We love Mom entrepeneurs and Acting Out fits the category. Andrea Nasstrom and Anna Hazard created the original musical dress up skirts in 2003.  Their products have won over 14 national toy awards including several Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum awards.  Check here to find where to purchase the Musical Dress Up clothes.  Andrea was kind enough to provide some outfits for a mother of 5 kids under the age of 5.  Yes, we found a Mom with quadruplets and an older sister. Here’s our busy Mom’s review:

I was very impressed with every costume we received from Acting Out, excellent quality and very original products.  One perk too was being able to press the button on the music box to start the music but also to stop it if you didn’t want it to play through.  Another great quality about all these dresses was the adjustable sizing.  Not something you find in most play clothes.

The Knight/Pirate cape was so soft and well made.  I love the concept of the reversible cape.  Everyone likes to get two for the price of one.  It also had a great fit for just about any size.

Musical Hokey Pokey & Can Can skirt:  Definitely our favorite!  Again the two in one but all of my girls love the ruffles and the twirling.

Chicken Dance skirt:  My girls love to dress up and dance but it lasts much longer when this fun skirt is being worn!  The cute skirt and fun music makes everyone want to dance!

Musical Waltz dress:  With the pretty dress and wonderful music it makes any girl feel like a beautiful dancer! 

Swan Lake Ballerina skirt:  What girl doesn’t love sparkly pink?!?  The quality and soft satin lining makes this a skirt that will be put to use frequently.

We know this Mom and family will have hours of fun with these great products. If you would like to assist us with toy reviews, learn more here.

Find more information on where to Buy the Acting Out Musical Dress Up Skirts.

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Children grow up quickly, especially infants - they move from one stage of development to another in what seems the blink of an eye.  One fun way to be ready for each new stage is to order the baby toys matched to a baby’s development from ebeanstalk.  A new age appropriate toy arrives every 3 months.  There are several gift series to choose from starting at $83 for 4 toys. All series include free shipping. If this is your first purchase with ebeanstalk, you can receive a 15% discount with promotion code TGS345 . Check out the Newborn Gift Series and One Year Old Gift Series.

Need a little help picking toys for your baby or for a newborn gift? Here are some baby facts that should help with selection:

1. A newborn will briefly follow objects with their eyes and will also attempt to imitate facial expressions. Visiual toys are important at this age.  Newborns also love to be held and will quiet down when picked up.

2. A three month old likes to play a little more, reaching for objects and starting to show repetition with their activities. A three month old baby toy might offer more hand manipulation in addition to visual stimulus. Your baby will begin to respond to your voice and even understand words like “no” while they begin their own babbling.

3.  A six month baby will play more with toys. They enjoy peek a boo with hidden objects and baby will even search for the toy. Your baby will probably be more mobile, starting to roll onto their back.  Baby will often now understand their name and respond to your voice.

4. A nine month old baby toy will allow even more child interaction, such as pushing a toy vehicle or animal. They will enjoy games with sound such as pat a cake and toys with sound too.  Baby may be crawling around or pulling themselves up in attempt to learn to stand and walk.

For more help with selecting age appropriate developmental toys, check out ebeanstalk’s baby toys page.

Find additional gift ideas, you might also want to look at our Infant Toys and Preschool Toys pages.

Since the Banzai waterslide was introduced in 2006, the home water slides have been hugely popular for backyard fun and birthday parties. This year we have the largest selection ever with newer brands such as KidWise and  Blast Zone  adding to the popular slides from Banzai and Little Tikes. 

Find the complete list of 2009 Water Slides and where to purchase at the best prices!

Banzai still has some of the most popular slides and they are bigger than ever this year (so is the price). The Banzai Wipeout Curve Water Park has a climbing wall, curved slide, activity lagoon and water blasting cannon.  The suggested retail price is $749 but we see it listed for $698 and $599 with free shipping.  The construction is listed as heavy duty Dura-Tech. Also available this year is the Banzai Roaring Rapids Water Park with 3 slides. There is a large curved slide and a dual slide pair which can be fun for birthday party races.  We have seen it listed for $649 and $898. The Banzai Jungle Blast Water Park is back with 2 waterslides, water fall, and cannon. It is available for $699.

