Toys — Page 6

Why Little Girls Love Baby Dolls…

“Remember when all we had to do was to keep our ponytails straight and catch fireflies?”… Ah, to be a little girl again. The days when a crying baby could be soothed with a pretend bottle and a snuggle in a toddler bed. When being a good mommy meant dragging your dolly through the mud as you played in the backyard. Those were the days, right? Little girls love to mimic the people around them, so having their own baby doll to diaper, feed, and hug lets them copy the things that they see mommy and daddy doing. And if you want the most adorably realistic baby doll you can find, you have to check out JC Toys, and their “real baby” dolls. I’m not sure who loves this little cutie pie more – Abby, or me…

“Sugar and spice and everything nice, ribbons and curls because she’s a girl.” – Unknown

Ok, a quick disclaimer here… I know that baby dolls can be for little boys too. I am a big believer that kids should play with whatever makes them happy. Abby loves her dinosaurs, helicopters, and dump truck. And her cousin likes to cook with her in the play kitchen, and help rock the baby dolls too. So while this post focuses on little girls and dollies, I do know little guys like [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on July 2, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 24 Comments

Summer Staycation: Space Pack Water Blaster

Summer Staycation Pick: Astronaut Space Pack – Super Soaking Water Blaster… Many of us are cutting back on spending this summer, which cutting back on vacation spending. But – no vacation doesn’t have to mean no fun! Create your own “Staycation” worthy outdoor space this summer – filled with the coolest new toys for kids and adults, pretty patio furnishings, and other fun additions to make your home the best place to spend time this summer!

Astronaut Spacepack Super Soaking Water Blaster

This little gadget totally takes water guns to the next level! It’s designed to look like an astronaut backpack, with the “laser gun” being the water blaster. Seriously fun. It has two different shooting styles: Traditional water stream, or a multi-direction spray that blasts water to both sides simultaneously. The pack that the kids wear on their back is filled with water, which is used to power water blasts to over 30′!! It’s meant for kids ages 5 and up – but all of the kids here love it, from Abby who is almost 2, to Uncle James, who’s in his late 20’s, lol. I have GOT to get another one of these to make it fair when they’re out in the yard water blast battling…

Become the master of the water blaster…

This blaster lives up to it’s name… It is seriously a BLAST for the kids to play with outside, and it’s one of those rare toys that is still as popular now after a few weeks of constant use as it was the day that we got it. But here’s what’s even BETTER – it’s got a ton of super adorable accessories you can get to go with it, to really boost that Astronaut theme. You can get the Astronaut Helmet with sounds, which is totally fun. Or get the full look, with the Astronaut Boots and full Astronaut Suit with Embroidered Cap. Make your gear do double duty by using it as a super sweet Halloween costume this fall too. The Astronaut Suits come in sizes from baby to adult. So, so fun.

Blast into Summer Fun!

If you want to grab a Space Pack Water Blaster to add to your own Summer Staycation stock, you can get one on Amazon for only $15.99 – Astronaut Space Pack. You can also check out Aeromax online, to see the other super fun summertime toys and gear to get your kids off of the XBox and into the outdoors to play.

What is YOUR favorite Summer Staycation tip? Great product, fun game, decorating tip? Leave me some comments!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 29, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 2 Comments

Trucks aren’t just for boys

“Kids: they dance before they learn there is anything that isn’t music.” – William Stafford

My favorite thing about being a mom is watching Abby discover new things. {Well that, and those big hugs around the neck and sloppy kisses. Those rock.} I love being able to give her new toys, and watching the creative ways that she finds to play with them. And… My little girl is a total contradiction – she loves dressing up in mommy’s accessories and shoes, loves pink, loves her baby dolls – but also loves her trucks, and going to watch the race cars with daddy! And, I totally encourage that contradiction, you know? A few months ago I’d bought her a Pink Dump Truck, and she was over the moon. So I was super excited to bring home the Steer-me Steve from MEGA Blocks, and see how she would react…

“A little girl is sugar and spice and everything nice – especially when she’s taking a nap.” – Unknown

