Showing posts with label dolls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dolls. Show all posts

Sunday, August 6, 2023

NEVER TOO EARLY TO BECOME A FAN OF SUPERHEROES AND WIZARDS

HARRY POTTER TOYS FOR BABIES

Kids Preferred, an American toy company with a focus on providing developmental tools and entertaining products for infants and toddlers has announced a licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to bring some Hollywood magic to little ones. They have joined forces to create an incredible infant and toddler collection that will introduce the enchanting worlds of the DC Universe and Harry Potter to Generation Alpha. It is never too early to become a fan of superheroes and wizards! 

Kids Preferred has brought caped crusaders and beloved wizards to life in the form of cuddly and adorable plush toys, blankets, teethers, and activity toys. Parents can share their fanship with children through an assortment of adorable, safe and family-friendly DC Universe and Harry Potter themed items. A perfect way to ignite the imagination of little ones.

YOU ARE A WIZARD HARRY! 

HARRY POTTER TOYS

From the Hogwarts House on-the-go blanket to Dobby foot rattles, parents can introduce little ones to the fantastical people, places and animal companions of the Wizarding World franchise. The Golden Snitch Plush offers embroidered wings filled with a crinkle sound to perk up little ears. The beans tucked inside the golden ball can even boost sensory development.

For teething babies, choose a Harry Potter Teether Blanket to soothe achy gums. Hermione Granger’s Teether blankie, like Harry Potters’s, offers crinkle sounds. A Ron Weasley Plush Beanbag features the red-haired and freckled wizard with many embroidered details. If you must choose between Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw, make sure to have its mascot in plush – Lion, Snake, Badger or Raven.

HOLY RATTLES, TEETHERS & PLUSH TOYS BATMAN!

BATMAN ACTIVITY TOY FOR BABIES

Kids Preferred has also introduced a range of DC Universe toys to engage the youngest members of the family. From the Batman-on-the-go clip and pull-down vibrating activity toy to the Squeak and Peek Soft Book, there's something for every little superhero. Here are some highlights of the DC Universe collection: 

 - Batman and The Joker 15" plush 
 - Superman Activity toy with rattle, teether, and crinkle sensory textures 
 - Wonder Woman Plush with a swaddling cape 
 - Batman and Superman-themed ribbed textured blankies

DC UNIVERSE TOYS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS

Look for these Kids Preferred licensed products this summer and fall at retail partners Amazon, Target, Kohl’s, Barnes & Noble, Burlington and others across the United States. 

This post has affiliate links, which means this blog could earn advertising money if you buy something from Kids Preferred on Amazon.com. This doesn't cost you anything extra, ageekdaddy.com just has to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Starpath Dolls

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review **

My daughter has a new friend to add to her toy collection with Shining Star from STARPATH DOLLS.  There are four multi-ethnic 18-inch dolls to choose from among the Starpath Dolls that each have their own unique style and a personality designed to be relatable to girls in the age range of 5 to 9 years old.  Crafted by renowned porcelain doll designer Linda Mason these dolls are made not only to look good but also to play with.

Each doll has a huggable cloth body combined with moveable limbs and a head made of vinyl that allow for posing and positioning the toy while being played with.  Their hair is also brushable and braidable allowing it to be styled in a variety of ways.  Plus they can be dressed up in a variety of outfits ranging from the fashionable outfits each doll comes wearing to a set of comfy pjs, an elegant ball gown, a flowing sari, or fairy tale inspired clothing that can be purchase separately.

My daughter chose Shining Star, who she renamed Jessica, because of the doll's chestnut hair, warm brown eyes, and fashion model sense of style.  The doll comes with a cute outfit consisting of a plaid double tiered cotton skirt along with a pink knit shirt and beret.  She also has shiny black patent boot and a matching belt that my little girl says looks trés chic!


