American Girl Retires Samantha Doll

This week, American Girl announced they are retiring the Samantha Parkinson doll – one of the original characters in the American Girl line. 

Doll Diaries is partnering with American Girl to help fans say goodbye to Samantha.  Follow the link to the Doll Diaries blog to learn more.

Image: AmericanGirl.com

12 Best Toys of 2007 from Toy Wishes Magazine

Toy Wishes Magazine has come out with a list of this holiday season’s hottest toys. They are called the “Hot Dozen”. There is definitely a theme to most of the toys. See if you can tell what it is.

1. American Idol Talent Challenge

DVD with 12 songs with and without vocals from the show – Talent Challenge lets you sing alone or with a star

Cool voice mixer attaches easily to your TV (cable included) and DVD player for just the right vocal blend

Use your DVD’s remote to select real judge’s comments from the show and to view outrageous auditions

Adjustable echo effect for pro vocal sound.

Comes with Microphone and AC adaptor

Price: $49.99

2. Aqua Dots Super Studio

The Aqua Dots Super Studio has everything you need for the complete Aqua Dots experience. All you need is water and imagination Create multiple designs using the included templates. You can even create your own designs! Wow your friends with unique designs using Aqua Dots beads. Adding water makes the Aqua Dots magically come together. The built in dryer makes finishing off your creations quick and easy.

Price: $24.99

3. Barbie Girls

Finally, an MP3 player that is perfect for girls of all ages who can’t get enough of Barbie! Barbie Girls allows girls to connect to their favorite things: music, fashion, and going online. It’s the next generation of fashion doll play! This doll is actually an MP3 player that holds 512 megabytes of music, for young ladies with an eye for fashion and an ear for music! Just plug this USB MP3 player into your computer and transfer all your favorite songs for your listening pleasure. What makes this MP3 player so unique is that it allows hip young girls to customize how they want their Barbie Doll to look! Mix and match trendy clothes, change the hair color, and accessorize to the fullest with this hybrid of a doll and an MP3 player!

Price: Device: $59.99. Fashion Pack: $9.99. Deco Pack: $9.99

4. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle for Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, XBox 360, Playstation 2

The third game from the Guitar Hero series is here, and ready to rock your face off. Channel your inner guitar god as you thrash your way through all sorts of venues, In addition to standard Guitar Hero features you know and adore, this game features all kinds of killer new options, such as the new multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a bevy of exclusive unlockable content and authentic rock venues. The expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true legendary rock status. Best of all, check out the new songs! Fresh downloadable content will be offered on multiple platforms, and players can now shred to a set list from many of the greatest rock songs ever recorded.

Price: $119.99
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A Carnival and a Play

A carnival and a play? That would make for a fun day, don’t ya think? Actually, I’m referring to the fact that Char, of our b5media sister blog, Weary Parent, is hosting this month’s Family and Relationships Channel’s blog carnival. Head on over to see what we share on the topic of “Education.”

I came across a post by Mary Jo at another b5media blog, The Seattle Traveler. She shares information on an American Girl Doll play based on the story of the doll, Addy. Head on over to her post to read more about it. I’d love to see some of these in our hometown!

American Girl Movies on the Big Screen

I’ve mentioned here, before, The American Girl Movie Collection that tells the stories of three of the American Girls Dolls.

I was finally able to watch Samantha: An American Girl Holiday with my Samantha. I really liked the movie, and the character of Samantha. I liked the values, the responsibility, and the “I can do it” spirit that is portrayed in the character. It actually made me look forward to seeing the other two, though we haven’t made it to them, yet!

Hsien pointed me to an article that states that HBO Films and American Girl (owned by Mattel) have struck a deal to produce new “films, series, specials and documentaries.”

From the Reuters article:

Picturehouse, a joint venture of HBO and New Line Cinema, will release the franchise’s first big-screen foray, with production beginning in the summer. No director is attached. Actress Julia Roberts will serve as a producer.

Although a film targeting girls ages 3-12 might seem a strange fit for the indie distributor, whose slate includes such adult fare as “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “A Prairie Home Companion,” Picturehouse president Bob Berney said the company is looking to branch out into new areas.

