toys Archives - Page 3 of 21 - Have Sippy Will Travel

Hoppey Easter! Filling Those Bunny Baskets

April 9, 2019 by Samantha Leave a Comment

It’s already April, and of course that means that for many, the Easter Bunny will soon be hopping his or her way into their houses with a basket of treats. Here are a few ideas to consider for your kids- or kids at heart.

Tired of hearing your kid’s video games or other noisy electronics? Tell them to put on a pair of headphones, we deserve some peace and quiet once and a while. I don’t need to hear every time your character get a coin, LOL. BuddyPhones are volume-limiting kids headphones, which are perfect since kids cannot ruin their hearing by playing the volume too loud. These fun looking and good quality headphones keep the ears of little listeners safe by providing them with the safest, toughest headphones for a decent price. Really- they don’t cost an arm an a leg. They are available in popular colors and designs, including the uber trendy unicorn. Your kids are quiet and entertained (perfect for car and air travel as well!) and parents are not subjected to the same movies, games, or shows over and over again. Thank you, I’ll have that.

Water resistant and durable with as much as 24 hour battery life, these also sport wireless connection capability. More then one kid? BuddyPhones offers their patented shared BuddyCable, which is a great option for families with multiple kids and only one device, or when one of them inevitably loses one of theirs at the worst moment. Good backup plan.

Available now at www.buddyphones.com or Amazon ($69.90-$79.99).

Speaking about games, do you have a little Yoshi fan in your life? Yoshi has a new game just out, Yoshi’s Crafted World. This is Yoshi’s first starring adventure on Nintendo Switch, so it’s a big deal for fans. Yoshi will venture through his crafted world, collecting costumes and gems, battling ShyGuys (the most familiar faces in the series) along with thieving mice, and other enemies who await. There is a level that flips stages, and you must do them backwards. Yoshi must help Poochi her puppies back, as they ran off (as bratty pups will do from time to time). Baby Bowser is back, causing a ruckus, as are an all star team of favorite characters your child will love to interact with.

Fun and funky graphics, with accessible yet challenging gameplay that is perfect for younger audiences but still fun for older ones, this game can be played with two players at a time, which makes it great for family fun. $60 on https://www.nintendo.com/

For cute additions to your child’s basket, take a look at Rescue Runts Babies. These adoptable mini plush pets let your child rescue, groom, collect and love them. These four-inch plush pets come in small, brightly covered, plastic crates that your child can use at their “home”. These little stuffed animals are in need love, cuddles, and care. Your child can remove “fleas,” brush their fur, and tie collar ribbons, and more to help them go from ragged rescue to valued and loved pet.

There are more then 20 pets to choose from, including cats, dogs, wild animals, and mythical creatures. Each Rescue Runts Babies is sold separately, and the package comes with the pet of choice, convertible crate, 3 fleas, brush, ribbon /collar, as well as stickers. $10 at Walmart.

easter chocolate

If you, like me, like to give a basket to your partner/spouse (or need a gift for friends, bosses, co-workers, clients, etc), look no further then Godiva. These gourmet chocolates are bound to be a hit, the melt in your mouth delights will be savored by any chocolate lover. With many sizes and options available, the most inclusive and varied would be the Enchanted Easter Chocolate Gift Basket.

Available in stores or online, this basket comes pre-filled with a collection of the best chocolates as well as GODIVA’s sweet plush 2019 Easter bunny. There are eight different chocolate gifts placed inside, including

One 2019 Limited Edition – Plush Bunny with Chocolate Foil Easter Eggs, One Milk Chocolate Bunny, One Eggstra Special Assorted 5 piece Chocolates Gift Box, 5 One Classic Milk Chocolate G Cube Box with 22 candies inside, One Solid Milk Chocolate Bunny with 5 Foil-Wrapped Chocolate Eggs,One Truffle Crème Egg 4 piece Assortment,One Milk Chocolate Bar, One Dark Chocolate Raspberry Bar. Something for everyone- or just me. Just me it is.

Prices vary per item, this particular basket is $99.95; at Godiva.com with all items included as described and listed.

Filed Under: entertainment, holidays, review Tagged With: easter, newspaper cross post, review, toys

Moosh Moosh Toys

March 26, 2019 by Samantha Leave a Comment

If kids ask for Crush The Shark, they are not alone. Crush has become “the it toy” since Moosh-Moosh™ launched its cuddly buddy collection earlier this year. Stack ‘em or squish ‘em, they are oh-so-cute. Moosh-Moosh has become a hit on Instagram as kids and celebrities can’t get enough of these pillow pals. Slipperz, the oh-my-gosh adorable slippers for kids ($14.99) and kidults ($19.99). Crush is one of a dozen personalities transformed into a left and a right indoor slip-on.

