toys – Page 6 – The Next Kid Thing

Etsy find: Natural Cars from Happy Squash Toys

August 19, 2009August 19, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

With toy recalls and reports of unsafe toy manufacturing and imports creating a cause for concern, in an effort to observe more sustainable choices, naturally, some families opt for greener toys made from renewable resources. And of course, a smart and economical alternative to mass produced toys are unique, handmade goodies. Beyond whittling your own collection of handmade toys yourself, thank goodness for the treasure trove that is Etsy! I always say this, but you can’t buy the kind of craftsmanship that you find in Etsy in a mainstream store —no matter what the product might be!

Today’s Etsy find is from a toy shop that I’ve featured before—I love these toys that much. Happy Squash Toys sent us a trio of Natural Cars for review, and based on the kid’s inability to put them down for one second, it’s official: they’re a hit.

Like most boys his age, our almost 2-year old is fascinated by anything with wheels or rolls. Cars, trains, animals with wheels, bikes, tractor trailers—you name it, he loves it. The Natural Cars from Happy Squash Toys are no exception. He loves wheeling them around the floor, furniture and whatever surface that will let him mobilize these cars. The trick is always finding a way to make all 3 roll at once since his little hands aren’t quite big enough to push them all at once yet. I love the way our little guy makes his own little car sounds when playing with the Natural Cars. I’ll take those sweet imaginative noises over the loud battery-operated honks, beeps and flashing lights any day.

All dolled up

August 6, 2009September 28, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

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.

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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.

Peace, Love and (Build-A-Bear) Hugs

August 4, 2009August 4, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

This past weekend, the kid and I found ourselves on Fifth Avenue getting cozy with a bunch of bears. That’s right, bears!

The kid and I attended the “Let’s Talk About Love” Meet and Greet with Jamia Nash at the biggest Build-a-Bear Workshop in the world, which is right on Fifth Avenue in NYC. Like I knew it would, the mere sight of the Build-A-Bear storefront elicited so much excitement from my almost-2 year old. Before we even entered the store, he was signing, more, more, more!

At the event, we briefly met with other NYC/NJ mom bloggers, and said hello to the guest of honor, Jamia Nash. If you’re a huge Young and the Restless fan like me, you might know Jamia as Ana, Tyra’s daughter. If your family is a Jack’s Big Music Show fan, you might know Jamia as the spunky songstress who sang the “Bongo Bird song” when she was about eight years old. It was a pleasure to meet the super sweet Jamia, who was so nice to the kid, even though he really doesn’t “get it” yet. Extremely articulate and well-spoken, Jamia told me a little bit about her experience in singing the Bongo Bird song. If you’d like to hear Jamia’s “Let’s Talk About Love” song, it’s available to download on the site.

Jamia a seasoned performer at only 12 years old, fittingly, was tapped to be a part of Build-A-Bear Workshop’s Love. Hugs. Peace Movement, which encourages kids to give back and be kind. At times like this, we can use all the love, hugs and peace we can get!

In line with the Love. Hugs. Peace, Build-A-Bear Workshop has introduced the Peace & Hugs Bear, which is intended to represent all three elements of the Movement. Like other Build-A-Bear animals, the fuzzy blue bear with peace signs can be stuffed and personalized. There’s even Love. Hugs. Peace bear-sized tees and rhinestone tanks available, which Build-A-Bear Workshop is donating $.25 to Save the Children from the sales.

Build-A-Bear kindly gave us some giftcards to create our own bear. The kid absolutely went nuts in the lower level of this gigantic Build-A-Bear Workshop. The lower level, which has several areas for exclusive parties, in addition to a few bear-stuffing stations, was like heaven for my adventurous toddler. And because the kid is obsessed with stuffed animals and baseball (specifically the NY Mets), naturally, we created a classic bear with a Mets uniform! Coincidentally, Saturday was Build-A-Bear Day at Citifield, the Mets’ new stadium, where Jamia also performed the Star Spangled Banner to kick the game off.

In the end, though frazzled by chasing a very curious toddler around, I enjoyed the bear-making process just as much! From choosing the bear, chasing the kid, to picking his outfit, chasing the kid again, to having him stuffed, to watching the kid pick his heart and finally creating his birth certificate, our experience at the NYC Build-A-Bear Workshop though hectic, was so much fun. I can certainly see why tourists flock to the Fifth Avenue location.

