The Next Kid Thing – Page 28 – The latest and greatest in gadgets, gear and goodies

Power Rangers Super Megaforce Set to Save the World

February 28, 2014February 28, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

In honor of the launch of Power Rangers Super Megaforce, Saban sent us a mega box filled with Power Rangers awesomeness.

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On the new season, which launched on February 15 on Nickelodeon, the Power Rangers are tasked with defending the earth from the Prince Vekar who brought his alien Armada along. The Rangers were given special Morphers with keys to allow them to morph into Super MegaForce Rangers. The keys allow them to morph into any team of legendary Rangers from the past, and gain access to powers, weapons, Zords and Megazords.

This month has been a rocky month for our family, where we’ve spent way too many days and nights in the hospital and doctors’ offices. BUT, lucky us, we had our Morpher in tow, which gave us the power to overcome such hurdles. Littles absolutely love pushing the keys on the Morpher, while Bigs gets a kick out of activating it with the different keys.

Also included in the kit were emPower activity sheets which have been great in furthering our ongoing conversation on physical activity and healthy eating. We totally loved the Power Ranger Valentines, which we gave to local friends. But best of all? We are getting a kick out of the very cool Airwalkers mega balloon.

As if receiving this Power Rangers Super Megaforce-themed box wasn’t cool enough, I spotted the Rangers at Toy Fair just a few weeks ago! Talk about legendary.

You can catch Power Ramgers Super Megaforce on Nickelodeon on Saturdays at 12pm/11c and an encore over on Nicktoons at 8pm/7c.

Full disclosure: As a Saban Brandbassador, I received samples for review. As always all opinions are my own.

Quirky Toy Fair Finds

February 26, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With every Toy Fair that I attend, I come away with a good idea of the direction that toy makers are going. In terms of toys, we’re getting more tech-enabled, yet we’re riding the throwback wave. I try to mentally catalog the cool new toys and how the kids will receive them. As the experts say, ultimately, it’s the kids who deem the cool factor of these shiny new toys and games.

BUT… that’s not to say that the Toy Fair showroom floor doesn’t have its crazy aspects. There are some crazy-cuckoo ideas and then there are some crazy-cool ideas, too. And then, there’s the quirky things that find their way home with me. And by quirky, of course I mean unique!

So, here’s a round up of a few things that I found quirky-cool.

Lady Gaga Brush Buddies

Ok, so, I love Gaga. I would go as far as saying that I secretly wish I could be one of her little Monsters. But alas, I’ll just continue to rock out to Paparazzi full blast while carting my kids around in the car. Or maybe, just maybe, I’ll rock out to “Born this Way” as I brush my teeth. What!

Brush Buddies features a replaceable brush head and two buttons to play two different songs. Each song plays for 2 minutes, which is the dentist-recommended time for brushing teeth. This Lady Gaga Brush plays Born this Way and, aptly, Teeth.

Rabbids

Who doesn’t need a collectible rabid, um, punk rock rabbit? Inspired by the hit video game-turned popular Nickelodeon show, Rabbids Invasion Toys embrace the quirkiness of these characters known for their wild antics.

This line, which is a part of McFarlane Toys, features a new lineup of crazy toys that include a sound blaster, action figures, plush and blind packs such as this. As you can imagine, each Rabbid is just as crazy as the next.

Lil Bub

Unbeknownst to me, Lil Bub is a full-blown internet sensation; as in, she has upwards to 357k followers on Instagram, 34K followers on Twitter and very own Wikipedia page—celebrity status. Lil Bub, who was born with several genetic mutations, has a short lower jaw and toothlessness which makes her tongue always hang out.

She also has osteoporosis and short legs, which is said to restrict her movement. She’s doing well thanks to her owner and therapy. Lil Bub’s story has been a heartwarming sensation; her owner has sold Lil Bub merchandise to benefit animal shelters.
Lil Bub will now have her very own plush to benefit even more great causes. My cat has made a friend with the plush Lil’ Bub.