Joining Slipperz are the Sequins ($17.99) and Series 3 large plush ($14.99) Collections this month. Best described as plush with a marshmallow-like texture, these pillow pals offer comfort, cuddles and company to youngsters, teens and college coeds. Thousands of fans follow them on Facebook.

“With almost every animal that you can think of — and some you never would! — the cuddly kids stuffed animals from Moosh-Moosh are loveable and fun,” begins the magazine’s column, 15 Gifts to Give The Kid Who Has Everything. “We love Handi Andy the octopus stuffed animal and Gwen the Penguin plush, though honestly, it’s really hard to pick favorites! Where else can you find a dragon, a caticorn, and a giraffe in one place? Plus, they start at only $5.99, which means you can buy one of these affordable stuffed animals for all of the kids in the family without blowing your budget.”

Add a little sparkle with a pal from the Sequin Plushies Collection. Neighborhood stores including Michaels, CVS and Jo Ann have stockpiled the popular plush. But you might discover them on family outings at museum stores or event venue pop-up shops. Sequins have a special swipe & change feature that makes kids want to “pet” their plushies. And why not? With cute faces on Bandit, Percy, Cody and Kandy Kat, these sequined softees will be treasured.

Crush The Shark makes a special appearance in the Sequin Collection with a silvery head and soft white torso.

Moosh-Moosh designers have just released Series 3 with some distinct personalities. Crush is joined by his shark siblings Nibler and Neptune. Sweet! New to the group is devilish Ash and Spike, Nemo-lookalike Finster, winking Francine and meow-velous Blossom. Priced nicely at $14.99, these are easy on the budget.

Filed Under: toys Tagged With: toys

Cute and Cuddly, Prefect for Easter or Passover

March 20, 2019 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Soft and snuggly is what bedtime (and even just cuddle up time) is all about. There are some new cute critters that we thought you would enjoy for your den, check these out- they are perfect for Easter or Passover.

petsies stuffed animals

If you have pets at home, your family will be thrilled by Petsies. where you and your kids can custom design a stuffed animal to look just like your furry family member. Choose from a wide selection of colors, combinations, ear types, tails, even tongues. The plush version of your pet will arrive at your door in a few weeks, but there is actually more. While you wait, you will get emails on the progress it is making- what point it’s at, asking you to check photos of progress to see what you think, and more. Here is an example-

“CONGRATS! Our lead designer has just reviewed and approved your picture for Petsification. This designer also transferred your photo into our special Petsies plush coding machine, so that we can create the best plush representation of your pet. Next steps: Two more designers will work on picking fabrics and crafting the shape of each individual piece of plush that goes into your design.

Thank you again for letting us plushify your pet! The Petsies Design Team”

petsies toy

We looked forward to our updates, and when we got the email with shipping notification, the wait was on. My son stalked the delivery man, and was completely thrilled with the outcome of the plus twin of his pup, Teddy.

Get yours at https://www.mypetsies.com Right now there is even a sale going on, so the time is good.

stuffed toys

While we are on the topic of customization, the same company that offers Petsies offers you Budsies, which again was a HUGE hit in this house. Your child or children can bring almost any drawing to life by sending in a photo of a creation of their own design, which Budsies then expertly makes a plush toy out of. It’s super impressive, and the process is a lot of fun for the kids. Have them choose their favorite character that they would like to see as a toy, and send it into the Budsies team. Give it descriptions, choose colors and design options, and even give explanations to make sure that your creation is really understood as you wanted it to be. Again, the email updates are fun and we looked forward to updates-

“Congrats – our lead designer has just reviewed and approved your design(s)! This designer also translated your design into our special internal Budsies plush coding. Next steps: Two more designers will work on picking fabrics and crafting the shape of each individual piece of plush that goes into your design. Thank you again for letting us plushify your design! The Budsies Design Team”

His favorite part was one of the last emails, which send a photo, front and back, of what the toy would really look like- the actual toy they were sending. Seeing his creation as a real plush was very exciting, and he was even more thrilled when it got to the door. These are super fun, very unique and a great way to spend some fun family time before the toy even gets to you. You can take a look at https://www.budsies.com .

llama unicorn

A fun, no fuss toy thats easy to pick up and would be great to put in any Easter Basket or as a Passover gift is this adorable Little Daydream the Stuffed Pink Llamacorn Mini Flopsie by Aurora . Super adorable, comes in quite a few sizes (smallest is only $4.99) and very trendy right now, this little llama has it all. Super soft, shiny, glittery horn and hooves, a unicorn horn, and did we mention it’s a llama? Everyone’s favorite ungulates are extremely popular right now, and this little guy embraces a lot of the toy trends of 2019, making it a great choice for pretty much any kid who loves stuffed animals.

