Posts Tagged ‘Toys’

Do you hide toys that frustrate your toddler?

When my son was very little my parents gave him a cheap bucket of plastic trucks, trains and boats. It’s just a dollar-store toy but he’s probably gotten more play out of these things than anything else he has.

However, he has recently figured out that some of them will hook together. This is a source of enormous frustration for him – partly because the little hook/hole deal is a little bit too small for him to manipulate. But also because they are kind of loose, so if he brings a few to me and I hook them together for him, as soon as he starts pushing them along, they fall apart.

Also, by design, some of the vehicles don’t attach to each other (you can’t hook the train engine to the steam shovel or a boat to a helicopter for example.) This drives him insane – he’ll push two pieces that cannot be attached at me and get very, very frustrated when I can’t join them.

This toy is now responsible for several fusses a day and I can’t quite decide what to do. Should I just let him struggle with it, hoping that he will work out how to attach them or figure out that some cannot be attached? Should I collect them all while he’s sleeping and put them away until he has more dexterity? Or should I try and replace it with a more well-made toy of a similar concept that he CAN actually attach and WILL stay together?

For the last idea, I am interested in suggestions of toys that you know of that do a similar thing, but in a less frustrating manner.

anybody remember toys called ‘car warriors’ or ‘car maniacs’ something along them lines?

tryin to find information on some toys i think were called ‘car maniacs’ or ‘car warriors’ but i think thats wrong because i cant find anythin on the internet.
their were two sets to collect, each were a different team. they drove mad maz style customised cars with weapons attached. one team had black biker style cars the other had blue cavalry like cars i think.
the cars had a feature where if u hid the metal like pad on the side it would release the body from the chassis in a hinge fashion and reveal the driver that could be removed.
the car i had belonged to the character scarface and he had a black car with ace of spades on roof. his car had a spiked steam roller on the front and i think a gun on the back.
unfortunately because i cant remember the actual name of the toys i cant find anything on the internet so im hoping someone on here will see this and help me out.

Now Its Time to Think About Pool Toys

If you have a pool or are about to have one installed in your backyard then now is the time to start taking a good hard look at pool toys. Sure a pool is fun for kids to play in with some friends but its a whole lot more fun when there is a good variety of pool toys close at hand.

For teens and preteens, there is a wide variety of competitive pool ball games that are available that will keep them burning off steam for hours on end. One favorite is water basketball that involves them trying to get the ball through a hoop device that is floating on pontoons.

There is also a number of pool toys that involve colorful sinking plastic toys that the kids can dive for and retrieve to score points. Of course, not everything is a contest in a pool, so you will need some simple flotation devices for the kids to propel themselves around on.

New durable sponge rubber has replaced air for many of the flotation devices that are now available and it has proven to be a better choice. Inflatable air toys are notorious for springing leaks and they always have the air inflation nozzle that can scratch if the play gets a little rough, which it often does.

Another great idea is a swim mask and snorkel that kids just love to wear in the pool. Remember to pick up a big container to keep the pool toys in such as a big garbage can that you can store in the pump house. Another great idea for keeping the pool toys up and out of the way is a big piece of netting that you can hang on the fence in a cool shady place.

Major Consumer Chains Sell Asbestos-tainted Toys

Copyright (c) 2008 Katie Kelley

During the holiday shopping season of 2007, an asbestos watchdog group known as the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization uncovered a children’s toy containing elements of asbestos, which is a cancer-causing fiber.

While production of the toy has ceased, an article from The New York Times in April 2008 elaborated on the near forgotten incident. Currently, litigation has been developed in the Los Angeles Superior Court between ADAO and CBS Corporation, Planet Toys Inc. (manufacturers of the CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit) and several retailers for their involvement in the sale of the asbestos-tainted toy. Families affected by the contaminated toy should also consider developing litigation for the exposure of “substantial quantities of tremolite asbestos.”

