Teeny Manolo

In the world of toy designs, some rare creations are so enriched with the superfabulousness that comes from pure genius that it’s hard to believe they didn’t always exist.

CrazyForts is one of those designs.

Like oversized TinkerToys, these safe and sturdy frames can be put together in almost infinite variations. And you get to keep the cushions on the sofa where they belong! To create the world’s most customizable fort, just pop the frame together in the configuration of your choice and throw a sheet over the skeleton. It’s up to the kids if they want to use the Star Wars ones or the flanellette cowboys, though. You don’t want to interfere with creative genius.

I have officially fallen in love with the Wii.

We played it constantly when we were visiting with family this summer, and will be getting one for ourselves in short order.   The graphics are outstanding, the games are fabulous, and some of them require quite a bit of movement.  And, can I brag here that I KO’d the Scarecrow in boxing?  I am the champion! Actually, I am afraid that I will find myself wanting to play it just as often as the Munchkin.

But, what games to get?  I did some research, and these are some of the best games for the whole family, rated “Everyone” by the ESRB, which is the rating system of the gaming world.

Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel  You don’t have to get the wheel, but it sure makes it a lot more fun.  Mario Kart is a rollicking good time with fantastical race tracks.  And lots of them!

Super Mario Galaxy Follow Mario into space and travel with him across planets and galaxies as he tries to save Princess Peach from the evil Bowser!

Wii Fit How could I not include the talk of the town? The skiing and snowboarding games are supposed to be the most enjoyable.

Rayman Raving Rabbids Get the most out of the innovative wii-mote as you assist Rayman in the gladiator battles that his rabbit masters are forcing him to play. Sound a little crazy? Well, it’s definitely crazy fun!

Excite Truck More of an arcade game than a real “racing” game, you go off-roading and jumping obstacles. You’re still going fast and there are just as many thrills and spills.

Elebits You are a spoiled child whose parents need your help! Go around with your raygun and collect Elebits so that your town can regain its electrical power! Destructive, but non-violent fun.

Boom Blox A collaboration between Steven Spielberg and gaming giant Electronic Arts, this promises to never get old with over 300 levels! Use objects like bowling balls and fire hoses to clear your path through brain-twisting challenges.

Mercury Meltdown: Revolution Guide your “blob” through mazes and obstacle courses to complete levels. A great game for the budget-minded, it’s one of the cheapest, yet is just as enjoyable as the blockbusters.

WarioWare: Smooth Moves A wonderful multi-player game, you will find it hard to play because you are too busy laughing to try and figure out what you are supposed to do!

Endless Ocean: Dive, Discover, Dream A video game that could almost be described as relaxing! Become a SCUBA diver and explore the ocean and everything in it.

Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection Feel sorry for kids who have never played pinball because you can’t find the tables anymore? This is the closest you are going to get to the real thing without actually having the real thing!

Awwwww, this one’s a heartbreaker. Captions in the comments, as usual:

from TheLisantiQuarterly

Kids just love to pretend that they are older, don’t they? The Munchkin loves to sweep and vacuum and be all grown up, just like the Scarecrow and me. Too bad we are probably on the last legs of this trend, and sooner rather than later I will be bribing him just to make his bed.

But, for the kids that are still groovin’ on the grown-up thing, these are just the ticket.

Playskool Dusty the Talking Vacuum Cleaner with Bonus Mini-Vac Has animation, fun sounds and even Dusty’s friend Brushy! And oooh! Bonus mini-vac!

Little Tikes Mulching Mower Love stuff from Little Tikes! This one has “mulching action” aka little bouncing balls, a gas cap, and realistic sounds that will be sure to be a big hit.

Little Tikes Shopping Cart The Munchkin got this cart when he was three, and he adored it. It doesn’t just have to be a cart for food, it can be a cart for just about everything! Be prepared, though, to have your child careening around the house with it. They just can’t help it.

Little Tikes Tot Sports Easy Hit Golf Uh, it seems like Little Tikes should be giving me some sort of commission here. For your budding Tiger Woods, this can be played both indoors and out.

