Madame Alexander, one of my favorite doll brands, recently unveiled new toys that children will love! The hours of creative, open play mean moms will love them, too. The high quality of the dolls is the same as ever, and Madame Alexander is now offering a Travel Friends Collection including a Nascar line (yes, it’s true), plus Pixie Doodles and much more. Take a look:
I made some fabulous discoveries at Toy Fair ’15, including this line of multicultural dolls called One World Dolls. Prettie Girls! Dolls are available now at several online stores (Walmart.com, ToysRUs.com and OneWorldDolls.com). The new line of ‘tween dolls will be available soon. Find out more about these innovative dolls in my interview with Stacey McBride-Irby, the designer of the dolls, and company founder Trent Daniel.
If you or anyone you know is a fan of the classic film “The Wizard of Oz”, you’ll love the new 2014 Legends of Oz collection by Madame Alexander. Created to celebrate the release of the latest animated feature film, Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return, this exclusive collection of dolls features the film’s beloved characters: Dorothy, Glinda, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Tin Man and China Princess. In typical Madame Alexander fashion, these 12″ dolls are quality items that will provide hours of creative play. Each doll is 12″ tall and retails for $15. A fantastic gift for birthdays and special occasions, and I know plenty of adults who would love these dolls, too.
Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return is a 3D-animated musical with A-list voice talents. Legends of Oz features Lea Michele as Dorothy, Dan Akroyd as the Scarecrow, Jim Belushi as the Cowardly Lion, Kelsey Grammer as the Tin Man and Bernadette Peters as Glinda.
My friend Darcy loves dolls and is my reviewer of choice when it comes to toys.
I received the Legends of Oz collection for review as a Madame Alexander Advisory Board member. All opinions are my own.
Another play area that caught my eye was the Barbie display in the MEGA Brands showroom. Adding to the Barbie Mega Bloks launch in Holiday 2012, the 2013 line has multiple play features that will keep children entertained for hours! The additions to the Mega Bloks Barbie include all new themes and features such as lights and sounds, tons of accessories. In case you were worried, more Barbie™ Friends including Ken™ will be available!
Keeping with the theme of “back to basics” toys that I found at Toy Fair recently, it was a blast from the past to discover Scribble Downs. Do you remember them? The activity pack features a background and a sheet of transfers that children scribble on cards to create their own scenes. Artist Clinton Banbury created incredible, whimsical designs like Enchanted Castle, Woodland Fairies, Pirate Adventure and Dinosaur Encounter. There are dozens of themes to choose from that will keep boys and girls busy during long car rides, snowy or rainy days and anywhere else. Take a look at this video from the booth, where I had so much fun rediscovering this creative toy from my own childhood that I had to drag myself out of the booth. For ages 4+, available at Amazon.com.
As a mom and a businesswoman, I appreciate a company that gives back to the community on many levels. One such company, Mattel, <http://corporate.mattel.com/about-us/philanthropy/partners.aspx> , is no stranger to parents everywhere as a major toy brand. Mattel is creating the future of play, and nowhere is that more evident than in their global philanthropic efforts. Manufacturing safe and innovative toys is their purpose, and their philanthropic efforts allow them to make a positive social impact on children across the globe. They endeavor to help all children around the world to experience play – including bringing moments of joy to some of the one billion children who are considered in need. Mattel has partnered with a number of organizations to fulfill their mission of helping children, whether it’s through product donations, financial support, or global volunteer opportunities.
The list of philanthropy partners is extensive, and their Power of Play initiative is an outstanding effort on behalf of children everywhere. Read more about their Power of Play initiative here.
Shopping for pumpkins this weekend, I was sidetracked by holiday decorations already out in full force at a big box retailer. It reminded me that I needed to send along more of the video reviews from the Time To Play Showcase a couple of weeks ago. I love to get a good look at the hot holiday toys for the season, and I’m sharing with you here. Take a look at two terrific brands that children and their parents will love: Crayola and PlayMobil. For hours of creative play, take a look at these brands and what’s new for Holiday 2011.
Last week, I got a sneak peek at the newest toys for Holiday 2011 at the Time to Play Toy Showcase in New York. Over the next few posts, as we gear up for the holiday gift buying – ready or not – I’ll highlight the latest and greatest products that are sure to wind up on wish lists everywhere. The first two are the Voice Rockrz™ Mic that lets your child be a rock star, and Annoying Orange, the YouTube sensation now in real life coming to Toys’R’Us this holiday.
Voice Rockrz™ Mic
Tap into the magic of Voice Rockrz™ Mic from First Act. Much more than a microphone, the Voice Rockrz™ Mic transforms performances, propelling any show from the living room to the stage. The interactive microphone ‘magically’ changes a child’s voice as they perform with just a tap of the included accessories – a ring and bracelet – to the Mic target zone. Kids can sound like stars and elevate their performances to new heights with the Mic’s incredible voice effects. Tap the ring to the Mic to activate the Hi-Note voice effect; tap the bracelet to the Mic to change up the show with the Echo-Tastic voice effect; or tap the ring and bracelet in succession to uncover the Robot-Riffic voice effect.
A rock extravaganza wouldn’t be complete without concert sound effects like audience applause or a crescendo-ing drumroll. Kids can cycle through these sounds with the simple press of the FX button on the Voice Rockrz Mic. By plugging in any MP3 player into the 1/8th” jack (MP3 player not included), they can rock on by singing along to their favorite songs using the magical Voice Rockrz voice effects. Available in pink with flower ring and cute skull bracelet, and blue with skull ring and zipper bracelet. For ages 4-10, this engaging toy retails for $24.99. For information, visit www.voicerockrz.com.
Annoying Orange
The viral hit known as Annoying Orange is now available as a toy. The popular orange and its sidekicks will be on Toys’R’Us shelves this holiday. Annoying or funny, this is a great gift for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list. Each orange has an exclusive online code. For information, visit AnnoyingOrange.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.
Diary of a BlueSuitMom 