Happy 4th of July! We loved this wooden grill when we saw it at Toy Fair this year, and we knew that it would be a must-have for all bbq-loving families. Including mine. It is a very well-constructed toy with a lot of details to really enhance the make believe play. The grill lid is designed so that there’s a ... Read More »

The Corolle booth at Toy Fair is my husband’s favorite stop each year. Not because he likes to play with dolls, but because he likes French champagne (and really, who doesn’t?). It’s become an annual tradition for him to lounge at a table, happily sipping champagne while I (usually either pregnant or breastfeeding) circulate through the product displays choosing dolls, ... Read More »

Zev steals a turn with the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Grocery Cart while his older sisters are otherwise engaged. We brought lots of merchandise with us to the Cape to photograph for this year’s holiday catalog, but this has been the most popular by far – even with our smallest toy tester. Read More »

This is my 14th summer with Sheri’s family in Cape Cod. There are a lot of indications of the time that has passed these many summers – we’re not teenagers anymore. We’re married, we have kids of our own. And Sheri’s littlest sister, just a baby that first summer, is 15 now. In those early years, Sheri’s parents collected some ... Read More »

Making environmentally friendly toys has become a priority for a lot of toymakers, but one is taking that to a whole new level. Cardboard Design has come out with a line of sturdy, foldable cardboard play environments that are beautifully done and incredibly kind to the planet. My favorite is probably the Lemonade stand, coming later this year, but even ... Read More »

Playing make believe is one of those sacrosanct rituals of childhood. Kids can entertain themselves for hours, alone or with friends, lost in a world of pretend. Props can vary wildly, depending on what’s available. When I was little, my best friend and I could spend entire days in my basement with nothing but a tape recorder to capture our ... Read More »

When the Ty Girlz first made their debut I mentioned that I’d felt conflicted about them. The racy outfits and Bratz-like faces were a bit off-putting to parents looking for wholesome toys. I guess I wasn’t alone. Ty has now taken a step back and made some modifications to the Girlz. The newer releases have more modest wardrobes, and all ... Read More »

At Toy Fair in February, I mentioned a new line of dolls by a company called Karito Kids. I was struck by how beautiful they were, and I loved the charitable tie-in that gave kids the opportunity to use the Internet to help other kids across the world. Now, finally, these dolls are in stock. There are five dolls in ... Read More »

When the binky fairy came a few weeks ago, you may recall that she left my daughter a fairy doll. This doll has quickly become a beloved companion. Today, this same little girl turned 3. Yesterday, my mother-in-law brought her to Magic Beans to choose a birthday present, and don’t you know? She came home with another fairy doll, identical ... Read More »

One of my favorite new make believe toys is the Fancy Flutterpack from Cranium and its space-themed sibling, the Turbo Rocketpack. Both of these are designed to be worn on a child’s back, and both have a push button that sits on the shoulder strap. Push it and wings pop out of the pack. Pull a cord and they retract. ... Read More »