It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas- and this time it really is- we have some wonderful snowflakes coming down from the sky, and then promptly melting, which is my favorite type of snow. I know that your wallet is starting to feel more than a bit lighter at this point- so we have some more options for affordable toys! We here at TMG have been working since Sept to wade through the piles and bring you the best of the best toys to put under your tree. I know- it was quite a sacrifice! So with no further ado- here is The Mommy’s Guide 2016 Top Toys of the Season!

                                                    Part Two!

      Who says learning cannot be fun! Here we have some really fun ways to keep the kiddos occupied and learning without them even knowing! Listed here we have three, amazing tools to keep the fun, but also the education alive in your kids this holiday season, LeapFrogs Leap Start System, School Zone Counting Money game, and Playroom Prep.

     

   Playroom Prep is a wonderful interactive book that is filled with various ways to learn before going into the kindergarten classroom with confidence.  This wonderful learning system introduces the fundamentals of the curriculum to preschoolers through a colorful 22-page dry erase book.  Each page has an activity that supports what they learn in Pre-school.  They will connect the dots to form a straight line, start to identify letters, colors and numbers by sight as well as beginning to learn the proper way of writing them.  They will also continue to learn how to hold a writing tool correctly in their little hands- something my son had an issue with, and work on focusing on one task at a time. 

     Created by a teacher who wanted a child to have all the basic skills to start school with knowledge on their side, and an air of confidence.  She believed that no child should walk into kindergarten without having at least an idea of all the fundamentals that they will learn in Kindergarten.

    I personally think this is a fun way for the kids to learn. The pages are colorful and catch the eye- the “lessons” do follow the same curriculum of my son’s pre-school here in NY, and I love the fact that it is dry erase, so a child does not feel the pressure of doing it right the first time. They can try it out and practice as many time as they like. Although suggested for the kiddos to start before pre-school, I would suggest making sure your child shows an interest before doing so.  Your child will be starting their lessons soon enough, and this book, I believe, is a great addition to the pre-set curriculum of their teacher, and a way to keep them interested in learning on the days they are not in the classroom.   For children 3 and up, this is a great tool to continue the learning process outside of pre-k and an adorable present for the holidays! 

         You guys may remember during the summer when I was invited to the Leap Frog showcase- or you may not- either way the Leapfrog Leap Start System was by far my favorite product of the new line.

       This system is not digital, but gives you everything any of these learning apps would give you and more without the ever imposing screen. For ages 2 -7 this interactive learning system will get kids excited to learn everything from ABC’s to STEM fundamentals in a truly fun way.

    So how does this work? Easily.  The system is based on three key components, the book holder, the books and the stylus. The book holder and stylus come in two styles-one that is built for the tinnier hands of pre-school-kindergarten students. This version has a chunkier appearance, and a

TMNT Meets Big Wheels! Our Review!

     

     Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Big Wheel Turtle Racer is another great item that we received from Jakks Pacific! Recieving this in the mail brought back instant memories of riding around when I was a child I felt like I owned  streets (or in my case my driveway).  Now our kids can bring out their own adventures in their very own Big Wheels. Back in our day (as my bff Peter always like to say) our Big Wheels were a nice bright yellow and red, but now your children can have the same adventures with their very own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle themed ride! This TMNT Green BW has a 16-inch front wheel that helps your child pedal like the speed demon they are, has cool sticker graphics (that you need to place on) and an adjustable seat so it can grow with your child!  

   Perfect for new riders, or experts the age range is  3-8 years old or up to 70 pounds, and it rides just as smooth as I remember. Not that I got on it – although I may have tried- it was a blast to see my son weaving in and out of obstacles like I did as child. He dressed up as his favorite turtle and rode around stopping Shredders minions the infamous Foot Soldiers and if you can believe it even pretended to be delivering pizza! This is THE PERFECT thing for summer days or late summer evenings, filled with playing with the kids on the block and riding around while looking for fire flies. Can you feel the nostigia? I certainly can! We loved it and we think you will too!

