Toys | Project Nursery

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Posts Tagged ‘Toys’

Nov

16


0
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Classic Gifts For The Holidays

Posted in Gifts, Holidays, Play Rooms, Toys by Little Apple Design SF

San Francisco can be a strange city. I’m not talking about the drum circles in Golden Gate Park. I’m referring to the weather. It was a gorgeous 88 degrees here this past weekend and our SF “summer” seemed to be chugging along. So, with this balmy weather in mind it just seemed odd that holiday music was playing in all the stores. Already? Is it that time of year? Really? I guess this means only one thing. The gift buying should begin!

To get us in the spirit, I present some classic gifts that will get your creative gift buying juices flowing. All can be found at world famous FAO Schwarz. Lincoln Logs created by John Lloyd Wright are the classic building set for the budding architect.  Have you got a young dancer or musician in your house. The Design Your Own Tutu Couture studio lets you create your own tutu for the little ballerina. The Baby Grand Piano by Schoenhut is so cute it doesn’t need to be hidden in the toy closet. And, if you have wall space to fill in your playroom, the giant USA Map is a terrific way to teach the kids about America. Added bonus, FAO is running a 20% off sale on orders over $120 through today.

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Oct

14


2
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All Aboard!

Posted in Gifts, Play Rooms, Tables, Toys by Little Apple Design LA

Meet Claire. She’s awesome, has excellent taste, strong opinions and researches everything to the nth degree. Pam and I are thrilled to introduce Claire’s voice on Project Nursery and we are looking to welcome additional contributors as we continue to grow and expand…

Little boys love trains. There seems to be an invisible magnetic force that sucks my son Max in when there’s a train set in his site. He could spend most of an afternoon with a train set pushing the trains along the wooden tracks. When he turned 18 months, I decided it was time to put away the baby toys and bring home a  train table for the toddler running around my home.

There are several great activity / train tables available. A website that listed a few good options is Trains 4 Tots. My favorite on the site is the “Thomas the Train” branded train table with storage carts - so cute. If your little boy loves Thomas, he would probably go nuts over this table.

Another great selection of tables exists at Sensational Beginnings. Due to our space constants, living in old Victorian home in San Francisco with small sized rooms, I picked a reduced size train table. This cool one from Kid Kraft comes with a  tabletop that can be flipped over with a LEGO compatible surface serves its purpose well and more - not to mention that it takes up less space than other tables.

With that, Max says “Choo choo!”

- Claire

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Jun

26


2
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Dollhouse Dreams & Miniature Wishes

Posted in Toys by Little Apple Design SF
A dollhouse is on every little girls (and some boys too!) list at some point during birthdays and holidays. I have a particular soft spot for all things miniature myself. (I always marvel at my kid’s clothes when I am folding them fresh out of the dryer). So, of course I loved playing with my simple wooden dollhouse when I was a little girl. Something about all those life size objects being so teeny tiny. Today there are a lot of great dollhouses from the fanciest of Victorians to the cool modern Palm Springs for our little ones to play house with.
The Greenleaf Dollhouse company makes amazing dollhouses that have incredible detail. The designs range from English Tudor to Vineyard Cottage. Any miniature enthusiast is sure to fall in love!
If a modern miniature is more your thing you should bookmark this blog, minimodern. It’s a kick to see the detail of the houses. Along with Modern Dollhouses and Miniatures they have created some very cool and unique dollhouses like this one called The Malibu.
These simple wooden dollhouses by Plan Toys are great unisex options and don’t take up too much space and can be stored easily.

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May

16


29
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Featured Giveaway: Bella Tutus by Little Painted Polka Dots

Posted in Clothes, Giveaways, Toys, Wall Art by admin

16 years of ballet class and what did it get me? Grace? Discipline? We’ll I am still pretty clumsy and I always cheat on my diet. It did however provide me with beautiful childhood memories of my parents chauffeuring me countless hours to class and a sincere fondness for tutus.

Give your daughter, niece or friend’s little girl the gift to dream and dance in something so very charming by Little Painted Polka Dots. One can never have enough tutus for ballet class, dress up and playtime with friends. Do you recall the twin’s “Double the Trouble” Project of the Week? Hang your tutu when not in use on the wall for a whimsical touch that undoubtedly screams girl.
Now here’s the exciting part. Little Painted Polka Dots is offering one Project Nursery reader a complimentary handmade tutu of your choice. Choose from their rainbow design or up to three colors. Here are the entry guidelines:
1. Comment on this post below by clicking “Comments”
2. Tell us why you want and need a tutu OR your best childhood dance class memory
3. Anonymous entries will not be counted.
4. A winner will be selected by http://www.random.org/ and announced on this site.
5. Contest ends Friday, May 23rd, 11pm PST.

