So simple yet so loved

Stuffed animals could very well be the most primal toy. Next to a good old fashioned stick, no other toy is seemingly enjoyed by so many people across so many generations. I find it somewhat amazing that in a world of technology and gizmos that a plush toy can still be the best thing ever. Much like video games, simple is often better and because of that, a stuffed animal can still be a thing of endless charm and imagination.

Even though I grew up in an age of action figures and awesome D-battery toys, I had my share of stuffed animals and plush toys. I’m sure I had dozens upon dozens of stuffed animals as I grew up, but I only remember a few of them and then mostly only because I have photos of me as a child with them. It’s amazing what a picture will do to jog your memory. However, I do remember one stuffed animal that I loved and the story that goes with it, and that animal was Huckleberry Hound.

Stuffed with memories

Not the same one I had, but close.

Yes, Huckleberry Hound, the blue, slow-talking, Clementine-singing cartoon hound dog with a long Southern drawl that was most famous between 1958 and 1961. No, I’m not that old but thanks to reruns and syndication, I was able to enjoy Huckleberry Hound along with Quick Draw McGraw, Secret Squirrel and others, so I knew who Huck was, but it’s not like he was one of my all-time favorites or anything. However, he was better than Yogi Bear, or at least he was to me.

One summer my family took a trip to King’s Island near Cincinnati, the same amusement park once visited by The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family and even Evel Knievel. At the time, King’s Island had a kiddie section of the park called Hanna-Barbera Land, which was filled with rides and mascots from all the classic cartoons. Naturally, all the merchandise and toys being sold there was from the cartoons, and like every kid there that day I wanted a toy. Usually my parents weren’t ones to give in to over-priced theme park souvenirs, but apparently they felt differently this trip as they let me pick out something from the gift shop, and that something was Huckleberry Hound.

Even though Huck didn’t talk or light up or do anything real fancy compared to my other toys, I loved him to death. He was my buddy for what felt like years, even though it was probably only a couple months following our trip. I didn’t love him just because he was a big plush with a cool bow tie and awesome hat, I loved him because he was a special present from my folks. The memories certainly outlast his stitching. I think he eventually lost his bow tie but he never lost his hat. I’m not sure what happened to my Huckleberry Hound plush. My hope is that he ended up in an attic somewhere rather than in the trash or donation bin. Maybe one day I’ll rescue him.

Cheap, stuffed love

One unique trait about stuffed animals is their association with amusement parks, fairs and carnivals. I got my Huckleberry Hound at an amusement park and who knows how many plush toys I won over the years playing cheap games of skill at locations all around the midwest. We all know stuffed animals are insanely cheap, especially if they’re not licensed, and that’s why all these carnies have them as prizes, but yet we’ll spend four, five, even ten times their worth for no other reason than to give them away as a gift.

I remember another visit to an amusement park on a elementary school trip, this time at Cedar Point, I spent who knows how much money on a game in effort to win a stuffed bear to give to a girl I had a crush on (it worked). It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to impress the pretty girl or lure in the cute guy, a plush toy will always do the trick. You can’t do that with a pop gun or baby doll. The emotion we associate with stuffed animals is fascinating and clearly timeless.

The best things aren’t always purchased

You call that an Ewok? My mom is laughing.

As I mentioned, my parents weren’t keen on buying me over-priced toys whether they be action figures, cars or stuffed animals. However, when it came to stuffed animals I had a distinct advantage over a lot of my friends – my mother could sew. Along with your typical clothes and blankets, my mother made me a couple of stuffed toys that were by far some of my most cherished plush toys ever.

If you’ve read some of my previous articles, then you know I was a Star Wars kid, and I wanted a stuffed Ewok just as much as I wanted the Millennium Falcon playset. I got neither, but mom made up for it best she could by making me my own Ewok, and I can safely say it was better than any one I could have gotten from a toy store. For one, my custom Ewok was huge, near as a tall as I was at the time and he was crafted out of the finest yellow polyester fur you could find. He had jointed legs and arms so he could sit down and grab around my neck during play time. He also had the trademark hood that I could take on and off as much as I wanted. My Ework might not have been as detailed in the face as the retail version but its playability was off the charts and I can tell you he was well loved and beat up extensively, far more than Huckleberry Hound.

