Mastermind Toys - Let's Talk Toys

Introducing: Mega Fliers!

2012-02-13T21:19:19+00:00

Schools of Mega Fliers have arrived at Mastermind! The new and improved RC Gigantic Flying Inflatable FISH that actually swim around your house! Check them out on our Website This very interesting concept has made quite a splash as a new and innovative RC toy. Kids and adults alike find the Mega Fliers to be extremely fun and fascinating to watch swim around a room like a real fish. What's amazing is that there are three types of fish to choose from! Choose between a Great White Shark, a Clown Fish, a Big Mouth Bass, or even collect all three and create your very own GIGANTIC AQUARIUM!! The Mega Fliers are over 5 feet long, use helium to float and remotely activated parts to move through the air. The remotely activated moving parts include the tail fin and a ballast pod that runs on a track along the belly of the fish. The weight in the ballast can be adjusted manually to create the perfect balance, allowing your fish (when motionless) to float steadily in mid air at one particular height. The fish itself requires some assembly out of the box. Once you have filled up the body with helium from a party store, grocery store, (really, anywhere balloons are sold) or from your own helium tank (sold separately), you attach the dorsal fin and two pelvic fins. Next, you add the ballast and track to the belly of the fish. Each one of these parts is attached to the body of the fish by sticky tape that comes with your Mega Fliers. Finally, you must attach the tail fin and motor that will eventually propel your Mega Flier as it swims through the air. Once your Mega Flier is prepared for flight, you will need your controller (included). Mega Fliers come with a very effective RC controller that is also very easy to use. Instead of using INFRARED waves to control the fish, this remote uses RADIO waves to wirelessly control the motorized parts that make it fly. This means that, unlike an infrared remote that requires the user to be within the line of sight and relatively close to the fish; with a radio controller, you can actually fly your Mega Flier fish from a greater distance, more accurately, with fewer disturbances from other frequencies in the area and even around corners!! The radio controller is great if you want to have your Great White Shark swim around a corner to scare an unsuspecting friend, sibling or parent! Printed on the box that your Mega Flier will come in is a brief description of the species of fish that you have purchased. I think that this is a great addition to the packaging because it adds to the learning experience of this amazing RC concept. Whether you are discussing the gigantic flying fish with a neighbor or your child, the featured anecdote will surely add to a very interesting conversation. Notes: • Ballast pod requires 1 AAA battery (not included) • Radio Controller requires 2 AA batteries (not included) • When not in use, make sure to tie down your Mega Flier with the ribbon provided so it doesn’t float away. • All assembly instructions can be found online at the Mega Flier Website Happy Playing! Toy Master Sharpie

Toys That Fly!

2012-02-01T20:30:10+00:00

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I attended the Toronto Toy Fair! There are some very exciting new toys that will soon be available at Mastermind; many of them are taking the concept of toys to new heights! One of the new toy lines that I find to be particularly exciting is the new and improved LiteHawk Helicopters! LiteHawk has introduced two new models that are at the forefront of Remote-Controlled Helicopter technology. Introducing the LiteHawk Duo – A Twin Rotor Rescue Helicopter, and LiteHawk II – A high-speed chopper with remote-controlled lights and boost capabilities! These two Models are not yet in store or online, but will be soon! Keep an eye out on our website, or via our eUpdates for their arrival and also check out the current selection of LiteHawks online or at a Mastermind Location near you! The LiteHawk Duo ($49.99, ages 6 +) is a scale model of a Hercules Rescue Helicopter with Canadian Coast Guard decals. It is a tandem helicopter with one rotor in the front and one in the back. Like all LiteHawk Helicopters, the Duo features an advanced gyro stabilizer that makes flying it a breeze. Being a tandem helicopter with two separate rotors, the Duo is capable of making very quick 360˚ turns within its own body length. The duo features an LED search light on the bottom, just like a real rescue helicopter. The Duo is unlike any helicopter LiteHawk has ever released and is really great for simulating search and rescue missions both indoors and outdoors. Other really great advancements for both new models are their new USB chargers and CNC metal chassis! This integrated charger will save big on batteries, and the CNC metal is super light and durable. The LiteHawk II ($49.99, ages 8 +) is the successor to the LiteHawk, featuring some truly awesome additions and improvements. The LiteHawk II has more energy efficient motors with an added boost feature, new to this model. The remote now has two “bumper” buttons, one of which will trigger a boost of speed forward, and the other that will trigger the on-board LED lights While in Flight. The remote lights option is very cool and spectacular when seen in action. The remotely activated lights feature is great for pretending the LiteHawk II is actually a police helicopter in pursuit of a fleeing criminal! I think that the new features of these models are great for all specified ages of play. For younger aged kids, the role-playing and pretending aspect is fantastic. Kids can simulate high-speed police chases and activate the remote-controlled lights while in flight with the new LiteHawk II. Kids can also pretend they are performing an emergency rescue with their new LiteHawk Duo and its LED search light and twin rotors. For older kids, the extra speed boost of the LiteHawk II and the close-quarter-flying capabilities of the Duo make aerial acrobatics and skilled tactical flying really fun and easy – two amazing new RC helicopters that will really help them learn and master the art of flight through play! Notes on the LiteHawk: The ages for these helicopters range from 6+, 8+ and 10+ These helicopters are STRONG, it is okay to crash! When your helicopter crashes, you must cut the throttle immediately for risk of further damaging the blades or engine once the helicopter has crashed. From a cost perspective, it is recommended that a younger child start off with one of the less expensive, more user friendly models until they are more comfortable with flying the helicopter and with its capabilities. Keeping in the spirit of flying toys, click here to check out this awesome video of flying people! Thanks! TMS

