Toys (9)
Shopping for toys will bring out the child in you! What fun it is to reminisce about the toys that you used to play with when you were young. This category on Toys will help you in finding out what the latest fads are in toys, what is popular, where the best deals are, ideas for gender specific toys, and much more.
Best Lego Games for Kids
Written by DeMerchant
Lego games have become very popular particularly among kids. Unlike Lego sets, these games have to be built first before you are able to enjoy it. Aside from being fun to play with, Lego games are also ideal for kids as it helps develop their motor and analytical skills. There are different types of games in the market. If you are thinking buying one but not sure what to get, these are some of the best Lego games for Kids.
One of the most popular Lego games is the Lego Minotaurus. The players should be able to make their way through the labyrinth and successfully reach the secret temple while avoiding the Minotaur. It is an exciting game that the entire family will definitely have fun with. It has been particularly developed for kids aged 7 and up. The Lego Minotaurus Game collection features 211 pieces and 12 mini-figures.
With the Lego Atlantis Treasure game, you will be able to have a great underwater adventure without getting wet. To win, you should be able to find the treasure while blocking other players and firing torpedoes at obstacles in your path. It involves strategies which is why it is not only fun but quite challenging as well. The Lego game is designed for ages 7 and up.
Lego Creationary Game is one that kids and families will not get tired of. It is a game that is quite common but what makes it great is that there are a lot of categories to choose from including nature, buildings, vehicles and other types of objects. If you want to develop your child’s creativity, this is an ideal Lego game. The package includes a mini-figure and 338 Lego pieces.
If your kid is interested in Harry Potter, you should definitely consider getting him or her the Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Board Game. With its shifting staircases and secret passageways, it has been intricately designed to allow kids to experience Hogwarts as they play the game. It is a family-friendly Lego game in which up to 4 players can challenge one another. It has a lot of great pieces and mini-figures making it the best gift for Harry Potter fans and collectors. This game is suited for kids aged 8 years and up.
Choosing the Best Razor Scooter
Written by janet
The Razor Company offers a number of different models for their line of high quality scooters. It can be difficult to know exactly what to look for when deciding how to choose a razor scooter. However, there are some distinct differences that can help one to decide.
The A model is the original Razor product. It features an aircraft-grade aluminum body, rear brakes, a folding mechanism, 98mm urethane wheels, and ABEC-5 bearings. This was followed up by the AW model, which carries all the same features plus a wheelie bar.
Due to the enormous success of scooters at the turn of the century, Razor followed up with the A2. The A2 features everything the AW has plus a spring-less front wheel shock absorption system. The A3 came next, offering everything the A2 has plus larger, 125mm wheels. The even larger 200mm wheels of the A5 Lux allow the user to roll a greater distance with each stride, giving it an exceptionally smooth ride. The Razor Pro Model features significant upgrades for the serious scooter rider, built and tested by professionals for durability. It has a double stacked head clamp, extra thick foam grips, and full board grip tape with a design implemented by Team Razor Pro-Rider Rickey Wernicke. This scooter is constructed to sustain wear and tear from the dedicated trick scooter rider.
The Ultra Pro and Ultra Pro Lo were also built for hardcore trick riding, but have additional features. They include an extra rigid down-tube and a double-welded deck for increased durability. They also come in two different sizes. Razor also issued a Razor A Graffiti model, which has the exact same features as the A model, except it also boasts flashy, graffiti-like graphics all along the aluminum. Another version of the A model is the Hello Kitty A model, which includes a pink body, Hello Kitty graphics, and a detachable coin purse.
The Cruiser Scooter is designed more for riding around then for tricking, and features a wood and fiberglass deck with wider edges for greater flexibility and more foot space. The 140mm wheels are also designed for joyriding. The Razor Carvr (pronounced "carver") is the first skateboard/scooter hybrid, providing all the same features and functions as a regular scooter, but with two smaller 62mm wheels instead (the front wheel is 125mm). This model allows the rider to cut into turns, and also has a dual rear foot brake.
The Spark scooter features a unique spark bar at the rear of the scooter, which can be pressed down to leave a trail of sparks in your wake as you ride. It even comes with a refillable spark cartridge. Finally, the Spark DLX has everything that the Spark has, except it comes with full deck grip tape and light-up LED wheels for an awesome display at night. The Razor company also offers a number of other products, including caster scooters, electric scooters, and pocket rockets.