As if a custom Ework wasn’t enough to make my friends jealous, my mom also managed to make me my own custom Cabbage Patch Kid as well. I don’t ever recall wanting a Cabbage Patch Kid, but as popular as they were I’m thinking my mom just wanted me to have one so I could hang out with the rest of the cool kids. So while other parents were getting trampled at Children’s Palace looking for these things, my mom just bought a plastic head that looked very similar to a CPK and made the stuffed body herself. She also crafted some clothes for the doll because, after all, you can’t have a naked doll. My mothered fashioned a flannel shirt and some little jeans for the thing…and how disgusting is this? They coordinated with the real clothes I wore! God bless mothers.

Growing up plush

Stuffed animals are some of the first toys we ever have as infants and through our early childhoods, but that’s not where the love and affection stops. As adults we might not drag our stuffed toys around like security blankets anymore, but I know we all have some stuffed animals on our shelves that put a smile on our face. In some cases we’ll buy new versions of stuffed animals we had as a kid for the nostalgia alone. At other times we’ll buy stuffed animals because they’re the ones we never had as a kid, which was the case a couple years ago when I got a plush Gizmo from “Gremlins”. And I can’t even count the number of Star Wars plush toys I’ve acquired over the past 15 years, everything from Yoda to Chewbacca to Lando and then some…however, I’m still waiting for them to release a stuffed Lobot.

How can you not find that addorable?

Why do I still buy stuffed animals? It’s not just because they’re licensed from my favorite movies, it’s because plush toys are just…well…they’re just harmless. They’re cute, they’re cheap and they look as good sitting on your shelf as they do being hugged by a kid, and they bring joy in both cases. I have loving memories of GI Joe but not Barbie as my wife might, however, we both have stories about our long lost and well-loved stuffed animals. It doesn’t matter if you’re a boy or a girl, a kid or an adult, everyone can still appreciate the memories and emotions associated with a good stuffed animal.

What stuffed animals memories do you still cherish?

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.

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?

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.

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.

So, when you adopt the polar bear, be prepared to win some additional prizes too.  These prizes are always kept a secret, but don’t worry: there’s a pet of the month every month.

Here’s a list of the upcoming Pets of the Month (for 2008), just in case you missed the announcements:

September: Webkinz Bull Frog

October: Webkinz Pug

November: Webkinz Hippo

Thanks, as always, to the Webkinz Insider.

Because Ugly Dolls is a really a cross-over product (from adult novelty to children’s toys), some book stores may be confused about how to organize the Ugly books.

I checked out the Ugly Dolls Blog today and they suggested that shoppers be sure to look in the “activities” section of larger chain bookstores as well as the children’s section.

We love Webkinz Pets because they are more than just another stuffed animal, but a window into a world of learning on the Internet. Ganz has proved that Webkinz are not a fad, but represent the leading edge of educational toys of the future.

For more information about Webkinz world, check out our article on Webkinz Pets .

Ganz has not confirmed a release date for this cute addition to the Webkinz family.  We are hoping sooner than later.

Webkinz Insider also reports that this rare and cuddily cat has been referred to as a “leopardess.”

If you’re new to the Webkinz phenomenon, be sure to check out our quick and easy Webkinz guide to get the lowdown.

What is the secret of Ugly Dolls’ success? It’s not just the handmade styles, or the gruesome, teethy cuteness. The real secret is that Ugly Dolls have captured an elusive toy market: dolls that boys like.

Think about it: when was the last time an eight-year old boy could be seen walking down the street with a doll clutched in the hands? Not an action figure, mind you, a doll.

The closest trend coming to mind here is Garbage Pail Kids, which were not even dolls, but trading cards popular in the 1980s.

Boys love Ugly Dolls for the same reason they loved Garbage Pail Kids: self-identification. The toys reflects back to them that being gross is part of being a boy. But Ugly Dolls go further, really capturing the essence of childhood. Practically every Ugly Doll is a happy-go-lucky young male who pretty much just wants to eat snacks and hang out.

Ugly Dolls are also clumsy, good-natured, and well-aware they are in an awkward stage. Also, for both Uglys and boys, girls are few and far between, and they all are brainy and somewhat sophisticated (comparatively speaking!). Sound familiar? It does to the thousands of boys who are proudly bringing their Ugly Dolls to show-and-tell.

It’s no secret that boys are called, almost on a daily level, “little monsters.” Ugly Dolls is a way for boys to own that label and find social acceptance. Just like Garbage Pail Kids, Ugly Dolls show boys that it’s okay that they are a little rough around the edges. And that they like snacks.

