Archive for the ‘Big Smile Toys’ Category
Taking a child on a plane ride can sometimes be a bit of an ordeal. The trick, I have found, is to make sure a child’s mind is occupied during the flight. This is where the “trip toy” comes in.
When I was a child my family went on a lot of trips. While packing up the car for a trip to National Parks or coastal cities were planned yearly there were also trips via flight to such places as Canada and Europe. As a kid, flying in a plane was both a fun and boring experience. On the one hand you knew you were going someplace; on the other hand there was a long flight full of bad food and sitting strapped into uncomfortable chairs.
To fight this boredom, my parents devised a little strategy for me and my brothers: the day before our trip they would take us to a local toy store and make us pick out one toy for our upcoming trip. This would be our “trip toy” and would keep us pacified for the flight. My brothers would usually pick one of the Playmobil toys while I would go for either a workbook or a Barbie.
To their amazement, this would usually work. We would be perfect little angels for our flights. Remembering this, I instituted this idea for my family trips. In fact, I let all my friends in on this practice (they all thanked me for this). If you think about it, while air travel can be stressful for adults, it can be stressful in a totally different way for kids. Keeping a kid sitting in a chair for nine hours straight takes something more than luck, it takes distraction. Movies usually don’t work, nor do books or music. Your kid’s favorite toys, on the other hand, that’s usually the way to go. Throw in the fact that it’s a new toy, the fun should last until at least the flight lands.
Of course there are some rules to remember when letting your kids pick a “trip toy”. First, try to keep the number of removable parts on the toys to a minimum. I once had a parent buy their kid a Lego set to put together on a flight. Umm, guess how that went.
For boys, Playmobil Toys tend to be a good option. Not a lot of removable parts, yet enough variety with each set to keep a child’s attention. There are also a wide variety of Playmobil sets on the market so there will be something for almost every child’s preferences. For the girls in the family, the classic toys apply here. Barbies, My Little Ponies, dolls and other sets also work. If they like Playmobil, they can go for those too.
Of course, this all varies for different children. Personal gaming systems might work for some, coloring books for others, and activity books also work well. Just make sure they have something to keep their attention during flight and you’ll both be happy by the time the wheels touchdown.
Author Kimberly Green always has special kids toys set aside for those long trips!
When you’re a child you love your toys. Then you lose interest. Then, when you grow up, you yearn for your old toys once more. That’s where big business comes in.
Here’s how it goes: first it becomes popular, then it becomes unpopular, then it becomes kitsch, then, sometime after that, it becomes popular again. Hence goes the pop culture cycle. Chances are by the time you grow up, all those toys that you abandoned when you became “too grown up” to play with, become important to you again. They become reminders of your youth and you begin to yearn for them. Of course, you’re not the only ones. Big business knows this. Because of this you should ready to pay a premium for your beloved Playmobil toys or My Little Pony’s because you’re not the only one looking for them.
I recently went to the Downtown Disney District in Anaheim, CA to meet some friends for dinner. As I was walking I noticed that there was a rather large Lego Chain store which sold nothing but Lego sets and products. I didn’t have to think twice, I made a bee-line for the store. Now, I know Lego’s are thought of as a little boy thing, but I’ll make no qualms about the fact that when I was a kid I loved Lego’s. Sure, I enjoyed Barbie’s, My Little Pony’s, etc., but for me there was nothing more fun then putting together a Lego airport, police building or pirate ship. As I walked into the store and began to look around, two things immediately popped into my head. First: if you can dream it, there is a Lego set for it now. Forget airports, you can literally build the Taj Mahal now out of Lego’s. Second, and most relevant, Lego’s have gotten expensive. I’m sure you can still get a small set at Wal- Mart for something resembling a reasonable price, but wow, if you want to build an airplane or an building or a pirate ship prepare to open your wallet. A set can cost up to $70 now. Even the cheaper sets cost $30. Needless to say I passed on purchasing a set, even if I felt a child like need to.
It didn’t hit me until I got home why these Lego sets cost so much. These sets were not for children, but instead, for adults who grew up on Lego’s and again want to experience the thrill of constructing a building out of these tiny blocks. I recently help put together a small set a cousin brought over, and trust me; it’s still as fun to do as I remember it.
If anything, this experience at the Lego shop reminded me of the “kitsch” cycle. Toy sellers now understand that parents are as willing to purchase something that reminds them of their youth as they are to purchase these new products for their children, same goes for Playmobil Toys too. Look at the Transformer franchise. Most of the people who saw the film hadn’t played with a transformer for 15 years, but went in droves to the movie because of cherished childhood memories (the movies were terrible by the way, which makes the success of the second one even more “memories” based).
Next time you’re at Target look around and look at how much of the DVD’s or home supplies marketed to adults are simply repackaged and “hip looking” products from your childhood. I think you might be surprised at what you find. Chances are while you’ve “grown up” your tastes have pretty much stayed the same.
Author Kimberly Green has children ages 3, 4 and 6 and has lots of experience purchasing kids toys
It is so important to clean your children’s toys especially these days. You want to be sure that you clean the toys but even better if you can clean them with all natural products.
Personally, I prefer to clean my kid’s toys with all natural products because they are not only better for my children but they are better for the environment. So many times you hear of stories of the harsh chemicals in liquid cleansers and sponges cause’s rashes and other skin irritations in children. All natural is the way to go and in many cases it will actually help save money. Forget the bleach! And if you are looking for things that will kill off viruses then turn to good old fashioned essential oils that have been around for centuries. Tea tree oil is a known antiviral essential oil.
