วันศุกร์ที่ 23 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2554

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set Review


Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set Feature

  • Wooden set includes 12 wooden, sliceable cookies
  • Cookies store in a durable dough tube
  • Perfect for creative play^Enrich a child's imagination
  • Exceptional quality and value

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set Overview

This colorful wooden set includes 12 wooden, sliceable cookies and 12 toppings, wooden knife, spatula, cookie sheet and a kitchen mitt for safe, "low-calorie" play! The cookies store in a durable dough tube.

Melissa & Doug Slice and Bake Cookie Set Specifications

Young children naturally love to pretend they're doing "grown-up" things -- it's a fun and important part of childhood development. The Melissa & Doug Wooden Slice and Bake Cookie Set lets children ages three and up pretend to bake, decorate, and serve cookies, all while practicing fine motor skills, learning number concepts, and more. The set includes a dozen wooden cookies, a dozen wooden decorating pieces, and toy wooden kitchen utensils.

Slice and Bake Cookie Set
    Ages: 3+
What We Think

Fun factor:
Durability:
Educational factor:
Novelty factor:

The Good: Sturdy, high-quality wooden toy is built to last, offers plenty of opportunity for both independent and interactive pretend play

The Challenging: It's a toy with a lot of individual pieces, but it includes handy, clever storage solutions

In a Nutshell: Wooden cookie set comes with toy kitchen utensils, providing fun tools to foster imaginary play in preschool-age children


Kids love using the wooden spatula to remove their cookie creations from the tray.
View larger.


"Slice" cookies from the tube of "dough" with the wooden toy knife. View larger.

Bake Up Something Good
The Slice and Bake Cookie Set features a dozen cookies that are packaged in a cardboard tube that looks just like a tube of cookie dough from the grocery store. Because they're held together with Velcro, the cookies slide out in one piece. Use the wooden toy knife to "slice" the cookies apart -- the Velcro makes a satisfying slicing sound when it separates.

The child can then place the cookies on the cookie sheet and pretend the cookies are baking, making sure to hold the "hot" cookie sheet with the oven mitt once they're done. (Note that the toy kitchen utensils are not meant for use with real food or with real kitchen appliances.)

Once the cookies are done baking, it's decorating time! The 12 "vanilla" and "chocolate" frosting pieces attach to the cookies with Velcro. They are painted with different, yummy looking sprinkles, candy pieces, and icing patterns, so your child can create a variety of different looking cookies. After the decorating is done, your child can serve them up with the included wooden toy spatula.

Perfect for preschool-age children, this toy not only offers plenty of opportunity for imaginary play, it also helps small kids exercise their motor skills. Our preschool-age tester found it challenging, yet fun, to slice the cookies apart. And while our toy tester enjoyed playing with it independently, this toy makes a great parent-and-child activity, too.

Adults can place custom orders for cookies, play counting and matching games, and more. If you're at a loss for ideas, Melissa & Doug includes interactive play ideas on the back of the cookie sheet that help you encourage your child to learn while she plays.

Sturdy, High-Quality Construction
The Slice and Bake Cookie Set definitely has plenty of pieces, so we were glad to find that the cardboard tube is big enough to contain both the cookies and the toppings, making cleanup and organization much easier. We also love the toy's sturdy wooden construction that's built for plenty of rough play. And as with all of their products, Melissa & Doug states that this toy is made with non-toxic coatings and meets or exceeds US toy testing standards.

About Melissa & Doug
Started in the garage at Doug's parents' house in 1988, Melissa & Doug has grown to become one of the most popular toy makers in the world. Their toys have garnered dozens of parenting and "best toy" awards over the years, and have been featured widely in national print media and on television.

One of the company's points of pride is that their toys are thoroughly tested for safety, and meet all US consumer product safety regulations. The toys are tested at the factory of origin during various phases of the production process to ensure that every toy meets the company's stringent safety requirements every step along the way. In particular, the paints and coatings on Melissa & Doug toys are tested frequently to be sure they meet or exceed government recommendations limiting heavy metals and lead in children's items.

Since day one, Melissa & Doug has been in compliance with every US consumer product safety regulation and will continue to stay compliant as the laws continue to evolve, assuring parents that their children can have a safe childhood while playing with Melissa & Doug toys.

What's in the Box
12 wood cookies, 12 decorative toppings, toy cookie dough tube, wooden cookie tray, wooden spatula, wooden toy knife and oven mitt.


Available at Amazon Check Price Now!


