Reviewing Toys

Hasbro dropped me an email showing me their brand new YouTube video for their special summer event. Guess what it is? Ready? It is their campaign for the Toys For Tots this year and of course they have a Marine Drill Sargeant in the front lines.

Now what the video doesn’t tell you is that for every toy/game purchased between now and August 2 (my daughter’s birthday) they will match it up to $400,000. That’s a whole lot of toys for the Toys for Tots. Can you imagine the smiles on those little girls and boys? Even on the teens they will please this year? 

(more…)

Did you know today is Barbie’s Birthday? Barbie turned 49 years old today, the first launch of the fashion icon, Barbie, was in 1959. Some of us weren’t even born, while others joyful got the first doll on their birthdays. Were you one that got a 1959 Barbie doll?

Today, there are tons of Barbie dolls and accessories to choose from, but those very first years were very limited. The dolls were straight armed with a slight bend, legs that didn’t bend and a bathing suit. The dolls of course had the long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. The first dolls were created by co-founder of Mattel (like they are today), Elliot Handler. Actually it was his wife Ruth that came up with the idea after seeing her daughter playing with paper dolls. Why wouldn’t children want to play with a toy “barbie?” That’s the shortened version of the birth of Barbie.

Happy Birthday Barbie!

Barbie, barbie doll, happy birthday, birthday

By now you’ve surely heard of Monopoly, whether you played it as a child or have played it once you were grown. It’s a game of buying up real estate and seeing who can own the most places without going broke. It’s a great way to show kids the reality of money and how taxes are added up and even how some are lucky in business while others go bankrupt.

There have been many versions of Monopoly created, from movies like Simpsons to the Electronic (with ATM card) Monopoly. Disney and Junior Disney Version as well as Transformers, Spiderman, SIMS and even the classic one.

Hasbro has decided to make yet another version, this one will be called, “Monopoly Here and Now : The World Edition.” But they need you to vote on the cities that will be featured on the board game. Head over to Monopoly and vote for your 10 favorite cities. You can even nominate your own town, even if its a rinky dink place no one knows.

Monopoly, Disney, Hasbro

A Texas Mom to twins thought of a really neat toy service. Before I get into that though I want to ask you a few questions and really think of the answer.

Does your child have a lot of toys?
Do they become uninterested in them after a period of time?
Do they still look new?
What do you do with your child’s old toys?

Every year parents are stuck with going through their children’s toys, either during the spring or later in the year near the holiday season. Why? Parents like to take out broken toys or make room for more toys. I’m a crime of this myself, however I have four children and tend to hand down toys to the younger ones. Thankfully the toys are never torn up, if they are they are headed for the giant green bin outside.

(more…)

This year I plan on going to one or two toy fairs, last year I missed them as I didn’t know the dates. So, whether you are a parent or someone that likes to stay on top of toys here’s a list for you.

Event: Toy Fair 2008
State: New York
Date: February 17-20
Where: 7 West 34th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues

Some exhibits that will be there are: Discovery Toys, Hasbro, Books-a-Million, inc, Estee Lauder, Disneyland, EduPlay, Fancy That, Little Treasures, Little People Company, Gottschalks, Hastings Entertainment, Happy Toys,

(more…)

It seems that every week there is a new toy being ripped off the shelf because of another toy recall. Just in time for the holidays? Are there any toys out there that are safe these days?

Shocking news to consumers as this time it’s a toy company that doesn’t have lead, instead it can be much more fatal. This time it’s a toy that consists of a drug…a date rape drug called gamma hydroxy butyrate. The beads in this toy are what is so harmful.

(more…)

The bad news is we have another Thomas the tank recall, but there is a bit of good news. If you happened to have one of these items, they will give you a replacement, plus a free gift. How great is that? Now, for all those worried parents out there, it seems that due to the NEW standards that is why the recall. Thank goodness, I know.

(more…)

Fisher-Price has sent out an email to all those that subscribe to their newsletter with an official statement from Bob Eckert this afternoon. With so many different recalls this week they wanted to be sure everyone knew they were on top of things and wanted to thank us for sticking by them.

Here is the copied and paste version I got in my inbox:

Don’t forget by clicking on the icon you’ll be able to enlarge the picture.

Toys, toys, recalls, toy recalls, fisher-price, Bob Eckert

Fisher-Price has called for a large toy recall of just about 1 million toys and 83 different products. Toys such as Big Bird, Elmo, Diego and of course Dora. It seems the toys were being made by a chinese vendor that somehow made them with lead paint in them.

