Nothing beats the smooth whoosh of plastic wheels against a track, the satisfying feeling of a successfully landed jump or loop-to-loop. When it comes to toy cars, even the crashes are beautiful. But something happened on the way to the races. Kits from the major manufacturers got very complicated. Even the “basic” kits seemed over-engineered with motors, lights, and sound effects. And because the kits are so complex, its harder to customize and reconfigure the tracks – some of the pieces are only a few inches long. That’s why I like BluTrack – they come in seamless stretches of up to 100 feet long. While the 100ft set is a whopping $165, you can get an 18ft kit for $40. They even encourage using grandpa’s head as a jump.
Here’s a potential solution to a common problem shared by many iPad toting parents: their kids can’t keep their little fingers away from an object with such shine and color. This Etsy shop has a solution – at least in the short term. Its a little whiteboard with a set of icon-like magnets for kids to fool around with. It could also double as a prototyping tool for an app developer. The only problem is that, as many parents know, kids have a way of sniffing out the real thing from these fake distractions, but it should buy you at least eight minutes of peace. Totally worth the $30.
Here’s s funny alternative to alphabet blocks. Though I’m not sure I’m really looking for a reason to have a conversation about dentures with the little ones. Yes, that’s what happens when you have too many sweets.
Portland-based artist Jason Greene makes toys and furniture out of old skateboards. These buses are very cool and he’s only charging $25 a piece (plus shipping) Only two are available as of this posting. So you gotta move fast! He also makes chairs, yo-yo’s and tops. This is one of those times when sifting through all the handmade tea cozies and doilies over at Etsy can pay off with something very cool for the kiddies.
I totally agree with this Gizmodo review. This might indeed be the most depressing toy in the history of bad toys. And it costs $2,500! Don’t most of us spend enough of our years wasting away at a cubicle? Why start so soon?
A month or so ago, I posted my official letter of surrender to American Girl. It outlined the futility of several year struggle against the juggernaut when they named their Girl of the Year, “Lanie”. Having a daughter named Lane, who we call Laney, meant that all further resistance was utterly pointless.
A few days later, I was contacted by the head of American Girl PR. Uh-oh, I thought. Maybe they want me to remove the copyrighted picture I snagged of the Lanie doll. When I opened it, I learned that they were all so amused with my mock letter of surrender (including the AG President Ellen Brothers) that they wanted me to do a short video of myself reading it aloud with my daughter to play at their annual company meeting.
In the true spirit of surrender, I fully complied with their request. Apparently, it went over a hoot and I got a nice thank you letter from Ellen Brothers and some Lanie loot for Laney as a thank you for doing the video.
One of the highlights of this whole American Girl adventure was being contacted by Jane Kurtz, the author of the Lanie books. They books were not at all what I expected. Totally enjoyable storytelling – not just an excuse for product placement. We’re making our way through the second one and I expect they’ll both get a re-read.
To my fellow members of the AG resistance (Will, Jen, Markus, and Lee), I will miss our many misadventures together in the anti-AG frontlines. I bid you adieu and wish you luck on your ongoing struggles. You’re gonna need it.
I have grown to respect you as a worthy and wily foe. But I have grown battle-weary and the events of last week have convinced me of the hopelessness of further resistance on my part in our four-year struggle
This war began shortly after my daughter’s first birthday, when I first encountered the phenomenon that is American Girl. I made an AG Oath of Resistance based on the following creed:
– No doll should cost $95+ – Dolls don’t need professional spa services. – Girls shouldn’t dress in the same exact outfit as their doll.
I encountered your ever-expanding army everywhere: cute, bright-eyed little girls who proudly and lovingly carried their American Girl dolls. I knew this was not going to be an easy fight, but my resolve was deep and strong.
You had powerful weapons in your arsenal. Your dolls come with a book and a backstory that was historically accurate, educational, and peppered with positive messages. A brilliant stroke of strategy. Despite this, I stayed true to my AG Oath of Resistance.
Even the mini-controversy around homeless “Gwen” had little effect on your juggernaut.
To boot, your intelligence was unmatched. You seemed to have some kind of peephole into the mind of girls three and up. Your mission statement struck fear in my heart:
American Girl encourages girls to dream, to grow, to aspire, to create, and to imagine through a wide range of engaging and insightful books, age-appropriate and educational products, and unforgettable experiences.
Still, I could have resisted were it not for your latest and most brilliant stroke of tactical genius: the introduction of Lanie™ as the Girl of the Year.
From the moment your most recent catalog somehow landed into my daughter’s hands, I knew this struggle was over and that you were the undeniable victor.
You see, my daughter’s name is Lane. And we call her Laney.
Your Lanie™ likes to explore the outdoors. My Laney likes to explore the outdoors. Lanie™ has a camper. We love campers, but don’t have room for a real one. Lanie™ has blond wavy hair. And so does mine. Lanie™ likes to conduct scientific experiments. Of course, what parent wouldn’t want their child to appreciate the value of a good empirical study? Lanie™ even has a pet bunny rabbit – that she takes on walks! My Laney loves bunny rabbits. To top it off, you have teamed up with the National Wildlife Federation to support their Be Out There movement inspiring girls to connect with nature!
In the words of a great video game general, GAME OVER. I have officially been outsmarted, outmatched, and squarely defeated.
It is with a heavy heart that I offer my unconditional surrender and hearby declare my intention of rescinding my AG Oath of Resistance. To finalize the terms of my surrender, I will meet you on a weekend day in the near future at 5th Avenue and 49th Street. I will bring my Laney, and, of course, my credit card.
WIRED pop-up shop is going to hit the Meat Market ahead of the holiday season. Looking forward to Geek Dad Saturdays, whatever that means. NewYorkology: A New York Travel Guide has a complete guide about what to expect.
I saw this toy at the Kidrobot store in SoHo. The blocks are printed on all sides to allow for tons of funny face combinations. And, at $19.95, it was one of the few items that was less than $150 in that store. Yikes. Unfortunately, looks like they aren’t available via the Web anymore. Gotta make that trip to SoHo.
I saw this toy at the Kidrobot store in SoHo. The blocks are printed on all sides to allow for tons of funny face combinations. And, at $19.95, it was one of the few items that was less than $150 in that store. Yikes. Unfortunately, looks like they aren’t available via the Web anymore. Gotta make that trip to SoHo.