Category Archives: Toys

Disney Playmation Wearable Tech Toys

Are Disney’s Playmation Wearable Tech Toys Arriving In Time For Summer Break Fun?

Kids are out of school in many areas of the country and parents are becoming increasingly worried that their child’s summer is going to be full of couch-sitting, video game playing, snack eating, laziness.  Maybe that’s just me.  It’s a good thing I came up with a list of 24 things Madelyn can do while I’m working yesterday!  I’ll show you the list in another post.  🙂

Disney recently announced a groundbreaking system of toys and wearables that use smart technology to inspire kids to run around and use their imaginations.  Sounds unreal, doesn’t it?   I guess the future is happening, now!  Who would have thought that our kids could use technology AND their imaginations.. in one foul swoop?  Thank you Disney and  Hasbro!

Disney Playmation Wearable Tech Toys

Playmation is the next step in the evolution of play, where digital gets physical and imagination becomes real. The groundbreaking system of toys and wearables uses smart technology to inspire kids to run around and use their imaginations, as they become the hero or heroine of stories from across The Walt Disney Company. Playmation Marvel’s Avengers is the first of a series of systems in development, including Star Wars and Frozen. In Playmation Marvel’s Avengers, strap the high-tech Repulsor Gear onto your arm and join the Avengers in their fight to save Earth! As an Avenger recruit, your on-board intelligence JARVIS will guide you from your Gear as you accept missions from the Avengers and battle in exotic locations around the universe to save our planet—all from the comfort of your own home.

Watch the trailer to see Playmation in action!

As you can see in the video above, the new line of toys, in partnership with Hasbro, are a cross between computers and costumes.  Iron Man gloves and Hulk fists based on Disney’s Marvel superhero brand are two of the first examples shown.

Playmation uses technology regularly used by kids; smart toys, wearables, wireless technology, motion sensors, and more—to create a unique experience in which toys interact not only with the kids who play with them, but with each other. Along with the system’s companion app, the toys in Playmation reinvent “old school” play for the digital generation—allowing kids to become part of the story in real life.

Playmation is not a video game.   Disney touts Playmation as an entirely new category of play.  Users will go through familiar gameplay experiences of leveling up, earning points and completing missions.   Disney says there is a companion app, but Playmation is not meant to be played in front of a screen.  Instead, the user becomes part of the story in real life–running around and using their imagination to complete missions and go on exciting adventures.

Internet access may be required to download companion apps for some Playmation toys, but will not be required for gameplay.   Playmation toys create their own inter-connected network to communicate and interact with each other without requiring an Internet or WiFi network or connection, so you can play anywhere.

HOW DO YOU GET PLAYMATION?

The Playmation Marvel’s Avengers “Starter Pack” will include 1 piece of Avenger “Gear” (Repulsor), 2 Power Activators and 2 “Smart Figures” – a Super Hero (Captain America) and Villain (Iron Skull). Additional items will be sold separately. You can use the AvengersNet app to register your Gear, get updates, see progress, customize your Gear, and even get additional missions for all new play. Check Disney Playmation soon for more information on product details, retail availability, and how to pre-order!

Playmation will bring more of your kids favorite stories to life soon.  Playmation Star Wars is currently slated for release in 2016, and a Disney Frozen system is currently in development.

Playmation is described as being best for children 6+.

Playmation Marvel’s Avengers will be available at Disney Stores, disneystore.com and mass retailers nationwide (US and Canada) this October. Check Disney Playmation for more information on retail availability and how to pre-order!

A Surprise Party With Littlest Pet Shop Toys!

Littlest Pet Shop reviewLittlest Pet Shop Playsets

Spout off a list of toys your child plays with and chances are, Littlest Pet Shop is on that list.  The pet’s wobbly, oversized heads, bright colors, and fun names give kids a starting point for creative play unlike many.  Madelyn needs a starting point to get her on the road to creative play and while many toys are colorful and have fun names, they don’t necessarily provide such a thorough platform for creative play such as Littlest Pet Shop toys do.  Not only does Littlest Pet Shop offer lots of characters and pets but the playsets like the Littlest Pet Shop Style Set and Blythe Bedroom Style Set that Madelyn loves, give the characters a place to play, sleep, eat, and even shop.. meaning Madelyn has to come up with what for her characters and pets to do in each of those situations, jump starting her creative juices!

