LilSugar

What Is Your Tot's Favorite Toy Right Now?

babysugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:30:36 -0700

Kids are a fickle bunch. Their favorite food one night could be the root of a temper tantrum the next and the t-shirt they insist on wearing every day for a week can sit in the drawer the following one. But once lil ones find something they like, they can grasp onto it for what seems like forever.

Over the holidays my oldest son received a box of Kaskey Kids Football Guys ($30), a case of plastic football figurines that can be moved across a felt field in a mock game. At first, he didn't know what to do with the figures, but over the course of three months, he and the players have become inseparable. He takes them into the bath, situates them around his place mat at dinner and hides a few in his backpack for school. I never would have thought that a preschooler could become so attached to such nondescript figures.

What is your child's favorite toy right now?

Which New Toys Will You Be Purchasing This Year?

babysugar — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:00:59 -0800

We've spent the past week showing you all of our finds from this year's Toy Fair. From a $10,000 stuffed animal to powder that turns your bath into goo, there are products for everyone. Now it's your turn to tell us what you think of the soon-to-be released products. Take a look at the most buzzed about items and let us know if you are adding them to your shopping list.

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Eco-Friendly Companies Partner With Major Toy Manufacturers

LilSugar — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:00:24 -0800

Is a company still green, even if it's owned by a mainstream manufacturer? The popularity of eco-friendly toys has given rise to a number of small companies that specialize in natural and recycled goods. Unfortunately, to create such products, some green makers turn to smaller plants to produce their toys, frequently leading to higher prices on the store shelves.

Just this week, Sprig Toys, the company that uses a bio-composite of recycled wood and reclaimed plastic to create their line of battery-free vehicles, announced a merger with WHAM-O, the 60-year-old company behind the Original Frisbee. According to the company, the new partnership will provide Sprig Toys with better access to manufacturing plants, ultimately reducing the price of their environmentally-friendly goods and introducing a line of WHAM-O Jr. products made from Sprig's Sprigwood material.

Such strategic partnerships are nothing new, but they do pose an important question: would you still buy eco-friendly products when they are manufactured by companies that aren't green?

How Much Do These Toy Fair Products Cost?

LilSugar — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:00:23 -0800

As the 2010 Toy Fair draws to a close, we are left with a deluge of new products that our lil ones will be clamoring for in the coming months. With the nation still recovering from a deep recession, were manufacturers keeping our wallets in mind as they developed the latest batch of toys? Take our quiz and see just how much some of the most buzzed about products will set you back this year.

Question 1 of 10

How much does Gund's 30th Anniversary Sniffles cost?

10 Hot Ticket Items From Toy Fair

LilSugar — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 06:00:26 -0800

A convention center filled with 10,000 toys may sound like fun and games, but it was all about business at the American International Toy Fair. Manufacturers count on the event to display their wares and make their way onto the hot toy lists for the coming holiday season. Though retailers are hush-hush about what they are actually ordering, we took a look at what was displayed and are making our predictions as to what will be shelved at popular toy stores.

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Top Five Trends We Saw at Toy Fair 2010

LilSugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:00:04 -0800

It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. Over the past three days, the nation's leading toy manufacturers, as well as several newcomers, introduced their latest and greatest creations in hopes of becoming the Zhu Zhu Pets of 2010. Through wandering through the 345,000 square feet of exhibit space and eyeing the 7,000 products that were on display for the first time, we identified several trends that you can expect to see on store shelves later this year. Here are the top five toy trends to keep an eye out for as these products hit your local retailer.

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Castor & Chouca Hop! Bassinet-Trolley: Ga Ga or Gag?

LilSugar — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:00:33 -0800

Given the short amount of time that a baby uses most products, it makes sense that some companies design baby gear that also grows with them. Made from eco-friendly bamboo, the Castor & Chouca Hop! Bassinet-Trolley ($415) is a bassinet with plexiglass sides to easily view baby without having to peer over the top. When the lil one has outgrown the newborn bed, the item can be used as a toy box.

Would you seek out the Hop! Bassinet-Trolley, or is it trying too hard to be multi-functional?

Lego Master's Tips For Building Creativity in Kids

LilSugar — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 09:00:43 -0800

Let's get building! To the outside observer, putting a child in front of a pile of blocks or tub full of play-doh may just seem like playtime activities, but to many educators, such activities are the basis for play-based education. Giving tots unstructured time to play with different materials, and allowing them to repeat their experiences will help with the development of hand-eye coordination and encourage creativity as they see different results from their work.

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Erik Varszegi, a sculptor and LEGO Master Builder, about the best ways parents can play with their lil ones without hindering their creativity.

10 iPhone Apps For Preschoolers

LilSugar — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:00:12 -0800

Quick, hide the iPhone! What started out as mom and dad's little toy is quickly becoming their favorite tool for avoiding unwanted meltdowns. For every Pandora and Shazam that keeps parents occupied there are equally entertaining apps for the junior set. Last year we showed you some of our favorite apps for the toddler set, and now we've rounded up our top choices for preschoolers.

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Pregnancy Puzzle: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding?

LilSugar — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:00:08 -0800

No, mommy's not carrying a watermelon in her tummy! Explaining to your toddler that your ever-growing mid-section actually contains a baby may feel like a lesson in futility. Beleduc's Mother's Body Wooden Puzzle ($22.50) aims to bring the concept to life for the soon-to-be big sibling. With five layers depicting various stages of the lil one's development, the puzzle provides an illustrated look inside mama's belly. While the puzzle does not explain why mum's back is aching and her ankles are swelling, it should help children get excited for impending arrival.

Would you use a puzzle like this to help prepare a child for their new sibling?