Strollerderby : dinosaur

Kitchenista: Primordial Ooze

Adrienne Martini — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Can't get your kids to eat any sort of fruit? Do said children like dinosaurs? Then I've got the answer for you.

Make your own dinosaur swamp, which features plastic dinos and a spin on guacamole that includes avocados and tofu. While it might look a little, um, oogy to adult eyes, some kids would really groove on the idea, especially if given dinosaur scales (plain triangular corn chips) to dip in the goo.

The mom who came up with used it for a whole Jurassic-themed birthday. But there's no reason why you couldn't just serve it on an ordinary Thursday. And if you're really feeling kicky, save the pit and use it as the asteroid that destroys this dino habitat.

Photo credit.

Crafty: Random Crap on a String

Adrienne Martini — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:30:00 GMT

Something about the simplicity off this project speaks to me. Or, perhaps, the thing about it that speaks to me is the opportunity to use all of the random toy bits that are scattered around my house in the service of something that looks pretty. Take your pick.

Plum Pudding's Megan always has pretty, pretty projects for the kids. But these mobiles use a mix of yard sale finds, Sculpey and twigs. I'm thinking they would also work with lonely Legos, random doll shoes and the occasional dinosaur, if only so that these kid droppings won't always be underfoot.

Plus, Megan has also provided some helpful links to other mobiles, just in case you need a brush up on the technique.

So what will you hang on your bits of string?

Photo credit.

Buy This Toy to Eat Your Kids

Cole Gamble — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:52:00 GMT

Kids these days. Spoiled they is. What do you get the child who has everything? Try and give them something nice like a yo-yo or handful of jacks and they roll their eyes and use their iPhone to flame you on MySpace. Thank god you can finally give win your child love back with a monument to conspicuous consumption: a $300 robot dinosaur.

Seriously people, since we already know the robots will eventually turn on us, why do we keep building them with such dangerous implements like a dinosaur’s crushing jaw, laser cannons and spinning blades. Just seems short sighted to me. Here’s what’s going to happen some rich parents are going to buy their punching bag of a son this robo dino. Said downtrodden boy, deluded with thoughts of revenge, will take to the neighborhood to hunts down all his bullies atop his snuggly cyber beast. And that’s when Johnny Bully will feed the tyke to his very own overgrown Teddy Ruxpin. Incidentally, it's from Playskool

Review: Roboraptor Robotic Dinosaur

Karen Murphy — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:13:00 GMT

Well, The Ex finally ponied up and bought the children their Christmas gifts. Never mind that Christmas was more than 3 weeks ago, but the lines at the discount stores finally went down and they can see what's left on the shelves now. Apparently, there's nothing left except toys that require batteries: today, my 11-year old son Nathaniel came home bearing his new WowWee Roboraptor: a Fusion of Technology and Personality.

Fun! Let's get it out of the box and turn it on. But first! Nathaniel had me cover my eyes while he prepared something mysterious on the floor. And when I uncovered them -- surprise! There was a....(what is that thing?) dinosaur? Plastic? At least 2 feet long? In black and white? Hmm, looks harmless enough [grrrrrphmwwwaaaack!]. Uh, no. It moves. It snaps its jaws. And undulates its tail most menacingly. And, it's moving toward me....HEY! Is that thing going to jump on me?????!

This thing is freaking scary.

The Roboraptor won all sorts of "best toy" awards in 2005 (The Ex is a year behind) and is billed as having an "advanced artificial intelligence personality, realistic biomorphic motions, direct control and autonomous (free-roam) modes." And it comes in three "moods": Hunter, Cautious, and Playful. Hmm. Sounds suspiciously like a...kid. Or a pet? I read several reviews of this thing on Amazon, where it is available, naturally, and was a little concerned by some of the comments there, but hey, at least it wasn't my $99! Some people complained about low mobility on carpeted surfaces, or that it just wasn't as "fun" as they had hoped (those people were looking for actual artificial intelligence, maybe someone to watch reruns of "Star Trek: The Very Very Very Last Incarnation" with?), but others raved about how much their kids liked the thing.

The manual did seem overly complicated and I don't think that Nathaniel has had time yet to read much of it, but he seemed pretty happy with it, so I'll give the thing my qualified approval, with the understanding that I'll okay you having one as long as you Never. Bring it to my House. Because seriously! That thing is scary! Did you see the tail?