children's toy Archives

Nerf Infrared Nightvision Goggles and Camcorder

January 29, 2013 by Momstart 5 Comments

How awesome does a night vision camera sound?! We received a pair of Nerf Infrared Nightvision Goggles and Camcorder to review and my husband was actually jealous. He said when he was a kid he really wanted a pair of night vision goggles. So whether your playing in the dark as a kid or an adult just spying on someone reliving your childhood dreams, make sure you’ve packed your Nerf Infrared Nightvision Goggles and Camcorder. The goggles let you see up to 10 feet in front of you in the dark when others can’t. This means you can take video at night when all the fun starts. Infrared Nightvision lets you easily spot people darting through the dark. Since these are goggles, you have your hands-free for action. Get the advantage with Nerf.

Product Features

The goggles let you see up to 10 feet in front of you in the dark
Take video at night when all the fun starts
Infrared Nightvision lets you easily spot people darting through the dark
Since these are goggles, you have your hands-free for action

I was really impressed using them. I was in my son’s room and it was pitch black. I couldn’t make out his bed from his dresser let alone all the toys in his floor. With these infrared night vision goggles from Nerf I was able to save my feet and find his dresser where his white noise is without turning on his light. Then I gave him the goggles and let him play with them. He really does love them and he made this video with me today. He’s a typical four year old boy and gave me a difficult time. He didn’t want to do the video. Even though he loves these binoculars.

The goggles take 4 AA batteries and an SD card if you want to use the video feature. I should have let Miles borrow an SD card because it would have been quite interesting to see what he chose to take video of.

This is an expensive toy however, it’s awesome and since it has video capabilities I actually think it has the value that it sells for.

We received a sample

Handy Man in Training: One Step Ahead Bosch Work Bench and Tool Set

December 7, 2012 by Momstart 7 Comments

One Step Ahead Bosch Work Bench and Tool Set – Perfect for the Little Handy Man in Training VIDEO REVIEW

By: Ashley

It’s not secret that I am a HUGE fan of OneStepAhead. I think they have an incredible selection of toys that are good for kids. Their products are good quality and pretty much all of their toys have some kind of great learning value. To top it all off, their customer service is amazing!

So, now that I’ve told you all about how much I love OneStepAhead, I can tell you about the cutest pint sized work bench I’ve seen in awhile. The Bosch Junior Toy Workbench is a great hands on, motor skill building, imagination starting toy. This workbench is made for toddlers (recommended for ages 2 and up) but could last through preschool (at least until 4 years old). The height of the bench might start to seem a bit short to older children, but the realistic tools, interactive turning gears, and working vice can keep children busy and entertained. It is currently on sale at OneStepAhead for only $41.97 and regularly priced at $59.95.

The Bosch Toy Toolbox and Tool Set (recommended for ages 3 and up) will make any kid happy because they will be working with tools and a tool box that look just like yours! Just like the workbench, the attention to detail and realistic appearance of these tools is amazing. With a toy hammer, saw, screwdriver, and wrench, your little handyman will be ready to go. When you add in the battery powered toy drill that really buzzes and spins, you make this the perfect toy tool set. The handle on our tool box was a little wobbly, but the tools are all super sturdy and durable making these tools toys that should last a long time.

Make sure you watch the video for an up close look at the workbench and the tool box. I’m always impressed with the toys from OneStepAhead and this is no exception.

About Ashley (Managing Editor at MomStart): Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at Momicles and follow her @Momicles2010

Disclosure – A product was provided to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Mega Bloks® Barbie® Build ‘n Style Luxury Mansion @MegaBloks #Giveaway

November 27, 2012 by Momstart 233 Comments

Zoe and Miles are dying to open the Mega Bloks® Barbie® Build ‘n Style Luxury Mansion that we have to review. This house is a really great size and would work well with all those little dolls the size of Polly Pocket and Zoe has a ton of those. She has Princesses, and even a few mini Barbie dolls that she got at McDonalds. She loves it!!!!