Mad Lab from Fairy Dust

While walking the aisles of Toy Fair, I’m always on the hunt for something different, even if it’s totally gross. Fairy Dust, makers of girly bath gels, lip gloss, sugar scrubs and DIY bath product stations often found at little girl spas, made me stop in my tracks when I spotted their bowl of eyeballs and zombie heads. Amidst the pink and sparkly backdrop, with table after table of beautiful tubs of lotion and soap, in one corner sat a gross-looking selection of stuff that I knew my boy would LOVE.

I made my very own tub of bath gel with a green soap that pumped out like ooze, threw in a layer of sparkles, plus a few zombie heads, eyeballs and a finger for good measure. Oh, and the finger? It unscrews and is a bubblewand.

As crazy as it looks, it was an absolute hit with my zombie and gross stuff-loving dude. Bath time has never been more crazy.

Emoji Icons

Everyone loves Emojis, right? The fact that emoticons are now embedded into our vernacular says a lot about us. Emoji Icons extended everyone’s love for our digital expressions of emotion. They made Emojis into a bracelet that can be personalized and it features the fun little faces and even the quirky little poop icon. ha!

Rattlesnake Eggs

Now, this last one wasn’t a toy sample or anything. It was actually given to me in a trade show survival kit from one of my favorites, Prince Lionheart.

The kit was so memorable and functional; I ate the granola bar and used an Advil that was included in the kit. But the rattlesnake eggs, well, that knocked me off my socks! I got a kick out of it, for sure! If you’ve ever seen something like this before, I’m sure you know what I mean!

Nuclear Cowboyz Returns to IZOD Center + Giveaway

February 24, 2014February 24, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Another exciting show is headed to the IZOD Center this weekend. Nuclear Cowboyz, a freestyle motocross show is returning to IZOD Center on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2. The show’s storyline follows an allied tribe, the Nuclear Cowboyz, who must defeat an indestructible evil tyrant and her army in this action-infused freestyle performance of pure danger and raw combat.

According to the show producers, the new storyline is conveyed through more than 1,000 gravity-defying freestyle stunts by the globe’s most dominant freestyle athletes, including performing over 200 flips on 10 ramps. The action-packed show is complete with mind-bending performances by world-famous Shaolin Kung Fu Warriors, laser effects, an indoor pyrotechnics show and a soundtrack comprised of heavy metal, electronic dubstep and alternative hip hop.

Nuclear Cowboyz features the world’s top freestyle motocross athletes, including four-time X Games medalist and New Jersey Native, Ronnie Faisst.

After the exciting time we had at Monster Jam, our family is super pumped to check out another action-packed show, this time featuring motocross. Since we’re not too familiar with motocross, I’m sure my boys will be thrilled to experience everything in person. The thrill, the action, music, stunts—all of it.

Check out some of the daring tricks from the Nuclear Cowboyz show:

Giveaway

I’m excited to offer a family four pack of tickets for the Saturday Nuclear Cowboyz at IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ. Just tell me what you’re most excited about for the show and comment below. This is a flash giveaway, so I will pick a winner tomorrow afternoon.

Toy Fair 2014: The Year of the Hedgehog

February 24, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

For the past few years, there seems to be a few popular themes or animals throughout exhibitors’ booths at Toy Fair. Whether reflecting popular shows, songs or designs, without fail, there’s always a cool new creature that makes the rounds at the show and then all over baby in kid products. A few years ago, the owl ran rampant, followed by the fox and other animals. This year, I noticed that the hedgehog was trending all over Javits.

Be on the lookout for these cool new products featuring the fuzzy face of the hedgehog:

Skip Hop

One of my absolute favorite hedgehog interpretations appeared on a Skip Hop Lunchie. That sweet face, combined with the cool color combo of teal and red, will, no doubt, make for another popular extension of Skip Hop’s versatile lunch packs. I didn’t get word on when it will be released, but my guess is probably before the push for next school year.

