Warning: May induce contented yawns.

If your toddler is between the ages of 2 and 20, it is likely that she is going through a scared-of-the-dark phase. One of the most common solutions (aside from camping out in your child’s bedroom to stave off the boogey-man) is the soothing comfort of a night-light. A company called Cloud B has a wide range of products to help your little one start slumbering, sans tears. One of the most enchanting products is the Cloud B Twilight Constellation Night Light- it’s a sweet plush sea turtle (there are also land turtle and ladybug options) with a hard shell that projects stars onto the walls and ceiling.

Effective and Educational

One of the sweetest things about this already-adorable sea turtle is that it’s educational! Not only does it come with a star guide to help you identify the constellations shown in the projection, but there are also 5 endangered sea animals pictured on the hand-painted shell: a Blue Whale, a California Sea Otter, a Knysna Seahorse, a Leatherback Turtle and a Vaquita Dolphin. The animals light up individually, and are so cute and comforting that your child won’t even realize they’ve been tricked into learning something! The night-light also comes with a Twilight Sea Turtle storybook- just the thing to help your child wind down before switching off the lights and switching on the stars.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ...

The shell itself illuminates in blue, green, or a combination of the two colors, and as well as the star projection, it is on a 45-minute sleep timer to save battery power (3 AAA batteries are included). The shell has the potential to break if treated roughly, but it’s fine for supervised use in bedrooms of children 3 and older. For best results it is suggested that the turtle is placed in the middle of the floor, but this also presents the potential for the turtle and its fragile shell to get stepped on in the dark by a sleepy parent or child, so keep that in mind when purchasing. If placed on a nightstand or dresser, the stars may not project as evenly over the entire room.

Other toys in the Cloud B lineup include the Sleep Sheep, which emits nature sounds (always my favorite at bedtime), the Lavender Lab with scented lavender (commonly used in pillows and bath products to promote relaxation) and many other sleep- related products for children and the parents who must put them to bed. You can get the Twilight Turtle on Amazon right now for very little money.

Just wook at this widdle puppy! You NEED him! I need him!

An iconic image for any young boy's childhood.

Tonka Company History

The word “Tonka” was an interesting choice, a Dakota-Sioux word for “great” and/or “big.” These days, Tonka is a word associated with great big trucks for kids. This is of course due to the famous line of metal construction vehicle toys that Tonka released in the mid-sixties. By the way, for more on these classics, read our earlier post on vintage tonka trucks.

The company spent many years with their metal trucks (dubbed the “Mighty” line), using the profits to acquire a barbecue manufacturer and expand their variety of products to attract other demographics.

A Tonka for any occasion.

This plan took off in the 1980s, when Tonka released Pound Puppies and Gobots. Though these were big sellers, the big yellow trucks never waned in popularity.

1991 came with a big change, as Tonka was bought out by Hasbro. Thankfully, the Tonka brand name never left, nor did their trademark trucks.

The Original

The original Mighty Tonka truck was, of course, the Mighty Dump Truck in1964. Back in the sixties, the line of yellow construction monsters also featured real rubber tires. At a whopping eleven pounds and big enough to haul a household cat (yes, I tried it), the truck is now a symbol of Tonka strength and durability.

Some of the marketing lines written for the early incarnations of the Mighty line included “Guaranteed for Life” and “Tonka Tough.” Rightly so, as the Mighty Dump is a common family heirloom that is safe in the hands of any generation.

They're still mighty tough these days.

Materials and designs

When I was a kid, I was fortunate enough to have some older metal Tonka trucks. They were suddenly scarce, because the company was slowly transitioning their trademark toys from metal to plastic in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Kids are still enthralled with the classic designs in the Mighty line, despite the loss of durability and strength embodied by the earlier steel-made versions. Back-hoes, scrapers, and mobile cranes have been slowly integrated over the years, always in the signature yellow color. Different sizes have come into play, ranging from the pocket-size “Tiny” line and moving up to the Mighty size.

Prices

Mighty size Tonka trucks go for about $29.99 on Amazon, whereas the Tonka Junior products can be as cheap as $4 in the right places. The classic metal trucks are great items for collectors, and the original 1964 Mighty Dump Truck can be found for sale at $169.00 (restored). Not bad for a toy icon.

I predict the next big craze will be paperclips with crazy plaid and animal print patterns.

Remember that useless collection of objects that decided your status in grade school? Tell Beanie Babies to slide down the bench, because the new generation is hooked on Silly Bandz.

With Sales Like This, They’re Not So Silly

Available in any color, Silly Bandz are silicon-based rubber bands that kids can wear as bracelets and necklaces. The real selling point: when not stretched out, Silly Bandz are molded into funky shapes and letters. There are animal sets, rock band themed sets (dubbed “Rock Bandz”), and even princess themed sets. Like all standard rubber bands, Silly Bandz retain their shape when not stretched.

Kids enjoy trading them and showing off their collections by wearing them all like sleeves. Packs of 24 cost anywhere from five to eight dollars on Amazon, and Silly Bandz hold eight of the top ten bestseller slots in the Toys and Games category as I write this. Impressive. Most impressive.

So simple, but hey, whatever works.

Apparently, Silly Bandz have been causing a little ruckus in some schools, and have been banned due to distraction. Parents, don’t let this worry you. Every classroom has opportunities for distraction, and kids will make a toy out of anything. In fact, the banning has only made the craze more outrageous, just as it does for every tradable contraband item in schools.

Also, according to an April 17 article in the New York Times, there is a Silly Bandz page on Facebook with over 83,000 fans…and counting.

