http://www.kidstodayonline.com Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:43 MDT Gerri Hunt, managing editor of Kids Today, spotlights infant and juvenile products that retailers may want to consider putting "on the shelf." eng Copyright 2013 Sandow Media LLC. Subject to its Terms of Use (http://www.kidstodayonline.com/info/terms-and-conditions.php) http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43500-Close_Contact_Nuroo_Pocket.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43500-Close_Contact_Nuroo_Pocket.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 23 May 2013 12:43:56 GMT Next week, my older daughter will turn 9. When she was born, I was only able to hold her for a brief moment before she was whisked down the hall to the nursery (apparently, her temperature was... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43491-Childhood_Animals_and_Toys.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43491-Childhood_Animals_and_Toys.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 15 May 2013 15:37:49 GMT Why are parents and their young children so fascinated with animals? That is the point of a nice, but possibly overly complex, look at why animals are given so much prominence by adults when... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43490-Sweet_and_Savory_Storytelling_The_Great_Lollipop_Caper.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43490-Sweet_and_Savory_Storytelling_The_Great_Lollipop_Caper.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 15 May 2013 14:45:06 GMT I'm in the midst of planning a cooking birthday party for my daughter, so I definitely have food on the brain (more than usual). So when a copy of The Great Lollipop Caper landed on my desk, I... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43483-Kool_Kandy_Radz_Gone_Wild.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43483-Kool_Kandy_Radz_Gone_Wild.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 10 May 2013 15:23:22 GMT If my 3rd grader attaches another object to her backpack, I swear she's going to keel over. She makes a personal statement while bringing her belongings to school, simply by switching out what's... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43480-She_s_Got_Game_Haba_Loco_Lingo_Kindergarten.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43480-She_s_Got_Game_Haba_Loco_Lingo_Kindergarten.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT Today, my almost 5-year-old had kindergarten orientation, and couldn't have been more excited (or me for her). After visiting a kindergarten classroom, meeting the principal and taking a spin... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43469-The_First_World_Congress_of_Play.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43469-The_First_World_Congress_of_Play.php?rssid=20986 Sun, 05 May 2013 16:26:11 GMT We wanted Out of the Toy Box readers to be among the first to know about The First World Congress of Play which will be taking place in San Francisco this fall.   We will keep you posted in... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43467-Crown_Jewels_of_the_Nursery_Bratt_Decor_Chelsea_Darling.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43467-Crown_Jewels_of_the_Nursery_Bratt_Decor_Chelsea_Darling.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 03 May 2013 20:02:04 GMT In a few short months, the wait will be over. We'll finally be able to "meet" Kate and William's royal bundle of joy. As people around the world speculate on what name the couple will decide upon... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43466-Red_White_and_True_Blue_Venettini_Ruum_Kids.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43466-Red_White_and_True_Blue_Venettini_Ruum_Kids.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 02 May 2013 14:04:24 GMT Happy May! Today, I saw that our town already posted signs announcing its annual Memorial Day parade festivities. That can only mean that the unofficial start to summer is not far off. To get our... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43461-How_the_Erector_Set_Helped_Build_the_20th_Century.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43461-How_the_Erector_Set_Helped_Build_the_20th_Century.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:06:30 GMT My good friend, noted inventor and toy industry thought leader, Bruce Lund, likes to talk about how our great 20th Century engineers and architects were inspired by the toys with which they played... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43460-Sugar_free_Strolling_and_Schlepping_Cybex_by_Jeremy_Scott.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43460-Sugar_free_Strolling_and_Schlepping_Cybex_by_Jeremy_Scott.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:17:01 GMT When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I knew I wanted an old-fashioned pram in which to parade my new little love around town. By the time my second daughter arrived on the scene, I had... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43458-Pint_sized_Pride_Ba_Ba_Bling_Baby_Boston_Strong_T_shirts.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43458-Pint_sized_Pride_Ba_Ba_Bling_Baby_Boston_Strong_T_shirts.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:19:46 GMT It's just been a week since the Boston Marathon bombings, but it feels so much longer. We're all still spiraling from the aftermath of Sandy Hook, Hurricane Sandy...and now this. My next-door... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43456-Talking_Walnut_Wash_Me_Down_at_the_Dino_Wash_Deluxe.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43456-Talking_Walnut_Wash_Me_Down_at_the_Dino_Wash_Deluxe.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 13:51:33 GMT My car is in desperate need of a wash. After too many months of wet weather, muddy feet and the like, this mom taxi has taken quite a beating. Of course, the line at our local car wash has been... