v 5 issue 10: The Great Toy Review

This issue is full of some of our favorite new toys on the market to keep your little ones entertained and build creativity.

Cover by Angela Bergsma












1 Let your child explore and learn with this Award Winning Block Set @fatbraintoys. Each Twig set consists of 72 wooden pieces made with natural wood, carved with care, and colored with brilliance. Encourage creativity with each precision-cut and compatible piece. Ages 3+. Enter Code: FW-5565 for 10% off your total toy order, 1 offer per customer thru 9/30/09.

2 Hisss is a simple and enjoyable card game where children reinforce the skills of counting, color identification, and cooperation. By matching colors from head to tail, children make snakes for their snake pit. At the end of the game...whoever makes the most snakes wins! Quick and easy for children of young ages. Visit gamewright.com for this and many other fun and educational toys.

3 With Crayola's Crayola Undersea Adventures Color Stories, children strengthen listening skills and their ability to follow directions while playing along with an interactive DVD and included coloring books. Three swimmingly good tales are adapted with a unique randomization feature to provide children with repeated gameplay and unexpected twists and turns while they match, identify, and color.

4 Madeline, the main character of the Ludwig Bemelman's classic tales, has delighted and entertained girls of many ages for 7 decades. Celebrate her legendary tenure with the 70th Anniversary Madeline doll. The dressable doll stands 13.5 inches tall, comes in a fancy toile dress of blue with a matching bow, and is protected in a special gift box. Enter code: TOTTRENDS for 10% off this Madeline doll.

5 Miss Sugar Pops makes dolls full of wild and crazy love. Meredith is a funky little girl born on November 7th. Tulle poofs, striped leggings, and sparkly shoes are some of Meredith's fine accoutrements which compliment her soft black hair and beautiful blue eyes. So gorgeous, you may want to leave this one on the shelf! Enter code: KTW to receive 20% off your purchases.

6 Rubbabu presents soft and squishy vehicles which bounce and bumble, but they don't bruise. 100% biodegradable, all-natural rubber is coated with a non-toxic flocking to create the fuzzy nature of this durable and safe toy. Simple and sweet, yet kids love them! nicoandzoe.com. Enter code: tottrends09 for 10% off orders of $25 or more thru 10/31/09

7 Wild Planet and Crayola Crayon Town invites children to color, build, and play in a neighborhood all their own. Five themes available: neighborhood, airport, ranch, zoo, and construction site. All sets come with multiple coloring mats and accessories to turn broken crayons into imaginative props. Enter code: TOTTRENDS for 10% off any order. (Excludes certificates, sale items, bundles and packs) thru 12/31/09.

8 Hours and hours of dairy delight can be yours with the Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shop from Play-Doh. Comes with cones, cups, and spoons to aid the imagination, and three unique stations for pouring pleasure. Sprinkle and decorate ice cream goodies with endless possibilities...yummy fun!


This weeks mom tips:
Green Tip:
Refrigerators and freezer units account for one-sixth of a home's energy use, so select energy-efficient models when buying replacements. Today's appliances consume three times less than old appliances.

The federal government is making money available to states so consumers could get rebates of $50 to $200 for new, more energy-efficient appliances later this year in a so-called "cash for appliances" program. Check with your state's energy department for details on when the rebates will be available.

Organizing Tips:
Stuffed animals must go! They not only can cause health problems due to buildup of dander and more but they cause massive clutter chaos. For those favorite stuffed animals consider a hammock for them up near the ceiling or Boon’s stuffed animal holder is a great ‘pillow’ that keeps them contained.

Time Saving Tips:
Prioritize items on your to-do list if you feel like you're spinning your wheels. Use A for the items that have to be done today, B for the things you should do today, and C for the tasks you hope to do.

Toys allow creativity to blossom
Toys are among a child's first possessions. They entertain kids, but they also help them learn about the world around them. Early experiences with toys can have lasting effects on a child.

There has been much debate about which toys are the best for children. Some argue that high-tech toys provide the best educational opportunities, while others say that simpler toys that require imagination and creativity teach a child to think for himself. But most children end up with a mixture of both types of toys and perhaps that approach gives them the best of both worlds.

Imagination is a great way to learn. Years ago, children did not have electronic toys and video games to play with. All they had were things like dolls and doll houses, toy cars and jump ropes. No matter what toys they played with, they had to use their imagination to a certain extent. Today, kids have all sorts of electronic toys to choose from. Even many books talk and allow children to interact with them. While there are benefits to these types of toys, it is still important to let a kid's imagination flourish.

Imagination is not only a fun way to learn, it is also effective. While children may learn such things as letters, numbers and even phonics from electronic toys, they are no substitute for learning by doing. Imaginative play often leads children to figure things out for themselves and things learned that way are not soon forgotten.

Some great toys that push imagination and creativity:
Play-Doh, Dress-Up Clothes, Building Toys, Art Toys, Craft Kits, Dolls and Action Figures.

Creativity comes naturally for kids. Giving them toys that help them express themselves is a great way to encourage them to do so. Kids who are allowed to be creative often have a greater interest in learning and as a result they are more likely to do their best in school and life.