Well, what can I say about these little buggers? They look like fun. It is so uplifting to see that the biggest craze in elementary classrooms isn’t technology-based. When you think about it, rubber bands have been around for so long, and kids have always been fascinated with the pliability of rubber. This product takes that basic childhood interest in an existing product and takes it in the next logical step (speaking of which, I vaguely remember the birth of duct tape wallets in school).

At first, I mused that Silly Bandz were a little expensive, especially considering the amount of labor and materials that goes into their creation. Then I remembered that video games are $60, and action figures are $10. Silly Bandz would certainly be a welcome alternative for parents and checkbooks alike. Keep in mind before buying them, they tend to break after a while, and naturally they are easily lost.

If there is one thing that really impresses me about Silly Bandz, it is the ability to wear a whole collection. When I was a kid, and yo-yos suddenly became the coolest thing ever (it was 1996, go figure), it wasn’t like you could bring thirty Duncan brand yo-yos to school. The Beanie Babies that every girl in my class collected were too cumbersome as well. Even a full deck of Pokemon cards required a large cargo pocket, coincidentally at the same time cargo pants were in vogue. But Silly Bandz don’t even need to be carried.

Grade school fads are mostly harmless, I think. Especially Silly Bandz, which prove to me that children still have imagination, and don’t require USB cords to have a good time.

Hot Wheels is one of the most affordable toys to collect. Since most cars are only a dollar, it means anyone with a pocket or a purse can cobble together enough spare change to buy a few toy cars. Most people might think Hot Wheels starts with kids scooting them across the kitchen floor and ends with adults putting them on shelves, but there is a lot you can do with Hot Wheels.

1. You can race them. And I mean racing beyond the loop-de-loops and ramps you remember from childhood. I’m talking all-out drag racing. All you need is two lanes of straight track, a hill, and a finish line. It sounds simple, and it is…just grab some friends and you can quickly create your own game. Everyone picks a car at random and you race them tournament-style. The winner gets bragging rights and the losers, well, they’ll just have to pick another car and try again. I made a 20-foot fold-up race track that I can take out at any time, and easily hide whenever my wife wants it hidden. It’s great for parties, kids, and even just a lazy Sunday afternoon.

2. Create your own car. Customizing your very own Hot Wheels may require some effort, but it’s a lot of fun. A well-placed firecracker was the only way to get cars apart when we were little, but now we have tools! Grab your drill and in 10 minutes you can be personalizing your own Hot Wheels car. Paint them, put stickers on them, swap out wheels and parts…whatever you want. And if you’re adventurous, take several Hot Wheels and combine them to create your own Frankenhotwheels. Beware, however, once you go down this road you’ll never look at Hot Wheels on the shelf the same ever again. You’ll start thinking, “I bet the wheels on that truck would look awesome on that Porsche.”

3. Turn them into something useful. Hot Wheels are simple toys…but that doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. You can turn your toy cars into something useful and hip, like a USB thumb drive! I took one of my favorite Hot Wheels cars, a $10 USB drive, and combined them. What I got is a truly unique thumb drive that is fun to play with, fun to look at, and a great conversation piece at the office. Technology is cheap and, better yet, tiny…perfect for toys. What else could you add to a Hot Wheels car? Lights? Motors? Magnets? If you have the time and gumption, there are a whole slew of weekend DIY projects.

4. Educate and experiment. When I started racing Hot Wheels I was just looking for some fun with toys. What I didn’t expect was the game turning into one big science experiment. In the quest to find the fastest Hot Wheels car, I was faced with all sorts of questions. Does car shape matter? Does weight matter? Does WD-40 work on Hot Wheels? I found myself creating a bunch of trial-and-error experiments that were a lot of fun. I even applied a Mythbusters experiment to my Hot Wheels.

5. Start a local club and meet people. Hot Wheels is a universal toy. Everybody knows them and I’m willing to bet just about everyone has one. The Internet makes it east to connect with other Hot Wheels fans on places like Facebook, Twitter, and message boards…but nothing is better than getting a chance to geek out about Hot Wheels in person. All you need is a place to gather (local park, church, library, coffee shop, etc.) and tell everyone to bring their Hot Wheels. You will quickly pass the time chatting, trading, sharing, and racing your favorite toy cars.

 This is only a short list of fun things you can do with Hot Wheels cars, believe me, there are many more. And remember, just because you’re no longer 8-years-old doesn’t mean fun with Hot Wheels has to stop, it just means you have to figure out how to make them fun.

About the Author: Brian Vaughn writes at MorningToast.com about video games, retro toy memories, all around geekery, and, of course, Hot Wheels. He’s also the world record holder for Urban Champion. Follow him on Twitter at @morningtoast

Oh boy did I love these things.

What better way to wrap up my Pokeweek than with a little trip down memory lane to remember all the Pokemon toys I had when I was a kid? While the games were what introduced us to the concept of Pokemon, it was the phenomenon that exploded shortly afterward with the toys, cards, clothes, and cartoon that grabbed the rest of the world’s attention. I won’t talk about the cards (maybe another day) but I’d like to just riff a bit about the Pokemon toys I had. Ready? Go!

Bite-Sized Fun

I was in roughly 4th grade when Pokemon hit. Back then, it wasn’t quite the thing it is today. As with most surprise phenomena, the merchandise was quick to come but not to the quality levels we’d expect. It was a surprise hit, so toy companies began chugging out whatever they could with the Pokemon logo on it and called it a day.

The toys I had the most were the miniature figures for the various Pokemon. These were literally chunks of plastic shaped like the Pokemon characters standing no bigger than your thumb. They had zero points of articulation, zero attachments and zero projectiles. They were just the Pokemon they were supposed to be. My first two sets were the Pikachu/Raichu set and the Rattata/Raticate set. Each set came with two Pokemon, usually the first and second stages of the Pokemon, which meant that for a little under $10 you could have two similar-looking chunks of plastic. Some sets included all three stages of a Pokemon, like the Charmander or the Squirtle set, but usually it was the standard two.