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43453-Look_What_the_Waves_Dragged_In_Seashell_Guide_for_Kids.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43453-Look_What_the_Waves_Dragged_In_Seashell_Guide_for_Kids.php?rssid=20986 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:43:06 GMT When my husband was invited to choose some used books from a colleague's retired collection, he brought home a treasure trove of reading materials. Among his findings was a well-worn copy of a... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43452-Lessons_from_JC_Penney.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43452-Lessons_from_JC_Penney.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 20:32:27 GMT  Ron Johnson was fired from his position as CEO of JC Penney last week after sales under his leadership continued to freefall (for my earlier comments on Johnson's efforts see: "JC Penney Moves... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43446-Think_Asia_Think_Hong_Kong_Events_in_Los_Angeles_and_New_York.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43446-Think_Asia_Think_Hong_Kong_Events_in_Los_Angeles_and_New_York.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 19:46:17 GMT June 11, 2013 New York HiltonJune 14, 2013 JW Marriott Los Angeles LA LIVE I am going to be attending the Think Asia, Think Hong Kong conference, June 11 in New York and I suggest that you... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43441-Lift_Every_Voice_and_Sing_Miss_Nina_Sha_Doo_Be_Doop.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43441-Lift_Every_Voice_and_Sing_Miss_Nina_Sha_Doo_Be_Doop.php?rssid=20986 Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:16:15 GMT Still trying to come to the grips with yesterday's tragedy in Boston, I had a hard time getting myself in writing mode this morning. But after dropping my daughter off at preschool and seeing all... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43437-Toys_R_Us_Does_it_Need_a_New_Business_Model_.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43437-Toys_R_Us_Does_it_Need_a_New_Business_Model_.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:59:36 GMT Everyone in the toy industry, and I mean everyone, is a stakeholder in Toys R Us. They are the biggest pure toy and play retailer in the world and all of our fortunes are inextricably locked... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43429-Nine_Lives_and_Then_Some_aden_anais_Hello_Kitty_Line.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43429-Nine_Lives_and_Then_Some_aden_anais_Hello_Kitty_Line.php?rssid=20986 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:02:47 GMT My 4-year-old just got invited to another Hello Kitty party. This is one cat that gets around-and I'm not talking about my daughter! Last week, we told you about a Hello Kitty rain gear line that... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43422-What_s_Next_for_Specialty_Retailers_.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43422-What_s_Next_for_Specialty_Retailers_.php?rssid=20986 Sun, 07 Apr 2013 15:50:04 GMT   In my last posting, "The Coming Retail Sea Change" I wrote about the troubling outlook for big box retailers. How long can they sustain their current infrastructure (store counts, store size... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43419-Rainy_or_Not_Western_Chief_Kids_Hello_Kitty_Rain_Gear.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43419-Rainy_or_Not_Western_Chief_Kids_Hello_Kitty_Rain_Gear.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 04 Apr 2013 19:13:00 GMT Tomorrow's forecast is calling for rain, the first time during the month known best for helping cultivate May flowers. If you have yet to put away those winter boots and unearth your kid's rain... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43414-Songs_with_Sustenance_Milkshake_Got_a_Minute_.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43414-Songs_with_Sustenance_Milkshake_Got_a_Minute_.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 01 Apr 2013 18:28:23 GMT Musicians come and go, especially in the temperamental kid biz, but when a band has been around the block, we can effortlessly turn on their tunes and know we won't be disappointed. One such kid... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43411-The_Coming_Retail_Sea_Change.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43411-The_Coming_Retail_Sea_Change.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:48:24 GMT   I have, for some time now, been asking the question: "When will the tipping point for big box retailing occur?" That moment when the internet has syphoned off just enough consumers so that... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43405-Smash_Kid_Style_Peaceable_Kingdom_Stack_Up_.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43405-Smash_Kid_Style_Peaceable_Kingdom_Stack_Up_.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMT Day Two of spring break and the sun has finally reared its head (what kind of spring is this, anyway?). But with a soggy backyard to contend with, playing outdoors had to be postponed. And after... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43404-Creative_Confectionery_Hasbro_Play_Doh_Plus.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43404-Creative_Confectionery_Hasbro_Play_Doh_Plus.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:03:07 GMT Yesterday, my 8-year-old pulled out her Easy Bake Oven and decided to whip up a batch of mini marshmallow treats taken from a recipe she had downloaded from her Nintendo DS (this is one... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43396-Hidden_Treasure_Surprise_Inside_Sidewalk_Chalk.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43396-Hidden_Treasure_Surprise_Inside_Sidewalk_Chalk.