If you need to clean those plastic toys then why not just put them in the dishwasher and put the dishwasher on the sanitize setting. This is the best and the easiest way to clean plastic items. If you do not have a dishwasher then simply cleaning them by hand in that hot soapy water with regular dishwashing liquid will get the job done just as well.
Then there are the plush toys. That is something that is in every home with children. The best way to do this is in the washing machine. I put the stuffed animals in a pillow case and put it on the gentle cycle. I add 3 drops of tea tree essential oil to the liquid washing machine detergent and they come out fabulous. You can also add tea tree oil, lemon oil and lavender oil to water in a small spray bottle and spritz down the plush toys in the evening after they have been played with for the day.
If you have wooden toys you can just wipe them down with a damp rag. If other children have been playing with the toys then you may want to wash it with soapy water but do not let it sit in water…it will ruin the wood. I like to put a few drops of tea tree to the damp rag before I wipe down the wooden toys. Just be sure to dry off all of the toys before you give them to your children.
So now you know how to wash all of those Webkinz, Thomas the Trains and playmobil toys your children will be getting for Christmas. No need to bleach up the toys especially if you have an infant that still puts the toys in their mouths. Doing things that all natural way is best for everyone.
Kim Green always uses natural products to clean all the kids toys her children have!
The holidays are just around the corner so make the most of your shopping experience and start now. Shopping for the holidays can be extremely overwhelming, very tiring and it can be quite costly if you do not know where to look and how to get those great deals.
1. Only spend what you have. If you are shopping at stores then pay cash and if you are shopping online set a credit limit and pay it off in full when you get your bill.
2. Price check. The internet makes it so easy to compare sites and stores out there before you buy what you are looking for.
3. Start now and put things away. I always start at the end of summer and put things away. This way you do not feel it so hard financially.
4. Make a list of who you are getting gifts for and what you plan to get them. Do not just go out to a store or go on a site and get items randomly. Talk to your relatives about gift giving for the holiday season. For example, my family has all agreed that it will all be about the kids this year. No adults will be getting each other gifts – it is about the grandkids, nieces and nephews. Of course my husband and I will exchange gifts but extended family will be all about the kids.
5. Why not be creative and make your own gifts. I made beautiful Swarovski crystal jewelry last year for my relatives and they loved it. If I would have bought the jewelry I made in the specialty stores I would have spent $100’s of dollars on them. If you have special talents then when not use it!
6. Know where to shop online – if you are looking for that trendy Elmo doll or those adorable Playmobil Toys then go to toy sites that are going to cater to kids. Do not just go to that generic website that sells everything from food to clothing to toys. And always find those discounts and coupon codes…they are out there but you have to search for them. If you are shopping online there are also ways to make money as well with cash back rewards using certain credit cards. Always check for shipping charges and be sure to look at the return policies.
7. Think about next year….create a fund or a special savings account. Or even put all your daily spare change in a jar. That really does add up quite a bit.
Author Kimberly Green can always find something kids love from Playmobil Toys
It can be hard keeping your child motivated when it comes to learning. However, the key to success isn’t always structure and discipline. A child’s mind is going a million miles a minute and harnessing that power through objects like kids toys is the true key to success!
Just getting the attention of a high spirited child can be a challenge of a life time but being able to keep that child’s attention is the true trick to helping them spark their imagination in a sense that learning will be a fun and rewarding experience. Learning should never be confined strictly between the four walls of a learning facility. It should be ingrained in a child’s every day activates but far too often the mundane tasks of educating a child are left solely up to the assigned teacher.
It’s vital that learning be a partnership between a child, their teacher, their social network and their parents. If a child has this partnership they will surely be set up to succeed in a world that demands more out of them at a younger and younger age! Once this bond is formed you’ll see your child learn in exponential ways that you likely thought wasn’t possible.
Now, let’s get back to the task at hand. You want to be a partner in your child’s learning but you have a hard enough time getting their attention long enough to eat dinner or to take a bath! How on earth are you going to get them focused enough to learn? Here is the fun part! Structured learning events with parents should be at a minimum as this is the primary function of the teacher. A child must learn how to function in a highly structured environment in order to function properly in socially when they are in their adult years. Again, this should not be your primary focus when engaging in learning exercises.
Because of this, you can utilize several techniques to keep (or not keep) your child’s attention. Many people have found great success in role-playing with their children. A lot can be learned by playing pirates! As your child is busy searching for lost treasure it you’re responsibility to fill their heads with the occasional fact or history lesson as you wander around the island with them searching for that lost gold! Don’t forget to get lost in time with them. This will not only help you with building educational bonds with your child, it will also help foster an emotional bond with your child that will last through your entire lives.
Utilizing visual stimuli is a great way to use playtime as a learning tool. Playmobil Toys for example has a large product line of toys that can be used to spark the imagination and turn playtime into learning time for your child. Getting down on the floor and holding discussions with your child as you play will encourage the thought process, question asking and will have an end result of a stimulated child.
No matter what method you choose to interact with your child it’s important that you participate in the educational process to ensure your values are being instilled into your child and that they feel you have a vested interest in their development. Who knows, you just might learn from them along the way!
Author Kim Green has children of her own and loves the different imaginative toys Playmobil Toys has come up with - an excellent line of kids toys
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