Archive for the ‘Activity Toys’ Category
LEGO® Pirates Of The Caribbean™ set to be THE summer toy
LEGO® Pirates Of The Caribbean™ set to be THE summer toy
The highly anticipated fourth film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, On Stranger Tide, hits the UK cinemas from the 18th of May. To tie in with this action packed blockbuster, LEGO have released a new range of mini-figures and playsets. The biggest seller by far is the 1000 piece ‘Queen Anne’s Revenge’ pirate ship, retailing at £102 this set is riding the crest of the sales.
Johnny Depp once again pulls on the boots of his iconic alter ego Cpt. Jack Sparrow, in the action packed tale of truth and betrayal, youth and demise. Along for the ride this time are Oscar winning actress Penelope Cruz as Angelica and British actor Ian McShane as the legendary Blackbeard.
A unique new LEGO figure immortalising Jack Sparrow comes complete with his distinctive garb of hat, long hair and bandana. The figure has been a long time in development and both the input and approval of Depp was sought, of which he was incredibly supportive. He was so impressed with the result that he asked if he could keep the unique, hand made prototype.
The Jack Sparrow figure proved a challenge for the people at LEGO, and for the first time ever they incorporated his hair with his hat instead of them being separate. This was logistically impossible due to the thickness of the figure’s hair. According to the developers the hardest of the new figures were the mermaids, who kept changing until the final signing off. This LEGO collection is set to be the must have toy of 2011.
Toys ‘R’ Us Cyco Cycle deal
Toys ‘R’ Us Cyco Cycle deal
If you in are anyway interested in bikes, then you will want to get along to Toys ‘R’ Us. They are about to unveil the brand new and very exciting Cyco Cycle. This hands free, three wheeler has no handles.
It’s a great piece of engineering, as to steer it all you do is move your shoulders in the direction you want to go. Testers have reported that it almost feels intuitive, and that they haven’t consciously moved to steer.
The Cyco cycle is made to stand out in a crowd with it’s vibrant Yellow colour and step at the back for a passenger. It is solid, stable and very robust, and will be retailing at less than £100. Another feature is that it is folding, so you can easily take it away with you. Watch out for the Cyco cycle arriving at a Toys ‘R’ Us near you next month.
Buy Cyco Cycle at Toys ‘R’ Us £99.99
Top Ten Traditional Christmas Toys from Toyday
This year some of the most popular traditional Christmas toys are going to be very familiar to most adults as in the Toyday top ten. To help you get your little munchkins the best gifts this year here are the top ten best sellers in the Christmas toy list of 2009.
Rubber Band Plane
Before battery power was affordable the only way to fuel a toy plane was with a rubber band. This unique idea has come back to life this year with the Rubber Band Aeroplane that is a stunning representation of a small propeller plane straight off of a private runway. It comes in an easy to assemble kit, so children can have fun putting it together before it goes on its maiden flight. For added enjoyment, the rubber hand is made of the most durable materials on the market for unlimited hours of fun.
More info here.
Every child that has a doll house or farm set will love adding in some of these plastic farm animals to their decorations. The plastic animals are solid and able to stand on their own and thus are perfect additions to any child’s play set. Included in the small affordable set are horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, and lambs.
More info here.
8. Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
Before every toy was made from plastic there was wood, and this old fashioned wood kaleidoscope is capable of portraying each of the same wonderful rainbow designs that their contemporary plastic versions can. For children who love colorful displays, the kaleidoscope is able to provide plenty of multi-colored designs. On the outside the kaleidoscope is black with stars embossed across the cover.
More info here.
Rainbow Spinning Top
For children over a year old, this colorful top is a wonderful distraction and play toy. Made of strong metal the top is capable of spinning for hours to a subtle but pleasing humming tune. Low priced and equipped with a base for storage the rainbow spinning top is the perfect gift for the curious toddler in your life. It is also fun for older adults who enjoy a flashback to their younger days.
More info here.
Soft Babies Jingling Ball
Plush, soft, and full of colour, the soft babies jingling ball is made to please children from the day they are born. Completely safe and durable, the ball can bring hours of excitement to babies as they explore how to use their hands to shake the ball and hear its delightful jingle. Even better, as babies grow older they can use the ball to play fetch and toss making it a timeless toy that will last your child for quite some time past their infant years.
More info here.
Toy guns go hand in hand with childhood like mud on a rainy day. Luckily, if you never grew up or want to give your children the same fun that you had you can enjoy the metal spud gun which comes in a delightfully vibrant red colour. Even better, the spud gun is not only able to fire small pieces of potato, but also rubber pellets, caps, and even a small amount of water if loaded correctly.
More info here.
Every kid loves a sharp noise, especially if it is one that they can create on their own. With the fun snap bangers you can let your kids make their own snaps whenever they like simply by tossing one onto the ground. Since they are cheap and small in size you can easily pick up a few boxes of the fun snap bangers to fill up a stocking on Christmas Eve.
More info here.
Wooden Letter Train
If you want to give your child a Christmas present this year that is personalized to for them consider getting a wooden letter train for them this Christmas. All children love the charm of a wooden trail that they can pull along with them, but yours will love theirs better if it spells out their name or a personalized message of your choosing. The wooden letter train can also be used for a room decoration as well if you are looking for something to spice up your child’s room.
More info here.
