Tag: toys

2019 Holidays, Toy Reviews

The Best Gifts Come from Build-A-Bear Workshop

Erin Sluka

Comment: I was sent product for feature. Opinions are 100% my own. May contain some affiliate links within post

With Frozen 2 out and the natural love of plush bears, some of this years best gifts can be found at Build-A-Bear Workshop®. Not only can you build your own furry friend, but many more characters and friends are available to purchase. With the 2019 Holiday Collections, they always make popular gifts.

Disney’s Frozen 2 Olaf has a snowflake pattern on his fur. His smile is so wide and contagious so wherever your child carries Olaf too, he is sure to bring smiles from others.

And how adorable is Happy Hugs Teddy Fleece Navidad? I don’t know if I’m melting more over the shirt of those shoes!

This is my absolute favorite! Sorry kids, this online exclusive Polar Express Bear is Mom’s. From the robe to the bell, you’ll be popping in that DVD for a Holiday movie night in no time hearing the story of the Polar Express all over again.

There are so many Christmas friends to go search for at Build-A-Bear Workshop ® all season (and year) long.

Beginning today, Giving Tuesday, Build-A-Bear Workshop is matching your gifts with donations to Toys for Tots.  Now through December 15, when Guests purchase a gift card for $25 or more, Build-A-Bear will donate a teddy bear to Toys for Tots.

2019 Holidays, Toy Reviews

Brand New Kid Games from the Creator of “What Do You Meme?”

Erin Sluka
Brand Kid Games from the Creator of "What Do You Meme?"

Memes are all the rage and What Do You Meme has brought popular home games that engage both adults and kids in fun play. There are 2 new games that will become a hit with families for the Holidays and make great gifts from ages 12-99.

Can You Roll Doubles – Ages 12+ – 2-8 Players

Can you roll doubles

Can You Roll Doubles reminds me of my favorite game, Scattergories but with a twist. Now it has become fast-paced as you are racing to create as many words that begin with the played letter as you can before the player next to you rolls doubles. Once they roll doubles, they take the board and write words. In the end, the player who wrote the most down wins. You will know who’s answers are who’s based on the color marker used.

Party Bowl – Ages 12+ – 3-20+ players

Party Bowl is a fantastic group game for your get togethers, game nights, youth groups and classes. Players use prompt cards to come up with a bunch of words or phrases which get thrown in the Party Bowl. Two teams then compete to out-guess each other in three increasingly high-pressure rounds of fun. 

party bowl game

Find these and more great games at What Do You Meme

Kids, Toy Reviews

Freestyle Drawing and Tracing with SmART Sketcher

Erin Sluka

At 11, Anthony loves to draw. In particular, he likes to take his favorite video game or TV characters and make art as well as learn to draw. When I saw the SmART Sketcher I loved that it was so portable and the lighting was excellent for displaying the traceable images. But, it was the fact that Anthony can take any image he wants from photos we take to images he finds online and turn them into traceable art that has him hooked.

Freestyle drawing is for the talented, but smART Sketcher is for those who want to draw and need the guidance. The app that accompanies the projector and allows you to grab from your phone images is free and works on iOS and Google devices.

There are over 50 pre-loaded activities (on an included micro SD card) within the projector itself and the app is a great way to navigate through those activities. Image uploads are only one of many ways to use your projector.

Anthony is very much into the Season 3 of Stranger Things since it’s release this week, so he wanted to find images to draw such as this one with Steve in his ice cream shop which is a scene from the show.

The projector comes ready to draw and also with 20 sheets of paper and some colored pencils. Step-by-step instructions guide small hands through the entire process. 

Available Now at all major retailers (Amazon, Target, Walmart, QVC and more) Ages 5+. MSRP $59.95.

Kids, Toy Reviews

Best Bubbles for Kids

Erin Sluka

I was sent product. Opinions are my own

“Play is the work of children. It’s very serious stuff”, this is one of my favorite quotes. Despite video games being a new play norm, when you hear the word ‘play‘ do you still think bikes, chalk and bubbles? Gone are the messy bubble sticks falling forever into the barrel of soap. There are new bubbles in store and they are truly the best bubbles for kids this summer!

The Wave-A-Bubbles come 2 to a pack and produce so many bubbles. When you tear the package open there is a closable pouch to fill with the included bubble solution. Simply slip on the gloves, dip into the large pouch of bubble solution and wave your arms. As the kids run and wave their hands more bubbles produce.

Next is the Big-A-Bubble. It also includes a pouch of solution and these bubbles work a bit different than the other 2 sets. With these bubbles you have little finger pouches that a giant looped string hangs from. Once you dip the string into the solution and slowly remove it is like a GIANT bubble wand making big bubbles as you open and close your fingers.

You may have already seen the original Glove-A-Bubbles. These come with solution and a dipping pouch and once you slip it on your hands like a glove you can create a lot of fun bubbles by running and moving your hands.

via GIPHY

If you have a Paw Patrol fan in your home, Target has Paw Patrol Glove-A-Bubbles. Look for all of these fun bubble packages from Zing Toys in retailers near you and online.