Facebook Contest $25 in Free Toys!

Hey, check out our Facebook page and enter the contest. You can get $25 in free toys. Here is how it works:

Suggest that your friends become fans of Town Square Toys by following this link:

http://www.facebook.com/townsquaretoys

Have them post YOUR NAME on the wall of our page. Whoever has their name posted the most times- WINS!

The fine print:

Your name has to be posted by a fan.

Each fan can only post one name.

You may post your own name, but only once!

Multiple name posts by the same fan will be ignored.

Contest runs from now until April 23rd.

Scenario 1: You send a message to your friend Mary with the link in it. She visits the Town Square Toys page and becomes a fan. She posts your name. You are on your way to winning. It is that easy!

Scenario 2: You change you facebook status, telling everyone to become a fan and post your name. John visits the Town Square Toys page and becomes a fan. He posts your name. Susan wants to win the contest and sends a message to John, asking him to post her name. Too Late! John already posted your name. Susan better get busy or you are going to win!

Scenario 3: You email all of your cousins to become fans and post your name. 7 out of 10 post your name but 3 out of 10 post the name of your aunt Murl. You got 7 and aunt Murl got 3. At least you are in the lead!

Ready, Set....GO!

Ugly Doll - Ugly Monday Feature: Babo

Welcome to your Ugly Monday Feature, where you are introduced to the Ugly Dolls. Each Monday, you will get the joy of discovering a little piece of ugly on the ugliest day of the week. Have an Ugly Day!

Babo will protect you. Having a bad day? Someone giving you a hard time? Babo's got your back. What Babo lacks in mind power, he makes up for in love. He's everybody's best friend. He will stick with you to the end and when something scary happens, he will send you a nice greeting card from wherever it is he runs away to. A very curious, mischievous creature, Babo may need some guidance and parenting, so make sure to bring him with you to as many places as possible. Leaving him at home is fine, but please put all cookies and money on the highest shelf.

Where did UglyDolls come from? Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath met in art school in 1996 and fell in love. After Sun-Min went back to Korea in 2001, they kept in touch by writing letters. David would include a drawing of a little guy named Wage in all of his letters to his love. Sun-Min decided to make a plush version of this little doll for David. He loved the doll and so she made 5 more. He sold the additional 4 to a store owner and they sold out almost immediately. For the next 18 months, David would design and Sun-Min would sew dolls, all while still apart. They met again at Toy Fair 2003 where they got a booth at the bottom level. From that point on, the dolls have been a hit!

Town Square Toys on Facebook

Just wanted to let everyone know about the goings on in Facebook land. You can stop by and become a fan of our page at http://www.facebook.com/townsquaretoys. So much to see. You don't want to miss out!

Ugly Doll - Ugly Monday Feature: Abima

Welcome to your Ugly Monday Feature, where you are introduced to the Ugly Dolls. Each Monday, you will get the joy of discovering a little piece of ugly on the ugliest day of the week. Have an Ugly Day!

Abima is out of control! He’s got his hand in the cookie jar, and his mind on the next adventure, which is probably going to involve bouncing off the walls and knocking over expensive stuff. He only knocks over the expensive stuff. Not to worry though. Abima is very protective and would always watch out for you. Are you scared of the dark? So is Abima! Oh. Anyway, Abima loves to visit his favorite cousin Wage. They look like they could be related, right? Maybe he’s your cousin too.

Where did UglyDolls come from? Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath met in art school in 1996 and fell in love. After Sun-Min went back to Korea in 2001, they kept in touch by writing letters. David would include a drawing of a little guy named Wage in all of his letters to his love. Sun-Min decided to make a plush version of this little doll for David. He loved the doll and so she made 5 more. He sold the additional 4 to a store owner and they sold out almost immediately. For the next 18 months, David would design and Sun-Min would sew dolls, all while still apart. They met again at Toy Fair 2003 where they got a booth at the bottom level. From that point on, the dolls have been a hit!

Boomwhackers by Whacky Music

I am not a musician by any stretch of the imagination. Still, I appreciate the inherent coolness of the Boomwhackers. Smack these tubes against something and they will each produce a specific tone. It sounds a little crazy but it is rather neat! Since the tubes are of varying height, or length, depending on how you look at it, you can easily put the notes in order. They are also clearly labeled and brightly colored.

