Mattel Archives - MomStart

Toy Story Mattel’s “The Great RC Race” Toymation Fun Factoids & Toys 4 Birthdays

July 21, 2012 by Momstart 6 Comments

How many of you start thinking about what toys to get your kids for Christmas, or is it birthday season. I’m pretty sure it’s birthday season as we’ve been invited to more birthdays than we can go to. Some great toys for boys for birthday this summer or girls that really like Toys Story are part of the Great RC Race Gear!

Miles has toy tested all of them and would recommend them.

First up!

Toy Story RC’s Race GEAR, GAS & GO!™ Playset

Get the racing action rolling with RC! “Gas” him up at the pump and add race accessories on the lift. Use the pullback, lock-and-release mechanism to rev up RC, attach him to the launcher, and then activate the launch pad for ultra-fast speed! You can also add another vehicle (sold separately) to the second launcher for side-by-side racing fun!

RC has a sporty design, bold colors, and unique character details
Features a clip to securely hold Woody, Buzz, or Zurg (sold separately)
Lots of racing excitement based on the Toy Story movies

What’s fun about this toy is that Miles can play with the car over and over again with or without the playset. Plus you can get an extra car and Buzz, Woody and Zurg can ride along on the cars. You just have to have the right Buzz, Woody or Zurg. There are so many varieties available.

Toy Story RC’s Race Action Figure 5 1/2” — Buzz Lightyear with Turbo Wings

Everyone’s favorite space ranger is ready to race to infinity and beyond. This Buzz Lightyear action figure coordinates with the Buzz Lightyear’s Racer (sold separately) as part of Toy Story RC’s Race collection. Gear up for the big race!

Includes Buzz Lightyear action figure with Turbo Wings
Press button to launch grappling hook
Posable
Plastic
5 1/2” H
Ages 4+
Pair it with Toy Story RC’s Race Buzz Lightyear’s Racer, sold separately
Collect all the RC’s Race figures and vehicles, each sold separately

Miles plays with Buzz a lot. He likes the little action figures more now than the large ones, in fact when he received this toy set from Mattel he decided to donate his larger Buzz. I was really very proud of him for deciding to donate one of his favorite toys.

“The Great RC Race” Toymation Fun Factoids

– 13 trips were made to the local Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul Society to collect all the miscellaneous props
-There were 15 John Grisham novels, 3 sets of Encyclopedia Britannica, and more than 400 books total used to create the set
-Every shot required at least 5 hours of set up with props and lights

-Every shot needed 12 frames per second

-The shoot used a crew of 10 people and lasted a little over 3 ½ weeks
-We had to shoot fast when using any candy props due to a determined army of ants which would attack our set late at night (especially our lollipop stop signs)

-Towards the end of the piece, the electronics featured are striped parts from old printers, computers, and servers taken from the studio

We received samples.

Mattel’s Brave Adventures with Princess Merida Toys

July 20, 2012 by Momstart 347 Comments

Mattel was kind enough to send us some really cool Brave dolls. Zoe’s been ecstatic playing with them and the Merida doll actually went to Utah with us and had quite an adventure in the car with us playing with Batman and Ironman. Here’s Zoe as she found out about the dolls

Brave Princess Merida

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The details about what we received:

Brave Gem Styling Merida doll gives girls the chance to decorate Merida’s signature blue gown or red hair with “gems.” They can even flip her reversible cape to reveal a beautiful sparkly print. $20.99, Age: 3+

Brave Castle & Forest Playset brings Merida’s magical world comes to life. When closed the play set is outdoor “forest” where Merida can venture with Angus. Open the play set to play out Merida’s life within the kingdom. $26.99, Age: 3+

How she plays with them:

Brave Gem Styling Merida is the doll that went to Utah with us. She plays with her all the time. Zoe LOVES jewels and the fact that this Merida doll came with jewels was phenomenal to Zoe. She loves princesses and she loved Merida in Brave. So seeing a princes that has the same interests as her just made her beautiful day.

