Toys | Reviews | Wood Toys | Toy Dolls

We just learned that Lego is teaming up with public schools next fall to encourage building and engineering interest.

According to Toy News , Lego and the National Schools Partnership (NSP) will work together to develop an after school program called the Lego Technic Club.  The purpose of the club is to help kids have the materials to engage their creativity and interest in technology design.

Sometimes corporate interests in public schools is questionable (for example, soft drink manufacturers and school lunch programs) but we applaud Lego for reaching out to public schools and helping generate brighter futures for kids.

Wood toys are more popular than ever. Why? We think it is because of the recent backlash against plastic toys due to the dozens of toys recalls last year. Many of these recalls are about lead paints, which continue to be pumped into the American marketplace from China and Indonesia.

It’s too bad that it takes a tragedy such as a child lead poisoning case for consumers to notice the trend of cheap, disposable, and unsafe toys in our homes and schools.

Wood toys , on the other hand, are always safe for children. Wood is naturally bacteria-resistant (in other words - practically germ free). Wood toys are perfect for infants who are teething so parents can relax about their baby’s safety. And guess what - no hidden lead, guaranteed.

We hope we don’t disappoint, but we missed the release of the Ugly Dolls Ugly Guide to the Uglyverse just two days ago!  Well, there’s still plenty more left, according to our sources.

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.

We figured Webkinz had some more tricks up their sleeves. Reschedule that dentist appointment - starting tomorrow is a huge world-wide event: Webkinz Days!

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.

We forgot to mention last week how much we love Melissa and Doug puppets and plush toys too. Melissa and Doug make traditional stuffed animals as well as some innovative puppets with occupation themes.

Check out, for instance, the Melissa and Doug Fireman puppet. Perfect for kids over three years old, this contemporary take on the ancient art of puppetry is made traditionally, with a wood rod inside for guiding hand movements.

Other fun puppets include: a chef, a surgeon, a construction worker, and the ever popular Melissa and Doug Cheerleader Puppet.

Ugly Dolls are soon to take over! These plush pets are one of the most original stuffed animals we have seen in a long time. And they are growing in popularity every month.

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.

Schylling Toys has been making vintage toys since 1975, and since then has become a world leader in providing quality toys and games from yesterday and today. Rather than review all of Schylling’s offerings, we want to hone in on our favorites.

We have always had a fascination with traditional toys, and Schylling is one of our all-time favorites for collectibles, tin toys, and retro toys and games. Schylling offers a romantic view of “the good ‘ole days,” back when gigantic robots from outer space were our greatest worries. Keeping tabs on this by-gone era is one of Schylling’s core missions.

Schylling Tin Toys

Schylling offers one of the most complete library of tin toys ever made. Some of Schylling’s reproductions are toys from fifty years ago, and others were originally made in the turn of the 20th century. Tin toys were made as early as 1895, but after WWII the Japanese renewed the industry with high quality mechanized tin toys, many with battery-powered flashing lights and motors.

These classic robots, cars, and space ships captured the world’s imagination. Schylling reproduces many of these classic designs with original styling, but with modern safety concerns.

A must-have is Schylling’s Planet Robot. Originally inspired by the 1950s era show “Lost in Space”, this toy is a replica of the Japanese original. Wind it up and it lurches forward and sparks come out of its head. We recommend this toy for ages 8 and up, but have seen more of them on grown men’s office desks! A great gift for Father’s Day.

Schylling Toys also makes replicas of retro airplanes and racecars. Our favorite is the Schylling Bugatti T-35 Ducati Racecar is a homage to the first race car drivers who competed in early Grand Prix. In fact, a Bugatti won the first ever Monaco Grand Prix in 1929. This tin toy is a replica of a 1930s wind up that still captures the excitement of speed, as long as it is given a hallway long enough. Appropriate for ages 8 and up.

Schylling Collectible Toys

Schylling makes an wide assortment of Collectible toys that appeal to children and adults alike. These are fun right out of the box for kids and also a good choice for anyone who wants to remember simpler times!

We love Schylling’s collection of vintage Jack-In-The-Boxes. These wind up toys delight young children to no end. Our recommended choices include the very collectible Jester, Curious George, and Sock Monkey Jack-in-the-Boxes. Each of these classic toys has an old-fashioned wind-up lever and plays, you guessed it, “pop goes the weasel.” It’s a trip down memory lane!

Another must-have vintage toy is the Classic Rubber Duck. Great for bathtub play or in the kiddie pool, this toy is truly timeless. Schylling also makes Rubber Duck assistants, which are cute varieties of this classic with new personalities. Of course, this vintage toy does have modern safety concerns in mind, and all of Schylling’s plastic toys are phythalates free.

We also recommend Schylling’s huge collection of die-cast metal cars, planes, and automobiles. These are hard to find because most toy makers have switched to lower quality plastic cars. Schylling keeps the tradition of real die-cast metal, doors that can open and close, and smooth track tires for fun on the kitchen floor.

Personally, we are a sucker for the 1962 Chevy Corvette by Schylling. The scale is 1:32 and the detailing is superb. The hood can open and the motor can be pulled back to reveal the shiny (and tiny) pistons. This is remarkable craftsmanship for a toy car in an age otherwise cluttered with throw-away toys. This vintage replica is safe for ages 3 and up, but highly recommended for the young at heart.

