Musical Christmas With Peanuts

In 1995 each of the members of my family got their own Christmas ornament. I know for some that’s tradition, but for us, it’s a rare occurrence. When time came for me to pick an ornament, I ran through the mall to Hallmark, and with the money my parents gave me, I picked out that year’s Charlie Brown. However, he was only one of a 5-ornament set. In 2000, I walked into Hallmark after Christmas, found that year’s Peanuts 5-ornament set for sale and snatched them all up in one swoop. Ever since then for me, Peanuts has always gone with Christmas and this Christmas is no exception. 2010 will be the 60th anniversary of Peanuts but you won’t have to wait until New Years to start celebrating. Running Press has put out A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Kit. It comes with the book A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz, which tells the story of the TV special with the same name. It also comes with a bendable replica of Charlie Brown’s tree that stands 9 inches tall (unbent), the big red ornament and Linus’s blanket. This toy is great for any Peanuts fan and makes a great decoration for the holidays. It sells for $10.76 on Amazon.com.

The book Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years will also be in stores for Christmas this year. This ultimate collection of Peanuts comics is sorted by decades and include many quotes from Charles Schulz that add flavor to the strips included. The book includes the strips that introduced Lucy, Schroeder, Franklin, and all the others from the most to least remembered. There are also some facts at the beginning of each section that expand on Peanuts’ history. If you love Peanuts but don’t own any Peanuts books, this is the book to buy. It’s well worth the $75 list price, but you can find it at Amazon.com for $40.50.

Ever heard of a Tri-Scoot? If not, it’s probably because I just made it up, but what I’m referring to is a three-wheeled scooter, much like Pulse’s Slither. It has two large fixed wheels in the front and a single wheel housed in a pivot-mounted swivel trunk in the back, much like the wheels of the Shred Sled I reviewed in October. Unlike the Shred Sled, the Slither is more for younger kids because of the stable front wheels and the low handle bar. Being 6 feet myself, I have to stoop over to ride on it. You’ll have to assemble it but it comes with all the tools you’ll need. Check for loose parts before you throw your box away. The handle bar pulls up and bends down for storing in smaller spaces. It runs for $69.99 on Pulse’s website, pulsescooters.com but can also be found in retail stores.

What all started with Lego Star War, has morphed into an unlikely combination: Lego Rockband. All the previous Lego video games have been based on movie franchises with familiar plotlines that you play with Lego people. So is this just a Lego-ized version of Rockband? Yes and No. The game play is still the same as Rockband 2. You watch the screen and sing the song karaoke-style or hit the notes on your guitar or drums. In Lego Rockband all the characters are customizable- not just your bandmates but your manager and entourage, too. The only problem I had with this was that their skintones weren’t changeable, so the face you want to use may end up being a different skintone on the hands of the shirt you wanted to wear, which is a minor complaint. The songs that you play reach a wide range of diversity so there are some songs that parents will know and difficulty ranges from super easy to expert. The game is rated E10+ (for everyone over 10) because of comic mischief, mild cartoon violence and mild lyrics, where most Rockband games are rated T (for teen) because of lyrics and suggestive themes, which is pretty much the difference between a movie being rated PG and PG-13. You can find Lego Rockband where video games are sold for about $50. Lego Rockband doesn’t come with the instruments, so make sure you have them and that they are compatible with the game.

Also out for Christmas, from the people that brought you Guitar Hero, is DJ Hero. DJ Hero is a different experience of gamplay set along the same lines drawn by Guitar Hero, the major different being you play a turntable instead of a guitar. The songs you play are mix-ups of two different tracks. They range from Bell Biv Devo’s “Poison” mixed with Cameo’s “Word Up” to Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” mixed with MC Hammer’s U Can’t Touch This. Play is similar to Guitar Hero, in that you press a button down at the right moment and on some songs you spin the turntable to scratch. There is a beginner mode that allows you to hit any button to get you into the hang of it and each level of difficulty adds challenge to the game. Two people can play which requires another turntable but there are some songs that you can play along with a guitar controller. The one minor complaint I have is that the DJs aren’t as customizable as they have been in the past. The DJ avitars are premade people with different options when it comes to clothing and equipment. I would have liked to create myself; however, this will probably change in other DJ Hero games down the line. DJ Hero is rated T (for teen) and goes for around $100 but the game comes with the turntable.