I don’t know what it was about these, but I got addicted to collecting them. I stopped about the time Gold and Silver versions were released, so my collection only included the first 151 Pokemon, but I had a pretty impressive number. I won’t go so far as to say I had over 100, but I think I was close. Even though they were just chunks of painted plastic, I battled them constantly. I loved those stupid things, partly because I was the perfect age for the marketing to work on me.

Had to love these little guys, no matter what.

Besides just the mini figures, I had a Plush Pikachu doll that I snuggled with constantly. Yeah, I said I snuggled with Pikachu, what of it? It was the perfect plush doll. Super soft, just the right size, and it looked exactly like the character. It was one of those things they got right on the first try, but of course a search of “Plush Pikachu” yields dozens of results other than my exact Pikachu. Now there are quite a few other plush Pokemon ranging from the 9” sizes to beanie-baby sized to big ol’ stuffed animals.

I keep an eye on the toys whenever I stroll down the toy aisle in department stores and I’m happy to see that the newer figures have made two big improvements. First, they’re quite a bit larger, making them more compatible with other toys and of course look more impressive by themselves. Secondly, they have moving parts and in some cases projectiles. I was never into the Pokedex electronics that let you place the figures on them for battle and info purposes, but those are still prevalent. Basically, you have a lot of good options to feed your Pokemon addiction in the toy aisles, so I’m happy, even if the prices are a little steep.

Also, the actual Pokemon themselves got cooler, too.

I’ll probably never get back into Pokemon toys, but the time I spent with them as a kid is enough for any one lifetime. I moved on to bigger and better things, but while it lasted, I was a Pokemon Master and it felt great.

This brings me to Bioshock 2 by 2K games.  If you are not familiar with the game, just add an engaging story, fun gameplay, and slightly psychotic characters running around.  That said, I’m perplexed by the Big Daddy plush doll from “Bioshock 2.” This insanely detailed bugger looks exactly like Little Sister’s ramshackle doll that she carries around, featuring a baseball head and a corkscrew arm. But why did they chose to make plush dolls for a violent, M-rated game?

It’s clearly not for kids to cuddle with –no– this is for adult fans of the game series.

The Big Daddy doll looks beautiful, just like its on-screen counterpart (you know, in that Tim Burton/punk rock way). Most of the doll is good old-fashioned textiles, but there are some plastic parts too. The style of the game really shines in this soft toy, and if you are a big fan of “Bioshock,” or maybe someone wants to be Little Sister for Halloween, than this doll would certainly be up your alley.

At $25, Big Daddy plush is most suitable as a conversation item, or something to round out a collection. I’ve personally paid much more than that for a less-than-reputable item for a collection (let’s just say I still haven’t watched my DVD box set of “21 Jump Street”). So if you must own every piece of “Bioshock” memorabilia, snag it.

If you don’t, I’d say you should just get the game and check out the weird subterranean universe 2K has created.

Wait, I'm not just repeating articles, am I?

Everybody is going green these days. It’s rather trendy to say the least, so it’s no surprise that toys are following the trend and selling big when it comes to eco-friendly categories. If you’d very much like to give your kids something fun to play with that they’re guaranteed to enjoy plus is quite possibly better for the environment in the long run, then good news because here’s an article about the top selling eco-friendly toys right this second.

Still Going Green It Seems

Do you remember me talking about the company Green Toys a while ago? I’m not here to judge; it was after all quite some time since that article. The reason I’m bringing them up is because they’re selling one heck of a lot of their toys right now with the number one green toy of them all being the Green Toys Tea Set that I went on about in my article. Someone must have been listening to me when I wrote the positive review or something. Of course they aren’t just a one-trick pony since they also have a cookware and dining set, a dump truck, and a sand playset. You know, things every kid should already have. The best part of all that is that none of those toys are particularly expensive with only the full cookware and dining set being over $30.

Dang it, now I want to go play in the sand.

Green toys may have a lot in the bestseller category, but they aren’t alone. Another company called i Play is doing quite fine for themselves until Apple decides to sue them for using a lowercase I in their company name. Their top item is the Green Sprouts Stacking Cup Set, yet another incredibly simple toy that happens to be a toy every kid should own. Heck, I had a set of these when I was a kid, but I’m sure this set is a lot better for the environment.

My set had much manlier colors though, but otherwise they looked the same.

If you’d prefer something way more advanced, check out Elenco Electronics’ Frightened Grasshopper Solar Powered Bug. I swear to you I didn’t just invent that thing, and even better, this robo-bug is only $7. That’s a deal no matter who you are.

Alright, I'll allow a robo-grasshopper, but as soon as we get robo-hornets I say we've gone too far.

Sprig Toys have a handful of bestsellers when it comes to construction vehicle toys if you’d rather not buy everything from Green Toys. Let the girls have their tea sets, us boys got stuff to dig and construct and whatnot. Then after we’re done with that maybe some more tea.

Once more, all I want to do now is go play in the sand.

Rounding out the bestsellers is Plan Toys with a couple items. What’s their highest selling item right now? A solid wood drum. That’s it. Just a little drum with a little mallet. While I’m all for kids having a toy drum, I’m not everyone. Plan Toys also has a doll house nursery set for the less noisy children, though I’m somewhat surprised to find out that the toy drum is $21 and the doll house set is $18. I must be really out of touch with my green side.

Yup, that's one wooden drum there.

So there you have it folks, a multitude of great eco-friendly toys at affordable prices. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s once more time for tea.

I don't think I'll ever get tired of these people.