A small innovative toy maker recently caught our eye: Melissa and Doug. They started out in the basement making hand-crafted puzzles and have since grown to produce over 600 unique toys and games for children. Even with this fantastic surge in growth, Melissa and Doug are staying close to their original dream of producing high quality and uniquely crafted toys that will stand the test of time.

Melissa and Doug have been rewarded by the toy community for their impeccable values too. They have been honored as Vendor of the Year by retailers such as Toys R Us and FAO Schwarz. Their toys and games have also been named “Toys of the Year” by Child Magazine, FamilyFun Magazine and Parenting Magazine.

Now it’s time to point out our personal favorites!

Melissa and Doug Puzzles

Melissa and Doug’s Puzzles are the heart of their toy empire, and for good reason. These puzzles are their original toys, still made with high quality wooden pieces for the toddler puzzles, and extra thick cardboard for the more advanced puzzles. Wooden toys like puzzles for toddlers are a great choice for gifts because they are sure to be a hit with babies and parents. Remember that wood is a naturally bacteria-free material, so even if the puzzles just get chewed on, everyone is happy.

Melissa and Doug puzzles for older children are just as fabulous. Ranging from 50 to 500 piece jigsaw pieces, these are perfect as floor puzzles or on a table. Spilled the orange juice at snack time? No worries, all these puzzles are easily washable with a damp cloth to keep them looking bright and glossy.

Melissa and Doug Baby Toys

We are excited to see Melissa and Doug’s new collections of premium baby toys. Their toddler collection is a great spin on all the classic discovery toys, using hand-crafted fun designs. These baby toys are all made from select hardwood and finished with non-toxic dyes.

Rattles, walkers, clutching toys, teethers, and ring sets by Melissa and Doug are classy editions of these traditional baby favorites.

Melissa and Doug Arts and Crafts

This is where Melissa and Doug’s core message of safe fun for kids really takes off. Packaged into fun kits are dozens of great rainy-day activities. Coloring, etching and making fun scrap books have never been more easily organized.

We fell in love with Melissa and Doug Alphabet Stamp Set. Crafted with wood stamps with both lower and upper case letters, children can start their own printing press of stamps by selecting their favorite words and phrases. What a creative educational toy! Kids are enthusiastic to learn their alphabet so they can make original stamp art.

Our hint for less motivated children: set this kit out with the sparkle and glue kit too. Just wait, their stamps and messages will be the finest the neighborhood has ever seen.

But our all-time favorite is the Melissa and Doug Deluxe Easel and Art Set. This is one of the most convenient art kits on the market, coming complete with a roll of easel paper, 4 spill proof paint cups, 4 jumbo easy-grip paint brushes, 10 colors of poster paint, 10 giant chalk sticks, and a felt eraser that works on both chalk and dry-erase surfaces.

Our advice: lay down some newspaper or an art tarp first! This art easel with its multi-media bonanza will get any child’s creative juices flowing.

Melissa and Doug Dollhouses and Miniatures

For children aged 6 and up, a dollhouse by Melissa and Doug can be the perfect gift. Their dollhouses are like all of their toys: hand-crafted, made with quality materials, and guaranteed long lasting fun. We tested them ourselves, and came away mightily impressed.

The details are exquisite. For instance, the Melissa and Doug Dollhouse living room set includes two real upholstered chairs and a couch with tiny pillows. (their 1/12 scale pillow is almost too adorable for words!) A complete Victorian Dollhouse is available too, with hand crafted period furniture ready for play.

For boys, we recommend the Melissa and Doug Fold and Go Barn. This easy-to-carry model set comes with seven durable animals for an imaginative play of farm life. We love the simplicity of this set, which makes it appropriate for 3 years and up.

With 600 toys and growing, Melissa and Doug’s toy collection is much bigger than we could outline here. This guide hopefully has helped by illustrating the major toy groups that this up and coming toy maker has set its sights on.

HABA was recognized recently as the maker of the year’s Best Boardgame at the Annual Middle East Toy Fair in Dubai. This is another indication that the toymaker of classic wooden toys is having some success as it branches out into new arenas for contemporary play.

The award-winning game is called Treasure, ready, go!, and is described as a “turbulent challenge for 2 to 4 adventurers.”

This award should mean that the game’s availability in the US will become more likely; so far the game is most popular in Germany, which is the headquarters of HABA. In German, the game is titled: Auf die Schätze, fertig, los!

My next 2 minute review is for KidKraft Toys and furniture. KidKraft has been producing heirloom-quality wooden toys for years. They specialize in wooden chairs and tables, classic toy boxes, fantastic wooden doll houses, and classic train sets.

KidKraft definitely passes our test of “Imagination First.” I had an opportunity to poke around with their Savannah Dollhouse recently and became quite engrossed in all the details. The little furniture can be moved around, and is remiscent of the master  wood toys from the last century.

More recently, KidKraft has gotten into “activity toys” like pirate ships and firetrucks that have a lot of movable parts and accessories. These kinds of toys are always popular with children, but the parts are easily lost, and swallowable.

My advice is that an adult should be in the house when children play with these kinds of toys. Otherwise, they are high quality, imaginative and durable.