A unique accessory for these dolls are customizable chapter books that can purchased through the starpathdolls.com website.  These books allow you to incorporate 20 personal details into the story so that it appears the doll and her owner are the main characters of the story.  Available as an ebook for $15 that can be read on digital readers available for most mobile devices and personal computers or as a paperback book for $20 there are two stories to choose from:

“A Fairy Tale Gone Wrong”

Written by award-winning author Suzanne Williams, who has written nearly 40 books for children, in this chapter book, the girl and her Starpath Doll find themselves accidently trapped inside the Cinderella story. It is up to them to keep the story on track so Cinderella will wind up with her prince and they can return home safely. Recommended for ages 5 -8 years old.


“Tiger Magic”

Is the story my daughter selected for us to get with her doll as an ebook.  Written by award-winning author, Mitali Perkins, “Tiger Magic” is an adventure story where the child and her doll friend find themselves on a magical adventure in the jungles of India. After learning about life in an Indian village, it is up to them to protect a tiger cub from poachers. Recommended for ages 5 – 9 years old.



Children will be delighted to play with these charming and well-made dolls while parents will delight in that they cost nearly half the price of some other similar top selling dolls.  For more information or to purchase a doll, visit StarpathDolls.com




Monday, May 8, 2017

THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL NAMES WICKED COOL TOYS AS MASTER TOY LICENSEE


My kids are really into Pokémon right now --> they love the collectible card game, watching the animated TV series and my daughter goes to sleep every night with a stuffed Pickachu creature.  So they're going to be excited to find out that the great folks over at Wicked Cool Toys have just announced an exciting new partnership with The Pokémon Company International.  Beginning in July 2018, Wicked Cool Toys will become the master toy licensee for the globally popular Pokémon brand with the rights to manufacture and market action figures, play sets, roleplay items and other toys around the world except in Asia where the brand is managed by its parent company.

"Pokémon is one of the most beloved entertainment properties in the world and Wicked Cool Toys is thrilled to become part of that legacy," Michael Rinzler, co-president of Wicked Cool Toys noted in an announcement sent to A Geek Daddy. "We can't wait to deliver innovative and fun toys that embody the joy of Pokémon to kids and the brand's millions of passionate fans around the world."

The Pokémon Company International will also become a strategic investor in Wicked Cool Toys and be provided a seat on the toy company's board of directors.  This new partnership is hoped to enhance collaboration between the brand and its licensee when it comes to developing toys.  The investment in Wicked Cool Toys is similar to a strategic partnership The Pokémon Company International entered into with Niantic, Inc., the developer and publisher of the Pokémon GO video game app.

Keep an eye out for the new Pokémon toys from Wicked Cool Toys to begin hitting store shelves in the fall of 2018!

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Our Generation vs My Life Ice Cream Trucks

An ice cream truck is on my daughter's wish list to Santa this Christmas.  She has been eyeing these toy vehicles during our shopping trips throughout the year so it wasn't a surprise she'd ask for one.  There are two models to choose from being offered by competing brands of 18 inch dolls, My Life available at Walmart and Our Generation from Target.  Here's A GEEK DADDY's evaluation of these two ice cream trucks that are competing for your hard earned dollars to help other parents out there who may have children dreaming of finding one of these under the Christmas tree:



Both trucks are approximately the same price and are compatible with pretty much any of the 18" doll brands (American Girl, Journey Girls, Madame Alexander, My Life, Our Generation, etc) plus each toy vehicle has working wheels to facilitate a pretend driving experience.  Each comes with accessories that include miniature kitchen utensils, such as ice cream scoops and tongs, and imitation food, like doughnuts and sundaes, for kids to play with.  My Life's version has more of a food truck theme including hot dogs, hamburgers and shish kabobs among the 40 accessories that come with the toy.  Our Generation's vehicle has a more limited desert focus but provides substantially more accessories with 120+ items included aimed to stimulate creative play.  Each truck also includes a chalk board for kids to have fun drawing on.


The chalk board on the My Life truck flips up from the roof and comes with one piece of white chalk.


The Our Generation version is on the side of the vehicle which provides a larger more stable surface and comes with multiple pieces of chalk in a variety of colors.