True Fact: I grew up in the United States of America. I’m not trying to brag or anything, it’s just simple stating of fact. Why this is important to The Simpsons has to do with what The Simpsons is to me: An American Institution. This in no way means that I believe The Simpsons is only for Americans. Oh heavens no, The Simpsons is a show for the entire world. It’s been aired all over, only managing to tick off Australia, Brazil, and a few other countries of the world that I can’t be bothered to remember. The real special aspect of the show is how unimaginable it is to think of a Sunday night at 8 without The Simpsons. It’s into its 21st season now, with the 20th season just released on DVD (and which I just finished watching). The show has been around for 20 years and here’s how I remember it.

It Can’t Just Be My Childhood I’m Remembering

It interests me that for the 20th anniversary of the longest running primetime cartoon in history, a 20th season DVD comes out with pretty much nothing special about it. Granted, I loved every episode more than I figured I would, but I couldn’t help but laugh at the only special feature included in the “Extras” portion of the DVD: A sneak preview of the 20th anniversary special that isn’t included on the special 20th anniversary 20th season DVD. That’s the sort of thing I’d expect to be parodied on The Simpsons. Otherwise seasons 1-12 are available with each having a bevy of special features and the like. I’m just sort of sad that there is an 8-year gap of seasons we have to slowly close.

I bet you had no clue who did it, did you?

My original concept for a Simpsons retrospective was going to be a top ten list of my favorite episodes, but I couldn’t easily identify those from the over 450 choices open to me. If I had to pick, the “Who Shot Mr. Burns” plotline may be my favorite, and any time Sideshow Bob appears I’m quite happy, but I couldn’t choose a conclusive top ten without turning it into a top 20, 30, or just a number one show listing.

Instead we have my ramblings about the series. As a kid my parents were skeptical about The Simpsons. They sat down with me a few times and watched some new episodes with me, laughing the whole time. After that they seemed completely fine with letting me watch, so I made sure to watch the series in syndication religiously. I tried to watch it at my grandparent’s house once, only to have my grandpa tell me he didn’t think it was a good show. “I don’t like how the son backtalks the father,” he says. “That’s disrespectful.” Then we watched an episode anyway and he laughed the whole time, making it welcome in his house as well.

This image was everywhere on merchandise, so much so that the actual show had to make jokes about it constantly.

I never saw Bart Simpson as a model for myself to follow. Rather, I understood he was exemplifying everything I really shouldn’t be, despite how much I’d have enjoyed it. I’m a lot older now and thankfully I never became a Bart Simpson. Now I’m a Homer Simpson and too gleefully S-M-R-T to know that I’m nowhere near my potential as an American.

When Burger King had a Simpsons promotion way, way back in the day, I managed to acquire all five family members in “plush” cuteness. And by “plush,” I mean that their bodies were soft but their plastic heads could crack a child’s skull with enough blunt force applied gradually over time (no I didn’t try this on anyway you know of). What was always weird was how Bart’s shirt was never red on any merchandise I could find. He’s always worn the same red shirt/blue shorts combo on the show for 20 years, but merchandise with his likeness frequently had him wearing a blue shirt. I had no clue why they did this but it always bugged me as a kid.

I actually prefer these little figurines over the main figure series.

By the time the collectable figures were coming out I was too busy playing with Ninja Turtles to spend any money collecting figures from a comedy program. I was still watching the show every single night, but I had no desire to collect the collectables. Regardless of my lack of participation, The Simpsons figurines are a collector’s dream with each new year getting a handful of wonderful additions. By now you’d have to plunk down some hearty cash to be caught up to the current series.

Why the heck hasn't this been turned into an HD remake already?

Instead of the figures, I was busy messing with the video games. The saddest part of all this is that in the 20 years the show has been on, only one Simspons video game has come out that’s been any good: The Simpsons Arcade Game. I played Bart vs The Space Mutants and Bart vs The World on the NES and hated them due to the extremely poor controls, but if you love the Angry Video Game Nerd you already knew that. Something about the arcade game was just magical. I played it into the ground, even managing to beat it, and let me tell you, that’s quite a feat. I still can’t figure out for the life of me why it hasn’t been ported over to Xbox Live by now.

Oh, and I also saw the movie twice in a day. Is that sad?

I keep hearing from people that The Simpsons should end already. I disagree on the basis that we need a Simpsons to exist, even if you don’t find it funny anymore. It’s like the evening news at this point. There’s just something comforting about knowing that every Sunday I’ll see the same family from my childhood waiting for me whenever I feel like visiting. Why would you really want to take that away?

This right here is one of the most popular education-based toy around. And it's a video game system.

If I were pressed to defend the educational value of video games, I probably couldn’t do much other than say they can teach reading, math, problem solving, community interaction, cause and effect, and hand-eye coordination skills, so really I’d have an uphill battle talking about their benefits (wink). However, there are a handful of very popular toys being sold this very second to parents wishing to give their kids a little boost in the learning aspect of playing while still making sure the toy is fun (gotta love parents). But just what are some of the most popular educational and learning toys right now?

Yay! A noise-maker for kids!

Heard of LeapFrog? You probably have since they’re selling tons upon tons of electronic toys aimed at teaching kids. It just so happens one of their best-selling products is a video game system called the Leapster. It looks like a mutant Game Boy but plays like something with the explicit purpose of learning in the foreground. However, you can easily fool a kid into forgetting he’s learning something when the character in the game is Batman. LeapFrog also has a wide variety of other electronic-type toys with the Learn & Groove Musical Table for kids (a thing that makes noise), the Spin and Sing Alphabet Zoo (a thing that makes noise), or the Scribble and Write (I’m sure it makes some sort of noise, it is a child’s toy after all).

Responsibilities! Exciting!

