My favorite hometown swing/early jazz/rockabilly/something else band The Asylum Street Spankers cleaned their act up just long enough to make an awesome kids album. To make it even sweeter, it is completely listenable for parents too. It is full of great songs like "Be Like You" and "You Only Love Me For My Lunchbox" but Cole's favorite is "Boogers" of course. Follow the link to Amazon and listen to snippets of the entire album before you buy.
Mommy Says No!
related link:
NPR's Morning Edition reviews Mommy Says No!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Mommy Says No!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Save the Frogs!
Nothing grosses the girls out more in Biology class than the annual frog dissection event. Indignation, empathy for the dead animal, and general squeamishness are common responses (from both sexes) to cutting open a dead animal, even for educational purposes. With the Discovery Channel's Frog Dissection kit you can feel better knowing that you are only desecrating the body of a simulated animal instead of the real thing.
9 Bizarre Toys
I look at lots of toys every day, some of them are junk, some are cool, some are outrageously expensive, and some of them are just downright weird. I started collecting the weird ones and realized that they could be entertaining and even desirable (I have one of the toys below right now, and have ordered another one from this list). I hope you enjoy this little collection and know that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to bizarre toys.
Billed as "the next generation of novelty lederhosen", I'd hate to see the first generation. What will the third generation of novelty lederhosen will be capable of? Will it be self-aware? Will it have its own internal power plant and metal skeleton? Will it relentlessly hunt down Sarah Conner?
I know this is not a weird toy. This is a wooden car. It has a little wooden man sitting in it. To keep the little man from falling out of the car you have to put the little strap around him. I know. Unfortunately, to me, this looks like a little bald man with no arms tied to a wheelchair, screaming as he rolls uncontrollably down a steep hill and into heavy cross-traffic. That's not what this is, I know.
I wrote a cute little paragraph about the Crazy Cat Lady Action Figure, but D. Muchmore managed to put it much better in his Amazon review, here's a clip but there's more at the link:
"I make my kids sit down every day for at least an hour and play with the Cat Lady. We talk about what has made her the way she is and we discuss different options of things we might do to help her. We get into conversations about what role society plays in the creating of these people who seriously have issues and then we practice empathy role play by having our social services action figures come to her aid and get her the help she needs. It has created hours of educational fun for our entire family. "
I actually have this brain in a jar on my desk. It is approximately the size of a small child's brain, although I can't remember the last time I held a child's brain so I can't be sure. It is important to put your brain in clean water, a little red food coloring make it even better. You should also think about making a little cozy for whatever container you put it in so it stays warm, disembodied brains get cold easily.
Do you have a shy kid? Does he have trouble making friends. Is he worried about not getting his money? Dress him up in the Kids Pimp Suit Costume and his days of being a lonely loser are over.
The Lunch Lady is your friend. No one else at school likes you, but the Lunch Lady always smiles at you and puts extra gravy on your perfect dome of mashed potatoes. You can overlook the mole on her face with the hairs growing out of it, and the hair net, and the cold pasty skin on her arms that wobbles when she gives you your vittles. The only thing better than the Lunch Lady is the Lunch Lady on Taco Day.
Nunzilla spews sparks from her mouth, she spews sparks on naughty little children like you. You are a bad boy (or girl) and she is going to get you, and when she does, she will bring the wrath of Heaven down on you. You can run, but she will catch you. You can hide, but she will find you, and smite you. You can live a perfect life, but she will still find something to punish you for.
Electronic Yodeling Pickle Gag Gift
Did I miss something in Geography class? Did pickles originate in Switzerland or something? Do Swiss Hausfraus get together and yodel while they jar up their pickles? Or did some toy company have a few thousand yodeling voice boxes left over from the hard to sell Slim Whitman action figures and combine them with a bunch of plastic pickles they picked up on Craigslist? And what's the deal with the yodeling toys? I know that yodeling is kind of funny, but young kids tend to repeat things that they hear or see, do we want them walking around the house yodeling? Hmmm, now that I think about it, I could get some good blackmail video of Cole yodeling. It could really pay off in ten years or so.
This "toilet prank" comes with a warning that it should not be used on the elderly or those of weak disposition. First of all, are pranks involving a toilet so common that they deserve their own category? I hope that they are rarer than that. Second of all, don't forget that the elderly are from the same generation that made it through the depression and World War II, they are more than likely going to see this thing pop up out of the toilet and start wailing on it with their walker. I'd be more worried about some twenty-something stroking out during the frat party after drinking too many beers and finding this waiting for them in the bathroom.