The two vehicles differ significantly on how to access the kitchen section of the trucks.  The Walmart version separates from the rear allowing great playtime access to this area but by splitting in half it also sacrifices stability making the My Life truck not as structurally sturdy as the Our Generation one.



Our Generation's truck has an opening roof that provides adequate but more limited access to the area than My Life's.  While it may provide a more limiting play space than the My Life version, the Our Generation ice cream truck makes up for it by providing a toy vehicle that isn't as flimsy making it easier to roll around on its wheels and more durable for withstanding the carefree play of children. The kitchen area in the Our Generation model is also much more detailed with removable trays of imitation gelato on display, compared to My Life utilizing stickers to represent the same thing, for instance.  While the My Life just has several open shelves within its kitchen for storing the included accessories, Our Generation provides a fridge, freezer and cupboard with multiple doors to open and close. There is just a lot more attention to detail and realistic elements when it comes the the Our Generation ice cream truck compared to the My Life toy vehicle.


What really differentiates the Our Generation truck from the My Life one are the special battery operated features that it provides.  My Life's model doesn't provide any type of these features.  On the other hand, the Our Generation version has working windshield wiper action, headlights that turn on, rear lights that illuminate when the brake pedal is pushed down, and turn signal lights that activate when the steering wheel is turned left or right.  We have an ice cream truck that roams our neighborhood every summer playing tunes so you know it is coming down the road and can be waiting for it with your money to buy a treat.  The Our Generation ice cream truck plays tunes too!  Press the music button on its dashboard and it will play one of three songs. Sweet!

Another nice touch is that the Our Generation Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck comes with batteries so it is ready to go right when you get it home.  Just note that you need to adjust a switch on the bottom of the vehicle under the front license plate from demo to play mode to get all of these neat features to work properly.  The instructions that come with it could probably highlight that point a bit more prominently.

There are some nice aspects to the My Life truck such as being able to have two dolls ride together in its front cab and the openness of its kitchen area but when sold for approximately the same price as Our Generation's version it just doesn't compare.  With it being a more sturdy and durable toy along with the impressive battery powered special effects and incredible number of included accessories, the Our Generation Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck really overwhelmingly comes out on top between the two models.  The Our Generation ice cream truck really is a sweet ride!


Disclaimer: A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free to review. My daughter received the Our Generation ice cream truck prior to Christmas as a reward for doing well in school and because she caught wind of us doing this review. The My Life toy vehicle was repackaged as good as new and provided to a holiday toy drive for underprivileged kids. A Geek Daddy did not receive any financial compensation for this post. Opinions are honest and my own.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Have A Berry Good Time Enjoying Strawberry Shortcake Dolls & Videos

** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free to review **

My daughter always has a "berry" good time watching the Strawberry Shortcake videos that are released by Fox Home Entertainment.  So when we got our hands on the newest one, "Strawberry Shortcake: Berry Hi-Tech Fashion," she couldn't wait to jump on the couch with her Lemon Meringue rag doll and a bowl of popcorn to enjoy herself watching the DVD.  This 66 minute animated presentation is divided into three sweet adventures that have Strawberry Shortcake and her friends showing off their stylish sides while demonstrating the importance of always trying your best in the challenges life throws your way.



When I was a kid, all the girls in my neighborhood collected Strawberry Shortcake dolls that smelled like each character's personality -- blueberry muffin, lemon meringue, raspberry tart, and of course strawberry shortcake.  These were all the rage with my sister and all her friends as we grew up in the 80's and now parents can share these same dolls that provided so many great playtime memories thanks to The Bridge Direct Inc.  They've created special reproductions of these classic dolls from the 1980s that include all the original details -- including their berry sweet scents -- in both the vintage action figure and rag doll designs.  These Strawberry Shortcake dolls are available at a variety of retail locations across the United States including Kmart, meijer, RITE AID, Spencer's, Target, Toys R Us, Walgreen's and Walmart.