If, perhaps, you’d rather not futz with noise or electronics in general, our good friends Melissa & Doug have more than enough toys made of wood and magnets. Sometimes simple can be best, and Melissa & Doug tends to make very high-quality toys that last and last. It’s hard to beat a magnetic alphabet set or a magnetic responsibility chart. Sure, kids hate responsibility, but disguise it with magnets and they’re sold.

Dang that kid looks happy. I want some of those blocks!

Fisher-Price is still around and doing just fine, by the way. Do you remember them from your childhood? I sure do. I had all sorts of plastic blocks and shapes and steering wheels and things of that nature from Fisher-Price, and I’m happy to say they still make all those things with their Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks staying as a bestseller. Their Sesame Street Silly Sounds Remote may not really be in the same category though. It may say “Sesame Street: on it, but it also says “Silly Sounds” which is code for “Lots o’ Noise.” Just get the blocks.

Hooray for bugs! What, you don't like bugs? That's science!

It’s also cool to see that the Insect Lore Live Butterfly Garden is up near the top in sales. Why is that? Bugs, while super gross, are also super cool. Plus, it’s impossible for kids to find bugs in the house, so they have to go outside. If they can find tons of bugs inside, you’re teaching your kids something wrong. I was always happy as a kid with a bug net and a jar to keep my findings in. I assume kids haven’t changed too much since my childhood.

This is an incomplete list of the bestselling Education and Learning toys, but it’s a good start for sure. If all else fails, I can’t think of a single kid that’d say no to “Imagination Time” with their loving parents. In fact, I might just call my dad and see if he’s up for a game of it right now.

Who would win in a drag race between Matchbox and Hot Wheels?

I wrote an article last week about Hot Wheels cars, but upon posting it something started gnawing at me. While talking about Hot Wheels, I had completely neglected to mention Matchbox, the opposing brand. What makes this worse is that as a kid, I couldn’t distinguish between the two as both brands made little toy cars. They still do of course, so it’s only fair that I give you the other side of the story.

The Other Big Name In Toy Cars

What is the key difference that separates Matchbox cars with Hot Wheels cars? As far as I can tell, one has an imprint on the bottom that says “Matchbox” and one has an imprint that says “Hot Wheels.” This does not by any means imply that I believe one to be a knock-off or inferior or anything. Heck no, both brands are awesome and as a kid I was perfectly happy getting either. I happened to get most of my toy cars as hand-me-downs though, so it didn’t make much of a difference as long as the cars had wheels.

If I had to make a sweeping generalization about the differences, I’d say that Hot Wheels tend to be more fantastic in nature, emphasizing designs that are impossible such as a stegosaurus or a torpedo car, whereas Matchbox was more concerned with real world vehicles like ambulances and police cars. The playsets seemed to reflect this as well since I remember having Hot Wheels tracks meant for jumps but Matchbox sets like a city landscape or a triple-decker parking garage.

Don't ask me why, but I always thought realistic cars were just as cool as dragon cars.

The important thing about all of this is that more brands mean more variety, and I already noted Hot Wheels’ incredible number of different vehicles to choose from. Matchbox may have even more than Hot Wheels if we’re talking variety of collectibles, but either way, it makes it even easier to have a collection entirely original to you and no one else.

One thing that I find really cool about Matchbox is the official website makes reference to the 100 new cars released this past year. Yes, 100 new cars to collect. They even provide a checklist for the hardcore collectors, and with a 20-car pack being priced at $19.99, that sounds like a fair challenge for the year. You’d be so lucky to only spend a C-note on toys each year.

I remember the time my uncle gave me an old tackle box filled with all the Matchbox cars he had as a kid. Some were busted pretty badly, but the majority were in perfect working condition. This equaled an awesome time of taking each car out of the tackle box and checking out what it was. Parents, make sure to pass down your toys as soon as possible to your kids. Few things are more enjoyable for the kid.

There is certainly something to say for simplicity.

Do you have a favorite Matchbox car from your youth? Can you tell the big difference between Matchbox and Hot Wheels from a distance of twenty feet? Do you prefer one or the other? I want to know your thoughts. Leave a comment and I’ll get back to you once I’m done checking out my collectibles.

I don't care, I'd still ride in the Barbie version.

I was insanely jealous of anyone who had a Power Wheels as a kid. Sure, I was fairly content with my Hot Wheels, but how was I supposed to compete with those kids that could ride around in their toy and laugh at me? I couldn’t, that’s how. And why? Because Power Wheels were beyond awesome. Let’s talk about why.

Imitation at the Heart of the Fun

As kids, one of the activities we most enjoy is imitating adults. Inversely, as adults, our favorite activity is imitating children, though that’s somewhat frowned upon despite it’s truth. If you consider some staples of children’s toys, you’ll see that consistent high-sellers are kitchen sets, vacuums, life-like dolls, phones, and steering wheels. It all makes sense as kids just love doing anything that they see adults do. So when someone comes along and decides to create a Jeep Wrangler that kids can drive around, Ham Radio included, is it any wonder that kids go nuts for these things?

Dang it, look how happy this kid looks! I want to be this kid!

While I didn’t have a Power Wheels, I had friends that did. I’d hop in their Barbie Jeep and roll around talking to Barbie because, forget you, it was freaking sweet. I was DRIVING a VEHICLE. No one was going to say I wasn’t cool because my little imagination was way above whatever the real world was doing. So what could be cooler than all that? How about a Kawasaki Power Wheels? Check and mate. The product even has the word “Ninja” in its full title, so there will be no convincing a child otherwise on the wonderfulness of said product.