Our bear, lovingly named Buddy, is the kid’s brand new BFF, many thanks to our awesome friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop. And this is just how awesome they are: just in time for theirAugust promotion, Build-A-Bear Workshop generously gave us a $25 giftcard for one lucky NKT reader!

Win it Describe Build-A-Bear’s newest bear and please comment below.

For extra entries, share this post and/or tell me one (or all) of the songs (mentioned above) that Jamia is singing, or has sung.

So the winner can take advantage of Build-A-Bear’s $29.99 August promotion, this giveaway will end August 13! Good luck!

There’s a party in my kid’s meal!

August 3, 2009August 3, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

la55425 Like many of you, we just can’t get enough of Lance and the gang. So much so, I should rename this blog the Next YGG Thing!

Starting today, Jack in the Box will be offering a super fun Jack’s Kid’s Meal featuring one of five Yo Gabba Gabba finger puppets. Kids 3 and older can collect all of their favorite YGG characters including, Brobee, the little green one; Foofa, the pink flower bubble; Muno, the red Cyclops; Toodee, the blue cat-dragon; and Plex, the yellow robot. In addition to the Kid’s Meal toys, kids can visit www.jackskidstoys.com to receive free Yo Gabba Gabba downloads and discounts on YGG merchandise at Ty’s Toy Box. AWESOME, no?
<sigh> if only we had a Jack in the Box here in NJ/NYC!

My Alligator…

July 31, 2009July 31, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Many thanks to the “Teach my Alligator Manners” segment on the Disney Channel, the kid has become obsessed with alligators. The fondness of manners? That’s coming. But I’m definitely loving the frequent usage of “pweeease” these days.
But back to alligators…since he can’t get enough of the segment, he’s also learning to recognize the parallels between the shows he loves and his toybox. And thus, we have a newly found appreciation for the Dancing Alligator from PlanToys.

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The wooden, clacking pull-along toy was one of the gifts we bought for him for his 1st birthday, but he’s just now finally “getting” it. No batteries involved, just kid power, this toy brings back the old school essence of pull-along toys that I remember from my own childhood. But be forewarned, the “dancing” part of this alligator also translates into “clacking.” So, if loud toys aren’t your thing, definitely check out other PlanToys. (I personally love watching our guy run around with his alligator trailing/dancing behind!) Our alligator has made many leaps and falls these past few weeks, proving that it’s both timeless and sustainable, as far as toddler toys go. The Dancing Alligator will be one of those toys that we’ll likely keep for our kid(s)’ kids!
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Britax Chaperone Stroller in stores by August

July 16, 2009July 16, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Britax recently unveiled the Chaperone stroller, which is expected to be in stores in August. The stroller, together with the Chaperone infant carrier is part of the Chaperone Travel Collection.

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The infant carrier features Britax’s True Side Impact Protection and can accommodate children between 4 and 30 pounds up to 32 inches. The Chaperone stroller can be used with the infant carrier or on its own for children up to 55 pounds. The stroller, which was designed with improving ease of function and more mobility for parents on the go, features a one-hand fold. For all of us juggling groceries, kids, errands, while navigating planes, trains and automobiles, that one-hand fold feature is worth its weight in gold.

My Green Dollhouse by Green Lullaby

July 15, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Some kids love the cardboard boxes their toys come in, more than the actual toys, but the My Green Dollhouse by Green Lullaby is a new—and quite literal—take on cardboard-turned-toys.

Green Dollhouse

An alternative to the mammoth plastic version, this eco-friendly dollhouse that boasts pink and neutral hues, is constructed out of cardboard made from recycled materials. Both recyclable and biodegradable, the My Green Dollhouse is easy to assemble and disassemble, complete with a carrying case. Because all of Green Lullaby’s products are made with super sturdy cardboard, similar to the kind of cardboard that’s used for packing fresh produce, they resist moderate amounts of water. In addition to all paints, lacquers and adhesives being non-toxic, the dollhouse is treated with a non-toxic, non-hazardous fire retardant, making it a truly green toy.

For families like us, who don’t have much space to spare, a collapseable and sustainable dollhouse like this is the best of both worlds! The My Green Dollhouse is exclusively available at giggle.

Let them eat cake!