This is volume one of the Ugly Dolls‘s foray into print, transforming our favorite misshapen plush pets into comic book heroes.  Volume two was simultaneously released: Ugly Doll Ugly Guide to Things that Go and Things that Should Go but Don’t.

For more information and where to pick up your own copy, be sure to check out uglydolls.com.

From April 25-27, select and participating retailers will each be giving away 500 free Webkinz stuffed animals to their first 500 customers. Be sure to check out webkinz.com for more details, and to find a participating retailer near you.

What is it about Ugly Dolls that makes them so attractive? And, yet, so ugly? The toy design is a brilliant combination of cuteness with traditional scary features. Think Where the Wild Things Are meets Cabbage Patch Kids.

To be honest, Ugly Dolls are not really ugly, they are just misunderstood! Watch out, though, they are also biters.

We love Ugly Dolls because they are still handmade just as they were when first introduced in 2002. Each doll is absolutely unique due to the slight variations that come with making toys the old-fashioned way.

Ugly Dolls also supports small and independent toy retailers, although now they can be found at some US national retailers, including Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters. So finding Ugly Dolls for sale is getting easier every day.

Another reason why Ugly Dolls are the little darlings of the stuffed animal market is that each Ugly Doll has a unique personality. A tag comes with each Ugly Doll for sale that describes the adorable (and weird) habits of the bizarre and cuddly creature.

Pics of Ugly Dolls – Our Personal Favorites

There are 20 Ugly Doll varieties right now, and more to come. Here are some of our favorites.

Chuckanucka is one of the first Uglys. He worries a lot and has a lot of questions about things that can drive most of us nuts. Worrying has never been so adorable.

Tray is the brainy Ugly. She is also obsessed with blueberry pie and is always hungry. But her three brains keep her busy, usually with schemes of finding more pie!

Icebat lives in the freezer, inside a secret ice cave. He’s pretty chill, and only wants to hang out (and preferably upside down). Like all Ugly Dolls, of course, Ice Bat loves children.

Babo has a heart of gold but not much self-control. It’s best to keep an eye on him when he is around. Babo loves to do favors for people, although the end results are usually not what his friends had in mind. Babo tries hard, so give him a hug.

Moxy is a high energy Ugly with a lot of moxy. The best place to find Moxy is jumping off the walls and racing circles around the house. She also has the ability to find a party that is miles away, thanks to her gigantic mis-shapen ears.

Ugly Dog is the ultimate ugly pet. He’s sort of lazy, but really enjoys helping his friends out… by sitting around and being Ugly. It’s not a bad life.

Lastly, (how could we forget?): Cinko!  This Ugly is pretty special because he is allergic to water!  We’re not really sure how that is possible, but it makes Cinko’s daily life a little…. dry.  The best way to keep Cinko happy is to sit him down and make sure that there are a bunch of dry things around, like rocks, dirt, and sandpaper.  If you can’t find any of those, watching a little TV couldn’t hurt.  Just don’t accidently spill water on him – he gets very grumpy and a little freaked out!  And whatever you do, don’t remind Cinko that all human friends are made of 90% water.  Not funny at all.

Here’s how it works: every cute and cuddily Webkinz pet comes with a secret code.

Your child pops this code into the online companion site for Webkinz, and then she can navigate around a virtual world built for these imaginative creatures.

From our research, we have found that Webkinz World is great for kids for three reasons:

1. It encourages responsibility. The main activity on-line is taking care of your pet. Feeding it, exercising it, and playing with others all contribute to the health of your child’s Webkinz. The values of responsibility are built right in.
2. It encourages learning. This is really innovative: in order to get the “KinzCash” to pay for your pet’s food, your child has to play educational games. Brilliant.
3. Webkinz has a chat feature that really is safe. I’ve tested this myself. You can’t type in bad words, most proper nouns, street addresses, etc. There are two levels of chat and both are stalker-proof. Now if only MySpace could figure this one out!

So Webkinz World passed our test for its commitment to innovation, education, and safety. As we have suggested before, truly great toys do more than entertain. Great toys educate, deepen social connections, and help children uncover their own imaginative powers.

The return of the T. Rux will no doubt send shivers amongst today’s hottest stuffed animals: Webkinz plush pets. These diminuitive toys are favorites for their collectability and their cuteness. Both of the these toys are what we call hybrid products; they are part plush toy and part educational toy. While animated Teddy tells stories – his mouth matching the sounds – Webkinz plush pets have a second life on-line at Webkinz World.

Seems like these days being cute isn’t good enough for stuffed animals!