*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 24, 2011 05:56:08

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 22 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2554

Melissa & Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set

Melissa & Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set Review


Melissa & Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set Feature

  • Special wipe-off cupcake tops
  • 4 dry erase markers in the shape of icing tubes
  • Includes durable cardboard baking cups, decorative wooden candles and “flames
  • Also includes icing tops and an oven mit
  • Exceptional quality and value

Melissa & Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set Overview

An included oven mitt adds a realistic touch to the Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set from Melissa and Doug. These 4 delectable-looking wooden cupcakes fit in the included cupcake baking tray. This special set has 4 dry erase markers shaped like icing tubes to decorate the smooth, removable, wipe-off cupcake tops. With colorful baking cupcake sleeves and decorative wooden candles, these low-cal cupcakes will be the hit of birthday and tea parties!

Melissa & Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set Specifications

A hit at make-believe parties, the Melissa and Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set encourages creative expression while teaching fine motor skills. Recommended for ages three and up, this set has everything a child needs to play pastry chef. Kids will enjoy hours of imaginative fun as they decorate the cupcakes with the included icing markers. And they'll love how the cloth oven mitt, plastic muffin tray, and paper cupcake sleeves add a touch of authenticity to this charming play set.

Melissa and Doug logo
Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set

Ages: 3 years and up

What We Think

Fun factor:5 stars
Durability:4 stars
Ease of assembly:5 stars
Educational factor:4 stars
Novelty factor:5 stars

The Good: Entertains children while also teaching useful skills

The Challenging: Marker is stubborn to wipe off icing tops if left for an extended period of time, but a damp cloth should do the trick

In a Nutshell: Set offers classic fun and helps children develop creativity and coordination
Melissa and Doug callout
Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set
Everything you need for make-believe baking. View larger.
Decorating cupcakes
Features charming wooden cupcake bottoms and colorful candles.View larger.
Decorating cupcakes
Decorate treats with marker "icing" and genuine cupcake sleeves. View larger.
Cupcake Set Entertains and Teaches
For parents who want their children to enjoy imaginative playtime while learning useful skills, the Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set is an ideal choice. This adorable set is packed with educational opportunities, but children are likely to have too much fun playing baker to notice they're learning.

The brown and yellow cupcake bottoms and pastel icing tops invite children to mix and match, creating their favorite combinations. For younger kids, this can help improve color recognition and counting skills, especially if a caregiver joins the fun and prompts discussions. For older children, it allows creativity to flourish, especially when they use the markers to draw polka dots and fun shapes on the icing tops.

The set also helps children develop hand-eye coordination. Little hands will love placing and removing the icing tops and candles. Children will also enjoy using the markers to garnish the cupcakes and gain fine motor skills that come in handy for schoolwork, sports, and other activities.

Classic Charm and Authenticity
Parents and children alike will be charmed by the Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set's wooden components. The wooden cupcake bottoms are painted yellow and brown--vanilla and chocolate--and the colorful candles are each decorated with a barbershop-pole design and topped with a painted flame.

For authenticity, the plastic muffin tray is silver-toned, giving it the look of a metal baking tray. Paper cupcake liners fit in the tray, so children can feel like they're really baking. Perhaps most realistic of all, a quilted oven mitt has a checkered red-and-white pattern and is child-sized to fit little hands.

For Independent or Group Play
The versatile Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set is suited for solo or small-group play. Children will enjoy throwing tea parties for their stuffed animals or bringing the set to show-and-tell and sharing the fun. Parents and caregivers can join in too, sitting alongside their junior bakers or placing special orders to give them a fun, rewarding task.

Easy to Clean and Store
When playtime is finished, the icing tops can be wiped with a dry cloth to remove the marker. If the designs don't come completely off, try dampening the towel. Once everything is clean and dry, the cupcake tray makes it simple to tidy up the cupcakes--in fact, it's so easy, little ones can be taught to put the pieces away all by themselves.

(Note: the Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set is not intended to be used with real food and is not dishwasher, oven, or microwave safe.)

About Melissa & Doug
Started in the garage at Doug's parents' house in 1988, Melissa & Doug has become one of the most popular toy makers in the world. Its toys have garnered dozens of awards and have been widely featured in national media.

Melissa & Doug toys meet all US consumer product safety regulations. The toys are tested at the factory of origin during various phases of the production process to ensure they meet the company's stringent safety requirements. In particular, the paints and coatings on Melissa & Doug toys are tested frequently to meet or exceed government recommendations limiting heavy metals and lead in children's items.

What's in the Box
One Melissa & Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set with four cupcakes, four icing tops, four candles, three cupcake icing markers, eight cupcake sleeves, oven mitt, and cupcake tray.


Available at Amazon Check Price Now!


*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 23, 2011 05:36:44

วันจันทร์ที่ 12 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2554

LeapFrog Shapes And Sharing Picnic Basket

LeapFrog Shapes And Sharing Picnic Basket Review


LeapFrog Shapes And Sharing Picnic Basket Feature

  • Appropriate for children ages 6 to 36 months
  • Explore shapes and colors/colours with food pieces, and manners and more with fun learning songs
  • Lift the basket lid to hear sweet instrumental music and fun sound effects
  • Play and learn with a 14-piece picnic set that includes 6 food items, 2 plates, 2 forks, 2 cups, 1 blanket and 1 basket
  • Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path for customized learning ideas and insights from LeapFrog

LeapFrog Shapes And Sharing Picnic Basket Overview

Set a space for fun, learning and sharing! Explore shapes, colors/colours, manners and more.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!


