by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings
You know what’s scary? When LEGO comes out with a new series of 16 LEGO Monster Minifigures that would be perfect for Halloween, but when you go to their website to snag a few to surprise the kids, you see that they are all sold out. {cue scream audio} OK, so...
by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings
We love companies that help us do a little extra good when we purchase their products, like TOMS shoes and Bears for Humanity and Mitscoots Socks which each have “buy one, give one” business models. And now we’ve discovered a line of adorable new...
by Stephanie Mayers | Kids, Toys + Playthings
Emotions seem to be a big topic with kids at the moment, from help from the Pixar’s Inside Out and the ubiquitous emoji. I like that these are giving us the opportunity to pay more attention to our kids’ feelings and figure out the best way to support...
by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings
A new baby may be small, but they all have some magical ability to fill an entire home with all of their things. So we’re always looking for those gifts and gear essentials that both baby and you will love looking at, like baby play gyms. I love all three of...
by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings
Avast, me hearties, it’s Talk Like a Pirate Day. And since this esteemed annual holiday falls on a Saturday this year, our kids can plunder the living room and giggle about the “poop deck” all day long without getting in trouble in the classroom. To...
by Christina Refford | Tips + Tricks, Toys + Playthings
It’s hard to feel like King of the Road when really, you’re King of Don’t Go Beyond the End of the Driveway! With three kids and one long paved driveway, I’ve been there! So, whether you live on a house on a high-traffic street, or you just...
by Kate Etue | Toys + Playthings
Two of my kids have now outgrown some of my own favorite childhood board games like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders — classic versions only, please. (And yes, I admit I do like Candy Land. Don’t ask why.) My kids are now into the kind of strategy board...
by PJ Feinstein | Tips + Tricks, Toys + Playthings
The very first thing my son does when we sit down to eat at a restaurant (well, after ordering both ice water and milk) is ask for my iPhone. I’ll admit that I’m often tempted to hand it over because it’s such an easy way to keep him entertained while we’re...
by Liz Gumbinner | Toys + Playthings
I keep being told that donuts are the new macarons, which used to be the new cupcakes, so I shouldn’t be surprised that I’m seeing them everywhere. And my kids are clamoring for them. They are emblazoned on stationery, tote bags, t-shirts, even toys and...
by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings
Even before she had made her first trip out of the country, my daughter loved the subscription her aunt bought her to Little Passports when she was in grade school. Each month, she’d receive a packet of information and little trinkets about a new country that...
by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings
Starting today, it won’t be safe to turn on the television without knowing Shark Week has come ashore, with an entire week of programming on the Discovery Channel dedicated to those creatures of the sea. And while we’re happy to keep the bitey kind of...
by Christina Refford | Toys + Playthings
It may take special talent and years of study to compose music for a symphony, but we’ve discovered a fun shortcut with Think Fun’s new Compose Yourself, a creative, musical card game which lets kids 6 and up — and even adult neophytes like me...