**We recieved this item from Jakks Pacific for review, however as always our opinions are our own. If we do not like it we will not write about it! Our opinions CANNOT be bought! Thank you so much for letting us try this amazing product!***

CamelBack Resort! A Great Place For The Whole Family

 We were invited to spend the night at CamelBack Resort to indulge ourselves in all the amenities that this amazing resort has to offer. Located in the Poconos- the fun does not end when the snow does because at CamelBack Resort you literally have everything at your fingertips!
  The lobby is gorgeous with high ceilings and a library feel to its decor which instantly welcomes you while still giving you that " in awe " factor the moment you check in. If you plan on not leaving the resort valet parking is available- but you can also park your own car. As I am a wanderer I chose the latter. The room we checked into has two queen sized beds-with a rustic dark wood headboard that is attached to the wall itself. There is a refrigerator and microwave available to use in the foe marble out-cove.  The sink and mirror that are outside of the bathroom itself and next to the refrigerator and also decorated in that for marble.  The room is long and spacious and includes a

small two seater wood table couch and coffee table. There is amble room to hang your cloths in the

Build-A-Bear & Care Bears Join Together for The Perfect Match Ever!

   Build-A- Bear Workshop has been a staple in every household since its grand opening in 1997.  I remember walking around Roosevelt field Mall here on Long Island, with my then dreamy Boyfriend Matt, and seeing these kids, and tweens carrying around these really cool boxes.  They were cardboard, with blue and white print on them and looked like it was a house.  I asked one of the patrons of the mall where they got that amazing box, and what was inside and that was the first time I was introduced to the store that would change stuffed animals forever.  I then made my boyfriend buy me one immediately, and yes I was seventeen years old. 

       Build-A-Bear is all about creating a forever friend. Someone who you will love cherish and take care of. Yes, it is a stuffed animal, but the way the company built their world makes it a very personal experience for each child.  Children not only hand pick their new friends, but create it-with the help of the workers- they hug it, they place a heart inside with their love, and their wishes, and above all they promise to take care of their new friend.

       It seems to me that a match was made in heaven last week when Care Bears joined forces with this elite plush experience.    All of us 80’s kids are simply thrilled that the Care bears are back and better than ever, their growing popularity brings us back to the days of when we as children enjoyed the “Care Bears Movie” (still one of my favorites) pretending to do the “Care Bear Stare” with our original plushes (I still have my Tendorheart ) and saving the world from evil foes. 

    We were invited to the preview of the new series at The Empire State Building Location last Wednesday before it hit the shelves all over the country, and guys, it is everything you wanted and more! As of now there are two Care Bears available now, the most iconic of the Care Bears other than Grumpy Bear, have made their debut at the soft launch.  Tenderheart Bear and Cheer Bear are on the shelves now and priced at $25.00 without any accessories. Oh did I not mention the accessories, yea these little guys also have a whole line of cloths that   you will also be able to

purchase. Available right now is a beautiful tutu set, pjs.  There is also a sound chip- that when purchased additionally will be put inside the bear and when pressed will play the Care Bears song.  All of these are available now, with more coming in February.  In the second rollout you will be about to buy bedding for the bears, as well as slippers, and more outfits to mix and match. The Campaign that runs all of 2016 will also have you looking forward to the roll out of three

The Mommy's Guide To Gifts: Technology Edition!

I remember being a child and thinking how cool all the tec in Star Trek was.  The Holideck. COME ON! well we may not be soaring through space yet with Jean Luke, but there is still a bunch of fun tech to go around for everyone! Here is a list compilied of our favorite video games, robots, and more! 

Sklyanders Super Chargers!   Kaos is returning as our favorite Super Villain but instead of trying to take over Skyland, we see that he has already succeeded!  It is our task to save Skyland from his evil mites and back into the hands of the honest citizens of Skyland. This is the first time we see that Kaos has already won, and he is just a little smug about it to say the least.  Do not fret my pets, we will absolutely be getting our beloved Skyland back but with some help from some of our old friends along with some new. Read our full review! 

