©Thinkfun

I will not lie up front. I am a horrible artist. Awful. Always have been and I think I always will be. Though I can be creative in my job in different ways and I have other special talents where I’m more athletic in nature, I do think some people are just not blessed with drawing ability. I was so psyched when I recently found the game Morphology which uses actual objects to create pictures, because though I have enjoyed playing Pictionary with family and friends, I often wonder if anyone will be able to quickly decipher my horrible scribbles.

When Thinkfun contacted me to review their memory game Cartoon It! I was really curious to see how the children I work with would like it, since any type of drawing that’s challenging can prompt some type of forward flopping on the table, or pleas to play a different game.  Just like I know I’m a horrible artist, kids know their strengths and weaknesses, too.

So many children have difficulty paying attention to small details that they do not deem relevant and this game has been so great at really encouraging kids to look at and remember minor details.  This type of attention is really helpful for older children so they can learn to edit and proofread their written work, such as comparing a rough draft to a final draft. It also helps them to develop strategies to assist their memory. Some children will talk out loud about the features, others will use their fingers to trace the card and then look back at the features board to assign a sequence to help their memory. Either way, despite whether kids have a basic drawing ability or not, all of them have been successful with this game and request to play it each week, or multiple rounds in a row. I myself was only able to get 3 or 4 out of the possible 6 points when I first began playing the game, so it’s a great family game as well. To take the game even further, we have even used the character cards and drawings to develop stories featuring their character, by also giving them names, occupations and interests.

ThinkFun provided this game free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

©The Wish Factory

For those of you with “tween’s” or children in the 8-12 year old age group, it’s very possible there is constant chatter in your home about pop idol favorites like the blonde Australian, Cody Simpson. Working in the school system with many young girls right in this age group, their excitement and enthusiasm for these young rock stars is pretty apparent.  As parents, we are often looking for incentives for our children to work towards, whether it’s better behavior at home or a reward for good work at school. With younger children you might be able to get away with providing a small toy, while for older children it could be something like attending a sporting event or getting concert tickets.

Depending on where you live in the United States, Cody Simpson has just launched his Welcome to Paradise Tour throughout the United States and Canada for the month of February. Aside from the concert, The Wish Factory has launched Cody Simpson fashion dolls for young children to engage with during play.

Here at ToyQueen.com we will be giving away the 2 Cody Simpson dolls pictured here (above and below) to  2 different winners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I have not reviewed these dolls and have no opinion of the quality of this product. The Wish Factory has provided the dolls solely for this contest. For more information on the doll line visit www.thewishfactoryinc.com.

©The Wish Factory

Visit www.codysimpson.comfor more information about tour destinations. The dolls can be purchased at www.toysrus.com.

@Kenson Parenting Solutions

How is that my once sweet, lovable infant who went to bed so easily when I put him down and walked away has morphed into this tantrumming toddler, screaming at the top of his lungs who bangs the walls, shut doors in my face, then trashes his room by dumping all the books from his bookshelf on the floor? I’m mortified and horrified to think what he’ll be like as a teenager. What on god’s earth did I do to this poor child to have a 2 hour tantrum before bed that has him pushing me with two hands and screaming these words, “Go Away!” So I walk away. Then it’s “Come Back You!” “Lie Down You!” “Right there, you can see, he has no idea what it is he wants, I think he’s just over tired and just looking to control me.

Then, I proceed to scream at my husband from the top of the stairs during the whole incident that he better be “googling” how the hell to help this kid while I’m up there taking my nighttime beating physically and emotionally after working all day when I have very little left to give.

There are any number of things that may or may not have happened for us to be the recipients of Gavin’s new found ways of love these days. For sure the holidays definitely got us off our bedtime schedule out late at parties. He’s had multiple sinus infections, respiratory infections and a bout of diarrhea. A few days after Christmas, we transitioned him to a full size bed because he was climbing out of his crib like a circus act. And well, there’s the he’s just a toddler excuse. This is what toddlers do, this wonderful, I guess, thankfully normal stage of development where they are trying to become autonomous. Oh, one more. Since all his teeth are in, he’s definitely got to be growing.

So now that we’ve gotten through the excuses– I will say, parents, it’s so much easier and calmer to help someone problem solve this from the clinician side, being stuck in the trenches yourself does not allow for a lot of mental clarity, that I will say. So I called my best friend and toddler expert, another OT who works with this age group and bounced some ideas off of her to get back on track. Phone a friend people, you are not the only going through this, I promise.

