My Seven Favorite Finds from New York Toy Fair #NYTF #TF15

I recently made my annual visit to the spectacle of all things kid and beyond at the New York Toy Fair. This gigantic trade show is held at the Javits Center and is literally miles of toys, stuffed animals, wooden blocks, Christmas kitsch, dainty dolls and anything else you can imagine.

I always love seeing the latest and greatest in toys, dolls, stuffed animals, and kids products and this year was no exception. Surprisingly, or not surprisingly, over half of my favorites are not even traditional toys, but instead, innovative products geared towards kids. Also, again maybe not a surprise, of the products that made my favorites list, I had only heard of three of them before attending Toy Fair

In no particular order, here are my seven favorite finds from the New York Toy Fair:

1. Shwings - I had just seen these awesome shoe accessories a few weeks earlier at Bank Street Books on the Upper West Side, and had immediately thought my son would like a pair of wings for his sneakers.

 

In addition to wings for shoes, Shwings also has rhinestone decorating kits, and other cool accessories for decorating shoes.

For the young, or the young at heart, I honestly think everyone should have at least one pair of shoes adorned with Shwings. Available online at Shwingsonline.com.

2. Zorbz Self-Seal Water Balloons - That's right, these water balloons self-seal instantly, no tying required! The only self sealing water balloons on the market, they seem like a must-have for summer. Available in packs of 50 and 100; purchase and learn more at ZorbzWaterBalloons.com.

3. I am elemental action figures - Created by a New York City mom in 2013 who was disappointed with the choices in female action figures, these action figures are powerful, and specifically created to provide healthy female action figures for girls. Based on the Periodic Table of Elements, each Element action figure represents a unique power. Purchase single action figures (which come with shields and inter-changeable accessories) or get the lunchbox carry case with all seven. Ages 4+, available online at IAmElemental.com.

4. earZings are pierce-free earrings, especially geared towards girls who don't have pierced ears. These earrings have a unique coil design that makes it possible to easily put on the earnings as well as (according to the founder, I didn't try them) makes them less painful than the usual clip-on or magnetic earrings. Tons of cute designs to choose from, and sure to be a big hit with tweens! Available online at EarZings.com.

5. Plus-Plus - I had spotted these cool building blocks at Sunshine Sam, a battery-free toy store in Bloomfield, NJ previously, so I was already familiar with this great product. This toy from Denmark can be used by kids of just about any age, with older kids building more complex projects and younger kids enjoying the fun of putting the plus-shapes together while developing motor skills. Plus-plus is available in a variety of quantities, as well as building sets.

6. Frogglez - A new innovation in swim goggles, these goggles have a thick neoprene strap that makes them easier to adjust and more comfortable to wear and remove, less hair pulling is one of the features. With a five-year-old son who just started swim lessons, and who cannot seem to get his goggles comfy, this product definitely seems one that will be welcomed by many parents. Available online at FrogglezGoggles.com.

7. Squishables - My tween daughters are obsessed with these adorable stuffed animals, so even though I was pretty sure there was nothing new I could learn, stopping by their booth was a must. I kinda thought it was impossible to top the current adorable creations, like this narwhal, a family favorite,

but one look at new release Hedgehog in Tutu and I knew, there are plenty more lovable creatures coming from Squishables.

Others to be released soon include chocolate milk cow and fortune cat, so really the cuteness is endless. If you don't already have a Squishables habit, now is the time to start one. Available online at Squishable.com, but beware, they rotate styles often, and the tutu hedgehog has not yet been released.

I received press admission to the Toy Fair, and the kind folks at Schwings made sure I didn't arrive home empty handed. My kids loved everything from the butterfly wings to the rhinestone stickcons.

Toy Fair 2015

I'm hitting up Toy Fair 2015 in New York City today if snow and winds and blizzards and (please, no) power outages don't keep me away.

I always try and find the unique and off-beat at the Toy Fair, like this favorite from last year the Heart of Gold.

Not pictured: the thyroid, rectum or mammary.

I always like seeing the latest from Ty, a favorite of my stuffed animal loving daughter, Kay.

I'll definitely be looking for the Squishable Booth, the new favorite at our house. I'll be interested to see what's new this year, though the Narwhal will be hard to beat.

I always like to see what the latest trends are (last year eco-friendly was one of the most popular) as well as what's new and innovative both in design and toy technology. Not to mention toy storage and organization.