Prince Lionheart

Another interpretation of the hedgehog was found on Prince Lionheart’s classic Wheely Bug. The wooden toddler ride-on toy has been seen in ladybug and bumblebee varieties, so this plush version made my head turn. The softness of the hedgehog is a fun take on this popular toy and easily the cutest ride-on toy at the show. The hedgehog Wheely Bugis already out and can be found at retailers such as Yoyo.com and Amazon.com

Hape

Another adorable hedgehog themed toy was found at Hape’s booth in the form of a Walk-a-long Toy. This toddler totable toy touted Hape’s beautiful wooden construction and kid-safe paints. It looks like it comes in a big and small size, with plenty of cuteness to go around. My friends and fellow trendspotters over at Popsugar Moms were just as smitten with this Hape hedgehog.

Tomy and Sonic Boom
I have much more information on what’s up and coming for Sonic, but as a quick preface, the Blue Blur has an upcoming new show, Sonic Boom, and Tomy has been named as the master toy licensee. Be on the lookout for Sonic plush, action figures, RC, role play, vehicles and novelty based on the re-imagined Sonic the Hedgehog.

Safari Ltd.
After ogling at all the cute hedgehogs, leave it to Safari Ltd. to bring me back down to earth with their life-life figure of a hedgehog. Safari Ltd., known for their Toobs and educational figures, has a hedgehog in their Incredible Creatures collection, which is the largest figures in any set.

Toy Fair 2014 Day 2: Moose Toys, VTech, BToys, Hasbro, Skylanders and More

February 19, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Even though Toy Fair is winding down on day 4 now, I thought I’d share some thoughts from a few days ago.

By the middle of day 2 of Toy Fair, I was thinking about how many new toys I had just previewed. Nonetheless, it was a good variety of new toys, some good, others not so much.

I started the day by meeting with Pillow Pets, the makers of the plush pets/pillows. The brand has a variety of new characters joining their already robust lineup. They’re also introducing an inspirational line with faith-inspired sayings and designs featured. The highlight of their new offerings, however, are Tricksters, a line of bike helmets with the plush characters on top of the helmet. Stuffed animals meet function and safety.

I checked out Moose Toys’ latest wares, which included the latest series of Trashies and Ugglys. Moose Toys, known for their gross factor and great girly crafts, are set to release lifelike electronic pets. The Little Live Pets look and feel real, without all the fuss.

The butterfly pets have a cool fluttering feature that seems so tranquil and the birds look so exotic and cool.

My personal favorite from Moose’s new line up are Shopkins, which is being dubbed as Trashies for girls.

These tiny collectibles are shaped as food items that you’d find at a grocery store. Emblazoned with cutesy faces with lots of pink throughout the line, this new line of toys from Moose will be a hit with girls looking for that next big collectible.

B. Toys, one of my absolute favorite toy lines has some great beach toys coming out this year. Ranging in size, the beach toys are grouped into sets featuring gender-neutral pieces.

Perhaps one of the most eye-catching elements of this line is the jewel-toned color scheme. I’m always a fan of the musical instruments from B. Toys, and that makes no exception for the beautiful carousel bells.

In my travels, I found several new toys including baby toys constructed from plant materials and silicone and other cool baby accessories. I discovered Sand Alive, which is one of my favorite play materials, something I think would be ideal for OT and Early Intervention. I found this sand product in other booths, sometimes referred to as Kinetic Sand. In particular, I’ll definitely be checking out where I can get these for my guy now.

Surprisingly, I haven’t found too many Rainbow Loom accessories. Rainbow Loom, who isn’t at the show, but won four Toy of the Year awards. I did find, however, Loomey Time, which is a company that creates time pieces that are compatible with Rainbow Loom bracelets

VTech was my next appointment of the day. At this electronic toy maker’s meeting room, I had a chance to preview the highlights in their line’s new toys. The Switch and Go Dinos have a new starting point and also a a cool RC car joining this popular lineup.