The Bridge Direct's rag dolls are great for little girls to snuggle while enjoying a Strawberry Shortcake video from Fox Home Entertainment.  After watching one of these videos, my daughter likes to reenact or expand upon the adventure she watched on DVD or Digital HD  by playing with her classic Strawberry Shortcake dolls.  These dolls with the original 1980's design also have some fun accessories available (The Berry Bake Shop, Berry House Playset & Strawberry Shortcake Scooter) which can further immerse children within the world of Strawberry Shortcake as they play.

Children can help Strawberry Shortcake create delicious cakes and pies with The Berry Bake Shop.  What treats will your child want to imagine making and baking in the playset's oven with the included mix and match cakes and pies kitchen accessories? A vintage inspired sweet-scented doll is included to inspire kids imaginary baking creations.



Take Strawberry Shortcake's pet cat Custard for a spin around Berry Bitty City in the scooter created for these classic dolls.  Safety first so make sure the rider is wearing the included helmet.  A Custard cat figure with the strawberry themed scooter.  Dolls to ride it must be purchased separately.



Party like it is 1980 with the Strawberry Shortcake Berry House playset.  This retro-inspired doll house is not just great for inspiring kids to be creative in playing with their Strawberry Shortcake dolls but is a convenient way to store them as well.  It includes party accessories like balloons, cakes and drinks.  Plus it comes with a classic Strawberry Shortcake doll in a party dress along with a cat figure of her pet Custard.



To celebrate the release of STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: BERRY HI-TECH FASHION on Digital HD and DVD, A Geek Daddy has a berry special prize pack to giveaway to one lucky blog reader or social media follower courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment and The Bridge Direct.  The prize pack includes the Digital HD version of the Berry Hi-Tech Fashion video along with a Strawberry Shortcake rag doll and Berry House Playset from The Bridge Direct Inc.  To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet embedded below before November 13, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST.


STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE: BERRY HI-TECH FASHION is now available from Fox Home Entertainment on DVD at retailers across the USA and via Digital HD Internet downloads.  The hour long video features three short stories: "Berry Double Trouble," "Berry Bitty Adventure," and "High Tech Drama."  When Strawberry Shortcake and her friends' favorite "berrynet" show announces a fashion tech contest, the girls put their heads together to show off their sensational style!  But with the pals busy with their designs, there's "Berry Double Trouble" as two bickering twins, Sweet and Sour Grapes, try to keep the Berry Bake Shop running smoothly.  The arrival of Strawberry's traveling cousin, Apple Dumplin, also throws things off-balance as everyone works to make their unexpected guest feel welcome in "Berry Bitty Adventurer." And as they prepare to unveil their berryriffic work, a little "High Tech Drama" threatens to unravel it all.  Good thing these berry best friends know that sweet rewards come to those who work together!



 DISCLAIMER & GIVEAWAY RULES

A Geek Daddy has not been financially compensated for this endorsement or hosting the giveaway but has received the featured items free to review and  for our family's personal use. The prize is provided by Fox Home Entertainment and The Bridge Direct Inc.  A Geek Daddy is hosting the promotion as a benefit to our readers. Must be a US  resident over the age of 18 to participate.  One entry per person and winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Winner when notified by DM to their Twitter account has 48 hours to reply by providing a valid email and valid mailing address within the United States to accept the prize. The provided Email address will only be utilized by A Geek Daddy for providing a digital download code for the video to the winner. The Bridge Direct Inc. will be responsible for shipping the doll portion of the prize pack to the winner. By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. 

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

TROLLS -- THE MOVIE

The Trolls are coming! The Trolls are coming! We're all familiar with the dolls with the wacky hair and now they're coming to the big screen for their very own animated comedy adventure.   DreamWorks' TROLLS arrives at movie theaters across the United States on November 4, 2016.



This holiday season, enter a colorful, wondrous world populated by hilariously unforgettable characters and discover the story of the overly optimistic Trolls, with a constant song on their lips, and the comically pessimistic Bergens, who are only happy when they have trolls in their stomach. Featuring original music from Justin Timberlake, and soon-to-be classic mash-ups of songs from other popular artists, the film also features the voice talents of Timberlake along with Anna Kendrick, Russell Brand, James Corden, Kunal Nayyar, Ron Funches, Icona Pop, Gwen Stefani, and many more. DreamWorks' TROLLS is a fresh, broad comedy filled with music, heart and hair-raising adventures.