Here is a video of the Bog Monster in action. Warning: this is a mean and cruel prank to pull on a kid. Funny, but also mean and cruel.
related post: Another Nine Bizarre Toys
Thursday, April 24, 2008
What's Behind All of the Fluff?
The PlasmaCar
If you have never seen the Plasma Car being used, then it may be hard to understand how it moves. The car moves by the rider moving the steering wheel back and forth, preferably while on a smooth surface. It doesn't move all that fast, but it does move and it is fun to ride. The fact that it is not a speed toy means that, given some free space, it can be ridden inside the house or the garage, so even in bad weather you can work off some of that endless childhood energy. The Plasma Car comes in a variety of colors, including blue, red, pink, purple, green, and yellow. It is also eligible for free super-saver shipping from Amazon.
PlasmaCar
PlasmaCar at ebay.com
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Time For a Little Experiment?
My Ice Cream Diary has a hilarious description of an "experiment" she performed in which she allowed her kids to do whatever they wanted and recorded the results.
Experiment: Let children glut themselves on toys, games, and movies. Leave them free to play by not having them do any chores. Let them live in their own filth. After an adequate amount of time for subjects to get used to situation suddenly have them do chores, clean, get rid of LOTS of their toys, games, and movies, and teach them new working skills
Definitely worth a few minutes to find out what happened.
Jo Parry Prints at Art.com
|
My wife found these on Art.com. My own taste in art is a little unpredictable, but you can trust her to find great kids art. These prints from Jo Parry are great for a family with a dog (or dogs), or for a dog themed kids room. She has quite a few other interesting prints with cats that I plan to make a post about later. If you are more of a cat family than a dog family and you want to see a preview, click on one of the pictures above and search for "Jo Parry".
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
16 Lies Mothers Tell Their Kids
16 Lies that (almost) all mothers tell their kids, let the truth be known.
My favorite:
11. "Wait an hour after eating to get in the swimming pool, or you'll get a cramp and die!"
Splashing around in the pool was all day affair. Once the hot dogs and hamburgers were gone, it was back to the pool for any unfinished water business. Then mom warned that if we jumped in the water too soon, it might be our last time. All of a sudden that pool of refreshing water turned into a pool of fire.
During digestion of food, more blood is sent to help in the process, with less left around to tend to our muscles. It is possible to get a cramp if you're using those muscles more than your body can handle. Drowning because of cramp is just another of mother's exaggerations.
link
(via Digg.com)
Monday, April 21, 2008
Evel Knievel Toys For Sale
Since Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel's death in 2007, toys related to the one-time insurance salesman turned daredevil have become much more interesting to toy players and toy collectors. The Evel Knievel Signature Racing set available at Back to Basic Toys is very similar to the toy you may remember from the '70s. It includes Evel and Robbie Knievel action figures, chrome plated motorcycles, jump ramps, and two cycle launchers. Evel even comes with a cape and swagger stick. The set is individually numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity.
Evel Knievel Signature Racing Set at Back to Basic Toys
Colorforms
The original Colorforms set from 1951 has been re-released for a new generation of sticker loving, vinyl applying kids. In case you don't remember them, Colorforms are vinyl shapes that you use to make pictures by applying them on a special canvas or other surface (windows are common). Kids who love stickers will enjoy them because they can be removed and reapplied repeatedly without damaging them (there's nothing sticky on them, they stay applied via static electricity... I think). The kit comes with 350 shapes and a slick cardboard canvas. It is also 40% off and is eligible for free super-saving shipping from Amazon.
I found this picture on Flickr to show you what can be done with a little imagination (that is a window not a canvas):
The Original Colorforms Set
The Original Colorforms Set at ebay.com
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Eyeclops is a Amazon Gold Box Deal Today
My favorite giant eyeball toy is an Amazon gold box deal today. This is one of my (and Cole's) favorite toys, and the geek in me get excited not only at the 200X magnification you get, but also the wild up and down swings in the price. Suggested retail price is $50, the last time I was at Wal-Mart I saw an entire end-cap of these priced at exactly that. Amazon is always below this price point, but still swings pretty wildly between $30 and $40. Now my geekiness at tracking prices can pay off for you. Right now the eyeclops is at $30.70 with free super saver shipping. I think I might get an another one to give as a Christmas present to someone this year.
Jakks EyeClops Bionic Eye
related posts:
I Spy With My Little Eyeclops
Eyeclops Update
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