Penguin Race Game
At 32cm tall the penguin race game is able to entertain young children for hours as the little penguin is able to climb the steps until it makes its descent back down to the bottom to begin all over again. Assembly is easy making it a gift that your children can start playing with on Christmas morning and all it needs to continue working is one D battery so make sure to include one in the wrapping paper.
More info here.
Guatemalan worry dolls
At the top of the top ten Christmas toy list this year are the adorable small handheld Guatemalan worry dolls. Made for children who are past the age of placing small objects in their mouth the worry dolls are perfect for children who are still scared of the dark. The box contains a small leaflet that tells your child how having the dolls near you as you sleep will relieve them of any worries.
More info here.
Eco Friendly Christmas Toys from Pea Green Things
Want some inspired Christmas present ideas for little pea-ple? Have a browse through http://www.peagreenthings.co.uk – a fun and friendly web site that has a great range of new play and learning toys designed to stimulate imaginative family play and give you all a break from the TV or computer. And they are all good for the planet too.
The site has plenty of funky, original gift ideas starting from under £5 that are planet-friendly and sourced from fair trade producers and suppliers helping communities in developing countries. Many items are individually crafted from recycled materials. All peagreenthings products have been chosen by the company’s dedicated team of eco-enthusiasts who believe that eco-living can combine with fun, desirable gifts that are a delight to receive.
Each item carries a Pea eco rating so you can choose the greenest things to give to the special little pea-ple in your life. Here are some new ideas but check the web site for many more play and learning ideas including some terrific stocking fillers.
Age: 3 +
Base: 17cm x 18cm
Price: £23.79
Fire Station
Toy Fire Station
This Fire Station’s garage has an up and over door and comes with two fire vehicles. Sound the siren and the station is ready to tackle the next emergency. The award-winning Thai manufacturer is the world’s first and largest maker of recycled wooden toys from rubber wood trees that are too old to produce latex. These trees would otherwise be cut, burned and discarded.
Pea eco rating: 9/10 Sustainable Biodegradable
Age: 3+
Size: 79cm x 54cm
Colours: Blue/Pink/Red
Price: £54.99
First Balance Bike
This sturdy bike will have toddlers racing to get outside and help them to improve their balance while having fun. The bike has a padded seat and easy grip handlebars. The chunky, pneumatic tyres give a safe ride and a grown-up feel. The seat is height adjustable to allow for growth. Made in China in ethically run factories from strong bass plywood that is sustainably sourced.
Pea eco rating: 6/10 Sustainable Recyclable
Age: 3+
Size: 18cm high
Price: £27.36
Natural Doll
A traditional doll made with soft, warm natural fibres made by a mothers co-operative in Brazil. This delightful toy companion is made of natural cotton and is stuffed with sheep’s wool, which becomes warm when held, for extra snuggliness. How ever will you put her down? Equally huggable dark-haired natural doll is also available.
Pea eco rating: 9/10 Natural Biodegradable
Age: 3+
Price: £47.41
Marble Run Set
Keep those marbles rolling! Everyone can join in the fun with this wooden marble run, great for encouraging imagination, accuracy and dexterity. Create all sorts of turns, drops and connections. Can be made complicated – or easy – so suits all ages. Comes with six marbles and ringing bell. Sound staircase, spiral shoot, trampoline drum and glass tunnel available as extras.
Pea Eco Rating: 8/10 Energy-saving Sustainable Biodegradable
Price: £29.80
Puppet Theatre
A great way of encouraging children to create and tell stories plus a great confidence builder when the whole family can be their audience. This theatre has been specially designed to give the width for two children to play together with ease and to give the height for bigger pea-ple to kneel comfortably and join in.
Pea eco rating: 9/10 UK Made Sustainable Biodegradable
Age: 3+
Size: 56cm high
Price: £57.70
Treeblocks Dolls Cottage
A solid wood construction that provides hours of fun for kids and dolls. Each solid wood construction is individually crafted in Europe from cherry and elder trees. It’s compatible with 2.5cm scale doll house furniture and dolls. Lounge set, bedroom set and kitchen set available as accessories.
Pea eco rating: 9/10 Natural Sustainable Biodegradable
Age: 3+
Size: 48 x 36 x 49.5cm
Price: £48.93
Jungle Lodge
Let your kids discover the wilder side of life. The lodge comes with a reversible fabric roof, an observation tower, mosquito net and many other accessories. Sets of animals and rangers sold separately. Made from rubber woods that have reached the end of their productive lives. All finishes are non-toxic.
Pea eco rating: 8/10 Sustainable Recyclable Biodegradable
Easy-peasy ordering – order from http://www.peagreenthings.co.uk Payment by major credit cards types.
Postage and packaging – UK mainland only. Free delivery on all orders over £100. £4.50 on all orders up to £100. Peagreenthings use minimal packaging to be as eco-friendly as possible.
Delivery – Goods are delivered to the UK mainland within 5 working days of order receipt, although some items that are delivered direct from the supplier may take longer.
Peagreenthings guarantee – Customers not entirely pleased with any product can call the customer services team, within 14 days of receipt, who will arrange for a replacement or full refund, where appropriate.
Peagreenthings parent company – If you have little pea-ple in your family or you happen to work at a school, you may already know Peagreenthings parent company, The Consortium. They’ve been supplying schools up and down the country with educational resources, including eco-friendly and sustainable products long before it became fashionable to look after the environment. So they really do know a thing or two.