By Andrea Millay, Manager, Mommy PR
You can also follow her on Twitter

I never put much stock into “gender toys” until I had my first son.  I was over-diligent exposing him to “girl toys”- babies, dolls, tea parties, etc.  All he wanted was balls, cars and anything else that had wheels or moved.  So when my second son was born I naively thought he would be the same.  To my dismay, I was horrified when, shortly before Christmas this year, I found out that my 20-month-old had a deep abiding love for babies and dolls and I simply had no clue!

We visited family, who had a new baby, and my little guy sat for hours watching this baby. He talked to her, patted her and even got to hold her with Mommy’s help.  Did that clue me in to his fascination with babies?  Sadly, no. It took him tossing all his Christmas toys aside and playing with my niece’s crawling baby doll to make me realize my mistake.   Since then I have made an effort to expose both of my boys to the so called “girl toys.” Now, my sister is even getting my youngest son baby doll gear (playpen, high chair and car seat) at my request for his birthday.  I know he will love it since I watch him putting his babies in makeshift beds and pushing them around in a baby stroller on a daily basis.

Does this make my son less boy?  Of course not!  We still have daily fights over Thomas trains, cars and balls – all “boy toys.”  The boys still wrestle and hit way too much as boys will do.  But, when I see my youngest patting his babies or bringing them a blanket to cover up with, I am proud:  proud he is learning to nurture, proud he is learning that it is OK to play with “girl toys.”

Does this mean I will force “girl toys” on my oldest? Nope.  But will I expose my niece to “boy toys?”  You bet I will.  She already has an interest in Thomas engines and Disney Pixar cars thanks to my sons and I hope that they will all continue to share their toys with each other so there will no longer be “gender toys” and all toys will just be toys.

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Beth Grund, Founder, The Fabulous Won
You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook

Today we’re talking kids and fashion, and sharing fashion trends from the past (vintage) into the present (modern). My idea of fun is taking what kids (and this means you little misters too) love to use – their imagination – and letting it go wild with fun, versatile clothing.  You can go from playing “Tea with the Misses” to “Keeper of the Gate at the Royal Castle,” then turn around, jump in the car and go off to the park.  No need to shed those favorite styles that are setting off your fantastic adventure!  Letting a child’s imagination and creativity flow with play is fascinating to watch and build strong memories with.

Recently I reviewed a dress for my one year old, Alivia, from Right Bank Babies.  The fact is their clothing is a little pricey for us ($100 for the dress) but the styles and rich, hand-embroidered fabrics are well worth it.  Right Bank Babies’ clothing was created by a mother of two who decided it was time for fun clothing like what she wore when she was a child.  I have a dress my mother made me when I was little, a blue and white checkered dress with a collar and a white apron bib that tied in the back.  I, like the owner of Right Bank Babies, truly appreciate the fun designs from yesteryear.  I watch Bewitched everyday with my kids after school and I’m usually screaming at the screen when I see what little Tabitha is wearing.  Right Bank Babies’ philosophy is simple: stick with styles that surpass trends by creating pieces that can be worn alone as a classical look, or layered for a funkier feel.  Kids can wear the fancy styles anytime by adding a pair of jeans or layering on a tee-shirt under or sweater over.  Their quote: “Children live life with wild abandonment and we feel their fashion should reflect that.”  Throw on a pair of striped tights with a shiny bubble skirt and your favorite rain boots – kids’ style/fashion doesn’t have to be matchy or even something you would wear.  Let kids be kids…it only happens once a lifetime, make it fun! Even with fashion, it’s time to play!

I also enjoy the fashions and toys at The Pajama Squid for boys & girls ages infant to 6 years.  The owner of The Pajama Squid focuses on children’s imaginations and making those dreams come true with children’s books and fun clothing.

Currently, I am focusing on bringing the Alice in Wonderland creativity and fun alive in our home.  We have scheduled an important tea party that everyone must attend when the movie debuts in April.  The Pajama Squid is offering Alice shirts that are, in short, fabulous!  We are also looking at some costumes for the occasion from the Buy Alice in Wonderland Costumes website.  There are character costumes from $19.99 that will have your daughters and sons acting out the movie and celebrating imaginative play.