Here’s the plan and though it’s not perfect, the tantrums are not 2 hours long anymore and it’s getting definitely easier. This routine may not work specifically for your child or family but it might spark an idea that will. Whatever the case, make sure to read about my reward chart secret weapon, that is the take home piece of this story.

- We needed to get back to a very structured bedtime schedule. I’ve started the bedtime routine at 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. to allow for more time and am trying to focus solely on him. I leave my iPhone downstairs so there are no temptations to “tweet, pin, or update my facebook status.”

- Being in winter we haven’t been doing regular baths to save time and my energy, but it’s definitely a routine with warm water and calming capabilities so we’re back to short, nightly baths.

-For safety purposes, we gated the door of his room with a First Years gate that he can not climb over. So if he’s mad I can come back and check on him without needing to go into the room.

-After bath we put on his diaper, he has a choice of his pajamas (only 2), and I’ve started a lotion routine. It helps keep his dry skin at bay and he seems to enjoy the massage effect.

-We actually go back down stairs after he’s in his pajamas, which may not be the best choice, but we bring his blanket and pacifier with us. Before, if we tried to stay in his room to do the entire bedtime routine he knew it was coming and the  behaviors escalated. I wanted to keep time in the room to a minimum, so he knows it’s bedtime and not playtime.

-Then here comes my secret weapon, the I Can Get Ready for School Chart (pictured above), which is a reward chart from Kenson Parenting Solutions. This company makes a whole host of customizable charts to help kids be rewarded with stars for their good behavior from daily routine charts, to getting ready for school charts, to potty training charts. They have different pictures that can be attached to the chart and there is a magnetic back to be placed on a refrigerator or metal door. It costs $9.95, much less than a sleep specialist.

-I pulled out several of the velcro squares. Clean Your Toys, Brush Your Hair and Teeth, 3 Blank Ones (1 for each book we read) and the Go to Bed/Stay in Bed square.

-We clean up his toys, then he removes the square and places it on the opposite side of the chart to indicate it’s finished. We brush his teeth and do the same.

-We dim the lights and sit on the couch together with his blanket. The 3 blank squares signify the 3 books we read. He has a special bag of library books and choses 1 book at a time. After each book is finished we move over the square. When we reach the time to Go to Bed square he moves it over and  we head upstairs.

-Once in his bed, I read one final story. His absolute favorite which is the same book every night, How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight by Jane Yolen. I leave only the hallway lights on when we read together, at this point I know it by heart, and he holds his special Lighting McQueen flashlight.

- He lies down on the pillow and I give him his pacifier and blanket. For some reason he started requesting months ago that I pat his bum, which I do, usually for a count of 10, then I kiss him goodnight, leave the room and shut the gate.

- I have joined the rank of every good parent and for successful diaper/dressing changes, and attempts at peeing on the potty, he gets an M&M as a positive reward.

Last night it took him almost 45 minutes to settle down and fall asleep but it was without any major tantrum incidents. I could hear him talking and he called for me a few times, but it was much better than previous nights. He is very rules oriented and structured, so the visual chart has been the best choice for us at this point.  This is the part of parenthood that is so hard, especially when you are tired and spent at the end of the day. Being consistent is the hardest thing to do, but a visual chart may help keep you both focused when you are both to frustrated for words. What ever you do, don’t weather the storm alone, because you definitely aren’t alone.

Kenson Parenting Solutions has provided these reward charts free to facilitate this review. The opinions above are my own with a little help from my best friend Debbie Beaulieu, a magnificent OT in Connecticut.

Mommy & Me Tech Segment on Better TV

Back in December I got a really fun opportunity to be part of a television segment on the Better TV show in New York City, which is hosted by Audra Lowe. The segment, sponsored by VTech Toys, discussed some concerns that moms like myself might have about introducing a young child to technology.  Brett Larson, a technology expert, was included in the segment to provide his view of what age is good to start exposing young children to technology toys.

The video itself is hosted on the Better TV site, so please view it by clicking this link:

Mommy & Me Tech with Keri Wilmot from ToyQueen.com

In case you might have older children, Tracie from Penny Pinchin Mom and Crystal from Simply Being Mommy were included in an additional segment on Better TV, that discussed how to include technology with multiple children at different age levels.

My travel expenses were paid for as part of this opportunity. I was not provided with any additional compensation. All opinions expressed in the video are my own.

