ASTRA – The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association’s mission is leading the way through play by providing quality products that help children have fun, achieve success and lead happy, healthy lives. Toys that get you back to the basics. Toys that teach children to imagine and play, not sit behind a video game or in front of a TV for hours.
The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) was founded in 1992 on a simple premise: to bring members of the independent toy industry together to help each other succeed. Since then, they have grown to be the largest association for companies in the toy and children’s products arenas, with more than 1,000 members, including:
• Independent toy retailers
• Specialty toy manufacturers
• Manufacturers’ representatives
• Industry affiliates
• Suppliers and service providers
• Other children’s businesses including furniture, equipment, publishing and entertainment companies
This year ASTRA has put together a list… The Best Toys for Kids: 2009 which was released by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) just in time for Christmas! It contains toys for good, old-fashioned, make-it-up-yourself, belly-laughing play that’s great for kids. It’s a great reason to pass by the hordes of anxious, exhausted shoppers at the usual big box stores and try a new way of more relaxed, productive shopping for toys that are actually healthy for your kids. Shopping in specialty stores locally which you can find here on ASTRA’s store finder!
This year’s winners are:
Infant Play (0 – 12 months)
* Sophie Giraffe by Calisson In
* Natural Skwish by Manhattan
Toddler Play (1 – 3 years)
* Twilight Ladybug by Cloud B
* Wee Wedgits by ImagAbility
Pretend Play – Role Play
* Tea Set from Recycled Milk jugs by Green Toys
* Shopping Cart by Melissa & Doug
Pretend Play – Fantasy Play
* Reversible Knight/Dragon Cape and Reversible Knight/Dragon Hood by Creative Education of Canada
* Egyptian Pyramid by Playmobil
Constructive Play
* Automoblox Vehicles by Manhattan Toy
* Magformers Multicolored 30pc Magnetic Building Set
Creative Arts Play
* Create Your Own Pop-up Books by Faber-Castell Creativity for Kids
* Sticky Mosaic Twinkle Tiaras by The Orb Factory
Scientific Play
* Snap Circuits Green by Elenco
* Power House Green by Thames & Kosmos
Active Play
* Ezy Roller by Ezy Roller
* Original Djubi by PAV/Moonracer
Game Play (3 – 7 years)
* Chickyboom by Blue Orange
Game Play (8+ years)
* Bananagrams by Bananagrams
Just For Fun
* Mini collectable Eraser by BC Office
Classic Play (Older)
* Doinkit Darts by Marky Sparky
Classic Play (Younger)
* Magnatiles by Valtech
SO, this holiday season check out these great products and more by visiting your local ASTRA retailer.
I was provided with sample products by ASTRA to facilitate this review. I was in no other way compensated and all opinions are those of my own.
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Winter brings thoughts of holidays, joy, and COLD weather meaning that there is no better time to break out the recipe book for soups. A comfort food that dates back for years and years helping to warm our bodies and soul.
Chef Marjorie’s commitment to sourcing only the best ingredients that local markets have to offer has allowed her to joyfully simmer soup from scratch, capturing seasonal flavors at their peak and creating wholesome, satisfying meals in a bowl. And now you can get Marjorie’s homemade recipes in this new cookbook.
The cookbook is a savory collection of our customers’ favorites. You’ll find recipes for Soup Factory classics like Spicy Chickpea and Butternut Squash. The recipes have easy-to-find ingredients, simple instructions and plenty of mouth-watering photography to showcase how to present each soup.
This is the BEST cookbook! It contains full color photographs for the recipes and is elegantly laid out. You won’t want to miss the Chili Con Carne, or the Tomato Soup made with fire-roasted tomatoes. Marjorie Druker is passionate about soups. She fell in love with soups when she first heard the story Stone Soup. After attending Johnston & Whales, Marjorie created the menu for the popular Boston Market restaurant chain, and soups were always her favorite. “My niche is taking what people like to eat and turning it into a soup,” she says.
The New England Soup Factory restaurant has won the Best of Boston award four times. People skip school to eat their soups. A pregnant lady in labor stopped by the restaurant on the way to the hospital to satisfy a last-minute craving. New England Soup Factory soups are like no other soups. And now you can recreate these delicious soups in your own home. The New England Soup Factory Cookbook contains 100 of Boston’s best-tasting traditional and creative soup recipes. The book also includes a chapter on sandwiches and salads to accompany such soups as . . .
