©Patch Products

The traveling season is upon us and whether we are leaving for a weekend or a week, Gavin always has his bag of toys and games. It can sometimes be a challenge to pack a lot of fun into only 1 bag though, and in all honesty, I never bring many of his absolute favorite toys with us because I don’t want to worry about replacing them if pieces get lost along the way, so I look for some fun but inexpensive additions.

Patch Products is a family owned company headquartered in Wisconsin. One of my favorite Patch Products is the Lauri Pegboard. Recently they sent 2 of their new Big Little Games for review, Spurtle Turtle and Flingin’ Frogs. These are games recommended for kids ages 3-4 and up, but I’ve had fun using them with the kids at school up through first or even second grade if multiple kids, especially different ages, are playing together. The price points of these games are around $8.99, so they are also great birthday gifts for this age group.

Flingin’ Frogs includes 12 plastic frogs, that when you push down on the back with your index finger, they will fly towards the lily pad if you can figure out how to flick your finger just right. All of the pieces of the lily pad come apart and store with the frogs in the container. There are numbers on the lily pads to keep score. There’s a little bit of a learning curve on flicking the frogs, so some kids have been initially frustrated, but have welcomed the challenge to persist. I’ve found if you place this game in front of a wall for young kids who are struggling with landing them on the lily pads, the wall is a great rebound surface and many kids have had more success that way.

Spurtle Turtle is a token matching game with cute sea creatures. All the tokens are placed inside the turtle. By pushing the button 2 tokens will fly out. The child then has to turn them over and look for a match. If they don’t get a match, they put the tokens face down on the table and it includes a memory game as well. Spurtle Turtle’s button was a little sensitive and it if it’s not pushed with just one finger, fairly quickly, the pieces often jam in the bottom stalling the game play. The kids were so excited to bang the button, pieces were flying out everywhere and on flat floor surfaces, let’s just say the memory game became hide and seek! For younger kids who need less steps, place the tokens inside the turtle picture side up and they won’t have to worry about flipping them, they can just quickly look for matches.

What games will you bring on your family vacations this year?

Patch Products provided these toys free to facilitate this review, the opinions are my own.

©Kristins Gifts

Learning the letters of the alphabet can be difficult for some and easy for others. Some kids love letters, while others want nothing to do with them, leaving their parents angered and frustrated on how they are going to master this critical life skill for reading and writing. Many parents often tell me how their children don’t like to sit with them and work on pencil and paper tasks but they will with their teachers and other professionals. So my little nugget of information in this area is to find a tool that is not always pencil and paper and combine it with activities kids like to do.

These Alphabet Smart Blocks by Kristin’s Gifts have found a permanent home inside my OT bag. These small yellow interlocking blocks have various uppercase letters, numbers, punctuation marks and blank spaces. I’ve essentially got 1 bag of portable educational toys and games that I can modify for a variety of age groups as I travel from building to building throughout the week working with kids ages 4-14.

The blocks also come with a Writing Trainer which is a tracing template for both print and cursive where children can use a pen in the plastic template and trace the letters for kinesthetic multi-sensory learning (pictured in pink above but mine is yellow). I’m personally not a huge fan of tracing unless you immediately follow it up with the child trying to make the letter on their own right after. Tracing your letters and templates without reinforcing the actual skill for some kids becomes nothing more than a dot-to-dot activity where they live for the next clue. The cursive template looks to be crafted from a D’Nealian type handwriting program. Check with your child’s school to find out what their curriculum is so you are consistently teaching them using the same language and stroke formation of the instruction they are receiving from others . None-the-less, while I’m not the biggest fan of the Writing Trainer, the blocks in this pack have been an amazing tool for me and the kids fight over them.

These are some of the fun activities I’ve done with the Smart Blocks letters:

-For preschool aged kids and Kindergarten students learning letters, hide a select few around the room that make up their name and see if they can find them, then sequence them in order.

- You may need to write their name for them to match first before and eventually see if they can do it on their own. Mix in different letters over time and see if they can differentiate what’s in their name or not. Then work to adding their last name.

