Toy Review - Crepe Rubber Puzzles

Crepe Rubber Puzzles are great for little hands that are learning how to solve puzzles.  The rubber material is soft and flexible and easily manipulated.  Bright colors make these puzzles especially attractive.  The designs for the puzzles are also enticing to small children; a wide selection of crepe puzzles are there for the choosing, such as a train, a plane, cats, ballerinas, a helicopter, a race car, flowers, and much more.  The puzzles are all designed so that the pieces all fit together snugly within the one, large, border piece.  Once the puzzle is together, it will stay together rather well.  When you are ready to try the puzzle again, just a small amount of pressure will knock the pieces out so that it can be tried again.  A classic toy to be sure, it is more than likely a happy memory for kids of all ages.

I have written about some of the Lauri Toys, but it has been a long time.  You can see a couple of reviews here: http://townsquaretoys.blogspot.com/search/label/Lauri

Toy Review - Luck of the Draw by Game

So, we brought this game home last Friday night and played it with the kids.  I have to say that it was a lot of fun.  It was more fun than I thought it would be, actually.  It is like Pictionary, but with a several key differences; and, therein lies the extra dose of fun.

You see, in Luck of the Draw, you don't take turns drawing.  Everyone draws together!  It is crazy.  And, you don't get the chance to take your time either.  The timer is set for about 45 seconds!

Each round, you take turns rolling the die and picking a card.  Based on the number on the die, everyone draws whatever subject corresponds to that number on the card picked.  So, if the die rolls to a "3," everyone will draw the 3rd thing listed on the card picked.

After everyone feverishly draws for 45 seconds, when the time runs out, you all place your drawings, face down, in the middle of the table.  They are mixed up, so no one knows whose is whose.  A colored chip is placed on each one.  Now, the die is rolled again and between one and three descriptive cards are drawn.  Everyone votes, using cool color wheels, on which drawing best matches the descriptive card(s).

That is the beauty of the game.  It doesn't matter how good of an artist you are, or how bad of an artist you think you are.  You may be voting for the "neatest" or "cleanest" drawing, or you may be voting for the drawing that "most looks like it was drawn with the wrong hand" or "cutest."  Anyone can win.  It's the Luck of the Draw!  Get it?

Just to put it all in perspective:  the game says it is for 10 and up.  We played with our two teenage boys and our six year old daughter.  The six year old won.  But, we all had a blast.  You will too; try it out today.

Toy Review - Grocery Store and Lemonade Stand Play Center by Melissa and Doug

This toy review is also a bit of a construction review for the Grocery Store and Lemonade Stand Play Center by Melissa and Doug.  You see, toys don't just make themselves.  Every once in a while, I get the Elf like task of building toys at Town Square Toys.  Don't get me wrong, I love it; especially since I don't have Ming Ming asking me how many Etch A Sketches I made.  So, since I have this inside scoop, I thought I would share it with you.

Building the Grocery Store and Lemonade Stand Play Center is fairly easy and not terribly time consuming.  I was able to complete construction in under an hour, easily.  I didn't try to rush.  The bolts that you need are all included in a sealed plastic container and clearly labeled.  The only tool you really need is a small hex wrench that is also included.  Instructions are clear and easy to follow.  Melissa and Doug includes extra nuts and bolts just in case you lose some. 

The Play Center is held together with the type of hidden nuts that fit into pre drilled holes.  The bolts connect themselves through other predrilled holes.  I found that the holes and nuts and bolts all lined up very well.  I have built a fair amount of Melissa and Doug toys and find that they do a great job of having parts pre drilled accurately.  The only part of construction that really slowed me down was sinking the nuts in the holes that are pre drilled into the dowels, which serve as the bucket holders and the primary support of the Play Center.  The nuts have to be pushed deep into the holes and it takes a little bit of extra effort.  Once sunk in to the correct depth, they hold just fine.

The Play Center itself is very nice and sturdy once it is all put together.  The surfaces are nice and smooth and the joints are tight.  I would recommend waiting until the whole thing is put together before snugging all the bolts down.  The awning is reversable by the way; the picture shows the Grocery Store side, but the Lemonade Stand sign is on the other side.  The bins are bright and fit well in the Play Center.  You can fit all kinds of stuff in those bins.  One slick idea, I think, is the addition of small, chalkboard signs that fit on little hooks that are built into each bin.  You can change and rearrange them however you want.  Kids can totally customize their stand.