With the Mega Bloks® Barbie® Build ‘n Style Luxury Mansion your little one can design a dream-house-come-true. The Mega Bloks® Barbie® Build ‘n Style Luxury Mansion allows them to decorate eight interchangeable rooms that can be built any way they want! Barbie can build a bedroom with a beautiful canopy bed, a fun living room where Barbie and friends can relax or a bathroom with a “bubbly” tub! – It’s totally up to you! Take the working elevator all the way to the top floor for a super fun party with Mini-Fashion Figures Barbie, Teresa and all their friends. It’s going to provide hours and hours of fun as it encourages imaginative play.

Features:

· The Barbie fabulous luxury mansion with eight buildable rooms to design and decorate!

· A real working elevator

· Glam accessories for endless design and decoration possibilities

· Mini-Fashion Figures Barbie and Teresa each with extra outfits they can share!

· Combine with all of the other Mega Bloks Barbie playsets to build a fabulous world of fashion, friends and fun!

For fans ages 4 and up.

Like Mega Bloks on Facebook

Check out the Mega Bloks Barbie line

About Mega Bloks® Barbie™

Young girls will be empowered to build ‘n style their very own Mega Bloks Barbie world, with over 300 specially-designed pieces and tons of detailed accessories. Collect up to 19 mini-fashion dolls — including Barbie, Teresa, Nikki and of course Ken — with changeable hair, accessories and clothing styles! There’s lots of great places to shop, like the Fashion Boutique and the Pet Shop. Hang out at home in the personalized Luxury Mansion, relax at the pool or hop in your convertible and head to the beach house!

Mega Bloks Barbie will be hitting stores on December 12 in North America and Spring 2013 internationally.

Enter to Win:

Mega Bloks Barbie Build ‘n Style Luxury Mansion

Retail value, $79.99

All prizing provided by Mega Bloks

Giveaway open to US addresses only

To Enter:

Tell me what Mega Bloks Theme you like most

Extra Entries:

Please use the rafflecopter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway ends December 11th. Please see the giveaway rules . We received a sample

Wonderworld’s Wonder Fishing Game: Colors Counting & Catching Cool Fish Children’s Toy

July 27, 2012 by Momstart 11 Comments

By: Ashley

Lately, Atticus has been pretty obsessed with fish – drawing fish, catching fish, watching fish, talking about fish… you name it. I’m pretty sure it all started a month or two ago when he got to go fishing with my dad. Ever since then, he has been fish CRAZY! That’s why I knew that Wonderworld’s Wonder Fishing Game was going to be a huge hit.

In this great game for kids (and adults ;)), the player rolls the die. After identifying the color that comes up, all three players attempt to “catch” the corresponding color fish. The game continues until all of the fish are gone. There are a few additional rules and catches in the game, but that’s basically the way you play. This is simple, straightforward, and perfect for young children.

The simplicity of the game also makes it easy to adjust the game based on the needs and age of the children you are playing with. For example, Atticus was a little overwhelmed by 3 people trying to get the same fish. We just made a small adjustment and took turns “fishing” for the right color. A small adjustment and we had a game that was perfect for his little 2 year old self.

Yes the Wonderwold Wonder Fishing Game was fun, but it was also a great learning tool. It helped promote color mastery, counting skills along with one-to-one correspondence (being able to know how many of something there is), and just the general social skills of playing a game.

So you have a fun game, and educational experience, and something the family can enjoy. What could make it even better? This toy, like many of the toys from Wonderworld, is eco-friendly. It is made in Thailand from environmentally friendly rubberwood and strictly using Non-Toxic Paints, Dyes and Lacquers and Formaldehyde Free Glue. How awesome is that? I also learned that Wonderwold started a “Tree Plus Program” that plants 2 trees for every one tree used in production. SO COOL!

My first experience with Wonderworld toys has been… WONDERFUL! They can definitely put me on their list of new fans. =)

Disclosure – I was provided with a product to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Celebrate Little Mommy Day Any Day

June 6, 2012 by Momstart 12 Comments

By Emily:

Is it just my kid or are there other little girls out there that go overboard when it comes to hosting a playdate? What can start out as a simple get together with a friend or two, will usually turn into a themed party complete with an itinerary, snack menu, and music. I shudder to think what my daughter will have in store for her wedding day! But I honestly do love her enthusiasm and I’m amazed at all the entertaining ideas she comes up with.

