We Found the Best Toys of the Season at the TTPM 2015 Spring Showcase

You know that we’re huge fans of toys that are both educational and fun, so we were thrilled to be invited to Time to Play Magazine’s (TTPM) annual media preview event (Spring Showcase 2015).  Summer is just around the corner and many kids are beginning their summer breaks, so it’s exciting for us to share our experience here and show you some of the season’s hottest toys!

Now, I’m a grown-up and a parent and all that, but let me tell you:  it’s impossible to keep your inner child bottled up when you’re at a toy showcase like this.  The energy is so fun and vibrant!  There were countless fun toys and children (and adults) having a blast.  Everyone had their favorites and some were more popular than others, but these are the toys we loved most.

Alex Brands

Alex is one of my absolute favorite brands because they have so many products that encourage creativity.  All of their toys are things you can use and do, rather than the kind of toys that sit in piles in the corner of the room.  Some of their toys are:

• Sound FX Slinky: Makes 10 different silly  sounds as it flips and walks
• Shrinky Dinks Bake & Shape 3D Jewelry: Use the silicon mold to bake thin, flexible, flat Shrinky Dink shapes into thick, sturdy, plastic cuffs and bracelets, earrings, and rings.
• Amazing Knitter: Loop and lift to create easy knitted accessories.  Make tons of knitted strands to create fashion forward necklaces, bracelets, and headbands.

Creative Roots

This brand is designed to infuse a focus on outdoor engagement into proven craft play patterns.  From the whimsical Build and Paint Your Own Suncatcher Windchime to the Paint Your Own Fairy Statuary, each kit promotes outdoor play and interaction with Mother Nature.  The Fairy Garden, by the way, was my personal favorite of the showcase!

Just Play

Just Play Products has a huge selection of toys for kids, and they’ve recently come out with a line of Sheriff Callie toys:

• Sheriff Callie Plush: Collect all 4 of these soft, cuddly characters from Sheriff Callie’s Wild West.  The line features Sheriff Callie, her trusty horse Sparky, Deputy Peck, and Toby.  (My son sleeps with Toby every night now!)
• Sheriff Callie’s Howdy-Do Hoedown Dress and Hat
• Sheriff Callie’s Callie-oke Sing Along: Sheriff Callie loves to talk, sing, and dance with her friends.
• Sheriff Callie’sWild West Theme Song and Dance Along
• Sheriff Callie Mini Figures

They also have Disney Frozen Snowgie Chatterbacks:  The mini snowmen from the new Frozen Fever short film will delight kids with their playful antics.  These cute plushies talk and repeat what you say in funny voices and include three unique snowmen.

K’NEX

You’re  probably familiar with the fun that is K’NEX, and you’ll be excited to know they’re bringing us some exciting, new toys:

Mighty Makers:  A line of engineering toys for girls 7+  that is designed to empower them through creative and stimulating building ideas.

K-FORCE:  Blaster toys you can build and shoot.  My son was absolutely fascinated with these!

Roominate

Roominate was my daughter’s favorite toy from the showcase.  Roominate aims to make STEM fun for girls, and empowers them to build endless amazing creations.  I had a hard time getting my daughter to leave their table, and she’s been building since we get back. #LetGirlsBuild!

VTech

You’ve also probably heard of VTech, but you may not have known they make toys like these:

• Kidizoom Action Cam: The Action Cam is a great first video and photo camera for kids, and it’s durable enough to handle drops and tumbles.  It comes with two mounts, so your kids can mount the camera to their bikes, skateboards, and more.  It also has a waterproof case, so it’s perfect for the outdoors!
• Go! Go! Smart Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home: This interactive house features seven MagicPoint locations that encourage imaginative play and emphasize cause-and-effect relationships.  Place Miss Norah on a MagicPoint location to experience her friendly personality, motion, lights, and more.
• Go! Go! Smart Friends Characters: Perfectly sized for little hands, each item includes a character and a MagicPoint accessory.  Children can press a light-up button to hear characters come to life and have sing-alongs.

Whiffer Sniffers

Whiffer Sniffers are so silly, but so totally cute.  The kids were fascinated by these, and the S’Mores was their favorite.  (I’m partial to Dilly Yo the Pickle, because he’s way too cute, though he’s not the best-smelling of the bunch).

U-COMMAND WALL-E

I’ve always felt something was missing from my life, and now I finally know what:  this toy.  Features include:

• Action packed U-COMMAND: You control his realistic expressions, light-up eyes, original movie voice, sound effects, movements, and more.
• Send an instant order or preprogrammed action sequence via the infrared remote control, and your loyal robot will be glad to carry out your commands.
• 10 easy-to-use action buttons control movement forward, turns, dancing, expressions, voice, sound effects, and power signal, or it can be programmed for over 1000 action combinations.
• Animated arms and turning track wheels with blinking, light-up eyes

Minions

Minions were everywhere!  (Had I known, I would have brought some bananas.)  I do love these little yellow guys, and there are plenty of new Minions toys to choose from:

• Thinkaway Toys
  • Animatronic Plush Tumblin’ Stuard
  • Talking, Banana-Eating Kevin
  • Talking Bob with Teddy Bear
  • Fart Blaster
  • Singing Tim
  • Dancing Dave
• Skyrocket Toys
  • Minions Bike Helmet & Safety Pads
  • Minions Goggle Swim Mask
  • Minions Goggle Kickboard
  • Minions Singing Sound Pad
• Mega Blocks Minions Build-a-Minion Construction Set

So there you have it, and that’s only a sample of what we saw.  It really was an awesome time for both me and my kids, and I hope that some of our favorite finds will become some of your children’s favorite summer toys!