Introducing the NEWEST Member of the Mastermind Toys Team!

2012-01-25T20:28:55+00:00

Hello Everyone! I would like to introduce the NEWEST member of our Mastermind Team: Toy Master Sharpie (now Lisa the Toy Whiz sounds meak in comparison)! Toy Master Sharpie (Or known around here as Ian) is going to help me, Lisa the Toy Whiz, bring you GREAT Blog posts about all our new and favourite toys AND tell you about some great things going on in the Toy World. While I'm away at the NYC Toy Fair (Feb 11-14) he will be my Facebook/Twitter/Blog correspondent here in Toronto to help answer any questions you may have AND to bring you great updates from the Toy Fair! Without further ado, I introduce, Toy Master Sharpie!: Toy Master Sharpie here, I am the newest addition to the Mastermind Toys team and I’m very excited about “Talking Toys” in the Mastermind Blogosphere! Since I began at Mastermind, I have been a part of some very exciting projects including coordinating and constructing the toy presentation for Mastermind’s appearance on CTV’s Canada AM. I got to play with and arrange many of the top toys that Mastermind has to offer. Currently, I am helping to promote some of the newest, coolest and most fun toys on the market with the marketing team here at Mastermind. After spending years browsing the magical isles of Mastermind’s stores, you can guarantee that Toy Master Sharpie – a genuine KID – knows the importance of play and about the careful selection of that perfect toy. Playing is all about learning, growing and having fun; and playing is what Mastermind is all about! Follow along and talk toys with myself and the other Mastermind Toy Experts to get the low down on how to FILL YOUR DAY WITH PLAY!

To ALL of YOU!

2011-12-23T15:01:22+00:00

To ALL our Friends! I can’t believe ANOTHER year has come and gone, and WHAT a year it was! Between giveaways, the warehouse sale, opening TWO new stores and MUCH much more, I have to say, it has been A LOT of fun! That all being said, I have to say my FAVOURITE part of this year has been getting to know all of YOU! When I was first hired on to be part of the Marketing Team and spear head the Social Media program, I was VERY excited (I get to be on Facebook all day? WHOOHOO!). However, over the past two years, it has become SO much more than a Facebook Page and a Twitter account – it had turned into something I could only dream of…a Mastermind Toys online community. I LOVE when I post on a Monday morning “How was your weekend” and having a lot of you ACTUALLY tell me how your weekend was and what you did. I also love when we post a product or a promotion and you will give us your HONEST opinion of what you think about it. You give us positive feedback, but you also let us know when we have failed to meet expectations. Any feedback is appreciated AND taken to heart. You are amazing! HOWEVER, I have to say, the shining moment this year for me was your AMAZING support for our Be a Star program. Within the first few days of launching our program, we had raised over $4,000 because of YOU! You helped spread the word, told your friends and family and encouraged them to help us out with our cause. This leads me to my next point: With your help, we have raised over $8,600 for Make-A-Wish® Canada through “Likes” and sharing of our statuses! Now, Mastermind Toys has decided that even though we aren’t QUITE at $10,000, we are still going to donate the FULL amount of $10,000 to Make-A-Wish BECAUSE of all your hard work and incredible support! Make-A-Wish is such a fantastic charity, and I am SO excited to be able to present them with a $10,000 Cheque! YAHOOOOO! I have to say, having all of you to chat with on a daily basis is a very happy and exciting part of my job here at Mastermind Toys. I can’t wait to see the page grow even more as we open more stores and add new faces and friends to our page, while continuing to talk to our existing fans. Happy Holidays to you and your families and I look forward to getting to know you all better in 2012! -Lisa the Toy Whiz and ALL of us here at Mastermind Toys

What is the VTech InnoTab?