This is her, playing with Steer-me Steve, in all her gap-toothed, wild haired, crazy outfitted glory. {She insisted on wearing her coat. It has dog shaped pockets. And she loves dogs. She is the boss….} I have quite a few better pics than this, but still – this is my favorite. She is a little silly-bug, and I love it. The brand says, ” Steer-me Steve is perfectly designed for little hands to grip the steer along wheel as they drive through the house picking up the included blocks in the set as his cargo.” And that is the best part of this little guy – She can “drive” him as she pushes him through the house, bringing her favorite things along for the ride. And she usually stops to discover something new along the way, and add it into the truck too, to join her trip through the house…

“What is a home without children? Quiet.” – Henny Youngman

This is how Steer-me Steve hangs out at our house – filled with “babies,” just waiting for a chance to go for a cruise. If you have a toddler, you know how much they love filling things up, and then emptying them back out. They also LOVE to transport things from one place to another. So, this toy totally combines their fave things into one adorable toy. Abby will load him with her fastest race cars and drive them all over to her toy track, or she’ll fill it full of dollies to take into the living room for movie and snuggle time. The dump truck empties out super easily at the push of a little lever – simple for little hands, and super fun.

“Having a two-year-old is like having a blender that you don’t have the top for.” – Jerry Seinfeld

If you have kids, then you HAVE to sign up for the MEGA Blocks Family Club. You’ll get sweet updates on new products and promotions, have access to exclusive giveaways that ONLY members can enter {Like the Mother’s Day Giveaway for an iPad going on now!} and more cool stuff.

Want to WIN a Steer-me Steve for your little Discoverer too?

Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form to get your entries in – you don’t have to complete them all, but the more of them you do, the more chances that you have to win. And – speaking of wining – I have a TON of amazing prizes to give away to you guys this month. You can find them all in a big list in the side bar.

Have fun & good luck!

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on May 10, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways, Fun Stuff | 47 Comments

Are Your Kids Old Enough for a Motorcycle?

We’re a motorcycle family…

Does that surprise you? Do you picture people who ride Harley’s to be the rough ‘n tough type? Fueled by drugs and alcohol, chased by the law and their own bad reputations? Well think again – most motorcycle riders are the law abiding type, with families and good jobs – who just love to have a little bit of fun! This is me at an event we go to every year – it’s a big celebration, full of motorcycle lovers, and totally family-friendly. Good times.

Kids and motorcycles – safety first

This is my nephew – going for a super slow, and totally safe, ride around the park with a friend of mine, who’s one of the best riders that I know. {Yes, this was just a pose for the camera – they both put helmets on to ride!} My nephews LOVE motorcycles, and are always so excited to check them all out. They’re always super impressed during the “bike games” – where the riders show off their skills in some fun challenges. And of course, being little boys – they want motorcycles too, just like their daddy has! So…. What do you do when the kids in your life want a motorcycle, but are still too young to ride their own?

The Kool Rider – Makes your bike sound like a motorcycle!

Remember when we were kids, {you know, back in the old days…. with dinosaurs…} and we would use playing cards in the spokes of our bikes to make them sound louder? Well, the Kool Rider builds on that idea – but totally takes it up a notch!! It is incredibly simple to install, and they are seriously cool. My nephews are ages 5 and 8, and the older one can be hard to impress. We put this on his bike – and one of the neighbor kids came over to the fence, and told him that it sounded almost like his dad’s motorcycle. Oh man, was that a priceless moment!

Kool Riders in Action!

Isn’t this such a fun idea? They are incredibly simple to put on – my 8 year old nephew did it all by himself. The package comes with a piece of velcro that you attach around the bike’s fork, and then there’s the body of the Kool Rider that just attaches right onto that. Kids get to customize it with their choice of stickers, then pop it on and go! They’re super durable, super fun, and super affordable at only $9.95 each. {They recommend using two Kool Riders per bike – which does TOTALLY upgrade the noise level, to the total delight of the boys in our house.} This is such an awesome way to get kids up off of the couch, and into the outdoors for some active play and exercise this summer. Love it, right?