Filed Under: review, toys Tagged With: newspaper cross post, parents@play, stuffed animals, toys

Healthy Bodies, Inside and Out

March 6, 2019 by Samantha 1 Comment

This winter, as Spring is (hopefully) around the corner, you might be having a hard time holding onto those New Years Resolutions or even trying to stay healthy or active as a part of your regular lifestyle. I know for me, February is my “ugh” month, I often find myself with a case of the winter blues and really just “done” with the gray and the cold. I find it hardest to be motivated in February, and not just grab a bag of chips and pop on the Netflix. What to do? Try something new, a little change can often be just the thing you need, a little bump to get you moving.

DIY kits

Have you ever heard of Purple Carrot? You have probably heard of similar ideas, pre-ordered meal kits delivered to your home that you cook yourself. This is the ONLY 100% plant-based meal kit company of the kind, where you can get pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step instructions for cooking healthy, vegan meals at home. As we are learning, eating plant-based meals even if only one day or a few times a week, has a positive impact on people’s health, the environment, and animal welfare. The food is very good, but it definitely takes time to make, so prepare to spend some time in the kitchen. While not difficult, some of the items made were challenging and to me very unnecessarily time consuming, like making my own veggie burgers. But we learned new things, so that was something. I can honestly say, even as vegetarians, we had never made any of these recipes before, so they were interesting and new. Find out more here-

Meal options: https://www.purplecarrot.com/weekly-menu
Meal plans: https://www.purplecarrot.com/plans

Trying to get yourself moving? It can be challenging in this weather. One of the fitness groups I belong to recently posted a meme which said “I was sad, then I bought some new workout clothes and now I’m running!” I was clearly amused, but it’s also true. Sometimes a new pair of leggings or shirt or sneakers makes you feel good, and then when you feel good, you move. Also, you of course need to show them off, right? Your couch will not be impressed. You however will be impressed with the Brooks Running Ghost Tight. I can’t say enough good things about it. I thought they were going to feel like shrink wrap when I saw them, but they are wildly comfortable. It’s ultralight fabric keeps you cool and wicks sweat and the color options (3 total) are fun. Price $120 at https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/brooks-ghost-tight-womens/221347.html

Winter can be rough on the skin, rough all over. The new Limited-Edition NIVEA Creme City Tins from NIVEA® Creme are easy to carry around. They are tiny- easy to toss in your purse, backpack, or pocket, and give you a “protective layer of care that prevents the loss of moisture throughout the day” as per the brand. Smooth and soft, it has provitamin B5, which helps it last longer. You can use it on your face, hands, lips, and body- it’s good all over. These limited-edition tins are now available for $.99, get yours at www.NIVEAusa.com.

give back

For your love, no matter if they are one or a hundred and one, take a look at these. Not only are they amazingly adorable, but each toy funds 10 meals for a hungry person. These ethically produced, hand-knit dolls and stuffed animals give 10 meals to hungry children around the world for every item sold. Hand made by artisan knitters in Peru, these handcrafted, heirloom-quality dolls are great for anyone who loves stuffed cuddles. There are 27 toys to choose from currently, and two sizes are available in most cases.

“cuddle+kind has partnerships with several respected humanitarian agencies including World Food Program USA, Children’s Hunger Fund, Breakfast Club of Canada and WE Charity to guarantee that every purchase directly benefits children in need.” (Information given by the brand)

Choose your favorites here- https://cuddleandkind.com/collections/hand-knit-dolls.

Filed Under: clothes and shoes, cooking, fitness, health, review Tagged With: clothes, companies that care, cooking, health, newspaper cross post, parents@play, review, Running, toys

Toy Fair Trends 2019 #NYTF #NewYorkToyFair

February 19, 2019 by Samantha 2 Comments

Well, it’s February, so you know what that means. Parents@Play headed out to the New York Toy Fair, checking out all the new toys and games being released this year. While we found it to be overall a bit quieter then 2018, we think it will be a fun year.

In our opinion, some of the trends for the next year are a continuation of old trends, albeit somewhat updated. Some of these continuing toy trends do venture into new territories, and it’s always fun to see what the year will bring to our families.

toy narwhals

For example, dinosaurs, “mermaid” sequins (those colored sequins that flip from one color to another), llamas, unicorns, glitter everything, narwhals, and coding games and toys are everywhere. As are blind bags, DIY and make it yourself kits, toys that require or interact extensively with apps, and poop. Yes, all sorts of poop in all sorts of ways. Even glittery poop, if you’d really like to combine trendiness- and if you REALLY want to combine them, we even saw glittery poop that uses an app. There really is an app for everything.