2011-12-14T21:53:07+00:00

There has been A LOT of Buzz this holiday season over learning tablets for kids! Kids love them because there are SO many fun activites to explore, and parents love them because little ones are no longer hogging THEIR iPads! We think these learning tablets are SUPER cool too. Now, the two most popular tablets have been the LeapPad and the VTech Innotab. Here we're going to tell you about the VTech Innotab and all the amazing features! The Vtech InnoTab is a Learning App Tablet for children ages 4-9, and it features: - Interactive, animated ebooks: stories come to life on the touch-screen tablet with interactive animation, sounds, activities and more! - Motion Learning Games: The InnoTab makes use of its touch screen and motion sensor in dynamic games that teach as they entertain! - Creative Apps: The InnoTab comes pre-loaded with a variety of creative apps including colouring, photo editing, 3D pictures and more! - More pre-loaded apps: the InnoTab is ready for right-out-of-the-box fun as it also comes loaded with an MP3 player, video player, photo viewer, calculator, calendar notepad, clock, address book… and so much more! - Software Cartridges: add to the InnoTab experience with feature-rich software cartridges that expand on its already impressive capabilities! - Dowloads: Connect to a PC or Mac through a simple USB port and download even more, including ebooks, learning games and other content from Vtech’s Learning Lodge Navigator! The best part? We just recieved a LARGE Shipment of these amazing tablets and will be available in ALL stores by Friday December 16th, 2011!

‘Tis the Season at Mastermind Toys!

2011-12-07T20:17:50+00:00

We love getting ready for the holidays at Mastermind. It puts us in a very festive mood! You can imagine how much fun we have decorating the stores, putting up displays of holiday-themed toys and crafts. Here is a smattering of some of our favourites, found in the Gift Guide and online. Lego Advent Calendars ($49.95 each, ages 6+, GG page 52): This year we have two Lego Advent calendars:Lego City and Star Wars. Lego City comes with an assortment of mini figures, cars to assemble, Santa, reindeer and trees, etc. Star Wars includes Yoda, Chewbacca, a Rebel Fighter and Jar Jar Binks. The kids (and maybe an adult or two), will be full of anticipation, wondering what will be behind each door every morning. Put together the pieces daily and watch the collection build into a full scene. Playmobil Christmas Post Office Advent Calendar ($39.95 each, ages 5+, GG page 52): We also have our classic Playmobil Christmas Post Office Advent Calendar. Put together a charming little scene of a post office, day by day The set includes classic Playmobil toys, figurines including Santa, an elf a sleigh and reindeer. Shrinky Dinks Christmas Tree Kit ($19.95, Ages 7+, GG page 53): I am a self-confessed “Shinkydinkaholic” – I love doing Shrinky Dink crafts. Recently Shrinky Dinks has developed themed-based sets with one of the latest being the Shinky Dink Christmas Tree. How much fun can you have drawing and baking ornaments for the included velvety ShrinkyDink tree? When they’re shrunk, you can finish decorating them with included metallic beads, glitter glue and more! Christmas HexBug nano in Ornament Ball ($6.95, Ages 6+, GG page 52): What’s more fun than a HexBug Nano? A HexBug Reindeer Nano of course! This HexBug comes in an ornament ball, complete with little antlers attached. Perfect for skittering around the floor next to the tree and driving your cat wild! Chanukah Lights Pop-up book ($40.00, Ages 5+, GG page 52): Chanukah starts on December 20th, 2011 and what better way to start it that with this beautiful gift pop-up book. Using a classic Chanukah poem by Michael Rosen, Robert Sabuda has developed this pop-up book, using one page for each day of Chanukah, depicting Chanukah through time as well as through different places around the world. The scenes travel from Herod's temple to an Isreali kibbutz and a Russian shtetl.

Summer in Winter! Favourites from the 2011 Mastermind Toys Gift Guide!

2011-12-07T19:48:10+00:00

There are certain people out there who dread six months of the year -- those dark dreary, cold and miserable days. They look forward to the swealtering heat and humidity of summer and cross days of their calendar waiting for the grass to grow again and the snow boots to go away. I know this from experience because one of my own children positively hates winter (sigh). Do you think his having been born in Mexico and living there for the first two and a half years of his life could have had anything to do with it? For those of you who feel the same way, why not bring a little summer wonder into the house during the dark days of February, when it seems like spring will never come. We have a few suggestions: Fireworks Light Show ($34.95, Ages 6+, gift guide page 46): Why wait until Victoria Day weekend to celebrate with fireworks? Choose your firework, pump up the fireworks launcher, point at your wall, pull the trigger and be amazed by the fireworks light show on your wall. Also provided with sound effects for maximum firework effect! Zoku Single Quick Pop Maker ($34.95, Ages 8+, gift guide page 47): Enjoy homemade popsicles in about 7 minutes with this instant frozen pop maker. The secret is keeping the Zoku maker in the freezer for at least 24 hours, and then use it to make up to 3 popsicles! Great for adults and kids alike who like to concoct all kinds of cool and yummy treats, regardless of the time of year. Use it to make frozen smoothie popsicles, juice popsicles, or fruit popsicles. Easy to use with a quick treat ready in minutes! Note: all prices are as of December, 2011 and are subject to change.