Bottom Line: All boys and girls can enjoy fashions that are not only parent-approved but child-accepted!

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Keri Wilmot, Founder, Toy Queen
You can also follow her on Twitter

Walking the aisles and touring the booths on my inaugural trip to Toy Fair 2010, on a quest for the latest and most exciting toys with a development and learning focus, was both exhilarating and exhausting. Being an occupational therapist who has promoted children’s sensory and motor development through toys for the last ten years, I can definitely say the Toy Queen has died and gone to toy heaven! For three straight days we searched and found so many new exciting toys and games ready to make their grand entrance into the market for 2010.  Here were some of my personal favorites:

IPlay Poppin Shapes Aquarium – International Playthings, $19.99, Coming soon!

These adorable little shapes fit inside an aquarium shape sorter.  When you press the button on the front of the shapes, they pop out into a sea creature such as a fish, turtle, or crab. The sorter container has a nice open slot in the front that is easy for little children to open independently. This is a great toy to work on dump/fill play, hand eye coordination, as well as both shape and animal identification. Appropriate for children ages 2 and up.

Play-Doh Shape ’n Spin Elmo Playset – Hasbro, $19.99, Available Fall 2010

Loveable Elmo has two modes, Count Shapes mode and Find a Shape mode.  In the Count Shapes mode, the child turns the dial to select a shape.  Elmo will identify what shape it is and asks the child to make a certain number of that particular shape.  In Find a Shape mode, Elmo will ask the child to find and make a specific shape.  Play-Doh has been utilized for years in a variety of educational ways, but to me this is a fantastic concept to include making the shapes into a fun, interactive game that can be played as a family or individually with children ages 3 and up.

Stinky™ The Garbage Truck – Matchbox, $59.99, Available July 2010

Stinky™ was an unforgettable show stopper at Toy Fair and was the first toy to come to mind in terms of giving us the biggest smile and lots of laughter.  Completely and utterly adorable!  Stinky™ works like a regular garbage truck that children can push around.  However, Stinky™ has other features that encourage children to interact with him.  For instance, when Stinky says “Feed Me!” he wants to you put Matchbox cars inside his mouth, but watch out, he can also drop the cars out of the back of his truck!  This a great toy that works on teaching children ages 3 and up how to follow simple directions, sing songs and play games in an interactive, silly, and playful way.

Pop Goes Froggio – Hasbro, $16.99, Available Fall 2010

In this game, children spin a spinner to find a corresponding lily pad that is hidden around the room.  They then turn over the lily pad to find the match.  If they do, they get to stomp on the green lily pad and send Froggio straight up in the air.  This is a nice memory game that also includes elements of stomping, balance and hand eye coordination through catching for children who enjoy more interactive learning with their entire body.  Don’t just spread the lily pad pieces around the game; hide them all over the entire room or a few rooms to make more of a memory challenge.  This game can easily be played with a variety of preschool children at different learning and age levels.

Crayola Guess My Picture – Wild Planet, $14.99, Available Fall 2010

In this exciting new game for ages 4 and up, children create a picture with pre-cut circles, squares and squiggles from an image on a card.  Other players try to guess what the picture is and stars are awarded to the person who guesses correctly. The player with the most stars at the end of the play wins.  This is an excellent game for children who may become frustrated when they can’t properly draw a picture and is a great way to work on fine motor coordination and motor planning for design imitation, which are precursors to writing letters.

In honor of the Toy Story 3 movie, which premieres in June 2010, there have been over 250 new toys developed for this occasion. Aside from the creation of Toy Story Operation and Toy Story Kerplunk, this was one of my favorites:

Woody’s Runaround Roundup – Wild Planet, $25, Available May 2010

I am always a fan of games that involve thinking strategy and motor coordination.  The characters are hidden all around the room and Woody will ask a variety of questions.  When the child knows the answer they run to the correct character and “tag” them by placing Woody and Bullseye over them.  This game teaches the concepts of names, letters, colors and can be played both indoor and outside by preschoolers ages 3 and up.