An Expense Worth Making

And sadly you probably will want to convince them otherwise as Power Wheels, while cool, are crazy expensive. We’re talking past $200 expensive. I wish I had one as a kid, but I never questioned why my parents didn’t plunk the money for one of these bad boys. It’s a big investment to make and the only place to really use a Power Wheels is outside, meaning that if you live in an apartment complex, these kids are probably going to be unable to ride it anyway.

It's sad, because what kid wouldn't want to roam the open fields in one of these?

However, don’t let me deter those of you with ample space and money, plus a kid or two. A common complaint from parents these days is the lack of outside exercise kids get. Some things make for great incentives to get kids outside, and Power Wheels count as such an incentive. Even though they’re riding around in these they’ll be getting exercise. Trust me, no kid can resist a full-fledged imagination adventure involving a high-speed chase that leads to him hopping out of the car and sprinting around in circles fighting bad guys with an invisible katana. If I had a Power Wheels right now I’d totally do that.

That’s pretty much all there is to say about the wonder of Power Wheels. Any of you have fortunate enough childhoods to have Power Wheels? What are your thoughts on the matter? I’d like to know, so you need to post a comment.

Little known fact about me: I grew up as a little boy. What this generally meant is that Barbies weren’t typically in my play-cycle and Hot Wheels dominated most of my free time in between Ninja Turtles. I’m happy to say that even though I’ve taken a long hiatus from the small die-cast cars of my youth, they’ve been waiting around should I ever choose to get back into the habit. It’s always great to know that my kids will someday have the chance to play with my favorite toys.

Simple Fun Without Limits

So what made and still make Hot Wheels so great? Not to sound too crass, but they’re extremely cheap. You can get a pack of 10 for under $15, and a lot of stores will sell them individually for 99 cents. Even better is the sheer amount of models to choose from. You and your friend could each own three-dozen cars and only have two that look identical. This means that every kid has a chance to have a unique set of cars best suited for his or her personality (sure, girls like Hot Wheels, too).

Sweet Glavin! This 10 set has a motorcycle?! I would have killed for a motorcycle Hot Wheels as a kid.

What did I have? I had a few cars that I absolutely loved, but my favorite for some reason was a beat up old Jeep that had a hood that could open. I had entire plotlines that involved this Jeep fighting other cars, just because it was my favorite and clearly the hero among my other cars. It had a posse of several other, “cooler” cars, but nothing could outclass my Jeep, not even the Mach 5 from Speed Racer or a car shaped like a dragon. Nope, the Jeep was my favorite.

Yeah, I'd be happy if I could race cars through a shark all day, too.

There is also a lot to be said for simplicity. While Hot Wheels likes it when you buy new playsets, I always enjoyed a simple play rug. I had a city-themed one the size of my room laid out for me to drive around in. I’d dump out all my Hot Wheels and place them in the city as I figured real cars would be placed in parking lots and at stop signs and such. And then the Jeep would show up and fight all of them just because. Oh yes, life was good. I should go back and buy some new Hot Wheels. Maybe you should, too.

They also make great gifts for your dad.

I’m taking another day off video games to go into one of my favorite things from my childhood: Die-cast cars. The term can be applied to a lot of things, such as Hot Wheels and the like, but I actually won’t be bringing Hot Wheels into this since, well, that makes for an article in of itself sometime next week. Okay, not the classic thought of what makes a car a Hot Wheels car at least. I can’t lie, I’m talking about the most popular die-cast cars right now, so Hot Wheels are going to show up in some way or another.

Hot Wheels Showing Their Stuff

How are they showing up? The highest selling die-cast cars at the moment are Hot Wheels toys based off Disney and Pixar’s movie Cars. Y’all might be familiar with that movie, but if you’re not, the whole premise is centered around a car named Lightning McQueen that wants to be the DinoCo official car by winning all sorts of races. So pretty much the whole world is populated by cars. It’s actually a really good movie with Owen Wilson playing Lightning McQueen. The odd thing here is that the most popular die-cast car isn’t Lightning McQueen; it’s Mater, the junky tow truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. I…I don’t make these things up. I wouldn’t make that up if I could.

I guess I can't make fun. My favorite die-cast car was a beat up old jeep.

So what else is popular these days? Star Trek. That means the USS Enterprise is getting bought by the galaxyful in the form of a 1:50 scale model on a nifty little display stand. If I had one of those as a kid, I’d have done nothing else but run around my house flying it from the kitchen to the living room and beyond. I was never into Star Trek at any point of my life, but anything that could fly was considered awesome to me. I assume the same still holds true for kids everywhere.

Something a Bit More Classic

Thus far we’ve had die-cast toys based off talking cars and space ships. There’s an actual car in the die-cast model best sellers, right? You’re dang right there is. High up on the list is the Burago-made Lamborghini 1:18 scale model, met closely by the 1957 Chevy Corvette made by Yat Ming. Kids that want these models are just classy folk and know style. If a kid walks up to his grandpa and says he wants a 1957 Chevy Corvette die-cast model for his birthday, I guarantee it’ll make that man weep tears of joy. I know it’d have that effect on my grandpa at least, and he’s awesome.

This is the USS enterprise, not a 1957 Chevy Corvette. If you can't tell the difference, I've severely over-estimated this generation.

All of these cool-sounding die-cast models must cost a fortune, right? Wrong. Everything I’ve mentioned here is priced under $30, with some, like the Mater toys from Mattel, priced under $6. Kids wanting a die-cast model of something are well within modesty when they request such an item, so treat ‘em well. Stay tuned next week for a larger article on Hot Wheels. Better go out and stock up in preparation.

They're cute, but behind their innocent faces are creatures of pure terror.