Some of the trends you can watch out for this year will include leaning into the above already holding strong trendy toys, like glitter. Sorry, but it’s only going to get even more sparkly. There are lots of kits that let kids make things for themselves, like soaps or bath bombs or makeup, and now there is oh so much glitter. Got a kit? Guess what, now it has glitter. Not JUST glitter, but so many toys, games, and craft kits now come with “bedazzler” type items to add rhinestones to your hair, clothing, stuff toy, whatever your little heart desires. Sequins and all manner of shiny additives can be applied to just about anything- and sometimes, taken off, and reapplied over and over and over again. Huzzah.

unicorn cat

Stick with me on the glitter for a second, Tinkerbell. There are so. many. wands right now, sold with toys and games or AS the toy/game, more then I’ve ever seen. They make sounds, hold glitter, shoot glitter (yay?) and of course, are very, very glittery. The wands are all over this year, and that is without even counting the ever-popular and only getting more so Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises, each with a multitude of their own wands and wand games to choose from. Wingardium Leviosa, these will be flying off shelves this year.

Unicorns? Yes, these are still as popular as they have been. All over, on everything, from ducks to plush to pool floats- there is a unicorn for you. And a unicorn for your unicorn, as well. (So they won’t get lonely, of course.)

unicorn sloth

However, not just horses can be unicorns anymore, so there will never have to be a “last unicorn”. In the spirit of inclusiveness, now anything can have a magical horn. Cat? Yes. Llama? Of course. Marshmallow? Even you, little sugar spun bit of sweetness. If you like it, you should have put a horn on it- because now someone else has.

What did the fox say? He said that is a lame reminder of viral videos gone by, but that won’t stop you from seeing a fox around every corner. So, I guess fox says that s/he’s awesome and will be in your house soon if there isn’t a few already.

Fox also says that he’s bringing his best bud Owl, who is another animal we are seeing much more of this year. Alpacas are also joining their cousin Llama at the “cool kids” club.

llama crafts
Slime is everywhere, in everything, and yes- sometimes even glittery. You can thank YouTube for that. Speaking of YouTube, more companies are tapping your kid’s favorite YouTube personalities to endorse products or create lines. From slime to bubbles to fake hair and ninja toys, YouTube madness is spreading.

Super soft, extra squishy, mushy plush animals are gaining in popularity, and oftentimes in size. These incredibly plush and huggable toys range in size from backpack clips to giant beanbag-type chairs and everything in between.

fortnite star
While we are on the topic of backpack clips- just yes. Everywhere, and in ever growing popularity, you will find objects that will help weigh down your child’s backpack. Who needs books, anyhow?

Filed Under: review, toys Tagged With: New York Toy Fair, Toy Fair, toys

Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes It All from Ravensburger Wins “Toy of the Year” Award at Toy Fair 2019

February 19, 2019 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Toy Fair Booth 2019 – Ravensburger, the German toy company loved worldwide for its high-quality puzzles, toys and games and celebrating its 135th anniversary, wins “Toy of the Year” award for Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes It All. On the heels of this breakout success, Ravensburger today revealed the next in the Disney Villainous franchise, Wicked to the Core. The new game features three new villains – Hades from Hercules, Dr. Facilier from The Princess & the Frog, and the original fairest of them all, Evil Queen from the iconic Snow White.

“The positive response from Disney fans and strategy board game enthusiasts for the growing Disney Villainous franchise has been overwhelming. In the last quarter of 2018, Ravensburger sold more than a quarter of a million copies globally of Disney Villainous: The Worst Takes It All, and it rose to Top 5 of Amazon’s Most Wished for Board Games,” said Filip Francke, CEO of Ravensburger North America. “Even before it hit shelves last summer, we knew we had a winner and had already begun working on the next in the franchise, Wicked to the Core.”

In the Disney Villainous series, players take on the persona of classic Disney’s most wicked characters. In the award-winning The Worst Takes It All edition, players compete as their favorite Disney Villain – Maleficent, Ursula, Jafar, Prince John, Queen of Hearts, or Captain Hook. Each Disney Villain has their own storyline based on the events of their films– Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. While each player remains in their story realm, villains can foil their fellow outlaws by playing Hero cards, while inching ever closer to victory.