I'll be back with a full report on Monday!

Tons of Fun: Review of the Wubble Bubble Ball

Thanks to Georgette Gilmore for sharing this review of the Wubble Bubble Ball!

Chances are your kids have seen the Wubble Bubble Ball on TV. The commercial says it "looks like a bubble, plays like a ball" and is made of “top-secret super-thermo-stretch-tacular stuff that makes it squishy, squashy, super soft and lightweight and allows it to be inflated to a gigantic THREE FEET TALL." It also says it's tons of fun. After receiving one to review, I can say the hype is true.

Wubble Bubble Ball has won numerous toy awards, including an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Best Toy Award, a National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, a Family Fun Magazine Toy Of The Year Award Winner, and was selected as a 2014 Top Toy for the Holiday Season by Target.

The minute our Wubble Bubble Ball arrived, my girls (ages 10 and 7) were bouncing up and down excited to inflate it and get to, well...bouncing.  After a quick trip to the store to buy the required 4 D batteries (not included) for the pump (included), we followed the simple directions and had a huge bubble-like ball in minutes.

The girls took their new toy outside and it didn't take long for the other kids in the neighborhood to come out to play. For the next hour, 7 kids had some good old fashioned fun making up various games to play using the Wubble Bubble Ball. That thing was bounced, thrown, and pounced on! The best part? It didn't break — at least not yet.

Wubble Balls are not indestructible and they come with a warning that many things can tear or pop it, things like branches, pets, or any sharp object it comes into contact with. However, the company says they do have a lifetime replacement guarantee, which will cost you $6.99 for processing and handling.

Wubble Ball is available at Target, Toys R Us and online at www.wubbleball.com for $19.99.  Stay connected with Wubble Ball on both Twitter and Facebook!

Georgette received a Wubble Bubble Ball in exchange for an honest review, which this is.

Notes from the New York Toy Fair

One of my favorite events of the year is the New York Toy Fair. I go every year to see what's new in the world of toys. And while I saw a ton of amazing products that I can't wait to write about and also to buy my own kids, I also saw a bunch of stuff I just don't think is good for kids.


There's a ton of pink for girls, and blue for boys which just seems so limited.


There's a ton of Hello Kitty and Snow White and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on decks of cards and board games, which I think would be just as good (i.e., better) without the commercial tie-in.


But alas, pink princesses and Disney characters sell stuff, and so I do get it.

I shared my picks for the best and the worst from the Toy Fair at Barista Kids. You can read Trends and Top Picks from the 111th Annual American Toy Fair HERE.

Gift Ideas (and More Gift Ideas) for Kids

One of the lucky perks of being a writer for parenting publications is I get to review toys, all year round and even more so in the holiday shopping frenzy that leads up to Christmas. I go to the annual Toy Fair in New York City and to smaller events throughout the year and find out both what's hot from the big players and what's cool from the smaller specialty companies.

So... if you're looking for gift ideas for kids this holiday season, here are my picks for the very best toys:

New Jersey Family Magazine Holiday Gift Guide - this gift guide has gifts in categories from WOW! Factor to Making a Difference. You'll find something for every kind of kid and occasion.

10 Best Gift for Kids this Holiday Season - I'm sharing my own favorite picks on BaristaKids.com for kids toys and gifts, most which have been personally tested (and approved) by my three kids.

I also have eight gift guides I wrote here, covering everything from the Best Wooden Toys to toys with the words a parent most likes to see: No Assembly Required.

And if you've already moved on to the gift wrapping portion of your holiday season, here are my tips for wrapping gifts without tape, and even without wrapping paper.

Note: The Happy Holidays blocks pictured top left are from Uncle Goose, these handcrafted wood blocks made in the USA are one of my favorites and come in lots of fabulous designs, including the Hebrew alphabet and the newly issued Stack and Scare.

 

Do you have a favorite kids toy? Share in the comments! And more importantly, if there are any to avoid let me know!

At the MoMA - Century of the Child: Growing by Design, 1900-2000

My kids have certainly put a crimp in my museum-going aways, and this irony was not lost on me when I made my way to a rare museum visit to see the MoMA exhibit Century of the Child: Growing by Design, 1900-2000, on display until November 5, 2012.

I'm so glad I found the time to see this fascinating exhibit - and equally glad that I experienced it without my offspring. While the exhibit focuses on the furniture, toys, books and other miscellanea of childhood, it is an exhibit geared towards adults.