Littlest Pet Shop Party

I recently had a little surprise party for Madelyn because I didn’t have an official birthday party for her this year and felt bad.  The party was meant to be a time when she and her friends could hang out, have snacks, and build and play with her new Littlest Pet Shop playsets.  What a hit! It was better than I expected!  The girls had tons of fun building the playsets!

Littlest Pet Shop - building playset

This fall, LITTLEST PET SHOP empowers fans to “Be who they wanna be!” with a new way to play that offers the freedom to design their own PET SHOP world, their way. Fans can create their own Downtown City, with customizable style sets and figures inspired by the “Littlest Pet Shop” animated series. Fans can collect and stack the style sets vertically or horizontally to create a unique ‘city skyline,’ then decorate and style the sets with Deco Bits — unique, small accessories that plug into the environments for a little added glamour – as well as stickers and other decorative pieces. Fans can also collect and customize 100+ new pets, straight from the entertainment!

If you need a reason to have a playdate or a party for your child, other than a birthday party, grab a few toys from the toy store and have a little surprise party like we did!   Not only will the kids have to use their team building skills to build the playsets you present at the party/playdate, that time will allow you to chat with other moms and dads, something I know I desperately need every once in a while.

Littlest Pet Shop Sweetest Pets DVD

Madelyn and her friends watched Littlest Pet Shop Sweetest Pets DVD after they put together Blythe’s Bedroom Style Set.  The DVD contains five episodes from the Littlest Pet Shop cartoon; Topped With Buttercream, Trading Places, Sweet (Truck) Ride, What’s In The Batter?, and Madelyn’s favorite episode, Bakers and Fakers during which a recipe gets stolen by the Biscuit twins during a cupcake baking competition.  After watching the DVD the girls had even more fun playing with Blythe Bedroom Style Set and Littlest Pet Shop Style Set as they acted out and expanded on scenes from the episodes.

The girls set up an elaborate Littlest Pet Shop ‘town’, as they called it; even though it consisted of three playsets.  The sets come with the cutest little things called Deco Bits which are tiny little decorations kids can place almost anywhere on and in the Littlest Pet Shop playsets.  Madelyn said she “loves Littlest Pet Shop so much because of the Deco Bits”.  That’s a direct quote.  🙂  She likes that she can change the look of the Pet Shop or Blythe’s room just by rearranging the Deco Bits.   Many of the pieces that make up the playsets have tiny holes on them which is where the girls very thoughtfully placed Deco Bits including flowers, butterflies, and hearts.

Littlest Pet Shop Deco Bits

Littlest Pet Shop app

One more way Littlest Pet Shop brings a world of creativity to your child’s life is through the Littlest Pet Shop Your World app.  We downloaded the app to our Android and iOS devices, free, so Madelyn could bring her Littlest Pet Shop world to life digitally, and design it her way!   She simply scanned her favorite pets with the app then watched as the pets came to life.  The more pets she collected and played with; the more rooms, activities and cute accessories she unlocked for her Pet Shop!  The LPS Your World game is free to download and play, but some game items can also be purchased for real money. It is important that you talk to your child about asking for permission before purchasing items through the app.

Littlest Pet Shop app

With over 60 virtual pets to collect, you can fill your Pet Shop with all your favorites; including Penny, Zoe, Minka, Pepper, Russell, Sunil and Vinnie from the Littlest Pet Shop TV Show. Get new rooms, accessories and decorations to make your world as unique as you are!   Blythe is always available for advice in the app. If Madelyn got stuck wondering what to do in the app, she just tapped her help button.

Littlest Pet Shop show on Discovery Channel

If your child can’t get enough of Littlest Pet Shop tune in to Discovery Channel to watch the 30-minute animated Littlest Pet Shop show on Discovery Channel at 2:30pm on weekdays!  The half-hour animated comedy series follows young Blythe and her father as they move into a big city apartment above the Littlest Pet Shop – an amazing day camp for pets of all kinds including a panda, gecko, and even a mongoose. But the real adventure begins when Blythe discovers she can miraculously talk with the animals! The pets may be small, but their big personalities often lead to uproarious pop music-inspired song and dance sequences.  Madelyn LOVES the show!