Wooden Take-Along 24-piece Tool Kit From Melissa and Doug, this cute little toolbox gets high marks for creativity and safety.

Learning Resources Pretend & Play Doctor Set Many doctor sets don’t have enough equipment, but that isn’t a problem here. There’s enough for an entire medical team!

Learning Resources Teaching Cash Register Check it out, from ages thirty six months to seven years! Not many toys have that kind of longevity. Show me a kid who doesn’t love a cash register, I dare you!

LifeStyle Dream Kitchen A big hit with both boys and girls, this kitchen from Step 2 has great attention to detail, including “stainless steel” appliances and “granite” countertops. It also has lots of fun little extras like boiling water sounds and a 28-piece cookware set.

Animal Hospital Pet Vitamins! Boo-boo cream! Little invidual cages! Keys that open separate doors! This set by Parents is everything an aspiring vet could want.

Oh, how I love Devo. Those little New Wave robots stole my heart back in the last century and just never gave it back. But, as is the way of robots, they have begun to assert their independence and their indifference to human emotions.

They have come for our toys!

This is New Wave Nigel, one of McDonald’s recent American Idol toys, and according to Devo and their human slaves lawyers, his use of the Power Dome hat and his suspiciously nerdish vocals (yes, he sings) constitutes copyright infringement.

Well, there are several issues here, not even counting the fact that Nigel’s performance is a little stiff. According to the AndyOnTheRoad blog, Devo never trademarked that hat, nor do they have a hegemony on nerdish-sounding vocals; after all, wasn’t that the entire New Wave?

Ah, but Devo says they did:

“This New Wave Nigel doll that they’ve created is just a complete Devo rip-off and the red hat is exactly the red hat that I designed, and it’s copyrighted and trademarked.

“They didn’t ask us anything. Plus, we don’t like McDonald’s, and we don’t like American Idol, so we’re doubly offended…”

[Bassist] Casale said it was ironic the world’s largest fast food chain should appropriate the image of a band known for taking aim at the dysfunction and herd mentality of American society.

“The very same people that wanted nothing to do with Devo and looked down on Devo and condescended (to) Devo… enough time’s gone by that they go, ‘Hey, you know those guys are synonymous with what was new about New Wave,”‘ he said.

Of course they’re not going to let the matter drop; are they not men? They are Devo!

But why settle for 1/25th scale ripoffs? Kit your family out in the real thing:

Click here for our Stylin’ Stila Giveaway #2!

Er, well, maybe these are just games I’ve never heard of before. These games are fun for the whole family, and perfect for those game nights! They all promise to not be boring for the older set, as there comes a point when you can play Candyland or Monopoly only so many times.

Quiddler Ages 8+ Sort of like Scrabble, but with cards. And a little more complicated.

Five Crowns Ages 10+ It comes closest to rummy, with five suits. Start with 3’s, and they are wild. Go on to 4’s and 4’s are wild, and so on…

Blokus Ages 5+ A game of strategy, in which your blocks may not be adjacent to anyone else’s blocks, but yet touch at least one corner of one of your other blocks. And once the block is down, that’s it!

SET Game Ages 6+ A card game where the object is to find specific sets.

Pass the Pigs Ages 7+ A game of chance in which you accumulate points by rolling two cute pink piglets.

Wild Planet Hyper Dash Ages 7+ An electronic game that gets the players moving! The game gives commands as to specific targets, and you have to run around the house or yard to get them! Has four different levels and four different game modes to challenge memory, coordination, and teamwork.

Mayfair The Settlers of Catan Board Game Ages 12+ Catan is an imaginary island that is different every time you play the game! The players are explorers and settlers who develop things on the island.

ThinkFun Rush Hour Ages 7+ Set up cars and trucks and try to maneuver your way through rush hour! Forty “road block” cards and four difficulty levels keep this game challenging!

Ticket to Ride Ages 8+ Claim your own railway route across the United States before your opponents get there first!