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:43:00 GMT My kids have a serious case of cabin fever. After a lousy winter and a slow start to spring, they'll take any partly sunny day above 40 degrees to play outside. Case in point: my 4-year-old... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43394-Toys_and_the_101_Objects_that_Changed_the_World.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43394-Toys_and_the_101_Objects_that_Changed_the_World.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:19:57 GMT   The History Channel has created a list of the "101 Objects That Changed the World." I was pleased to see that the list included 10 toys, or roughly 10% of the objects cited. Here is a list... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43390-Smell_Be_Gone_Shtankout.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43390-Smell_Be_Gone_Shtankout.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:00:00 GMT My girls adore Beanie Ballz (if you happen to live under a rock, they are a round version of the plush dolls that have been taking toy/gift stores by storm for the past decade). Their favorites... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43389-Dream_Big_Oh_So_Tiny_Bunny.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43389-Dream_Big_Oh_So_Tiny_Bunny.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:29:35 GMT What kid doesn't doesn't long to be big? When I was little, I envied my older sister who got to stay out late and wear Bonne Bell Lipsmackers (lips that smelled like 7-up...alright!). I remembered... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43387-A_Rabbit_of_a_Different_Color_Funny_Bunny.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43387-A_Rabbit_of_a_Different_Color_Funny_Bunny.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:05:56 GMT With Easter only two weeks away, we've been searching high and low for basket stuffers that aren't so run-of-the-mill. Sure, we love our share of Peeps and chocolate eggs, but our resident chief... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43384-Why_Does_Skylanders_Succeed_while_90_of_App_Toys_Fail_.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43384-Why_Does_Skylanders_Succeed_while_90_of_App_Toys_Fail_.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:40:19 GMT   One of the disappointments of 2012 was the failure of what was deemed to be a powerful new category of play: App Toys. Why did this happen, particularly in light of the spectacular success... http://www.kidstodayonline.com/blog/Notes_From_The_Editor/43383-Get_to_know_Neal.php?rssid=20986 http://www.kidstodayonline.com/blog/Notes_From_The_Editor/43383-Get_to_know_Neal.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:02:35 GMT THIS INDUSTRY IS FULL OF FUN and fashion and innovation, but sometimes, it all comes down to regulations. New rules on periodic testing went into effect in February, and in a way, they're... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43382-A_Brush_with_Bling_Smoobee.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43382-A_Brush_with_Bling_Smoobee.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:25:55 GMT These days, it's hard to find a kids' product that can't be personalized. From toothpaste dispensers to potty seats, your child can proudly claim her ownership on just about anything and... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43381-Wrapped_and_Ready_Comfy_Cradle.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43381-Wrapped_and_Ready_Comfy_Cradle.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:16:25 GMT Whenever it was time to feed my baby daughters, I was never without my Boppy. The donut-shaped nursing support pillow that made a name for itself as a must-have baby shower gift, this product got... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43379-Catch_it_if_You_Can_Yomega_Kendama.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43379-Catch_it_if_You_Can_Yomega_Kendama.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:49:57 GMT Springtime is less than two weeks away, with the baseball season immediately on its heels. If your little slugger is chomping at the bit for Opening Day, there's no time like the present to grab... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43373-The_Slow_Toy_Awards.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43373-The_Slow_Toy_Awards.php?rssid=20986 Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:30:10 GMT I recently came upon a website for "The Slow Toy Movement." This organization has as its "... aim to recognise the ‘real toys' on the market that are well made, inspire the mind and provide... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43365-Give_Unto_Others_Little_Raccoon_Learns_to_Share.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43365-Give_Unto_Others_Little_Raccoon_Learns_to_Share.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:48:59 GMT My 4-year-old has a definite sweet tooth, and her latest sugary obsession is Pez (remember those candies that come in their own dispenser?). Because she covets her Hello Kitty Pez like it's gold,... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43362-Goodbye_Dust_Bunnies_Secrets_of_an_Organized_Mom.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43362-Goodbye_Dust_Bunnies_Secrets_of_an_Organized_Mom.php?rssid=20986 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:55:40 GMT Psst! Yeah, you. Can you keep a secret? OK, here it goes....my house is a mess! I mean, no matter how much I try to move the newspapers into the recycling bin, the toys into their bins, the... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43361-Low_Cost_Imported_Toys_some_things_never_change.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43361-Low_Cost_Imported_Toys_some_things_never_change.