Sumo Ham Slam – Gamewright, Coming soon!

This interactive game involves simple math, but that does not require any reading. Roll the dice and feed your hamster chips to make him a stronger wrestler! Using a magnetic wand, challenge your opponent in the ring to see who the winner will be! Though this game is listed for children ages 8 and up, with some adult support, children as young as 5-6 may also enjoy this interactive, silly game that enhances fine motor development!

U-Build Connect 4, Hasbro $19.99, Available Fall 2010

U-Build Connect 4 is one game in a series of 4 U-Build games (Sorry, Battleship, Mouse Trap) recommended for children ages 6 and up, where children use bricks they attach to the game board that allows for novel game play each and every time.  Bumper bricks are placed at the top of the board so kid’s can drop the checker into the board game to try various ways to get 4 in a row to win. Hasbro has worked very hard this year including different elements into all their board games to shorten play if needed, or allow for novel play so that everyone can be included in Family Game Night!

Rory’s Story Cubes – Gamewright, $7.99, Coming Soon!

Using Rory’s Story Cubes, children roll the dice and create a group story using a picture on the dice as a visual cue to craft the story.  This game can be played individually or in a group, and is great for children who could benefit from practice with creative writing and have difficulty organizing their thoughts for written language activities.  Why not take turns writing down your sentence along the way and after a few rounds vote on the funniest story of the day!  Geared for children ages 8 and up and perfect for play at school, at home or when traveling by plane, train or car!

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Holly Zegalia, Founder, I like it Frantic
You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook

I know many people will say I’m too young to know an “old fashioned” way to play. But there is a difference in the way our children play and the way I played as a child. For our family, we are getting back to basics. The toys are wonderful, and the more modern ones the better.

But there seems to be a disconnect between a lot of parents and their children. I worked in daycare for five years. The other classes would play on the computer, watch TV and play with toys. Our class was developing in a different way. We used simple items that are already in most homes to explore our world: shaving cream and a drop of food coloring to paint pictures, a drop of peppermint oil in a tub of water to calm us as we splashed (trust me, I know it sounds contradictory but peppermint is actually a very calming scent) and a sheet to build a fort.

In this economic crisis, many families cannot afford to buy the latest and greatest toy. The “old fashioned” way to play can cost absolutely nothing. Many activities will use items from around the house.

The next time your child asks you to play, turn off the phones, computer and TV. Turn on the imagination and try one of these:

• Grab your favorite music. Move the furniture out of the way and dance the blues away.
• Build a fort. Use a simple blanket or sheet and you can pretend to be campers or pioneers.
• Write a list of items in your neighborhood and go on a scavenger hunt.
• Take the time to do a silly walk. Every few steps call out a different way to walk: waddle like a duck, stomp like an elephant, run like a cheetah.
• Grab a jar, poke a few holes and catch some fireflies, caterpillars or worms. Remember to discuss that these are outside animals and while they are nice to watch for awhile before you go inside you should set them free.
• Play flashlight tag. Pick someone to be the tagger. The tagger counts to 10 and goes hunting. If you are found with the flashlight beam you become the tagger. This is great to play with the neighborhood kids when it’s dusk and they have pent up energy from being in school all day.
• Make your own Play-Doh or Silly Putty.

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Mary Kay Russell, Inventor of Kubit2me, “The Ultimate Toss-It-To-Me” Game!
President, Kubit2me, Inc., Kubit2me
You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook

Great ideas come to us at the most random times, don’t they?

About six years ago, a friend of mine and I decided to put together a fun little book club for our 10-year-old kids’ class of fourth graders.  We picked out some great books that the kids would love, came up with cool games and activities that would excite and delight, and ran it all with parent volunteers at the school.  Sounds pretty innocent, right?  Yep, that’s what I thought until one of the games I came up with – a game I called Kubit2me – turned into my obsession.

