The Toy Review

I know I promised some adult toys eventually, and the time has come. Wait a minute. That just sounds wrong. Let me start over. I told you when I started this blog that there would be toys here that adults as well as kids would enjoy, and this is one of those items. And it’s not even a toy per se, but rather tickets to an event that folks of all ages will like. I’m talking about National Rodeo Finals tickets. The NFR is December 4-13 this year, and you can get tickets in all price ranges.

So, how do I know you will like it? Did you like the stick pony I showed you? And have you ever met a kid who could stay off a rocking horse? When was the last time you saw a child walk by a merry-go-round without asking to get on? Or willingly turn off an old spaghetti western? When have you been able to cut off the radio while Garth was singing Rodeo? Yeah. See? You know you wanna go!

And listen. Sit low so the dust gets on ya. There’s no smell finer than horse flesh and arena dust. You know I am right about that, too.

So, last time I told you a review of Moon Sand was coming. My kids got this stuff for Christmas last year, and the littler ones have had so much fun with it! And my teenager has even played with it, too. The molds we got with our kit (like the picture shows) were cute and made it simple for even the littlest children to “make something”. I like that it doesn’t adhere to the carpet like plah-doh does, so it’s easy to vacuum/sweep up and spills. However, unlike play-doh, it’s hard to gather this stuff back up once it escapes. It’s a catch-22.

Now, last Christmas, I thought the stuff was spendy at 8 bucks for less than a pound. It’s come down some in price. but it’s still not cheap. However, I located a special treat. WiseBread has a recipe for home-made Moon Sand. Make sure you scroll down and read the comments, because there are some good suggestions there, too. Have fun!

I just wanted to take a moment today to point out The Store here at the Toy Review. I put it up not too long ago, and I am working on ways to improve and expand it. I thought it would make a fair addition to a toy review site. And, I thought the reviews would make a good addition to the store. What I am trying to say is that I thought that in this case the sum would be greater than the total of the parts. I’d appreciate it if you’d take a gander there when you are ready to make a toy purchase, whether its a current toy or a vintage toy, I’m betting you can find it there.

Ok, enough about that. Next time, we’ll talk about moon sand!

Here is a toy that is for all ages, and this time I mean all. The ones in the picture are for babies as young as 12 months, and there are Hopping Balls that are rated up to 600 pounds. That’s a whole lotta bounce right there, folks!

Many of the hop balls come with air pumps, but if yours doesn’t, make sure you order one separately, and consider a stand as well, so you can use it for sitting or stationary exercises. I think I’d like to get two or three of these for the yard, because they just look like a good way to burn off energy. We could have bouncing contests, and bouncing races, and we could make up bouncing tricks. We’d be regular little Tiggers!

A few days ago, I highlighted a fun inflatable toy that cost a couple hundred dollars. While I don’t doubt that the Sesame Street Activity Bouncer is one of the ultimates in cool backyard toys, today I want to introduce you to an inflatable jump toy for those of us with smaller pocket books and yards. In fact, this one can even be used in a large room. That’s right: inside! The Madd Kidz Jumpster runs about $30, and it’s for ages 3-7 just like it’s bigger counterparts. It’s just 62 inches in diameter and still holds 165 pounds. And, yes, Virginia, it can be used with the ball pit balls.

Now this is one stylin ride! I’ve been watching the evolution of the Radio Flyer wagon for a few decades now, but they have really ramped it up in recent years, haven’t they? I can remember when Radio Flyer meant a tricycle or a a “little red wagon” and that was it. In fact, I remember my mom threatening to fix my little red wagon, and she was not talking about my toy. But I digress. Let’s move back to the subject at hand: the Radio Flyer Ultimate Family Wagon.

With seating for two in multiple configurations and a snazzy umbrella, what’s not to love? Just in case that’s not enough, there are cup holders for the kids, and also for mom and dad. There’s kid storage and adult storage. This is one wagon designed to go where you go. And it’s right at home in the back yard, just like it’s antique cousin.

Ok, this toy makes me think about wanting to be 5 again! I saw it in an ad, and just thought, “wow, how cool is that??” The Sesame Street Activity Bouncer is a jump toy and a ball pit, and it comes with it’s own inflater. With a recommended age range of 3-7, the $250 price tag beaks down to about 50 bucks a year. If you have more than one child, it’s not a bad deal at all: it holds up to 200 pounds so more than one child can use it at a time.

I’ve been on/in a couple of these inflatable toys, and they do seem fairly sturdy, but I am still not sure I’d trust one around our dogs: I’d be afraid of a puncture or twenty. OTOH, if you have a pet free area to set it up, this could be a summer’s worth of fun several times over.

Today’s plaything: marbles! Did you know marbles have been found in the ruins of ancient Egypt? Talk about a popular toy! My boys were excited to read about them in their history book. And since marbles are beautiful as well as fun, they can be enjoyed all your life, though you may have to stop playing when you can’t get up off the floor anymore. Then you can start collecting them in a jar, like my dad did.

Marbles are a choking hazard, so it should go without saying that young children should be closely supervised while playing with them. That won’t be too difficult, since you will want to be down there with them. Don’t know how to play? No problem! You can find rules for several games at Marble Rules. It will take you just a few minutes to figure out how to play, and much longer to perfect your mad skillz. Enjoy!

Bubbles have got to be the funnest thing in the world. From the time a person is 3 or 4 months old until they can no longer see, they will laugh and smile at bubbles. Nothing makes friends faster. Don’t believe me? Go buy a bottle, sit in the park, and blow. Watch how fast the people gather.

There is a cheaper option though. You can make your own bubbles at home for next to nothing. Just mix water with dish detergent. Some brands work better than others, but I’ve had good luck with Joy, Dawn and Palmolive. For extra staying power, add a little glycerin, which you can get from the pharmacy. You can use just about anything for a blow wand, as long as its closed. Squares and ovals make cool bubbles, too! I’ve watched my kids use their circled thumb and forefingers, napkin rings. even regular rings as blow wands.

Want bigger fun? Untwist and re-shape a metal clothes hanger into a circlish shape, and put your bubble solution in a dishpan.

Do you remember the pony on a stick? Is there a kid alive who hasn’t had one of these? Who hasn’t galloped off to amazing adventures with an imaginary posse? Well, except me. I only had a broomstick, but I always wanted one of these. What an awesome way to fire the imagination! You could go anywhere, do anything. Be a superhero with your very own transportation!

I only have one complaint about this toy: I wish it came smaller. One of my cildren has had a fixation with horses since she was 2, and in fact could perfectly mimic a horse’s whinny at that age. She asked for the movie Black Beauty daily by making that noise. Unfortunately for her, I am short and so are my kiddos: by the time she was tall enough to effectively control a 36 inch tall stick pony, she was past the age where it would be fin for her. I’d really like to see a version suitable for the 3 foot tall crowd.

Recommended for ages 6 and up. Also for those in second childhood.