©Disney

When Disney’s Beauty and the Beast first hit the big screen in the 1991, I was a freshman in high school. Even though you would think kids that age wouldn’t be interested in Disney animated movies, having a younger sister who is 12 years younger and whose birthday party theme always coincided with the release of the latest Disney movie (Lion King, Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Beauty & The Beast), there was no escaping it anyway. Honestly, I secretly loved being whisked away into these lands of far away tales, animation or not.

Since then, Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Belle from Beauty and the Beast have been two of my long time favorite Princesses. I brought the soundtrack tapes from the movie with me to college, learned how to play the theme song from Beauty on the Beast on the piano and saw Beauty in the Beast on Broadway during that time in my life, twice. To me the reason why these movies are so memorable is that Disney had begun to not only embark on some really unbelievable animation with even more enchanting story lines, the musical scores on the soundtracks were what allowed these movies to burn a permanent place into my long term memory.

Last week we were invited to a screening of the new Beauty and the Beast 3D. The little girl in me couldn’t wait to see it, but now, as the mother of a 2-year-old, I worried that my son might be a little to young for the story. I thought about not bringing him, but my husband and I decided that if it were scary he’d take him out of the movie theater, so I then directed my attention on how I might get a 2-year-old to wear 3D glasses.

The Tangled animated short prior to the movie was fast moving and very funny. We missed the first few minutes of it, but once we put the glasses on Gavin’s eyes for this, he was MESMERIZED. No joke, I was checking to see if he was breathing, he did not move for a second. The trailer for this short is embedded below.

Ruckus Media Group, a fabulous creator of great ipad apps for kids, has been producing a variety of children’s apps that are very interactive in nature, educational and many are based on some great traditional stories. You can read some past reviews on Tom Thumb, Pecos Bill, The Velveteen Rabbit and Chuck the Truck here.

A Present for Milo is an interactive storybook where children can follow Milo the cat on a chase after a mouse in his house. There are all sorts of interactive spaces where kids can touch different pictures in the book that come to life. Gavin’s favorite page is one of the first pages where it says, “Knock Knock Knock!” He will then start banging wildly on the iPad screen repeating it. With the flick of a finger kids figure out real early these days, they can easily turn the page. The only thing that’s hard with a toddler is that once they figure out the ability to activate different pictures their impulsive little selves rear their ugly heads and before you know it they are pushing the home button on the iPad and flipping back and forth between pages like crazy, at least driving me a little nuts. I did find this app to be a little sensitive on the page flip, but the interesting piece for me is how smart and resourceful even toddlers can be. Gavin has figured out that I can activate certain pictures on the page easier than he can and he’ll often take my index finger in his hand and guide it to a picture on the page that he wants me to help him with.

What I love about this book, which is why it’s great for toddlers and preschoolers, is that not only can it help them to learn some basic vocabulary, but it allows children to learn even more specifically about “cause and effect,” which gives them a sense of curiousity and control in their lives as they remember that by touching a certain place on the page, something happens, which causes them to do it again, again and again. There are great sound effects in this book with dozens of experiences on each page. This book is also great to teach kids about those hard to learn prepositions: in, under, across, through, and down. I won’t spoil the surprise of the story, but if you are looking for a real inexpensive birthday gift idea to share with your child on their birthday, this is a great book and app to help celebrate that special occasion. Apps are definitely way cheaper than actual cards these days, they don’t end up in the trash and can provide memorable and educational experiences for your whole family day after day.

Ruckus Media provided this app free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Fun on the Farm 2, which is 33 minutes in length, is the newest release from TM Books & Video. This DVD has expanded on some of the great concepts from the original Fun on the Farm DVD. Again, geared for preschool aged children, this DVD includes some new songs by James Coffey, that encourage children to learn about farming and farm animals. This video also uses fast paced videos of live animals and tractors, and like my son, I have no doubt your kids will continue to be amazed by the footage of some really cool John Deere tractors. Scroll down below for a video highlighting some of the great features of this new DVD.