To round out this musical edition of the Toy Box, I bring you Disney’s Nintendo DS game Jonas. This game puts you in the shoes of the Jonas Brothers- you even get to pick which one you want to be. The game takes you through episodes of their television show, where you run through levels overcoming different obstacles by playing a guitar chord. Different chords do different things. One of the chords entitled Amped blasts a loud enough vibrations to wake up the other brothers or boost the power to closed doors. In each episode you also get to play along to one of the Jonas Brother’s songs using the directional pad and the stylus. The game is easy to play and will help kill time, but you won’t like it if you aren’t already a Jonas fan. It is rated E (for everyone) and sells for about $27.99 on Amazon.com.

Find it online:
A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Kit
Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years
Slither
Lego Rockband for the Wii
DJ Hero for the Wii
Jonas for the Nintendo DS

Christmas Thoughts

Even though it’s November, everyone is talking about Christmas. They were even talking about it back in October and frankly, I have my Christmas list ready all year round. Here are some toys that you may want to think about when picking out gifts for this year.

First we have the Smart Trike. I know you’re thinking, “A stroller isn’t a toy.” Although that might be true, the Smart Trike starts off being a stroller but turns into a tricycle, so it grows with your child and gets more use than a plain stroller. It has a sun visor to keep your child out of the sun and a bucket in the back to tote stuff around. You do have to assemble it from pictures, so if you’ve spent any time building Legos then this will be second nature. To get the Smart Trike, go to flaghouse.com and search for #38959.

Next we have Brik-A-Bloks. This will change the way your child builds a fort. Basically they are flat panels that lock together to build blocks. Creations can get pretty big so you may need to account for space when building; however, when deconstructed, the panels don’t take much space at all. When I first looked at the pictures, I thought that these were probably only good for the younger kids, because the pictures showed kids crawling through blocks that were one panel-sized. But, once I started playing with them I realized that if I had enough panels I could even make a fort for myself (and I’m 6 feet). The panels come in three colors (red, blue and yellow) and you can buy packs of 46 and 26 panels. You can find them at brikablok.com.

Lastly, there is the Matchbox Croc Escape Pop Up Adventure. This playset is just one of many Pop Up Adventure playsets you can find from Matchbox. With Croc Escape, you get one Matchbox car to venture through the swamp to find the treasure. However, your car can get snagged by the giant crocodile head that is waiting in the middle of the playset. I love the crocodile part of this playset. Placing the car at the top of the ramp to have it shoot down into the crocodile’s mouth is fun to watch. It takes me back to when my parents got me a track that hooked onto the back of a chair and had a loop and ramp that the car would (for the most part) maneuver through. The drawback to the playset is that the set track isn’t as smooth as others. I guess it’s a part of the setting (there aren’t many smooth roads in the swamp), but I wish it were a little easier to guide the car around. The playset does fold into a box and the car and accessories stow nicely in it. You can find it in your local toy stores.

Find it online:
Smart Trike
Brik-A-Bloks
Croc Escape Pop Up Adventure

If you’re looking for some unique gifts this Christmas, here are some websites to check out:

Olivekids.com
This website has home décor for children, from bedding and shower curtains to wall clocks and placemats. With all their products, you choose the design theme and in some cases, have the item personalized.

2cheekymonkeys.etsy.com
This storefront offers gifts created from recycled board games, VHS movie cases, record covers and books. Each product is handmade and unique. They mostly sell journals, but they also have a few wall clocks and purses.

Kamibashi.com
This website has many products, but the most interesting is their homemade key chains. My favorite is The String Doll Gang line. Each doll helps you do something- for example, Finnegan makes sure that your luck is always Irish.

Thinkgeek.com
This website is for the geeks. From shirts that locate the best WiFi signal to shower heads that light up red or blue depending on the temperature, they have it. They also have a section for geek kids from 1 to 13 years old.

