Toys On The Brain

Now, I usually love Melissa and Doug toys. They tend to be durable, simple, yet fun. So when Small Person #2 saw this pirate chest in a store, we figured it was worth the steep price. After all, it looked substantial and had potential to be a fun pretend play prop. Well, looks can be deceiving and companies can be cheap - both are true here.

The first thing I noticed that I thought pathetic was the “secret compartment.” What’s so secret about a warped piece of wood with a hole in the end that doesn’t even fit properly over the bottom of the chest? It was less “secret compartment” and more “shoddy workmanship.” It doesn’t even lie flat on the bottom! Sheesh.

Next we come to the box itself. What seemed substantial in the store turns out to be incredibly poorly constructed. The lid doesn’t sit flush on the bottom of the chest, and within a few minutes of opening it a sliver of wood snapped right off. There’s just no excuse for that! The skull latch is cute, but only works in one direction - I foresee that being the next bit to break.

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Now here’s a classic toy. Everyone’s gotta have a Sit n Spin, right?

It’s too bad I couldn’t enjoy this toy much when I was a child; turning around and around on the flat wheel made my stomach well, turn around and around. But my little boy has thoroughly enjoyed this toy’s features since he could barely stand. And there’s nothing like a toy that lasts through several developmental stages.

He loves hitting the handle to play the music that goes through a round of tunes and stops, only to be started again when touched. As he got older, he learned how to spin properly: holding on to the handle while pulling himself in a circle with his lower body.

Then one day last fall, he laid down on his stomach and spun himself around - legs stretched and toes pointed - while pushing off the floor with his hand for speed. His daddy and I are certain it could be a new Olympic event.

The Playskool Sit n Spin was used when we got it, and it hardly has a scratch. It’s durable, lightweight, and I’ve yet to change the batteries after owning this toy for over two years.

Spin on baby, spin on.

• Sit N Spin at the Hasbro Website

Buy Sit N Spin Online:

• at Amazon.com

These word picture cards by DK Publishing get a big ‘thumbs up’ from this mom for the vivid colors and great pictures. The cards are big (great for little hands) and some even include textures for some of the objects.

Unlike some flash cards that have ridiculous animated images, these pictures are true-to-life, with many being photos of the actual object or animal. I say, if we’re going to teach kids what something is, let’s just use the real McCoy.

This packet included ideas for using the cards to work on a variety of skills. On the back of each card, there are questions an adult may ask of a child regarding the picture on the front. Also included is how to say each word in four languages.

You know, just in case you’ve got a prodigy in the household who will be able to pronounce the word “tomato” in German.

• DK Children’s Books Website

Buy My First Words Touch and Feel Picture Cards Online:

• at Amazon.com

Last week I got strep throat. Joy of all joys. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. But, due to my extreme contagiousness (and the fact that all I was capable of doing was lying on the couch curled up in the fetal position and drooling), I got to take two days off of work. Because of that, both younger kids had to go to work with their mom in New Jersey. We all know what that means - toys for good behavior!

Small Person #2 saw this game at Target and settled for it after being unable to find Rhino Rampage (a game he’s been asking for since before Christmas). Basically, this is Ker Plunk for younger kids. Instead of deadly pointed sticks, this uses “leaves” with slightly rounded ends and bees instead of marbles, but the idea is basically the same: each player removes one stick at their turn, possibly dislodging some of the bees inside. Whoever has more bees at the end loses.

Like Ker Plunk, it takes forever to set up. There are about a zillion leaves, and each one must be stuck through one hole and out another on the other side. Kids can help at the beginning, but towards the end when there are a lot of overlapping stems, it gets too difficult for them to do. Once it’s set up, you pour the bees in and get going.

In terms of actual gameplay, it’s not bad. It takes a steady hand to get a stem out without causing a cascade of bees, so it’s good for hand/eye coordination. It’s also blessedly quick to play (setup probably takes longer than gameplay). The pieces are relatively colorful, so you probably won’t lose anything right away.

My only complaint is that the idea of turning the trunk to each player for their turn is, well, stupid. If you play that way, bees always fall out mid-turn, it takes longer, and half the time you end up shaking it so much that leaves fall out too. A better plan is to leave it at one station and scoop out any bees that fall and then place them on the floor in front of you when it’s your turn. After almost losing it with Small Person #1 because he wouldn’t wait for it to be turned all the way, we’ve settled on this plan and it seems to be working well.

Bonus points for durability - it’s been dropped from a decent height at least twice and hasn’t broken or even cracked yet.

• Honey Bee Tree at International Playthings

Buy Honey Bee Tree Game Online:

• at Target
• at Amazon.com

I purchased this slinky in order to enlighten my son on the pleasures of playing with one of the classic toys. As I worked to build up the suspense, we unleashed the slinky at the top of the stairs only to have our hopes and dreams dashed when I discovered that it doesn’t work in our house. Apparently, our steps are too wide to allow movement of the slinky from one step to another. My toddler looked at me as if I’d gone a little bit crazy.

What a disappointment! I don’t remember having trouble getting the slinky to perform feats when I was younger, but now it doesn’t seem to do much of anything. Perhaps I need to educate myself on new things to do with it.

My boy likes to hold it and drag it around for a little bit, but the novelty wears off fast. For now, it makes for a real nice decoration in and among the other classic toys on his bookshelf.

• Slinky Website

Buy Slinky Online:

• at Amazon.com

This may be a fairly basic toy, but for a young boy wielding a hammer the Pound-A-Ball is the ticket.

