BUY IT! Funko Gets New & Nostalgic With Even More TV & Movie Favorites

Posted on April 19, 2014 by geelw

I’ve always liked Funko’s cute collectible figures, but my over-dedication to the games library here means I’ve no room to stock those cool-looking figures (boo!). Still, that won’t stop me from letting you know what’s new and upcoming from the company…

May brings in The Rocketeer, the late Dave Stevens’ great comic character that also ended up in a decent and fun to watch film directed by Joe Johnston and produced by Disney back in 1991. Arriving as part of Funko’s ReAction lineup, The Rocketeer comes equipped with a removable helmet and jetpack, which doesn’t actually work by the way (so you won’t have Nazi spies trying to break into your place and steal it)…

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Things I Learned @Toy Fair 2014: I Think A Crowded Coop Needs A Name Change…

Posted on April 7, 2014 by geelw

“How about a REALLY Crowded Coop?”Was what I suggest to Mary Olson after seeing the size of this year’s amazing lineup at Toy Fair, but I think she would have hit me on the head with that prototype Halo bag I’d been ogling. It’s a good thing she didn’t, as I’d then be responsible for the entire first run having a dent the size of my forehead in and I’d like to be a bit less of a negative influence on product design in the future. Where last year, the company had a handful of licenses that yielded a sizable amount of product, this year the booth was about three times the size and there were so many products on display that I had to swing by twice to see them all…
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AryaBall: Almost There – Just One More Push (Throw, Toss, Fling, Swing, Kick) Away!

Posted on March 26, 2014 by geelw

If you think about it, Babak Forutanpour’s AryaBall is more or less the smartphone of outdoor toys. Like your modern phone is an all-in-one device that does many things, AryaBall takes care of a few popular sports using a clever, innovative design that makes you want to grab one just to try it out. Go take a look at the almost funded Kickstarter and if you like what you see, well – you know what to do. I’m actually surprised that Babak hasn’t thought up ONE sport using everything in that cool new toy, as I could see some network exec slapping himself in the forehead at the very idea of some new (and popular) competitive show that makes for more must-see “reality” TV. Anyway, 45 more hours to go (and counting down) and AryaBall is only a few thousand from its goal… suspense!

Things I Learned @ Toy Fair 2014 #5: The Presidential Game Rules!

Posted on March 15, 2014 by geelw

Playing Politics CAN Indeed Be FUN! (Who knew?!) While it’s designed to teach kids about our rugged (but sometimes shaky) presidential election process, The Presidential Game makes for an excellent primer for those political junkies from the book-fed constant reader to the lazy cable news-head who believes every one-sided argument (and it’s ALWAYS an argument) that screeches from his or her speakers. Created by Regina Glocker, the game aims to teach kids and young adults about the electoral college and how it works while delivering a fast paced and fun experience in the process. The cool thing here is Glocker had no previous game creating experience at all, but you know what happens when an idea seed gets planted, nurtured by like-minded companions and grows into a healthy tree with useful fruit, right?

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Things I Learned @ Toy Fair 2014 #4: There’s A Dreamland Fairy in Your Future…

Posted on March 12, 2014 by geelw

Dreams can come true (with a little parental assistance)! The other cool dreamland product I say at Toy Fair won’t be out until later this Spring, but it’s a really neat idea on a few levels. Cassie Slane and Ami Van Dine, two moms created Dreamland Fairy after their six year old daughters came thought up the idea of a fairy house that they could keep in their rooms.

“Now what does one DO with a fairy house?” you ask? Well, since you’re a little behind the times and I’m a nice guy, I’ll let you in on the big deal because I happen to like it when you read my posts… Continue reading →

Feeling Peckish With a Pen (or Fork)? Open Up a Kanamit!

Posted on March 12, 2014 by geelw

So, I had a silly dream about that classic Twilight Zone episode “To Serve Man” and woke up feeling extra hungry for some reason (that episode usually has me feeling the opposite). I was also curious as to whether someone actually went to the trouble to create and translate that infamous Kanamit book into something readable just for fun. Or whatever “fun” one could get from such a tome (no spoilers here!). A quick search reveals that the fine folks at Entertainment Earth just so happen to carry a blank Kanamit Journal so YOU can write up your own take on that tome and try to slide it onto the shelf at your local public library. Or you can get all collect-y and go whole hog with a signed copy packed up in a collectible tin case with a Kanamit of your very own to cuddle.

Somehow, “cuddle” and “Kanamit” don’t quite fit together, but hey, it’s a small comfort considering humanity’s fate in that episode… Hmmm. I need to go find some food. Back in a bit…

Things I Learned @ Toy Fair 2014 #3: The Monster Eater Makes For A Fine Best Friend…

Posted on March 3, 2014 by geelw

Don’t be afraid of the dark! It’s always fun to prowl the floor at Toy Fair and see people with great ideas turning them into toys with a purpose and sometimes it’s indeed true that great minds think alike. I got to see a pair of excellent dream-related items at the show worth closer examination and thanks to the two happy ladies with fine tales to tell proudly showing off their products, I’m here to give you the rundown so you can go spend some money in the near future.