You can find out more at The Top Ten Best Razor Scooters or Cheap Razor Scooters for Sale.
Image by Mr Jan
Best Toys For Toddlers
Written by StrathyBecause of these attributes some of the right toys for toddlers are cause and effect toys, action toys, and toys toddlers find challenging. So, among the right toys for toddlers we would find things like push and pull toys that make noise, ride-on toys without pedals, puzzles, stacking blocks, big lightweight balls, pop up toys, bath toys, shape sorters, musical toys, crayons and paper.
Here is a list of some specific toys for toddlers.
There are many eco-friendly toys available for toddlers. Among them are handmade plush toys such as play food items. These are a great option when looking for toys for toddlers. They often are made for children of that age and do not contain small parts that can be a hazard. Look online for plush toy food items like the crocheted donuts shown above.
Mega Bloks 80 Piece Maxi Bag is one of the good toys for toddlers. It is a collection of basic building blocks. They are colorful and durable. They challenge your toddler to use his or her imagination in building things. They are very good for developing hand-eye coordination and grasping and stacking technique. Mega Bloks are simple and fun.
The Corn Popper by Fisher price has been with us for quite a while and it is still one of the best toys for toddlers. It’s a push toy with a handle and toddlers walk behind it. The walking motion causes the little balls under the clear dome to pop. You’ve seen it. You probably had one. It is a very sturdy toy and excellent for developing walking and balancing skills, if you can handle the noise!
Leap Frog makes the Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set. It is an educational toy that you stick to the refrigerator. Interactive magnets form the shapes of the alphabet and a letter reader attaches to your refrigerator. Children learn to recognize the shapes of letters. They don’t realize that they are learning the alphabet while playing this inventive game.
Neurosmith Musical Blocks come with a unit and cartridges. The musical blocks are inserted into the unit in order to play a musical piece. Turning the blocks and changing their position causes changes and variation in the music. Among toys for toddlers, this one is a challenging toy that very markedly teaches cause and effect.
One can’t finish without mentioning Fantasy Land Wooden Blocks by Haba. These are your classic wooden blocks in vibrant colors. This is among the very best toys for toddlers. Wooden blocks are a classic toy and something all toddlers must have. They stir the imagination and they are a classic, timeless toy with which every child in the world relates. You can find wooden blocks as toys for toddlers going as far back as you could imagine. Wooden blocks are one of the few toys every child in every country has in common. You cannot think of toys for toddlers without considering wooden blocks.
In summary, when shopping for toys for toddlers be sure and look at only those toys which are made for that specific age group. That way you will be less likely to deal with any hazards. As well, whenever possible try and find toys which have an educational quality to them. Teaching children something important at a younger age they are more likely to retain it. Lastly look for toys that are colorful and attractive and fun to play with. Kids will gravitate to bright, colorful and cheerful toys!
Try These Girls Toys For Your Daughter
Written by StrathyDolls
Of course it goes without saying that girls love dolls. So girls toys that include dolls have to be discussed. Instead of buying a mass-produced doll, why not try and make one yourself. Or, have the Grandma do it if she is the more accomplished seamstress. When making a doll, involve your daughter in the process. Take her with you to the pattern store to select the doll pattern she likes best. Or, better yet, get her to draw a doll and then have the adult develop a pattern from that. Allow her to choose the hair color and the clothing fabric as well. It will mean more to the child to have a doll she helped to make than a doll that was purchased from the store. It will be something she will treasure for years to come.
Books
Photo Story Junior is really practical as a boys or girls toys selection. It is a kit, through which your child can create his or her very own book. Your child is the author, illustrator, and photographer of their very own book that the manufacturer will publish and bind. The kit includes everything from the tape to adhere photos to marking pens, and the envelope and pre-paid postage to send the manuscript in for production. If your child prefers, Photo Story junior can also be used on the Internet.
Crafts
Strictly a girls toys selection, Girls Crush Hair Beader kit will keep your daughter busy beading her hair with the special beading machine. It only takes a few strands of hair placed gently in the beading machine, and a pull on the trigger to have instantly beaded hair. This is a favorite girls toys selection.