For the next three years, my simple life was turned upside down.  My days were still filled with what I always did as a stay-at-home mom to four boys – tending to my family’s needs, cooking, cleaning, laundry, car-pooling and the occasional mani/pedi.  But when the last child was tucked in for the night, I kissed my husband good-night, put on my comfy pj’s and my game-inventor hat and went to work.

Being new to the toy industry and out of the working world for the last 15 years, I had a lot to learn.  Night after night I was a keyboard tapping, mouse shuffling research fanatic, learning everything I could about trends in the toy industry, intellectual property, packaging design, overseas manufacturing, warehousing and fulfillment, sales and distribution channels, marketing and advertising – making sure I covered every base before deciding to self-produce and bring my game to market.  Armed & dangerous and ready to go, this game inventor was about to become a game manufacturer.  OMG!

My work routine was the same almost every night – I would work from 10:00 PM until 4:00 AM, sleep for two hours, wake up to get the kids off to school, then start my day again.  Mid-day catnaps were my new best friends.  Good thing – because sadly, I no longer had time for my best friends.  BFF get-togethers at Starbucks and Panera were now replaced with meeting graphic designers, outsourcing agents, attorneys, and sales reps.  Weekend getaways with friends were replaced with visits to toy stores and trips to trade shows.  Thankfully, my friends were very understanding, incredibly supportive and always there for me when I needed them.

Striking a balance between my work life and family life was a bit of a struggle.  At first, my kids were little more than slightly amused by my new “hobby.”  Sometimes they’d pass me by while I was on the computer (as usual) and say, “Look at you mom, like you have a real job … how cute!”  I really think they thought I was going through some kind of mid-life crisis.  I can remember countless times trying to tell them that this was for real, and that one day people would actually BUY my game.  They’d just smile and nod politely (secretly snickering amongst themselves, lest they hurt my feelings by cracking up in front of me at the absurdity of it all) and then walk away, slightly confused by what their mother was becoming, somewhat annoyed by the fact that I was no longer there for them 24/7.  I knew they would learn to accept it.  I knew this would be good for them too.

So here I am today, producing and selling three award-winning Kubit2me self-expression games in toy stores nationwide and through numerous online retailers … a product line that I brought to market by myself.

The best part?  Besides the gratification I get when I hear from people who have played my games and love them – the absolute best part has been the transformation in my boys.  Their nonchalance has been replaced by curiosity.  They see with their own eyes what can happen with hard work and dedication.  They’ve come to understand what it means to have the spirit, passion, patience, and perseverance of an entrepreneur.  They have become resourceful, self-reliant young men.  And best of all, their indifference has been replaced with pride, especially when their friends say, “Dude, your MOM made that game???”

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Tiffany Bowen, Founder, Lattes and Life
You can also follow her on Twitter

It’s January, and that means many moms and dads are working on their New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and get healthy. Why not make it a family effort? It’s never too early to introduce a healthy lifestyle to children. Use meal planning as a springboard to discuss healthy food options. Let them choose new fruits and vegetables to sample. When you instill an appreciation for healthy eating in your child it will stay with them as they grow. In our overweight and unhealthy society it’s very important to plant the seeds of healthy eating from that first spoonful!

Include your children in your exercise resolutions as well. Kids have an innate desire to move their bodies, as any parent knows. Take advantage of that to keep you moving and on track for fitness. Not only will you be improving your family’s health, but you’ll also increase your family’s fun!

Here are some ways to include your kids in your fitness resolutions:

1. Wii

If your family has a Wii, there are many family-friendly games that will get everyone off the couch and jumping, dancing and laughing.

2. Family Walks

Go on regular family walks around your neighborhood. Don’t let the chilly winter weather stop you! As long as it’s not too cold everyone can bundle up.

3. Snow Fun

Take advantage of snow days! Build snowmen, have snowball fights, dig tunnels and make forts!

4. Play Active Board Games

There are quite a few family-friendly games that require you to move around. Check out Elefun, Cranium Hullabaloo or Twister and get moving!