Thank you to DreamWorks Studios for providing us with some wacky hair to get my kids in the mood for watching the movie.  For more information about this film, please visit www.dreamworks.com/trolls

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

September 9th is National Care Bears Share Your Care Day

As a Care Bears brand ambassador, in honor of Friday, September 9th being #ShareYourCare Day, A Geek Daddy is encouraging our blog readers and social media followers to do a nice deed for someone else just to be kind.  Simple things like treating a friend to lunch or helping an elderly neighbor with some chores may not seem like much to you but could have a big impact on the beneficiary of your kindness.  With Share Your Care Day as an inspiration, try and do something nice for others throughout the month of September then share your good deeds with the Care Bears on social media using the hashtag #CareALotChallenge to encourage others to follow your example.

The Care Bears want their fans everywhere to do something nice for someone all month long via #CareALotChallenge,  It could be simple acts such as sharing a toy with a sibling or taking out the trash for dad.  Bigger inspirations could also involve acts of philanthropy like planting a tree, serving lunch at a homeless shelter or running a 5K for a charity. Care Bears hope to embolden the nation to be kind, think of others and #ShareYourCare every day.



The Care Bears brand is all about pos­i­tiv­ity, car­ing and shar­ing.  Every day throughout September, one shar­ing or car­ing chal­lenge will be posted by Care Bears on their Facebook and Twitter pages with the #Care­ALotChal­lenge hash­tag. Chal­lenges include acts like shar­ing a high-five or a hug and much more. With the #Care­ALotChal­lenge, you can add a lit­tle extra happy to the world! It’s to show appre­ci­a­tion for the peo­ple you Care-a-Lot about! Print this calendar to track your #CareALotChallenge moments and watch online for ideas and ways to #ShareYourCare, including doing something special on Share Your Care Day!


You can also get in the spirit of the day by participating in the Care Bears #CareALotChallenge Twitter Party hosted by A Geek Daddy's friends the @BlogginMamas on September 8, 2016 to help kick off Share Your Care Day.  Dur­ing the Twit­ter Party there will be a chance to win one of the fol­low­ing prizes by answer­ing var­i­ous trivia ques­tions about the Care Bears. Win­ners will be selected at ran­dom from all eli­gi­ble entries.

Four (4) Care Bears Care Pack­ages (ARV $175, 1 per win­ner) Care Bears Care Pack­ages Include:
  • Just Play — Jumbo Plush 
  • Van­dor — Shop­ping Tote
  • Just Play — 3 Blind Bags
  • Ben­don — Art Set
  • Montco Crafts — Pop Outz
  • Lion­s­gate — Bearied Trea­sure DVD
  • Good2­Grow — Juice and Care Bears Top­per
  • Net­flix — 1 year sub­scrip­tion
Plus there will be a GRAND PRIZE consisting of One (1) Care Bears Care Pack­age and a $100 Gift Card (ARV $275).  To be eligible for the prizes you need to RSVP and participate in the party using  #CareALotChallenge.

So how are you going the #ShareYourCare on September 9th and throughout the month?

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Create Your Own Personalized INSIDE OUT Movie Poster

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #InsideOutEmotions #CollectiveBias


It was a dreary summer day and the radar showed a series of storms was going to be rolling in and out of our neighborhood all afternoon and evening.  During a break in the rain, I dragged my kids out of the house as we headed to the bank, post office and Walmart getting some errands taken care of before the next bout of bad weather began.  As we were out and about, I was trying to think of something for the kids to do when we returned home that would keep them amused inside while it was storming outside.