The Aqua doodle is one of the best girls toys for moms. The Aqua doodle is a mat that children can use for doodling. They doodle and draw with a special water-filled magic pen. The drawing magically appears on the mat, then dries up and disappears. This is drawing with no paper, no mess, and no clean up. No wonder it is a parents’ favorite among girls toys. I can personally attest to this toy as my two year old daughter uses it. The mess-free aspect of this toy makes it perfect for in the car.
Barrel of Crafts is another favorite among girls toys if strictly for the variety it provides. It literally is a barrel of crafts items, featuring pom poms, feathers, chenille stems, clay, craft sticks, wiggle eyes, foam shapes and sheets, dough cutters, buttons, spangles, rainbow cord, sequins, pony beads, and glitter glue pens. Your little girl will have hour and hours of fun making her own imaginative creations from all these crafts materials.
Play Toys
The Paint and Pretend Mini Tea Set is one of the best keepsake toys for girls. It’s a mini tea set with unfinished teacups, teapot, saucers and cream and sugar dispensers. Your little girl gets to design and decorate the entire set with the paints and palette provided. Once the paint has been applied, the tea set can be baked in the over to make the paint set. Your daughter is left with a play tea set personally designed and painted by her own hand. The set is very durable and should provide years of tea party use long after the paint has been applied.
The Easy Bake Real Meal Oven is the latest rendition of one of the classic girls toys of all time. Your daughter can bake pretzels, chocolate chip cookies, macaroni and cheese and more. These are meals that she can enjoy and even the family can help to eat. The oven is safe for use by small children and the food is real, and it tastes pretty good, too.
While we realize that we have described these as girls toys, we recognize that some of these toys are just as much fun for boys as well, so be sure to include them in playtime too. Have fun shopping for the little girl in your life!
Cheap Toys Your Kids Will Enjoy
Written by StrathyMake Your Own Cheap Toys
Of course, you may not even need to spend a cent if you make your own toys. This is probably the best way to get cheap toys. Some ideas would be to make a sock puppet, make a little diorama or scene out of a box, sew a costume, make a boardgame or even make some snowglobes.
The teddy bears at left were made using felt scraps and other bits of things found around the house. You can easily draw your own patter up. Kids toys don't have to be perfect - just think colorful!
There are many DIY articles online that will help you make cheap toys. Have a look around and check for supplies in your cupboards and you may be surprised with what you can come up with.
Dollar Store Cheap Toys
Be sure and check out your local dollar store for cheap toys. You can find toys for $1 a piece and it is a good opportunity to stock up. Buy a small selection of cheap toys and keep it in a cupboard for when a surprise birthday comes along or another occasion that you wish you already had a gift to bring along.
Second Hand Cheap Toys
When yard sale season rolls around, this is one of the best places to look for cheap toys. People are in the mood to clean out their houses in the spring and more often than not, if they have children in the house, they will be apt to get rid of toys... and cheaply. Year round, be sure and check into thrift shops and charity shops. Things can be had for very cheap there.
Other Cheap Toys Ideas
Morph-O-Scopes are a really great selection for cheap toys. They are basically distorted coloring pages. They come with a cup shaped mirror that you set on the page to bring the objects into clarity. These things are fun and entertaining and kids love to do the reveal with the mirror.
Joining the Morph-of-the Month Club is less than ten dollars and you get links to ten morphs, a mirror, crayons, and links to new morphs. This toy promotes concentration and imagination in kids six to fourteen.
The Zolo Ha Ha Mirror and rattle is a cheap toys selection for babies. Babies enjoy looking at themselves and playing with rattles. Here are two for the price of one. Zolo Ha Ha Mirrors cost less then ten dollars.
The Star Fountain is a cheap toys bathtub selection. It costs around ten dollars and flashes a blue light as water shoots out the star in a sprinkler effect. It will be a hit with parents because it gets the kid in the tub every night.
Appleletters is a spelling game in a red apple case. Its one of the best cheap toys because its not only cheap, but educational as well. Children can play it like dominoes, only using letters instead of dots. It comes with other, more challenging, game instructions, too. Children really like the carrying case, also. Appleletters cost around seventeen dollars.
Rainbow Brushes are colored markers that you can snap together to write or draw in rainbows. There is a DVD in the introduction kit to show how to mark bright colored art. You can also get kits with dinosaurs and flowers. At ten dollars, it is one of the best cheap toys for the aspiring young artist.