The ADAO has also continued its testing of other products and found several containing asbestos, including additional children’s toys.

ADAO is an organization that utilizes volunteers, several of whom have either been affected directly by asbestos-related illnesses or have watched friends and family suffer from the diseases, including mesothelioma. The organization funds research that may affect public health, and the group acts as a watchdog for asbestos-tainted products or violations of asbestos policies, which have been set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is considered a human carcinogen by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and is a “naturally occurring, fibrous silicate mineral,” according to the EPA. Asbestos becomes deadly when microscopic fiber bundles bind and become airborne.

When inhaled, the results can be deadly and severely damage an individual’s body through the development of mesothelioma cancer. In addition to mesothelioma, asbestos can cause lung cancer or asbestosis, in which fibrous tissue scars the lungs.

Asbestos that was mined was used in an array of industries, according to the EPA:

* thermal/acoustic insulator used for fire proofing

* roofing and siding shingles made with asbestos cement

* textured paint and patching compounds used on wall and ceiling joints

* artificial ashes and embers for gas-fired fireplaces

* stove-top pads

* vinyl floor tiles, flooring and adhesives

* asbestos blanket or tape for hot water and steam pipes

* oil and coal furnaces

Asbestos-Affected Children’s Toys

Tracing asbestos can be a difficult process because it is often overlooked, especially since it is not a common ingredient in manufacturing products anymore, although, it was at one time. The ADAO has been testing thousands of products for the contamination of asbestos in toys as well as regular products. Currently, they have determined several toys to have had trace amounts of asbestos including:

* CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit

* Ja-Ru Toy Clay (found among three varieties of the product)

* Art Skills’ Clay Bucket (asbestos found in six colors of clay)

Additionally, there are several other products the ADAO found with asbestos traces that are not directly related to children’s toys, but could still affect a child’s health. One of the major concerns is use of talc baby powder on babies, which could contain small amounts of asbestos. Other products that have been found with asbestos contamination, according to the ADAO, include:

* Scotch High Performance and All Weather Duct tapes

* DAP Crack Shot Spackling Paste

* DAP 33 Window Glazing

* Gardner Leak Stopper

The organization also found that hair rollers, hot plates, powdered cleansers and small appliances were at risk for adversely affecting public health with asbestos fibers. The organization noted that these products are all being sold at national retail chains including:

* Wal-Mart

* Costco

* Toys “R” Us

* Home Depot

* Lowe’s

* Macy’s

* Bed Bath & Beyond

* CVS

Consumer Affairs, a Web-based consumer news and resource center, issued the following tips to assist parents, relatives and friends with purchasing toys for children, in order to better protect children from asbestos exposure. The list includes the following:

* Be a vigilant shopper and read all warnings that may include a toy breaking, containing small parts or fire and choking hazards.

* Read product reviews that are both done by independent panels and consumers.

* Research information on the most recent product recalls.

* Inspect toys; any toys that are broken should be thrown away.

* Research how, where and when a product was created.

What to do if Your Child is Exposed to Asbestos

If a child is exposed or even may have potentially been exposed to asbestos containing tremolite, it is imperative that medical assistance is sought immediately. Because of the nature of asbestos-induced conditions, if a child is exposed to asbestos and goes untreated as if everything were fine, they could develop mesothelioma cancer years later, which is why immediate medical care is advisable.

Because asbestos exposure among children is considered extremely avoidable, developing a lawsuit for damages incurred may be a necessary step. Victims should located an experienced mesothelioma attorney to learn more about developing a mesothelioma lawsuit.

Benefits of Model Scale Trains Toys Hobby

Looking for a fun, engaging, and family-oriented hobby? One possibility is setting up your own home railroad with model scale trains. Itâ??s definitely a step up from collecting Thomas the Tank Engine toys, which is where many families start with their lifelong passion for choo-choos. There are countless possibilities, from a modest circle track and single train, to an elaborate vista populated by homes, people, animals, and criss-crossing trains.