Chris Whitmore was kind enough to give us a rundown of these Zhu Zhu Pets earlier this year. You might have read that. But what Whitmore did not do is ask me for my opinion, which is usually a mistake as I have a very loud, very correct opinion on everything (and it never gets annoying or pompous or anything like that, clearly). Maybe I want to talk about the hottest toy of 2009. Why can’t I? I’m going to. Here we go.

The Zhu Zhu Pet Craze

What is a Zhu Zhu Pet? It’s a robot hamster as far as I can figure them out. And, if I may speak frankly for a second, that makes them vastly superior to regular hamsters. Robo hamsters don’t stink, they don’t bite, they don’t need to be fed, they don’t need constant attention or love, and they don’t get little flaky chips of wood everywhere. I’m pretty sure a Zhu Zhu hamster would eat a regular hamster if put into the same cage with one.

Your kids have probably decided they want one of these things for Christmas or equally great gift-giving time (there are many, so make sure you have a gift for each one ready to go), but you can’t just get them one Zhu Zhu Pet and be done with it. These things are like a flowerpot. Sure, you can buy a nice flowerpot, but you should probably put a pretty flower in there and add some good soil, maybe put it in a place other people can see it. Also, buy it a car. Yeah, Zhu Zhu Pets are just like flowerpots, except not.

See? Just like a flower pot. Oh, but you'll be expected to buy everything on this chart by the way.

Fun With Zhu

See, there are numerous Zhu Zhu’s (Zhu Zhi?), to pick from, and you darn well get them all. Currently there are four, but expect these to act like real hamsters and create exponentially more hamsters. And these Zhu Zhi must live somewhere, so you buy them a little area for them to run around in on their robo paws (which zoologists have dubbed “wheels”). But you can’t just get a little circle for them to run around. No, you’ve been instructed to purchase an interlocking city of Zhu for these Zhu Zhi so that they may worship their Zhu god named Zhuzhabar (all speculation of course).

There are all sorts of things you can purchase for your happy Zhu Zhu Pet. Everything from a bed to a hamster wheel to a car to a- Wait, a car? Why would a robo hamster need a car? Oh, what’s that Zhuzhabar? You say all Zhu Zhi need cars to be happy? Well alright then, sounds logical. You can also get them carrying bags, hamster balls, and boats. What, boats?! Oh come on!

Do hamsters really need a boat? It would seem that yes, they do.

I’d like to bring the mood in a little bit. Let’s talk, shall we? Zhu Zhu Pets are hot. Really hot. And they’re going to be even hotter the closer you get to December 25th. It may be in your best interest to go out and purchase one Zhu Zhu hamster and one extra thing to go along with it, just in case you discover that your child actually wants one. We’ve seen Tickle Me Elmo cause riots, Furbies scare the bejeezus out of us, and the Nintendo Wii cause us to do things we’re not entirely proud of, but it doesn’t have to be that way with Zhu Zhu Pets. Do things quickly, do them quietly, and we can all go home before the rioting begins.

Most kids just want pets to play with and don’t understand the responsibility that comes with having a pet. Zhu Zhu Pets is a new toy line that has become very popular and solves that problem. It is essentially a hamster play set, but instead of real hamsters, there are battery operated ones.

Even though they aren’t real, the toys behave so realistically that they might as well be real.

The play set includes anything that you would buy for an actual hamster, such as tunnels and a hamster wheel, as well as some other fun accessories. The set provides plenty of fun for a child to have with a pet hamster and at more affordable price in the long run.

The hamsters themselves have two different play modes, depending on what the child is looking for. Nurturing mode allows kids to treat them like real animals, handling them with care and listening to them purr and coo. Adventure mode allows the hamsters to explore their habitat and behave like the real thing.

Maybe a hamster isn’t what every child is looking for in a pet. However, Zhu Zhu Pets have become popular with children all the way up to twelve years old. If you’re a parent with a child who wants a pet, this would be a great place to start.

More often than not, having a pet is just a temporary desire for a child. This way, your child can have a pet without you having to worry about a real animal, or your wallet.

Uno was invented in 1971 by a man named Merle Robbins. Supposedly, he had an argument with his son about the rules of another popular card game, Crazy Eights.

As a resolution to the disagreement, Robbins invented a new card game and dubbed it “Uno.” This makes sense as the game is very similar to Crazy Eights. The player has to match the color or number played before him or her. There are wild cards, essentially taking the place of the “crazy eights,” but there are several other action cards that distinguish Uno from its inspiration.

After becoming the card game of choice of the Robbins’, the family saved up $8,000 and manufactured the first 5,000 Uno decks, selling them out of Merle’s barber shop. By 1981, the game was hugely popular, so Merle sold the rights to the game to International Games for $50,000 plus royalties. The card game is now produced by Mattel and is still going strong.

In lieu of the success of Uno, there have been countless versions of the game, similar to the editions in Monopoly. These versions range from Peanuts Uno to NSYNC Uno. There is also a version of Uno for various sports teams, mostly from the MLB and NFL. There have also been various spinoff games, the most popular of which is Uno Stacko, a game that bears a striking resemblance to Jenga.

But now, in this electronic age we live in, this classic card game has naturally progressed to the world of video games. A handheld version of the game exists, and for only a few bucks, one can download the game on any current generation console on the market today. And yes, it can even be downloaded to your cell phone, meaning you can now play it literally anywhere.

What’s next for this increasingly popular card game? It’s impossible to tell. But as long as technology keeps advancing and the game remains popular, you can bet that it will continue to bring fun and entertainment to people of all ages.

Baby’s first blocks has basic shapes (triangle, circle, square, star) as well as an “x” shape for sorting.

What makes this feature so perfect for younger children is that  it sorts only on one side – the top – making it easier for early learners to sort without turning the toy over and over.