-The empty spaces in these blocks are great to teach older students (Kindergarten and First Grade) about leaving spaces between their words and punctuation

-The numbers can also be used for recognition, just like when learning the letters for a child’s name, or then configured for some multiplication, division, addition and subtraction problems

-I use them a lot for kids who hate to write, they voice their answer to me, we craft the sentence using the blocks, then they copy it on to the paper from this as a model

Don’t go looking for these in stores, you can purchase these online direct from KristinsGifts.com, Overstock.com, flash sale sites and places like Zulily.com.

What ways have you creatively helped your children to learn about letters and numbers?

Kristins Gifts provided this item free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

©LEGO

Have you thought about buying LEGO’s for your child or as a gift? I can’t believe how many kids love to construct with LEGO’s. I said it before when I reviewed the LEGO Duplo Creative Sorter, my son sits with my LEGO media kit binder, flipping through it like it’s the Bible, consuming every picture, asking questions and commenting on the characters.

Today I brought the LEGO Duplo My First Build Kit into school. LEGO Duplo’s are larger blocks, geared for younger builders ages 1 1/2 to 5. I decided I’d give it a whirl and use it with a few kids, all boys, 2 seven-year-olds and a 6-year-old. I took a chance giving it to 3 kids out of the suggested age range, but they all really enjoyed their time with the kit. I was shocked in all honesty, that I didn’t hear anything about this being for little kids or “babies.” I was more concerned with some of the comments they made about their ability to build with LEGOS.

This particular set is neat because it includes 59 multi-colored pieces, but there are 4 double-sided cards. One side has a picture of something that can be built out of the included DUPLO’s. The other side includes a step-by-step tutorial on how to make a different item. Kids can either follow the directions, or similar to the Creative Sorter, they can place the pieces on the card like a template. I’m a concrete learner, step-by-step directions and pictures are my best friends, and for some kids, this is also true. Others are imaginative and have the ability to create from scratch and wow you with their final product. So this feature alone allows 2 different types of learners or children with different skill levels to customize their experience and build at their level.

While we were building I started asking the kids questions about LEGO’s. 1 child reported he had one of the LEGO video games and that he had a Star Wars kit at home that he plays with, but that his father built for him. Another child,  stated, “I don’t have any. I’m not a good builder.”  Now my opinion might be swayed in that I was using this kit with children who are having some visual spatial skills at school. However, this got me thinking, in general, as a parent even though your child may have a specific interest prompting you to head to the store looking for pirate ships, Avengers characters, Star Wars sets, you name it, something big with loads of pieces that all their friends are asking for. But what if they don’t have the skills to build it? Meaning, what if they can’t follow the instructions, or they don’t have enough hand strength to push the pieces together? Even the kids I worked with today had poor awareness of their force, they’d push to hard, part of it would fall, bumping into another structure they had already built with a piece that would then fall off like a domino effect. Then comes the frustration and anger, turning something fun into a disaster.

Here were some ideas I had on how you can gauge your child’s ability level with LEGO’s and help them be happy, successful constructors.

- For kids in that borderline age range like 5 or 6, they are bridging between a Duplo and the regular sized LEGO bricks. If you are purchasing the smaller LEGO’s, opt for a smaller set that has fewer pieces to save on cost and really get a sense of how much help they may or may not need with larger sets, that is unless you are a closet LEGO loving adult who is happy to build all of the structures yourself!

- A few years ago I attempted to put together LEGO Ramses’s Pyramid with another child and we way underestimated how much time it would take to build the structure nevermind learn how to play the game included, so set a reasonable time limit, and complete the project in stages

- Many would say, searching the  floor or pile for the correct brick is part of the fun of the process, but for some kids, this can be completely visually overwhelming. Pre-sort the pieces and give them only the pieces they will need to follow each instruction, guiding them with verbal clues along the way for placement

-Switch off, they place a piece, you place a piece to share in the process and build stamina, what ever the case, allow them to place the first pieces and the last pieces so they can have a sense of initiation while finishing a project to completion

Do you have any strategies that are helpful when building with LEGO’s in your family?