Itâ??s easy to get started – it takes a single locomotive and a few pieces of track. Kids and adults both find it fascinating to watch trains toys traveling around, making that familiar clickety-clack. Creating your railroad is much more than just trains, and that is part of the universal appeal. If your children love horses, let them create a ranch populated with their favorite miniature horses. Build a town that looks just like your own neighborhood, and populate it with tiny versions of your friends and family. Or make a futuristic train world, with aliens and space ships too. The possibilities are endless.

While there is a definite financial outlay to buy the initial connecting pieces and model scale trains, these tend to be robust and long-lasting. The remainder of the landscape can be your own creation, using any materials at hand.

Model railroads offer a lot more than just trains. For a start, thereâ??s the artistic aspect, whether your child likes to model with clay, build tiny houses out of toothpicks, or paint realistic trees. Every family member can contribute. And then there is the educational aspect.

Finding out about trains involves many different topics. Any vehicle enthusiast will enjoy learning about engineering and how trains move (as well as how your trains toys actually operate). There are steam trains, electric trains, coal-burning trains, and so on. Trains are also historically important, which can lead to conversations about immigration patterns, the settlement of new areas, and moving goods around. Trains are used around the world and can form the basis for looking at other countries and their transportation systems. All those geographic details that make the track interesting also introduce concepts like mountains and valleys, along with bridge construction and other practicalities.

Itâ??s not all academic, of course. Building a model railroad involves some basic skills like hammering, sawing, and wiring. Kids love to build tiny things out of scraps of wood and other materials, which also helps develop their hand-eye coordination, imagination, and concentration. Then thereâ??s detailed painting to be done – on a teeny-tiny scale. There is no end to what can be added, and many kids learn excellent researching skills while figuring out how to make a realistic coal mine or log cabin.

Before you envision being housebound with this hobby, consider the social possibilities. Not only are there many groups who communicate online and meet to share ideas and skills, but there are model contests and potential excursions. Some communities have larger scale trains that can carry passengers, often maintained by enthusiasts. Families enjoy trips to railroads of all sizes, from city subways to small-gauge railways, from San Francisco to Paris and Disneyland to Englandâ??s Lake District. Youâ??ll also meet plenty of interesting people, coming from every walk of life to share in the fun of model scale trains.

So if you are looking for something to keep the family entertained and off the couch, have a look at model trains toys. Youâ??ll find yourself in good company; many well-known faces have also shared this interest – from Tom Hanks and Frank Sinatra to Bruce Springsteen and Joe DiMaggio.

Online Sex Toys

In the first decade of the new millennium, we like to flatter ourselves that we are , for the first time, totally at ease with our sexuality and our sexual pleasures and that sex toys are something we have invented to meet our sexual preferences and demands. Whereas, in reality, sexual gratification, with the use of sexual aids, has been around for much longer than this century or even this millennium.

Ancient Greek art and literature depicted double ended sex toys from as early as the third century BC, but, much debate rages on whether the Greeks were the first culture to use sex toys and the oldest known sex toy was found in Germany and dates from  the Stone Age (approximately 30,000 years ago).

Earlier sex toys were made of stone, leather, pottery and for those not afraid of the odd splinter, wood too.

In fact, every age and culture throughout history has contributed to advancing their (and our) sexual pleasures.

The Greeks, perhaps, did not invent the phalus , but, their traders sold them around Mediterranean ports.

350 AD saw our Mediterranean cousins using olive oil for more than cooking as it became a personal lubricant for vaginal and anal lovemaking.

Whilst India was busy putting the final touches to their sexual literature, the sixty-four arts (the Kama Sutra being the most famous translation) and inventing the penis extender, the Romans were equally occupied with orgies, and simple sex toys and pleasures of the flesh.

The ancient Chinese were the first to use cock rings (1200AD) and also gave the world Ben Wa Balls (circa 500AD) (aka Geisha balls, love eggs, play balls etc). Although, admittedly, with several centuries separating these exciting inventions.