When I was at the exhibit I saw many a parent pushing a child riding in a paradigm of modern design, who despite their clearly progressive leanings could not get the kid to care at all about what they were being told to show an interest in by their doting parents.

In addition to displaying stunning objects of design like Art Nouveau playrooms and pull-toys inspired by Keith Haring, the exhibit did a wonderful job explaining why these things took the forms they did, and the many forces at work that resulted in children being treated one way, or another, during the hundred-year span covered by the exhibit.

One of the most interesting shifts was in the 1960s, the first time that kids were viewed as a major economic force in their own right, and marketers began truly in earnest to create products to be purchased by, or for, this demographic. Children's lives, and their position in society, has never really been the same since this shift in outlook occurred.

A few other gems of the exhibit including a video clip of Geometry of Circles which aired in a 1979 episode of Sesame Street, and features an original work by Philip Glass.



And I loved seeing the original set from the Pee-Wee Herman Show, a perfect end to this amazing exhibit.

And last, I would like to note that my children are lucky enough to own - and be allowed to play with on a daily basis - a fair number of the very items on display in this exhibit. And a certain husband (not mentioning any names) should be overjoyed and grateful that his wife scours the Internet for these museum worthy design examples instead of wincing every time a mangled box filled with "used" toys arrives in the mail. Overjoyed, I tell you. Overjoyed and grateful.

You can read my full review of the exhibit at BaristaKids.com, as well as find all exhibit particulars at MoMA.org.

I was not compensated for this post.

Other Stuff I Wrote Last Week: JoShu Tees, Kids Books and More

I write a lot of stuff for other websites, though I usually forget to share the links over here.

Here's what I wrote last week:

JoShu Tees: A New Line of Modern Graphic Tees for Babies and Kids - Fab 100% cotton tees for kids and babies from a New Jersey mom and designer.

Awesome Summertime Activities - A round-up of fun activities to do with kids that are also filled with lots of (secret) educational value. Shhhh.

A Perfectly Good Rainy Day at the Shore - I hope you never need this advice, but if you're at the beach with kids and it rains, this might help.

Children's Books for Ages 4-8 - I reviewed two fabulous books for kids, both by beloved children's authors. Penny and Her Doll by Kevin Henkes, and Ava's Poppy by Marcus Pfister. I highly recommend them both.

Toy Time: Toys for Kids - Toys covered here are a great magnetic robot set from Mudpuppy that is perfect for travel, and a grow-your-own windowsill terrarium. So really, something for everyone.

Have a great week!

Giving the People What They Want: Monsterz

Like a lot of bloggers, I enjoy checking out my search terms to see what search terms bring people to my little cottage on the information super highway.

So I've decided to start devoting Fridays to giving the people what they want, now that the day is open since I've reached the bottom of my drawer of old photos and Old Photo Friday has come to an end - at least for now.

First up, I give the people what they want with... Monsterz.

I get a crazy number of searches for Monsterz (a stuffed animal by Ty), and currently I just have one post that mentions them - and by mentions them I mean mocks them.

I saw Monsterz at the Toy Fair back last February, and while they're not really my thing, they are totally my daughter Kay's thing - she loves all those Ty big-eyed stuffed animals, so I'm not surprised a lot of other people do, too.

There was a huge Monsterz presence at the Toy Fair. Here's everything I got:

Giant Monsterz Sign:

I think her name is Trixie

People dressed-up as Monsterz - and if you look closely, there are tons of the stuffed animal Monsterz hanging off of the person-Monsterz:



And last but not least, a stuffed animal Monsterz with his lil "Luv me" heart.

I gotta admit he is kinda cute.

I was not compensated for this post.

You can buy Monsterz, which I now realize are spelled Monstaz, at Ty.com. Currently, they're $5.99 with free shipping! Hurray, Monstaz for everyone!

My Toddler Learned to Text! {Old Photo Friday: Ziggy Grows Up}

This photo of Ziggy is only a year old, which is technically breaking the rules of Old Photo Friday.

And yet, it's not. Mostly because there are no rules about Old Photo Friday.

But also because this last 12 months in the life of Ziggy has been so much more than a year. There is more than a year of difference between an almost-two-year-old and an almost-three-year-old.

For example, let's start with this morning, when Ziggy showed incredible maturity.