LEGO provided this toy free to facilitate this review. The opinions provided are my own.

©Neat-oh

When you have a toddler, somehow everyone needs to and seems to learn a variety of clean up songs. Now I’d love to give credit where credit is due, but I have no idea who came up with these songs, so I will not take any individual credit but my favorite clean up song for kids is “Clean up, Clean up, everybody everywhere, clean up, clean up everybody do your share.”  Though I’ve also been known to sing, “This is the way we clean up our toys, clean up our toys, clean up our toys, this is the way we clean up our toys, when we’re done with playing.” Here are some great toy storage solutions to help in your clean-up process.

First things first, before you start singing, buy some Neat-Oh zip bins. These toy storage containers, zip up to form a box, but unzip to form a playmat. There’s a top cover that velcro’s the lid on and two carrying straps. Aside from some general themes like dinosaurs, princesses, farms, wild animals, they can also be purchased in a variety of licenses that include Barbie, Hot Wheels, and LEGO. It’s a great way for kids to learn to categorize and sort their toys, giving their clean-up a focus, sense of order and purpose.

Then go ahead and order yourself a Toydozer. This bucket with curved scoop allows both parents and kids a fun, fast way to clean-up. The curved handle attaches to the bucket with velcro for storage. Simply use the handle to push the small toys like blocks, cars, and lego’s into the bucket, then return them to your bins. This simple tool can help you clean up your playroom, returning all the small pieces to their respective bins much faster.

©MarchFive

Since it’s springtime, who’s reorganizing their playrooms and cleaning up and cleaning out? What are your must-have toy storage solutions?

Neat-Oh and Toydozer provided samples for review. The opinions on these products are my own.

If you would like to order a Toydozer, use the code BLOGGER20 at checkout for 20% off your purchase. There is free shipping to the US.

©LEGO

After my most recent visit to Toy Fair previewing the latest and greatest toys, I came home with a large spiral bound book of all the new LEGO toys for the year.  I’d love it if LEGO would do a research study to find out of the love and enthusiasm with these iconic construction bricks is somehow just built into people’s DNA, because my 2-year-old sits with the  press guide and looks at the pictures like he’s studying for a test.

Just due to my experience as an OT, I’m always drawn towards toys that encourage fine motor control and coordination, so when I saw the new LEGO Duplo Set, which is also a shape sorter toy, I was thrilled. However, what’s really unique about this toy for kids ages 1 1/2 to 5, is that what are also the shape sorter plates, are removable templates that teach kids how to sort by color, sort by shape and begin to build simple animals from  a step-by-step picture. I’m certainly creative, but when it comes to LEGO’s, I live and die by the directions. I’ve never been a drawer by any means, and I just am not skilled at free drawing and free building. Neither are some children, and that’s okay, we certainly all have strengths and weaknesses that make us unique individuals.

This set is great to grow with children as they develop in their thinking and problem solving skills. Small children can have the experience of stacking the blocks on top of one another, while toddlers and preschoolers who are ready for more of a challenge, but are looking for a recognizable end product or the structure of an activity that has a beginning, middle and an end, this is a great toy for that.

In terms of storage, all of the 23 pieces are stored inside the green bucket and all 3 templates stack on top of themselves and fit on the top of the box.  If you are using the templates, they are definitely best used on a hard, flat surface like a floor or a tabletop. Different than a traditional puzzle, the pieces will fit into the template on their sides which took my son a little getting used to. With a SRP of $19.99, it’s a great price point for birthday party and holiday gifts.

Do any of you have budding LEGO lovers at a young age at home to? For those of you with older children, when did their love for LEGO’s begin?

LEGO provided this toy free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

@TribePlay

These days it never ceases to amaze me how quickly my 2-year-old navigates our iPad 2. We’ve created a folder for him with all of the apps appropriate for his age, and he can already flip through multiple pages to locate it. I also can’t believe how “in-tune” he is to the icons on the screen, despite not being able to read, the “kid-friendy” apps seem to jump off the screen at him and his memory for them is incredible.