July 14, 2009July 14, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The famous one-liner, “Let them eat cake,” that’s often attributed to Marie Antoinette in response to the French people’s suffering is said to be an inaccurate translation of “Qu’ils mangent de la Brioche.” The famous phrase that was said to bring on the French Revolution might be a little lost in translation, and it might not have been said by Marie Antoinette, afterall. But there’s no denying the impact of the French Revolution and the storming of the Bastille, which occurred on July 14, 1789.

In honor of Bastille Day, the national French holiday (and my birthday), how fitting is today’s Etsy Find?

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The Felt Cake Decorating Set by Punkidoo is an adorable playset that gives a new meaning to “playing with your food!” The cake set, which measures at 8 x 4 inches, includes a piping bag, purple icing, two roses, 3 candles in icing, “Happy Birthday” sign, 3 whipped cream, 3 strawberries of varying sizes, 3 chocolate curls. The set, which is sewn completely by hand, is made of eco-fi, a polyester fiber that’s made from 100% certified recycled plastic PET bottles.

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How perfect is this for a preschooler’s birthday present? There’s nothing cooler than playsets that encourage creativity and imagination—and a handmade, eco-friendly set at that! The Felt Cake Decorating Set can be found at Punkidoo’s Shop on Etsy. Be sure to check out the other amazing hand-sewn sets, too!

So, let them eat cake!

EMTEC Kooky USB flash drive

July 7, 2009July 20, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Kooky Klickers, the crazy collectible pens, now have a USB flash drive counterpart. The Kooky USB flash drives by EMTEC come in a range of fun and bold designs, emulating the popular pens that have sold millions since they hit the market. The unique pens, known for their springy hair and often worn with a lanyard, have been a big hit with school-aged kids, especially tweens and teens.

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At 2 gb, the Kooky USB flash drive can hold homework, projects, photos and other media. Just like the pens, the USB drive features its own take of the crazy hair and funky faces. An interesting change from colorless USB drives, the Kooky USB flash drive is just as portable as the Kooky Klickers, and even has a place where it can be added to a key chain or lanyard.

Fun in the sun with TruKid Sunny Days

July 2, 2009July 14, 2009 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I’ve joked before how, as kids, my brothers and I used to race to see who could get the most tan. In retrospect, it wasn’t the safest “game,” even with our darker complexions. It was the 80s, afterall—y’know, the decade of excess… But now, as a mama (with a very fair-skinned mestizo babe) naturally, like many other mamas, my perspective on sun safety has since changed.

According to Kidshealth.org, most kids rack up between 50% and 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before age 18.

That’s a lot of fun in the sun, which is also why my mom friends and I often compare notes on the best natural sunscreens for our kids. Kiss My Face, California Baby and Jason products are often mentioned, but since being introduced to TruKid products, I can’t say enough great things.

A small family-run business, TruKid was born as a result of a mother who sought to fill a void. After searching for safe, but effective skin products for her five active kids (now six), Jennifer Adams Bunkers created TruKids. TruKid uses natural ingredients and essential oils, and it’s no surprise that he Environmental Working Group has given TruKid’s entire line, tru-007-2 (including the products I’m about to review) the safety rating of 0-3.

Just as I started this blog, TruKid was one of the first companies to reach out to me after a mention on my Toxic Tub post. Yeah, they’re that awesome. I’ve spoken highly of the Happy Face and Body Lotion in the past, (seriously, can’t get enough of that fun apple scent and I love the smell of my clean boy) but with another long and SUNNY holiday weekend upon us, I wanted to share a review about TruKid’s Sunny Days, which comes in a fabulous sunscreen lotion and super-convenient face and body stick.

The Sunny Days sunscreen lotion comes out thick and creamy, yet not greasy or oily. Because of its creamier consistency, with just 2 dollops, the boy is good to go. I’ve used much watery sunscreens in the past, and I feel like all I do is squirt, squirt and apply.

The facestick is definitely a favorite for us. We have it tucked away in our diaper bag, stroller pocket and even our beach/playground bag. About twice the size of a tube of chapstick, the facestick, is easy to apply with just a few swipes. It, too, isn’t too thick, but light enough to apply and smooth on with one or two swipes. Because the kid thinks the facestick is actual chapstick, I tend to wipe some on my fingers to avoid unnecessary sunscreen-licking.