Why Did This End Up on the Worst Toy List?

Are you still doing your holiday shopping trying to find toys for your sons, daughters, nieces and nephews? If so, here is a piece of advice. Do not, and I repeat, do not, buy them any of these toys. Why? Because these were voted the most dangerous toys of 2011 by W.A.T.C.H (World Against Toys Causing Harm).

Each year W.A.T.C.H puts together their 10 Worst Toys list, toys that can bodily injury and even death.

Check out what made the list here: Continue reading »

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Dude! Have you seen my dad?

All parents, at one time or another, have had visions of losing their kid.

That nightmare became reality for one dad who left his baby in a grocery store parking lot and drove away.

As Jezebel reports, after shopping at a Kentucky Kroger a dad loaded his groceries and two kids into the car and drove home. No problem there, right? Wrong. He has three kids.  Turns out, he’d left his 6-month-old in the shopping cart.

Oops. Continue reading »

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A pointy, metal stake that you throw in the area while a bunch of people stand nearby. What could possibly go wrong?

I grew up with three brothers, which means I have close, personal experience being victimized by most toys that could kill a kid made between 1980 and 2000.

Sometimes the toys are just plain stupid and shouldn’t ever be bought for children (thanks a lot, mom!) However, sometimes the idea is right but the toy was made in a dangerous way.  I’ll explain more below.

With Black Friday or Black Thursday or Cyber Monday (or whatever big shopping day corporations desperately want you to buy into) at hand, I thought I’d show you what not to buy for your children. Ever. Someone’s going to get hurt. Trust me, I’ve been there.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, toy-related deaths to children younger than 15 increased to 17 fatalities reported in 2010, up from 15 reported in 2009.

Most of the toys featured below are from my very own list, but a couple were featured on several “Most Dangerous Toys” lists circulating on the internet. Statistically speaking, if you buy your children some of the toys on the list, they will get injured. The last two toys are everywhere and are seemingly innocuous but cause the most injuries and deaths among children. Can you guess what they are?

Continue reading »

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The Black Friday 2011 ad is online now!

Start limbering up because it’s time to plan your family’s Black Friday shopping strategy.

The Walmart Black Friday ad for this year is available now.

Folks are frantically clicking away online so they know which stores are offering the best deals. These online ads are lifelines, as they help you map out which store to visit first, second and so on.

According to SouthernSavers.com, here are some of Walmart’s rocking Black Friday deals: Continue reading »

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Take advantage of the retailer's new layaway program.

If you’re anything like me you wait until the last possible second to shop for the holidays.  I detest shopping, I truly do.

But Toys R Us is trying to give you a leg up this year by expanding its layaway program ahead of the holiday season.

As CNNMoney reports, to help families who are struggling, the retailer announced Tuesday it’s extending its layaway program beyond big-ticket items and will now include most toys in its stores. Continue reading »

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Ikea's Månland

“A superstore can be a terrifying place,” says an Australian news reporter. Which is why the Swedish superstore IKEA has created a calming respite for the more easily frightened sex: Månland, a grown-up male’s playground inspired by  Småland, IKEA’s popular kiddie drop-off haven. In Månland,  virus-encrusted plastic balls are replaced by big screen TVs showing sporting events, and bossy, young female employees are replaced by subservient, young female employees delivering snacks. There are also video games for those who need to get out a little physical energy between lolls on the couch.

The concept is special for Father’s Day (Australian), and seems to be meant as sort of a joke. But as Irin Carmon points out at Jezebel,  there are a few issues with this kind of humor.

“The problem with the men-as-children meme is that it’s self-fulfilling, particularly in conjunction with the idea that men are no good at household tasks and only women can do stuff like laundry. Some men may prefer playing video games to buying a couch or cleaning the kitchen, but women probably would rather do a lot of other things too.”

I’ll say. Why should women be expected to actually enjoy the five-hour marathon of physical labor, emotional drain, and promise-dashed-upon-the-rocks that is IKEA shopping?

Continue reading »

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Surprise them with something different this year.

Now that Thanksgiving dinner is out of the oven and leftovers are in the refrigerator, another holiday tradition has begun:  Shopping.  For many, the barrage of items available for sale, especially those geared toward children, can be overwhelming.  If you’re looking for a unique gift, something beyond the standard Barbies and Legos, the 5th annual Toy Insider Holiday Toy Guide is a good place to start.

This year, the panel of toy experts teamed up with Women’s Day Magazine to suss out not just the hottest toys, but the ones most appropriate based on a child’s individual interests and skills.  These are toys that help kids learn, become more active or enhance their social and emotional development.

The list is extensive, but here’s a few that caught my eye.

Teach My Baby, 6 Months+
The first in a series that also includes Teach My Toddler and Teach My Preschooler, this baby learning kit is divided into four sections—First Words, First Numbers, Self, and Sound & Touch. The makers claim this system has everything you need to “teach baby the basics,” including nesting blocks, finger puppets, puzzles and more. (And it comes in its own carrying case!) Continue reading »

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