Unplug with The Manhattan Toy Company 'Imagine I Can' Notes N’ Stuff Activity Set

Thank you to The Manhattan Toy Company for providing a sample Imagine I Can toy for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our reader giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Keeping children entertained while out of the house is a hard thing to do sometimes. Manhattan Toy Company is always looking for innovative ways to foster children’s imaginations, so their Notes N’ Stuff set is a great way to keep your child entertained without the use of electronics. Manhattan Toy Company is dedicated to quality, safety, and creativity and that commitment shows in all their products.

The Notes N’ Stuff set contains a spiral notebook with wood cover, a pencil sharpener, 6 small colored pencils with a plastic holder, a pencil topper, an oversized paper clip, a magnetic clip, and 2 self-inking stamps, all stored in a sturdy tin case with handle. The “Stuff” is cute, well-made, and really fun.

My 7 year old son, Quinn, loves anything to do with art, and he’s loved this set since we first opened it. It has gone with us to church, doctor’s appointments, grandma’s house, the car, and more. He loves writing or drawing in the notebook and thinks the stamps and clips are adorable and fun. I love that this set gets him to practice writing, drawing, and using his imagination. He rarely asks to play video games when we are out now because he loves using his Notes N’ Stuff so much. As a parent, I love that it’s sturdy and sure to hold up and when the supplies are used up, as happens with art stuff, we can just refill the tin case and he can continue to use the clips with his new art and writing supplies.

Manhattan Toy Company has tons of products that are sure to delight any child. Notes N’ Stuff can be purchased on their website, www.manhattantoycompany.com for $20.

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Parents and Children Enjoy the Spring Weather with Easy-to-Assemble Guillow's Gliders

Thank you to Guillow's for providing sample toy planes and gliders for us to base this review upon and for providing additional products for our giveaway prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

My boys have recently gotten very interested in making paper airplanes, so when we were offered an assortment of Guillow’s gliders, I knew they would be really excited and they were not disappointed. These gliders are made of plastic, foam, and/or balsa wood, so they are lightweight and fly great, plus they were very easy to assemble. We assembled all of them within 10 minutes.

Guillow sent us a variety of these simple planes, seven in all (the small ones came as a set of 2), and my boys have played with them for hours.

The gliders really fly very well and far, and they’ve had fun launching them and seeing who’s could go the farthest or fastest. They have literally spent hours playing with these airplanes.

We’ve had a few “fatalities”, as in the airplanes have broken, but most of them are still in great condition after all that play time. The materials used are fairly sturdy, but because they have to be light enough to fly, they will not last forever. While they do last though, they are tons of fun. My kids (and husband, I won’t lie) have really, very much enjoyed playing with these and they will continue to have fun with these for as long as they last.

These Guillow gliders are recommended for ages 8 and up because of small parts. They have many varieties of airplanes, rockets, and other gliders on their website, www.guillow.com. All seven of these gliders combined retail for $19.75, so these are easy on the pocketbook as well. In fact, Guillow has toys starting at $1.79. Visit their website to see their full selection.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Angry Birds Go! Jenga Pirate Pig Attack Game Puts a New Twist on a Classic Game

Thank you to Hasbro for providing a complimentary Hasbro game sample for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Angry Birds has long been a favorite of most kids and even adults, and they have come out with a new game that will certainly become a treasured game in most houses. Angry Birds Go! Jenga Pirate Pig Attack takes the Angry Birds craze and mixes it with a well-known and loved game, Jenga, to create an adventuresome game that kids are sure to love.

In this game, the pirate ship is set up in a very Jenga-like way and those ornery pigs are defending their fortress. The two players each have their own car (either the red birds or king pig) along with slingshot launcher that they launch at the ship and try to knock down the pieces and pigs. You earn points based on what you knock down and the highest points wins! This is a fast-paced game and is over pretty quickly so they can play again and again.

Setting up the pirate ship is difficult, I won’t lie there, because it has to be very carefully set up and falls apart fairly easy because it’s supposed to at game time. My 12 year old can do it (if he musters all his patience), but my 6 year old cannot. This game is recommended for children ages 8 and up, so bear in mind that, if you buy it for young children, you will be doing most of the set up yourself. My kids really love launching the cars and knocking the ship down; they really couldn’t care less about points. They enjoy playing the game and it’s quickly become a favorite of theirs.

Angry Birds Go! Jenga Pirate Pig Attack Game can be purchased at the Hasbro Toy Shop and at many major retailers nationwide for approximately $29.99.  Right in time for the Holidays, this game is currently promotionally priced at $12.99 on Amazon.