The Play-Doh Burger Builder is one of the classic cheap toys, at under fifteen dollars. This kit includes five cans of Play-Doh, and a press to create onions, pickles, lettuce, and a brand new Play-Doh chip maker. Building the burger is pretty much intuitive.
Cahootie is a variation on the fortune-telling game kids used to play with slips of paper. The kit features eleven themes and forty reusable stickers, so the game is always different. It is always fun to tell fortunes, especially at seven dollars or so.
The Crayola Box of sixty-four crayons is only about five dollars and it now comes with a code for Crayola’s Lights, Camera, Color!, which is a new system they’ve created that turns family photos into coloring pages. You can get twenty-four hours of free uploading with the code. Lights, Camera, Color! Even allows children to add borders, backgrounds, and comic bodies to the coloring pages. This is probably the best cheap toys deal.
The key to finding cheap toys is to keep your eyes and ears open. Put the word out to friends and family of things that you are on the hunt for and they will also be aware of such deals to pass along.
Gormiti Toys
Written by Douglas BernardGormiti toys are the product of a card game. The card game has also been adapted into a television show. The characters are mirrored in toys that are sold. The settings of the game are a basic set of the different forces of nature. These include, a volcano type set as well as a forest, air, sea and earth set. The different characters have different powers and abilities based on whatever element of nature they represent.
The action figures are made in different types of forms. With different toys made by different companies there are slight variations to the ones you can purchase. Some of these different things might be light flashing capabilities or even interchangeable parts. There are also more advanced types of weapons that the characters can come with like rocket launching abilities. Countries other than the United States also sell their own personal line of these action figures. If you are purchasing these toys for collection purposes you 
might also want to do some research on possibly widening your collection to include the lines from other countries as well.
You can find Gormiti toys in a variety of different places. Various types of stores carry these action figures in stock but you can also find them online from many different sources. Online would be the best place in my opinion to shop. Not only can it be done from the comfort of your own home, or any place of your best convenience, and on your own time, you have many more options available to you. Whereas actually going to a shopping mall or store, it can be more of a hassle. The prices of the action figures vary depending on where you buy them and if you are buying a brand new, or used item. Generally, all figures bought brand new would be around the same average. The same goes for those that are bought in used condition.
Although, both the card game and the television show might be thought of as only for children, I think people of all ages can find enjoyment in Gormiti. One special and exciting thing about these toys is that they make a great gift item. Any one who is a fan of the show or the game would be interested in owning a toy modeled after a character in the show. Whatever the occasion, or even the location, Gormiti toys make an excellent suprise for the dedicated fan.
Battle Strikers Game
Written by Douglas BernardBattle Strikers is a customizable spinning top based game with a dexterity element that allows a player to control the spinning top. Two players control their own spinning top during a heads up combat match. The spinning top, otherwise known as a Striker, is controlled by a finger mounted device that allows a player control over the spinning top. The last of the three main components of Battle Strikers is a hand held energizer. The energizer has a docking bay for the Striker, a grip for the player’s hand and a trigger to charge and release the Striker.
To play, a player docks the Striker into the hand grip, energizes the Striker, and with careful aim, sets up the beginning sortie with the opponents Striker. At the same moment, both players depress the trigger and watch initial collisions between the two spinning gladiators. Once the Strikers begin their collisions, the players can use the finger mounted control devices to alter the movement of their Striker and unleash devastating attacks. The last Striker standing is declared the winner and a new match can begin.
To heighten the fun, the Battle Strikers game allows players to customize each Striker to their exact specifications in both performance and aesthetics. Each Striker is composed of 6 individual components that lock together to create the ultimate combat 
machine. Components include the Medallion, Core, Weapon, Armor, Tip and Lock. By mixing the components, a player can alter his Striker’s focus between offensive, defensive and control. There is no single configuration that will beat all others making Battle Strikers a game that will not grow old after a few plays.
In addition to the various Striker components altering the play of the match, each component comes with its own shape and color scheme. The combination of the different components creates a unique image as the Striker swirls through the arena. The game has a tendency to draw in onlookers as the battling tops slam into one another.