“To engage the fans in the process, we encouraged people to “Vote” for the Disney Villain they’d like to play. We were thrilled to see that our next trio of bad guys (and gal) – Hades, Dr. Facilier and Evil Queen – made the top 10 list of Disney Villains as voted by our fans,” added Francke.
Wicked to the Core incorporates new strategies, plot twists, and play dynamics and can be played either with two or three players as a stand-alone game or can expand up to a six-player game when paired with the original Disney Villainous game. Wicked to the Core will be available March 3 at Target for $24.99 and is suited for ages 10 and older.

Filed Under: toys Tagged With: games, New York Toy Fair, toys

Mezco Toys Press Preview #NewYorkToyFair

February 17, 2019 by Samantha Leave a Comment

RePosting From Mezco-

At 9am sharp on Saturday morning, Mezco held it’s annual press event. Members of the press made their way to it’s booth, cameras in-hand, ready to see what is in store for this year.

As a thanks for attending, everyone that registered for our event received a goodie bag stuffed with Mezco swag. This year’s bag ran the gamut with products and included:

· One:12 Collective Blade – Toy Fair Exclusive

· One:12 Collective Gomez – Agent Edition

· Mezco Toyz 2019 Toy Fair Catalog

· Mezco Toyz dog tag with chain

· Mezco Toyz lanyard

· Gold Gomez pin

· Rumble Society pin

· Blind bagged Mez-Itz

While the press event may be over, Toy Fair is just getting started! Make sure you’re keeping up with us on social media to see everything the Mezco booth has to offer.

Filed Under: toys Tagged With: New York Toy Fair, toys

Fun Toys for Creative Kids #GiftGuide

December 17, 2018 by Samantha 14 Comments

Looking for something fun to stimulate the mind of a creative child? These are a lot of fun, and we think your little Eisenstein will get a lot of play out of them.

One of our all time favorite toy companies, Schleich, has all sorts of new toys this year. That is in addition to the many amazing playsets and figures they already had- these don’t go out of style. For the child interested in dinosaurs, horses, farm life, sea life, Roman history, and so much more, these incredibly detailed figures are perfect for creative play and collecting. The Schleich’s Wild Life range allows kids to walk through the wilds of the Savannah, take a safari, and see lions, zebras, and rhinoceros. Individual animals are also available. Horse lovers will love Schleich’s Horse Club , which lets them take these majestic animals to tournaments and festivals, win best in show, feed and take care of them in stables, and more. Dinosaurs, sea life, Fairy wonderlands, and more are all available. Visit https://www.schleich-s.com/en/US/ to see what your child will enjoy.

Kuroba, a new collectible that is a mix of Shopkins and BeyBlade, is newly available. Small and easy to put away, these toys are 16 different cube-shaped characters with funny, expressive faces and personalities. The toys are featured in a show on the Kuroba YouTube channel, where kids can watch the series of 1-4-minute shorts. The line includes a Training Pack to practice and enhance their skills, a Battle Pack for battle, and a Klash Arena playset to battle their Kuroba. Find out more at https://playmatestoys.com/brands/kuroba/

Hot Wheels^TM 50th Jumbo Megamat^TM is perfect for the car collector or enthusiast. This set comes with 2 HotWheels die cast cars, a foam mat with a city and roads that lets kids drive all over and go exploring without ruining your floors or tables, and is easily wiped clean. This is a special 50th anniversary playmat that comes with a collectible Hot Wheels poster. For ages 3+, $29.99.

For kids who like to make things fit or create, TCG has a beautiful line of puzzles for fans of any age. You can find all sorts of themes, from new hits like Fingerlings to classic skylines and everything in between. Kids or adults and whole families can get together and work on these. In addition, TCG has a puzzles and campaign to benefit the Autistic community, involving Autism Speaks and Autism Speaks Canada since 2016. For some autistic people, puzzles help calm and stimulate, so it is a wonderful fit. Prices range from $3.99 for a 200 piece puzzle to $7.99 for a 1,000 piece puzzle.

For older kids that like to capture life, or adults who are on the go, travelers, adventurers, or anyone who would like a virtually “accident proof” camera built for life, check out GoPro. The new HERO7 Silver camera is basically the best priced holiday gifting camera. It features all the high-quality 4K video and 12MP photo, as well as GPS, voice control, electronic image stabilization, and more.

At $299, HERO7 Silver gives you performance at a doable price. It goes where you go, underwater, into mud runs, ziplining, downhill skiing- you name it. Videos and photos are detailed, and you can opt for ultra-long time lapse video in 4K, as well as slow-mo in 2x or short videos that are easy for sharing.The Short Clips feature captures 15 second clips- easy as that. You can zoom, get selfies, burst shots, use a timer, and so many more features. Did I mention that (of course) there is an app for that? If that’s a little too expensive for you, the $199, HERO7 White is another option that still gives you tons of options for less money.