Lego Play Day 2 - The Sequel

Today is the repeat of our first Lego Play Day.  Read about it here:  http://townsquaretoys.blogspot.com/2011/06/lego-play-date.html

It is going to be so much fun!  I hope you can come by.

Cars 2 Opens Tomorrow

In honor of the release of Cars 2 by Disney and Pixar, I wanted to post a quick note that we have the cutest new plush cars by Gund.  We have Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater, and Finn McMissile.  They are about 6 inches long and are super cool.  Gund always does a great job with plush toys and stuffed animals and these automotive wonders are no exceptions.  I am afraid that they won't last too long.  Cars 2 looks to be a smash hit and so do these!

Working in the Yard

I was working in the yard tonight, while my son was mowing the lawn.  I was pulling one of those troublesome weeds and, as I looked over at my son, I remembered how differently he viewed yard work when he was younger.  Back in the day, it was fun!  Everything was fun!  Digging in the garden, pulling weeds, watering the flowers - all of that was a blast for our kids when they were small.  You have probably experienced the same thing with your little ones.  What we consider "work" is just another thing of wonder to be experienced.  Which brings me to the point of this little post.

We have some of the cutest gardening toys at Town Square Toys.  We have little rakes and shovels, diggers and trowels, buckets and watering cans.  You and your kids will have a great time in the yard with some of these bright and colorful tools.  Pick some up today at our store in Mansfield, or order some online.  Happy Gardening!

Lego Play Date

We had our first Lego Play Day today.  We have had Play Days before; we had a Thomas the Tank Engine Play Day once and a Princess Play Day, too.  But, this was our first Lego Play Day, and it was awesome!  I was not able to be there, but Stephanie says that is was a rousting success.  Some reflections:

• Lego brings a lot of people out to play.
• It was different to have lots of Dads coming to a play day, especially in the middle of the week.
• There were no "instructions," just three big buckets of Legos.  Kids let their imaginations run wild and they built amazing creations.
• Justin was a great guide and builder/mentor.  He would help with any construction questions and building designs.
• Some of the little girls, who came to the Play Day, were less interested in Legos.  They had a fabulous time playing in small groups, with several dozen stuffed animals.
• Overheard more than once, "when can we come back and play with Legos?"

Please follow us on facebook, if you don't already, to find out when our next Play Days will be.

Toy Review - Spot It by Blue Orange

This game is awesome.  It is easy to learn and fun to play.  The game rules say that it is for ages 6 and up and I have found that to be true.  I have played it with kids as well as adults and it really is a blast!

There are several different ways to play, but they all center around matching your card with another card.  Now, each card has several images on it.  Any two cards will have one, and only one, matching image.  The image may be a different size, but otherwise it will be the exact same image.  It seems like it is not possible, but the brainiacs at Blue Orange games have figured out how to do it.  The games are fun and intense.  They are also, at times, hilarious; you know you just have to match two images and you know that you are staring right at them, and yet you can't see them.  It is funny.

I highly recommend this game.  If you need a great game for a game night, this is the one you want.  It is also a good travel game since it comes in its own portable tin.  Try it out today!

Toy Review - Sticky Mosaics by Orb Factory

We had a great time today at the Mansfield Unplugged Arts and Music Festival.  Sure, it was over a hundred degrees, but that just makes you appreciate air conditioning more.  We met lots of neat folks from in and around Mansfield and were able to tell them all about our store.  Some people had not heard of our store, some had heard but had not yet visited and some had enjoyed the awesomeness of Town Square Toys.  We had a plethora of arts and crafts toys on display.  It was just a tiny smattering of what we have in the store, but it gave people an idea of what they could expect if they visited.  

One thing that we had to show people, were some Sticky Mosaics by Orb Factory.  I think these are so cool!  There are several different kinds to choose from and they come in single and multiple packs.  You are given a design template to go by.  On the template are various outlines of shapes such as triangles, squares, or circles.  They can be in all kinds of different colors.  In addition to the template, you will have several sheets of soft, foam shapes, corresponding to the types designated on the templates.  All you have to do is match the shapes and colors and build your mosaic.  The foam shapes are all pre-cut and sticky on one side.  No messy glue to worry about.

Since these are mosaics made of tiny bits of foam, they are not designed for kids under three.  That being said, if your little one is not prone to putting things in his or her mouth, this would be fun craft project for them to do.  It would definitely be a great little thing to do together.

Mansfield Unplugged Arts and Music Festival

Come see us Saturday from 10-6 at our booth at Steven's Garden & Grill @ the Mansfield Unplugged Art and Music Festival!!  Yes, it will be hot; it is Texas in the Summer, after all.  But, we would love to see you if you have a chance to stop by.