Little Tikes as in past years has two models for 2009.  The Little Tikes Slam n Curve Slide is the single slide with rock wall and curved slide. It is designed so that parents can see all of the action which is important with little ones. The list price is $379.99 and Little Tikes water slides are known for durability.  The larger product is the Little Tikes Rocky Mountain River Race with two water slides, rock wall and splah pool. Two spray hoods keeps the slides slippery. There is also a surprise dump bucket as the kids climb on the rock wall. The Rocky Mountain water slide lists for $499.99 but we see it available for $426.

Kidwise Outdoors has a colorful Mega Water Slide with a full water slide and smaller slide more like a slip n slide. Note that there is no real splash pool and you’ll want to limit the kids to one at a time on the big slide so they don’t bump into each other. Great price at just $299.

Blast Zone has a fun pirate themed combination bounce house and water slide. It also comes with two water cannons. Lots of activities for a list price of $599 and currently available for just $521.

Find the best deals on all of these great new waterslides for the backyard.

Kindle 2

I picked up the Kindle 2.0 for myself and also think it would make a great Mother’s Day gift, Birthday gift or Graduation gift. I wanted the Kindle both for the ease of carrying multiple books for travel and for the green aspects.  I really hate to pay money for books that I will read once and discard.  Ok, I do take my used books to Goodwill so I do think they are probably read at least a second time. Well, the Kindle is impressive! It can hold hundreds of books and if the local storage is not enough, copies of your books with your own notes are forever availabe at Amazon.  That works if you loose your Kindle as well.  The books are easy to read. The Previous and Next keys are easy to manipulate.  The font size can be changed to your own preferred size.

The battery life is really impressive. The Kindle can go for 2 weeks without being re-charged. Amazon provides free access to the Internet through WhisperNet.  This is, of course, to purchase books but also can be used to search Google and access any Internet site.  Last week I was sitting with a family member in a doctor’s waiting room, we spent the time on the Kindle googling different medical terms in her test results, preparing ourselves with questions for the visit. It was very cool.  Whenever I am reading in public, I always get curious questions about my device.

The Kindle also has a read to me feature. I haven’t used it much as I like quiet time but it could be used for listening in the car or on an airplane with headphones.

Is there anything I don’t like about the Kindle. Well yes, it does seem inconvenient to flip through as you would a book. If a book has pictures in the center, I like to sometimes look at them more then once.  It’s not easy to find them with the Kindle. You would have to remember to bookmark them as you read to be able to get back to them.  Maybe there is an easier way but I haven’t found it yet.

Overall, I love my Kindle and highly recommend it.  Here’s the link to read reviews or purchase at amazon:
Kindle 2: Amazon’s New Wireless Reading Device (Latest Generation)

Easter is in mid April this year and spring break usually falls close to that date.  With any luck, there will be good weather in your area and a chance for outdoor toys and activities! If you are staying home, the money you save on travel could be invested in some quality toys that will be used for spring and summer fun.  We all know that TV and video games can be used to entertain but we want to talk about getting the kids busy with physical and educational activities that are both fun and stimulating. 

For the backyard, lets start with swing sets.  There are 3 main construction materials, wood swing sets, metal swing sets and plastic swing sets. If you have a large backyard, there are some impressive wooden swing sets with club houses, slides, sand boxes, and more. Some of the things you will want to consider are:

• Size - of course you need to be sure you have the room.
• Features - consider not only will be good this year but for the next few years as the kids grow up.
• Set Up and Assembly - read the fine print. One of the popular swingsets we checked out stated that it takes 2 adults working together approximately 10 - 14 hours.  That’s a 2 day job for 2 people. It probably is worth it but if you’re not expecting it, the assembly could be a big aggrevation.
• Age and Weight - Can multiple kids play at once? Will the kids be able to use the set for several years? Preferably the swing set is strong enough for adults too so there is no worry about the kids outgrowing it.
• Price and Shipping Charges - Don’t forget to check the combination of price, tax, and shipping.
• Reviews - A swing set can be a pretty big investment, so check out the online reviews to see what other parents have thought about their purchase. Both Amazon and Walmart have reviews right on the site.