To one lucky reader, we are giving away a free copy of Fun on the Farm 2. Please follow the instructions below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here’s a preview of the video:

TM Books and Video provided a media sample of the DVD to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

@American Innovative

This fabulous kids alarm clock called the Teach Me Time! Clock from Onaroo by American Innovative, is more than just any ordinary alarm clock. Aside from having a face that shows time the digital way, it also shows analog time, which is the traditional moving hands of the clock. This is such a great feature for older school aged children learning to tell time because they can have immediate gratification of seeing both times displayed. Though here’s my most favorite feature, the clock is also a dual-color nighlight. The LCD will glow yellow, but you can set the clock to turn green, when it is okay for your kids to get out of bed. Amazing, right? Great concrete feature for those older toddlers, like mine, that don’t understand the ability to recognize numbers and have no concept of time.

There is also a Teach Me Time! game with 5 different difficulty levels. A small button on the left side of the clock will display a random time in analog fashion. The button on the right, front side of the clock, will speak the time and also display it in digital fashion, so older school aged kids can practice telling time and self-check it.  For kids who have learned all these great skills, the clock is also a regular alarm clock where the left button functions as a 10 minute snooze button, while the right button silences the alarm. The clock comes with 3 different colored bezels to customize the color, which include blue, pink and yellow rings. The clock runs on AC power to the wall, but there is also battery backup available (2 – AAA batteries required, but not included). I know all of these features sound difficult to remember, but thankfully the parental controls are hidden on the back and a shortcut menu is included directly on the back of the clock.  This product is available for purchase through Amazon.com.

Lately, Gavin has been waking up really early in the morning, like 5 a.m. His internal alarm clock definitely doesn’t understand it when I tell him, “It’s too early, you’ve got to go back to bed.” I’m hopeful that the glowing green light will help us teach him how to stay in his room because the leap to the big boy bed is right around the corner.  I know as parents we’d all love to stay in bed until forever, but you may want to consider setting the clock to turn green, 5-10 minutes after the time your child typically wakes up. As they learn the concept and become successful with staying in bed, you can slowly allow for more snooze time!

I received a media sample to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

A year or so ago I received a DVD with a few episodes of what was then a new show for preschool aged kids called Chuggington. Both Gavin and I were hooked. Most kids are very familiar with Thomas the Train, and I was so excited to see a fresh new take on trains with Chuggington. Chuggington is the story of 3 trainee’s, Koko, Wilson and Brewster, who are growing up and learning all the tough skills of being good train engines. The music is upbeat and catchy. The episodes are short, about 15 minutes, which makes it a perfect time filler, without feeling like I’ve stuck him in front of the television all day. The lessons are practical and geared to preschool aged children who are learning to take turns and be good friends to others.

Even more exciting, Chuggington has partnered up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA.gov), to bring good traffic and safety awareness to children ages 2-7 and their family. Though Gavin’s a little young for understanding “The Safety Pledge,” their website has a lot of great interactive videos, activities and games that teach young children all about wearing their seatbelt, riding the bus, wearing helmets when using ride-on toys and crossing the street so kids can “Think Safe, Ride Safe and Be Safe!” As a parent and an educator, it’s always important to find ways to reinforce these skills to our children, without constantly feeling like we are lecturing. What better way to help them learn these skills in a fun way with some of their most familiar toys and characters. These activities provide a way for children to be able to practice and discuss these skills in a safe environment, so they can eventually learn to then generalize what they have learned into real life situations.

Here’s the PSA announcement:

Here’s a link to a review I completed on the Chuggington Die Cast Training Yard Playset with Loop from Learning Curve.

Here’s a link to the Chuggington Safety Site for more information.

We have received a free Chuggington DVD and promotional materials regarding this initiative. Any other opinions are my own.

Call us crazy, yes, we were the ones who brought our 26-month-old son to a 7:30 p.m. show in Boston. Right now he is our only child, and we have tried our best to not pass up new or different family experiences, even if they directly coincide with his bedtime. So we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best.

When I asked Gavin this morning about our visit to see the Rockette’s, his response in one-word toddler order, as he paused to think was this, “Santa … HoHoHo … school bus … reindeer … dancing!” Aside from the fact the show had a red double decker bus instead of a school bus, I’m pretty sure it left a long-lasting impression on his memory.  For the entire show, minus a few minutes before intermission and the last few minutes of the show, he was completely mesmerized during the 12 scene, 1 hour and 45 minute show.

I don’t know why I assumed this, but I figured that most of the acts would feature only the Radio City Rockette’s, number after number. I was hoping at some point Santa made an appearance, but figured that it probably would be like all the parades we have gone to, that he’d ride in at the tail end in some grand fashion, do a brief wave and keep on his merry way. Honestly, this show is completely magical and had so much more to offer than what I could have ever had imagined.