                                   

Stikbots!:  A long long time ago before the age of smartphones and tablets (a time my son believes does not exist) stop motion was a fine art that were limited to only those that could afford buying the equipment.   Now with Stikbots and their super easy to use app anyone can literally put their imagination in motion and post it for the world to see.  Think about that- that is huge! Read our full review!

   Chibi-Robo For The 3dsXl:  Chibi-Robo is still as adorable as ever, I mean really, he may be one of the most adorable characters ever in my mind, and although he stayed the same, the game itself has changed from semi-sandbox game play to a side-scrolling platform program.  This game is more along the lines of Mario and Kirby games which any Nintendo fan will know and instantly love.  The left to right game play has you moving Chibi-Robo throughout the boards in order to help earth get rid of its most recent alien nuisance. Read our full review! 

Guitar Hero Live! :   Guitar Hero is back, and wants to know if you guys are ready to rock! This all new version of the game that took the world by storm years ago is revamped and ready for you...to get on stage!  First let us start with the game's new look. In the older versions, the game was cartoon-ized, and had very little in the way of visual aesthetics.  However, this time around you play with a first person view and see through the eyes of your virtual character.  You experience first-hand as they walk behind the scenes and up onto the stage to a sea of live actors playing as your fans, and your band mates, giving you a true sense of actually playing in a real live rock band.  It is a crazy experience the first time you play it.  It's more like interacting with a TV show than video game and will absolutely blow you away. Read our full review! 

    MiPosaur: Last year we had the absolute honor to present WowWee’s MiP self-balancing robot on our holiday list.  This year we are even more overjoyed to present the MiPosaur!  A Robot Dinosaur! WHAT WHAT!  MiP which stands for “mobile inverted pendulum” is the base behind the robotics of these super fun toys.  WowWee had made such a splash last year with their toy that this year the expectations were high. Some companies would fold under the pressure, but not WowWee- they just raised the bar even higher!  Starting with the tech that they used originally for the MiP they created an entirely new experience for us to enjoy this holiday season!  Read our full Review! 

                                                                     

Mario Tennis:     I remember having my original Nintendo Gameboy and playing one of my very first video games on that amazing machine. The first was Tetris- the second was Mario Tennis. Holy Smokes was I addicted to that game and only at the ripe old age of 7 years old.  When I visited Nintendo HQ in NYC this November I got to preview the game- and I was flooded with old memories- and super psyched to get new ones!  Now that I have the game in my home (thanks guys) I can say that I am still an addict- and I am proud.  Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash has up to four players able to play (singles or doubles) and give you the unique opportunity to play one of the most beloved games on the screen with our favorite characters.  My family and I have played rounds that I personally believe would put the US Open to shame. Read the rest of our review here! 

   amibbo Festival is the PERFECT game for family fun!  Experience Animal Crossing like never before! Get to play once unplayable characters like Isabelle, Tom Nook, and Digby, and wonder around town experiencing daily activities of the town folk in this interactive virtual board game!  One of the cooliest things about this game is how the amibbos actually interact with it,  Touch the amibbo's to the Wii game pad and they roll the dice for you- I think it is sooo cool, so does X!  There are also amiibo cards that come with the game that unlock mini-games that are adorable as well as entertaining.  You will love cuddling up on the couch and playing this game on rainy afternoons with the kiddos! 

Mommy's Time Out: University Games: I Ate Zombies Reviewed

     Based on the popular "I Have" games, University Games has released "I Ate Zombies".  This is a fast paced game that will have each player racing each other to unload their cards first into the "Darkness Pit", or pile, whatever works for you. Each of the 54 cards have two sides,  the "Who Ate" and the "I Ate".  The first player will put down a card "I Ate" up, for example "I ate a Werewolf" and then flip it over to the "Who Ate" side, revealing the next card that the players need to match.