The Dr. Panda, Teach Me! app, developed by TribePlay, is an educational app for preschoolers (kids ages 2-5), that is compatible with the iPad and iPhone.  It is available in the iTunes store as both a full version ($1.99), and a free lite version.  After entering the app, the child is able to either chose a learning game or they can explore the different animal habitats (meadow, jungle, farm or arctic) by touching different animals or items in the environment, then wait for their unique animated response. Dr. Panda is a spunky and cute panda bear wearing a graduation hat who narrates the directions and provides positive reinforcement to kids by clapping repeatedly when they choose correct answers, while also letting them know they chose the incorrect response. Aside from English, the language of this app can be changed exposing children to other languages such as German, Dutch, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. The educational activities encourage children to learn about various concepts such as same, different, colors, 1:1 correspondence when counting, memory, matching and spatial skills with puzzles.

The few times that I tried to encourage my 2 1/2 year old to play with the app, he touched a few of the animals watched their responses, then promptly told me that he was finished, returning back to his folder in search of his favorite car and truck related books and apps. When I tried to encourage him to participate in some of the educational games, the concepts got challenging quickly and I think this was why, in part, he chose to move onto another app. Which is also expected for his age, he was randomly picking answers with trial and error, not always understanding the directions. One of my favorite features of this app though for young children, is that there are dozens of simple cause and effect responses children can see by just tapping the various animals and elements in each habitat. Though he is on the early end of the age range for this app, I think it is something that with time he will enjoy more as he is ready for more challenging academic concepts.

During the day I also work in a school system with children who are developmentally delayed and have various learning disabilities. Often times as rewards or when I need a minute to prep our next activity, it’s not uncommon for me to hand over my iPhone for children to access an educational app for just a few minutes. Two children at school played with this app and though they were older than the target age group, because of their learning challenges, the activities were very appropriate for their academic abilities. Both children were able to navigate the app and quickly identify where the game activities were positioned. One of the children loved the clapping and positive response that Dr. Panda provides after choosing the correct answer. When he returned the following week he asked for my phone to see the panda and began clapping in imitation, just like Dr. Panda.

What I like about this app in general is that the content is basic yet educational. Once you load the app within seconds the child can activate the content and the games are relatively short so it could be a great app to encourage kids to play to pass the time in waiting areas, car pool lines, etc.

I participated in this sponsored post campaign through Boston Parent Bloggers and was provided with the Dr. Panda, Teach Me! app for free as part of this opportunity. Though I have received compensation for my time, all opinions represented are my own.

©WOW

There aren’t many toy companies that you meet along the way that boast a ten year satisfaction guarantee with their toys, and that is the first “WOW” we learned about WOW brand toys at Toy Fair. Originally from the UK, these toy vehicles and playsets geared for kids ages 18 months to 5 years are now available here in the United States and distributed by the well known German puzzle company, Ravensburger. WOW brand toys are designed using classic themes, that will last through pretend play with multiple siblings and possibly even passed on from one generation to the next.

We received the Jurassic Jimmy toy vehicle (pictured left) for review. My son was “WOW”ed so much by this toy, he took it to bed with him for the first few days.  Jurassic Jimmy the caveman, drives his off-road vehicle, trailer and 2 baby dinosaur friends. There is even a large dinosaur egg that the dinosaurs fit inside and rests on the back of the trailer. The egg can can be hatched or opened and closed repeatedly. The trailer attaches to the truck using a magnet, so it was easy for my 2 1/2 year old to attach without any frustration. There were absolutely no stickers to attach on this product, which I loved. Once it’s out of the box it’s ready to roll. The car itself has a “push and go” friction motor, so it is a little loud when it drives, but it doesn’t take a lot of strength for it to drive far on carpet or wood surfaces.