Also look for ANGRY BIRDS GO! from Rovio Entertainment, a recently released mobile game app for Android, iOS, and Windows devices.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Do Battle with B-Daman Figures in the Break Bomber Battlefield Arena

Thank you to Hasbro for providing complimentary B-Daman product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing additional products for our contest prize. All opinions expressed are my own.

My children fell in love with B-Daman several months ago, so when we were offered a gift pack of B-Daman Crossfire toys, our two boys were more than excited to add more of these toys to their collection. These toys are plastic figures that shoot out plastic marbles at your opponent or another target. Winning requires precision, power, and accuracy as you try to beat out your opponent’s B-Daman figure.

These toys are recommended for children ages 6 years and up.  As with all projectile toys, adult supervision is recommended for younger players.

Based on the B-Daman TV show on the CW (Saturday mornings, check local listings), this fast-paced, action packed game really gets kids engaged. We were sent two of the deluxe figures along with the Break Bomber Battlefield Arena, which included two additional figures. Once they opened the packages, our boys didn’t waste any time battling one another. The Break Bomber Battlefield is an arena that has a wall, which divides the opposing sides, where you blast the blocks at your enemy. Each round moves very quickly and then they are setting up and getting ready to play again. My boys (who are 12 and 6 ½) really love their B-Daman Crossfire toys and we will certainly be purchasing more in the future.

You can purchase B-Daman Crossfire toys starting at $8.99 at most major retailers such as the Hasbro Toy Shop, Walmart, Amazon, and Toys R Us.

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***Please Note: We cannot guarantee that the prize will be delivered by 12/24/13.*** This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Transformers Construct-Bots Not Only Transform, But Introduce a New Form of Play with Interchangeable Parts

Thank you to Hasbro for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

We have two huge fans of Transformers in our house, so when we were sent the Hasbro Wheeljack and Ironhide Transformers Construct-Bots to “try” for ourselves, there was quite a lot of excitement. I quote “try” because who are we kidding, to play with!

The Elite Class Transformers Construct-Bots kits, but not the Scout Class, come in wonderful reusable cases instead of throw away boxes, what a great idea. The storage container-like cases can be used to store the disassembled kits or any other knick knacks you may have. I always ask myself why building block toys come in throw away boxes when it is so important to store and keep track of your parts after play. Nice touch.

The kits are bright and colorful and scream to be opened. Although the kits state they are for children 6 years old and up, the assembly was not easy for our 9 year old. A couple of the parts needed a bit more force to get them together than he could muster. Once assembled, the Construct-Bots are appropriate for kids aged 6+ to play with. The toys convert from vehicle to robot easily….. after a bit of practice. Once you master transforming one robot, you will be able to transform the others because they all have a similar design.  I can see a parent needing to help a younger user a few times to master the conversion (Our 9 year old did it fine on his own).

Unlike the classic Transformers, the Construct-Bots are made so that children can switch the parts between two or more bots. This requires at least partially disassembling each bot in order to reassemble them with new parts. Again, a child as young as 6 years old may have difficulty with this.

The fun factor is pretty much out of the park with these kits. Transformers, vehicles, guns, buggies, robots, all the usual things required to unleash some play fury. My only complaint is the material used for the tires. The tires are made of plastic and just don't feel right. They spin easily, but tires not made from rubber or silicon just aren't good enough by my standards. I would happily pay a little extra money to get the tires right, they are that important.

Although disappointed that the tires aren't made of rubber, the Transformers Construct-Bots are great fun and the kids love them. I cannot imagine that a child opening one of these kits as a gift this Holiday would be disappointed in any way.

At the Hasbro Construct-Bot website there are games, videos, and even an app for your smartphone or tablet to enhance your child's play. The kits sell for $9.99 and up and would make excellent gifts for any child from 6 to (*cough*) 43 years of age.

Red Toolbox Woodworking Kits and Tools for Kids

Thank you to Reeves International for providing complimentary Red Toolbox toys samples for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

My 6 ½ year old son, Quinn, loves to get his hands dirty and to work on projects with his dad, Mike. When I saw the items Reeves International has to offer, I knew it was right up their alley. We were sent the Red Toolbox 8-Piece Toolset and the Red Toolbox Billiard Table to try out and review, and we are so glad we did.

The Red Toolbox 8-Piece Toolset contains 2 Phillips head screwdrivers, a hammer, hand saw, bar clamp, file, tape measure, and safety goggles.  All the tools are appropriately sized for smaller hands. These tools are all very sturdy and can be used on woodworking projects because they are real tools. The hand saw is duller than a real, adult hand saw, but that’s for obvious reasons.