Also be sure to check out Little Painted Polka Dot’s creative name plaques, painted canvas’ and growth charts. Everyone wins with promo code “Project” to receive 10% off any purchase.

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Apr

25


7
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Featured Giveaway: The Amazing Box4Blox

Posted in Giveaways, Storage, Toys by admin


Exhausted, I just finished cleaning up my son’s toys after a busy day of playing. I should also mention that I am jet lagged and survived a 6 hour flight where my little angel cried for 5 of the 6 hours on a late, late night cross country flight. Yes, I was that parent with that kid on the plane. I apologize to anyone who flew Delta flight #611 from JFK to LAX. Thank god for those gracious flight attendants who allowed us to sit in their jump seats in the back during the entire flight - a drastic measure to muffle the ear piercing screams. Anyway, I regress.

Austin’s grandparents asked me a few months back what he needed for his 1st birthday. I said anything but small blocks. I couldn’t cope with cleaning up more blocks and small bits. Go figure Austin received a beautiful wooden train with 25 wooden parts and a set of his very first Legos; another 45 pieces. I’ve come to the realization that good times are in store. I now watch his face light up as he clicks the parts together and think how it’s soooo worth it. I also vividly remember my little brother and his enormous Lego mess. I predict that will be my son in just a few years time so here’s the solution to future late night Lego clean up…

We are excited to present a first of many future giveaways to our Project Nursery readers. Introducing an ingenious invention, the BOX4BLOX. It sorts, stores and most importantly, makes cleaning fun! Based on customer testimonials, this product is a blessing. This week, one of you will be lucky enough to win a BOX4BLOX for your kids or friends.

The video says it all! Check out http://youtube.com/watch?v=2qJOeDTNWvE
Here’s how you can win:
1: Visit http://www.box4blox.com/index.html and check out their site/product.
2: Submit a comment HERE on Project Nursery under this post in “Comments” about this wonderful product(or share with us your worst flying experience to empathize).
3: Include your name, url or email address so we can get in touch with you. The winner will be announced next week.

Contest ends by May 2nd, 11pm pst. Winners are selected by Random.Org. This is just the beginning of fun, fabulous giveaways by Project Nursery. Stay tuned for more!

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Apr

18


0
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Sitting Still, Oy Vey!

Posted in Gifts, Holidays, Toys by admin

If someone would have told me 5 years ago that my Catholic-self would be celebrating Passover and proud, I wouldn’t have believed them. So far, I’ve survived 9 tours of Seder dinners with my New York family. Last year, I got a bye due to a C-section. Whew! An extreme, but viable excuse.

This year I am especially panicked. Although, I don’t have the same worries as I did in previous years such as:
1. Will I get stuck with the passage that reads “Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah, Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarphon were reclining [at a seder] in B’nei Berak?” (I suggest that all Gentiles try reading it aloud in front of 20 people after four glasses of Kosher wine).
2. Should I admit that I saw where they hid the Afikomen or find it and then take $20 bucks from my father-in-law even though I am over 30?
3. Will they notice that I already ate dinner before the meal?
4. Will someone mention Mel Gibson at the dinner table?
No, 2008 is much more serious…How in the world am I going to get my son to sit through Passover Seder Dinner? Oy Vey!
For those of you who don’t know, Passover Seder Dinner takes place on the first two nights of an eight day holiday and starts with a ritual reading before the meal that could potentially go on for hours. One way to let your little one play with their food and learn about Passover Seder along side you is to provide them with their very own Seder plate. KidKraft makes wonderful toys and even religious ones too. I found the best deal on Furniture Buzz where play Seder Sets are on sale for $29.00 with free shipping until April 21st.

No portable DVD’s players allowed here (nor should they be). Instead, try good old fashioned coloring. Download the free Passover Coloring Book and print 20 pages of the Passover story from Chabad.org.

If your child isn’t one to sit still, add some theatrics to your Seder presentation. You’ll not only get their attention but everyone elses. Super goofy but after all, Seder is all about parents teaching their kids about the Jewish tradition. Find these puppets at Oy Toys.

