One thing about having 3 kids in the house - we have a lot of toys. We keep saying we need to have fewer toys, but really, when they're all at different stages, they can't all play with the same stuff. Especially our baby - of course she needs her own special, safe for her age toys. And, the ability of a 2-year old is quite different than that of a 5-year old, although the gap is closing quickly! :) The motivation to be like your older brother can be a strong push! There are a few toy manufacturers we've come to recognize as having lasting toys that keep kids entertained...that provide creative opportunities for imaginative play...that don't break the first time you look at them!
One of these brands is
Little Tikes. I don't think there's a single thing we own from Little Tikes that has disappointed us. And some of our Little Tikes stuff is 2nd (or more!) hand - it still makes for great fun!
MGA toys, the parent company of the Little Tikes brand, and other brands as well (like Moxie Girlz, Bratz dolls, Nara battling bugs, Rescue Pets and more) is always bringing out new toys to their line - and we got to try out a couple of them this spring.
The first one is from Little Tikes: a
Discover Sounds Alarm Clock! Don't worry, you can't set this one to wake you up :) although, if the kids start playing with it early in the morning, it might wake you anyway!
The clock feature an analog clock face, with hands you can move around yourself. As you move the hands around the face, the numbers are spoken aloud - in English, French or Spanish. The two alarm clock "bells" on top are actually buttons, that make the clock play funny sounds and songs. As well, a light flashes from the red dome on top. Our 2-year old has had great fun with the clock, even though it's a bit young for him in some ways: he likes saying the numbers along with the clock and recognizing the name of the number along with it's symbol. It is mainly geared for younger children though with it's press a button, hear a sound operation. The package says 12 months + and the website says 6 months +; I would say it's somewhere in between...and probably suitable until about 18 months, with some attraction to older toddlers as well. Like all Little Tikes toys, it's easy to operate and brightly coloured. The one thing I don't like about the clock is the volume. I find the sound to be quite loud, and there's no volume adjustment. (Hint: you can easily adjust the volume of toys by putting clear tape over the speakers, several layers if needed!) I really like that you can pick from 3 different languages and expose your child to the fact that different people say different words when they're counting. The Discover Sounds Alarm Clock is available at Wal-mart and Zellers; msrp $12.99.
The other toy we received is
Dot Starlight, from the Mini Lalaloopsy doll collection. I've not entered the world of girls toys yet too much, so I wasn't familiar with the
Lalaloopsy dolls; in case you aren't either, they are "rag dolls that magically came to life when their very last stitch was sewn! Each doll has their own personality that comes from the fabrics used to make them." Lalaloopsy dolls come in regular (13 inch) and mini (4 inch) :), the only difference apparent is the size. So if your little girl loves wee little dolls, the Lalaloopsy, or Mini Lalaloopsy dolls might just be the thing! The package the doll comes in becomes their home. A friend of the family's girl has been playing with Dot Starlight. She's nearly 4 and very into dolls - and old enough for mini dolls (recommended age is 4+). Miss L loved that the package is a house that can be used over and over, the doll is unique and funky looking (not just another typical doll), and the parents liked that it was a great tool for teaching your kids about a telescope, a globe, a rocket ship (all three were included with the doll). There were a couple of cons: the pieces are very small - you have to make sure to gather it all up again after playing with it, otherwise the parts would be lost, and with just one doll, you can't keep a 4 year old busy for long. My friend thought it would be good for taking along to the doctor's office, and they will likely buy more of these because they're so different from other dolls!
Each doll comes with a few accessories - Mini Dot Starlight comes with a bird (her pet), a rocket ship, globe and telescope (Dot Starlight's clothing is made from an astronaut's space suit). Other dolls are also available; check a major retailer near you (msrp $6.99)
**Disclaimer: The products mentioned above have been given free of charge from Paradigm Public Relations for MGA Toys in exchange for being featured on Glimpse. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Glimpse and have not been influenced in any other way. Please see the full Terms of use.
The other toy we received is Dot Starlight, from the Mini Lalaloopsy doll collection. I've not entered the world of girls toys yet too much, so I wasn't familiar with the Lalaloopsy dolls; in case you aren't either, they are "rag dolls that magically came to life when their very last stitch was sewn! Each doll has their own personality that comes from the fabrics used to make them." Lalaloopsy dolls come in regular (13 inch) and mini (4 inch) :), the only difference apparent is the size. So if your little girl loves wee little dolls, the Lalaloopsy, or Mini Lalaloopsy dolls might just be the thing! The package the doll comes in becomes their home. A friend of the family's girl has been playing with Dot Starlight. She's nearly 4 and very into dolls - and old enough for mini dolls (recommended age is 4+). Miss L loved that the package is a house that can be used over and over, the doll is unique and funky looking (not just another typical doll), and the parents liked that it was a great tool for teaching your kids about a telescope, a globe, a rocket ship (all three were included with the doll). There were a couple of cons: the pieces are very small - you have to make sure to gather it all up again after playing with it, otherwise the parts would be lost, and with just one doll, you can't keep a 4 year old busy for long. My friend thought it would be good for taking along to the doctor's office, and they will likely buy more of these because they're so different from other dolls!
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