The price tag did WOW me a little given that these toys generally MSRP for about $30.99 – $49.99, but they are well made, built on classic themes that won’t go out of style, and they do come with a 10 year guarantee.  One piece of feedback I have is that I wish the dinosaurs would fit in the driver seat of the car to expand imaginative play themes even further. Cavemen didn’t really drive cars in that era, so I don’t think it’s that far off base that the dinosaur could drive the car, too!

©WOW

©WOW

Additional WOW brand toys in this line include Ryan’s Road Trip (a 7 piece vehicle with towable tent), Casey Camper Van (an RV that pops open), Cupcake Chloe (Chloe’s bakeshop, delivery car, and removable cupcake), Whiz-Around Amy (5 piece play set that includes a pink motorcycle and sidecar), and Mario’s Pizzeria (8 piece playset that has 3 pizzas, vehicle and special oven).

Ravensburger provided this toy free to facilitate this product review. The opinions are my own. Click here for additional information on WOW Brand playsets.

©Hasbro

A few years ago, I remember walking the aisles of Target, and there at the end of the row was a giant horse toy, Butterscotch, who was literally a life size pony. This year in Fall 2012, Hasbro, again as part of the Furreal Friends line, is launching Baby Butterscotch.

This smaller version is a miniature pony that young girls can care for. Baby Butterscotch, has animated facial expressions, posable limbs, moves her head, blinks her eyes, and makes lifelike sounds. This Furreal Friends pony has sensors on her head, back and nose, so she responds in different ways. She is cuddly, nuzzles her owner, nibbles on her own carrot and makes snoring sounds when sleeping. 4 “CC” demo batteries, a toy carrot and brush will be included in the purchase. This toy will retail for $119.99 and be available in the Fall 2012.

Here’s a link to the video we created at Toy Fair, featuring the Furreal Friends Baby Butterscotch horse toy in action.

We are running a contest at ToyQueen for some Richard Scarry Busytown toys that you can receive in time to fill your child’s easter basket. The toys in this prize pack are recommended for kids ages 3 and up, all details are listed below. These mini-figures and plush toys are great stand-alone toys or accessories for the other Richard Scarry Busytown track system playsets.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here are some additional posts I’ve created in the past that include:

Easter Basket Ideas Without the Candy or Chocolate

Easter Basket Toy Ideas

Cookie Jar Entertainment provided free samples of the Richard Scarry Busytown products to facilitate this review. Any opinions are my own. These toys can be purchased at Toys “R” Us.

©Charisma

At Toy Fair this year, for the first time, we met with Adora Dolls. Adora dolls include some of the most beautifully handcrafted baby dolls that for boys and girls of all ages and races. The video highlights some of the different types of Adora dolls including the new Adora Giggle Time baby doll who arrives with a magnetic pacifier and baby carrier, as well as the Talking Dorothy Doll inspired by the Wizard of Oz, who is interactive, speaks 35 phrases and sings the Wizard of Oz songs.

Adora dolls provided a free Giggle Time doll to facilitate additional reviews. See my review of the Adora Giggle Time doll on the About.com Toys site.

Here’s a preview post I wrote here on ToyQueen.com after getting my first look-see at the LeapPad learning system almost one year ago.

What types of LeapFrog toys have you invested in for your children in the past? Many parents have told me their children have learned many of their letters and letter sounds by playing with their toys. Do you have any learning stories to share from your family with their unique toys?

If you haven’t already, please Like the ToyQueen Facebook Page and the AboutToys Facebook Pages. You can also follow me on Twitter as @ToyQueen and @AboutToys. If any of your friends and family members are looking for unique toys, I’d love for you to share my Facebook pages with them. Gaining more readership allows me to continue to write unique content and run fun contests.

LeapFrog provided a free LeapPad to facilitate my review. The opinions are my own.

©Neat-Oh

My 2-year-old, like many other boys I know, is a car nut. Maybe it’s because when we take a trip to Target, small cars make the best impulse buys for this age group because you can purchase them for $1.00. I never worry about losing them and because they are small enough to fit in Gavin’s coat pocket, they provide entertainment anywhere.  On several occasions I’ve  even found Gavin placing 4 or 5 of them in my purse before we leave the house. When we go for day trips to his grandparent’s house or on long weekends to other relatives these cars must come with us and he ends up filling his own bag to take along.

