Archive for 2009

“Designed to help parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children, the Parents’ Choice Awards is the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s media.” This program honors quality material for children in categories such as, our favorite, toys! But, who are these wonderful toy testers you ask? Parents’ Choice Award panel members include educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents, and kids themselves!

Let’s introduce the rest of the winner! Drum roll please … the winners are:

4 years

A new twist on an old favorite, the S’Match Matching Game from ThinkFun challenges players to match cards by color, number or category. But wait, how you match is determined by the game spinner, adding a twist to what players need to remember!

8 years

The Friends 4 Ever Bracelet Kit from Alex Toys allows kids to show the world that they are so important to each other that they share and wear their imaginative bracelet masterpieces everywhere they go! This fabulous friendship kit includes 4 color-coded foam looms, which allow kids to make 2 distinct bracelet styles in 8 funky patterns; 22 colors of floss; funky beads for adding special accents; and a beading needle – my oh my!

A fun-filled cross between poker and Yahtzee, the Yamslam Game from Blue Orange Games promotes calculated risk and smart strategy. In this game, it’s all about the luck of the dice roll because players score points based on what combinations (or attempted combinations) they roll. Score high and score often to claim victory! For 1 to 4 players.

Learning to knit has never been so fashionable or so fun! The Knitwear Designer Kit from Alex Toys is the fun and fashionable kit that lets kids test their fashion know-how on the friendly Molly Dolly by creating her a wonderful wardrobe. This all inclusive kit features everything young ones need to knit away – wooden knitting needles, sewing needles and easy-to-follow, full-color instructions that show kids how to make 12 fashions for their favorite friend, including a coat, skirt, dress, scarf, leg warmers, and more! Plus, kids can add buttons and ribbon, but most importantly – they can add their personal flair!

Now, instead of admiring the raw power of rushing water from a distance, the Hydropower Science Kit from Thames & Kosmos lets kids explore the intricacies of water power on their own! Perfect for the child interested in the environment and renewable energy, the Hydropower Science Kit provides all of the supplies to build a waterwheel, a sawmill, and a hammer mill – all of which harness the energy of moving water for various types of physical work.

All Ages

Ugly is the new pretty! With a one-of-a-kind appeal and an adorable look, Uglydolls show kids of all ages that you can’t fake ugly. Check out the four new members of the Uglydoll community whose award-winning finesse that both kids and adults will love.

Mr. Kasoogi	Mrs. Kasoogi

Uppy	Black and White Turny Burny

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see which of our toys will win next year!

Source Citations:
“Parents’ Choice Awards.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/aboutawards.cfm
“Toys.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://parents-choice.org/award.cfm?thePage=toys&p_code=p_toy

To this day I am the reigning Uno champion among my family and my friends. While most of them say that my luck is too good to be true (ahem… that I cheated), I say that I’m merely lucky – lucky enough to attract most “Draw Four” and “Wild” cards in the pile. I admit that, yes, that sort of luck seems suspicious, but the game of Uno is and will always be about the luck of the draw. So, how can you cheat chance?

When you see the Uno Card Game today, you can experience themed Uno decks ranging from the Simpsons to the Cars movie to the extremely popular High School Musical 2; however, I was fortunate enough to grow up with the blissfully blank original version of this classic game (which I still have to this day because classics never die).

While the mechanics of the Uno Card Game have always been deceptively simple – there are 4 colors of cards (red, green, blue, and yellow) with numbers that range from 0 to 9, 3 “action” cards (reverse, skip, and draw two), and special action cards (draw four and wild) that players use to empty their hand of cards – players often forget that their success relies strictly on chance.

Then again, unless you were playing with your parents (and not even always then), the official Uno rules were strictly voluntary making “chance” a little less likely. I mean whether you drew cards from the “pick up” pile until you had one to play or you discarded as many action cards in a row as possible during a Uno face-off, everyone made their own rules to this game – whether or not they admit it.

Here’s a small piece of Uno history that I dug up from the YouTube archives – the very 80’s Uno Game commercial (Enjoy!):

It is that time of year again – time for some holiday shopping madness! The term “Black Friday” was coined in the 1960’s for the shopping frenzy that is the day after Thanksgiving. And ever since, businesses, shoppers and Santa’s elves have tried to make the most of the shopping deals found on Black Friday. Today most people associate this shopping holiday with midnight sales, newspaper coupons, long early morning lines and for some, running and sweating, but since the early 1980’s we have always enjoyed the opportunity to help our customers and friends who visit our store, kick off the holiday season with some great toy ideas.

But as the ecommerce world grew, so did the need for websites to have their own Black Friday. Since websites are generally busier the first part of the week, Monday seemed to be a natural fit for the ecommerce world. So we now have Cyber Monday (the term seems to be lacking some originality in my opinion☺) – the Monday after Black Friday!