The hammer that comes with this toy is used to literally pound balls down through holes and onto ramps quickly taking the ball to the bottom. Each ball can be watched in the see-through screen as it rolls down and comes out onto a detachable tray. I purchased it for my son so he could bang something other than the furniture.

I like the fact that it requires physical action and hand-eye coordination, as well as the opportunity to match the balls with the corresponding colored holes at the top.

I think it would be a little more interesting if the ramps were placed so the balls would roll down at a slower pace, but hey, it makes him happy enough to hammer in all four balls as fast as he can, then place them back on top to do it all over again. I’m pleasantly surprised at the toy’s durability and the fact that, after owning it for over a year, he still enjoys playing with it

Although I’m a big fan of wood toys, this pound-a-ball makes considerably less racket than its wood counterparts. Less racket = happy parents.

• Parents.com

Buy Pound-A-Ball Online:

• at Target

If you’ve learned anything from reading these entries, it’s probably that Star Wars is the top movie around here. And so, to continue a long tradition of Star Wars toy reviews, I’ve decided to review Small Person #2’s newest “lovey.” And yes, it’s a stuffed Yoda.

Apparently each munchkin got a stuffed Star Wars character for Christmas from one of their many relatives. Small Person #1 got Darth Vader and Small Person #3 got Chewbacca, but since I haven’t seen those guys in some time (they’re probably lost in the black hole of the boys’ bedroom), I figured I’d stick with Yoda for this review. And really, he’s the best of the three. Just look at how cute he is!

Like Small Person #2, this stuffed Yoda has a giant head compared to his body. He’s on the smaller side, but is still substantial enough to make a cozy bed-buddy. He fits quite nicely in the crook of the arm for toting around the house, and the little tufts of fur on his head are lovely for nuzzling. He carries a cane (well sewn to his hands) and wears a loose (but definitely not about to fall off) robe.

Overall, this was definitely one of the favorite Christmas gifts this year. He seems well-made and is the perfect size for Star Wars fanatics of any age. Of all the stuffed Yodas out there, he definitely seems to be the best representation. In fact, I’m thinking of getting one for myself… cute he is!

Buy Stuffed Yoda Online:

• at Amazon.com

This John Deere riding tractor has been great fun for my little farmer boy from the time he first sat on it - barely able to move it along with his tiptoes. Let me tell you, he has put the mileage on this baby and there’s plenty more miles of fun left for him and little brother.

The tires roll fast and well on hard surfaces such as wood floors and laminate, and the whole thing handles the rough surface of a well-worn driveway.

The accessories that come with this tractor vary. Ours has three farm animals that - when placed under the opening seat lid - play “Old MacDonald” along with the respective animal’s noises (the pig oinks, the cow moos, etc). Kudos to the toy makers who used volume control for the song, as well as the horn and ignition noises located in the center of the steering wheel. Both features can be turned off and on by parents or caregivers with the switch on the bottom of the tractor (until a kid figures out how this works, that is). There are places for the animals or other characters to sit in front of or behind the “driver.”

My son used this as a push toy when he first started walking, but since there was nothing to keep it from going too fast, he shot off down the hallway and just missed getting some air under his feet. It’s probably best to use it in this way on a carpeted surface and under scrupulous adult supervision until a child can walk well and control the speed!

I love that this is a classic toy - no trendy characters or silly pictures. And it’s pretty exciting for my son that his daddy uses the same brand of tractor to mow the lawn!

• Learning Curve Website

Buy the John Deere Sit ‘N’ Scoot Activity Tractor Online:

• at Amazon.com
• at Target

Toys on the Brain is thrilled to have another writer to join in the mayhem. I’m overjoyed to present Rhonda (you can read more about her on our About page) in her inaugural post!

No flashing lights, no batteries, no music: hey, some toys never get old. The Lego-Duplo Brick Bucket is the perfect tool for kids to segue into the world of all that is Legos. Bigger than Duplo blocks, yet smaller than traditional Legos, these blocks are truly the right size for young children from 1 1/2 to 2 up through age 5, but may be quite addictive for parents of all ages.

The size of the bricks are perfect for creating just enough of a challenge for little hands to manipulate while developing fine motor skills. This bucket set includes various shapes to create simple buildings, walls, towers, airplanes, and rockets. It also includes one Lego-Duplo boy, a swing, a trailer with a hitch and wheels, ladders, a couple of parts with “doors” that swing open on hinges, sloped blocks, and one curved attachment, allowing kids to create parks, steps, bridges, and entry ways.

My toddler plays with these for quite some time: enjoying the act of putting together, taking apart, building up, and (of course) knocking down.

If I were to change one thing about this set, it would be for Lego to add a few more pieces with wheels and include a least a couple more characters. Of course, then the Lego folks would miss out on selling additional pieces one of the numerous “add-on” sets that can be purchased.

• Lego Website

Buy Lego Duplo Products Online:

• at Amazon.com
• at Target
• at WalMart

Small Person #3 has the dubious privilege of inheriting most of her toys from her older brothers. This means that much of what she has is fairly gross - chewed-on, faded, mucked up in general. So, for Christmas she got a few new toys of her own to enjoy. One of the more promising was the Sassy Harmonization Fascination Station Suction toy (whew, that’s a mouthful!).

Similar to the toy that came with her bebePod, this handy little toy is similar to a windmill, with different toys that spin around. However, unlike the bebePod toy, this one attaches to a suction cup and includes a musical feature. The music plays whenever baby moves the toy, and the sounds itself are actually quite pleasant without being too loud. The toy was an immediate hit!

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