I checked out Playmobil who had a cool offering up new toys. Their warrior line is the main focus, with dragons and fairies as awesome focal points, too.

Skylanders showcased a few new characters being released for Swap Force. My favorite? Springtime Trigger happy which will be available in the next few months.

Hasbro was the highlight of my day because it meant that I got to see Transformers, Super Heroes, Sesame Street, Ponies and much more. There was so much to see and check out in their showroom, but a few of my favorite highlights were definitely Dohvinci, a new take on Play-Doh, but much more malleable and can be released in a hot glue gun-like device. The Star Wars toys, too, look to be incredible, as well as the Marvel Mashers which are my absolute favorite thing right now. Elmo has a new toy, which touts his imagination and use of hats. My Little Pony has a quite a few new offering such as a DIY pony line and rockstar Equestria Girls.

There was so much fun to see and check out, I’ll be sure to share more soon.

Toy Fair 2014: Day 1

February 17, 2014February 17, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As I gear up for Day 2 of Toy Fair, I thought I’d share some preliminary thoughts of Day 1 of #TF14.

Sunday is typically one of my favorite days of the International Toy Fair, dubbed the largest trade show for toys in the western hemisphere. There’s something like seven football fields worth of toys and games, and like always, I have a lot of ground to cover. But on the first day, there’s that sense of newness and exciting energy. All of the exhibitors seem to be fresh-faced and newly rehearsed on their spiels, sharing the kind of knowledge that I simply thrive upon.

I started day one bright and early with a blogger breakfast with one of my all time favorites: Spinmaster. The brains behind some mega hits, Spinmaster is involved in a whole host of hot properties and brands that make kids go wheee! LIke the best in the business, they have a whole team dedicated to media relations, several who focus solely on blogger interaction. Needless to say, it was great having that one-on-one time with the smart people who can give us the best insight on their latest wares. I loved the way they had their event set up. Each table had a brand manager or designer who talked us through several of the toys they were highlighting. I’ll give an in-depth look at the toys they chatted about, we got a good look at the super cool Paw Patrol toys. This Nickelodeon show and Spinmaster property is a huge—and I mean HUGE —hit with preschoolers. The rescue pups who herald bravery and heroism from their service work will have their very own toys hitting the shelves this summer. We had a look at the firetruck and smaller characters, and I have to say, I know they’ll be a big hit with preschoolers.

I had a great look at what’s new with Flutterbye Fairies, Tenkai Knights, Boomer the dino, new Spinmaster games and an interesting interactive doll named Gabby.

The show started off with Alicia Keys cutting the ribbon and saying a few words to the Toy Fair crowd. It was the biggest crowd I’d ever seen for the opening ceremony for ToyFair, perhaps thanks to the celeb aspect.

I have a systematic game plan when walking this trade show. Since this site encompasses new and notable products for babies to big kids, I have particular interest in seeking out small companies who have great ideas. It’s all about getting new products into the right people’s hands, whether it’s the media, buyers or other industry professionals.

I loved these tooth pillows I found at SuperFly, and all the fun superhero accessories. This was their first showing at TF, but they right away caught my attention with their bright colors, genuine conversation and great products.

These drink holders, I thought were really cool. Another new company, I appreciate the idea and genesis behind the product.

I had meetings throughout the rest of the day with companies like Tomy, Learning Resources, Educational Insights, Melissa and Doug and MGA. I also attended showcases for two firms who showcased their clients’ highlighted products. For now, I’ll post a few photo highlights with more information to come on these, where I can fill in the blanks.

Melissa and Doug

Educational Insights

Roux Roo

Chinese Cubes

Much more to come!

Prelude to Toy Fair 2014

February 16, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s that time of year again when toy makers, idea generators, retailers, movers and shakers convene at Javits for the 111th International Toy Fair.

There’s so much to be excited about this year, but in specific, I’m gearing up to check out the latest and greatest in fun, smart toys. Toys that aren’t just mindless, but instead, toys that have substance, smarts, interactivity and are sustainable.

