Giddy Up N Go Pony

Find the complete seller list for the Goddyup Pony along with some other great ride on horses!

Find the complete line of Banzai and Little Tikes water slides!

Here are the latest deals on Banza water slides:

Banzai Wipeout Curve Water Park - newest Banzai for 2009 – price reduced from $599 to $399.99.

Banzai Falls Splash Blast Lagoon Waterslide – an older model and a little smaller – best value at $99 (originally $249).

Banzai Double Cannon Blast Waterslide - giant water slide with cannon – original $349, now available at $249.

Banzai Sidewinder Falls – the most popular water slide in 2008 – now available for $349.99 (originally $499).

Banzai Jungle Blast Water Park – a huge water slide with cannon and activities – originally $699 and now just $499.99.

Banzai Blackout Blast Waterslide – fun tunnel to slide through – originally $399, now just $249.

Little Tikes Water Slide

Little Tikes has two water slides this year:

Little Tikes Slam N Curve Water Slide – Little Tikes waterslides are know for durability – was $379.99, now just $298.

Little Tikes Rocky Mountain River Race – double waters slides – originally $640, now available for $348.

Compare water slide prices at major retailers now.

Find the complete selection of Power Wheels Battery Powered Ride On Toys and where to get the best prices at major retailers.

The Fisher-Price Power Wheels F150 Pickup Truck is currently the best selling ride on at Walmart. It has two speeds and reverse, with the ability to lock out high speed for beginners. It can drive on and through ruts, grass, gravel, mud and more making it great for backyard play. It also has a real working radio, motor sounds, tailgate, pretend seat belts, and cup holders.  There are 3 styles of Ford F150 ride ons – a basic one seater, a two seater, and the newest Harley Davidson Ford F150 ride on.

The off road style ATV vehicles are also quite popular including the Razor Dirt Quad Electric Four Wheeled Off-Road Vehicle and the Fisher Price Power Wheels KFX ATV. The Razor Dirt Quad reaches speeds up to 10 miles per hour so definitely for a little older kid.  It supports up to 120 pounds and is designed for off road.  The Fisher Price KFX comes in two versions, the Kawasaki and the Barbie. Top speed is 5 miles per hour and it is appropriate for ages 3 and up.  The KFX ride on also does well in off road or backyard environments.

Also included in the top sellers are the Fisher-Price Power Wheels Jeep Rubicon, the Peg Perego Polaris Sportsman 800 Twin Ride On, and the John Deere Gator HPX Ride-On.  The Power Wheels jeep is for 2 riders ages 3 and up and can be ridden on grass or sidewalk.  The Peg Perego Sportsman is for older kids, ages 5 – 10. It also can ride 2 children at once at speeds up to 7mph.  The John Deere Gator HPX also is for 2 kids and up to 130 pounds total.

There are numerous other battery powered ride ons, some that are even appropriate for toddlers. The single rider vehicles are less expensive as well.  For the little ones there is the Mini Cooper in blue or pink. The Silverado 6V can be used as a ride on or remote controlled vehicle.  The Batman Lil Quad, designed for toddlers,  is an inexpensive ride on for ages 1 to 3.

There are many more options including kids motorcycles. Check them out here and get a great price with free shipping!

Find the complete line of Battery Powered Ride On Toys!

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.

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.

The kids are out of school or will be soon and it is time to organize activities for the summer!  We think that the inflatable water slides are a great backyard activity that will keep the kids cool in the heat and entertained for hours.  And although they may seem kind of pricey with ranges from $200 to $800, compare that to a day at a public waterpark and it’s a bargain. Afterall, you’ll have your waterslide all summer.  Now there have been instances when the waterslides are packed away for the year and then when opened up there is a big disappointment when they no longer hold air. My suggestion is to budget as though it will only last one year and then it’s a bonus if you get another year out of your waterslide.  The other problem with the waterslides is getting them back in their original bag. Have you ever tried to get anthing inflatable back in it’s bag? You’ll have to figure out a way to store it folded up the best you can.

