The Sing-A-Ma-Jig

The Sing-A-Ma-Jig is a popular toy that has been created by Fisher Price. The toy, which currently comes in nine models, has recently had its range expanded with four new models recently being released. These come in three new colours as well as a ‘Santa’ option.

The dark purple variety is one of the latest releases by Fisher Price and can speak several words and phrases as well as breaking out into song. This version sings a happy version of, ‘Oh My Darling Clementine.’ These latest version are the third wave of releases from Fisher Price and the company has said that they expect high sales of the new version. Last year the toys made Amazon’s ‘hot toy’ list, as well as being listed in a similar way at Toys R Us. These new versions of the toy will be able able to sing along, in chorus, with all previous releases.

Among holiday shoppers last year the toys flew off the shelves after suddenly bursting into the market earlier in the year. When the toys were first released by Fisher Price there were five versions of the toy, later another four were added and this latest release brings the grand total to thirteen.

As the toys have been so successful there are rumours that the ‘Santa’ themed toy is just the first of many special occasion toys to be released. Some predict special toys to arrive for Valentine’s Day and Easter. Fisher Price have yet to confirm whether this is the case, but with the popularity of the toys it would seem to be a good business decision.

For those who wish to collect all the toys this is going to be a challenge and rather expensive as Fisher Price are constantly manufacturing new models. Each model is completely different from the others, it will sing a different song and come in a different colour as well as the look of the toy being completely unique.

With the new versions coming out there is some repetition, but this is only true for the colour. The way the toy looks and the song it sings is different from the previous colour. It is expected that the number of toys will continue to increase as long as the demand for them remains high, and considering the current demand for the product, this could be a long time – and collectors are going to have a very large collection.

The huge range of puppets and soft toys available

Today there are many different and varied types of soft toys on the market which appeal to children of all ages. Generally speaking, these toys fall into two distinct categories. On the one side there are the more common soft toys which give comfort to the child such as animals and teddy bears. On the other side there are the educational toys. Both of these have their place in the nursery and home and will provide hours of enjoyment and fun.

Children soon begin to explore their surrounding world and educational toys are an ideal way to help in this exploration. Educational toys can be glove puppets, finger puppets or toys that highlight certain parts of the world such as jungle or farm animals.

A puppet increases a child’s awareness and interest in the world around them. The animal hand puppet can act as a teacher to the child as it points to different objects in the nursery or while out on a walk,

The other type of soft toy, the comforting type, gives the child a sense of attachment to something other than a mother or father, which is very important for the child and forming an attachment to a soft toy is a healthy and natural way of learning that there are other things in life to which he or she can become attached. It is also a way of learning to make friends.

The classic type of soft toy will encourage the child to use its imagination. A child that begins to play with his or her toys on a regular basis, giving them names and personalities and taking them on imaginary exciting adventures, is a child that is developing its brain and imagination which will help him make the link between his world and the outside world.

A vivid imagination is a sign of a healthy mind and making these classic soft toys easily accessible to the child is an essential part of the parenting process. Another advantage of all soft toys is that they are soft and can be given to children of all ages. They cannot cut or bruise nor cause any other harm.

There is one warning that should not be ignored and this is that babies or very young children still in cots should not be allowed to sleep with the cuddly soft toy as there is always a danger of suffocation.

Back garden toys, a godsend for parents

Often children need to release lots of energy that they have inside them. This is especially the case when they have spent the entire winter inside. Toys in the back garden are therefore an excellent way for them to get outside to take in the fresh air and have a great time playing.

Kids can use their imagination playing in playhouses and the house can be made out of a variety of materials that include plastic and wood. The houses can be decorated so they look like small homes for the children to play in. They also can pretend to play games and cook with playhouses that are designed for both sexes.

Trampolines for outside are also great for kids to expend energy and they are in a number of different sizes and made for kids of different ages. There are a few safety issues to be careful of with trampolines therefore it must be a house rule that only one plays on the trampoline at a time. There are surrounds available to put around the trampoline to make it even safer.

You may want to just get an inflatable castle. The bouncy castle is real popular with children and gives them a protected area inside the castle to do all their jumping and hollering. It is easily to put up and just as quick and easy to take down.

Pools are not only enjoyed by the youngsters but by the parents as well. A pool in the backyard is a great way to enjoy lots and lots of outdoor time with a diving board and water toys to play with.

There are wooden climbing frames that are a great way from kids of all ages to exercise climbing up and down. Swings are a great thing for the children to use in the back yard as well. A wooden climbing frame is great and one advantage is it can be built to the specs you need it. It is not just one size fits all. That way it will not suffocate the back garden area by being to big for the area.

Riding toys are loads of fun for the younger kids. There are lots of different styles and sizes for most ages. If the youngest cannot quite reach the pedals then you can push them around and once old enough they can then ride on their own.

Beach toys an essential part of summer

After announcing a beach day to your children it is usually always followed by a hurried dash for gear and beachwear. In the garage there is usually a spot designated for storing the beach stuff.

Their gear is essential since the water for them is secondary what is important is to have the correct tools to built their sandcastles. There are other essentials to take like a football, a Frisbee or even a ball to just toss around. And of course, before leaving the house remember to pack the beach towels, chairs and umbrella.

When it comes to Sand shovels and pails there are a number of different shapes, sizes and colors in shops or even in a convenience store close to the beach. During off season many online stores that have beach products will have an array for sale on their site. One of the best is the Dune Spoon with plastic grip supported by a 22 inch wooden handle. There are a myriad of colors to choose from.

There are shovels made from different forms of plastic with either long or short handles of wood or plastic. There are also shovel that are made of metal that are able move through the sand easily but very young toddlers should not be using this type of shovel.

Another good tool to have is the plastic rake and it turns out it is safer than the shovel. Rakes and shovels with sturdy handles provide the best grasps for your artistic child or the child in you.

Catch and Release toys and games are great to take with you to the beach. Balls of every size, shape, color and price can be purchased. There is Pro-Kadima, Smash ball sets and there are even towels that have patterns of game for Backgammon, Checkers and Tic Tac Toe.

These kinds of things are more important to have if you have an older kid close by. The variety is endless and can be conveniently stored in a large beach bag or laundry basket. Other great things to take along are squirt guns, water toys, floaties and inflatables.