For our most recent playdate, we decided to check out the easy to use, Little Mommy Day Facebook application (Facebook.com/littlemommy) created by Mattel. Mattel’s Little Mommy dolls are a big hit in our home and the new Facebook application takes the fun one step further by organizing everything you need to create a special Little Mommy Day for your child. Parents can access a fun activity kit of DIY printables, as well as find great tips from Rosie Pope, host of Bravo’s “Pregnant in Heels”! Rosie Pope recently hosted her own Little Mommy Day in New York City and you can also read all about the event on the Little Mommy Day Facebook page.

Little Mommy Dolls are specifically designed for girls as young as 18 months, and provide products that offer play for all stages of a little girl’s life. Every little girl loves to pretend that she’s a real mommy, and Little Mommy brings this nurturing play to life through a world of adorable baby dolls and accessories. We were given the wonderful opportunity to review the Sweet as Me Dolls which are the toddler stage of the Little Mommy doll line. My daughters really think these are their coolest dolls! We received the TuTu Cute and the Oh So Boho dolls, each with beautiful shiny hair, bright eyes and colorful clothing. Each doll has her own accessory piece and unique shoes. We were also fortunate to receive two additional outfits which my daughters have mixed and matched into their own stylish creations.

To get ready for our Little Mommy Day playdate, we printed out Little Mommy invitations, birth certificates, scrapbook kit and matching card game. My older daughter got to do all the cutting and my younger one helped with the pasting. We used a simple and yummy recipe idea found on the Little Mommy Facebook page and the girls got to make their own graham cracker sandwich snacks. The set up was just as much fun as the playtime!

If your child loves being a little mommy to her dolls, I highly recommend checking out the Little Mommy Facebook page and hosting your own Little Mommy Day any day!

Little Mommy dolls can be purchased at major retailers and online. For more information visit: www.littlemommy.com.

Disclosure – This product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Emily:

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. She raises chickens and has 2 shih tzus. Her daughter Caitlyn attends Montessori school and she hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off over the past 10 years, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.

Happy 60th Anniversary to One Spud-tacular Couple Mr & Mrs Potato Head

April 21, 2012 by Momstart 18 Comments

By: Ashley

Did you have a Potato Head when you were a kid? I did. I remember his little blue shoes, goofy nose, and the little flap that held it all it when I was done. It’s pretty amazing to see Atticus having the same silly fun with Mr. and Mrs. Potato head now, that I had when I was a kid.

Did you know that Mr. and Mrs. Potato head have been married for 60 years! That’s 60 years of looking into each other’s eyes (wherever they may have popped up). 60 years of parts moving around and loving each other all the same. 60 years of seeing new toys come and go and technology take over. One thing has remained the same – The Potato Head is still an incredibly engaging toy that kids and adults all have an amazing time with!

I can’t lie about how excited I was when I saw the 60th anniversary Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head all dressed up to celebrate their anniversary. There’s no doubt about it. They are not showing their age AT ALL. I hope that when my husband and I celebrate our 60^th anniversary we look half as young as sMASHing as this couple. Hasbro has a set showcasing the couple in all their marital splendor… and I LOVE it. How could such an iconic couple let their anniversary slip by without renewing their vows?

Atticus of course had a great time rearranging all of their parts. I personally fell in love with the adorable way their hands are joined … and they have on wedding rings! Again, not that I would expect any less from a couple with such strong roots. 😉

All potato puns aside, there really is something timeless and so classic about Mr. and Mrs. Potato head. It’s one of those toys kids, parents, and grandparents all have such great memories attached to. They let you create, be silly, and just have fun. Sure, if you want to know what it can teach your child I understand. It focuses on body parts, reasoning, and problem solving. I really think the best part though, is imagination.

So… like I said… Happy Anniversary to one of the most Spudtacular couples I know. Here’s to you Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head… and all the years to come!

The 60^th Anniversary Ediction Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head is available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.

About Ashley: Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at www.Momicles.com and follow her @Momicles2010 .

I received a product to review for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.

Richard Scarry’s Busytown Town Hall Deluxe Playset with DVD

November 13, 2011 by Momstart 242 Comments

Richard Scarry’s Busytown is a hit in our house, among many of the other things we watch. But what we like to do even more than watch it is read it. We have about four different Richard Scarry’s Busytown books that we read. The Busytown cars in the book and on the show are so unique. And this new playset bring the Busytown cars to life for kids.