The inflatable water slides became popular in 2006 with the original Banzai Falls water slide. Last year, Little Tikes came out with two water parks and Banzai added several new water slides. There are other brands but Banzai and Little Tikes continue to be the most popular water slides in 2008.  If you are expecting to have more than one or two kids playing at a time, the double sildes will keep everyone moving. There are several this year. One of the newest and biggest is the Banzai Vortex Spin and Slide Aqua Park (also called the Banzai Pipeline Twist Aqua Park). It has two huge slides and a large splash pool.  Two water cannons add to the fun!

The Banzai Sidewinder Falls was the most popular waterslide in 2007 and it’s back this year.  The Sidewinder waterslide comes packaged with body board and water blaster guns or with cannons.  It has a climbing wall, large water slide and tunnel.

Little Tikes also has a hit this year with their Super Splash Waterpark and Crashing Waves Water Slide.  The Little Tikes Super Splash has a long slide, water cannons, spray to keep the slides wet and bouncy obstacle course. There are lots of activities to keep several kids active and engaged at once!

There are also two double slides – Banzai Double Drop Falls and Banzai Double Drop Raceway which are back this year. These would be great for Birthday parties where you want to get some racing game activities.  They could be complemented with inexpensive racing Slip n Slides.

Enough said, take a look at the entire product line of backyard waterslides here. If you can’t find the slide you’re looking for it either doesn’t exist or it’s out of stock.  Big tip, check the shipping charges.  Amazon has several with free shipping and Walmart has free shipping site to store on most of their waterslides.

The backyard bouncers this year are incredible.  The Little Tikes Bounce n Slide Jumper is a classic bouncer and slide for ages 3 and up. It measures 9′ x 12′ x 6′ high and of course is made of puncture resistant material.  It’s a great purchase for a birthday party.  Why rent, this bouncer is only $198! Little Tikes has several other backyard bouncers in cluding a sports center which are also well made and fun.

Mo Aire also has some great bouncers with a little more flashy designs. Their smallest features a tropical paradise with palm trees.  A larger Mo Aire Jolly Giant Air Fun System is 11H x 10W x 12D and includes a slide and game toss ring. This would also make a great home bouncer for a Birthday party.

Shooting Star Design has several new themed bouncers this year including a Safari Bouncer, Disco Jumper, Buzz Lightyear Bounce House, Magic Dragon Bounce House, Dodge Ball Bounce House and more! The Dodge Ball Bounce House is 20′ x 20′ x 10′  and includes dodge balls. We like the combination of sports and bounce!

For the budding gymnast, a trampoline can offer hours of outdoor fun. There are many sizes available. Be sure to purchase an enclosure so that your jumper doesn’t bounce right off the trampoline!  There are also small invidual jumpers with handles so that toddlers can jump along just like their big brother or sister!

Moon shoes, anti-gravity boots, and pogo sticks are also great fun for indivdual play!  There are some inexpensive options (moon shoes and basic pogo sticks) and also some high tech jumping technology. The gravity defying boots for adults state that a patented t-spring system transforms walking, jumping, or running into an exhilarating bounce and is easy on the joints. There are also extreme pogo sticks with up to 1200 pounds of thrust. That means that a 170 pound person can get up to 5 feet of elevation.  Safety gear (helmets, knee pads, etc) is recommended for these activities (shame on the manufacturers for not showing it in their promotional pictures). My niece Hannah is having a great time in her moon shoes and yes she is wearing her helmet!

Visit our Outdoor Toys site to find great deals on these and other great toys for fun outdoors!

The nominees for 2008 Outdoor Toy of the Year are the ESPN Better Batter Baseball by Fisher-Price, the RipStik Caster Board by RipStik USA, the Sidewalk Paint Sprayer by Crayola, the Super Splash Water Park by Little Tikes, and the Ultimate Family Wagon by Radio Flyer. Once again we have a fantastic list of toys to choose from!

I like the Little Tikes Super Splash Water Park. The inflatable water slides get bigger and better each year.  They are fun for both boys and girls and they appeal to a wide range of ages. It can be a fun way to invite the neighborhood kids over or the highlight of a birthday party.  The Little Tikes water slides get good marks for durability too.

If you like the Little Tikes water slide, just take a look at all of the fun new water slides for 2008!