* New England Clam Chowder
* Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup
* Curried Crab and Coconut Soup
* Raspberry-Nectarine Gazpacho
* Cucumber-Buttermilk Soup
It’s the perfect gift for soup-lovers, out-of-town friends and your own cookbook collection. Order a copy today…your taste buds will be thanking you!
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For years we as parents have been able to rely on VTech to bring some of the best educational toys to us. This year is no exception. In this edition of the Holiday Gift Guide I would like to introduce you to the V.Smile Motion:Active Learning System.
You can put your child in motion while driving home lessons in math, reading, science, spelling and more with V.Smile MotionTM TV Learning System! V.Smile MotionTM is a breakthrough gaming console that combines wireless, motion-activated play, web connectivity and educational gaming into a system that plugs directly into your TV! Meaning …that your child will have a blast playing AND learning at the same time! The V-MotionTM Active Learning System is recommended for children ages 3-7 years and has a suggested retail price of $59.99 (Games from $24.99). It can be found online and at retailers Nationwide. I Love the V.Smile Motion! It is fun, it is educational, it gets kids to move and they have so many great cartridges for kids to choose from. They can play alone or with a friend to make learning even MORE fun!
V.Smile MotionTM has all of your child’s favorite characters including Scooby-Doo, Thomas the Tank Engine, Winnie the Pooh and Spider-Man, as well as new ones like Disney Fairies, Pixar’s Up!, Handy Manny, and Ni Hao Kai Lan.
Your child will love these wireless action packed toys that guide them through age-appropriate skill levels and developmental activities. Plus children can use the V.Link to track scores and earn bonus online games at www.vsmilelink.com. The exciting “Action Mania” Smartridge comes included with the console.
V.Smile MotionTM Active Learning System Features:
* Wireless, motion activated joystick is also for left-handed or right-handed children
* This learning system is 100% compatible with the entire V.Smile Smartridge library
* Use V.Link to track your scores and earn bonus online games
* Comes with Action Mania sampler Smartridge
Other great products to consider from VTech this year are:
Bugsby TM Reading System and Starter Book Bundle – (3-7 years) ERP: $29.99
Jungle Gym: Ride & Learn Giraffe Bike – (18-36 months) ERP: $49.99
V.SmileTM Cyber Pocket – (5 years+) ERP: $49.99
“I was given a V.Smile Motion Active Learning System by VTech for my holiday guide. I was allowed to keep the product, but the opinion I am sharing remains my own.”
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As the holidays approach we all get concerned about over-eating, eating the wrong foods, not drinking enough water, not getting enough exercise. And all of those concerns are brought front and center on New Years Day when resolutions are made to really do better during the new year. Did you know that health related resolutions are the most commonly made ones? They are also the ones most commonly broken.
This year, there is help. Help to remind you of the goals you have set for yourself. Help to remind you to stay on track. That help comes in the form of Habitwise.
HabitwiseTM fundamentally changes the way people adjust their behaviors and form new habits. With the use of habit development systems – they help individuals, families and communities generate good health through the power of healthy habits. Helping you make better decisions today for a healthier tomorrow.
Whether you are faced with the challenge of weight loss, improving nutrition, or simply finding structure for your daily choices, Habitwise will prove that small changes can inspire you to achieve big goals. These bracelets are a very easy way to guide and monitor behaviors. It’s simple, once an action is performed, the color-coded bracelet is moved to the opposite wrist. That is it. And for men they have chips that are moved from pocket to pocket. So, one wrist shows goals for the day, the other shows your accomplishments
They have even set up a system for kids. A system to help them track eating habits, exercise habits, etc…the possiblities are endless…with all of their products. You could really use any system to track and control any habit you may have or use them to implement a new and healthy habit into your life.
So, start your New Year off with a New You thanks to Habitwise!
These make perfect gifts for anyone in your family and they will thank you for years to come. They are also the perfect size for a stocking stuffer. These are only available online through Habitwise.com, you can see all of their products HERE.
I was in no way compensated for this post. I just happen to believe they have a really great product that can help all of us live a little healthier. Please remember that individual results may vary.
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