The above suggestions also apply to metal swing sets.  The metal swing sets tend to take up less room and be less expensive.  They typically are swing sets with a few options like slides and gliders.  One of the basic metal swingsets suggested 1.5 to 2 hours for 2 adults to assemble. Now that one sounds very doable. Tools are required so be aware that you might end up making a run to the hardware store.  Be sure to check the upper age or weight limit.

I hate to use the term plastic swing sets because it somehow might imply cheap construction.  This is not the case. The swing sets from Little Tikes and Step2 are very well made. The Little Tikes Endless Adventures PlayCenter, shown to the right, is a great full function swing set with playhouse, slide, glider, climbing net, sandbox, and swings.  The recommended age is 3 to 9 years old, although we think this set is primarily designed for the younger end of that age range. They advertise splinter free, easy assembly - that’s a bonus!

We have a huge selection of wooden, metal and plastic swing sets for all budgets listed at Top Toys for Kids. For spring break fun and summer activities, you might also want to take a look at backyard bouncers, water slides, and ride ons.  We’ll discuss them in more detail in a future post.

Sometimes it pays to wait.  There are some award winning toys that were just plain overstocked and now are on sale for great prices! And there is still time for free shipping.

U-Dance by Tiger is a fast moving dance game that can be played alone or with friends. The manufacturer’s recommended ages is 5 - 12.  U-Dance is receiving 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon from folks who paid $74.95 for it.  It’s now available for just $19.99 and eligible for super saver shipping.  Find U-Dance and more great gifts for pre-teens!

Last year the Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage was one of the top sellers of the season. Playskool came out with two more play houses but they just didn’t take off as well. Now you can pick up both for bargain prices. The Playskool Dream Town Sweet Lily Castle with Dress Up is a 5 foot tall castle for fun pretend play. It comes with a princess dress up set and a frog prince!  Originally priced at $199.99, the castle is now available for $65.99 and eligible for free super saver shipping. This castle is designed for ages 3 to 6.

Also on sale from Playskool, is the Cherry Blossom Market.  Just over 4 feet tall, a colorful market with walk up window. This play market was $59.99 and now is only $15. Wow, it’s a give away. You’ll probably want to pick up some of the accessories too such as the Ice Cream Set which is also $15.  Still makes for a great playset at a great price.  Find the Playskool Cherry Blossom Market and accessories.

There were lots of new robots this year, maybe just too many.  One of the cool ones is the WowWee Tribot Talking Companion.  He talks and moves and is interactive. Aimed at ages 8 and up, Tri-Bot originally sold for $99.99 but is available now for just $49.99. Find the WowWee Tribot and more great Robot toys.

Yes, it’s getting a little late for shopping but not too late. Free shipping is still available and you might as well pick up on some great toy sales now!  Why wait until after Christmas?

We all know that some folks do their shopping at the stores on Christmas Eve. You can almost wait that long with online shopping.  Today was the last day for some retailers to guarantee delivery with ground shipping but  there are still many shipping options to get the things you want before Christmas.

Amazon Prime Shipping - I signed up for Amazon Prime about a year ago and it has been fabulous. Amazon Prime features free two day shipping and one day shipping is just $3.99.  That means you could wait until Dec 22 to do your holiday shopping and still get your stuff shippied free in time for Christmas!  Amazon Prime is $79 per year which at first seems like a lot but I have used it extensively and have gotten way more than $79 in free shipping. I don’t worry whether I have a $5 item or a large item as there is no minimum order size.  The item does have to ship from Amazon so I do watch for the best products available directly from Amazon.com.