Being a multi-channel merchant, we are lucky enough to take part in both of these great days in our store and on our fabulous website. While our store will be bustling with long time customers and friends, we know that many customers will also be coming back to see us online! And this year, we have some special deals for our online customers. I can’t give away too much right now (don’t want to ruin the surprise), but in order to stay in the loop on our Black Friday weekend deals, join our email updates and you will be the first to know.

Best of luck shopping and we hope you find everything on your list!

SPOILER ALERT!! Any of my friends or family that reads this staff review, and just had a baby or is expecting one soon, I am tipping my hand for any baby shower gift or new baby gift that you may receive from me. Why? Because I just love the precious Twilight Sea Turtle Toy from Cloud B, and I want to give it to as many households with little ones as I can! And while this sea turtle is an adorable present for the youngest of children, it makes a great gift to give for toddlers, preschoolers, and even older kids!

What’s to like?
I have to admit, I love the entire concept of this Twilight Sea Turtle, from the cute turtle design and the illuminating colors, to the star constellations and the included book and star guide – this multi-purpose tortoise has it all! But, why is this toy great for babies and other young ones, you ask? While these little ones are not yet aware of which constellations are shining above them, this wonderful starry night effect, coupled with the Twilight Sea Turtle’s shell that can shine in blue, green or aquamarine, is soothing for bedtime. I even have a friend that loves to lie down and “look at the stars” above as her little one starts to doze off. But,

for those nights when star-gazing isn’t in her plans, the auto shut-off of the 45-minute sleep timer will keep her from disturbing her young son after he falls asleep.

And, even if the Twilight Sea Turtle did not prove to be useful after those early years, it would still totally be worth it; but, lucky for kids and parents, this is a toy that really grows with children and continues to offer consolation, entertainment and education! As young ones grow, fear of the dark can become a very real – and very exhausting – experience for any family. This sea turtle is a trusty sidekick, adding a soft and soothing glow to dark bedrooms that helps to ease nighttime jitters.

But, to call this Twilight Sea Turtle a “night light” is totally misleading – it’s so much more. Once children are old enough, they can take the time to learn about the 5 endangered sea friends that are pictured on the turtle’s back, which include a Blue Whale, a California Sea Otter, a Knysna Seahorse, a Leatherback Turtle and a Vaquita Dolphin. Not only can they choose which animal to light up on the turtle’s shell, but they can also read about their endangered friends in the included storybook.

In addition to reading about these endangered sea animals, children can also look to the skies and spend time learning about the star constellations that shine from the back of the Twilight Sea Turtle. The included star guide helps identify the turtle’s constellations, fostering an appreciation of astronomy and the stars that fill the nighttime sky. I know I am always sad that the only constellation I seem to know is Orion’s Belt! If only I had the Twilight Sea Turtle as a child … my enthusiasm for reading and learning would have ensured that I was somewhat of a constellation “expert” after about a week’s worth of time with this adorable turtle. Instead, I pass the opportunity for this star knowledge on to many of the young ones I know!

At the end of the day
The stars truly have aligned to make such a magical toy! The Twilight Sea Turtle Toy from Cloud B is perfect for kids of all ages – from newborns to school age children – and retails for a reasonable $33.95. Star struck yet? If not, then let me convince you with this childhood classic: Star Light Star bright, The first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight. The Twilight Sea Turtle Toy is that wish come true!

This staff review was brought to you by Kim, a Managing Partner. Here’s a little more info (in her own words) about this long time Growing Tree Toys team member:

I have happily been working at Growing Tree Toys since 2003, when my husband and I launched the e-commerce website for the long-popular store located in State College, PA. My days at Growing Tree Toys keep me more than busy trying to make our website the best shopping experience for our customers, shifting between searching out the newest educational toys, purchasing, writing and more. When my husband and I are not at work, we are happy to play with our labradoodle Toby – who is also a big fan of many of the toys we sell!

“Designed to help parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children, the Parents’ Choice Awards is the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s media.” This program honors quality material for children in categories such as our favorite – toys! But, who are these wonderful toy testers you ask? Parents’ Choice Award panel members include educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents, and kids themselves!

When the awards were handed out, Growing Tree Toys was proud to discover that 12 of our popular toys were among the honorees this year! Drum roll please … the winners by age are:

9 months

Nothing makes a splash at bath time like the Fill n Flow Spout Bath Toy from Yookidoo Toys – the automatic play spout that no baby can resist! Let the imaginative water run wild with this flowing spout as baby turns a propeller, creates a shower, and plays “peek-a-boo” with a floating friend without wasting a drop of water. Just like a real spout, the control of this Fill n Flow Spout Bath Toy is controlled with the push of a button.

1 year

A magical island of water fun in baby’s bath time, the Stack n Stream Tub Fountain Bath Toy from Yookidoo Toys is the water-jet powered tub tower that is full of surprises! While is tub toy attaches to the tub bottom, drawing water through the center of the stack, kids can choose any of the 4 interchangeable fountain heads to make a completely unique spray. And, when fountain play is finished, the fountain head attachments can be used as individual floating bath toys!