Einar, The Monster Eater comes to you from Wendy Lasater of Dandy Innovations. Wendy’s a housewife with a young daughter who tends to (as many kids do) have nightmares and used to come rushing into her parents’ room to sleep with them for comfort. While many parents find this behavior acceptable, Wendy wanted to set her daughter free of whatever monsters under, in and around her room were plaguing her. Enter Einar, and a new plush hero was born…. Continue reading →

Things I Learned @ Toy Fair 2014 (#2): It Takes A World Village…

Posted on February 26, 2014 by geelw

Share your travel experiences! Laura Barta travels a lot and wants you to do so too. Thanks to her company Whole Wide World Toys is set to make a splash with the first of a few World Village Playsets set in various countries that bring a bit of foreign fun home for the kids to play with and learn from. China is the first stop on Barta’s tour and the $59.99 set (set for a May 2014 launch) encourages not only play, but thanks to the included 32-page storybook, allows for children to get some reading time in to go with their play.

The colorful illustrated play mat (slightly reminiscent of the great Richard Scarry’s work sans the cute animal characters) is printed on a nice fabric, making it an interesting and arty shift away from a simpler cardboard game surface. A set of fourteen story cards are included to kick off imaginations about that faraway land (and perhaps some future travel plans?). The thirteen figures of people, animals, food and transportation are set in a puzzle frame that has the name of each piece in English and Mandarin Chinese (a nice touch), and if you’d like more elements for the set, an additional $39.99 gets you an extra three wooden pieces – a shop, house and boat, all of which add even more color and life to the set.

If you’re not ready to commit, or don’t quite have the space for the set if you live in a small space, you can (and should) at least snap up the wonderful My China Travel Journal (also available on Amazon in retail and Kindle versions). It’s 32 pages with some color illustrations and photos, telling the story of Emma and Joe, two American children as they explore parts of the country, meet people and enjoy the culture of that wonderful country. Barta’s writing is crisp and lays out some nice historical tidbits that keep the pages turning.

On a side note, I also have to thank Laura for introducing me to Palais des Thés and their very tasty Grand Yunnan Imperial Black Tea, as there was a bag included with info about the game. They have two retail shops here in NYC, but I’ve never been there all the time it’s been open. Well, that may change soon enough (either that, or I’ll be ordering some tea online very soon). It may not be the trip to China I’d prefer, but I think I’ll be happy nonetheless. That said, seeing this well-crafted playset and talking to Barta made for a great experience and she’s got plans for the next playset already. Ireland is the next stop for Whole Wide World Toys, so it’ll be interesting to see how that set looks once it’s ready.

Things I Learned @ Toy Fair 2014 (#1): Super Sprowtz Wants To Help Your Kids Eat Better*

Posted on February 24, 2014 by geelw

Well, besides there being way too much stuff for one person to cover without going slightly mad, I did pick up a few helpful life tips while poking round this year’s show. Below (and for the next few days) you’ll find those tips with a few products that come in quite handy for learning some essential life skills. Yes, this is a humor piece of sorts, but everything in these posts are things I saw and liked, so plugged it shall get. Onward!

(Thanks, SuperSprowtz!)

Eat Your Veggies! Super Sprowtz wants to change the way parents and kids look at and eat food and if their TF2014 presence was any indication, these healthy looking guys and gals are going to make a major impact over the next few years. Launched in 2011 by WILD Restaurant owner Radha Agrawal, the company is dedicated to getting kids to see and appreciate vegetables in a more positive manner using a wide range of media and fun activities to get them motivated and moving towards more healthy eating choices… Continue reading →

I Went To Toy Fair And All I Got Was This Lousy Bad Back (Okay, Not Really)…

Posted on February 19, 2014 by geelw

Owch. *squeeeak!* Hear that sound? It’s me bending over to see how swelled up my feet are. Eh, it’s not that bad, but I do need to lie down. I’m NOT lying down though – I’m typing this at the library because I figure I needed to post at least ONE update today before I went home and keeled over. I was planning to go home first, drop of the bags of stuff I’m carrying and then pop on out to write this post, but I very wisely decided to go straight to the library because I’d have tripped on a stray hair and landed square on my bed, never to rise again (well, until sometime tomorrow).

Anyway, the show was interesting as always. Made some new contacts, ran into a few old ones (and man, have some of them grown since last year!) and I’ll have a bunch of articles to write up over the next week or so. Hmmm… can I survive for the next hour and nine minutes or so and not keel over before I get kicked out of here? We shall see. Someone is going to sleep like a dead log tonight, that’s for sure…