Question: I can never seem to get any work done on rainy days because I get so wrapped up in having to entertain my kids. What are some great products I could buy for those rainy days that don’t require me to constantly be next to my children?

Answer: Growing up, my mom always had these tubs filled with random stuff that she would only pull out on those rainy days. There was everything from lacing cards, to puzzles, to coloring books and crayons. But my favorite was the tub filled with random craft pieces such as pipe cleaners, googley eyes, construction paper, glue sticks, and sequins. There were no instructions, no right or wrong way to utilize the materials. All that was needed was a healthy dose of imagination and table covered with a plastic tablecloth. My masterpieces I created on those rainy days were always proudly displayed as works of art on the refrigerator. The Crafty Kit, Craft All Day and Giant Art Jar made by Alex Toys are very similar to that tub my mom pulled out for me years ago.

Construction toys are always a great idea too. As much as I love the idea of Marble Runs, they often need the helping hand of an adult. Nothing is more frustrating then angling your track the wrong way and having your marble get stuck half way through it’s run. Instead, something like the Magneatos, Magformers and Magna-Tiles are a better option for those busy moms. The use of magnets has become a popular trend in construction toys. What I think is great about magnets is that there is less chance for a finger to get pinched while trying to lock two pieces together. Magneatos are a perfect option for younger kids, as the pieces are larger. This makes it easier for small hands to hold onto and also prevents the kids from putting the magnetic pieces in their mouths. Both the Magna-Tiles and Magformers have been some of our top sellers. I do like to suggest hiding the packaging and any instruction guide that may come with the kit. This forces the kids to use their imaginations instead of just creating what they see pictured.

Let’s not forget about games, and boy do we have a TON! My personal favorite is the Think Fun line. Most of the line is geared towards an older audience, and are meant to be played solo. But, I doubt your 9 year old would be able to finish all 40 game cards (ranging from Beginner to Expert) in one day! Games like Blokus, Topple and Dicecapades! Word Pirates are perfect for a group of kids of all different ages. The instructions aren’t too complicated for younger kids, yet are still fun and challenging for the bigger brothers and sisters. In fact, you may just drop what you are doing and decide to join after you hear how much fun they are having!

Please let us know if we can assist with any of your toy questions! Reply here or leave us a message on Facebook.

Question: What are the scales to the dollhouse products you carry and which ones are compatible with each other?

Answer: Only one of the product lines of dollhouses that we carry are on a realistic scale. This is the Melissa and Doug Victorian Dollhouse line, and the scale is a 1:12 scale. For anyone that doesn’t know, a 1:12 scale means that every twelve units of measurement (typically inches) of the life size version is represented by one unit on the model. So for example, if a bed is 7 feet long, a 1:12 scaled dollhouse bed is 7 inches long.

The two lines that we carry that are compatible with each other are the ones manufactured by Plan Toys and Ryan’s Room. The adult figures to these lines are approximately 4.5″ high and the children are 3.75″. All of the furniture and houses are then made to fit these dolls perfectly. So maybe you like the style of the Ryan’s Room Bathroom, but the Plan Nursery. Go ahead and mix and match…they

will work seamlessly together! If, between the two lines, you aren’t happy with any of the doll families, you can also check out either the Happy Family Doll Set or the Royal Family Doll Set by Melissa and Doug. These two families are compatible with the Plan and Ryan’s Room lines, and not the Melissa and Doug Victorian line.

Question: I don’t see dimensions on your site for any of the Papo and Schleich figurines. How big are they and will my Schleich knights fit in a Papo castle?

Answer: Many times customers know which figures they want and I just pull out a ruler and tell them roughly the dimensions of each of item. A lot of times though, this doesn’t help at all because they can’t take those dimensions and create a realistic image in their head of the size of the figure. I’ve had much more success using the following descriptions (I’m more of a visual person too, which is why I try to use common items):

All of the horse figurines and most adult animals are just slightly smaller than the size of my hand. I’m an average size adult female, so don’t forget to take that into consideration! The offspring are scaled to the adults.

All of the character figurines, such as knights, fairies and pirates are about as tall as a credit card. Sometimes I’ll mix it up and say that they are about the size of an orange, just not as round!
Smaller animals found in nature such as rabbits, cats and squirrels are about the size of a box of toothpicks. All of the Smurfs would fit with this description as well.

To answer the second part of the question, yes, Schleich and Papo figures work very well together and will fit in castles made by both companies, so again, feel free to mix and match. The only time a pairing wouldn’t really work is if you were looking to have a White and Black Rabbit hopping around the castle grounds! The only animals that are scaled to the character figurines are the horses.