Before setting foot into Javits, I know we’ll see a lot of monster and zombie-inspired toys. This segment, we know, has been a major hit with kids of all ages. Zombies and monsters aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

I expect to see a lot of new Disney properties brought to life in toys. With Muppets Most Wanted out in the spring, Captain America in April and Marvel-Guardian of the Galaxy out in August, Disney will be out in full force at Toy Fair per usual.

Toys will be smart, as in app centric or have some sort of parallel online presence. In fact, Alicia Keys, co-creator of the interactive children’s app The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee, will help cut the ribbon at Toy Fair’s opening ceremony on Sunday, February 16 at 10 a.m. Singer/songwriter/producer, entrepreneur, humanitarian and app co-creator Alicia Keys, along with Jessica Walton, have teamed up with Bento Box Interactive to develop a series of storytelling app experiences for tablet and mobile devices under the The Journals of Mama Mae & LeeLee franchise. The apps engage children 4+ on an interactive journey through stories, journaling, games and original music scored by Keys instilling important values for the target audience.

Alicia keys talks journals mama mae leelee 527x285 Photo credit: Aliciakeysmedia.com

From babies to big kids, I hope to seek out toys that both parents and kids love. But most importantly, I hope to find toys that have a bigger meaning; whether it’s toy companies involved in charitable foundations or toys that reach kids of all abilities or toys that truly transcend gender.

Be sure to follow along at #TF14 or #TFNY, and of course @jenrab on both Twitter and Instagram.

Monster Jam Throttles and Thrills NJ

February 15, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As the snow falls yet again, kids (and parents) are stirring with boredom from cabin fever. If you’re willing to escape the confines of the indoors, there’s fun to be had that doesn’t involve shoveling snow.

If your family is into monster trucks and motor sports, Monster Jam is in town and is ready to excite.

Hailing from the south, big trucks are a way of life down there. Big trucks and big wheels equal big fun from where we come from. What was originally planned as a whole family outing, turned into a date with just the big boy to the first night of Monster Jam at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ.

Invited as part of blogger outreach, we were treated to an intimate before the show q and a with top driver, Adam Anderson of the famous Gravedigger driving family. And since Gravedigger is a legend from Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina, just a few hours south of our hometown, I took particular interest in meeting Anderson. Well spoken, gracious and proud of his family’s legacy and driving fame, Anderson answered questions from the crowd and gave us some cool information about Gravedigger history.

Afterwards, we all took part in the pre-show pit party, which was just as fun. With special entrance, show-goers had the chance to get up close and personal with drivers and the trucks. This cool hour before the show gave fans an opportunity take photos and collect autographs. Biggie had the best time flipping through the yearbook to check out drivers and trucks, and in turn, get autographs on those pages. I totally get why my friends and family back home have been huge fans of these sort of rallys and monster truck shows.

Some of the trucks in the NJ show included: Grave Digger, Madusa, Grave Digger The Legend, Captain America, Thrasher, Black Stallion, Overkill Evolution, Crushstation, Storm Damage.

As the lights were dimmed, the main attraction started promptly at 7:30, as all the drivers paraded in their trucks started the show. The drivers started an exciting showcase with a wheelie competition and were then rated for their performance. One by one, they revved their engines and charged two piles of old cars. Biggie cheered for his favorite, Captain America, while I cheered for the Legend, of course. The Legend outperformed the other drivers and was given an award before the crowd. I loved the announcer and drivers’ interaction with the crowd.

Biggie’s favorite competition was the race between drivers and freestyle. He loved watching the drivers soar over the cars, racing toward the finish. “They go so fast for being so big” he kept saying. I love how wide-eyed he would get from each demo or race. Monster Jam makes for an exciting family outing, or even a boys’ night out. I particularly loved taking my older boy out for one-on-one time, especially for having focused on little brother quite a bit lately. It’s important to have that one-on-one time, and I’m so glad I was able to enjoy that with so much action at Monster Jam.