Littlest Pet Shop has so much to offer kids between the characters, pets, playsets, and the app, the Littlest Pet Shop line of toys is one that you can build on and your child will enjoy for years!

– Alicia

 

Littlest Pet Shop Playsets

Pretend Play Travel Toys

Toy Roundup: 6 Self-Contained Travel Toys Great For Summer Road Trips

Every once in a while I stumble upon an online children’s store that is extraordinary.  Today I found AlexandAlexa when searching for travel toys for road trips.  With summer road trips coming up I am desperate to find new toys and activities that will keep Madelyn occupied during our long car rides.
I appreciate simple, classic toys
; whether that’s for Madelyn’s sake or my own I don’t know.  I love seeing Madelyn play with toys that I might have played with 30+ years ago including the super fabulous Fisher Price Two Tune TV pictured below.

Your child will have a wonderful time during your next road trip discovering and creating new pretend worlds and scenarios with these and other classic-style travel toys available at AlexandAlexa.  What’s better is that each toy I put in the round up photo and list below comes with its own storage box or a handle for easy play and clean-up!  There’s not much better than easy clean up after a long road trip right?

These six toys for boys and girls make great travel companions/toys whether on a road trip or down the street to Grandma’s house for the weekend.

Pretend Play Travel Toys

  1. 1. Farm in a Suitcase – $54
  2. 2. The Little Closet Suitcase with two Soft Toys – $82
  3. 3. Fisher-Price Two Tune TV – $48
  4. 4. My Vanity Case – $35
  5. 5. Lego Junior House Suitcase – $32
  6. 6. Melissa & Doug Billy The Superhero Dress-Up Set – $16

There are the online stores (Amazon.com, for example) that we go to to get *everything* but when we need ideas like for birthday gifts, something for the pretend-play aficionado or the child who wants to be fully immersed in the world of his/her favorite superhero, there are online toy stores like AlexandAlexa. – Alicia

AlexandAlexa offers over 200 coveted international fashion, sportswear and toy brands, from the traditional to the cutting-edge.   I’ll definitely be returning soon to find birthday gifts for my soon-to-be 8 year old, Madelyn.

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Tinker Bell Flies In Our Back Yard! A @JakksToys Sky High Tink Review and #Giveaway

 

“Look mom! Look!” my daughter yelled out to me.

I follow her pointed finger up into the sky.  Nearly to the top of one of our tallest trees.

Then I see it..

Tinker Bell was flying in our yard!  There she was, as beautiful as I could have imagined and my daughter thought so too.  She didn’t think she’d ever see Tinker Bell fly in our very own back yard.  She only fly’s in the movies..until now!

So I’m guessing that you know that this ins’t the ‘real’ Tinker Bell but she sure does fly like the real, whimsical fairy.  No batteries required, just point her toward the sky, pull her short string and off she flies into the sky.  My daughter did this over and over and over.   Talk about a happy 6 year old girl.

 Sky High Tink toy

Can you spot Sky High Tink in the top left image?  Isn’t she cute?   My daughter has had so much fun playing with Sky High Tink.  It’s one of the toys I can turn to to occupy her when all else fails.  It never gets old.

So far I have not run into a single issue with flying Sky High Tinker Bell.  She’s landed on the concrete sidewalk, on rocks, and her string has been pulled very hard and not hard enough but always handles it fine.  She’s always flown well and landed safe and sound. In other words, she’s very sturdy.

Help Tinker Bell take off on her next adventure with the 4.5” Sky High Tink doll.  Little girls can insert Tinker Bell into the flower base, pull the string and watch as she soars up to 10 feet high into the sky just like a real fairy! Watch Tink in action in the new Sky High Tink doll video at jakks.com.   Ages 4+

The box states that she will fly up to 10 feet high but our Sky High Tink flew way higher than that.  We have a swing set in the backyard that is 8 feet high and she at least doubled the high of it.  She has some mad flying skills!

Jakks Toys has a great assortment of toys for boys and girls including one of my daughter’s favorites, a fairy dress up set.  As you can see she loves fairies and loves to play dress up with her friends.  With Tinker Bell’s Pixie Petal Dress she can dress up as her favorite fairy and fly all over the house and yard with Sky High Tink!

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This review was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own. All prizing for MSM giveaways is handled by a third party unless otherwise noted. For this reason prize fulfillment can take up to 90 days after the winners information is received.