Toy Waste

Yesterday, I had a nice visit with a new friend and fellow mom. She is a great person, and I am glad to have met her. In the course of our conversation, we talked about how many toys our children have and the need to purge toys when the youngest of our broods outgrow them. My new friend told me that she was in a quandary. She wanted to recycle some of the toys but didn’t think that the hard plastic would be taken by the recycling center. Instead, she said, she was forced to throw the toys out. Well, … Continue reading

The Best Things to Buy Used: Toys 2

We are in the middle of a series of articles about the best things to buy used. These are items in which purchasing second hand can mean significant savings and “like new” quality. Here is the continuation of examples of used toys that are great used buys. Activity centers. Babies outgrow their toys so quickly. This especially true for the activity center, an item that parents rush out to buy or add to their list. This is the classic exersaucer, although it comes under many other names and configuration. Some of these activity centers even convert into toddler or preschool … Continue reading

The Best Things to Buy Used: Toys 1

When you are shopping for something new, consider buying it used instead. Many items can be purchased “like new” for a fraction of the cost. Since I am a parent of three young children, I have a lot of experience with buying toys, both new and used. And for toys, used is the best bet 90 percent of the time. Kids quickly grow out of their toys or become disenchanted with them. Then parents get rid of the old toys and buy a bunch of new toys. Made of plastic, most toys are easy to clean and disinfect. Here are … Continue reading

Printable Toys

Have you heard about printable toys? There are one of the nice ways to take advantage of your computer, your Internet connection and your printer to create hours of fun and enjoyment all for free. You simply print, cut, glue and play. it is a great way to use your computer to spend some time with the kids “unplugged.” One of the absolutely best websites for free toys is The Toymaker. Marilyn Scott-Waters, the toy maker, herself, has dozens of beautifully designed toys to delight young and old alike. She has them so nicely categorized, too. There are whimsical toys, … Continue reading

Happy Smurf Day!

Okay, I admit… I was into the Smurfs. The little blue guys captured my heart and a good chunk of my allowance as a kid. I owned a stuffed Smurfette and once spent all my birthday money on an entire set of 2-inch tall plastic Smurf figurines that included Papa Smurf, Handy Smurf, Jokey Smurf, Vanity Smurf, Farmer Smurf, Baker Smurf, even Sassette. So when I heard my former blue pals were celebrating the big 5-0 I immediately thought: I’m old! Fifty years and Smurfette doesn’t look a day over 18. It’s true; I saw her on TV last night … Continue reading

Toys in Bed

I was talking with a friend, a first-time parent who has a preschooler and she was lamenting about the most recent troublesome development–now that her child is in a “big boy bed”–he is bringing all sorts of his toys into bed with him and falling asleep amidst the big pile. She is concerned it is not only a health and safety concern, but that he is developing bad habits. I hated to seem like that saucy and crusty old mother who couldn’t be fazed, but I have a nearly 18-year-old who STILL likes to have all her books, papers, and … Continue reading

Toys and Dolls for Multicultural Families

Today I’ll share some truly unique websites for ordering multicultural gifts, such as dolls of different ethnicities and disabilities, art supplies, books, puppets, videos, ornaments and more. I realize some of you organized folks are done shopping, but I’d still like to share what I’ve come across and suggest that you bookmark these sites for next year or for your next birthday or “Gotcha Day” celebration. Started by an adoptive mother of girls from Vietnam, Mandy’s Moon features ornaments that you can customize with a message and with faces (up to four) with nine choices of skin and hair color. … Continue reading

How TV and Movies Have Infiltrated the World of Toys

There are two items on my 3-year-old’s Christmas list that she would be crushed if Santa did not bring her—-a minivan for her dollhouse and Squawkers McCaw the talking parrot. Interestingly, they are among the only toys in all of Toyland that are not tied to a movie or TV show. (Though, for the amount of times we’ve seen that Squawkers commercial, he might as well have had his own TV show.) If you have children or are shopping for kids this Christmas, you understand what I’m talking about. From action figures to bicycles to books, stuffed animals, Play-Doh and … Continue reading

Pop Culture Potpourri–Whiz Kid Hits It Big and One VERY Unique Christmas Gift

If you plan to be in the New York City area in the next few weeks head over to the Toys “R” Us store in Times Square. That’s where you’ll catch a glimpse of a 7-foot-tall roller coaster valued at $10,000. Ten thousand dollars is not the asking price. In fact, the toy coaster is not for sale at all. Ten grand is how much a 10-year-old aspiring engineer from Olympia, Washington won for designing the complicated maze of parts that runs through the body of a dragon. Ian Culhane took home the grand prize-—a $10,000 savings bond—a few days … Continue reading

Christmas Countdown: Make Room for New Toys

If you don’t want to be left with a mess this January, then now is the time to de-clutter all of those toys and make plenty of room for the things Santa brings. I’ve been putting our Christmas tree up in stages, when I am done with my morning workload and the little ones nap. That gives me about a 30 minute window each day. On day one, I put the tree together, and then on day two, I wound it with lights. Today is day three, and I’ve carted down a box of Christmas decorations to be put up … Continue reading