Winter Wonderland Favourites from the 2011 Mastermind Toys Gift Guide!

2011-12-07T18:11:55+00:00

If you're going to live in Canada, you'd better accept that winter is a big part of our lives -- and what better way to do that than to dress warmly, go outside and play! You can have lots of fun making snow forts and having snowball fights, and toboganning. There are two toboggans that are lots of fun: The Snow Screamer Foam Sled F47 ($39.95, Ages 5+, gift guide page 51): Whiz your way down the hill on this super fast sled! Made from lightweight foam, it's easy to climb back up the hill with this sled in your hand. Laminated on both top and bottom means it goes super fast, while also preventing it from splitting or cracking. One or two riders. Zipfy Mini Luge ($49.95, Ages 7+, gift guide page 51): A fast luging-style sled, the Zipfy is easy to steer: simply grip the handle and lean to the right or left to turn in either direction. To stop, use your heels to slow down. The luge travels long distances and is easy to pull up the hill because it's so light-weight. There is a mini version too, the Zipfy Junior, great for younger kids. Zipfys come in four colours, pink, yellow, blue, red and green. Sno-Paint Sno-Crayons ($5.95 each, Ages 5+, gift guide page 51): Great for the artist who wants to use his or her creative juices outdoors! Flip the lid, fill the compartment with warm water and add the colour solution. Shake to mix then squirt and aim for the snow. Comes in three colours, blue, red or green, each sold separately.

Construction Favourites from the Mastermind Toys’ 2011 Gift Guide

2011-12-07T17:06:49+00:00

Who doesn't love to build? Putting things together can be so satisfying; knowing that you've created something, whether it's a structure, sculpture or vehicle. In addition to classic LEGO, or Kapla building blocks, we have lots of other choices available to suit your child's creative energies. MagnaMobiles ($24.95, Ages 6+, gift guide page 40): The dump truck shown at the left is one of eight different vehicles available. The truck consists of different pieces that are held together with magnets. When the pieces are put together they make a clicking noise as they are rotated. Create different configurations of the vehicle by moving the piecesaround. Laser Pegs ($44.95, Ages 7+, gift guide page 42): Exclusive to Mastermind Toys! Imagine LiteBrite and LEGO in one package! Build one of the many structures with the Laser Pegs building blocks, place it on one of the two power bases included in the set and watch your structure light up into an amazing display! Each block contains a small LED light and each light has a projected lifespan of 100,000 hours. This is one fun way to build. Go online to Laserpegs.com for more ideas about what to build with your set. Other sets are also available: Mini Construction Monster Bug Kit and The Dune Buggy Kit. Magformers Jumbo 30 piece set ($89.95, Ages 6+, gift guide page 42): Pieces stick together magnetically so you can create lots of different kinds of structures. No need to worry about frustration setting in due to magnetic repulsion either, these pieces have "intelligent magnet technology" meaning two pieces will always attract and stick together. This jumbo set includes 12 triangles and 18 squares, each piece measuring about 5" in length. Note: all prices are as of December, 2011 and are subject to change.

Remote Control Favourites from the Mastermind Toys’ 2011 Gift Guide!

2011-12-07T16:45:47+00:00

Remote control toys can be a lot of fun for the whole family! We enjoy playing with them too! Mastermind carries RC toys that are age appropriate so little ones don't get frustrated trying to use something they may not be ready for. Air Swimmers ($39.95, Ages 8+, gift guide page 45): These nifty, giant blow-up remote control fish "swim" through the air and are guided by you with the help of the remote controller. The mylar balloons are filled with helium (not included), can move forwards, backwards, up or down. You can get them turning corners and sneaking up behind people. Available in Great White Shark model or Clown Fish. Torch Firetruck ($59.95, Ages 6+, gift guide page 45): While not an RC toy per se, it is an interactive truck that comes with its own book that describes what's going on in detail inside the firetruck. When you enter a code from the book on the Firetruck's keypad, specific features will light up. Dimensions: 11.5" long by 4" wide by 5.5" high. Lazer Chaser Car ($49.95, Ages 4+, gift guide page 45): A remote control super racing car that follows the light-guided path from the remote control! There are two speeds -- regular and turbo. When racing, the wheels light up, and if it flips over it will continue to go! Size: approximate 4.5" long. Note: all prices are as of December, 2011 and are subject to change.