*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 12, 2011 21:20:15

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 8 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2554

ThinkFun Zingo

ThinkFun Zingo Review


ThinkFun Zingo Feature

  • Two levels of play
  • Seventy-two picture tiles
  • Eight double-sided Zingo cards
  • Teaches image and vocabulary recognition, matching, memory, concentration, and social interaction
  • For ages between 4 to 8 years

ThinkFun Zingo Overview

4 years & up. Zingo is a simple Bingo-style game, with a fancy plastic tile dispenser that kids just LOVE! Everyone who knows Zingo loves it, kids and parents alike. To play, players try to fill their Zingo! cards with matching tiles from the Zingo Zinger. The first player to fill his/her card wins! Rules can be adjusted to favor more or less competition among players, and to vary length of time that each game takes to play.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!


*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 09, 2011 03:03:13

วันเสาร์ที่ 3 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2554

Littlest Pet Shop Treehouse Playset

Littlest Pet Shop Treehouse Playset Review


Littlest Pet Shop Treehouse Playset Feature

  • Maybe she can ride the elevator up to the second level and slide back down again. If she gets hungry, you can drop some acorns down to her!
  • Or take her up to the third level and have her look through the spyglass to see if anyone else is around to play.
  • When she gets sleepy, put her in the hammock for a swing and a nap. After all the walking, swinging, sliding and riding she?s done, she deserves a little rest!
  • Spinning, sliding, swinging and seesawing ? with more than eight activities for your pet and a walking chipmunk figure to do them, this is one super tree house!
  • Includes 1 Walkables chipmunk pet, playset and accessories. Includes 2 button cell batteries.

Littlest Pet Shop Treehouse Playset Overview

Meet the Walkables pets!Just push a button and see her really walk! What will Littlest Pet Shop do nextWith three levels and more than eight activities, theres so much for your walking chipmunk figure to do where should she start She can hop onto the swing and have you turn the leaves to make it go. Or she can play hide and seek in the tree trunk just push the branch to open the door. Maybe she can ride the elevator up to the second level and slide back down again. If she gets hungry, you can drop some acorns down to her! Or take her up to the third level and have her look through the spyglass to see if anyone else is around to play. When she gets sleepy, put her in the hammock for a swing and a nap. After all the walking, swinging, sliding and riding shes done, she deserves a little rest!Playset comes with 1 Walkables pet and accessories.Chipmunk #2111

Littlest Pet Shop Treehouse Playset Specifications

The LITTLEST PET SHOP MAGIC MOTION TREEHOUSE includes an Chipmunk, a WALKABLES Pet that's ready to climb, swing, and jump her way into your heart. Just press the button on her back and she'll really walk. How do you keep a WALKABLES Pet entertained? Give her lots to do! The MAGIC MOTION TREEHOUSE has everything she needs for hours of fun and adventure. It comes with one WALKABLES figure and an assortment of accessories.

callout top with logo
MAGIC MOTION TREEHOUSE
At a Glance:
Age/Weight Requirements:

4 years and up

Assembly Requirements:

Two A76 batteries (included)

Caution: Small parts. Not suitable for children under 3 years.

LITTLEST PET SHOP MAGIC MOTION TREEHOUSE Product Shot
Press a button to make Chipmunk really walk around her new treehouse home. View larger.
Swing, Jump, and Slide on Three Levels

With three levels and more than eight activities, there's so much for your walking chipmunk figure to do -- where should she start? Just push a button and see her really walk. Chipmunk loves to play hide-and-seek in the tree trunk--just push the branch to open the door. Let her ride the elevator up to the second floor of the treehouse and slide back again.

When Chipmunk wants to find other LITTLEST PET SHOP friends to come play with her you can take her up to the third level and have her look through the spyglass to see if anyone else is around (other figures not included).

Feeding and Naptime Fun with Your Chipmunk

All this play makes Chipmunk very hungry. If she needs a snack, you can drop some "acorns" down to her. When she gets sleepy, put her in the hammock for a gentle swing and a nap. After all the walking, swinging, sliding, and riding she's done, she deserves a little sleep.

Please note: This toy contains small parts and is not suitable for children under three.

What's in the Box

MAGIC MOTION TREEHOUSE, chipmunk pet, two A76 batteries, and accessories.

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!