He and I were trying to talk, and he kept being distracted by his mobile phone (which looks exactly like a mini calculator from Staples), because his six-year-old sister Kay was calling him over and over again.

He tried screaming into the phone, “Stop calling!”but she just kept calling anyway.

So you know what he did? He said, “hold on, mom. I’m gonna turn off my phone. So Kay can’t distract us.”

See, that’s the maturity of a three year old. He knows when to just turn off the phone ringer, and be present in the now with his mom.

A two-year-old would have never found his way out of that situation with such ease.

How else do I know he’s growing up? Well, sometimes at bedtime I’ll be in the middle of reading a book and notice he’s distractedly pushing some buttons (admittedly on an old TV remote, but that's beside the point).

"What’s up, kid?" I’ll ask.

Ziggy will reply, "Just a minute, I'm sending a text.”

I long for the simpler two-year-old days when there was no text that couldn’t wait until we had finished reading Corduroy for the third, or possibly fourth, time.

Now, at almost three, this kid has some urgent texts that can't wait.

And those are the kinds of changes that happen in kids just like that.

It's Friday, so I'm posting about my old photos. I'd love to have you join me. Leave a link to a post about one of your old photos - I'd love to visit!

And if you'd be more likely to share if I had a linky, leave a comment and let me know that and voila! next Friday there will be an Old Photo Friday linky.

Linking-up to Finding the Funny, which you should go visit at Kelley's Break Room and My Life and Kids because that's where you'll find a lot of hilarity.

Old Photo Friday: Toys for a Third-Born Baby

When my son Ziggy was born, he was lucky enough to already have in place two older sisters. Helpful older sisters. This photo is Ziggy after his big sisters responded to my request to "Get the baby a toy!"

More endearing? Finding the sleeping baby festooned with his sisters' favorite dolls.

May you always be this good to your baby brother, who (as this is after all Old Photo Friday) not only no longer a baby, but is in fact now even closer to being three than he is to being two.

Toy Fair 2012: Maileg Mice, Maileg Bunny Rabbits and Ty Monsterz

I was surprised at the Toy Fair how much of the Expo Hall was devoted to toys of the plush variety. Though I guess I shouldn't be surprised based on my own children's vast stockpiles of stuffed animals.

My very favorite stuffed animals I saw were by the Danish company, Maileg. They have adorable mice that come with their own matchbox beds:

There's even a milk carton mouse house:

And an Indian Mouse, named Moonbeam

who can live in her very own tipee:

Maileg also has fantastic rabbits that come in a range of sizes:

and there are plenty of "boy" rabbits, which I love because these toys are perfect for imaginative play for both boys and girls.

On perhaps the opposite side of the stuffed animal spectrum are Monsterz, the latest offering from Ty Brands (they also make Beanie Babies, and my children's current obsession Beanie Boos).

In contrast to Maileg's beautiful, understated paradigm-of-Danish-design booth, The Ty Booth was huge, overstated and even included these costumed characters roaming the show:

And people really wonder if European kids and American kids are being raised differently?

The American International Toy Fair 2012: The Owls Edition

I was lucky enough to attend the American International Toy Fair in New York City last week for the second year in a row. I've got all of my Favorite Toy Fair Finds over at BaristaKids.com and I'll be sharing more of the awesome toys, dolls, cars and stuffed animals I saw at Toy Fair 2012 here all week long as well.

First today, in honor of the Barista Kids mascot owl, I present some cool owls I spotted while at the Toy Fair:

I love this Madame Alexander Favorite Friends play doll ($44.95) wearing a "playfully pretty" owl print dress:

And here's a close-up of the owl print:

I also love these whimsical Owl Musical Pull Toys ($16) from Brooklyn-based miYim, a company committed to raising eco-consciousness in the home, and which produces only organic toys.

I'll be back tomorrow to share more great finds from the Toy Fair - mice, bunnies and even some monsterz.

The New York International Gift Fair: Stuff Big Duck Duckie Would Like Edition

There was a lot of cute duck stuff at the New York International Gift Fair. I wish Big Duckie could've been there herself to see it all, but alas she was not.  Below are a few of my favorites:

Duck baby hat ($16), wooden duck toy ($32), and duck step stool ($90) from Manny and Simon.

Rubber Duck (made of natural rubber) $12.95 from Rich Frog.

I also have picks from the New York International Gift Fair for eco-friendly, innovative and for kids who love cars.

