Aug

31

Toys R Us Recalls Crayons

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imaginarium-crayon-paint-set-recall.jpgToys R Us has recalled the Imaginarium Wooden Coloring Cases. The paint and the packaging both contain lead.

According to the BBC:

“Parents are being told to take the $20 crayon and paint set - on sale since October 2006 - away from children and return them to one of the firm’s stores.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission said that no injuries had been reported.”

Toys R US bought about 27,000 of the set which contains crayons, colored pencils, pens, water colors, and other art supplies in a carrying case. They’ve only sold about 8,300.

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Aug

30

Save 10% on Personalized Items

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Take 10% off of select items* in our Personalized Items category. When you check out simply enter the code SIXTEN.

Personal Creations -save 10% on all of your personalized items for girls



More Items

*This code is only valid on items purchased from Personal Creations. Expires 12/31/07

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Aug

26

What To Do With All Those Toys

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Now that you’ve purchased all these toys for your child, what are you supposed to do with them? Years of accumulation can add to piles of mess. Here’s some tips on Organizing Your Kids Toys.

If your house is anything like mine, toys tend to take over almost every room in your home. At some point during the day, there are usually toys in the kitchen, family room, and TV room all at the same time. Such is life with kids. So when it’s time to clean up, I make sure that every one of those toys has a home to go to. All it takes is a little organization. Here are a few ideas to help you keep those toys organized in your home.

Contain the smaller items

Action figures, small toy cars, dress-up jewelry, and Barbie dolls and accessories are just some of the things that can be put in containers for easy small toy organization. If you can, stackable is the way to go here. Stackable containers give you more space and are easier to organize. Shoe boxes (plastic or cardboard) work well for these smaller items. You can even get the kids more interested in using the boxes if you let them personalize them. Get a sheet of stickers and let them go crazy on the box. Using different colored labels for the different boxes that the items go into can help kids who can’t read yet put the right item in the right box.

Nets and shelves

Nets that stretch over corners can work well to hold lots of stuffed animals. If you’d rather display the stuffed animals so that you can see them, shelves are good way to go. Shelves also work well for putting away all of those containers you have of all the smaller toys. It also works well for those medium sized toys that are too small for the floor but too big to go much of anywhere else. Adjustable shelving (the kind that has brackets that screw into the wall) that can grow and change as your child grows and changes is the best investment. Many adjustable shelving units can be changed and modified into a computer desk for older children.

Getting rid of the old stuff

Because your child is sure to get more toys on his/her birthday and at special holidays, make sure that you schedule time to get rid of the old toys. Ideally, you want to get rid of toys that your child no longer plays with and has outgrown. If your child is old enough, have them participate in helping you get rid of the toys. If you will be donating the old toys, go through the toys with your child and explain that you are giving away his/her old toys so that a child that doesn’t have toys can enjoy them. Also explaining that he/she will be getting new toys shortly can help ease the blow too.

Author

Jill Seader offers a home organization website at YourHomeIsOrganized.com with articles and resources to help you get your home organized. An ebook, 5 Simple Steps For Organizing Every Room Of Your Home, is also offered to help you in your home organization journey. Happy Organizing!

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Aug

26

Bratz Dolls: Reflections From a Doll Collector

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This article was written in 2005 when Bratz dolls really reached their pique. The author wishes to examine why these dolls are so popular.

What’s the main reason behind little girls preferring Bratz dolls over their formidable competition? The answer is simple: coolness. While a lot of moms out there seem to avoid buying Bratz because of their diva looks, the excess of makeup on the dolls’ faces, their bad attitude expressions and the “trashy” clothes they wear; these precise features are what make little girls (and not-so-little too) go crazy for Bratz dolls. Let’s face it: reality shows us that more and more young women every day tend to adopt the latest fashions and trends, so it is rather logical for a little girl to prefer stylistic Bratz dolls over the more conservative and outdated Barbie dolls.

It seems to me that MGA Entertainment (the creator of Bratz dolls) made the right choice when they started producing these cool fashion dolls back in the summer of 2001 since these chunky, ten-inch vinyl dolls are the number one choice among girls between 8 and 12 years of age.

Maybe the reason for the popularity of the Bratz dolls is the large number of accessories available: from clothing for different seasons to mini-malls, from a sushi restaurant to a cool disco, these Bratz seem to know how to have fun! The different Bratz available include: Bratz Angelz (yes, they are rock stars!), and of course the Angelz tour bus and party plane (every rock star should have one…), the cool Wild West Bratz (I just love those little cowboy hats and the horse), the plain Step Out Bratz dolls, and (my favorites) the Bratz Campfire Girlz. There is also a couple of little Bratz (the Bratz Babiez, Phoebe and Roxxi) to choose from. I specially recommend the Bratz Holiday Doll, a nice lovely doll with a beautiful long evening dress.