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:44:46 GMT   It is easy to believe that the concerns regarding Chinese dominance of toy industry manufacturing is a new phenomenon. That most toys were formerly made in the US and that things changed... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43353-Lego_Challenges_for_the_World_s_Biggest_Toy_Company.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43353-Lego_Challenges_for_the_World_s_Biggest_Toy_Company.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 01 Mar 2013 20:36:27 GMT I received a note from Gerrick Johnson, Toy Industry Specialist for BMO Capital, with some interesting analysis. He ran 2012 numbers on Lego, Hasbro and Mattel and according to his calculations,... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43351-We_are_Young_Little_Kids_Fubbles_Guitar.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43351-We_are_Young_Little_Kids_Fubbles_Guitar.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:56:35 GMT My kids are in love with Fun. That's the cool indie pop band that just took home two Grammys, including one for song of the year. I can't quite put my finger on their latest musical obsession.... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43341-The_Toy_Industry_Is_Dead.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43341-The_Toy_Industry_Is_Dead.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:46:09 GMT The Toy Industry is dead. It existed back in the 20th Century when it was the only game in town for those who wanted to play. In the 21st Century, however, toy companies are just one part of the... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43338-Wish_You_Were_Here_Aurora_My_Beach_House.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43338-Wish_You_Were_Here_Aurora_My_Beach_House.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:46:47 GMT Back when my 8-year-old was in preschool, she came home from school one day and asked me where our beach house was. Bewildered by her out-of-the-blue question, I probed a bit to find out what... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43337-Slapstick_Baseball_Who_s_on_First_.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43337-Slapstick_Baseball_Who_s_on_First_.php?rssid=20986 Tue, 19 Feb 2013 21:35:10 GMT Spring training is well underway, and myriads of baseball fans are snatching up season tickets in anticipation of Opening Day. As all this snow slowly melts away and thoughts turn to warmer days,... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43330-Toy_Fair_2013_and_the_new_normal.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43330-Toy_Fair_2013_and_the_new_normal.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:50:19 GMT It seems like, for several years now, there has been a great deal of concern in whether show attendance was up or down from the previous year. I don't remember these discussions back in the 90's... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43329-A_Different_Kind_of_Web_Design_Uncle_Milton_Marvel_Science.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43329-A_Different_Kind_of_Web_Design_Uncle_Milton_Marvel_Science.php?rssid=20986 Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:33:11 GMT These days, it's difficult to associate the word "web" with anything other than the Internet. But back in the day, if you were a boy, the mere mention of that word led to thoughts of creepy,... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43326-The_Great_Escape_Playmobil_Large_Furnished_Hotel.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43326-The_Great_Escape_Playmobil_Large_Furnished_Hotel.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:53:44 GMT Right about now, I'd do just about anything to be sitting somewhere warm, a warm breeze blowing through my hair, tropical drink in hand and a juicy book or glossy magazine to devour. After last... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43317-Toy_Fair_The_Gathering_of_the_Tribes.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43317-Toy_Fair_The_Gathering_of_the_Tribes.php?rssid=20986 Fri, 08 Feb 2013 15:36:07 GMT Every year at this time I get that sense of anticipation knowing that our tribal get together, Toy Fair, is about to commence. In my mind's eye, I can look out into the distance and can almost... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43314-Call_of_the_Wild_The_Intrepid_Parent_s_Field_Guide_to_the_Baby_Kingdom.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43314-Call_of_the_Wild_The_Intrepid_Parent_s_Field_Guide_to_the_Baby_Kingdom.php?rssid=20986 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:08:48 GMT Eight-plus years into the parenting game, and I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. Whenever I think I've finally figured things out with my 8- and 4-year-old, WHAM!-they go and pull a... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43308-Gun_Debate_Now_Includes_the_Toy_Industry_should_toy_guns_be_banned_.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Out_of_the_Toy_Box/43308-Gun_Debate_Now_Includes_the_Toy_Industry_should_toy_guns_be_banned_.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:05:27 GMT Earlier in the month I wrote a piece entitled: "The Toy Industry; Are We the Military Industrial Complex of Childhood?" In that posting I noted that "when the second and first amendment... http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43304-Monkeying_Around_Stevesongs_Orangutan_Van_CD.php?rssid=20986 http://www.giftsanddec.com/blog/Talking_Walnut/43304-Monkeying_Around_Stevesongs_Orangutan_Van_CD.php?rssid=20986 Mon, 04 Feb 2013 01:23:08 GMT My 8-year-old's school has reduced its recess from two periods to one-and believe me when I say how much this bums her-and me-out. After sitting in class through math, reading, science and all...