Please let us know if we can assist with any of your toy questions! Reply here or leave us a message on Facebook.

Question: With Spring just around the corner, I wanted to buy one of the Kettler Trikes for my child. With so many choices, how do I know which one is best for me? Is there one that you recommend more than any other?

Answer: At first glance, it is very difficult to tell the differences between all of the Kettler trikes and choosing the best one to suit your needs. However, each trike is unique and has specific special features. The first question I always ask a customer is whether or not they plan on using the pushbar with the trike. Using the pushbar makes the trike more of a type of “stroller,” allowing the child to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride while the parent pushes the trike with a removable handle. All of the trikes featured on our site come with the pushbar.

I highly recommend that when using the pushbar, you want a trike that has the Parental Locking Mechanism™ and the 3 in 1 Auto-Free Wheel™. The Parental Locking Mechanism™ allows parents to easily lock the handlebars, preventing the rider from moving the front wheel. This allows the parent to be in complete control of the movement of the trike. The 3 in 1 Auto-Free Wheel™ allows the rider to rest their feet on the pedals without them spinning with the front tire. As a side note, the trike must have this feature if you wanted to purchase the Lil–Foote Kettrest as an accessory to the trike.

Then there are the different frames and seats. Only two of the trikes, the Air Navigator and the Jumbo, have the wide seat. The one downfall to the wider seat is that you cannot adjust its position. With the narrower seat, you get four seat adjustments. Some people prefer this, as it helps the trike grow with the child. Each trike has between 4-5 frame adjustments as well. It is a personal preference when it comes to choosing between the S-Shape and the Straight tube. However, if you ever want to use the Tandem Insert, you need to have a trike with the S-Shape frame.

And then of course, there are the cosmetic features. One of my favorite is the rear tipping bucket. Having a place to put your favorite toys while riding is a MUST! The color of the trike is also a big decision. In the past, there weren’t many choices as Kettler only made the trikes in primary colors. Today, you can still find those classic colors, but you can also pick a Happy Plus trike in cool themes like Princess or Construction. Lastly, there are the two different types of wheels, the Komfy-Ride™ Air Tires and the MaxXtread™ tires. Both are good quality tires with plenty of tread for hours and hours of outdoor riding. Some say the air tires make the ride smoother. To me, both the Komfy-Ride™ Air Tires and the MaxXtread™ tires are a big step up from those loud, cheap Big Wheels tires I had growing up!

If I had to choose one trike that is my absolute favorite it would be, hands down, the Happy Navigator. I like the look of the classic colors, and it has the tipping bucket. I also like that is has the maximum number of seat/frame adjustments. It may be one of the more expensive trikes, but I know that I would get my money’s worth, as it will last forever!

For more, check out all of our Kettler items (many with videos!) and special accessories.

Do you have a question for our toy experts? Reply to this post or share your question on Facebook!

Our first question comes from Kelly H., a shopper in our State College, PA store.

Kelly’s Question: As timing would have it, there are three(!) baby showers in my family this month. I tend to give a similar gift basket-style present at showers, but I really don’t want to show up at each with the same thing! Can you give me some ideas of the latest and greatest in baby toys?

Growing Tree Toys’ Answer: A good reply is probably what the toy store employees choose to give to their own friends and family! Our top choice is definitely Cloud B’s Twilight Turtle (and its friends, the Twilight Sea Turtle and the Twilight Ladybug). Turn off the lights and the plush creatures with hard shells (or wings for the ladybug) project actual constellations onto the ceiling! A soothing toy for babies, we can report that older kids and adults like them as well!

Another plush favorite is perfect for when you know whether the proud parents-to-be are going to have a boy or a girl. Super-soft Bear Baby Mats come in pink and blue with a huge surface for playtime or naptime. The new baby’s new best friend is 31″ long – perfect for growing babies – and parents will love him too, as he is machine washable AND is reinforced with a non-slip material.

How about a colorful toy that promotes multi-sensory fun? At only $14.95, the two foot-long Musical Inchworm Baby Toy from Lamaze features eight segments that rattle, squeak, crinkle and jingle, and even a head that plays “If You’re Happy and You Know It Clap Your Hands” when squeezed! And, parents can use the inchworm’s belly to measure their growing bambino – something new parents love to track!

For more, check out the Music ‘n Play Table by Chicco and Infantino Toys’ Pink Surfboard Tummy Time Mat. Also watch our whole Baby Toys category for new and exciting additions from this year’s Toy Fair! We guarantee you will find the best in baby toys to bestow upon parents-to-be – and be the hit of the shower.

Have a question of your own? Feel free to reply to this post, or mention on our Facebook wall!