droolicious : educational toys

Send a Text to My Pal Scout

elizabeth leach — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:00:00 GMT

My Pal Scout and Text and Learn are two new toys from LeapFrog that make learning fun. Scout is an electronic plush dog that can be personalized by parents with child's favorite colors, foods, etc. and Scout incorporates the information into songs, activities and conversation. Songs can also be downloaded onto Scout along with the five songs that come included.

Preschoolers play spelling games and learn about shapes and letters in the pretend browser of Text and Learn. The best part is preschoolers can pretend text My Pal Scout and check even check his schedule! It's more fun to learn with a friend!

My Pal Scout is appropriate for children six months and up and available in green and My Pal Violet comes in purple. Scout is on sale for $15.99. Text and Learn is appropriate for children three years and up and is on sale for $17.59. Learn more about these toys at LeapFrog.

(Read my first review of My Pal Scout here.)

Puzzled: Where Do Babies Come From?

SunnyChanel — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:00:00 GMT

To answer the delicate question of “where do babies come from”, instead of investing in a cabbage patch doll, going to visit the storks at the zoo or buying your kid a porno, opt for getting them the Beleduc Mother Body 5 Layer Puzzle. This German import is a plywood puzzle that depicts what happens to Mommy’s body when she’s knocked up.

This 29 piece puzzle starts from a naked mom and as you add layers and put the pieces together, you create the nervous and digestive systems, muscles, skin and layers of cloths…and of course a growing baby and belly. You can educate your kid on the facts of pregnancy here for $22.50. With telling your kid how Mommy got knocked up in the first place, well that’s up to you.

Toy Fair 2009: If the Shape Fits Eebee

elizabeth leach — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:00:00 GMT

What could be better than a stackable, loveable, color-sorting doll? The newest toy from Eebee's Adventures is called "If the Shape Fits eebee" and the name says it all. Like all of Eebee's Adventures, this toy asks our babies (and us) to think outside the shape! Not only do the shapes fit eebee, but we can wear them, too. The shapes can be anything we imagine them to be.

Each shape is a different size, shape and color. The eebee doll is 12" and wears cute knit pants. If the Shape Fits eebee will be available this spring and will retail for $32. This toy is for ages six months and beyond.

New from LeapFrog: This Book is Alive!

elizabeth leach — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Why should the big kids have all the fun? LeapFrog’s highly successful and award winning Tag Reading System gives big kids the world of books at their fingertips and, now, toddlers can have fun discovering books and learning to love reading, too. Tag Junior is made for little hands and is perfect for their stage of reading development.

This is how it works: Touch the cute Tag Junior Book Pal anywhere on the book and hear the text spoken, sound effects or music. It doesn’t matter where you touch the book, something always happens! Parents download the audio to the Book Pal from their computer. Book Pal holds up to five books at a time so this is the perfect toy for travel or on the go. (A super adorable carrying case is sold separately.)

Nine books will be available this summer with classic titles, favorite characters and original stories, too. The Tag Junior System will be sold for $34.99 and books will be $10.99.

New from LeapFrog: My Pal Scout

elizabeth leach — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:00:00 GMT

LeapFrog's toys instill an early love of learning by making learning fun. LeapFrog's new toys for 2009 are truly impressive and really stand out from the pack. My Pal Scout, the new learning plush toy can be personalized with your child's name, favorite activities and favorite things (like food and colors) so Scout can interact with your child.

My Pal Scout also introduces first words, counting, daily routines and plays songs. Thirty songs are available to download using a USB cable and five come preloaded on the toy. Scout is available in two fresh colors: My Pal Scout is green and My Pal Violet is purple. This is, by far, the best interactive plush toy I've seen! Available this summer for the amazing price of around $19.99. For children six months and up.

Eebee's Adventures

elizabeth leach — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

Eebee’s Adventures are different than most children's videos. They are all about active play. You and your child can play right along with Eebee and his friends. Each video explores playing with every day objects and all the wonderful things they can do. (These videos remind me of the class my 18 month old and I take, so it’s like having the class at home whenever I want!)

In “All in a Day’s Play”, Eebee and his friends discover all the every day moments that make up a baby’s day. From making music with kitchen objects to puppet shows with socks, this video is full of wonderful surprises that babies can relate to (even taking naps when they get tired). In “Exploring Real Stuff”, Eebee and his pals experiment with cups, spoons, balls and blocks. Also, look for “Figuring Things Out” and see Eebee experiment with turning the light on and off, building pillow mountains, building and stacking and many more games.

Eebee’s Adventures are a great reminder that babies and toddlers don’t need expensive toys to play and learn. Their imaginations and natural curiosities create worlds of adventure in the simplest objects. So, grab a sock and have a puppet show! All Eebee’s Adventures are based on the latest research.