Santa was in the picture from the first act and made multiple appearances throughout different acts in the show, even starring in several himself. Given the fact that he’s pretty much one of the only things that my 2-year-old associates with Christmas today, Gavin was so excited to see him each and every time time he appeared.

The Rockette acts were amazing. Watching so many women choreographed in the utmost precision, is quite an experience. Aside from the dancing, this show provides a nice overview of all things Christmas. There was an adorable Nutcracker scene with an enormous Christmas tree and a lot of dancing bears, but one of our favorite scenes included the Rockette’s boarding a double-decker bus on stage. Coupled with the full size screen behind the bus, it gave the illusion that you were driving along with them through Rockefeller Center and the streets of New York.

The intermission was brief, only 15 minutes, which honestly felt like an eternity with a busy toddler. Prior to the start of the show we attempted to take a picture in the theater and were immediately reminded no pictures were allowed. When “tweeting” our whereabouts prior to show as well, we were also reminded that cell phone use was strictly prohibited. There was really only one place in the show that brought a little bit of a lull, as they showed a brief movie about the Rockette’s history. Most likely this lended itself for one big set change because it preceded The Living Nativity, which through no fault of their own, it was just late enough in the night to start Gavin’s downfall.

So many holiday experiences these days are watered down and removed of any biblical affiliations to appeal to the holiday masses. The Living Nativity scene, which included real camels, donkeys and sheep, along with Mary, Joseph and the 3 Wise men, really brought to light the real reason, as a Christian myself, why we celebrate this gift giving season. I’m so thankful my family had the opportunity to view such an entertaining and magical show, for us to see the excitement and awe through our toddler’s eyes will make this truly an unforgettable experience.

From now until December 12th, 2011 I’ll be giving away 4 tickets to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Featuring the Rockette’s in Boston, MA with a meet and greet, scheduled for December 28th, 2011. Click on this link to view the post and read about how to enter the contest. If you would like to purchase your own tickets, there is a discount code available in the same post, that will provide 25% off during off peak performances.

I was provided with free tickets to view this show with my family. The opinions are my own.

Thomas the Train Holiday Favorites 3 DVD Gift Set Includes: 

©Amazon

• Thomas & Friends: Merry Winter Wish – “Thomas has a special delivery for the holidays – the festive and magical Star of Knapford! From building snowmen and preparingholiday surprises to attending the Misty Island Christmas party, the more the merrier. So join the fun and celebrate the season when wishes really do come true!”
• Thomas & Friends: Ultimate Christmas- “Experience the joy and magic of the holidays with this speical collection of Christmas favorites from Thomas & Friends. From Jack Frost sightings to acts of Christmas kindness and much, much more, all of the fun arrives just in time for holiday celebrations!”
• Thomas & Friends: Holiday Express – “All aboard for an unforgettable holiday! Whe you ride the rails with your jolliest firends, you can expect exciting adventures filled with surprise parties, adorable snowmen, lucky trucks and much, much more! Join Henry, Emily, Percy and Thomas for trainloads of fun and festivities! 

©Amazon

Shaun the Sheep: We Wish Ewe A Merry Christmas – “‘Tis the season to be wooly with Shaun the Sheep and his farmyard friends. Frolic with the flock as they decorate the farmhouse for the Farmer, watch Bitzer and Pidsley batle for a spot by the fire, join a massive snowball fight and much much more in these seven hilarious episodes from an Oscar-winning creator of Wallace and Gromit.”

Barney Holiday Favorites 3 DVD Gift Set  Includes: 

©Amazon

• Barney: Night Before Christmas  - “Barney and his friends spend the most wonderful time of the year on a magical journey to the North Pole as very special guests at Santa’s Workshop. With music in the air and laughter everywhere, it’s a dream come true as Santa unveils a holiday treat – his secret toys for Christmas”
• Barney: Christmas Star – ” ‘Tis the season to be jolly with Barney and his friends! The festive fun begins with a joyful journey to find a shiny gold star for the Christmas tree and includes loads of magical, musical merriment along the way.”
• HIT Favorites: Frosty Friends - “Bundle up with your favorite preschool pals in these playful wintertime tales. Learn the true meaning of Christmas with Barney, build a snowman withBob, go sledding wiht Kipper, whistle down the snowy tracks with Thomas and laugh along as Pingu plays hilarous tricks on his winter-wonderland friends.”

