Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

My children tell me they are freezing to death (or at least Miss E is sharing this proclamation with me). Little C prefers to stomp his feet and just say "Brrrrrrrrrrr." Ahh, the joys of January. The tree is down, the lights are packed away, and the boxes of decorations all stacked away in the attic. The cold reality that winter is here can no longer be disguised by reindeers, ribbons and mistletoe. Every errand requires an additional 20 minutes of layering and dressing (I am sure you true "Northerners" are giggling, but to girls raised in the deep south, 24 degrees is COLD).

January is the month in which many parents must dig deep into their resources for indoor activities. You might relax the rules a little and allow elaborate forts out of the den cusions or even sofa dancing "Flashdance" style...anything to get the ya-yas out! After baking goodies for everyone on your street (cupcakes and cookies are great distractions, but not for the new year's diet plan!) and extracting snowflakes and collages out of the remaining construction paper, rest assured your little friend Kobold has some ideas to keep the troops entertained! The best part is that you only have to open the door to pick up the delivery box - no need to bundle up and brave the winds when winter crafts can come right to the doorstep!

Kobold's top three picks for keeping busy and having fun learning are:

1. Any craft kit from 4M. Dinosaur bone digging.... rocket launching...mosaics...crochet...science projects. These incredible kits, $15.99 and under, are perfect for the winter doldrums. Kobold especially likes the Princess Window Mosaic and the Soda Can Robug (a "green" robot!).

2. Games! Kobold loves the games from German company Ravensburger. Known for their puzzles and games, Kobold is recommending Teddy Bear Mix & Match (cards are shaped like bears!) and Tell-A-Story Game. In the Tell-A-Story game each player uses their memory skills to try to be the first player to collect all five story cards about a single character. Once all of the players have collected all of their story cards, they arrange their cards to tell a story of their choice. This game encourages children to develop their imagination and creativity as well as logical thinking and language skills.

3. Puzzles are a tried and true favorite of our little Kobold. The 2 foot x 3 foot jumbo Fire Engine Shaped Floor Puzzle by Shure is oversized, durable, glossy pieces printed with colorful, hand-painted artwork are big fun for little puzzlers! Kobold also offers floor puzzles from Mudpuppy and the more advanced "Discover The World" Puzzleball by Ravensburger. Discover The World Puzzleball includes 540 pieces and is 8.5" in diameter when completed. The puzzle comes with its own stand so you can celebrate the accomplishment and keep it safe from the curious fingers of little brothers and sisters.

Kobold Toys also offers building blocks, art supplies and the very best of toys to promote learning so visit the site for more ideas for entertaining your own children or the must-have gift.

Kobold and his team wish you and your family a very happy and healthy 2010. We are grateful for your support of Kobold Toys, and look forward to sharing our favorite finds from around the world with you again this year.

Stay warm and have fun learning!

Ideas for Father's Day

Father's Day is fast approaching, and if you are like me you are trying to come up with an idea that does not involve golf balls, blue shirts, or pictures of the kids on mugs. Shopping for the men on my list is NOT easy. Not because they would not love and appreciate more golf balls, more shirts and more pictures of the children, but because I am bored of the same old thing! The team at Kobold Toys happily offers some new suggestions for the Dads, Pops and PaPas on your list.

For the "Crafty Dad" we recommend the Made by Me Kit. This kit comes with four natural wood vehicles (train, tugboat, truck and tractor) that a child would love to put together and decorate with his/her favorite father or grandfather.

For the Game and Puzzle Lover...anything from Ravensburger! The Earthball is a unique three-dimensional puzzle that inspires a world of wonder among both kids and adults. It's specially crafted from sturdy, curved plastic pieces that fit securely in place to form a round, smooth ball. Cool! Once completed, proudly display it anywhere using the included sturdy metal V-shaped stand.

Maybe your spouse or parent wants to unleash their inner Paul Cézanne. Start them off with the Faber-Castell water color brush and paint set. Don't forget the water color pad and the art lessons at the local school or museum!

Have a Dad with a need for speed? Give him the 4M Propeller Racer. Dad and child can construct a propeller racer car with this 4M fun mechanics kit and watch as it blazes a path over smooth surfaces.