Deluxe Pit Ages 8+ A card game where you “corner the market” of a certain commodity. You’ll feel just like a stockbroker. But you’ll still be able to feel good about yourself in the morning.

Everything old is goo again!

(I had to; it was there)

Yes, GenX’s favorite toy (besides Pong, that is) is celebrating its thirtieth birthday this year. As with everything and everyone who turns that undeniably-adult age, its tastes have changed over time to something more…sophisticated?

Say hello to Love Slime, Hot Slime, Relax Slime (?) and Elegance Slime (????).

Note that the company says these fragrances are “scented to appeal to adult sensitivities” rather than scented to enhance adult activities. Like that is going to stop anyone.

From TrendsInJapan via Gizmodo.

From the looks of it, maybe we should send them to Iraq and Afghanistan. Is clown fear the universal language?

It’s that time again! When the flowers are blooming, the weather turns warmer, and you can finally kick those kids out of the house!

Here are some fabulous things to keep them occupied through the long summer months…

Megaland I am liking quite a few things about this toy. First, children from 36 months to 8 years can play in it! Now perhaps an 8 year old is too cool to play with it, even if it lasts until 6 years, that’s still a bargain! Also, it can be configured in many ways, so if your kids get bored easily, it can be changed.

Naturally Playful Woodland Climber. Are you a bit weary of your child trying to climb up your counters, cupboards, or onto your sofa? Then this toy just might do the trick. Step 2 makes some great, long lasting toys.

Naturally Playful Sand and Water Activity Center I can speak from personal experience when I say that my son loved this toy. It’s better than a regular sandbox in two ways. 1. They don’t get sand in their pants. 2. They can do what every kid loves to do, mix sand and water, and did I mention not getting sand in every crevice?  Also comes with a lid that stays on tight, keeping out bugs and rain.

Blast Pad Missile Launch System Some rocket launchers are difficult to use, somewhat dangerous, and easily broken. This one beats them all. Not a whole lot of effort to launch, but they go up satisfyingly high!

Ultimate Beach Ball Sprinkler Perfect for those days when you are feeling slightly lazy. Just fill up the ball and let the kids do all the work! Wait, but isn’t that almost every day?  Or is it just me?

Splash Balls Sprinkler Sprays tons of water every which way! More unpredictable (and therefore, better) than the sprinklers that just sort of rotate around in a circle.

Naturally Playful Picnic Table with Umbrella Got one or more kids? Do they have any friends? Then an outdoor picnic table is a great solution to the dilemma of letting dirty kids in the house to have a snack. I also have personal experience with this table, and not only is it “pretty,” it is sturdy and well made. It seems a bit expensive, but it is well worth the money.

Neat & Tidy Cottage Looking for a playhouse, but need to pick yourself up off the floor from sticker shock? This cottage is a bargain for the price compared to other playhouses with similar features. It also has that all-important kitchen.

Radio Flyer Pathfinder Wagon We also own this wagon, and it rocks. Are we noticing a trend, here? Hey, when possible I like to speak from experience. With seatbacks, seatbelts, real rubber wheels and cup holders, this wagon is one sweet ride!

Push Around Buggy If your child is not yet able to propel themselves around in the Cozy Coupe, then this is your solution. Yes, you have to do all the work, but isn’t it worth it? Also comes in pink!

Either people are not so into the My Little Pony as we have been led to believe, or bubblegum pink is just not Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s colour.

And I think we all know which of the two it is.

In any case, it is time to announce the winner of our highly prestigious Friday caption contest. Given our voyeuristic interest in scandals, there was only one choice.

Liz Says: April 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm

The MLB steroid scandal investigation took a new turn when baseball officials learned of the new My Little Pony/Roger Clemens connection.

Congratulations and lucky horseshoes to Liz! And also, hypothetical trophy accessories:

It’s the Juicy Couture Equestrian Princess Fluffy Hobo Bag, which is way more name than you’d think a hobo could carry, but a snazzy handbag to say the least.

And at 16″W x 9″H x 9″D, it can fit an entire (small) MLP stable at once.