Kobold's Favorite Travel Toys for Kids

For many of us, now that the sun is out, we start crafting our plans for spring break, weekend excursions and summer travel.   Keeping the kiddos entertained during escapes (or just a long wait at the pediatrician) can always be a challenge.  Here are some of Kobold's favorite take-along toys:

Shure's Dress your Bear Cubs includes 45  magnetic wooden outfit pieces that your child will love. Adorable watercolor illustration style  and detailed pieces create fabulous story-telling opportunities!  Includes 2 bears, 45 magnetic wooden outfit and accessory pieces and  vinyl carrying bag with storage pockets.  Kobold also recommends the Daisy Girls Dress Up Ballet by Shure too!

 

Playmobil's Take-Along Sets are a Kobold favorite.  The Pirate Treasure Chest Take-Along, awarded the "best  toy of the year" award by Parents Magazine, will transport your child to the pirates' world. The chest offers three exciting  playscapes to provide fun and exciting imaginative play experiences.  With one side opened, the chest reveals the pirates cove - an inlet that  needs to be protected from invading enemies. With both sides open, the chest reveals a treasure island. The set  includes three pirates, a few animals, a canon, a chest and other  accessories. Not a pirate lover, then check out the Playmobil Dollhouse Take-Along!

The Zoo Babies Collector Case by Safari Ltd. is a fun take-along  carrying case featuring 12 creatures from the land, sea and air. Each  hand painted replica fits snugly in its own compartment and provides an  easy way to transport hours of fun! Also available in a wildlife theme and mysteries of the deep theme.

Kobold's favorite art cases from Faber Castell are back in stock and range in prices from $14.99 to $49.99.  Release your child's inner Monet or Matisse with the beautifully constructed erasable crayons, pencils, modeling clay and paints from Faber Castell.  Hours of fun!

We all know that a child with crayons or ZOOB building pieces is a happier child.  Take-Along toys  may  eliminate a few "are we there yets" and "can we go nows"... and that makes happier parents!

Happy April! All of us at Kobold Toys wish you a safe and happy Easter weekend whether you are traveling or staying at home.   Have fun learning.... have fun period!

Don't forget there are only 13 days left to use the PlanToys discount code.  Use code F5G8LL at checkout and you will save 20% on all PlanToys products through April 14th.  And, don't forget, Kobold offers free shipping on all orders over $40.

Run Dunkirk! Run!

Before the Kentucky Derby, I read the names of the horses racing aloud and asked my daughter to pick the winner. She confidently chose Friesian Fire. Crestfallen, but not deterred when Mine That Bird won, she again selected Friesian Fire for the Preakness. She stood on our sofa, pumping her arms in the air, screaming “Faster Friesian Fire, Faster!” After a few crocodile tears, she decided she was happy that a “girl horse” won. Friesian Fire is not running in the Belmont Stakes, and my daughter has decided that the winning horse will be “Dunkirk. Or the winner may be Brave Victory. It is going to be close.”

Here are a few of my daughter’s favorite horse facts learned in preparation for her career as a part-time cowboy, part-time space ranger:

*A horse typically sleeps two and half to three hours a day.
*There are about 75 million horses in the world.
*Horses sleep longer in the summer than in the winter.
*A zedonk is the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. (She wants a pet zedonk).
*A horse is measured in units known as hands. One hand is equal to four inches.
*A horse's average lifespan is twenty to thirty years.
*Horses cannot vomit.
*Mine That Bird flew to New York. (I include this fact because my daughter is still trying to figure out where horses are allowed to sit aboard airplanes, and the queries have been pretty funny).
*Jockey Calvin Borel does not wear his teeth when he races. (This is not a confirmed fact, but we have it on good authority from Kentucky friends that this is true. My daughter thinks this “fact” is hilarious too).

Kobold's Trifecta Picks of Pretend Play Toys for the weekend are:

1. PlayMobil Horse and Trailer Set. This cute set is perfect for those who love animals, and horses in particular. It includes a figure, a truck, a horse trailer (whose roof can be removed), and a horse. The back of the trailer has also a ramp to let the horse in and out of the trailer

2. Neat-Oh Zip Bin Country Stable Playset. This soft-sided horse barn converts to a rider’s delight. The playscape features two barns, a pond, a training paddock and ample corral. This is a must have for every horse lover. Softie Bins are padded and shaped for more fun and easy clean-up. Mat is 29 x 33 x 74 inches.

3. Papo Riding Girl Set. This beautiful Riding Set will make a great addition to a figurine collection. Your child will never play with a finer quality figure! Papo's riding set is hand-painted, finely detailed, and sure to be fun.The set includes a riding girl, Andalusian horse with saddle and farm dog. Kobold also recommends the Papo 3 Pinto Set and Papo Rodeo Rider.

Happy Friday- and if you are daring, place a bet on Dunkirk for my daughter Miss E! ~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!

Zip A Dee Doo Dah! Zip Bins!

Spring Break. Summer Vacation. Grandparent's House. Family Reunion. These all lead to toy transportation issues and general headaches for the parent.

Kobold is a fan of the ZipBin from Neat-Oh! ZipBins are a line of attractively designed, transportable and collapsible interactive storage products that unzip to become activity or play surfaces, and then zip back up to storage bin form. Click here to view a product demo video!

THESE ARE TERRIFIC! At Kobold Toys, you can find a ZipBin in the shape of an airport, racetrack, horse stable, train depot and fairy castle. Kobold's favorites include:

ZipBin Street Racer

ZipBin® Street Racer Playpack™ is a backpack that looks like and is shaped like a race car. It’s the perfect way to carry your vehicles. And then it opens to reveal a city street with drivable roadways. Now it’s the perfect place to play with those vehicles. And it includes two die cast sports cars.

ZipBin Airport
ZipBin® Shape Airport looks like and is shaped like an airplane hangar. It’s the perfect way to store and carry your planes, helicopters and airport vehicles. It opens to reveal an operating airport with runway, control tower, heliport and hanger. Now it’s the perfect place to play with those toys. Airport includes a 3 inch die cast propeller-driven plane!


ZipBin Fairy Castle
The Fairy Castle bin's attractive, colorful exterior looks great in your child's room. When the bin is unzipped, it becomes a play mat! This activity center is perfect for dolls, ponies and other animals. Fantasy play is encouraged with a sparkling castle, a magic forest, an enchanted waterfall and shimmering ponds. This Playset includes two fairy dolls.

ZipBin Country Stable

This Country Stable Playset features Safari Ltd.® collectible Replicas! The soft-sided horse barn converts to a rider’s delight. The Playscape™ features two barns, a pond, a training paddock and ample corral. This is a must have for every horse lover.

ZipBin is the perfect solution to toy storage- at home and on holiday. Happy Travels!