©Amazon

Even more exciting, I am arranging a contest here at  ToyQueen.com, where 1 lucky winner will win 4 tickets to the RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR starring THE WORLD-FAMOUS ROCKETTES  at the City Performing Arts Center-Wang Theatre in Boston on Wednesday December 28th at 5 p.m. The contest winner will also receive a Meet and Greet prior to the show with the World Famous Radio City Rockettes! If you would like to buy your tickets, scroll down further in this post to see a 25% off discount code.

Here are some of the details of the show, “This year’s show features brand-new scenes and songs, spectacular new sets, dazzling new costumes, an amazing 50-foot LED screen, and an unforgettable new finale! You’ll marvel at the incredible precision dancing of The Rockettes® in beloved scenes like the legendary “Parade of the Wooden Solders” and the stunning reenactment of the first Christmas in the “Living Nativity.”An you’ll adore the new number “Christmas in New York,” featuring a chorus of Broadway-style singers and a life-sized double-decker bus! This year, through new technology and jaw-dropping new special effects, Christmas becomes more magical than ever before!

To Enter the Contest:

If would like to purchase tickets on your own, there is a 25% discount available to you during select off peak performances from December 7th to December 28th.

1. Log onto: www.citicenter.org/radiocity

2. Select a NON Peak Performance between Sat. Dec. 7th – Dec. 28th for your 25% off discount:

12/2/2011 at 8 pm                                                 12/16/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm

12/3/2011 at 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm        12/17/2011 at 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 9 pm

12/4/2011 at 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm                            12/18/2011 at 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm

12/7/2011 at 2 pm                                                     12/20/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm

12/8/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm                                   12/21/2011 at 2 pm, 7:30 pm

12/9/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm                       12/22/2011 at 5 pm, 8 pm

12/10/2011 at 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm      12/23/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm, 8 pm

12/11/2011 at 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm                    12/26/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm

12/13/2011 at 7:30 pm                                              12/28/2011 at 2 pm, 5 pm

PEAK PERFORMANCES ARE BOLDED AND ARE NOT DISCOUNTED

3. Enter Promo Code: ROXMOM11

*Offer is not valid for Gold Circle – $130 seats, for which there are no discoutns There is an 8 ticket limit to this event.

Pricing                                                          Peak                               Non-Peak

Orchestra (Pit & Rows A-D):                 $130.                              $130.

Orchestra (Rows E-O Center):               $99.                                $89.

Orchestra (Rows E-O Sides, P-EE):     $83.                                $73.

Mezzanine:                                                  $83.                                $73.

Balcony (Rows E-J):                                 $83.                                $73.

Balcony (Rows K-S):                                 $74.                                $64.

Balcony (Rows T-Z):                                 $58.                               $48.

Balcony (Rows AA-FF):                           $29.                                $25.

Prices Includes a $3.00 Facility Fee.

Prize fulfilled by an outside agency not associated with ToyQueen.com. Winner must be 18 year or older. Contest ends Monday 12/12/2011 at 12:01 a.m. EST.

I was a Muppets fan as a child and I definitely remember watching the Muppets Show. I’m pretty sure my parents took my brother and I to the drive-in movie theater to see Muppets Take Manhattan and yes, I’m still only in my mid 30′s!

The premise of the new Muppets movie is that it’s been several years since the Muppets went off the air. Two brothers, Walter (a muppet) and Gary (Jason Segal) decide to visit the Muppet Theater with Gary’s girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams). On their visit, Walter finds out that Tex Richman (Chris Cooper), will be buying the theater to destroy it and dig underneath it for oil. Can Walter, Gary and Mary save the day? They find Kermit and locate all the former Muppets, wherever their new roles have taken them. As a last-ditch effort to save the theater, all the Muppets reunite to provide a one time television performance to raise 10 million dollars to save the theater.

The new Muppets movie will not disappoint you. In fact, I’m pretty sure the adults with nostalgic ties to the Muppets probably left the movie with far more “feel good” feelings than the kids did. I thought it did take a little longer than I anticipated to get the whole gang together but  I loved the songs, music and dancing, which was very Glee-esque. This movie is rated PG, so don’t be alarmed when muppets start swinging and decking each other in true Muppets fashion. What amazed me after the movie was how talented the Muppet personalities are, because one person plays the part of several muppets. All in all, I laughed and I got teary eyed. The Muppets have this ability to transcend time, and for two hours I didn’t worry about anything else. Life hasn’t felt that good for a long time.