You all know how much I love working for charity this time of year especially so it’s really hard to pick with toy we open and do a full review and which one we don’t. Knowing how much Miles would love this, and he saw the picture and said, Mommy I want that. Can I have that?. I said, well no, but you can ask Santa for it. But this is another toy we were lucky enough to receive that we’re going to donate to our 2011 Tweet Drive in Seattle.

Product Description: Curiosities are everywhere in Busytown! This fun Richard Scarry’s Busytown Town Hall Deluxe Playset with DVD encourages social interaction between kids as they explore and play in their own Busytown world. This playset is loaded with play features from a drive-through tunnel to a fold-up ladder!

The Richard Scarry’s Busytown Town Hall Deluxe Playset with DVD includes:

· A double oval roadway layout
· 12 roadway pieces
· Sergeant Murphy figure to patrol traffic
· Hilda Hippo in her classic pencil car

· PLUS a bonus DVD that includes 2 Busytown Mysteries episodes!

Overview: Since the 1960’s, boys and girls around the world have grown up with Richard Scarry’s best-selling books about his busy world of iconic animal characters and their whimsical vehicles. With over 300 titles in the Richard Scarry library and over 150 million books sold, Richard Scarry is one of the best-selling children’s authors of all time. In fact, he has five books in the Publishers Weekly’s Top 100 List of All-Time Bestselling Children’s Books. His popular stories follow the adventures of Huckle and Sally Cat, Lowly Worm, Hilda Hippo, Pig Will and Pig Won’t in a very busy town, leading very busy lives. His characters have become household names that parents fondly remember and kids adore.

The Recommended Age Range is 3+ and the Retail Price: $39.99 Click here to "Like" the new Richard Scarry Facebook page or purchase the all-new Busytown toys!

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Janet W.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

We received samples that will be donated to our charity this month the 2011 TweetDrive, donating all toys to Treehouse.

The NEW Step2 Wild Slide Riders Zebra Can Help Your Toddler Step It Up!

August 17, 2011 by Momstart 13 Comments

My little boy has now officially reached “toddlerhood.” It’s taken me a month or so to accept that he isn’t a baby, but watching him as he cruises around, his babbles start to turn into words and his strong personality makes itself even more known, I’m realizing that toddlerhood is a pretty cool thing. One of the best parts is the new variety of toys to choose from. We can actually now consider ride on toys! He is so much more fun and interactive … and likes trying to do most everything HIMSELF! Step2 has such a wide variety of toys to choose from! They are a strong, reputable company that carries exactly what can support children at every stage of their development!

Right now, Atticus is just starting to cruise around. He’s a little hesitant to take risks and actually “walk” on his own, but that’s where the Step2 Wild Side Riders Zebra came in handy. As soon as he saw the pictures on the box, I knew that this Step2 product was going to be a hit. There was some very quick and easy assembly required. In under 10 minutes, with nothing more than a hammer and some easy sticker placement, our new ride on toy was ready to go.

Since it is Atticus’s first ride on toy, I was a little nervous that he wouldn’t know exactly what to do. Boy was I wrong! Not only did he hop on board and begin scooting around the room, but he took time to pet the Zebra’s face, point out his eyes and then scratch the Zebra’s ears. The next thing was my favorite. Atticus took the lead of the Zebra and used it to walk! He also used the ears of the Zebra making it not only a ride on toy, but also a push toy to aid in the development of walking!

Step2 describes the Step2 Wild Side Riders Zebra (taken from the website) as:

Lightweight design for easy storage and portability
Contoured seat with easy grip handle
Cute character gives this toy a warm appeal
Durable poly construction lasts for year
Weight limit: 45 lbs. (20.4 kg)
Minimal adult assembly required
Recommended for ages 1.5 and up
Not a fan of zebras? No problem. There is also a Step2 Wild Side Riders Giraffe! Also an adorable and
an enticing option for any toddler.

As someone who has worked with children for a long time, I’ve always been a huge fan of Step2 products. Now I’m excited to begin building our collection of Step2 products!

(Thanks to Step2.com for the individual product pictures.)

Disclosure – A product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Ashley:

Ashley has a background in teaching Kindergarten and working with children K through 8th grade. She is now a SAHM and a very active member of our local MOMS Club chapter. She writes her own blog at Momicles.