Overall the stand is a great addition to the line of Melissa and Doug pretend play toys.  I enjoyed putting it together.  You may too.  If you have no desire whatsoever to build one of these, but think your little one would thoroughly enjoy having one, come by Town Square Toys and get this one, or let me know and I will build you one.  See you soon!



Toy Review - The Magician's Apprentice Card Tricks Unshuffled by Melissa and Doug

The following is a special review by toy tester, Micah, age 13:

The Magician's Apprentice Card Tricks Unshuffled by Melissa and Doug is filled with very cool magic tricks all containing cards. It comes with four different card decks, an x-ray deck, secret code deck, duplicate deck, and a stripper deck. I can’t tell you too much about them because your friends might be watching. This product also includes trick cards and a very detailed book of tricks. With a little practice and patience you’ll be tricking people in no time. So have fun and go fool someone.





Toy Review – Zyclone by Zing Toys



When I was younger, I remember folding up a piece of notebook paper and fashioning it into a ring like shape. If thrown just right, with a little spin from the wrist, you could make this paper ring fly, rather erratically, across the room. It took more patience and know how than a paper airplane and so it didn’t get a lot of airplay. Yet, I never forgot the “neato” factor of its odd aerodynamics.

Zing Toys, takes that simple aerodynamic concept to the next, more awesome level, with the Zyclone! The Zyclone launches a large, foam ring through the air, spinning it rapidly as it goes. That spinning launch allows the aptly named “zing ring” to fly up to 100 feet. We have tested this toy a great deal and I can attest to the fact that it will go a long, long way. It is very interesting to watch the zing ring fly, too. It doesn’t lob, like a thrown ball. Instead, it seems to fly almost completely horizontally.

With a couple of Zyclones, you could have a great time, shooting the zing ring back and forth. But, even with one Zyclone you can have fun, taking turns. Since the ring is made of a soft foam, you don’t have to worry about catching it bare handed. In fact, you can try and catch it by threading it on your hand or arm. It takes a little bit of practice, but is not too hard to do. Go get yourself a Zyclone today!

Toy Review – Veggie Tales Find It

I have to be honest:  We at Town Square Toys absolutely LOVE Veggie Tales.  They have been popular with us ever since they first came out.  We have so many Veggie Tales VHS tapes, it is not even funny.  I know, I said VHS tapes!  I just wanted you to understand that there may be bias in this review.


That being said, the new Veggie Tales Find It is a great find.  The Find It games are a definite favorite here in our store.  The concept of the Find It Game is straightforward, for those unfamiliar; you look for a list of small things that are in a sealed cylinder filled with colorful plastic pellets.  Turning and rotating and shaking the cylinder will reveal different objects.  There is a list included in every Find It Game for what you are to look for.  With the Veggie Tales Find It, you are of course looking for Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber, Madame Blueberry and other characters.  Other items, such as the rubber ducky, slushy cup, and Viking helmet are also hidden inside.  The Find It Game will provide hours of play and replay for any youngster.  If they like Veggie Tales, as we do, then this may be a perfect find.

Whimsy

What is whimsy?  The dictionary defines it as capricious humor or disposition; extravagant, fanciful, or excessively playful expression.  Here at Town Square Toys we hope that you always feel a bit of whimsy when you come to visit.  Why are there clouds painted on the walls?  Why are there tiny Army men on patrol throughout the store?  Why does a pig have fairy wings?  Why does our stuffed cheetah (I have named Walter) sometimes wear a crown made of Zoobs?  The answer to these questions is whimsy.


When kids come to our store, we want them to play and explore.  See how high that ball bounces.  Shoot those foam darts.  Try out that flashlight.  Play on our Thomas the Tank Engine train table.  Play house on our Calico Critters table.  Read a book to a giant stuffed Panda.  Try on a tiara.  Have fun!  Be whimsical!  Kids are only kids once.  Bring them by our store for a whimsical day sometime.