Now the Brave Castle & Forest Playset has been a great playset for her and her brother. Sometimes Zoe will let Miles be the horse Angus and Merida gets to ride on him and that’s fun for both of them. It’s actually kind of funny when Zoe won’t let him play with Merida but she wants to ride Angus. I haven’t figured out how that’s going to work for them but somehow when the yelling stops they’ve agreed on something. LOL.

Play Time

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Just this morning she set the whole thing up for me for the perfect set of photos. She gave Merida the bow so Merida would set it on the table just to upset her mom. Yes she actually did. She also said that she lets Belle be Merida’s mom sometimes, but she didn’t want to go upstairs to find Belle. I was ok with that. I’m just glad she was ready for the photo opp!

What kind of play do toys invoke from your children?

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winner, Jennifer R.

we received samples

Please see the giveaway rules

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.

Mattel’s Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle

November 25, 2011 by Momstart 378 Comments

Matte’s Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle is amazing in detail and stature. In the box it actually looks a little small but once it’s all put together it’s taller than the kids. It took my husband an hour and 20 minutes to put together (of course that was with four little hands helping, perhaps it could have gone faster).

A little tea party while daddy was putting a few things together.

No tools needed for assembly, well except to put in 2 double A batteries for the doorbell, and toilet that flushes. Zoe snapped a few pieces into place all by herself

Once the Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle was finished the playtime began. One, Zoe already has a few princesses plus Mattel sent us one of the 2-in-1 Ballgown Surprise Princesses (sold separately from the castle). So the kids put the furniture in and we found that each princess had their own room. Zoe was sad to find out that Mulan and Jasmine didn’t get their own room. Jasmine did have a flying carpet elevator, but Zoe felt that just wasn’t enough.

But that didn’t hold her attention long, she played and played and played with the Disney Princess Ultimate Dream Castle. Of course Miles got in on the fun too. He played with Rapunzel, but she doesn’t have a room either. .

So, who does have a room? Ariel has a bathtub in the bathroom, Sleeping Beauty has a bed in the bedroom, Snow white has a mirror and make up dresser, Tiana has the kitchen to cook in, and Belle has the dining room to serve in. I suppose you could say the tower is for Rapunzel to let down her hair, either way, this castle is not lacking at all. Everything you need except the batteries is included in the castle. The furniture is outstanding, the entire dining room set and even a bath towel. It’s amazing. Plus Zoe was tickled pink when she found that it made sounds. I remember her running from her room, Mommy, Daddy, you have to come see the sounds it makes. She’s in heaven, and even understand that we’re going to donate it to a child that is in need.

Now for the 2-in-1 Ballgown Surprise Princesses. They sent us two Cinderella’s so we’re donating one of those the The Holiday 2011 Tweetdrive. But the other one we had to open and play with it. Zoe loves that the dress changes from one dress to another and she even took it to show in tell for the letter C.

Watch how easy it is to change the princess’s dresses. I love the two-in-one costumes:

This giveaway has ended. Congratulations to the winners, Crystal C and Sarah.

All rules can be found under giveaway rules.

Disney Princesses Splashing little Hearts Under The Sea Swimming Ariel & Sisters

August 23, 2011 by Momstart 19 Comments

Princess Zoe is a princess through and through. A few years ago at Target they had princess costumes at a ridiculously low price so I bought all the dresses they had left for Zoe and she’s WORN them out. She loves anything princess. Now thanks to Disney and Mattel, Zoe can take princess time to the bath tub and swimming pool. Zoe loves to reenact all of the different princess movies with her friends. They play the princess, the evil witch and the prince. The toys and costumes help them feel like they are really there as they play their own versions of each princess movie, like The Little Mermaid.

