As I’ve previously written, the Construction category is a very hot category in the toy business. From Lego having another banner year, to the great early success of Halo Wars from Mega brands, kids have rediscovered building toys.
Trio Building System Read More »
Okay, we aren’t talking literally on fire. We’re talking about the construction toy category that is having a very strong year, despite the economy and despite the popular, though incorrect, notion that kids only want to play with electronics.
Construction Toys – On Fire Read More »
I was always a game player from the time I was a young child. The first game I remember playing was the card game Mille Bornes. While I played and owned a zillion games, I had some favorites. The original Skittle Bowl was awesome; as it had wooden pins that made a great crashing sound when you hit them (it’s just not the same with plastic pins!). NBA Basket was another one of my favorites. I still have my original game from the 60’s as I couldn’t part with it. But the game I was a little crazy about was Battling Tops.
Battle of the tops! Read More »
As a parent of three children, one of our favorite family activities is going to the movies. When the kids were younger, choosing what movies to see was pretty easy; we only took them to G-rated films. As our kids got a little older, things became a little more complicated. We introduced PG films into the repertoire, but we wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be any nightmares after seeing a film.
TTPM.com Introduces Family Film Toy Reviews Read More »
I took my three teenage daughters to Transformers screening. Two of them liked it better than first movie. It was non-stop action from the moment it started! I already need to see it again for all the little things I missed. My girls were questioning why Megan Fox is always scantily dressed, but Shia never removes his shirt. LOVE Sam’s parents, the Twin Bots are hilarious, and Optimus Prime rules! (Although my youngest will tell you Bumblebee rules)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Read More »
School is almost over! My daughter is graduating in two weeks, but has a few finals this week. (Why do they give senior finals at the end of the year; does it really make a difference?) My other daughters have finals and then summer begins! One girl in camp for three weeks, a little vacation, and a little fun.
Back to School – already Read More »
I just go back from the licensing show in Las Vegas. I always enjoy visiting the show as it gives me a preview of what’s coming down the road in terms of toys and entertainment
Las Vegas Licensing Show: Transformers, GI Joe, Toy Story 3 and more… Read More »
In the early evening on May 27, Toys R Us announced that they purchased the FAO Schwarz stores, their online store, and catalog. This is good news for toy shoppers.
Toys R Us buys FAO Schwarz Read More »
There’s a new radio control toy hitting the shelves, and this one will have people talking. It’s called Duck Hunter, and it’s exactly how it sounds. I first got a chance to play with this toy when I visited Interactive Toy concepts six weeks ago. There’s a radio control duck that flies around and you use your infrared shooter to first stun the duck, and on the third hit, the ducks wings will disengage and the duck will fall to the ground.
Throwing a wiffle ball allowed you to feel like a major league pitcher. You could throw rising and sinking fastballs, or a curveball that really broke. It’s one of the most underrated games ever made.
Learning to Be a Pro Read More »
If you go into a Toys R Us over the next few months, you will see a big change in their product offerings. In approximately 50% of their stores, Toys R Us will no longer carry apparel for kids 4 and older. Instead, they will have a special section called the “R Market”, stocking their shelves with “everything you need for a child”.
Toys R Us Adds New Non-Toys Categories in Merchandise Read More »
Spring is finally here! When the warm weather arrives, I know by the young kids playing on the block I live. It feels like the Daytona 500 with all of the Power Wheels vehicles driving on our street, except real racecar drivers are more conservative. Different types of balls everywhere, and bubbles everywhere.
This is National Turn off the TV Week that promotes turning off the television and finding other activities. In my house, you will not find the television turned off. I liken this to a crash diet that you lose 10 lbs in a week but then return to your normal lifestyle and way of eating the following week
Turn off the TV Week – I’m not Participating Read More »
Now that the warm weather is starting to roll in for many of us, it’s time to look at the some of the cool new toys for the spring and summer.
Besides Barbie, there’s another toy celebrating their 50th Anniversary in the toy business that’s still a top seller; Fisher Price’s Little People. Little people are a “simpler toy” that has spurned children to be creative in play and use their imaginations.
Little People celebrating 50 Years of Success Read More »
She’s blonde, she beautiful, she’s got style, she’s an American icon, she doesn’t look a day over 25, but she’s 50 this month.
Happy Birthday Barbie! Read More »
While walking the aisles of this years Toy Fair, I came across hundreds of spectacular games for all ages. Here are some of my favorite new games for preschoolers that are coming out later this year
Top Preschool Games for 2009 Read More »
I recently walked the rows of Toy Fair in New York, where I saw thousands of new toys from hundreds of companies. There will be no shortage of “cool toys” this year.
I am often asked this question: When you go to buy the toy your child wants, and find out it’s a hot toy and there are none left, what do you do?
What To Do When Your Kids Favorite Toy is Sold Out Read More »
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
Halloween Safety: Should Trick or Treating always be on a Saturday? Read More »
A very funny story happened to me about 10 years ago that we can all learn from. The year was 1998, and Furby was the hot toy of the year. You couldn’t get it anywhere, and people were frantic to try to get it. It was about 10 days before Christmas when I received a
Promises, Promises! Read More »
Parents often focus on getting the “hot toy”, and if they don’t get it, in their mind, the holiday will be a failure. Often, the hot toy might not be the “right toy” for your child, as it doesn’t match their interests. And, if you positively, absolutely need to have that hot toy, but it
It’s really very simple: follow the age guidelines on packages when buying for your children. They are there for a reason! When my kids were young, it would drive me crazy, as members of my family would ignore age guidelines. I would hear “she is smart enough to play with” or that “they are so
Age Appropriateness Read More »
It’s always a big dilemma. Do I do my shopping now or do you wait until after Thanksgiving when the bigger sales start
Buy Now or Buy Later? Read More »