My husband is very adept at catching flies. It is inevitable that with two small children going in and out to the backyard that a fly makes his way into our home. My daughter and I do not like flies. at. all. Lucky for all of us I am married to a man who rivals Mr. Miyagi (think Karate Kid). If you married a man who is bug phobic, Kobold suggests the Grab-a-Bug. He can catch the bug, pretend to study it, and then happily release it into the wild without touching it.

The good thing about Dads (or at least my husband, my dad and my father-in-law) is that they just love the "love" on Father's Day and any day for that matter! Gifts or no gifts, don't forget to give the Dads in your life a big hug and a big thank you on June 21st!

Have a great week!

Note to family members who read this blog: The adorable PlanToys grandfather pictured here is in no way representative of Pop or Papa C!

Kobold Toys' "Beat The Heat" Campaign!

Summer is here (unless you live in the DC metro area, then some strange monsoon season is here)! The worst words a parent can hear are "I am bored." To help you and your beloved "Beat the Heat" and have the most fun under the sun in the coming months, each Wednesday Kobold Toys will feature a favorite toy for the week. For one week you can receive a 10% discount on that item as well as any other item from that brand.

In yesterday's blog, we talked about Sleestaks and crystals from the TV show amd film Land of the Lost. We are kicking off our summer campaign with the Crystal Mining Set by 4M.

Since its inception in 1993, 4M specializes in producing creative play things for curious kids. Their team is dedicated to the development of fascinatingly creative and stimulating products which enliven kid's natural curiosity, giving them the opportunity to experiment in an exciting, but safe way; and more important, to inspire children's thoughts and experiences beyond even their own wildest dreams.

The 4M products range in price from $7.00 to $15.99. These are terrific birthday gifts for all ages! This week you can purchase the crystal mining set or any other cool products by 4M and receive a 10% discount when you use the code AVX2GF at check-out. Kobold Toys also offers free shipping for orders over $40!

Have fun learning and check back next Wednesday for the next toy of the week.

Pass the word!

Land Of The Lost -- Yikes!

Although I am one of those Moms that rarely has the chance to see a movie at the theatre, I have definitely been inspired by the summer releases these past weeks. I remember watching the wacky reruns of the TV show Land of the Lost with my brother. I didn't understand the existence of the Sleestaks. They were so slow and so inept at the use of the crossbow, one would have thought the dinosaurs would have devoured them in no time. There was also the strange little monkey boy. A little creepy... The Marshall family also struck me as some odd ducks. I have to admit I preferred the Lost in Space wackadoodles (aka the Robinson family) to the Marshalls. At least Penny was smart, and they had a cool robot. It is true that if a movie date arises, Land of the Lost is not high on the list; however, the summer movie "du jour" does let us celebrate some of Kobold's favorite toys. If you must see the film with your children, you can help revive some brain cells by linking learning to some of the key plot points.

Dinosaurs are prevalent in Land of the Lost. From the move previews I have seen, Rick Marshall is very misinformed about the T-rex. Be a paleontologist, dig and excavate the skeleton of the gigantic animals which hunted the Marshall family with the Dig-a-Dino kit. Assemble the skeletons. Pose it and display it. It's so cool!Each kit contains a plaster block with the skeletons buried, a special digging tool, a brush and display platform with with fun facts about the related dinosaur and Kidz Quiz (10 questions and answers about dinosaurs).

In addition to smoldering volcanoes and the dangerous jungle, the Marshall family also had to contend with giant insect men. Turn your child into a naturalist with the Bug Hut. The Bug Hut makes a beautiful home for any (size appropriate) bug children can find!

Crystals are a very important feature of the Land of the Lost TV show. I never understood why. Maybe if I had the 4M Crystal Mining Set I could have had a deeper appreciation of their role. The crystal mining set contains 1 plaster block with 8 natural crystals buried inside, 1 specially designed digging tool, 1 brush, 1 magnifier, 1 set display case with cover and base card, 1 pouch bag and detailed instructions with fun facts.

I referenced the strange monkey boy and the Sleestaks. All I can say is they were very interesting creatures. If your child likes the "strange," then try the Mudpuppy Monster Magnetic Toy. With mysterious backgrounds like haunted houses and alien planets and over 40 imaginative monster parts, you have everything you need to create scary, funny, and totally crazy monsters (like those that dominated 60s and 70s television shows).