Sorting is Toddlers’ Favorite Thing to Do

Around 8 to 18 months a child’s favorite activity becomes putting items into other things.  That love is combined here with introduction to color and shape basics as well as pattern recognition.  The shapes are sorted through the top slots and drop into a bucket where they can stay or be joyously dumped onto the floor to do it all over again.

The lid comes off very easily so that little ones can do it all themselves.  However, if sorting is the parents’ main objective, it might be useful to secure the lid onto the bucket so that simply dropping shapes into the lidless bucket is not an option.

Passes the Toddler Chew Test too

Another favorite activity at this age is chewing on just about everything in sight.  Time and again Fisher-Price has proven the test of chewy-durability and  this toy is no exception (honestly though, I did not chew on it to find out).

The shapes have easy to grasp and hold edges that are built for stacking too.  Probably though the caregivers will end up doing the stacking and the kids will laugh in wonder as they knock down tower after tower.

The bucket has a handle so that those active little ones can take this toy with them and the bold colors offer visual stimulation as well.  It’s not too expensive and Fisher-Price products are available nearly everywhere, so this ends up being a good toy on many levels.

Find Baby’s First Blocks by Fisher Price here.

At the International Toy Fair held in February 2009, the Toy Industry Association awarded Bakugan its 2008 honor as Toy of the Year, Boy Toy of the Year, and Property of the Year.  While these awards are not necessarily for the game itself, they do show the popularity of the cartoon/toys in general and lead one to understand the catching popularity of the Bakugan in its many forms.

Fans of the show Bakungan are sure to love most toys associated with its characters, but this game ends up being a bit of an addiction for fans and newbies alike.  (Beware: Some parents have even admitted that they enjoy playing this game with the kids!)

How to Play Bakugan

This collectable card game teaches a bit of strategy and skill since the players must place the cards strategically and aim the balls so that they pop open when landing on the appropriate magnetic cards.  The balls are magnetic and the card sets come with some magnetic cards (Gate Cards) and non-magnetic cards (Ability Cards).  Accessories like the play arena and ball launchers are not necessary to play the game, but can add to the fun.

Bakugan Battle packs come with balls and cards enough to share and play (battle) together.  Starter sets can be used to update to a new series or to start a new collection of Bakugan.  Of course, booster packs are also available to expand a set with the most recent series cards.

Each set comes with Gate Cards and Ability Cards.  Sometimes finding these toys in stores can be difficult due to their popularity, but you can find Bakugan Battle Packs here.  Since this is a collectible game there are plans for updates and changes with each series released.

Webkinz Easter Bunny

Bashfully Lamb

In the Easter plush toy (aka stuffed animals) category we really like the Webkinz Cotton Candy Bunny. What’s great about the Webkinz bunnies is that they are more than just cute and fuzzy. Kids can also play games with them online at the Webkinz World site. As one reviewer says, “Great toy with a safe fairly educational internet website where the kids can play with their bunny.” There’s an Easter option for the wildly popular Zhu Zhu Pets, the Zhu Zhu Pets Fluffy Bunny, sure to be a hit for a wide age range.

Super Bunny!

Then there are these sweet Mary Meyer Chocolate Crouching Bunny, in Powder Pink for girls and Baby Blue for boys. Classic and adorable.

Haba Running Bunny Train

For younger kids, take a look at Haba – one of our favorite toy maker. For example,  the Running Bunny Benny Train – it’s awfully cute and well designed, like everything from Haba, and has an Easter feel to it.  Another fun twist on the traditional basket is the Play-Doh Super Craft Caddy. Why give them 20 pounds of sugary candy that will make them go crazy when you can give them something that will entrance and delight them for hours and days to come (in a non-crazy kind of way!)

If you simply must give them some of the sugary stuff we do understand. Every kid loves Easter baskets too of course, and while they aren’t exactly toys, they certainly fall into the what-kid-wouldn’t-want-one-on-Easter-morning. For the best baskets on Amazon, with an assortment of choices for different ages and for grownups, too, go to Art of Appreciation’s page on Amazon here. And remember to order soon to get your packages there on time.

Click to Shop Now

PugLee - my daughter's favorite Ugly Doll

I needed a Valentine’s Day gift for my daughter last year, but roses weren’t right and I didn’t want a balloon floating around the house for a week on the floor.

When I found the Ugly Dolls, I found a toy that gives my daughter the giggles and restores my sense of peace at those moments when a gift is expected.

Ugly Dolls solves another issue too: the problem of sugar.

I love to give my kid gifts for holidays, but I am not interested in handing out piles of candy every month. Who doesn’t love candy at Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s, and Easter?   But there has to be a better standard than creating the expectation for junk food as a celebration.

Enter Ugly Dolls.  Holiday favors and stocking stuffers have gotten a lot easier since I became an Ugly Dolls junkie.   There are so many different shapes and sizes – probably twenty-five individual designs.  I have even found some t-shirts online with these little characters on them.  Check out the website for the Ugly Dolls too – it has games and downloadable wallpaper as well as interesting “facts” about each character.

These cute dolls are available in miniature key chain form, regular size, and giant (for those needing or deserving some extra cuddles).  They have creative names and adorable faces.  There are special editions of a lot of the characters and the stories behind the characters are fun to share.

My favorite of all time is Tray, but my little girl loves PugLee.  She’ll have the key chains clipped to her purses and bags and they somehow get clipped to mine too.  She’ll snuggle up with one and decide which one deserves to be given to a friend for a gift.

We haven’t gotten into the books yet, but there are three “guides” available about all the Ugly Dolls and they even have their own annual convention.

So, of course, we still have candy around during these holidays and special events, but now the focus isn’t the candy.  What a relief! Less candy but without a lot of trouble is a mother’s dream come true.