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 [&hellip
Toy Fair Archive
It was a cold, but clear day in the Big Apple. With a fresh coating of snow on the ground, it was a fitting start to a trade show known for its brightness amidst the cold. We spent the day yesterday in NYC at the annual Toy Fair, checking out all the new playthings kids will be clamoring for later this year. With a comfortable pair of shoes (errr, make that snow boots), camera and trusty pad and pencil, we were ready to roll! To kick off the festivities, we attended a press conference spotlighting none other than Grammy award-winning artist Alicia Keys. (Yes, she’s as stunning in person as you might imagine, if not more). She was on hand to talk about the release [&hellip
Nearly every Monday morning, my day begins with a pop. Opening up a new container of O.J. for my family’s breakfast involves fussing with that pesky juice tab–and some careful manipulation. If I don’t watch out, I’m liable to splash juice all over the kitchen counter, not to mention me! What exactly are these pull tabs good for, anyway? I finally got my answer when I saw the new Juice Tab Jewelry line from ALEX at Toy Fair earlier this month. These otherwise impractical do-dads have been fashioned into the latest crafting accessory for girls ages 6+. You’ll recognize the telltale tween icons in the button holes–from peace signs and hearts, to flowers and stars–and they couldn’t be any easier to put together. Just pull [&hellip
After an unseasonably mild day in the middle of February, my thoughts naturally turn to summer vacation. Each year, our family takes a week-long getaway by trading in the daily Long Island rat-race for a leisurely paced sojourn somewhere in New England. Last summer it was Gloucester, Mass. and the year before that, coastal Rhode Island (we tend to favor towns by the sea, if you hadn’t already guessed). As I peruse the myriad of family-friendly destinations up north, I find myself drawn to Martha’s Vineyard again and again. I love the idea of a place where my day is dictated by what beach I’ll swim in and what flavor of homemade ice cream I’ll be sampling later on. Thoughts of a great escape couldn’t [&hellip
Helping kids develop an ear for music is one of the great joys of parenting. Ever since my girls could utter their first words, we’ve been introducing them to the different sounds and singers whose music delights our listening ears. My 7-year-old knew her Billy Joel from her Frank Sinatra even as a preschooler, while my 3-year-old is just beginning to identify a saxophone vs. a trumpet. We’re not surprised then that Symphony in B., a new musical toy that we saw at Toy Fair last week, has taken center stage. Following a shape sorter concept, mini maestros can place any combination of up to six miniature musical instruments (from a total of 13) in their corresponding slots, select the type of music they’d like [&hellip
Blame it on the leftover Valentine’s Day candy lurking around our house, but we couldn’t help but notice the colorful confectioneries staring us down at Toy Fair this week. Everywhere we turned, there were sugary snack-inspired playthings that made our mouths water and our smiles widen. While we expected to see sweet treats in the crafts and pretend food categories, we never thought candy would make its ways into building toys. But what a sight for sore eyes it was! Like a kid in a candy store, we couldn’t get enough of Candy Construction, a 92-piece building set for ages 4-8. Plastic pieces in the likeness of chocolate bars, starlight mints, peppermint sticks and other classic dime-store candies make for vibrant houses, buildings and more. [&hellip
The lucky mom that I am, I am treated to a musical serenade by my 3-year-old every afternoon. She pounds…er, plays on her kitty keyboard like there’s no tomorrow. It’s quite possible you have seen the offending musical instrument that I’m talking about: an orange-hued Cheshire cat that grins from ear to ear with a row of piano key teeth. My preschooler can’t get enough of this thing, and our ears (and forever-hiding family cat) are proof of her “music-making.” As much as I jest and sometimes cringe each time I hear her striking up the band, I secretly delight in her unabashed merriment in playing and singing along off-key. Her 7-year-old sister also partaking in the joy? Not so much… Maybe it’s because she [&hellip
These days, we’re hard-pressed to find a family with kids under the age of 5 who don’t own some toy made by Melissa & Doug. Be it a wooden puzzle, a pretend pizza-making kit or a craft set, many of the mom friends we know with young kids are familiar with the brand name and are more than impressed with the quality of their selection. One of our favorite lines under the Melissa & Doug umbrella is the backyard-focused Sunny Patch, a fresh-faced collection of gardening toys, sand/beach gear and rainy-day accessories. Now, we can really get the outdoor party started with the latest extension to the Sunny Patch line: Pool Party, featuring nearly 30 different toys and activities to keep kids entertained while in [&hellip