What do you get when you cross one irritable kitty with a worn-out trade show attendee? A good laugh! Indeed, it was smiles all around at the Gund booth during this week’s Toy Fair. Even if you were feeling a bit frazzled by the hustle and bustle of the show, it only took a glimpse of this plush kitty to turn your frown upside down. Not only were standard-sized plush friends on display, but now Gund is offering personalized key chains in the likeness of everyone’s new favorite feline. While Grumpy Cat was undoubtedly the star of the Gund’s show, we couldn’t help but notice some other sweet stuffed friends. Teach Me Curious George is perfect for the kindergarten-bound kid learning to button and zipper his own jacket. In the animated plush line, we couldn’t get enough of the Magic Fortune Monkey. A perfect slumber party companion, he holds a crystal ball and, when asked a question, offers up to 20 different predictions of the future. Who couldn’t appreciate a positive outlook these days? Helping make birthdays extra special is the Happy Birthday Bear who not only plays the infamous tune, but magically blows out a lighted candle at the end of the song. Amidst these technically-advanced soft pals was a line that stole our hearts: mini animals dressed in endearing Halloween costumes. Sweeter than candy!
As we made our way across the show floor, we were confronted by a horse of a different color…or should we say dino? A 15-foot tall, 10-foot long dinosaur constructed of illuminated Laser Pegs dazzled our eyes. Over 9,000 light-up pieces were assembled over the course of 600 hours…an amazing feat! Imagine how long it would take your kid to build one of these…
And last, but certainly not least on today’s posting, we paid a visit to LEGO‘s booth, a spot that was (not surprisingly) bustling with activity. If the LEGO Movie wasn’t reason enough to check out the new line of themed playsets, there was plenty of product in other categories, too.
Any kid who’s ready to graduate from Duplo building bricks to something a bit more advanced will be delighted by LEGO Juniors. Designed for ages 4 and up, this line features bigger modular pieces that are easy to build with and instructions to help kids get started. Over in the LEGO Friends area (one of our personal favorites) were some new additions. For anyone who thought there wasn’t enough adventure in the girls’ line, they’ll adore the jungle assortment. As for us, we want to move right into Stephanie’s Beach House. (How many more days until spring anyway?). Another brand that we think will be getting a lot of buzz is LEGO Mixels. Co-developed with Cartoon Network, this colorful line may be easy on the eyes, but they’re actually pretty tough. Kids will love to mix and match these characters as they defend themselves from their opponents, the colorless Nixels. We think Mixels have just the right combination of fun and fury for building enthusiasts.
Stay tuned for more new toys tomorrow!