Now we can’t take a bath or shower without Princess Ariel joining us. The Disney Princess Swimming Ariel has become a favorite during outside play time too. Of course she also loves the Disney Princes Ariel & Sisters for outdoor play because she loves those little princess dolls and it’s a good thing because she’s getting a dollhouse for Christmas. The little princess collection is the perfect size for her coming dollhouse. Shhh don’t tell her, it’s a secret as Christmas is a few months away yet.

So the Disney Princess Ariel & Sisters is the first time in Mattel’s Disney Princess line where girls can play out their mermaid adventures with Ariel and her two sisters, Alana and Arista! All three dolls have magical tops that change color when dipped in water and playful swivel hips that mimic mermaid-like movements. We did have a little trouble changing the color, we figured it had to be cold water.

The Disney Princess Swimming Ariel makes water play a splash away. Turn the seashell at Ariel’s waist and then place her into the water to see her really swim. Watch as her tail moves up and down to swim through the water just like in The Little Mermaid. She does float and moves forward just a bit. The kids like passing her back and fourth in the bathtub. And here’s a video of Zoe when she first got her Little Mermaid Disney Princess Swimming Ariel.

We received samples for this review

How to Throw a Cars 2 Party With Mattel Discount Code

July 5, 2011 by Momstart 10 Comments

My son is all about Cars, the last party we had for him was just us but we still decorated in Cars. Now that’s it’s all about Cars 2 I imagine that next year we’ll be using Cars 2 as our theme. When throwing any kind of party first you have to start with decorations and when it comes to kids, it’s best to go over the top. We checked out our local Target and found a great selection of Cars 2 decorations, cars 2 invitations, cars 2 party favors and cars 2 thank you cards.

Now what kind of goodies will you serve?

I have two really great Cars 2 themed ideas for snack time at your Cars 2 party. You have to check out these Cars 2 Whitewall Tire Cookies and these Tow Mater Cupcakes. Both are sure to be a hit.

After you get all the decorations and snacks taken care of, you’ll have to think of some games. Since Cars 2 is about traveling the world it’s a great learning opportunity with your friends and play mates. Get out a world map and discuss different cities and what you would like to see and visit. Example:

· Lightning McQueen and Mater visit the streets of Japan and Europe throughout film. Develop a wish list of places to visit and chart out a dream road trip using stickers and a world map.

Another Cars 2 party game idea is to make license plates. With cardstock paper and glitter glue, kids can create their own license plate design. And one finally idea I had was for you to let each kid pick a double digit number and they can decorate it pin it to them. Then you can take them outside for a race around your front or back yard.

And you can’t have a Cars 2 Party without Cars 2 Toys right?

Mattel has provided us with this discount code to use for the rest of the summer.

· CARS2BL
Offer: 20% off all Cars 2 items until 8/1
Limitations: One user per customer, limit 5 units per order

Here are some Cars 2 Toys and activities you can do at your party with them.

Race for “World’s Fastest Car” Title

· Perform Lightning McQueen’s stunts from the movie by loading two Cars into the Cars 2 Tokyo Spinout Track Set set’s dual launchers to watch the vehicles zip, whirl and race to victory.

Secret Agent Man

· Invent spy missions and take Cars 2 Secret Spy Attack Finn McMissile with you to crack the case. Loaded with top secret spy weapons, firing missiles, sound effects and thrilling transformations, kids will become super sleuths.

Ka Chow! Cars 2 Grand Prix

· Recreate scenes from the Cars 2 movie, like the final World Grand Prix Championship race scene. Create a race course from point A to point B. Line up the Lights and Sounds Die-Cast Assortment Cars and designate someone to start the race with the checkered racing flag. Kids push their cars to the finish line. The real working headlights, revving sounds and signature phrases of the Die-Cast will make it feel like Lightning McQueen and friends are really speeding around the course to take home the win.

If you’re anything like us you already have a house full of Cars die cast cars. So I thought it would be fun to have a quick conversation about die cast cars with Miles.