“We want to show that Picturehouse can incorporate any genre, any demographic in a really high-quality way,” said Berney. “As an indie, to reach a younger girl audience is a really exciting prospect.”

It’d be nice to have more high quality, family friendly movies to take the kids to, don’t you think?

American Girl by Bath & Body Works

I love all of the cute little sets that are out for girls who are no longer in the Barbie stage, but not quite ready to ship off to college. (Am I ever going to be ready to ship mine off to college? I’m guessing not.)

Anyway, Bath & Body Works has their line of American Girl bath products for young ladies. The sets look adorable, and I almost always love their fragrances (there have been one or two where I seriously think someone was smell-deprived when developing it).

I couldn’t tell if any of these products contain glitter, but (ooh, I hate to say it) I hope so. My daughter gets so excited for glitter lotion, and it’s a little thing with which to spoil her.

So, there’s a gift idea for you in case you need something for a girl who is too old for baby dolls, but not too old for pampering. (And, by the way, we’re never too old for pampering. )

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Civil War Toys and Games

Michael Mescher is an American Civil War toys and games expert who has been researching Civil War toys from the 19th century since 1988.

Games for the children were simple during the Civil War period. They were usually passed down from sibling to sibling or at parties by other family members. There was usually only toy stores in big cities or towns with a large population so children who lived on farms or in small towns were forced to make their own toys. Girls sewed their own dolls or used simple things like bran and corn husk to stuff them with.

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Barbie’s Lifespan

Business Week Online has published an article questioning the longevity of Barbie as an American toy icon:

Sales for the iconic Barbie fell 1% worldwide, the 11th consecutive quarter of decline for the franchise. Indeed, it’s a worrying sign that kids like Katayan are starting to eschew Barbie for other, more interactive toys.

It is a question raised as the girls of the next generation have so many playtime options available to them. Are dolls and dress up being completely replaced by on-line games and other hi-tech toys?

I don’t think so. Yes, my five year old daughter has more hi-tech distractions available to her than the Pac-Man and Frogger of my youth. However, no computer game is a replacement for her desire to dress and undress her Barbies, adding and combining new accessories, and wrangling her two year old brother in to help her. There is just too much enjoyment from seeing and feeling the fabrics, playing with the hair, and crawling around on the floor trying to find those blasted teeny shoes (oh, sorry, that last one isn’t fun, and it’s usually not the kids doing it).

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Kid’s Meal Toys

The kids and I have been to fast food joints twice this week. I know, I know, I’m not going to win any mother of the year awards with that kind of nutrition record, but it gives me another kid topic to share with you, our wonderful readers.

Early in the week, after our visit to the free movie, we went out with our friends to McDonald’s. We drove out of the way especially for the McDonald’s that had the indoor playland, with seating for dining (can you really refer to it as dining when it’s fast food?) in the play area. Of course, by the time we got there, there was no longer any seating left in the play area. So, we just corralled the kids into a common area, and took turns doling out our husbands’ hard earned cash for a few nuggets and a cheap toy. (I don’t think I’m insulting McDonald’s by referring to the toys as cheap. You don’t see them putting American Girl Dolls in there.) Read more

American Girl Dolls in The New York Times

Dolls with plastic faces have always frightened me and American Girl dolls are no exception. Yet they’ve developed a following for their non-Barbie-like figures and rich background stories.

Alex Kuczynski of The New York Times writes:

The dolls, 18 inches high, portray characters imagined from the past, like Kit, a resourceful girl facing the Great Depression; Kirsten, a Swedish immigrant; Addy, who escaped slavery during the Civil War; and Felicity, a Revolutionary War-era doll. At $87 each, they are expensive, but the good news is that each comes with an outfit and a book, usually the first in a series that tells the story of the doll’s life. These books are not high art, but they fall into the Harry Potter category of literature: it’s junk, but at least the kids are reading and not goggle-eyed on video games.

Being the mother of a son, I may never get to enjoy American Girl Place the way girls and their parents would. Have you had the good fortune of paying a visit?

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