When we received our toolset, Quinn was so excited to have his own set of tools and couldn’t wait to start working on projects so they immediately got everything out and started sawing and nailing and doing other “manly” things. Their first real project was the Billiard Table.

The Red Toolbox Billiard Table is a miniature version of the real thing, but it’s unique because it comes completely disassembled and must be put together before play. Mike, Quinn, and even my 12 year old son, Avery, got right in there and started working on the pool table. There were a lot of screws to be driven, hammering, and even sanding to be done to get the table built. It did require adult supervision, but both boys got in there and helped plenty too. In all, it only took about an hour to complete the entire Billiard Table, which they think was time well spent.

The table now gets played with pretty much every day and they love it. It came with the balls, rack, 2 cues, chalk, and even a brush for the table so it really is a mini-version of traditional pool. It has provided many hours of entertainment among us and our guests and we love having this table to practice on.

This year, our Holiday Toy Gift Guide features the Red Toolbox tools and billiard table kit as top gift ideas for children 8 years and older.  These and a wide variety of other Red Toolbox items can be purchased at www.reevesintl.com. The 8 Piece Toolset retails for $39.99 and the Billiard Table for $49.99.

Our prize for this giveaway is a Red Toolbox 8-Piece Toolset (ARV $39.99):

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***Please Note: We cannot guarantee that the prize will be delivered by 12/24/13.*** This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Glitzi Globes . . . Glitter Water Globe Kits That Are Fun to Collect!

Thank you to Moose Toys for providing complimentary Glitzi Globes samples for us to base this review upon and for providing additional product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

One of my personal favorite new toys for Holiday 2013 is Glitzy Globes, as seen in our 2013 Holiday Toy Gift Guide.  It says on the packages that this toy is for ages 5+, but I had just as much fun making these mini water globes as my 6 year old daughter.

Glitzi Globes are fun on their own, but having somewhere cool to display them, such as the Glitzi Showcase, is even better.  This kit comes with everything you need to make 4 glitter globes, plus there is a large spinning carousel glitter globe that you create also.  There are extra places available for you to display additional Glitzi Globes from other kits above and beyond the included four.

Glitzi Globes are battery-free toys.  Even the carousel at the center of the Glitzi Showcase is kid-powered.  I was surprised at how little it took for the glitter to start floating about, creating quite a magical scene.

Built right into the Glitzi Showcase is a dome maker.  To create a glitter globe, simply place a clear dome open-side up on the purple side.  Then place the character of your choice onto the desired base and insert the base into the yellow side.

Next, drop 3 floating charms into the clear dome and fill the clear dome up to the top, using the included water bottle.  The last thing to add is a little glitter tablet.  Then flip the yellow side up and press down firmly.

Once the glitter tablet dissolves, the result is a finished glitter globe.  Your Glitzi Globes may come out differently than someone else's because you get to choose which combination of characters, floating charms, and bases you would like to use.

Also available is the Glitzi Globes Starter Kit, which comes with jewelry pieces and more, plus a variety of themed Glitzi Globes Three Packs.  Glitzi Globes are fun to collect and make perfect pencil toppers!  To learn more about this new line of toys, visit www.GlitziGlobes.com.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Get a Jumpstart on Holiday Shopping . . . Hot Polly Pocket Toys Are Now on Sale for up to 40% Off!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Polly Pocket. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.  All opinions expressed are my own.

The newest trend in toys is the space-saving idea of offering expandable playsets that attach to your child's wall.  I've seen such toys offered with toy race track sets and now my family has had the chance to experience the Polly Pocket Wall Party Treehouse, just one of several playsets available in the Polly Pocket Wall Party series.

As a 6 year old girl, our daughter just loved the idea of hanging this toy on the wall by her bed.  There are so many things for Polly to do in this playset alone, but our daughter has already said that she looks forward to adding more pieces from the Wall Party series to her wall.  As a parent, I love that this toy is battery-free, takes up zero floor space, can hang on the wall with 3M strips (not nails), has movable pieces (like flowers, drinks, and a cat) with suction cup bottoms to keep them in place, and requires very little cleanup.

Of course, the Wall Party playsets are compatible with other standard Polly Pocket dolls, such as the one in the Polly Pocket Lea Fashion Collection (pictured above).  Personally I think any girl would love to receive the Polly Pocket Wall Party Ultimate All-in-One Playset (pictured below) for Christmas. This set is an amazing value because it is 6 playsets in one and is on sale right now at 40% off for just $47.99 (Retail $79.99).  If you believe in Christmas in July, then go ahead and order this playset below at the reduced price to keep aside until December.


The Wall Party Tree House Playset we received is currently on sale for $11.99 (Retail $19.99) and would also make a great holiday gift.  Don't forget that these items are eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping, which gives you free shipping on orders of $25 or more.  Checkout the other Polly Pocket toys on sale and, as always, if you shop be sure to come back and tell me what you bought!