Make sure you add to the Mahna Mahna Phenomena!

Enjoy the YouTube clip of one of the songs from “I’ve Got Everything I Need” from the Muppets Movie!

I was provided with a free ticket to the movie to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

@Mattel

At Toy Fair last year, one of the coolest toys I saw were the Hot Wheels Wall Tracks by Mattel. These plastic tracks adhere to any wall surface with Command 3M velcro tabs, allowing the brackets that hold the tracks to be removed with the pull of a tab. I really liked the concept of bringing the toys off the floor and up onto a totally different play surface, especially since I live in a smaller home where we are short on floor space.

Kids can place their Hot Wheels cars on the tracks and watch them complete stunts as they fly down the interconnecting ramps to the floor. There are also different buttons that can change the direction of the car route. My son is only 2 and much younger than the recommended age range which is 4 and up, but he was mesmerized by them, trying to bring every car he had to the tracks to see if it would fit. The ramps are fairly delicate in that they come apart pretty easily, so keep that in mind when using it with the younger age group.

We tried a non-conventional installation and my husband decided we’d hang it on a wall we have that is covered with IdeaPaint. IdeaPaint is whiteboard paint that is used to turn any ordinary wall into a whiteboard. After a search for the biggest whiteboard we could find, without any real luck, we found this alternative and it’s our lifeline for organization in the office. My husband Derek thought it would make a cool backdrop for the tracks and after he installed it he enjoyed drawing all sorts of trees, boats and mountains to turn our Wall Tracks really into a masterpiece of art. In the end, using the IdeaPaint surface was not the best idea, because one of the brackets got stuck because the 3M Command tab broke during removal.   About a two inch area of sheetrock came off with the bracket, leaving us with quite a repair job in ahead of us. However, in the suggested installation, I’m hopeful that this would not happen. You can view Derek’s video here of the Wall Tracks Installation on our wall. It took him about 10 minutes start to finish.

Mattel provided Wall Tracks free to facilitate this review. The opinions are my own.

Busy Town Fire Station

A few weeks ago Gavin and I took a trip to the local library. However, taking a toddler there can be kind of a nightmare while he tries to escape out the front door and down the stairs, so I’m learning to make friends with the librarians real quickly. It just so happened that the week before we received the Busytown Playsets to review, the librarian dropped the Richard’s Scarry’s book Cars and Trucks and Things that Go into my bag when I asked for some recommendations for truck lovers. I was completely floored when at just 2, Gavin understood the silliness and humor of the illustrations, while he pointed to the Bananamobile, Broom-o-cycle, pumpkin car and apple van and giggled hysterically.

Busytown Starter Set

We received two playsets to review, the Roadway Starter Set and the Town Fire Station. These sets are suggested for kids ages 3 and up. We opened the Roadway Starter Set first. This set includes Lowly driving his apple car, 8 plastic roadway tracks arranged in an oval, a small bookstore, as well as a traffic sign and signal.  These tracks are compatible with some wooden rail tracks, and it didn’t take me long to have all sorts of trains, cars and Little People animals surrounding the tracks building our own diverse neighborhood.

However, once we opened the Town Fire Station he was absolutely in love. He’s a truck and car guy, so he was mesmerized by the fire station. This set comes with 8 plastic roadway pieces, a fire truck, fire station, and a Fireman pig. It only took me a minute or two to get the pieces of the fire station together. However, the two front doors kept falling off when he tried to open and close them on his own with his fingers, so I permanently removed them for now so he wouldn’t get frustrated. He loves pushing the button that launches the fire truck out of the fire station onto the tracks, over and over. The station and the accessories are durable plastic and well made. I’m not a huge fan of the plastic tracks, but the fact that they are compatible with the wooden ones is a big plus for me for interactivity and imaginative play.

Right now Gavin’s still a little young for pretend playsets like this. He loves the pieces of them and the mechanics of how they operate right now, but as is appropriate for his age, he is just beginning to understand how to pretend to be asleep and translate these actions when playing to characters. However, in just a few short months, I won’t doubt that given his love for the Richard Scarry characters on the page of his favorite book, he’ll soon be finding ways to bridge the gap from the book to the living room floor.

We are giving away the Busytown Starter Set and Busytown Fire Engine Set! Please see below for details!

I received these two playsets free to facilitate this review. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.