Move and Groove

What happens when you take snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding and throw them in a blender? You get the Shred Sled. It’s basically two footpads, each with two in-line wheels pieced together with a flexible connector. Instead of pushing off the Shred Sled like a skateboard, you propel yourself using your hips, legs and arms much like when you use a surfboard or snowboard. The hardest part about using the Shred Sled that I’ve found is getting on it. When I tried, one of the footpads would tilt one way or another and I found the only way I could fully get on was with the support of a wall or column. However, once on, it was fun to ride around on. I don’t recommend this for beginners but I’m sure those experienced in the ways of the three above sports will enjoy this much more than I did. Also make sure to wear a helmet and other protective gear if you want to try this out. To see more about it check out www.theshredsled.com where you can see videos and pictures or even purchase one.

There are some toys that are physically impossible for me to test out, Giraffalaff Limbo is one if these games. The poles for Giraffalaff Limbo stand a little higher than three feet and with every limbo game the height just becomes lower. Then again, I don’t believe the company had adults in mind when they were cooking this toy up. No this is geared towards preschoolers who will enjoy the moving to the beat while avoiding Giraffalaff hanging from the bar. The game comes with a dial with six different ways to go under the bar from a bird walk to the crawl. It took me a moment to figure out the difference between the limbo and what the dial calls “backwards bend”, which means you bend over and walk backwards, not bending backwards (or the limbo). One thing I learned the hard way is that once you assemble the game you can’t completely disassemble it, so don’t prepare to store it in the box it comes in (Note to self: read directions first).

Also from Hasbro is Scatterpillar Scramble. Scatterpillar is a caterpillar with four rows of seven hands. Four players have to place their own color marbles on each hand of their row. However Scatterpillar is grooving to his own beat and may drop one of your marbles while you’re playing. Whoever is the first to have all seven marbles in his hands wins. This, like Giraffalaff Limbo, is geared toward preschoolers but with this game there is a chocking hazard with the marbles. Both games require three AAA batteries and are about $25 over at Amazon.com but can also be found in the usual toy departments.

Find it online:
Shred Sled
Giraffalaff Limbo
Scatterpillar Scramble

Scent of a Toy

With summer ending, I’ll certainly miss the smells I associate with it. The smell of popcorn that engulfs the movie theatre as I go see a summer blockbuster, the smell of chlorine from the swimming pool, and the smell of hot dogs at a summer cookout. This month in the Toy Box, we have a group of toys that have a certain scent to them.

First off, we have the new Strawberry Shortcake collection. When Hasbro acquired Strawberry, they gave her a makeover. The most notable part was shaving off a couple of feet from her height, now she and her friends are “bite-sized”. Strawberry also works in her own Berry Café, which is the big playset of the Strawberry Shortcake collection. It comes with a big strawberry-like café with tables and chairs, a Strawberry Shortcake figure and lots of tiny foods to serve. And the foods are tiny, so take caution before buying this for a really young child. She and her friends are also available separately as three inch dolls.

Strawberry Shortcake also comes as an 11 inch doll. She has brushable hair and hair extensions, along with stickers, hair clips and a pen that uses water to make makeup appear. The box says that there is a choking hazard, which I guess are the hair clips, even though the size of these accessories is much larger than the ones in the Berry Café playset. All the toys also have the sweet fruity smell that lasts a while. We’ve had these toys in the office for weeks and they still smell as good as they did the day they arrived. You can find Strawberry and her fruity pals in stores now.

Next we have the Candy Land Sweet Celebration Game. In celebration of its 60th anniversary, Hasbro has come out with this new Candy Land game. They have gotten rid of the board and replaced it with a customizable track that you put together. You control how long you want to make the track, so it’s great for a quick game while waiting for dinner or for a long family game night. A spinner replaces the cards that lead you around the track to the different stops where you collect treats to take to the palace. However, Lord Licorice can and will block your path during the game to make it longer and more challenging, although he can be omitted for younger players. With the track changeable, each game feels new and different, and gives players the ability to create their own game. When I played with it, I tried to use every piece of the track, including the end pieces, but it was a little difficult to include them since most of the track is curvy and circles around itself. It would have been helpful to include a booklet of pre-made track designs so you can easily jump into a game and make setup just a bit shorter.