Buy the Kool Rider today on KoolRider.com! And make sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter, to stay updated on cool new products and promotions – included a Kool Rider version for toddler and beginner bikes coming soon!

Love it? Share it!

Love @HarleyDavidson, but your kids aren’t old enough yet for a bike? Try this fun alternative – sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/04/are-yo… #HarleyWomen

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) May 22, 2012

{Disclaimer: I received two complimentary Kool Riders to try out with my family, so that I could give you some honest feedback. All pictures, opinions, and thoughts are my own. We love this – and know your family will too!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 10, 2012 Filed Under: Fun Stuff | 34 Comments

Love your kids, but hate their toy clutter – Smart Storage Solutions!

Love your kids, but hate their toy clutter? Then keep reading…. Most of you know about my Master Bedroom & Playroom Makeover Challenge I’m working on…. Due to some extra family living with us for awhile, Abby is sharing the Master Bedroom with me for another year. I thought that babies had a lot of gear – but transitioning to a toddler has brought SO many more storage challenges! Toddler = Lots and lots of toys. I rearranged our space to make more of a playroom area for her and I wanted a way to store all of that toy clutter out of sight, while still making it easy for her to access to play and put away. I have found a PERFECT solution – The ClosetMaid Cubeicals 9-Cube Organizer.

5 Ways ClosetMaid solves your toy storage challenges

This ClosetMaid Cube Organizer comes in 5 different finishes, and the fabric cubes are available in single or double packs in over 20 awesome colors – which means you can totally customize this piece to match any space in your home. I love that it coordinates perfectly with our Catskill Craftsmen Black Storage Chest & Bench, and I was able to find a fabric bin that matches our storage buckets too! {Those are a fun dollar store find, that we personalized with stickers to spell Abby’s name.} Here are a few of the reasons I’m lovin’ it –

It’s well made. This organizer is made of laminate, but is so much more sturdy than a lot of other laminate pieces I’ve looked at. It’s strong, without the slightest hint of a wobble – which is incredibly important when it’s going to be used by a toddler.
It’s durable. I have a laminate desk in the same finish, that scratches SO easily. In over a month of use, there is not a single mark on the ClosetMaid organizer. The finish has a great texture to it, and holds up great with a toddlers wild playtime antics.
The bins are super helpful. This gives me a way to hide all of Abby’s toy clutter out of sight, but it’s still easy for Abby to access things when she wants them, and simple to pick things up when playtime is over.
Fun way to display. The cubes without the fabric bins in them give us a super fun way to display some of Abby’s favorite dolls and toys, and make the playroom area look super fun!
Easy to reach. The organizer is just the right height for a toddler – she can easily reach all of the cubes, to get all of her favorite toys!

So, it’s a well built piece that gives you a fun way to store toys, while keeping clutter hidden out of site – what more could you ask for, right?

“Having a two-year-old is like having a blender without a lid.” – Jerry Seinfeld

See how easy it is for little hands to pull out a bin of toys at play time? Each fabric cube is sturdy enough for storage, but also can collapse down flat if you decide not to use them. And, since they’re fabric, they can take some abuse – like when my little girl crawls inside one of them to read a book, lol. They have handles on them too – which is great if you want to bring a toy bin to another room to play. We’re thinking about making decals for the bins, like the ones on the toy buckets, to label what goes in each one – Dolls, Cars, Blocks, and Music – as she gets a little bit bigger.

ClosetMaid is a busy moms dream come true…

ClosetMaid is known for durable storage solutions at affordable prices – perfect for busy moms. They even have some cool tools on their site to help you design your own perfect spaces and places in your home – check out the uDesign tool to create your own one-of-a-kind organization designs, very cool.

Want one too? You can get the ClosetMaid 9-Cube Laminate Organizer online today, or look for it in major retailers like Target and Fred Meyer.

More Fun Ideas and Get Connected

Stay updated on cool new products and promotions by following ClosetMaid on Facebook and Twitter. And for more super fun toy storage ideas, check out my Playroom Storage inspiration board on Pinterest – and feel free to pin these ideas to your own boards too.