The biggest seller at Town Square Toys is the one shown, the C Major Diatonic Scale. That is also the one listed in the Parents' Choice list of the 25 greatest toys of the last 25 years. These Boomwhackers are a Gold Award winner. You might be interested in some of the other Boomwhacker toys as well. We have a whole section on them. To me, the coolest is the Octavator! No, it is not a robot or super villain. It is a bunch of caps that you can put on your Boomwhackers to lower them a full octave! It instantly increases your Boomwhackers' tonal range. Come on by and check them out and start whacking something musically near you!

The Classic Skwish by Manhattan Toy

Skwish is a classic toy; you have probably seen it before and didn't know what to call it. It seems both odd and simple at the same time. The bright colored sticks and beads all strung together in a springy, flexible, somehow orderly mess. It is really a great example of tensegrity. What is that? Check out this link from Wikipedia. Whoever thought this toy up was ingenious to say the least.

This toy is hypnotic and fun for little ones. It can easily be grabbed and held on to. There are multiple sliding beads that move up and down the rods, to keep hands and fingers busy. Bright, shiny, and non-toxic, this toy has been around for years and promises to be around for years to come. Pick one up today at Town Square Toys.

I also want to let you know that this is a Parents' Choice winning toy. They had a list made up of 25 Classic Toys from the last 25 years. The Skwish made the list! How great is that?

Amazing Baby Sound Plush Play Balls by Kids Preferred

It is no secret that handy carrying cases are cool. The old adage "a place for everything, and everything in its place" comes to mind. Especially when you have a million toys around the house, it can be a relief to have a place to put them. It is also nice to have them easily packed up and ready to be thrown in a diaper bag or suitcase for a trip. Consequently, I like the Amazing Baby Sound Plush Play Balls by Kids Preferred, right off the bat.

You will most likely like them for different reasons. Perhaps you will like the fact that the balls are wildly different in color and design. Maybe you will enjoy watching your child discover that each ball has a different sound - one chimes, one jingles and one crinkles. Maybe you will have fun watching your little one try to pick up all three of these plush balls at the same time; dropping them and chasing them over and over. Who knows why you will like them? But, I bet you will like them, and I bet your little one will love them.

Winner of the 2007 Oppenheim Platinum Award and SNAP award. Just one more reason that we have them at Town Square Toys.

Ugly Doll - Ugly Monday Feature: Wedgehead

Welcome to your Ugly Monday Feature, where you are introduced to the Ugly Dolls. Each Monday, you will get the joy of discovering a little piece of ugly on the ugliest day of the week. Have an Ugly Day!

Wedgehead has his eye on you and he likes what he sees! Finally, someone who understands him! He is very handsome too...can't you tell? What do you mean he looks pitiful? Look at that charismatic posture! Wedgehead understands you too. He sees things the way you see them...OK, so he has to stand on his head to do so, but still! He understands exactly what you mean. Wedgehead and his best buddy OX are on a mission to prove that humans really do exist, and he would like you to help them on their quest. The proof can be found in the snacks! Have any?

Where did UglyDolls come from? Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath met in art school in 1996 and fell in love. After Sun-Min went back to Korea in 2001, they kept in touch by writing letters. David would include a drawing of a little guy named Wage in all of his letters to his love. Sun-Min decided to make a plush version of this little doll for David. He loved the doll and so she made 5 more. He sold the additional 4 to a store owner and they sold out almost immediately. For the next 18 months, David would design and Sun-Min would sew dolls, all while still apart. They met again at Toy Fair 2003 where they got a booth at the bottom level. From that point on, the dolls have been a hit!

Busy Ball by Alex Toys

There is a lot going on with the Busy Ball! The bright colors and wildly different patterns captures your attention right away. It is not a very large ball, only about 5 inches in diameter, not counting the loops and knots. Speaking of the knots and loops, they are great for little hands and fingers to grab on to. The soft velour surface is pleasant to the touch. There is also a little rattle that increases interest and encourages more play. This toy is not only an Oppenheim Gold Seal award winner for 2008, but it is a SNAP Award winner as well. SNAP stands for Special Needs Adaptable Product, and is given to products that can be used by or easily adapted for children with special needs. Check it out over at Town Square Toys!

Toys of the Last 100 Years

I read an interesting article from Forbes today about toys. I know, right? Forbes doesn't exactly exude "toy." Anyway, it was about the top toys of the last 100 years. It was a pretty nice article with interesting tidbits in it, such as:

There are 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 different possible configurations for a Rubik's Cube.

