Dora will be moving, and have some new friends at a new middle school in the city. She will have all new mysteries to solve, and a new interactive online world with new dolls to go with it.

What will the new grown up Dora look like? The new Dora Fashion Doll is the key to her online world for tween girls, find out more about Dora’s new world, and new look.

Image via Allposters.com

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Check out the removable command center, and all the compartments you can hide your favorite Star Wars action figures in. The tank is compatible with both Clone Wars and Star Wars Legacy action figures.

Video via YouTube rebelscumtv.

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It sounds like resellers can only sell toys they are certain do not contain lead amounts in violation of the act, but they’re not required to certify toys. All resellers should check the CPSC website before selling a toy to make sure it has not been recalled.

The report also says toy resellers should avoid toys that may contain high levels of lead, and offers these tips-

From the CPSC Website:

WHILE CPSC EXPECTS EVERY COMPANY TO COMPLY FULLY WITH THE NEW LAWS RESELLERS SHOULD PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO CERTAIN PRODUCT CATEGORIES. AMONG THESE ARE RECALLED CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY CRIBS AND PLAY YARDS; CHILDREN’S PRODUCTS THAT MAY CONTAIN LEAD, SUCH AS CHILDREN’S JEWELRY AND PAINTED WOODEN OR METAL TOYS; FLIMSILY MADE TOYS THAT ARE EASILY BREAKABLE INTO SMALL PARTS; TOYS THAT LACK THE REQUIRED AGE WARNINGS; AND DOLLS AND STUFFED TOYS THAT HAVE BUTTONS, EYES, NOSES OR OTHER SMALL PARTS THAT ARE NOT SECURELY FASTENED AND COULD PRESENT A CHOKING HAZARD FOR YOUNG CHILDREN.

Even though they’re not required to certify toys, thrift stores and toy resellers can still be held accountable for selling toys that contain too much lead, so it’s still going to be a tricky situation for them to determine which toys to sell.

Check out this link for more information or clarification: CPSC Clarifies Requirements

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What do you think? Old is new again? The retro 80’s trend continues, and Converse is getting in on the act.

I’m all over the puppy trend!

Video via You Tube~ Parents

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This toy looks so cool.  I’ve seen other tree house play sets, but they’re usually made with plastic and lots of small pieces that have to stick together.  The Melissa and Doug Tree House Play Set is made primarily of wood, so it should be more durable than a plastic toy.  It also includes awesome features like a pulley system, retractable stairs, a working trap door, a porch swimg, a hammock, a tire swing and two wooden people play figures.  The Melissa and Doug Tree House Play Set is big, too.  It measures 42″ high!

With all these features, the price tag is steep – $129.99 from the Melissa and Doug website.  In some ways I can justify spending more on Melissa and Doug toys, because they typically hold up to my 3-year old triplets’ use and abuse longer than most other toys, but I’m not sure if $129.99 is justifiable for this particular toy.  It’s recommended for ages 3 and up, so I’d imagine a child who really likes it will use it for many years, but still, that’s a hefty investment.

What do you think?  Does your child have the Melissa and Doug Tree House Play Set?  Does he or she like it?  Have you tried a tree house play set from another manufacturer?  Leave a comment and share your thoughts.

Image: MelissaandDoug.com

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What do you think?  With triplets, I haven’t purchased a LEGO table yet, because I’ve only found one that looked large enough to give all three kids enough room to play without getting into eachother’s way and inevitably fighting.  The 3-sided LEGO table I found sells for $199.99, which is a hefty investment for something I’m not sure if my kids will use.

Do you have a LEGO table?  Do your kids use it?  What do you like or dislike about your LEGO table?

Image source: LittleSmarties.com

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Here’s a video from ivillage that shows some of the toys there:

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Richard Knerr, co-founder of the company Wham-O who brought toys like the hula hoop, frisbee and silly string to our world, died Monday at his home in Arcadia, California. He was 83 years old and reportedly died of a stroke.

In 1958, Knerr, an avid games enthusiast, along with his business partner and longtime friend Arthur Melin, began mass-marketing the hula hoop after gaining inspiration for the product from a friend in Australia who used a wooden hoop as exercise.

The wide, hollow circle of plastic — that with the right combination of hip twisting and jerking could be made to whirl around the waist — became an instant hit in post-World War II America.

"No sensation has ever swept the country like the Hula Hoop," author Richard A. Johnson wrote in his book "American Fads." It "remains the standard against which all national crazes are measured."

The first year that hula hoops graced our presence, 44 million of them were sold and by 1960, 100 million has reached into American homes across the country.

Take a look at this picture of the Girl Scouts, Brownies and Blue Birds showing off their hula hoop techniques:

Other Wham-O toys included the slingshot, Slip n Slide, Limbo Game, SuperBall and the Water Wiggly. They sold them company in 1982 for 12 million dollars.

I don’t think toys like the hula hoop, frisbee or limbo are going anywhere for awhile. They seem to be coming back and kids are enjoying them, or at least mine are.

You will be missed Mr. Richard Knerr.

Photo Source: Guardian Unlimited//Article Source: AFP

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Because of this report, the question of gaming and the impact it has on our kids has been brought up once again. A summit was held to discuss the effect on young brains that gaming has.

Here’s their conclusion:

The “Technology industry experts” who gathered to discuss the issue arrived at the conclusion that kids should not be exposed to such devices and games until they are at least seven.  Up until that point the synapse connections are being wired up, shaping the brain for its life ahead, bombardment of senses could influence this design, resulting in shortened attention spans.

"If you watch kids on a computer, most of them are just hitting keys or moving the mouse as fast as they can. It reminds me of rats running in a maze,” said Educational psychologist Jane Healy, backed by research that computer games activated the right brain associated “flight or fight” instincts rather than a balanced and considered approach to issues.

They recommended keeping kids away from video games until the age of 7, which would allow for normal brain development to occur. You can read the rest of this very interesting article here.

This is a subject that I would love your feedback on. We held off on video games until my son was 7 (ironic). My 3 year old is really not interested in them too much yet and my daughter, who’s the oldest at 10, just received her very first game system ever. She barely plays the thing and that’s okay with me.

We do put limits on my son’s playing time and it’s really not an issue in our house, which I am thankful for. So, please share so I can hear what your experiences and views about gaming and kids are.

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