Toy Review – Smencils

If you are looking for the most environmentally friendly pencil out there, look no further than Smencils.  Smencils are scented pencils made from 100% recycled material.  Smencils are not wood, they are made of recycled paper.  Sheets of newspaper are rolled tightly around the writing cores until pencils of typical thickness are formed.  Then, each one is put into its own corn-based biodegradable Freshness Tube.


Now beyond the environmental soundness of the Smencil and the recycling wonder that is the Smencil, there is the coolness that is the Smencil.  They truly do smell great!  And, the smell lasts for 2 years!  Do I have my favorite smell?  No, I have several.  I am a big fan of the Cinnamon, Orange and Root Beer.  I also adore the Christmas scents that we carry – they remind me of family and the holidays.  I think Sugar Plum really does smell like a sugar plum, but I don’t know if I have ever smelled a sugar plum and so I will have to take their word for it.  Maybe that is something I should try and figure out this Christmas.


Smencils come in regular #2 graphite or in various colors.  I find that they work just as well, if not better than a “real” pencil.  They sharpen just fine.  But, instead of your hand smelling like a Ticonderoga, it smells like Cotton Candy or Grape or Bubble Gum.  Fun!

Toy Review – Squap by Diggin

What in the world is Squap?  It is a really cool throwing and catching game from Diggin.  At first I wasn’t so sure when I saw it; it didn’t seem to me to have a lot of playability.  Why not just throw a ball?  But, I got sucked in quickly.


The beauty of Squap, as I see it, is that almost anyone can play with it.  I have played with it, my teenage boys have played with it, my six year old daughter has played with it, and dozens of customers have played with it.  The mitts come with velro adjustable straps that fit any sized hand.  Once the mitt is on, the hinge corresponds to the natural hinge of you hand.  When you open your hand the mitt pops open and when you close your hand the mitt snaps shut.


The mitt does all the work.  You are tempted to help the mitt toss the ball.  You try to help it along by pushing it out of the mitt, and you look very silly doing it.  What you have to do is let the popping open of the mitt throw the ball for you.  It goes pretty far on its own.  To catch the ball, you just have to snap quickly.  The mitt is pretty big and it doesn’t take long to master the catch.


The design of the toy is very smart.  When you are not playing, there is a slide tab with keeps the mitt locked closed.  The ball is very much like a ping pong ball but brightly colored so that you can find it if it falls into grass or behind a table or chair.  And, beings that they are light weight, table tennis type balls, they won’t break a lamp or knock anything over.  Squap comes with four balls.  Each mitt has a place to store two of the balls.  You never have to worry about losing the balls when not in play.  It is all self contained.  Very smart.  If you want a fun toy for kids ages 6 and up, indoor or outdoor, pick up Squap.

Sale - Active Toys

This month, all of our Active Toys, at Town Square Toys, are on sale for 15% off!  That's right, 15%!  And we have tons of active toys to choose from.  When I say “tons,” I mean literally tons.  There are so many toys to choose from.  But, don’t let that dissuade you from coming by and checking them out.  You can come by our Mansfield store or visit us online.

I am really amazed by the variety and scope of Active Toys that we carry at Town Square Toys.  Most people think of Active Toys as just sports type toys, things such as bats and balls, footballs, Frisbees, and the like.  But Active Toys involves so many more toys and types of toys.  We have toys that encourage kids to explore the outside world around them while they are playing in it.

We have a whole spectrum of gardening toys, rakes and broom, shovels and trowels.  We have butterfly nets and bug collecting toys.  We have all sorts of bubble makers.  We have those classic balsa wood airplanes that you build yourself and then discover the mystery of flight with.  We have jump ropes and stilts, water toys and sand buckets, hopscotch pads and water balloon pumping stations.  The list goes on and on.

Our goal with Active Toys is for kids to play; to turn off the TV and the computer and use their brains and bodies for fun.  Figure out how to shoot that target with a marshmallow shooter.  Help mom or dad in the garden.  Play catch with your brother or sister.  Get some fresh air during this beautiful Spring weather.  Hopefully our Active Toys will encourage your kids to do the same.