Finally, one toy I’m glad didn’t come scented is Norman PhartEphant. He’s a stuffed elephant that farts. Maybe I’m childish—I mean, I’m 26 and play with toys for a living—but this is one of the best toys I’ve come across. He’s soft and cuddly like any stuffed animal, and there is a button in his tale that releases the sound of passed gas when pressed. This is Fierce Fun Toys’ first toy. One of their mission statements is to promote laughter, and they hit the bull’s-eye with Norman. Everyone in our office has had a good laugh when they’ve played with him. Fierce Fun Toys has a book in the works that will help explain Norman’s gassy tendencies. But even without the book, Norman is perfect for anyone young at heart. You can find him at www.PhartEphant.com.

Find it online:
Strawberry Shortcake Berry Café
Strawberry Shortcake Doll
Candyland
Norman PhartEphant

A New Twist on An Old Favorite: Clue

It’s about time.

For many years, Monopoly has… well, monopolized the custom board game industry. You can pretty much get any version of Monopoly that you want, from your favorite movie to your alma mater. Which is great for Monopoly fans, but I’m not one. The board game that captured my heart is Clue. I’ve been an avid Clue collector for many years, which has been easy since there hasn’t been much to collect, but in the past year things got harder.

Last year Clue was revamped. Instead of taking place in Tudor Mansion, the scene of the crime is a large estate in Hollywood. Instead of the usual suspects, the accused are now the rich and famous partygoers. There are also more weapons and modernized rooms. But all these changes are superficial; the real change is the game play. Die-hard rulebook-following fans, like me, can take a breath. The changes in game play are more add-ons that can easily be taken away if you still want to play the classic way or with whatever your house rules have always been. But don’t disregard these add-ons without trying them.

First, there are “intrigue” cards that give you powers to help you through the game. You get these cards by landing on certain spaces or having the die end up on the question mark. With them, you can do things from taking another turn to not answering a rumor (or suggestion). Also among these intrigue cards are eight clock cards. During the game, people will draw the clock cards and for the first seven cards there is no consequence, however when someone draws the eighth clock card, he is out of the game. This creates a draw back to drawing the intrigue cards. Another card you get is a character card, for the character you choose. Each character has a special power (much like those on the intrigue cards) that he can use once per game. Although this adds more strategy for each player, it becomes more repetitive for those who only want to play a certain character.

There are also two rules that have changed. One rule change is that accusations must now take place in the center room where the confidential file is kept, rather than making an accusation at any point in the game wherever you are. This adds a bit of fun when more than one person knows the answer and whoever can get to the center room first wins. The other rule change is now players can pass through other players (but still not land on the same space). I personally don’t like this new rule because getting in another person’s way can be a strategic move in Clue. However, these rules aren’t set in stone and can be changed for whatever crowd is playing.

There are also two other versions of Clue that can currently be bought. One is 24 Clue and the other is Harry Potter Clue. 24 Clue is basically the same as the Clue revamp, dressed up in attire from the hit series, 24. You play as one of six characters from the show’s sixth season, each still with his own special power. The locations are rooms in CTU, and the weapons are terrorist acts represented by little pewter pieces; for example, the bus means that the terrorists are going to halt all the U.S. transportation. In this game you are trying to figure out who is the mole, what attack they are involved with and where they are going to execute the attack. The intrigue cards are included, as well as the clock cards, to add some more strategy and the two changed rules are found as well. This is a great game for those who love the show.

