A new Barbie movie
Take Two: "Dozens of little girls wearing tiaras -- and some in princess costumes -- crowded into Planet Hollywood on Monday to attend the launch of Mattel Inc.'s latest movie, "Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus."
This is Mattel's fifth direct-to-video release starring Barbie, the ubiquitous doll, as a princess. The film is based on an original story, and the DVD comes with 3-D glasses for viewing special scenes. Previous films were based on classic stories like Swan Lake, Nutcracker, and Rapunzel.
The Barbie princess movies and associated merchandise have been a cornerstone of Mattel's holiday toy offerings, and the company is counting on this one to be a show-stopper.
The Barbie brand has struggled over the past few years, but Mattel reported a resurgence in sales of the product line in the 2004 fourth quarter, as it incorporated music, consumer electronics, fashion and movies into the brand.
"These are big events for us," said Tim Kilpin, Mattel's senior vice president of girls' marketing and design. "Pretty much every year the Princess doll lands on top toys lists."
Dr. Toy Selects the Blobbies as Best Of 2005 - PR.com
Dr. Toy Selects the Blobbies as Best Of 2005:
Pers is proud to be part of this year's Dr. Toy winners, including: Mattel, Fisher Price, LEGO Systems, MGA Entertainment, and LeapFrog. This is the tenth award received by Peruvian writer/illustrator Jorge.
"Here Come The Blobbies" introduces the reader to the fantastic world of the Blobbies. This 40-page, full-color hardcover picture book includes bonus educational pages and "The Blobbie's Personality Chart", a color-based personality system created to help children learn about themselves, embrace their uniqueness, and understand others.
The included CD-ROM for Windows® and Macintosh® contains exciting games, educational toys and activities and fun songs to complete the Blobbie experience.
Brains for the Next Generation of Intelligent Child Toys
Sensory Chip Provides Brains for the Next Generation of Intelligent Toys -- Hasbro's New FURBY Is First
Toys for children are more and more technolically advanced these days.
Using a technology designed by Hasbro called EMOTO-TRONICS, the evolved FURBY creature displays many new personality characteristics that will make it more life-like and globally loved than ever.
"Because of advances in technology, we have been able to make the new FURBY with many of the features that we had wanted to put in the original but could not because of cost," said Leif Askeland, Vice President of Engineering and Technology Development for Hasbro.
"Thanks to Sensory's cutting-edge ICs and speech technologies, the new FURBY creature can actually listen to what you say and respond in a very vibrant fashion."
The new FURBY creature "understands" requests to sing a favorite song, tell jokes, dance and play interactive games. It can also communicate with children and other FURBY creatures using human languages, as well as its native "Furbish," making it a uniquely multilingual product.
Will toys come to life this Christmas?
Technology News Article | Reuters.co.uk: This holiday season, toys will be coming to life -- well almost.
Toy companies are hoping that high-tech toys are going to be at the top of kids' wish lists this holiday season, as a flurry of sophisticated playthings hit store shelves.
With toys and gadgets like an updated Furby, a plush Elmo that remembers a child's name and habits, a robotic dog and a belching alien-like music maker, toymakers are working to win back tech-savvy kids who left the toy aisle in favor of video games, DVDs and electronic gadgets.
"Kids want to have the latest in technology, just like adults," said Reyne Rice, toy trends specialist for the Toy Industry Association. "Kids have grown up with computers for children. They are not afraid of technology, they embrace it."
Some of these cutting-edge items are highly interactive, others are kid-friendly versions of adult gadgets like MP3 digital music players, cell phones and video cameras, while some are built to enhance the tech toys kids already have.
Toymakers have been able to use increasingly cheap -- and more sophisticated -- technology to extend already popular brands or give life to flagging franchise.
"Kids are very comfortable with technology and these toys reflect that. When the microwave and car talk to you it's perfectly reasonable that toys do," said toy consultant Chris Byrne. "But it comes down to whether it's fun. All the chips in the world won't make a bad toy good."
The $20 billion toy industry, which has been losing sales for the past few years, is scrambling to hold on to customers and attract new ones.
While some denounce the technology craze for stunting imaginative play, others point out that it's a game of survival in an increasingly cutthroat toy industry which has seen the bankruptcy -- and restructuring -- of well-known toy retailing icons like FAO Schwarz and KB Toys, and the sale of Toys R Us to private equity and real estate investors.
Back to school
Dr Toy's Tips for Back to School Play and Learning:
Here are some tips from Dr. Toy to make your child's transition back to school easier:
- Make sure your child's toys, games and playthings are easily accessible and stored in easy to locate boxes and shelves.
- Limit TV until other activities such as creative projects have been enjoyed, homework and chores have been completed, and some time has been spent in outdoor play.
- Outdoor space is important to children who have been in school all day. Outdoors activities offer opportunities to release stress and exercise.
- Schedule or support ongoing activities that your child can look forward to in the afternoon, particularly ones that offer a sense of accomplishment like swimming or music lessons, arts and crafts projects, hobbies and other creative activities.
- Set aside social time with other children outside of school. Creating time for informal get-togethers help children learn important inter-personal skills.
- Don't forget to read stories to your child. Make "read-aloud" a family activity, and, whenever possible, a daily or regular ritual.
- Encourage imaginative play: books, games, and creative pursuits. Guide your child toward hobbies and projects, especially those that spark an interest in science, nature, biology, math, geography or other areas that help them to find more interest in specific subjects.
- Help your child become more independent by learning how to take care of personal needs like homework and personal grooming. Regardless of age teach your child to get clothes and school requirements ready the night before to reduce stress in the morning.
Del. Guard will tote toys to Iraq
Del. Guard will tote toys to Iraq: "Delaware Army National Guard engineers bound for Iraq this month will bring along their tools and equipment when they board the aircraft that will take them there.
And Beanie Babies.
Lots of them.
The Beanie Babies have been collected by the RGW Foundation to honor Cpl. Stephen McGowan, a paratrooper who was killed in March while on duty in Iraq. McGowan, a 1996 St. Mark's High School graduate, gave out Beanie Babies and other toys to Iraqi children when he and his unit were on patrol. In one of his last letters home he asked his family and friends to send him more child toys instead of Christmas presents."
