International Playthings provided me with an iPlay Air Hockey Game for my 3-year old triplets to test.  Following is my review of this super cool toy.
Let me start by saying I had reservations about the iPlay Air Hockey Game before I received it.  My kids love to go to the arcades at Walt Disney World, which is less than a half hour from our house.  Recently, they have become obsessed with the air hockey tables at the Walt Disney World resorts, but they’re still too small to use them correctly and really enjoy them. 
When I saw the iPlay Air Hockey …read more

Hat tip to Peggy at Tree Hugging Family for posting about the new Sprig toys that deliver electronic-like features such as lights and sounds without batteries.  Of course, no batteries is very eco-friendly, but most parents will also agree that toys that don’t require batteries are simply great!  First, batteries are too expensive and die too quickly!  I love the idea of toys that simulate battery-operated without batteries!
Sprig toys are also made from recycled materials and include no decorative paint (that means no lead paint problems).  The toys use a push-and-pump play action for power.  Here are some details from …read more

One of my favorite things to do when I was a kid was playing games in the pool.  My brother, sisters and I and our friends would spend hours and hours in our pool making up elaborate games and races, but we’d also spend a lot of time simply throwing rings or coins in the pool then finding them.  When I saw the Swimways Spring Hoops Pirate Treasure Set, I immediately remembered those games I played as a kid and thought this toy rolled them all up into one.

I was lucky enough to receive a toy from the Mighty World set from International Playthings for my 3-year old sons to test, and I’d like to share my review with PlayLibrary readers.
First, I should mention that earlier this month, I reviewed some Calico Critters toys that International Playthings asked my daughter to test.  While I gave the Calico Critters toys two thumbs up, I’m going to give the Mighty World Alligator Hunt set that my sons tested only one thumb up.  The reason is because I think the age range provided for the toy we tested is too young.
My son tested …read more

I bought my kids an Aquadoodle when they were about 2 years old.  I liked the idea that they could draw on it without making a mess.  In the beginning, they would make one or two marks then walk away.  That evolved into them demanding that I draw various shapes for them.  Eventually, they started to draw on it themselves. 
Aside from them chewing on the pens when they were younger, I have only had positive experiences with the Aquadoodle.  I have to fill the pens with water for my kids and shake them up a bit to get the water …read more

b5media’s Tree Hugging Family blog is hosting a cool contest where you can win green toys for your children to use this summer.  Prizes include:

Tea set
Indoor gardening kit
Sand play set
Cookware and dining set

The toys come from Green Toys, and you can get all the details (and enter) on Tree Hugging Family.
Good luck!
Image source: Greentoys.com

Sometimes a parent buys a little toy from the dollar store or the “cheap” section at Wal-Mart or Target (for example, the little items you fill party bags with), and that toy is a bigger hit than any other toy you’ve ever purchased for your children.  That happened in our house today when my husband came home with the Birthday Express Mini Bowling Game. 
He went to Target during his lunch hour to buy a new Star Wars Stormtrooper action figure for my son.  Follow the link if you want to catch up on the story about the first Star Wars …read more

“That is not your toy. This is Mommy’s kitchen tool.” I don’t know how many times I say that in a day! There are so many things around the house that the kids would love to able to get their hands on that wouldn’t be safe for them to play with. Shannon Christman of SavingAdvice has compiled a list of 17 things from around the house that can be reused as toddler toys. Head on over here to check it out.
Here’s the list I compiled about a year ago. What other items would …read more

If your house is like ours, there are more toys around than the kids know what to do with. That’s a bit embarrassing. Anyway, we don’t buy toys often, but friends and grandparents have made sure that our kids are very well supplied, and I’m too “nice” to refuse the excess (most of the time).

I’m a pack rat, but I’m really trying to get away from that side of my personality. It’s not healthy! And I need to start with some of the kids’ stuff so that I’m not passing on this frustrating trait to them. …read more

heehee. Did you get it? Corny, sorry.
For about the past month, my middle child has been asking daily for the countdown until his birthday (we’re still well in the 30s, I believe). Recently, when his dad asked him what he might want for his birthday, one of his answers was, “A telescope…..a bug telescope.” I’m guessing he meant microscope, and I’m wondering if something like the toy pictured here would do the trick.
I’d say that I wasn’t prepared for boys and the whole bug thing, but the truth is that the …read more