Find Eebee's videos at Barnes and Noble, FAO Schwarz and eebee.com.

Smart-E-Bear: The iPod for Toddlers Giveaway

elizabeth leach — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:55:00 GMT

Smart-e-bear, dog or cat, by Kids Prefered, is an interactive plush toy that you program on your computer to play thousands of award-winning songs, interactive stories, and educational games. At 13” tall, he’s the perfect size for lots of hugging!

My sixteen month old loves her smart-e-dog and hugs him all the time. I think she might have learned to hug by playing with him! I programmed the dog to play only songs since that’s what she loves the most and to say “Hi Charlotte!” As she gets older, I’ll program games and stories, too. This toy truly grows with your child.

To win your own smart-e-bear, smart-e-dog or smart-e-cat, visit their site here and click on "Learn More" to take a tour. Check out all the music, games and stories available and send me an e-mail at babbledesign@gmail.com and tell me which artists you would download for your smart-e-bear. I will choose a random winner at the end of Wednesday, December 3.

You can purchase your smart-e-bear here.

"Growing Up" Gift Set

elizabeth leach — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:30:00 GMT

Travel the world and discover how baby animals are rescued with the new "Growing Up" collection of all the episodes from Animal Planet's popular series. Each DVD is packed with inspiring and entertaining stories. This is a great gift idea for the animal lover!

The gift pack includes: "Growing Up Arctic", "Growing Up Wildcats", "Growing Up Safari", "Growing Up Wilderness" and "Growing Up Primates". Purchase the "Growing Up" Gift Pack here for $35.99.

Fisher-Price Smart Cycle

AmandaHill — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

The Fisher-Price Smart Cycle is not just the video game hook-up that it appears to be. The cycle reinforces preschool concepts such as letters, numbers, colors, and shapes while managing to be fun for your child. The Smart Cycle plugs directly into your TV or VCR and can serve as fabulous learning tool. The Fisher-Price Smart Cycle is currently available for $89.97.

Busy Zoo by Parents Toys

elizabeth leach — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 14:30:00 GMT

If you're like me, you're already thinking about holiday gifts for your baby or kids and you're also wondering how you're going to deal with another gigantic mass of plastic. (Especially, if you're in small space!) The Busy Zoo by Parents is made of wood and is a great alternative to those plastic activity tables.

The Busy Zoo doesn't light up or sing, so you won't get all those songs stuck in your head and you won't need to change the batteries. Instead, your child can sing! This beautifully designed activity cube has five sides of toys that encourage abstract thinking, problem solving, and help your child develop motor skills. This toy is recommended for 12 months and up, but I think it would also be great for younger babies, too. Just plop them in front of the Zoo and let them play!

I have my Busy Zoo right in the middle of our family room. I love the color scheme! Find the Busy Zoo ($49.99) and the entire collection of Parents Toys at Target.

My Teacher is the Cat in the Hat

elizabeth leach — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:00:00 GMT

What better way to learn the alphabet than with Alphabet Cards by Dr. Seuss? With the help of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters and the wonderful, wacky world of alligators in bathtubs, lions licking lollys, and purple ice cream cones you and your child can play games that make learning fun.

The 26 cards come with an instruction sheet with games and tips for teaching your kids.

And what better way to learn your numbers, too? The Counting Cards have a funny picture with a number on one side and a silly poem using the number on the other. For example, "Two fluffy sheep. Take a walk in their sleep. They walk from near to far. They walk while they snooz. Counting cards include 10 cards plus cards with math symbols (plus, minus, and equal) and a list of equations that illustrate adding and subtracting. A helpful guide is included with fun games to play with the cards

Purchase Dr. Seuss Beginner Counting Cards and Beginner Alphabet Cards at The Scholastic Store.

Unit Blocks with Zip

elizabeth leach — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:35:00 GMT

Did you know the first unit blocks were designed in 1837 for the first Kindergarten? Now, you can buy unit blocks everywhere and most are, to tell the truth, a little blah. Melissa and Doug's unit blocks are brightly colored, come in their own pull along wagon, and have a little more zip than the others I've seen on the market.

Buy these solid wood blocks at Modern Tots for $14.99. (36 in total)

The Little People Learn About Town

SunnyChanel — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:55:00 GMT

Some of my favorite playthings growing up were my beloved Little People. Thes petite plastic dolls have gone through several makeovers since I had playtime with them, but they still have that simplicity and durability that they always have. My daughter had her first play date with them courtesy of the Little People Learn About Town play set ($45) . And you know what? Like mother, like daughter. She loved it.

Now, my toddler, like many under the age of four, seems like she could be clinically diagnosed with A.D.D. She’ll play with one of her toys for a couple minutes, throw it on the floor and move on to the next thing, like torturing our dog or stuffing crackers in the DVD Player. But as soon as this Little People unit of busy-ness was taken out of the box, the girl was stuck to it like glue.