Rick, Will and Holly Marshall found themselves in the Land of the Lost after a routine expedition went awry. Adventure is fun- but it can be short-lived if you don't have the necessary skills and knowledge to stay alive! Have fun learning!~ Ashley

Summer Giveaways!

Kobold's summer marketing campaign has started! Over the past few months, we have been reviewing the popular Mommy and product blogs, and looking for ways to increase our exposure. As someone new to the blogging world, this has been a daunting task. I have been impressed by the savvy women entrepreneurs I have encountered- it is a wildly diverse and interesting culture.

Right now you can read reviews on Kobold's products and enter giveaways on two of our marketing partner sites. For a video review of the 4M Science Magic Kit and a chance to win one, visit Christine's The Power of Housewife WOM. Christine's blog offers giveaways, product reviews, and insight into life with her two girls (one of whom has cerebal palsy).

Five minutes for Mom reviewed the Neat-Oh Zip bins - specifically the Dino Playset and the Mini Mansion. You can also enter a giveaway to win both the back pack and mini-mansion. The mission at 5 Minutes for Mom.com is to provide an essential, go-to site for moms that entertains and informs, while promoting the online mom community.

If you have a favorite Mom blog, please share it with us! And pass the word about these great products and giveaways!

Up, Up And Away!

The new Pixar movie Up opened to rave reviews this past weekend. I find it hard to believe that a story about a grumpy balloon salesman who ties thousands of balloons to his home and flies away to South America for adventure would not appeal to the masses. I know my daughter will love it on the next rainy day.

My children love to watch things go "up" - unless of course, it is that single balloon that accidentally escapes the death grip as they make the perilous trek from the car to the house. In honor of balloons everywhere, here are some of Kobold's favorite toys that go up, up and away.

First on the list, airplanes. At our local airport there is a great park where you can sit and watch the airplanes take off into the sky. We always like to take turns guessing where the plane is going. Want to encourage your pilot's prentend play? Then we recommend the PlanToys Airport and the ZipBins Shape Airport.

Today we biked to the Mall and after a picnic took a quick trip through the Naitonal Air and Space Museum. We learned about the Wright brothers, walked through a display on the universe, looked at rockets, and then my darling tomboy ended the visit with a ride on a simulator- the Cosmic Coaster. You can countdown to fun and learning with the Cosmic Rocket ship, This kit by 4M allows your child to assemble their very own rocket, fuel it with a vinegar/backing soda mix and watch it blast off! The kit includes rocket, launch pad and instructions (backing soda and vinegar not included).

My bird lovers enjoy the daring dips and soars of our backyard friends. The Bloco Birds of Prey set celebrates the "high flyers." With its 280 pieces, it provides enough possible combinations to create flockfuls of original flying creatures. The set also includes instructions to build smaller and less complicated birds.

When I asked my daughter, what other things go "up," she answered toast. At our house, the toaster shoots the finished product straight into the sky. The click of the spring and the sight of the toast going up never fails to entertain my son.

Today, ask your child what they like to see go "up" - it may surprise you!~ Happy June 1st!

Rainy Days & Mondays

The Carpenters were on to something with their 1971 hit - rainy days and Mondays can REALLY get you down. Although my children are feeling better, we have been besieged by less than favorable weather. Sick children and rain - not a winning combination. In fact, my daughter looked out the window today, put her hands on her hips, and stated "I am NOT happy."

Yesterday, Kobold provided some ideas for toys on the go. In case our "rain, rain go away" dance is ineffective, today we offer you some toy ideas when you are house bound due to illness or weather.

Made by Me Vehicle Kit. Your child can construct and decorate a truck, train, tugboat and tractor.

We love puzzles in our house, especially the scenes created by the artists at Mudpuppy. Their line of Color Me puzzles has a beautiful scene on one side (sea, rush hour, and enchanted kingdom) and on the reverse side the same scene blank waiting for your child to color to his/her taste.

If a storm unnerves your child, consider the story of Rumble & Bolt - a simple story of a friendship that develops between a thunder cloud and a lightning bolt. It's a playful explanation to comfort the young hearts and minds of all children.

For the crafty child, Kobold recommends the Mosaic kits by 4M - dolphins, fairies, mermaids, and princess. No glue, no mess and a colorful project everyone can enjoy when the sun finally shines again!