5. Good Old Fashioned Floor Play

You can always sneak in some great strength training using your younger children as weights! Lifting, carrying and wrestling with them will get your muscles working and them giggling!

Make this year’s resolutions a family effort and everyone will benefit. You’ll increase your family’s fitness while enjoying quality family time.

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Dana Adams, Founder, Mrs. Moneysaver
You can also follow her on Twitter

Perhaps you’re among the twenty percent of consumers carrying holiday credit card debt right now. Or maybe you just overextended your budget a bit in the midst of gift-buying and travel, putting your family in lean financial times this month.

Either way, with the fresh start of a new year, now is the time to gain control of your finances.  Making frugal decisions now can lead to greater financial freedom in 2010, allowing you to concentrate more on the things that really matter in life.  And learning to live more frugally may just be easier than you think.  The four steps below will give you a great start on making more frugal decisions.

1.  Assess needs versus wants. Before you buy, ask yourself if the purchase is truly a need, or just a want.  If you determine it’s a want, then decide if it’s a purchase that you have room in your budget for.  Thinking about needs vs. wants before you buy helps ward off unnecessary, impulse buys that tend to be budget-busters.  This simple change in thinking before purchasing has personally saved my family hundreds, if not thousands!

2.  Wait before you buy. Before you buy, wait.  In waiting, two things happen.  First, this waiting period helps you determine the true need.  Often, if you wait to buy something that you “need”, you find you can make-do without.  Second, waiting gives you time to find the best price on an item.  Before you purchase, research the cost of the purchase across different retailers and wait for rock-bottom sale prices.

3.  Track your spending. If you don’t have an idea of what you’ve spent until you get your credit card bill or bank statement, you’re likely to spend more over the course of the month.  Tracking your spending as you spend doesn’t have to involve detailed itemized budgets and shoeboxes full of receipts though!  Try using a free website service like Mint.com to track your money.  You can link your credit and bank accounts to Mint, and they will sort and track your spending for you.  It’s a time-saving way to track where your money is going.

4.  Use coupons and shop sales. We have cut thousands off our grocery, household, and baby expenses each year by shopping sales and clipping coupons- without sacrificing lifestyle.  When an item that is frequently used in your house goes on sale, stock up enough to carry you through until the next sale.  And then begin matching coupons to those sales for extra savings.  (Find out where to get coupons here.) While couponing might seem overwhelming or time consuming at first, after a little practice, you’ll stream-line the process to work for your family’s needs.  You can start small in coupon savings, perhaps just saving on a couple of items a week at first.  The savings will still add up quickly and encourage further couponing!

With the start of a new year, so many resolve to get physically fit over the next twelve months.  But this is also the perfect time to get financially fit.  With just some simple changes like those above, you can gain control over your money instead of having your money control you!

Dana Adams can be found blogging at Mrs. Moneysaver, where living frugal is living better.  Dana shares how Mrs. Moneysaver readers can learn how to stretch money farther through nationwide grocery strategies, coupon clippings, free products, and frugal advice. It’s easier than you think! Get Started!

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Allison McDonald, Founder, No Time For Flash Cards
You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook

I am going to start this post with full disclosure, my child watches TV. I know how easy it is to turn it on, but it’s so much harder to turn it off! Young children learn through play and although they may be yelling at Dora or dancing with the Wiggles, watching TV isn’t play. When they play they imagine, they set rules and boundaries, they practice social skills and so much more.

Here are some tips to limit the TV and maximize the play in your day:

1. Don’t turn it on in the morning if you can avoid it. I know in my house once it’s on… it’s much harder to start playing with toys or an art project or even get out of the house for a play date.  Kids’ shows normally have “Coming Next” half way through the previous show and that has been the death of me more than once. My son notices it and decides that one show is simply not enough. Mama wins, but not without a fight, and really is that any way to start your day?

2. Have an activity laid out the night before. We do art projects most days, but the nights I remember to have it prepared, the mornings are so much smoother. My son will wake up and immediately jump in his chair and say “What’s this? Can I make it?” and we start our day creatively!