This play center has several different sections. The doctor’s and dentist’s office, the pizza shop, the pet store, the schoolhouse, and the Numbers Tree House. In each of these environments they can fine tune their shape identification, counting, sorting and matching, alphabet skills as well as become comfortable with dentist and doctor visits with such practice commands as “open wide!”.

Yeah, she can spend an hour or more just discovering new little tricks that this toy offers up. She loves it, I love it and our dog? She really loves it.

New Stacking Toys from Haba Promote Development and Fun

elizabeth leach — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:08:00 GMT

Haba has created new toys for this Fall that encourage brain stimulation and, of course, fun. I had the pleasure of sitting down with two of the new toys and testing them out.

Plug and Pile the Royal Tower Blocks (above photo): Seven beechwood blocks with a peg that fits inside each block to make the pieces stack. This is a challenging puzzle as well as a toy with endless possibilities. A child can play by the rules and stack the blocks or make shapes of their own. Is it a boat? A castle? I love the funny face who wears a crown. ($28)

Stack Jack Jesters (below photo): Mix and match three characters. A happy cat and two silly people can wear new hats, shirts, and feet. Includes 10 parts plus wood base. ($36)

These toys are not just about learning, but also about imagination, sense of humor, and play. And that's exactly why we love Haba.

Both stacking toys will be available at Oompa Toys in the next couple weeks.

7 Days of Educational Toys: Lace and Trace Pets

elizabeth leach — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:00:00 GMT

We had Lace and Trace games at my Montessori preschool. Montessori is a method of teaching that supports learning through individual exploration instead of classes led by a teacher. Your child can experience the Montessori method even if she doesn't attend a Montessori school by giving her the tools like these classic lace and trace cards.

This Melissa and Doug set comes with six jumbo, double-sided cards and six color coordinated laces. And like most Melissa and Doug toys, this one comes in a wooden storage case. Purchase Lace and Trace Pets ($9.97) and many other Montessori toys at Wonder Brains.

Free Download for Your Budding Engineer: LEGO Digital Designer

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:04:00 GMT

No, that's not a new CAD software program you're seeing, although it's a good way to get any budding engineer in your family primed to handle one. What you're looking at is the interface of LEGO Digital Designer, a free downloadable program (Win/Mac) that lets you put a virtual LEGO set onto your computer's desktop.

Admittedly, while the program is 100% freeware, there is a bit of an ulterior motive on LEGO's part: Drawing from over 763 brick types, you can build your own virtual LEGO masterpiece either from scratch or from a pre-existing template. From there, you can upload the results to have a customized kit, complete with a real-life version of every brick you used, put together for purchase.

We're three days into the thing at my house, however, and so far my kids have only managed to create, delete, and overrwrite a bunch of logic-defying vehicles and robots they couldn't possibly have the motor skills to replicate in real life. The moment they do come up with a winner, though, I'll confess: I'd probably buy the blocks to help them realize it.

[LEGO Digital Designer] [Via Lifehacker]

Kid O Toys: Beautiful Enough for Your BarberOsgerby Coffee Table

Sarah Verdone — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:29:00 GMT

No BarberOsgerby Loop coffee table in your house? (See Aaron's post Is Your Baby Getting in the Way of Your Design Sense?) Never fear. Kid O's new line of puzzles and toys are so beautiful, they'll spruce up any living room. And owner Lisa Mahar thoughtfully designed them with learning specialists for extra brain-boosting powers. Due out in May. BarberOsgerby table sold separately.

Toast This Loaf of Fun Bread

Mir — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:02:00 GMT

Pass the butter! Nothing is tastier than some play food that does double-duty. Use it for the sandwiches for your next tea party with your stuffed animals, or just sit down with the loaf and have a bit of numbers and letters fun. Twelve slices come packaged in (what else?) a realistic loaf bag, and the sturdy plastic slices snap together. $18 at Dimples and Dandelions.

Dress Up Your Fridge with English and French Alphabet Magnets

chrisjordan — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:06:00 GMT

Thirty sturdy alphabet magnets in each box. Reproduced from vintage images from the 1930's and 1940's. A great alternative to traditional (and ugly) plastic A, B, C magnets.

And because it you are never too young to learn random words in another language, the magnets come in French too!

Available at Baby Goes Vintage for $26

eBeanstalk: Look, the Pictures Are Moving!

Kelly Mills — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:02:00 GMT

Not content to only post pretty little pictures of pretty little things, we bring you...moving pictures. Crazy, huh? This is for eBeanstalk, and it explores the world of a little infant scientist. I kinda got over the whole "baby's inner dialogue" thing after Look Who's Talking, but whatever. Cute baby. Educational toys. There you go.