Giveaway: Manhattan Toy Company "Imagine I Can" Creative Toys [CLOSED]

So many toys now feature lights, sounds, and utilize technology and, being a techie myself, I love that. But, it is nice to have my kids unplug and use their imaginations or other skills to play sometimes, which is why I love Manhattan Toy Company’s new line of Imagine I Can toys and crafts for kids. This line was mentioned as one of the best at this years Toy Fair by The View and by Parenting magazine.  They were nice enough to send us three items from this new line and we fell in love with Manhattan Toy Company because of them.

Imagine I Can Cheese Chase is a simple yet fun strategic game where the sole motive is to get your wooden mouse to its cheese counterpart first. This comes in a small tin where its 6 pieces store very compactly so this game is great for playing on-the-go. It is very sturdy because all but the case is made of wood and very easy for kids to understand yet still very engaging. Plus, this awesome game retails for only $6, so it’s highly affordable.

Imagine I Can Pet Rock Pals take all the fun of the pet rock craze but add some creativity and flair to it. Using air dry, rock-colored and textured clay, kids make their “rock” and then decorate it with pre-cut felt pieces, googly eyes, and pipe cleaners to create a completely one-of-a-kind pet rock that they can keep for a long time. We had so much fun using our imaginations and making cute little “friends”. This kit is fun for nearly all ages, is easy to use, and is again affordable at only $11.

Finally, everyone can have tons of fun creating their own erasers using Imagine I Can Crafty Eraser Creations. Simply open the package, knead the rubber clay pieces, and start designing! You can use the pre-shaped molds or create anything else you can come up with. Once the creations are done, simply boil them in water for 10 minutes and allow them to cool and you have custom erasers that really work! This was our favorite of the three (though we loved them all so much that it’s hard to pick a favorite) and we really love our unique, homemade erasers. This kit also retails for $11.

As you can see, the Imagine I Can line from Manhattan Toy Company is fun, imaginative, and affordable and there are many more kits to choose from on their website, www.manhattantoy.com.


Thank you to Manhattan Toy Company for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.
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Holiday Gift Idea: Beyblade Metal Fury Destroyer Dome (Video)

My kids are nuts over Hasbro’s Beyblade toys even though we have yet to buy any for them. It was an easy “yes” when we were offered a chance to try out the battery-free Beyblade Metal Fury Destroyer Dome set. The kids could not wait for it to arrive.

The Destroyer Dome (for ages 8 and up) was easy to set up except for one issue. The order of the instructions has you place the stickers after assembling the dome. The problem is that some of the stickers need to be placed prior to assembly. Although irritating, it does not diminish the functionality of the toy and the kids didn't even notice.

Once assembled you are ready to go. Playing with the Destroyer Dome is about as easy as can be. If your kids already have any Beyblade toys it is even easier. I like the fact that your Beyblades are contained within the dome, no more tops shooting off in all directions.


The action is intense but brief, the Beyblades “kill” each other pretty quickly. For my nearly nine year old Jake it hardly mattered. He had fun and could not wait to go again and again.

You can get the Destroyer Dome from Hasbro directly or from most major toy retailers nationwide for $39.99.  It is currently selling on Amazon for $34.96 with Free Shipping.


Thank you to Hasbro for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Holiday Gift Idea: The Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Perfect Pop Maker Playset

Most kids love to play with Play-Doh, and my kids are no exception. Even my 11 year old has a blast creating, so the Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Perfect Pop Maker Playset was a perfect thing for them both. With the Perfect Pop Maker, kids get to have fun making “treats” that look so delicious it’s hard to remember they are non-edible. The set comes complete with all the stamps, molds, sticks, and dough you need to make fun lollipops and popsicles. With the included orange, white, blue and pink dough, you can mix and swirl them to come up with fun creations then tear it all apart and start over. The stamper even has places to make fun little “candy” additions to make your pops even more delectable.  Although Play-Doh is nontoxic, be sure to supervise younger children while using this and other Play-Doh products because they may not be able to resist a nibble.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Even though my 11 year old probably wouldn’t admit it, he liked this set as well as my 5 ½ year old. They loved creating fun combinations of sweet desserts and seeing who could make one that seemed the most delicious. As expected, the Play-Doh set is well made and perfect for kids ages 3 and up. I’m sure this set has many more uses in it and I know my kids will get their fill.

The Play-Doh Sweet Shoppe Perfect Pop Maker Playset can be purchased for just $9.99 at most major toy retailers nationwide.


Thank you to Hasbro for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.