We received samples from Mattel to facilitate this review.

A Barbie Girl In A Billion Dollar World Barbie: A Rare Beauty

November 30, 2010 by Momstart 3 Comments

I was a Barbie fanatic growing up. I never wanted to let go of my Barbie dolls and grow up but thank goodness my parents knew what was best for me. Or did they? No, they did, I didn’t need a Barbie Doll Dream House at age 8 a mirror was a much better choice, but now I can relive the Barbie dream through my daughter. She has a Toy Story Barbie, and so does my son, so they can play Barbie together. She is getting new Barbie clothes for Christmas from her aunt, she’s making her some home made Barbie clothes. Isn’t that awesome? We can dress her and change her clothes and, wait, this is supposed to be about a book I think.

Oh and I think dh picked out a new Barbie for her in a purple dress. WINNER!

Ok, now onto Barbie: A Rare Beauty! When Sandi Holder met the 11½ inch tall American icon, Barbie was turning heads in her Red Flare outfit, a rich red velvet tent coat, and sporting the brunette Bubblecut she donned in the early 60s. Now owner of Doll Attic in Union City, CA, the celebrated Barbie doll expert is presenting her incredible collection in BARBIE: A Rare Beauty. I’m thinking Sandi made her fantasies into a profession. She used her dolls, “collection” have you.. to create the glamorous guide to Barbie’s first 50 years. In her book she showcases stunning vintage dolls, classic fashion sets, one-of-a-kind rarities, store displays and many never-before-seen items—all acquired by Holder during two decades of Barbie doll collecting.

Three Barbie dolls are sold every second according to Mattel and I would believe it. These staggering statistics, especially in today’s economic times, prove that Barbie is ageless, even after celebrating her 50^th birthday in February 2009. Born Barbie Millicent Roberts, the doll first appeared at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. The sly, side-staring Ponytail Barbie doll wearing a black and white striped, one-piece swimsuit appeared seemingly out of nowhere amongst the era’s one-dimensional paper dolls and chubby baby dolls, selling for a mere $3. That same Barbie doll, shown in BARBIE: A Rare Beauty, earned Holder a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2006 after it sold for more than $25,000 at a Doll Attic auction. Holder’s biannual auctions continue to be a mainstay of her business, offering some of the rarest Barbie dolls and accessories.

Reading Barbie: A Rare Beauty made me reminisce of my little collection of dolls that I had. I still love Barbie and everyone does. So Barbie: A Rare Beauty is the perfect coffee table book. It’s going to start conversations and you’ll have people looking at it never wanting to put it down. You’ll see them smile as they come to a page that reminds them of the doll they used to have. Holder’s book is fun, informative, fabulous to look at and is a great read. The novice collector won’t be lost and the seasoned collector can find plenty to look at, including some never before seen items. It’s great for everyone!

About Sandi Holder:

Unlike the plastic megastar, Holder’s road to prominence wasn’t paved with pink boxes, pilgrim heels and ponytails. Two decades ago when her son fell seriously ill and Sandi suddenly needed to generate income while staying at home, she and Barbie got down to business. With such an impressive resume of over 100 positions, from fashion designer to school teacher to three-time presidential candidate, Barbie was the perfect silent partner in Holder’s plan. Immersing herself in all-things Barbie, she began attending doll shows, buying duplicates and assessing the market and was soon selling vintage dolls from two plastic milk crates in her garage. In 1989, she opened her Doll Attic in a storefront in the San Francisco Bay area.

Holder was named Mattel’s first Dealer of the Year in 2004 and was the 2006 recipient of Barbie’s Best Friend Award given by Mattel designer Carol Spencer at the National Barbie Convention. She has appeared on The Today Show and the Doll Attic has been featured in The New York Times, CNN.com, Newsweek, and others.

I was supplied with Barbie: A Rare Beauty in exchange for my unbiased opinion.