Lincoln Logs were invented by John Lloyd Wright, the son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Mr. Potato Head was originally sold without a potato.

In the article is says that Madame Alexander Dolls were introduced in 1929. There is a little picture of some of the dolls. I just have to say that they have come a long way since then. Check out the picture of the classic dolls and then check them out over at Town Square Toys.

Press 'n Go Inchworm by International Playthings

The Press 'n Go Inchworm by International Playthings is, to me, a great all around toy for little babies and crawlers. It has a very bright and colorful exterior that captures the attention of kids. It is very durable and has a unique shape that makes it great for grasping and carrying.

The real fun comes in the Press 'n Go aspect of the toy. Little ones will find that they can push down on the arched back and, once they let go, the toy will zoom away. The rubber "tires" grip the floor very well and the wheels have domes sides with beads inside that rattle around and add another dimension of color and noise. Even if your little one cannot master the pushing right away, they will have hours of fun rolling the Inchworm back and forth.

The toy does not have batteries or lights or sound effects. It is a solid, classic, high quality toy that will live in your child's toybox for a long, long time. It won the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Toy Award back in 2006. It is still as popular today as it was back then. Check it out over at Town Square Toys. You will be glad you did.

Oppenheim Toy Awards

The Oppenheims started reviewing toys back in 1989. Unlike other groups, they don't charge to review, nor do they accept ads from toy manufacturers. Consequently, they give out some of the most unbiased toy reviews and awards. You can find out more about them at their site. I thought that I would include some of our toys that are Oppenheim award winners. Watch for upcoming reviews.

Ugly Doll - Ugly Monday Feature: Jeero

Welcome to your Ugly Monday Feature, where you are introduced to the Ugly Dolls. Each Monday, you will get the joy of discovering a little piece of ugly on the ugliest day of the week. Have an Ugly Day!

Jeero wants to hang out with you. Why? He needs you. Jeero thinks life is so complicated, so he needs you to comfort him. Wage and Babo ask him so many questions, and he isn't sure what makes them think he has any of the answers. Maybe they think his red nose means he's Jeero the wise. Well he's not! What time is it? Jeero has no idea. How do you get from here to there? Don't ask…Jeero doesn't know! Jeero just wants to sit on the couch with you and eat some snacks. Is that too much to ask? Jeero doesn't know, but he does know that it's time for you to cancel your plans and hang out with the Uglydolls.

Where did UglyDolls come from? Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath met in art school in 1996 and fell in love. After Sun-Min went back to Korea in 2001, they kept in touch by writing letters. David would include a drawing of a little guy named Wage in all of his letters to his love. Sun-Min decided to make a plush version of this little doll for David. He loved the doll and so she made 5 more. He sold the additional 4 to a store owner and they sold out almost immediately. For the next 18 months, David would design and Sun-Min would sew dolls, all while still apart. They met again at Toy Fair 2003 where they got a booth at the bottom level. From that point on, the dolls have been a hit!

Ugly Doll - Ugly Monday Feature: Deer Ugly

Welcome to your Ugly Monday Feature, where you are introduced to the Ugly Dolls. Each Monday, you will get the joy of discovering a little piece of ugly on the ugliest day of the week. Have an Ugly Day!

Deer Ugly lives in the forest where it’s nice and quiet. Yeah but deep down, he’s thinking: “Please take me home with you!” The nice quiet forest is great, but Deer Ugly wants to see the world...YOUR world! He wants to explore the fantastic places you frequent. Like that room with the desk and computer? What is THAT for? Not much I guess. Please write letters to Deer Ugly. No, not emails. Real letters with real paper! But how would you begin such a letter? Deer Ugly!

Where did UglyDolls come from? Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath met in art school in 1996 and fell in love. After Sun-Min went back to Korea in 2001, they kept in touch by writing letters. David would include a drawing of a little guy named Wage in all of his letters to his love. Sun-Min decided to make a plush version of this little doll for David. He loved the doll and so she made 5 more. He sold the additional 4 to a store owner and they sold out almost immediately. For the next 18 months, David would design and Sun-Min would sew dolls, all while still apart. They met again at Toy Fair 2003 where they got a booth at the bottom level. From that point on, the dolls have been a hit!