Toy List: (I hope ya’ll don’t have these, but something tells me many of you will)

33662 Elmo Light Up Musical Pal
33663 Ernie Light Up Musical Pal
33664 Big Bird Light Up Musical Pal
34658 Elmo Stacking Rings
39038 Elmo Tub Sub
39054 Sesame Street Shape Sorter
87946 Elmo Keyboard
90267 Ernie Splashin’ Fun Trike
90609 Elmo Collectible
90611 Cookie Collectible
90612 Zoe Collectible
90613 Ernie Collectible
90614 Big Bird Collectible
90745 Construction Playset
93068 Elmo Boom Box
93107 Action Fire Engine
93307 Press N Go Elmo
93308 Rev & Go Cookie Monster
93492 Cookie Saxophone
93493 Elmo’s Guitar
93615 Splash Tub Puzzle
93780 Music And Lights Phone
B7554 Count To Beat Elmo
B7888 Shake, Giggle & Roll
B7987 Elmo in the Giggle Box
B7989 Silly Parts Talking Elmo
B9620 Dora’s Talking House
C6908 Dora, Backpack, Perrito Figure Pack
C6909 Diego Figure Pack
C6910 Swiper Figure Pack
C6911 Boots, Tico Figure Pack
G3825 Dora Talking Vamonos Van
G5112 Sing With Elmo’s Greatest Hits
G9717 Giggle Doodler
H2943 Grow with Me Elmo Sprinkler
H3343 Cousin Daisy
H3344 Birthday Dora
H5569 Elmo & Pals (Elmo, Cookie, Ernie)
H5570 Elmo & Pals (Elmo, Zoe, Big Bird)
H4187 Dora Figures in Tube
H4628 Water Fun Tote
H8236 Dora 3 Pack Figures in Tube
H8237 Blue 3 Pack Figures in Tube
H8238 Sponge Bob 3 Pack Figures in Tube
H9124 Chef Dora
H9125 Bedtime Dora
H9186 Giggle Grabber Ernie
H9188 Giggle Grabber Oscar the Grouch
J0338 Diego Talking Field Journal
J0343 Go Diego Go Antarctic Rescue
J0344 Go Diego Go Deep Sea Rescue
J0345 Go Diego Go Mountain Rescue
J0346 Go Diego Go Talking Rescue 4 X 4
J5935 Giggle Grabber Soccer Elmo
J5936 Giggle Grabber Chef Cookie Monster
J6537 Sesame Street Giggle Toolbelt
J6762 Queen Mami
J6763 Royal Boots and Tico
J6765 Prince Diego
J7983 Sesame Street Tub Pots & Pans
J9518 Sesame Street Giggle Drill
J9692 Dora’s Talking Pony Place
K0617 Twins Nursery
K3414 Diego - Talking Gadget Belt
K3571 Go Diego Go Mobile Rescue Unit
K3580 Fairytale Adventure Dora
K4139 Go Diego Go Dinosaur Rescue
K4140 Toucan Motorcycle Rescue
L0305 Dora Figure
L3194 Surprise Inside Diego Eggs
L3215 Sesame Street Elmo Jack-In-The-Box
L3488 Sesame Street Birthday Figure Pack
L3507 Sesame Street - Super Boom Box
L5202 Birthday Dora
L5813 Diego Tub Trike
L8905 Pablo & Pals
M0351 Dora Figures Dora & Kitty
M0352 Dora Figures Diego & Bear
M0524 Go Diego Go Talking Gadget
M0527 Sesame Street Giggle Doodler
M0732 Dora’s Talking House
M2051 Let’s Go Rescue Center
M2052 Fairytale Castle

If you have one of the recalled toy, you can exchange it for a voucher for another product of the same value. To see pictures of the recalled toys, visit http://www.service.mattel.com. For more information, call Mattel’s recall hot line at 800-916-4498.

toy recall, Fisher Price, recall, elmo, dora, diego, cookie monster, sesame street, lead paint

This is for all 451press READERS, only the readers not the 451press BLOGGERS.

Wanna win $300? If ya do read the instructions below and GOOD LUCK!

This is to the public:

If I had $300 dollars I would buy________.

What would you buy with $300? Or even $200 or $100? Now is your chance to find out! Comment on any 451 Press site during the month of August and you could win! Three comments will be chosen at random to win a cash prize of $300, $200 or $100. The more you comment the more chances you have to win. So start reading and let those fingers fly.

money, prizes, cash, $, 451press, 451 press