As we passed a toy section in Walmart for the movie INSIDE OUT, I jokingly thought to myself how fun it might be to create movie posters that were customized to feature the Emotions (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, Fear) actually pictured inside my kids' very own heads. Hey wait a moment we could actually do that and keep them amused for the rest of the afternoon.  Everything we needed was right here at Walmart! So before heading to the cash register we grabbed some construction paper, poster board, and glue sticks to use in constructing our very own movie posters, some #InsideOut toys for inspiration, and Kellogg's fruit snacks to keep us fueled and energized to get this project accomplished.  Walmart has a nice selection of plush Emotions from the movie that are nicely priced at $8.88 and are exclusive to the retailer.  My son picked out Fear and my daughter Joy to take home with them.



Once we got home I broke out a few Tomy Inside Out toys that we had also picked up while at Walmart and used them as a teachable moment with my children to talk about some of the Emotions that may be in their heads and how they may at times take control of how the kids act.  I mentioned how they may feel Angry or Disgust over something and those were a healthy part of coping with things in life, but like in the movie if they let those Emotions control their actions bad things could happen.  My daughter then mentioned that like in the movie we need to feel sadness, fear, anger, or disgust so that based on circumstances in life that may bring out those Emotions we'll be brought back to feeling Joy.  Sometimes those other Emotions protect us or balance our mental state during the rocky moments in life.  I then told my kids we were going to make silhouettes of the Emotions inside their own heads and they got pretty excited.


Here's an easy tutorial on how you can make your own personalized Inside Out movie posters featuring the silhouette of a child's head.

SUPPLIES:
Computer & Printer;
Scissors;
Glue Stick;
White or Colored Construction Paper for the Background;
Black Poster Board for the Silhouette;
Inside Out Printable to add Emotions to the Silhouette - preferably printed with color ink on a see through printable clear plastic sheet though standard white multipurpose paper will work fine too.


DIRECTIONS:
1.  Take a profile style picture of your son or daughter;
2. Print it out on a piece of white multipurpose paper in grey scale sized so that the picture takes up most of an 8.5" x 11" space;
3. Cut out the child's profile from the paper;
4.  Place the profile on top of your black construction paper, trace it, and cut out the shape carefully;
5. Print out the Printable of the Inside Out Emotions;
6. Cut out the Emotions so you can add them to the silhouette;
7. Find a black & white Inside Out movie logo on the Internet, download it, and print it on your white or colored construction paper.  Another option is to print the logo on multipurpose paper, cut it out, and glue to your background piece of construction paper;
8.  Glue down the black poster board silhouette of your child's profile onto the construction paper background for your movie poster;
9.  Select the cut out Emotion(s) to add within the silhouette and glue them on;
10. Voila! You have a personalized INSIDE OUT movie poster!


My kids were really amused to see the INSIDE OUT Emotion characters inside their own heads.  Once we wrapped up this craft project, the kids enjoyed those Kellogg's fruit snacks we'd bought at Walmart then spent some time playing with the Inside Out toys we brought home with us.  Next thing you know a few hours had gone by, the storms were gone and my kids had some time to go outside and play.


Dealing with emotions can be tough for kids which is the theme of the Disney PIXAR movie Inside Out.  The movie is an emotional journey within the mind of an 11 year old tween named Riley. How have you discussed emotions and how to handle them with the children in your life?  

Sometimes it takes a little imagination to get through to children.  That's why I believe Bing Bong was one of my family's favorite parts of Inside Out.  Bing Bong is the"Imaginary Friend" Riley had as a preschooler who is part elephant, chesire cat, teddy bear and dolphin made of cotton candy with a nougat filled center - how can you not love that!  Bing Bong turns out to be the hero that saves the day in this animated film and helps the emotions learn through their journey that joy and sadness are two sides of the same coin when it comes to helping steer Riley through the memorable moments in life.  Engaging in imaginative play with the exclusive Walmart Inside Out plush dolls along with the Tomy Inside Out musical Bing Bong toy and Emotions action figures and control board playset was a nice way to have a productive conversation with my children about emotions while keeping them amused and busy on a rainy day.  Combining that with a fun craft really sparked some productive yet lighthearted conversation on what can be a serious topic.