries, there’s usually a small notice on either the front or back of the package along with batteries required.
Batteries in toys: What You Need to Know Read More »
Timetoplaymag.com has launched a section featuring toys for kids that have special needs. We wanted our section to be different. Following our Real Parents/Real Reviews, instead of working with doctors we wanted advice from parents that have children with special needs and the experience is hands on. Working with Emily Vanek, our “Colorado Mom”, we’re thrilled to debut our section, which features ten different categories of toys. We’d love to hear any feedback or thoughts about this section.
Toys for Kids with Special Needs Read More »
If your child is 2 1/2, is it OK to buy a toy that is age graded 3+?
Toys and Age Guidelines Read More »
This is the question I am often asked: Do I do my shopping now or do wait until after Thanksgiving when the bigger sales start? Well, if you haven’t shopped for toys that much, you’ll learn this is entirely different than shopping for other presents
Buy Now or Buy Later? Read More »
I write this column every year, and this year won’t be different. Halloween has always been one of my favorites holidays with respect to spending time with my kids. The choosing of the costume (always a long hard decision), trick or treating, and Halloween parties have made Halloween a huge event. (In recent years, the trend has continued to grow as more and more adults look to the holiday as one just for themselves and their families.)
National Trick or Treat Day Read More »
We recently met with the LEGO team in their headquarters in which they filled us in on some exciting news. LEGO is launching a Master Building Academy (MBA) to teach children of all ages to become Master Builders. The first kit, Space Designer, is available June 1. What is a Master Builder? Stealing a line
The holiday season just passed, which means your kids have all their new toys, you have time to relax and not worry about what’s new in the toy aisle, right?
Think the toy shopping season is over? Read More »
I write this column every year, and this year won’t be different. Halloween has always been one of my favorites holidays with respect to spending time with my kids. The choosing of the costume (always a long hard decision), trick or treating, and Halloween parties have made Halloween a huge event. (In recent years, the trend has continued to grow as more and more adults look to the holiday as one just for themselves and their families.)
National Trick or Treat Day Read More »
If TimetoPlaymag.com looks a little different to you, it’s because we just launched our new redesign. We’ve made our site friendlier, easier to use, and more content than ever before to make your time to play better!
We’ve had a Fashion Makeover! Read More »
We recently held our TimetoPlay Spring Showcase on April 27th in NYC at the Altman. If you missed it you can see some pictures on our site as well as highlights in our Video Center.
TTPM Spring Showcase Blog Read More »
I don’t know whether it’s good, bad or just plain scary that my wife and I have thrown almost 50 birthday parties over the years for our kids. While you want to create memories that can last a lifetime, you do not empty your bank account. As a Birthday Vet, I’ve seen everything from disasters, to great parties on a budget to some that were nicer than my wedding, no kidding.
Make Sure “Happy Birthday” is Happy for All Read More »
Toy Fair is over. I saw over 1000 companies, and 10,000 new toys and my head is spinning! What were my favorites? Too many to mention in one short article. However, Kung Zhu looks awesome. Never heard of Kung Zhu? It’s the boys version of Zhu Zhu Pets.
The holidays have come and gone. In your mind, you’re thinking that you have to wait until fall to see new toys make it to the retailers; In reality, new toys are hitting the shelves as you read this.
The holidays are over, but new toys still hit the shelves Read More »
As I am writing this, I am sitting in a hotel room in Hong Kong. For those who aren’t familiar with how the toy industry works, hundreds of toy companies gather in Hong Kong every January. They set up in offices they have here, or in hotels to show buyers around the world their newest toy offerings for 2010.
Néih hóu (Hello) from Hong Kong! Read More »
So you’ve purchased the perfect toys and presents for your family. It’s now time to open them up and have some fun. Here’s a few tips about making the whole process easier and enjoyable:
Making the Holidays Better Read More »
You’re looking for a Zhu Zhu pet or a Mindflex and you can’t find one anywhere. It’s at the top of your child’s wish list, and you need to come up with this toy (this is where we need to define “need vs. want”. What should you do?
It’s SOLD OUT!!!!!! Read More »
I always think about Super Heroes around Halloween because they tend to be the most popular costumes for boys. When I think of Super Heroes, I think of Batman, X-Men, Spiderman, Iron Man, Power Rangers, and Superman off the top of my head.
Superhero Mythology Read More »
When a child makes out their holiday wish list, there are often one or two toys at the top that are the ones they “gotta get”. Often a parent hopes to wait for this item to go on sale, unaware that it’s hot, and then gets shocked when it’s unavailable anywhere. What’s a parent to do? Years ago, a friend of mine went into a store and asked for the Furby aisle and was laughed at thinking she’d just walk down the aisle and pick one out. Don’t let this be you!
What to do if the hot toy is unavailable? Read More »
