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.

If You Build It...They Will Play

So, I never had any Erector sets when I was growing up. I don't know why. I had a plethora of toys, so I am definitely not complaining. But, when I was grown up, I looked back on occasion and wondered, "why no Erector in my life?" Maybe my parents didn't like small nuts and bolts around the house. Maybe they were not a bit fan of metallic toys in general. Maybe they never really gave it this much thought. Regardless, no Erector.


Now, though, through the magic and wonder of Town Square Toys, we have Erector sets aplenty! We have more Erector sets than you can shake a stick at! We have sets that they never dreamed of when I was a wee lad. There are motorized Erector sets. There are Erector sets that allow you to build all kinds of different models. There are even Erector sets that are made of plastic! That's right, now you don't have to worry about little nuts and bolts getting sucked up into the vacuum cleaner; you will see the slightly larger, plastic bolts before your vacuum gets too close!

Check out some of the variety below:

Toy Review - Gobblet Gobblers by Blue Orange Games

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

Now, there is a very popular game that most people know about called tic-tac-toe. Tic-tac-toe was easy to learn and quick to play. Now it’s been redone and made even better in the great new game, Gobblet
Gobblers.

Now the rules of Gobblet Gobblers are very simple and easy to learn, but first: setting up the game. The game involves two people which choose colors and set up their pieces. Each player starts with six pieces. The pieces are divided into the sizes large, medium, and small; two for each size. The pieces are designed to slip over the pieces smaller than itself.

Now, to play the game. The board and goal are exactly like tic-tac-toe. The board is four pieces that you can put together to make nine squares. The goal is to get three of your pieces lined up. To start, the person who is going first, places any sized piece of his anywhere on the board. Now, the second person can either place on of his pieces on the board, or place another piece on his opponent’s piece, if his is a bigger size. Then, the first player, if his piece has not been eater, can either place a new piece, or move an existing piece to a different spot. This continues until one person gets three in a row.

The reason I like this game so much is you’re learning great tactics and having fun all the time, in less than five minutes per game.

Toy Review - LEGO® Star Wars V-19 Torrent 7674

The following is a special review by toy tester, Caleb, age 12:

The Lego V-19 Torrent is a cool set with cool features. It comes with a clone minifigure and a ship. The ship has foldable winds and automatic landing gear. The cockpit can open up and hold a minifigure. The minifigure is a clone pilot. He looks like a normal clone with yellow markings on his helmet. I think that this is a really cool set for kids my age.

Spread the Word Campaign

Would you like to earn FREE toys? PARTICIPATE IN THE SPREAD THE WORD CAMPAIGN

Step 1) Come to the store and get a packet of 10 business cards. 

Step 2) Write your name and phone # on the back of the cards. 

Step 3) Pass them out to friends and family that have never been to our store and ask them to turn it in for you when they come shop with us (min $10 purchase). 

Step 4) Wait until we call you and tell you that you have earned store credit :) You will earn $10 for every business card turned in with your name on it.

That's up to $100 in FREE toys!

Lego Minifigures Series 4

I don’t think I need to spend a lot of time telling you how awesome the Lego Minifigs are.  They are totally cool.  We have the new series 4 minifigs, but they are going fast.  Here is a quick rundown of the characters:

The Monster – This one is very much like Frankenstein.  He is not Frankenstein though, nor is he Frankenstein’s Monster.  He is just The Monster.

Surfer Girl – She is stylin’ in her cool wet suit which matches her pink surf board.

Sailor – He is a regular Navy type enlisted man, but he comes with a cool telescope.

Kimono Girl – I have to say that the fan is pretty cool to have as an accessory.

Punk Rocker – Possibly one of the coolest hairpieces on a Lego minifig.  That electric guitar is also out of this world!  Rock on!

Viking – I think that this is my favorite minifig from series 4.  He has the awesome Viking helmet, the sweet battle axe, and a cool, round shield with Celtic knots on it.  What more could that bearded, berserker ask for?

Ice Skater – She is an ice rink diva with flowing blonde hair and a dazzling blue outfit.  Silver skates complete the ensemble.

Hockey Player – This fellow means business.  Complete with helmet, hockey stick and skates, he has his game face on at all times.

Street Skater – He seems to be a nice fellow, with his cute, knit cap and his bespectacled face.  He comes with a cool skateboard, too.

Hazmat Guy – This character is fairly easy to find, when squishing minifig bags.  I don’t know why he has such a look of terror on his face, he is the one who is safe in his hazmat suit!

Musketeer – I love the hat and the goatee that this fellow is sporting.  But, which Musketeer is he?  I guess you will have to keep collecting until you get all three; four if you count d’Artagnan.

Werewolf – This guy is fierce.  He has a bone to pick with you, literally!

Artist – He’s kinda sloppy, just check out the paint on his trousers.  But, he is a dedicated artist with a French beret and a somewhat limited color palette.

Crazy Scientist – This dude has hair that is a close second to that of the Punk Rocker.  His wild goggles and stereotypical Erlenmeyer flask get points as well.

Soccer Player – His team won the championship, obviously, because he has a totally awesome mini statue of a Lego minifig!  He plays for Octan, but I don’t follow that team too closely.

Lawn Gnome – Apparently this little Lawn Gnome likes to spend his free time fishing.  He comes with a nice rod and reel.  I love his green hat and Santa like beard.

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!