One key aspect of this game that sets it apart from previous iterations of the basic game design is that instead of sitting back and watching two tops bump into each other, players in this game are given the ability to actually influence the combat through control of their striker. The finger mounted device allows the controller of a Striker to out maneuver his or her opponent while setting up for the ultimate attack.
Parents can sit back and relax as the game features no offensive images or concepts. The game is created to be competitive without being detrimental to the player’s perception of the world. Battle Strikers is a fun, clean game that features competition between two or more individuals as they control their Strikers through match after match.
In the magical world of North of North, the land of Bella Sara and the Bella Sara Horses can be found. It is there the horses fly, have magical powers, participate in adventures and work to restore magic and beauty to North of North. Whether you travel to Bella Sara by board game, online gaming, home gaming system, puzzles or card collecting, Bella Sara offers numerous activities designed to focus on and promote self-love and inner beauty through entertaining and educational experiences.
After years of social work in Denmark with troubled youth, Gitte Odder Braendgaard designed Bella Sara - world of horses and the mythical adventures and games. The world was named for her daughter’s horse ‘Bella Sara’. The intent of the game is to be a positive influence and to promote self-love and self-worth through the use of horse families with horse-trading cards which have reinforcing positive comments on each card. The games encourage social interaction, competition and responsibility.
Bella Sara’s board game, ‘Treasure Trot’, is played with official Bella Sara Horses Cards. The game contains 64 treasure cards, 4 horse pawns and an exclusive Apuni Bella Sara card. Treasure Trot has a two-sided board designed to enable play for different age
and skill levels. Additional cards are available by packs, boxes, holiday tins and singles. Trading cards are activated online for ticket awards - horses, horseshoes and prizes. Bella Sara merchandise has expanded to include novels, puzzles, memory games, stickers, lunch tins, figurines, miniatures, arts and crafts projects, scrap booking kits and party packs. Plush dolls are available of Bella Sara, Ancient Lights, Horses Inspired by Green and Roman Mythology. This collectible line of toys and games is recommended educational entertainment for children 5+.
Online adventures include caring for the horses. The horses are fed corn, have water troughs filled, their stalls mucked and naturally need groomed and loved. Responsibility for the care of horses is a reaffirming experience of self-worth for a child and rewarding in the land of North of North. Adventures and experiences are bountiful throughout Bella Sara’s World Map offered for exploration.
Whether you experience and explore Bella Sara online, by board game, card game, puzzle, art work, stickers, reading novels, collecting cards, etc. - the journey through Bella Sara is a magical experience for all children. Bella Sara Horses provide a perfect mode of transportation to an amazing playtime of flying magical horses.
Legos for Girls - Are They a Good Idea?
Written by janet
Should you buy your daughter, niece or granddaughter Legos for girls? We are all familiar with Legos, whether from our own childhood or from the enjoyment our own children or grandchildren get from this popular toy. But wonderful as these construction toys are they are aimed more towards boys than girls. If you visit the toy shop you'll see a wide assortment of Legos for building spaceships and cars, planes and castles but do they appeal to most girls? Of course some girls will like these but there are many that will feel left out. Although they are not stocked to the same extent by the toy shops you can find Legos for girls which may have more appeal.
If you look online you can find many more Legos made with girls in mind in colors that are more appealing to most girls than the often dark colors of those aimed at boys. A basic set of blocks can be found in pink and for those girls with brothers they can be especially suitable as they can be kept separate from the boys toys. There are many Lego sets designed for girls including a whole range of Creator Houses complete with furniture and mini figures for our daughters to play house.
This range includes a Beach House, a Dream Cottage and a Big Family House. Other location sets include Poolside Paradise and Belville Royal Summer Palace. There are a range of Princess sets including a Skating Princess and the Ultimate Princess Fairy sets. There are also Horse Jumping sets and some Princess sets that include horses such as the Princess and Horse set.
Little girls can have fun playing house and populating their play world with mini figures and tiny animals. Or visit the Beauty Studio or go on a Picnic Lunch! Legos for girls will help your daughter develop her imagination and the intricacies of some of these sets call for a high level of manipulative skill, so Legos can be educational as well as great fun. Don't let your daughter misss out on one of the most loved toys. Give her her own, specially designed Lego set and she can have as much fun as the boys have been having for many, many years.