The Harry Potter Clue is different from the Clue revamp but has similar changes. First, the characters you play are different from the suspects. You play as members of Dumbledore’s Army while suspecting six different dark wizards. The weapons are spells and the locations are rooms around Hogwarts. To set this game up, you take the six playable characters and draw one unlucky soul to be the victim. Unfortunately, this means the most that can play is five people, with the rules and add-ons that are in this game. Instead of intrigue cards, Harry Potter Clue comes with two different kinds of cards: dark mark cards and help cards. No good can come from the dark mark cards because they rob players of their house points, which replace the clock cards. Once you lose all your house points, you lose. The help cards have a friend, an item, or a spell that protect you from the dark mark cards. The board also becomes active with four spinning wheels that change entrances amd secret passages and can even cause the dark mark to appear, making each turn different from the last. Even though this is exciting, the weapon and suspect pieces are round cardboard discs instead of pewter pieces. This is somewhat of a let down, although understandable, considering that one of the weapons is Impedimenta.

Coming out in August are two new Clue versions, The Office Clue and Seinfeld Clue. These are both being released by USAopoly, which is responsible for 24 Clue. Because of this, I expect that both games will have intrigue cards and clock cards, much like the revamped version of the game. These releases open the door for more like them. I, for one, am hoping for LOST Clue.

Clue is a wonderful game to help children learn deduction. It also provides a great time to spend as a family. Don’t be afraid of the newer versions of Clue because the classic version of Clue is still at the heart of each of them.

Find it online:
Clue (Re-envisioned)
24 Clue
Harry Potter Clue
The Office Clue
Seinfeld Clue

When Summer Starts Heating Up

Ghostbuster: The Video Game (Wii)

I was too young when the movie Ghostbusters came out in theatres. In fact I was still too young when the sequel came out five years later. But I do remember watching the cartoon series and I loved it as well as the movies when I eventually watched them. Now Atari is releasing Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the 25th anniversary of the first film. It’s a pretty neat adaptation of the story line to include you, the “intern” who joins the team to conquer some of New York’s infamous apparitions.

In the game, you play an experimental equipment technician who busts ghosts along with the original team, Ray, Peter, Egon and Winston. At the beginning of the game, there is an animation about some supernatural events happening at a museum, where we see a bright blue light and a mysterious woman. When the team heads out to recapture Slimer and bring down the return of the giant “Stay Puft” marshmallow man, they run into the mysterious woman, who we learn is Dr. Ilyssa Selwyn, who is researching paranormal happenings.

The game is a third person shooter where you use the Wiimote to look around and aim, while the nunchuk is used to move your character through the levels and to shake when you’re drenched in slime. The characters for the Wii look like caricatures of the actors, which is different from the more realistic look of the Xbox and PS3 versions of this game, but the Wii version is still fun to play. There are also three different difficulty settings. The easy setting is more for kids and people who just want to play it casually where the hardest setting is for more hardcore gamers who want a challenge.

One positive feature for the less experienced players using the easy setting, is that it’s very difficult to get so seriously slimed or killed that your character is put out of action.

If you enjoyed the Ghostbusters franchise and like well executed story games then this is the game for you.

Fisher Price TurboFill Blasters

For the hot days of summer, water gun fights are a great way to cool off. But some water guns aren’t easy for younger kids to use. Fisher Price has come out with the TurboFill Blaster, which is perfect for kids three and up.

It comes with a base that you hook up to your water hose. You insert the gun into the base, which fills up the gun’s tank and pressurizes it. Once it’s filled, just press the release button down and lift the gun off. Then all your child has to do is pull the trigger.

I do have to say that when I first started playing with it, I couldn’t get the gun off of the base, which caused much frustration. Then I found out it was because I was holding down the release button, instead of pressing it down, letting go, and then pulling the gun off. The only thing that could improve this is if the base shot water out when the gun wasn’t attached.

If you have a youngster who wants to join the older kids in a water gun match you should try this one out. It’s sure to provide active fun, cool the kids off and water your lawn all at the same time.

ItzaBitza

When I was in first grade, I wrote in my classroom journal about what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote that I was going to be an artist, live on the street (I was very realistic), sell my paintings and give my money to my first grade teachers. Years later, I have become a graphic artist (thankfully with an apartment) and art has always been something I’ve loved. That’s one reason why I was intrigued by ItzaBitza.

ItzaBitza is a web-based computer game for kids where users draw on the computer screen and animated characters interact with whatever is drawn.