{Disclaimer: I received a complimentary organizer product to review – all opinions, photos, and tips are 100% my own! Love this product, and I know you will too.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 10, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 6 Comments

Easter Basket Ideas + Win Busytown Playsets too!

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” – Pablo Picasso

Playtime is incredibly important for kids. Great toys can help kids in so many ways… They learn to use and stretch their imagination in new ways. They learn to share and cooperate. They learn problem-solving, as they figure out how things work. And they even get some exercise – I mean, heck, even just crawling around to drive a car around a track is much more active than playing another video game, right?

“Easter, so longed for, is gone in a day.” – James Howell

Easter is one of my very favorite holidays, because our celebrations include so many of my favorite things – Play, Joy, Sunshine, Spring, Family, Treats, Flowers… It’s just such a pretty holiday. And I absolutely LOVE making Easter baskets for all of the kids! This year, instead of candy, I’m going to fill the baskets mostly with some of my favorite toys for creative play – The Busytown sets! {You might remember me talking about them before, when we got our first Busytown playsets.} So, to help your family celebrate this season, I thought I’d share these adorable little sets that are a perfect idea for Easter baskets – AND give a couple of you a chance to win some too! A few of these great sets, along with a book like Richard Scarry’s Busy, Busy Town or a Richard Scarry Matching Game would combine to make a perfect playtime gift basket for your favorite kiddo this Easter!

Richard Scarry’s Busytown Toys – Great Easter Basket stuffers!

“Welcome to Richard Scarry’s Busytown! It’s the liveliest, funniest, busiest town around! Based on Richard Scarry’s classic books enjoyed by generations of families, children would love to be surprised by an Easter basket filled with a Richard Scarry’s Busytown vehicle pack, figure pack or mini plush. These vehicle and figure packs are compatible with most wooden railway track play systems. A comprehensive Richard Scarry’s Busytown play system is available, too, so kids can collect them all or build a Busytown all their own! These toys are available at Toys”R”Us stores nationwide or online at ToysRUs.com.”

“It is a happy talent to know how to play” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

We have almost all of the Busytown sets now, and most of the smaller additional character sets too. I seriously love them. These were my favorite books when I was a little girl… I was always so intrigued with them. There were so many details on each page, and just like the title suggests, the characters were all so busy – driving and playing and walking and working… It’s so much fun to set these up with Abby and the boys, and relive those great memories. The sets are all really well made, and while they’re suggested for ages 3+, they’ve stood up wonderfully to the mayhem of a 19 month old just perfectly.

Enter to WIN a Busy Town Easter Basket of Goodies!

One lucky winner will take home an Easter Basket filled with a surprise selection of 3 products from Richard Scarry’s Busytown:

One Busytown Small Vehicle Pack, one Busytown 2-pack Figure Pack, and one super adorable Busytown Mini Plush!

Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form to enter, and be sure to come back daily to get your bonus entry. And – If you’re feelin’ lucky, enter to win all of the other fun prizes I’ve got available right now, in my sidebar!

Have fun & Good Luck!

{Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary set of Busytown toys to facilitate this review. All opinions are 100% my own!}

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Posted by Meagan Paullin on March 20, 2012 Filed Under: Holidays, Giveaways | 4 Comments

Win a LeapPad Explorer Tablet! 3/20

Leap Into Spring with LeapPad!

Organized by Karma Media, we’ve teamed up with an awesome group of bloggers to offer you one of the hottest children’s products on the market today… the Leap Frog Explorer Tablet!

It’s Easy to Enter to Win The LeapPad!

Simply fill out the easy Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway ends on March 20, 2012, at 11:59 pm EST. The prize giveaway is open to residents of the US only, age 18+. Worldwide winner would receive the cash equivalent. Once a winner is drawn via Rafflecoper, we will contact the winner through email. They will then have 48 hours to respond. If there is no response, we will draw a new winner.

Have Fun & Good Luck!

If you’re feelin’ lucky, make sure to take a minute and check out all the other prizes you can win from me – There’s a whole section of current giveaways over in the sidebar!

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