The Festival is Saturday, June 18 · 10:00am - 10:00pm at Main and Depot Street in Mansfield Texas. From 10 am - 6 pm - Art and Music throughout Downtown Mansfield and from 6 pm - 10 pm - Live Music Continues at Steven's Garden & Grill.


Check out the website for more information on the Festival.

Toy Review - Praying Mantis Finger Puppet by Folkmanis

I have always been fascinated by the praying mantis.  Their swiveling heads, spiked forelegs, and big, bulbous eyes seemed cool to me as a kid.  Even as a grown up, I would have to list them high on the list of cool insects.  A lot of people don't think that insects are cool.  Some people don't like "bugs" at all.  Can you believe that?  As much as I like insects in general, and the praying mantis specifically, I never really thought about a praying mantis finger puppet.

Fortunately, the imaginative people over at Folkmanis didn't wait on me to come up with puppet ideas.  The Praying Mantis Finger Puppet is only one of many finger puppets by Folkmanis.  They are all totally cool, but I really like the Praying Mantis.  You wear the Mantis by slipping a finger into what would be the insect's thorax.  The eyes are not exactly where they should be, on a real mantis, but I think that the eyes seem more "approachable" in this configuration; it is almost like it is a friendly, cartoon-like mantis.  The legs are kind of stiff and yet made of soft material, so it won't scratch you like a real mantis would.  It is a full seven inches long - a pretty big finger puppet, if you ask me.  If you like insects at all, or if you know someone who does, pick up a little finger puppet friend today.

For more information about the Praying Mantis, check out the wikipedia entry.

Toys for Dad

Steph asked me what toys I thought would be cool for Father's Day; what would be a cool toy for a kid to get his or her Dad?  It seems like a simple question.  It should be easy to find a few awesome toys.  The problem is that there are so many great toys at Town Square Toys, it is difficult to narrow the list down.  But, I tried my best and came up with 5 great toy ideas for Dad.

Number One on my list would have to be a Lego set.  Few things are more fun that building a cool airplane or  robot out of Legos.  I am a huge fan and have been since I was a kid.  I am fond of the creator sets; they remind me of when I was younger and you used your imagination to come up with the next great idea.  In particular, I would choose the LEGO® Creator Transport Truck 3 in 1 Building Set 5765.

Number Two on my list is a Sky Rocket Mini Banshee.  Actually any of the Sky Rockets would be a good number two choice.  These things really fly.  I think it would be fun to get the kids out in a park and shoot these back and forth.

Number three for me would be a 300 piece puzzle by Thomas Kinkade.  I am a fan of his work, to be sure.  We have some beautiful puzzles featuring his gorgeous paintings.  At 300 pieces, it would not be too taxing of an afternoon to work on a puzzle of this size, alone or together.  I bet if the whole family pitched in, it could be done in no time.

Number Four is something that any science loving Dad would want to have:  A glow in the dark Solar System.  The Great Explorations Glow-In-The-Dark 3-D Solar System Kit by University Games is just the Solar System to get.  I know, I know, it is not to scale, but it GLOWS!  I am a fan of all things Glow in the Dark.  It is a solid top 5 contender.

Number Five may seem silly to many, but a lot of Dad's would appreciate something like this.  I choose a Safari Toob, specifically the Pirates Toob.  Why would I pick a tube of little toys?  Well, for several reasons. They would be fun to play with, alone or with the kids.  They give anyone an opportunity to talk like a pirate.  They are small and easily transportable in their little "toob."  They are pirates!  And, I work in a cubicle, on a computer, and they make awesome cubicle decor.  You can help Dad make his coworkers jealous!

So, that is my Top 5 Toys for Dad.  I could have easily made it a top 20 or top 50, but, alas, I don't have the time.  Better than my list, come by the store or browse our website and find that one special gift that you think your Dad will love.http://www.townsquaretoys.com/LEGO_Creator_Transport_Truck_3_in_1_Building_Set_p/lg4610937.htm

The Pre-Grades Rewards Program

Our Great Grades Rewards Program has been a fantastic success for these past few months.  We have been having a great time watching students bring in their report cards and trade their "A's" for toy bucks.  But we didn't have a program for our youngest students; kids in Kindergarten and 1st grade, often did not get letter grades on their report cards - what could we do?


The Pre-Grades Rewards Program is here!!! If your child has just completed Kindergarten or 1st grade, you can come in and pick up packets for them to work on.  They can bring completed packets back to the store and earn $2 in Town Square Toy bucks.  The first packet is math worksheets. Your child has until June 18th to fill them out and earn their $2 in Town Square Toy bucks. New rewards can be earned every 2 weeks through the summer. Keep checking Facebook for details and please help us spread the word.