Now you don’t get free range to draw whatever you please; the character will ask you to draw something like a house. Then a transparent sheet of paper covers the screen for you to draw your house where you want it in the picture. You add doors and windows and then once you are happy with it, the house comes to life and the character enters and exits from it. From there you draw all sorts of other things, the sun, a tree and even a friend.

This game is simple enough for preschoolers to play with it, but it’s not too boring for those a little bit older. There are stars that appear while you draw that indicate objectives to complete. When you get enough stars you unlock one of the other pictures to draw on.

The only thing I didn’t like was that you don’t get to choose the color of what you are drawing. Sure the sun is yellow and the tree trunk is brown, but I’d like to pick the color of my house. Even when you draw a paintbrush for your friend to paint the house you don’t get a choice in what it looks like. However that is just a minor personal preference and kids probably won’t care.

This is an easy, fun way to let your kids play at a computer, hone hand-eye coordination and experiment with both drawing and simple animations. It’s an enjoyable game that your kids can use to explore their inner Picasso and you may even find yourself discovering yours. Just don’t be alarmed if your child start saying he wants to be an artist who lives on the street.

You can find it at www.itzabitza.com for $19.99.

Find it online:
Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the Wii
TurboFill Blaster
ItzaBitza

Fisher Price Little People Play ‘n Go Schoolhouse Playset

To celebrate 50 years of their Little People toys, Fisher Price has come out with 50th anniversary play sets. The play set I got to play with was the Play ‘N Go School House.

I remember way back in preschool my classroom had the Little People School house, so playing with this brought back many memories. However, this isn’t the same school house I played with back then.

The major difference is the size of the pieces. Now the little people and their accessories are much bigger than the ones of my childhood (making them less of a choking hazard.) This makes the toy safer and easier for younger children to play with it.

The school house comes with a teacher, a student and a dog. It also comes with two desks and a merry-go-round for its playground. All of these things fit comfortably inside the schoolhouse so your child can take the play set on the road easily.

Sadly the schoolhouse is just a carrier. It doesn’t have a chalkboard nor the alphabet magnets like the one I remember, but this really isn’t a big deal. Magnets do stick to the side of the tin so magnetic number and letters can be used and preschoolers probably shouldn’t play with chalk anyway.

A Little People DVD also comes with the set. The DVD with the school house contains five animated episodes each about four minutes long. In these episodes kids can learn about rhyming, vowels and how to say “thank you.”

This toy is good for preschoolers from one year-old and up and for any of those who are nostalgic for their preschool days.

Also available: The Little People 50th anniversary Play ‘N Go Farm, which comes with a sheep, cow, farmer and tractor. The barn serves as a carrying case, as well, making this a portable, fun toy for little ones. Look for a 50th anniversary Play ‘N Go home and Play ‘N Go Fire Station as well. Each available at all major retailers in the neighborhood of $18.00 MSRP.

Find it online:
School House
Farm

Snap and Switch Batman

When growing up I had the “got to get them all” bug with action figures from my favorite TV shows or movies. I remember gazing at the Service Merchandise catalog planning out which Jurassic Park figure I’d beg my parents for next. Even as an adult I still walk through the toy aisle to see if anything grabs my wallet’s attention. However, through the years action figures have somewhat lost their luster. Some are reduced to a size that doesn’t merit the money you’re shelling out, and others are giant warped versions of what they should look like.

Recently I have not been impressed with any of the newer action figures until I came across the Snap and Switch Batman: The Brave And The Bold Deluxe action figures.

At first, they may look ordinary, but what makes them stand out is customization. The accessories that come with the figure have removable parts that can snap on to other accessories and onto the figure itself. Also these parts can be used on other figures and their weapons, so the more figures you have the more unique your figures and accessories can be.

Now the weapons are mostly spring loaded and it is very easy to trigger the weapon while playing with it, so children should be careful since they may hit themselves with it or lose the missile.

The figures don’t bend at the knee so they can only be posed standing, but they do swivel at the waist and head.

These action figures are pretty cool and I’d recommend them for any child and any child at heart.

Find it online:
Batman
Blue Beetle