You may get some funny looks, but all of these toys should work wonders at Mass too! Wish me luck :) Happy Passover Everyone!

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Apr

16


1
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Lions, Tigers and Bears..Oh My!

Posted in Gifts, Toys by admin

I feel slightly silly blogging about stuffed-animals but if the countless amount of plush animals existing in my household are any indication, they are not only a crowd pleaser but also an absolute necessity. Sometimes it does the trick when nothing else seems to work. Really, is there anything more heart-warming then seeing your little one fast asleep while clutching their favorite tattered bear?

There are a few new plushies on the block to add to your list. First up the soft and cuddly FLATOUTbear created by two Aussies sisters and made from 100% pure Australian sheepskin. They are shaped like a teddy bear but flat which is perfect for hugging, squeezing and falling asleep on top of. Truly gorgeous and luxurious! You can find the entire line, including a cute koala at Bright October.
If Eco-friendly is your priority (makes sense considering these things are kissed and sneezed on hundreds of times) then you will fall in love with the velvety soft MiYim line of organic collectibles. Made from organic cotton that is untreated, unbleached, and unprocessed with color dyes acquired from nature. Find them, along with a lot of other healthy-living stuff at Maple Grace.  News Flash: Toys-R-Us Goes Green! They have created an exclusive new line of environmentally friendly toys. They are available online this April 22nd, Earth day! Touche TRU! 
And of course the ever popular Ugly Dolls. So ugly they are adorable (don’t miss checking out their website, it’s sinfully hilarious) Don’t forget to order your handy Boon stuffed animal bag to store all these little creatures in. It doubles as a beanbag seat. Pure innovation, we love it!

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Apr

8


0
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What You Asked For: Toy Storage Solutions…

Posted in Furniture, Storage by admin
“Can you pls do a feature on how to organize the clutter of toys and make it look cool in a common area? My modern family room needs help! - Allison”
I once read an article that said “The only reason to have a formal living room is so your child can practice the piano in another room. This way, you don’t have to hear it!”
With the trend of formal living rooms on the decline, it’s even more important to have a fabulous room the whole family can enjoy. So what if your family room looks more like a daycare center? You could do what I do and tell everyone that it’s only temporary as we prepare to remodel (I am counting down the days). But it’s hard not to believe that we need all this kid stuff to keep our little ones entertained. Ok, maybe we don’t really need it but it sure helps. And like Allison, we are all left wondering how to prevent our room from being over run by toys while keeping our contemporary style. Afterall, it’s our room too.
After searching high and low looking for the best possible solution, who better to turn to than Principal designer, Laura Fishman. Her Los-Angeles based firm, Storm Interiors, provides amazing custom solutions. Check out Storm’s unique “Tot-Tuffet”…

These designer pods are custom created to match your style and compliment your kids. Use them as ottomans, additional seating or side tables. Where ever you place them, it’s storage and it can be your child’s very own. Best of all, they are mobile - set on casters, won’t pinch little fingers and come in eco-friendly or childproof fabric for easy maintenance. Now this is something I want in my family room for all of us to appreciate!

“Hi, I love all your design ideas and I need a little help with a hard to find item. I have a baby who is nine months old and he is crawling and exploring like all curious 9 month olds. I need to secure all the small pieces of my other children’s toys so that the house is safe for the baby to roam and play. The problem is that most good looking and moderate sized toy storage have no secure tops. I am looking for fun and functional ways to store small to medium sized toys and toy parts that will stay closed if pulled down and also not crush anyone from being too oversized like most toy bins. Thanks for any great ideas and keep up the terrific original products! Best regards from mommy to other mommies - Elizabeth”

Oh boy, can we relate with our babies going through the same stage. While those giant wire and canvas bins are handy, they have tendency topple over. Nor are they attractive for a common area when overflowing with toys and even worse, primary color toys! Need to conceal? Look up Jennifer Delonge.


Here you go Elizabeth - Roomy interior and a solid base! Not to mention a chalkboard finish top on one side and the choice finish of birch or walnut on the other. What an excellent piece of multi-functional furniture. Yet another solution to keep the small toys away from your wee one. With prices ranging from $299 to $399, it’s a truly afforable designer solution.

Looking for something super cool and super chic? Try these “Audrey Nesting” tables also from Delonge. With the choice of a chalk or laqcuer finish and the option to use the lid as a tray, it’s the typical toy box gone mod.

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