Walmart Free Shipping Site to Store has been available for a little over a year.  If you live near a store and shop there anyway, it’s a great way to get free shipping on online orders.  The standard site to store is 7 - 10 days and we’re on the last day to get shipping by Christmas.  Just in time for the holidays, Walmart now has site to store express for just $29 per year.  Express shipments are 3 to 5 days so quite a bit faster but still not as fast as overnight or 2 day shipping.  In order to arrive by Christmas, you’ll want to order by Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Tomorrow some merchants will announce reduced rates on expedited shipping (2 day, 3 day, overnight).  For example, National Geographic, which has some great educational toys will be offering a special rate on Express and Overnight shipping for orders over $75.  This rate will be good for December 16th and 17th only (unless they extend it).

So, if you’re still shopping around, you’re not too late, head back over to Top Toys for Kids and pick up some of the hottest toys of the season!

Black Friday sales were to get customers to stores, today the push starts to keep the online shopping moving! Both Amazon and Walmart have some great sales going. The end time is not fixed, it may end early if they run out of stock.

The Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera in blue or pink is on sale for $37.88.  It previously has sold for $52.37 and $48.88. This camera has been around for a couple of years and was updated this year to be water proof.  That’s a cool feature making it really indestructible.  It has an easy view finder and stores up to 500 pictures. Pick up now and you’ll use it for holiday photos and next years vacation! Find the best deals on the Kid Tough Camera!

Walmart has a special buy on the Fisher-Price Power Wheels Barbie Jeep and Fisher-Price Power Wheels Hot Wheels Jeep.  Both are just $135 today.  It is a 6 volt single seat vehicle for ages 3 and up.  Note that the Fisher-Price Power Wheels Barbie Jammin Jeep is $250 but it is a bigger vehicle, seating 2 and with 2 speeds and power lock brakes. The pink Mini Cooper is also a special buy today for just $159. Find a huge selection of Battery Powered Ride-Ons.

We also have the D-Rex dinosaur on sale today.  D-Rex has recently been available for $148 but today we find it for $130 with a $15 eGift Card.  This is an online only special.  Kota My Triceratops Dinosaur is available for $199 with free shipping (and this is a large item).  Fisher-Price Imaginext Spike the Ultra Dinosaur is still $128 with free shipping.  Find all the hot new Dinosaur Toys on sale!

Happy shopping!

Toy prices are rather fluid this year. It’s all about supply and demand. We reported on 11/15 that the D-REX Interactive Dinosaur was on sale for $129.  Consumers should have grabbed it then because it is back up to $148.  Kota the Triceratops Dinosaur had dropped from $299 to $239 and is even lower today at $199 including a $15 eGift card. Reviews are excellent on Kota but we suspect the price tag and size have prevented it from being a top seller.  The Hasbro FurReal Biscuit My Lovin Pup dropped to $149 on 11/8 and is now available for $129.  Another fun product with great reviews, now at an excellent price! Finally the Giddyup Pony which was selling for $149 is expected to be back in stock in late November but you won’t see it at $149, Amazon and others are now showing it back at $199.

Will the prices go lower? We think not on Kota and Biscuit.  Possibly on DREX but sales are very strong even at the current prices so to wait might cause disappointment on Christmas (if DREX sells out).

We are surprised to see that Walmart (and others) are out of stock already on some of the higher priced items.  We are not sure why, either they didn’t get enough inventory to start with or they are holding back inventory for the stores or for sales later on.  In any case, we will be watching to see if the following toys come back in stock.  The good news is that Amazon still has inventory, great prices, no taxes in most states, and free shipping on many items! That is hard to beat! 

The D-REX Interactive Dinosaur is in stock at Amazon for $129.99 Here’s a link to find all of the fun new dinosaur toys for 2008.  Besides D-REX, we have Spike, Kota, PLEO (from 2007) and more.

The High School Musical 3 High School Playset is still available for $99.99 at Amazon.

The Giddyup N Go Ride On Pony is $149.99 at Amazon and you will have to pay for shipping.  There are also some other great ride on animals including zebra, lions, and tigers but they are considerably higher priced at about $300 each. The exception is the FurReal Butterscotch Pony and S’Mores Pony.  These great toys have been around since 2006 and 2007 and there are some great sale prices.

Inventory and prices are dynamic and we suggest purchasing now if you find what you want.  The retailers are worried more than ever about overall holiday sales this year and inventories might be lower than usual on many items.