The show got quite loud at times—really loud—so, I definitely recommend bringing ear protection. The small kind that go into your ear work well. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this show for smaller kids or those who are sensory sensitive to lights and sounds. I was overwhelmed at times, so I couldn’t imagine how a sensitive one would react. For those who like high powered, full energy, thrilling sports, Monster Jam is THE show to check out. The lights, engines, legendary drivers, massive monster trucks and thrilling shows, Monster Jam is a great way to get out and forget about this frightful winter!

Full disclosure: We were given comp tickets to facilitate this review; however, as always, all opinions are my own.

Review: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’s Minnie-Rella

February 11, 2014February 11, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With heart’s day in the pipeline, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’s latest full-length adventure, Minnie-Rella is now available on DVD. Inspired by the classic Cinderella fairy tale, this Mickey Mouse Clubhouse adaptation of Cindy’s story gets a Minnie twist.

Minnie is given a pile of chores at the Clubhouse, but when she falls asleep, she dreams that she is Minnie-Rella. Just like the Cinderella tale, Minnie has her own Fairy Godmother, except her name is Clarabelle. With her tomato-turned carriage and beautiful gown, Minnie hopes to make it to the enchanted dance to meet up with her Prince Mickey.

We loved that the whole gang was involved in this sweet Minnie inspired fairy tale. The music and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse inspiration made this version of Cinderella that much more magical. With a “Mouseke-doodle-lee-do,” our family had a fun time singing along with this sweet Minnie-fied fairy tale. This is a must-watch for preschoolers and beyond, and makes for a fun family movie, too.

I particularly loved the bonus episodes: Pluto’s Tale, Mickey and the Enchanted Egg and Daisy’s Pony Tale. These shorts were perfect complements to the Minnie-centric show. Even better, I loved the free castle playset include within the dvd packaging. A lot of fun to be had in this little package. Wouldn’t this make the cutest Valentine’s Day present for the kids?

Be sure to grab the DVD which is in stores today, or catch it on the Disney Channel and Disney Jr. on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

And all in the name of Minnie-Rella magic, how about some fun downloadable activities:

The Lego Movie is an Awesome Hit + Valentine’s Day Printables

February 10, 2014February 10, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Not surprisingly, The Lego Movie did smashingly well at the box office this weekend. It took the top spot and had glowing reviews to boot.

Legomovieheader

One of the best write ups I read today, in fact, was from CNN via EW.com whose headline caught my eye: “Is the Lego Movie Really That Good?” I asked myself the same question and read on:

Based on the ubiquitous lock-block toy and licensed with many of pop-culture’s most ubiquitous heroes, “The LEGO Movie” is a sly Trojan horse of a movie. “Using the building-block world of LEGO to parody the creeping conformity of our world, ‘The LEGO Movie’ proves even more biting than ‘WALL-E,’ because it has the sauciness to send up its own rise-of-a-hero story line,” writes EW’s Owen Gleiberman.

Combine the beloved building blocks, personified—rather, animated with mini figures—and throw in comedic timing, sauciness and you get family fun at the theater. This movie, in my opinion, seemed like a perfect formula for success: Everyone loves Lego, many of us are enduring cabin fever in the tundra that is our winter and this older kid bracket is an untapped (boy) market in the movies right now.

Considering how obsessed we are with Warner Brother’s Lego Marvel video game, I have no doubt that we’ll love this movie just as much. We were actually focused on another movie this weekend, but we’ve got Lego Movie on our docket to come. In the meantime, I’ve been loving reading the reviews from traditional outlets, as well as from my friends.

And, in case you have Valentine’s on your mind like we do this week, how rad are these Lego Movie Valentines from Warner Brothers?

Click on the above image to head to the full version of the Lego Movie Printables AND other versions as well. I know these are promos for the movie, but how perfect are these for Lego lovers and movie enthusiasts alike?