In the mid 18th century France’s Marquis de Sade popularised riding crops, nipple clamps and restraints as part of BDSM sexual activities.

The first vibrator was invented by an American physician and was a large, steam-powered contraption and in 1869 when it was created it was used to cure female “hysteria” and would not be openly admitted to being a sex toy until the 1930’s.

Victorian England, may well be the epitome of sexual taboos and repression, but, for every one shouting “you can’t and won’t” there will be someone stating “we will and we do” and this era produced the butt plug and the, much more pliable, rubber sex toy.

Whilst we, of the modern era, did not invent sex toys and, admittedly, have much to thank our forebears for, we can take comfort in the knowledge that we have taken advances in technology and innovations and made these new methods and materials an advancement of our sexual pleasures and have produced sex toys that our ancient ancestors could never have dreamed possible.

Bodyvibez.com supply sex toys that can enhance and extend sexual pleasures beyond your wildest fantasies.

The best selling toys for Preschoolers this Christmas

The best pre-school toys are not at all a simple thing to find. You have got to think about safety, amusement and learning value, along with their price. Thankfully, the very best pre-school toys can be found on the web along with reviews and info about them and their features. To help you out, here are the best selling and most asked for toys for pre-schoolers this Christmas. The range is diverse and any of these delightful toys are sure to thrill your pre-schoolers this holiday season.

At present there are some wonderful pre-schoolers toys based on popular television characters, for a start. Night Night Timmy is an endearing plush version of the legendary sheep. Timmy is good for little ones to curl up to. He will snore and shut his eyes when you lay him down, and you can press his hand to listen to him Baa! There are also Fisher-Price Lets Get to Work Manny toys that little ones will love. Postman Pat Vehicles from the classic Postman Pat television series are a fantastic idea for children this Xmas too. In the Night Garden Sleepy Iggle Piggle is hugely wanted as well right now. Kids will rub Iggle Piggle’s hand to make him fall asleep, or he can sing them a lullaby! A delightful soft toy that children are sure to love, and he is supplied with an audio CD! Then there’s the My First Remote Control Thomas, a fantastic remote management Thomas The Tank Engine toy for pre-schoolers! With a real steam effect and the theme tune playing, this robust toy will produce plenty of fun for your children this Christmas.

Technical toys for preschool children are also in demand this year. The VTech First Steps Baby Walker Pink is the best selling pink version of the famous walker. It comes with a learning centre you can remove, along with mussic and illuminating buttons! A great way to help your baby learn to walk. Another brilliant tech toy idea for pre-schoolers is the excellent VTech Kidizoom Multimedia Digital Camera. This kid-friendly digital camera does just as much as a normal adult digital camera does, but is less complicated for youngsters to use. Great for teaching kids about using digital media! Another possibility in this area is the Tag Reading System. The Leapfrog tag reading system is a fantastic toy to assist your child to learn to read correctly, along with developing their vocabulary. You can download further audio-books from the web for the device too!

Other ideal concepts for toys for pre-schoolers at Christmas time include the Waybuloo Peeka Lau Lau, a lovely plush doll with big eyes, that is certainly a fashionable selection this year. With sounds and peekaboo motions, she is an adorable idea for a toy. There’s also the The WotWots Zoom Along Plush, a cute and zany Wot Wot doll with laughter and sounds, this Wot Wot zips in shops the area on its special chair! Princess Peppa’s Palace would be a fun play set to fill with the adorable Peppa Pig figures! Full of pretty rooms and homely accessories, this is certain to make your pre-schooler’s dreams come true this Xmas! One last suggestion here would need to be the Stack n Surprise Count n Build Snail Pail. Kids love building blocks, and this pail of toy blocks is ideal for baby to enjoy building with. With pleasant colours and plenty to choose from, baby is sure to be enthralled! Preschool toys are easy to find, and nearly impossible to stop enjoying!