They don't look like they need their mouths washed out with soap. But they do.

Way to go, Toys “R” Us. Nicely done. You’ve got the toy this Christmas season that have all the parents talking. Unfortunately they’re all talking about how they’ll never buy it. But still. Nicely done.

I mean, can you blame parents for not buying a doll that says “OK crazy b****?”

The “You & Me Interactive Play and Giggle Triplet Dolls” talks baby talk. Except for the “crazy b****” part. That’s not so much baby talk as it is, “Oops, now I’m going to get my mouth washed out with soap and then get sent to military school” talk.

I can maybe understand a kid thinking that about his or her parents on occasion. But saying it is a whole other thing. Sheesh.

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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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Some of the child models from the Toys 'R' Us Guide for Differently-Abled Kids.

I’ll admit, I was intrigued when Toys ‘R’ Us sent me a link to their Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids.  The retailer has been publishing the guide since 1994, billed as an easy-to-use resource featuring toys specially selected based on research from the National Lekotek Center that encourage play for children with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.  The 2011 guide features actress Eva Longoria on the cover, who also created a video in support of the initiative.  Longoria’s sister, Liza, is developmentally disabled and inspired Longoria to found Eva’s Heroes, an organization that “helps teens and young adults with special needs to integrate and flourish in society.”

At first, I assumed this catalog was simply a marketing ploy, since after all, it’s filled with the same toys that are in the regular catalog.  But once I saw that each toy included in the guide was evaluated individually to determine its ability to help special needs children learn and grow, coupled with the care Toys ‘R’ Us took to interview the families of the children featured, my cynicism softened.  As you flip through the wonderful photographs of these children with special needs and read what their parents have to say about them, you’re sure to be inspired by each family’s strength. Continue reading »

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Yesterday, I was obliged to take a trip to my local Toys R Us store.  The kid needs a new bike and that seemed like a good place to start the search.  As she and I walked into the store, we noticed a huge sign in the window featuring the image of someone we weren’t prepared to see on a hot July day:  Santa Claus.   That’s right.  At Toys R Us, it’s Christmas in July. Continue reading »

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You don’t remember the “Christmas Club.” But your mom might. Put a little money away at a department store, or even a bank, and get it back–typically with no interest–in December, just in time for the holidays. Most of us now go the reverse Christmas club route: instead of spend now, buy later, we strongly prefer to do it the other way around. With its “Christmas Savers Club” Toys “R” Us is hoping to change that.

Not surprisingly, buying in has more benefit for Toys “R” Us than it does for you. But if you’re already a Toys “R” Us customer, and your preferred method of Christmas spending involves phrases like “It’s everywhere you want to be,” then there are worse things you could do than sign up for a Christmas Club card. Continue reading »

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You might have heard that Hasbro recently came up with a Ouija board “just for girls.” What, you ask, makes a game that consists of a piece of a cardboard and a plastic triangle “just for girls?” Why, the color pink, of course!

But the sleepover staple may not be all fun and games. Continue reading »

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Since the 1940′s, the color pink has been associated with girls and femininity.  I’m not big on gender stereotypes, but I’ll admit that it can be handy to have a standard way of telling boy babies from girl babies without undoing their diaper.  But once you get past the they-all-look-like-lizards stage, it’s not so important.  Especially, I think, girls don’t need to have a pink version of something just to be able to play with it.  Apparently, Toys R Us disagrees.

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