At Toy Fair, I met up with an amazing company, Neat-Oh, that designs some of the most innovative toy storage solutions for kids I have ever seen. Not only do these back packs, toy boxes, lunch boxes and travel totes functionally make it easy  to store and transport toys, many of them, like the Zip Bin Full Throttle Backpack unzip to make on-the-go play mats. Genius. This backpack was easily adjustable to fit my toddler with the two straps. It’s also not as bulky as most traditional backpacks, and the material is durable and sturdy so it doesn’t sag or become awkward to carry as some of the other custom cloth bags do. It’s also easy to wipe clean with a disinfectant wipe. There’s a great carrying handle strap at the top of the bag. There are two zippers located on the backpack, that make it easy to zip and unzip quickly. We have been able to fit several small cars (at least 10), a few diapers, a travel wipes container and a sippy cup in this backpack, it’s a fantastic diaper bag alternative and Gavin can carry it all on his own, making it a great toddler back pack.

©Neat-Oh

Neat-Oh also partners with several companies with regard to licensing, so if you child has a personal attachment to all things Barbie, LEGO, Hot Wheels, Dinosaurs, Cars, Farm Animals or Princesses please check out their very cool line of products at Neat-Oh.com.

Neat-Oh provided this backpack free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Spinmaster, the developer of these amazing new fashion dolls, is also the creator of the popular Liv dolls. The color schemes are so fun, but  the details of the clothing and accessories for these dolls are sure to make this new line a smash hit with young girls who love fashion and accessorizing.

Here’s a video we took at Toy Fair highlighting all the unique features of this amazing new fashion doll line, which includes a sneak peek of the La Dee Da Sweet Party Collection and some of the additional accessories available for purchase.

©HIT Entertainment

I have a 2-year-old-son who has a crush on Angelina Ballerina. I’m not kidding. He loves this show and actually prefers to watch these DVD’s more than Thomas the Train or Barney. It honestly doesn’t make me sad, because it’s the only opportunity to watch something a little more girly that isn’t focused on trucks and trains, so I’m not worried or upset in the least. Aside from appealing to young girls who love to dance,  Angelina Ballerina and the rest of the characters in this show have very cute English accents and the music and dancing incorporated into each show is very sweet and catchy.

The new DVD, Angelina Ballerina: Ballerina Princess will be available March 6, 2012 with a MSRP of $14.98. It will also be available on Digital Download and On Demand. The DVD is 61 minutes in length and is in English, Spanish and French languages.

Here is a synopsis of the DVD: Join Angelina Balleria and her friends for enchanting adventures filled with princesses, princes, kings and queens. Dancing their way through Chipping Cheddar, Angelina encounters a bad fairy, uncovers a Cinderella-like mystery, treats the king and queen to a regal performance and brings an epic tale to life on stage. 

The DVD has 5 short episodes. It  also includes a bonus feature, Agelina’s Stupendous Dress Up Game.

Aside from reviewing other Angelina Ballerina DVD’s, I also had the opportunity to review Angelina Ballerina Dance With Me Game, which young girls can practice isolated ballet moves and put a show on with their friends.

HIT Entertainment provided this DVD free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

@Disney

Minnie Mouse is a very well recognized household Disney character. Based on a popular episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, a new series of shorts entitled Minnie’s Bow-Toons  features Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck running Minnie’s Bow-Tique. The speciaty shop sells only bowties and bows.  In conjunction with this show, a whole series of toys that were developed by Disney Consumer Products debuted at Toy Fair in New York City. Little girls will enjoy new role play toys and accessorizing with one of the most recognized and well loved Disney characters.

Here’s a video from Toy Fair, highlighting some of the new toys from Disney’s Bow-Toons.

Video Transcription:

Announcer: You’ve got to watch. You don’t want to miss this.

Keri: Well, thank you.