3 years

Lost socks beware because with the Chimp and Zee Silly Socks Game from Pressman Toy, every sock will have a pair! A matching game like never before, kids will love reaching into the dryer and pulling out silly socks in hopes of finding a match. Washing clothes may be a chore, but folding socks just got a lot more interesting!

Let’s go fishing! The Pretend and Play Fishing Set from Learning Resources Toys has all the supplies kids need to bait and catch friendly fish just like grown ups! Featuring a magnetic fishing rod, 3 magnetic worms, and 3 magnetic fish, this Pretend and Play Fishing Set is sure to attract kids to the pond. This set also includes fish net, an adjustable fishing vest made of plastic, nylon and canvas, and a plastic storage tackle box.

Who better to teach young ones to match colors than their terrific turtle friends? The Turtle Shells Matching Game begins when players create their own color combinations of turtles and the interchangeable shells (there is no correct color combination). One player rolls the colored dice, and if the colors rolled match one of the turtle figurines and his shell, that player gets to look at a memory card. If the memory card also matches the turtle, the player “wins” the card. For 2 to 4 players.

There’s never a dull moment with the KidKraft Activity Center with 3 Stools because there are two cool ways for 3 young ones to play the day away! With everything kids need for an artistic day of play – 3 wooden matching stools, a center triangle-shaped storage bin, and a convenient 2-sided play surface (a smooth surface and a Lego compatible surface) – this Activity Center with 3 Stools will bring playtime off of the floor and into a whole new world!

A necessity for any little carpenter, the Educo Master Carpenter Workbench has all the tools needed to fix anything around the house! When there’s work to be done, this workbench gives young ones the tools to succeed. With a counter that is the perfect size for kids to work, this Master Carpenter Workbench features holes for screwing, hammering and pulling non-stick nails, screws, nuts and bolts. Get building!

With the Sprig Captain Owen Wild Water Explorer Toy from Sprig Toys, kids can pretend to explore the rampaging river using their own, limitless supply of energy and imagination! The Sprig Captain Owen Wild Water Explorer Toy is the rugged, water proof adventure boat that is ready to cut through choppy waters and unexplored territory to uncover a new adventure!

With so many award-winning toys to share, one post just isn’t enough! Check back soon for the 2009 Parents’ Choice Awards Part 2!

Source Citations:
“Parents’ Choice Awards.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/aboutawards.cfm
“Toys.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/award.cfm?thePage=toys&p_code=p_toy

Toys are our thing. We search far and wide to find the best in wooden toys, baby toys, toddler toys, ride on toys, puzzles, games … you get the picture. And, as a toy store, we have always carried plush, or as some people call them, stuffed animals. Often they are just that – stuffed animals. But, in a sea of stuffed teddy bears, puppy dogs and furry monkeys arose something so unique, so cute, and yet SO UGLY, we just had to have them. And, we have forever remained enamored of our soft, plush friends – Uglydolls!

Believe it or not, Uglydolls have been around since 2002, but have seen a recent rise in popularity, mostly spurned by winning the Specialty Toy of the Year award from the Toy Industry Association in 2006 and by a certain Miss Sasha carrying one to her first day of school in Washington DC last year. I have to admit, these dolls won me over when I saw my first life-size Uglydoll walking around Toy Fair years ago, and I still love to see them staring at me with their goofy faces in our retail store or warehouse!

Created as drawings on correspondence between two artists, David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim, Uglydolls quickly grew into a whole line of adorably ugly creatures that are not only cuddly, but fast friends to children and adults alike. With bright colors, unique faces and equally unique names and personalities, Uglydolls have become a popular mainstay in specialty stores nationwide. But, why are they so popular? I have a few hunches why …

Uglydolls are the perfect gift for any age – young ones love that they are a fun doll with which to cuddle, older children appreciate their hip design and “room décor presence,” and adults are taken by their artistic appeal, quirky descriptions and “non-stuffed toy” look. It’s not very often that you find adults purchasing dolls for themselves – I know I normally wouldn’t consider it!

And, it’s the non-stuffed doll design of the Uglydolls that make them perfect for kids that normally shy away from the traditional stuffed toys and plush. But don’t think that those children that like classic stuffed toys will want to stay far away from Uglydolls – they love them just as much! And whether kids like them for their individual designs or their unique story lines and descriptions, we know they won’t be able to stop with just one Uglydoll – they will need to create a whole Uglydoll family!

With a variety of sizes, colors, shapes and goofy and ugly designs, there is an Uglydoll to please just about anyone. And with new characters introduced every year, the ugliness of the Uglydoll line just keeps on spreading. So come on – everyone needs a little ugly in their life, don’t you think?

And, that’s why we love Uglydoll, and we hope you do too!