*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 04, 2011 05:44:40

วันศุกร์ที่ 2 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2554

LeapFrog My Pal Violet

LeapFrog My Pal Violet Review


LeapFrog My Pal Violet Feature

  • Download your child's name and favorite things to this cuddly customizable puppy, Violet (Internet connection required)
  • Listen to any of 5 pre-loaded lullaby tunes, 4 learning songs
  • Press Violet's paws for lullabies, learning songs and activities with numbers, animals, food and more
  • Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path for customized learning ideas and insights from LeapFrog
  • Three playful melodies or select music from an online list of 30 songs (Internet connection required)

LeapFrog My Pal Violet Overview

Leapfrog Enterprises 19157 Learning Toy 19157 Kids Games

LeapFrog My Pal Violet Specifications

The LeapFrog My Pal Violet is an interactive companion that helps children learn with an entertaining twist. Recommended for ages six months to three years, the cuddly Pal Violet's music, lights, and singsong voice appeals to kids whether they are barely crawling or talking in complete sentences. As an added feature, you can personalize the toy to match your child's preferences through the LeapFrog Connect application simply by connecting the My Pal Violet to a computer with the USB cable (included).

My Pal Violet
    Ages: 6 to 36 months

    Requires:
  • 3 "AAA" batteries (included)
What We Think

Fun factor:
Durability:
Educational factor:
Novelty factor:

The Good: Interactive toy can be personalized to your child's preferences.

The Challenging: You'll need to use a computer to access new melodies and print activity sheets.

In a Nutshell: An entertaining companion for kids from infant to toddler stage.


An ideal companion for a young child, My Pal Scott sings, talks, and can even learn your child's name. View larger.


Using the doll's USB port, you can personalize Scott to suit your child's preferences. View larger.

Soft Material with Bright Colors and Pleasing Voice
My Pal Violet, with its plush fabric and colorful puppy design, is appealing to children. The voice of Violet, a playful and upbeat young girl's, is fun and engaging for growing minds. Infants are also attracted to the name tag that lights up when Violet speaks or plays music. The name tag is made of durable plastic, and the new model features paws with embroidered symbols instead of decals so there are no removable pieces on the toy's exterior.

Your child can chew on this sturdy toy's ears or toss it around. My Pal Violet is light enough for even the youngest child to hold and carry. The handy Velcro closure keeps the battery compartment, USB port, and power/volume switch securely inside the toy. The switch has three settings: normal volume, quiet volume, and master off. In the "master off" mode, Violet will not operate when the paws are pressed, so only parents will be able to turn the toy back on. My Pal Violet's speakers are also inside the toy and provide balanced sound.

Advice for parents: when My Pal Violet starts to sound distorted, parents will need a screwdriver to open the battery compartment and change the 3 "AAA" batteries.

Music, Words, and Lullabies
Each paw on My Pal Violet is embroidered with a different symbol that, when pressed, turns on a special feature. The right arm paw with a ball symbol provides snappy sentences designed to help your child learn different emotions, colors, and words. The left arm paw features music notes; when pressed you hear a 15-second, upbeat song. The songs rotate randomly and include seven vocal songs to teach skills and three fun instrumental tunes.

Younger infants will be attracted to the melodies, while older toddlers can sing along. The right foot has a stars/moon symbol for five different selections of soothing music for naps or bedtime. Press it once for two minutes of music, or press it twice for five minutes of songs. If your child wants a little extra time with My Pal Violet before falling asleep, you can press the paw three times to hear ten minutes of music.

Parents can use the songs that come pre-loaded on My Pal Violet or change the songs by connecting to the LeapFrog Connect application. It's easy to turn off My Pal Violet by simply pressing the left foot's on/off switch; push any of the other paws to resume play mode. Personalize for Your Child
A special feature of My Pal Violet is the ability to customize your child's experience. The instruction booklet will guide you through the easy process to connect My Pal Violet to a computer with the USB cord and download the LeapFrog Connect application. All it takes is 25 megabytes of free space on your computer and about 15 minutes to personalize the toy with your child's preferences. You'll be able to search for your child's name among a database of thousands. When selected, My Pal Violet will use your child's name in phrases such as "I love you" and incorporate his/her name into songs.

The application also allows you to choose your child's favorite color, animal, and food to personalize Violet's phrases to your child's favorite things. There's a resource section for printing activity sheets that your toddler will enjoy. Also, you can switch up the songs and lullabies so they're constantly fresh and different. The database is updated regularly with new songs.

The only drawback: if your child has a very uncommon name, there's a slim chance that it will not be in the LeapFrog database. However, you can choose one of many nicknames that you may call your child, such as "Munchkin" or "Peanut."

What's in the Box
One My Pal Violet toy, three "AAA" batteries, one USB cable, Quick Connect Guide and Parent Instructions booklet.


Available at Amazon Check Price Now!


*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 02, 2011 18:29:13