Toobs are Too Cool! Safari LTD is awesome!

Okay, some Safari Toobs came home with us the other day and I just have to say that they are the coolest! I already dig Safari and their line of figures. The Toobs are just really neat. You see it's a tube of little animals or people that you, or your kids, can play with. The Toob is a clear, square shaped, tube with a string handle and a cap that features a spinning globe. Actually my niece and nephew liked the lid almost as much as they liked the little creatures from the Toob. There is just a coolness and a cuteness about these Toobs of little guys that your family will love. Come and check them out! - Brian

Toymaker Spotlight: Corolle

When we decided to pick up the Corolle line of dolls, I was not particularly excited. This was not because I didn't like the brand, but because I am a guy and don't get excited about dolls. But as a father of a little girl, I get to meet a lot of dolls and other little friends. As I spent some time checking out the Corolle catalogue and actually seeing the dolls in person (that sounds weird), I was able to see how amazingly well crafted they are. If you have a little girl, she will find an excellent toy and friend in a Corolle doll.

-Brian

Here is a little bit more about Corolle from their website:

Corolle is located in the Loire Valley , the storybook region of France that is famous for its scenic beauty and magnificent chateaux.

The Corolle design team aims to create dolls that look and feel as real as possible with faces that are often inspired by real children.And just as you would find in a haute couture fashion house, Corolle’s design studio is where a staff of professionals works to develop the Corolle look, sketching their designs and choosing the fabrics that will make them come to life.

Since its founding in 1979, Corolle has won more than 30 international awards for design and play excellence, including two DOTY awards (Doll of the Year) as well as awards from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toy and National Parenting Publications (NAPPA), among others.

Today, Corolle dolls are sold in more than 29 countries around the world.

Rubik's Cube Toy by Winning Moves

If you are a child of the 80's, like myself, you will remember the Rubik's cube. Love it or hate it, it was and is an icon of puzzle toys. I will have to admit that I cannot recall ever solving the cube. I did take one apart with a screwdriver and reassemble it, but I don't think that counts. My brother did solve it. He bought the book that shows you how. I think I may still have that book. I digress.

The Rubik's cube is still one of the world's most popular and recognizable puzzle toys, and for good reason. It is small enough that you can take it with you almost anywhere. It is only one piece, so you can play with it anywhere as well, and not have to worry about missing parts or losing parts. It has tremendous replay value for a person who loves to solve puzzles. Even if you have figured out how to solve it, you can keep practicing and working at it and finding shortcuts to increase your speed.

My nephew acquired a Rubik's cube recently and, of course, figured out how to solve it. My boys spent some time with him and became enamored with the puzzle. Now we have the 4X4 cube in our store, which is just a bit more complex. We got it for my nephew for his birthday. He loved it and solved it frighteningly fast. It was fun to watch all the cousins at a recent family gathering all trying to solve the various Rubik's cubes around the room. Maybe I will pick one up and try to solve it myself. You can do the same at Town Square Toys.

-Brian

Rush Hour Toy by ThinkFun

I love this game. You have to maneuver your car out of the traffic gridlock. There is only one exit. You can't pick your car up, but must slide it back and forth only. Similarly, you can only slide other cars and trucks out of the way, you can't just remove them. (Many times, on the way home from the office, I wish I could just remove some cars and trucks!) Anyway....

It sounds easy, but it can be mind crunching and complicated. The game has cards which conveniently hide in a little drawer and tell you how to set up the board. Then, you have to figure out and plan your escape. There are dozens of puzzles and varying levels of difficulty.

The best part for me is watching my kids figure out the puzzles. I can almost see the gears turning inside their heads as they try and try again to figure out the solution. I think that this game does a fabulous job of stretching their logical and spatial skills. You should definitely try it out.

-Brian

Toymaker Spotlight: Mellisa and Doug

One of our favorite Toymakers is Melissa and Doug. We carry a ton of their toys. Actually I think we carry several tons! They have some of the coolest wooden toys and puzzles; the toys you remember as a kid, those all-time, classic toys. They really believe in the toys that they make and produce, and they are a great group of people to work with.

-Brian

Here is a little bit more about Melissa and Doug from their website:

Twenty years ago, we started our company in the garage of the home where Doug grew up — we had to be careful not to disturb Doug's parents who were still living there! Thanks to your support, we've been able to move into a real office down the road, a building that actually has separate ladies and men's bathrooms! Our philosophy has remained the same over the years–to make each and every customer a happy and permanent member of the Melissa & Doug family, while offering products with tremendous value, quality and design. We've always welcomed customer suggestions, and we continually strive to make improvements to our products. We're honored by the faith you place in us and view it as our responsibility to continue to earn your trust in the years to come!

The ABC's of Magnets

If you are looking for an innovative way to get your kids to practice spelling, then you need some ABC magnets. If you are an educator and you are looking for a new and fun way to get your kids involved in the classroom, then you need some magnetic letters too. Smethport Toys makes a great set of magnetic letters. Each letter is about 1 3/4 inch tall and there are 120 letters included in the reusable storage bucket. Unused letters can simply be placed back in the plastic tub and stored for later use. There are multiples of popular letters so several words can be spelled at once. The bright colors and great larger size makes them easy to use for little hands. The same manufacturer also makes magnetic numbers - so even math can be fun too!

- Steph

Cake Pops!

I got a call from a customer today saying she had ordered our mini cookie cutters to make cake pops. I didn't even know what cake pops were but after a little googling, I am now educated on the adorable new treat! If you are interested in trying them, then you need some mini cookie cutters. This cute little Bella Bistro set includes 12 stainless steel cutters ranging in size from 1/2" - 2" inches wide. They are perfect for cake pops or for mini cookies!

For more info on cake pops, click here!

They are truly adorable.

- Steph

Shape and Color Sorter Toy by Lauri Toys

My 4 year old daughter loves to draw. However, occasionally she tears herself away from the coloring books and crayons to do something else. We got her the Lauri Toys Shape and Color sorter and she has had alot of fun with it. When she was a little younger, she used to make piles of the different colors: red, yellow, green and blue. She would them switch it up and make piles of the different shapes: heart, stars, squares and triangles. This toy has small pegs that the child can stack their sorted piles onto. The sorter builds color recognition, sorting skills, shape identification and develops hand eye coordination. She loved to mix and match the shapes to make multi colored stacks and create her own combinations. If you are a fan of toys made in the USA, Lauri manufacturers about 99% of their items in Smethport, PA.

Steph

50% off SALE!

Get active with a play ball! This entire category is on sale – 50% OFF!!! There are many styles to choose from; including animals, flowers, flying things, dots and bugs. There are big and small play balls so no matter what age you are shopping for, we have the perfect ball for them.

Toy Sale: Spring has Sprung!

Spring has sprung and everyone, kids and parents alike, are ready for some fun! Make their outside play time even more fun with our Bugs and Butterflies category. We have put everything in the store that features bugs and butterflies in a special place so it is easy to find exactly what you are looking for. This category includes butterfly nets, picnic tea sets, bug catchers, craft kits, balls, games and so much more! Stock up so you are ready when they are!