Last year I let you know that the stick had been inducted into the Toy Hall Of Fame, this year his friend the ball is joining him. I can’t think of two more deserving toys than stick and ball. Put them together and you’ve got a dynamic duo that’s hard to beat!

The other Toy Hall Of Fame inductees this year included the Big Wheel, and the Game Boy, both are also very deserving toys, but nothing can top the ball.

The ball is one of the most versatile toys ever invented, there are tons of games you can play with that one toy alone. It’s a universal toy favorite. Kids from everywhere know what to do when you present them with a ball.

I was also glad to see the Big Wheel included in this year’s Hall Of Fame. The Big Wheel brings back some great childhood memories for me, and I’m sure for many other people.

The Game Boy is another toy that has transformed itself over time, and only become more popular with each new transformation.

I think all of this years inductees were very deserving. You can find out more about this year’s Toy Hall Of Fame Inductees here.

Image: sxc.hu

We went to see Disney’s A Christmas Carol in 3D today, and I have to say I was a little disappointed with the movie. The 3D effects were very good, you could definitely tell it was done by the same person who did Polar Express. I’m just not sure the movie was for kids.
My son’s 10 and he covered his eyes and refuse to watch several times. He’s not usually scared by movies. Not sure if it was the 3D part that was getting him, or just the ghosts themselves. The ghosts were really bizarre. I did like the third …read more

One of my favorite books I got for my son when he was younger was a personalized story that had the main character named after him, and had the names of his friends and other things to personalize it for him throughout the book. So I definitely have a soft spot for personalized books.
We still have my son’s personalized story, it’s one of a few of his storybooks I’m definitely holding on to for a keepsake. I See Me! creates that kind of high-quality personalized book, a book you can share with your child. They’ll be delighted when they’re included …read more

I’ve been checking out the myWallaby Agile bag for about a week now, the same myWallaby Doll Carrier we’re giving away here at Play Library, hop over and enter if you’d like to have one of your own.

So what do I think of the myWallaby bag? I think it would make a wonderful gift idea for a little girl who loves to take her dolls along with her wherever she goes. There are several features I really like about the bag.

It’s hard to tell by the photos, but the materials and fabrics the bag is made from are very nice …read more

This year retailers are focusing more on lower priced and bargain toys, instead of high end and expensive. Walmart is leading the way with their list of $10 toys, and other retailers are following the trend. There are still higher price tag toys out there, but the consumer is looking for a better bargain for their money. So if a toy has a larger price tag it needs to over deliver on value.

Here are some of the great value toys for Christmas 2009:

Zhu Zhu Pets are big this year, they’re low on price, but big on fun, if you can …read more

I’ve been watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade every year since I was a child. I love checking out all the floats, and the big balloons floating down the street. It’s definitely a tradition at our house while we’re getting ready to head out to make our family rounds for the day.
This year we will be watching the 83rd edition of the Macy’s Parade. This year’s parade will be setting another new milestone, it’s marched down parts of Broadway for 82 years, the 2009 procession will be the first to bypass Broadway during the route.
Joining Macy’s parade favorites this year …read more

Do you have a circus fan in the family? What child doesn’t love to go to the circus? Now the circus can come to you in the new Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey video game for the Nintendo DS, and Wii premiering November 10th at a retailer near you.

In Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey for the Nintendo DS you can care for and train your own elephant. You work with your elephant, feeding and caring for it while you teach it to do tricks for its circus act. Your elephant friend is in your care, from a bubbly …read more

If you’re kids are craving high tech toys, but all you have is a low tech budget, Jakks Pacific has some fun Motion TV video games for kids you can buy without breaking the bank.
Plug It In & Play TV Games™ are perfect for kids, because you don’t have to worry about them tearing up an expensive gaming system while they’re playing.

The latest TV games from Jakks-Pacific even feature motion control. Now when kids move the controls they also control the action on screen as characters replicate their movements in real time on the TV screen when they jump, wave, …read more

Cookie parties don’t just have to be for grown ups. Kids would have a blast getting together to decorate Christmas cookies. It makes a great theme for a children’s Christmas party.
Today I have a great recipe for you to use for your party, and some cookie decorating party tips to share from the author of a new cooking with kids book Cindy Mushet. Her new book is called Baking Kids Love.
Send out the invitations a couple weeks ahead of time, letting the children and their parents know what to expect. You can make the dough ahead of time and have …read more

The other day, I talked about my top 5 favorite Halloween books for kids. Today I have a different type of Halloween tale for you, this one is for tweens.

I recently had the opportunity to check out Callie’s Rules by Naomi Zucker. It’s a wonderful book about a young ladies transition into junior high, learning to be herself, when to follow the rules, and when to make her own rules.
When the town council (led by one mom) decides to cancel Halloween and replace it with an Autumn Fest, Callie decides she has to take action, so she sets out to …read more