September - 2017

The Independent Guide to Children's Media

Manhattan Toy Swaddle Baby Koala
Bear

Manhattan Toy Swaddle Baby Koala Bear

(Manhattan Toy $19) We have a special place in our hearts for Koala bears, so this one is just the newest arrival. Wrapped in a black and white striped swaddling wrap (with Velcro-like closure) a soft gray and white koala baby with white ears and black velvety nose is a sweet toy for pretend play. Marked 6 months and up. Ages: Infants, Toddlers Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2017 Click here to purchase the product from Amazon.com

Mindware Paint Your Own Expressions: Wish, Love or Peace

Mindware Paint Your Own Expressions: Wish, Love or Peace

(Mindware $24.99) Tweens and teens will like making a porcelain sign for their room with these sets of white porcelain letters that can be painted with various techniques: stipple, sponge, masking tape or free hands designs. Let the paint dry for 24 hours and then bake in the oven to set the paint. Choose from the three different sets of Expressions: PEACE, LOVE with a Heart, and WISH with a Star. Stand them on the windowsill or desk or dresser. These would also make a nice g

Manhattan Groovy Girls Jingle Belle Holiday Doll

Manhattan Groovy Girls Jingle Belle Holiday Doll

(Manhattan Toy $24) Can't get enough of those Groovy Girls? Here' a special one for Christmas gifting. Jingle Belle looks rather grown up with her upsweep hair, lipstick and fancy long dress. Could this be Groovy Mama Gal? SHe's wearing sparkly silver shoes, a red velvet dress lined in green satin and an embroidered pearl necklace, and earrings for her festive look. Ages: Preschoolers Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2017

Mega Construx, American Girl McKenna’s Gymnastics Competition

Mega Construx, American Girl McKenna’s Gymnastics Competition

(Mattel $29.99) American Girl's construction set comes with two figures, McKenna and Toulane and designs for building all the equipment every gymnastic athlete needs. This is a 302 piece detailed set that will demand dexterity and patience. We like the theme they chose since we believe this will appeal to some girls who might not otherwise be attracted to construction kit. It's important for girls to develop their spatial reasoning skills with building toys that for generatio

Steiff Teddy Bear Flynn in a Suitcase

Steiff Teddy Bear Flynn in a Suitcase

(Steiff $39.99) Unlike earlier Steiff bears, that were bristly to the touch and hardy soft and cuddly, Flynn is of a new generation. He's a small 11" lovable bear, honey colored with a lighter colored muzzle and ears. His snout is black and velvety and he has a friendly face with stitched features. Toddlers will find him a good listener who can understand whatever they say and he's happy to go along wherever they may be going. Flynn comes in a small suitcase with a metal hand

Gamewright Cha-Cha Chihuahua, The Game of Dancing Doggies

Gamewright Cha-Cha Chihuahua, The Game of Dancing Doggies

(Gamewright ) A game of active play with plenty of movement and lots of giggles. Players must do the action shown on the cards they draw to win a tiny Chihuahua on their turn. The winner is the one with most little doggies at the end of the game. But watch out, one or more of your doggies may end up taking a nap in the nap shack or get taken by another player. It’s a well paced game that allows for both dancing and using their big muscles as well as fine motor skills as they

Magformers Curve 50 Piece Set

Magformers Curve 50 Piece Set

(Magformers $99.99) We’ve seen other curved sets from Magformers, but this is the ultimate curvy construction kit. With seven different shapes in multiple colors, this set allows kids to experiment with building bridges, space ships, mazes , and other invented shapes. Like other Magformers the magnets are locked inside the translucent plastic so they are safe for STEM learning. Fitting them together to make a closed circle, a dome, a circular tower—whatever the imagination di

Magformer Tileblox, Rainbow 104 piece Set

Magformer Tileblox, Rainbow 104 piece Set

(Magformers $139.99) Wait until you see their faces when they open this box of colorful translucent magnetic blocks! There are six different shapes in the set and they can be combined to create buildings, creatures, objects, or pure abstract designs. This is a construction set with the magnets safely locked inside the plastic shapes and it’s a set that enhances STEM learning. With 104 pieces, there are enough in this set for several kids to use together. Marked for 3 and up,

Magformers Log House Set

Magformers Log House Set

(Magformers $79.99) Here’s a whole new take on log cabin building. This is not your old Lincoln Log set. It’s a magnetic building set with logs , windows, rooftops, grass, and stylized evergreen trees. This has 87-pieces and although it’s marked 3 and up, we think this is a much better choice for older builders of 5 and up. There are multiple ways to put the houses together with opportunities to shape boxes, balconies, and pointy triangular rooftops. There are no exposed magn

LittleBits Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit

LittleBits Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit

(LittleBits $99.99) An exciting build for Star Wars fans. From the moment you and your kids turn on the app and the Star Wars-like music comes on, the smiles begin. The kit includes everything needed (including the battery) to make the most popular droid ever to land in our galaxy. No, the phone pictured in this beauty shot is not included. You do need your own phone or i-pad to build and use the the droid. But, with this kit, R2D2 comes to life in the young inventor’s hands!

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