There is also a huge number of cool playsets for the Bratz, including the CampFire tent, the limousine, a sushi – karaoke bar, the Bratz shopping mall, the retro cafe, and a vast selection of different places where your Bratz dolls can hang out.

MGA Entertainment has, as has many other doll-producing companies, introduced a line of makeup and many other lifestyle products for girls to complement the “Bratz dolls experience.” Maybe the biggest news in this area is the brand new line of Bratz electronics. A portable DVD player, a digital video recorder (yes, a Bratz camcorder!) and a TV/DVD combo are just some of the Bratz dolls electronic products available. Bratz dolls DVD’s, a video game and even a movie to be released this year complete the magical Bratz dolls world.

Author
If you are a fan of the highly popular Bratz dolls and accessories, or are a parent that would like to learn more about this worldwide phenomenon, then be sure to stop by Bratty Dolls, a fansite dedicated to everyone interested in this unique doll toy line. http://www.brattydolls.com

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Aug

26

Buying Your Child a Digital Camera

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Plan buying a digital camera for your kid? Are you wondering how to pick the right one? Are you confused on the terminology? This article will give you a little advice on how to make the best purchase. Keep in mind, this only applies to children because when buying a digital camera for an adult, price and mega pixels do matter!

Purchasing any gift item for your child is a mind-numbing task. You can never be sure whether they will like what you buy for them or not. So, when you want to buy a digital camera for your little kids, then there are lots of things, which you must know, which will help you (hopefully!) to get the right camera for your child.

One of the most important things for children is that the digital camera should be one of the latest available in the market. If it has been heavily advertised and people are talking about it, then it is even better. This gives children a sense of pride and also allows them to ‘show-off’ their possession to their friends.

Another factor, which is critical for children, is that the camera must look good. This is very, very important to them. It does not matter whether it has a big screen or small screen, whether it is 2 mega pixel or 1.5 mega pixel – the camera should have a smart shape, come in flashy colors or it can also look cute or funky. But, the camera should not look ‘boring’ or very ‘serious’ in nature. However good the functions might be, if the camera does not look good, it is most likely that your choice will get rejected.

The size is also important. Most children will definitely prefer a digital camera that is small and compact in size. The weight and size should be such that they are able to easily put the camera in their pocket or hang it by a string. Large and bulky models, even if they have better features are not advisable for children.

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It is also necessary to remember that even though you might gift your child a digital camera to click photographs for school projects, they will be using it to take pictures of their friends. So, look for some ‘fun’ features in the digital camera. These can include colorful background images or sound effects, photographic effects that they can use to enhance the images taken by them.

One more thing is ease of use. It is important that the camera has a simple system through which children can easily take pictures quickly. However, you really do not need to worry about this aspect a lot because today’s children have been born in the digital era. They are able to pick up things much faster than you or me, so as long as the camera is good in all other aspects, even if its ‘click ability’ is a little confusing, it does not really matter. They are fast learners these days!

Last but not the least, is the price. While buying a digital camera for your child, it is understandable that you really do not want to spend a lot of money. There are lots of choices available in the market today. The price range starts from as low as $30 and can go up to $300. So, it really depends on how much you would like to spend on the camera. Start simple and upgrade if they grow out of the digital camera that you buy for them. Hey share them with the whole family!

Author

Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Oh and he loves to shoot pictures of his kids playing sports. http://www.great-digital-cameras.com/gdcj.html

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Aug

26

Coolest Toys For Girls

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What should you get your sister/daughter/niece/granddaughter/etc. for Christmas? This is a question that some people wait until the last minute to answer, and we are here to help change that.

You don’t have to wait until December to find out what toys are going to be hot this season. Besides, if you wait that long chances are the toy will be long gone.

Little Diva Toys is actively compiling of list of the Top Toys for Christmas 2007. Please note that our list is geared toward girls up to age 12. We’ll be revising the list as more information comes in.

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Aug

26

Polly Pocket & Barbie Recalls

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On August 14th 2007, Mattel announced a voluntary recall for several items including Barbie & Polly Pocket.

Why?

“The problem involves small magnets, which are often glued onto the toys or attached to dolls’ clothing. If a child swallows more than one magnet or magnet-containing toy, they can attract within the body, causing blockage or perforation of the bowel” [Source]

What items were recalled?

You can find a list of the recalled Polly Pockets here

You can find more information about the Barbie recall here

What is Mattel doing about this to make sure it doesn’t happen again?

“Regarding our manufacturing processes, we immediately strengthened them with a three-point check system. First, we’re requiring that only paint from certified suppliers be used, and we’re requiring that every single batch of paint at every single vendor be tested. If it doesn’t pass, it doesn’t get used. Second, we are tightening controls throughout the production process at vendor facilities and increasing unannounced random inspections. Third, we’re testing every production run of finished toys to ensure compliance before they reach our customer. We’ve met with vendors to ensure they understand our tightened procedures and our absolute requirement of strict adherence to them.” [Source]

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