The latest and greatest in gadgets, gear and goodies
Last month’s Toy Fair showcased a countless number of really wonderful girl’s toys. There were aisles of glammed up dolls, dress up sets and sparkly things galore, but there were a few girl’s toys that caught my attention. Big Dream Toys’ Go! Go! Sports Girls, an empowering line of 18″ dolls, is one of them.
Toy Fair had so many larger than life toys that were on display, but one trend that I noticed that paralleled the aforementioned accessibility theme was the presence of so many teeny tiny toys. And for this first toy, I’m talking tiny.
Bandai was showcasing their new Tiny Little Families line, which is described to be the smallest collectible doll. The story behind these guys is that the little animal families–The Bakers, Acorns, Nibbles, Purrbrights, Waddles and Pollywogs–take up residence in abandoned, mundane objects such as shoes, alarm clocks and even a wee little cell phone. Their little town/playsets include homes, pampering spots and many more locations for the families to enjoy. Teeny Little Families is a new take on doll houses, giving girls another alternative for cutesy collectibles.
Get ready girls, Toy company, Spin Master, has introduced Liv, a new line of dolls. The stylish teenage gal pals, Daniela, Sophie, Katie and Alexis, are unique and relatable, and are geared to girls in the 6-10 age range. In addition to their cool outfits, each Liv doll has a special access code to an online world, which will give girls a different dimension to interact with their dolls to collect fashions in their virtual closet, view webisodes, games and more.
What’s notable about the Liv dolls is that their style and appearance is much different and more age appropriate for the range that they’re targeting. As an aunt who has had to shop for dolls for tween nieces and cringing at the options, I appreciate the market research that Spin Master has done. I think the online world is also an innovative idea, giving girls even more opportunities to engage in imaginative, interactive play. What I love most: the dolls’ believable attributes and diverse appearance gives girls a better understanding of what it’s like to be a teen. [Boy craziness and angst aren’t included :)]
Livworld doesn’t officially launch until August 15, but the dolls, which retail for $20, are in stores now.
Perhaps one of my favorite toy concepts I’ve seen in a long time is Global Green Pals. I came across the Global Green Pals while at the Go Green Expo and was immediately intrigued. What first caught my eye about these dolls was the fact that they’re multicultural and very unique. Growing up with not many multicultural dolls, it’s nice to see that toy companies are mirroring the diversity of the kids that love their toys.
What’s great about the Global Green Pals is that each one has a story. All unique, their stories involve environmentalism and a fervor to save the Earth. Though not available until this summer, check out the Global Green Pals’ site and get to know Offset Chet, Clean Air Kate, Pani Rani, Pink Coral Laurel and Recycle Kyle! Just as the dolls are poised to Save the Earth, with every Pal purchased, a portion of the sales will go to 1% for the Planet.
I love the concept behind these dolls and can see them becoming a huge hit! It’s toys like Global Green Pals that epitomize The Next Kid Thing!
I’ll be sure to share more information about them once they’re available!