And, you can see my picks for 10 Great Finds from the New York International Gift Fair at BaristaKids.com.

The New York International Gift Fair: The Eco-Awesome Edition

This is my third, and penultimate, post about the Gift Fair, covering just a few of the many eco-awesome products I saw there.

A few of my eco-awesome favorites:

Modern Twist – I love just about everything from this company that makes“eco-chic products for a sustainable planet." All their products are 100% recyclable and reusable, and have terrific modern design. They have BPA and chemical free Kidz Placemats ($17) that are made from food-grade silicone so they won’t tear or crease. These placemats are also available as a Kidz Box ($26) which also includes markers kids can use to color (and re-color) their mats. There are also great placemats for us adults ($13-$18).

Photo from Modern Twist

Artterro - These eco-friendly art kits are perfect for crafty kids. Each kit contain the supplies for a project such as collage jewelry or art dolls, and are designed to be open-ended and encourage kids to use their imaginations. When you're done, the box from the kit becomes the frame to display your creation. Made in the USA of all natural materials.

Woolly Boo - This NJ-based company makes gorgeous bedding and sleep sacks, all from organic wool and cotton and all made in the USA in conjunction with farmers and weavers who are committed to sustainable practices and fair trade. New this year is the All-in-One Nap Mat, perfect for kids to use at preschool, day care or when traveling.

Tomorrow I'll be back with a final Gift Fair update, which of course will be all things Duck in honor of Big Duckie.

You can also see my picks for 10 Great Finds from the New York International Gift Fair at BaristaKids.com.

The New York International Gift Fair: The "Why Didn't I Think of That?" Edition

This was my second time at the New York International Gift Fair, and I was just as enthralled and inspired by the truly ingenious things I saw this time as last time. Which is why this update is about all the things that made me say, "Why Didn't I think of that?"

My Blue Bumbershoot Stroller Umbrella - Two clever urban moms came-up with this idea for a hands-free umbrella that clamps onto the handle of the stroller so that the person pushing the pusher doesn't get caught in the rain. With today's strollers providing every possible amenity from couture fabrics to latte holders, it's nice that a company has finally considered the so-called stroller chauffeurs and found a way for them to transport their charges while staying protected from the elements.

Mudpuppy Puzzles in a Pouch - These 12 piece puzzles for ages 2+ feature nice sturdy construction just right for toddler hands as well as fun, yet non-commercial, prints. But that's not the best part: the puzzles come in a reusable plastic storage pouch. Which makes perfect sense, because puzzle boxes just don't work. The puzzle boxes get crushed and torn, and my uptight ways force me to tape the box sides back together, not to mention bag the puzzle pieces so they don't go missing. But a puzzle pouch, so simple and yet so life-changing. The pouch is a perfect solution for travel, too.

International Arrivals Color Appeel Crayons - My kids need these crayons. Instead of sharpening the crayon (or whining for your mom to do it right now because you need that exact color for your masterpiece), you just pull a string to peel and reveal more crayon and "sharpen" it that way. The set of 12 brightly patterned pencils come in a cool carrying case to make clean-up easy, at least theoretically.

Merritt USA Kids Little Dipper Plates - My kids are all about dipping any food at any time, and I know they can't be the only ones. These cute plates have a dipper built right into the center, and they're made out of melamine so while the kids can't break them, I can still wash them in the dishwasher.

Why didn't I think of that.

You can also see my picks for 10 Great Finds from the New York International Gift Fair at BaristaKids.com.

The New York International Gift Fair: The Cool Car Stuff Edition

I had a great day at the New York International Gift Fair, and while I pretty much was just scouring the place for duck photo-ops, I somehow managed to also see a lot of amazing products and to meet a lot of incredible people, many who were the company founders.

I'll be back to share all of these finds with you - from eco-friendly art kits to baby blankets that help orphaned kids, but today I'm getting started by sharing some of the fantastic car toys, which of course I want to get all of for my car-obsessed toddler.

I love this European Car Case from kidSTYLE:

I can just see Ziggy filling the case with his toy cars and pulling it around the house happy as can be.

Manny & Simon had gorgeous Made in the USA heirloom wooden cars:

And I love the idea of getting Ziggy the matching tee so he can coordinate with his car:

Tomorrow I'll be back with some more great things I saw at the show, or at least a collection of duck-themed gift photos.

You can see my picks for 10 Great Finds from the New York International Gift Fair at BaristaKids.com.