3. Rotate your toys! Kids have way more than they need and are often overwhelmed by all of it being out. Limit the toys available and rotate to keep your kids interested in their toys. I have never had to throw a toy out because of lost parts, they stay in better condition too, so your child wants to play with them more as well.

4. Make or gather props for pretend play. We had fun with an elevator (paper with numbers on our family room wall), playing rock band (Swiffer) and lately it’s been all about the salvation army bell ringer (plastic tub and coins). No need to be elaborate, just create enough support for them to play!

5. Play music in the background, it calms, it inspires and dancing is good for everyone!

6. When your child does watch TV try to watch with them, make it as interactive as possible!

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger

By Taraneh Guidry, Founder, Seattle Mommy, Marketing and Event Planning Professional

The holidays are upon us, and many of you may be wondering how you can make a difference this year. One of the biggest topics in 2009 was to “be green”. But what does that really mean? Here are a few tips to help you understand why and how you can have a “green” holiday season:

Reduce:

When you hear the word reduce, there are many ways that you can reduce your consumption. Why is this important? If we reduce our consumption and carbon footprint, we are helping to keep supplies up, and thus reducing the costs overall for the manufacturers and consumers. By reducing our carbon footprints, we will help reduce Carbon Monoxide Emissions, and thus help our air pollution. How can I reduce?

Start at home:

Think about your big holiday meal

Try to only buy foods from local farmers. Most foods travel over 1500 miles for each item. Ask yourself, is it really necessary to get food from across the country, or from a foreign country when there are fabulous local foods that are fresher? Not only are you helping your community, but you are being healthier. For more info, visit www.100milediet.org

Also think about food quantity. Most holiday meals are way too big and we end up throwing away so much food. Buy compostable food containers to send all of your leftovers to guests. This will not only help your “waist”, by not having the high calorie foods so available, but it will also help your waste reduction overall from all of the wasted leftovers that people don’t eat. If you don’t have guests at your holiday meal, either invite someone that doesn’t have family in town, or bring them some leftovers. For compostable food containers, check out: http://www.biodegradablestore.com

Gift giving:

Go Vintage: Most of the holiday toys that we give to our children are great on the first day, but then our kids get bored with them easily. Think of what you used to like as a kid the best? Twister, CandyLand, Monopoly. All of these board games are great for kids these days because they get them off the tube, they don’t use batteries or electricity, and they provide interactive family fun! Check out http://www.greenboardgames.com/ for some ideas.

Buy a museum membership: Get your family an annual membership for your local zoo, science center or children’s museum. This is a great way for the family to spend time together, get out of the house (away from television), and it lasts all year long! Museums and science centers are great for rainy days when you can’t take the kids to the playground, but you need to get out of the house. Go to Google.com and type in  Science Center Membership and the name of your city to get information on how to buy a membership.

Make something: There are some great ways you can make something that is actually appreciated for the holidays. Some great ideas are to get a nice container and fill it up with homemade cookies. You can find containers from around your house, or if you need to buy something try to get something that they can use that is compostable, recycled and reusable. For craft ideas: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/craftsbyproduct/a/trashcrafts.htm

Check out http://www.reusablebags.com for some really cool reusable bags.

Wrapping: During the holidays, Americans produce 25% more waste. This year get reusable wrappers. You can put everyone’s presents in great reusable bags! This will give them two gifts, one inside the other. Also when you are shopping in stores, please bring your own bags. If you want to wrap your gifts in a traditional bag or paper, please choose a recycled option. Check out http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/recycled_gift_wrap.asp

There are many other ways that you can be green, both during the holidays and throughout the year. Try to reduce the number of trips you make, shop online, and support local merchants and farmers. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010!

For more information: Visit: www.seattlemommy.com or www.treehugger.com

Taraneh Guidry is a Seattle area mom of two. She is a marketing and event planning professional that helps clients manage their online marketing, and does eco-consulting for businesses and families. You can see her website www.seattlemommy.com or Follow her on Twitter. You can also contact her at seattlemommy@verizon.net

Play Categories: Time to Play Guest Blogger