Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 7-20-10
Talking Buzz Lightyear & Toy Story Action Figures

Name: Disney / Pixar TS3 12″ Buzz Lightyear

Manufacturer: Thinkway

Price: Standard Figures – $6.00  Talking Buzz Lightyear – $49.99

Length of Ownership: 3 weeks

Rating: 4 stars

Ah, good ole action figures! Any boy’s favorite toy right? Ty really enjoys his 6″ Toy Story Action figures, but the excitement wore off pretty quickly.  We’ve been working on ways to spark his imagination so that he will get more enjoyment out of his toys.  But Ty insists on using the same story line of Woody losing his hat.  That can get quite boring, quite fast.  These toys are your basic posable action figures, nothing fancy, no bells or whistles.  Imagination is key and can turn these plain toys into hours of entertainment.

However, if imagination isn’t your child’s most distinguishing quality, then I would recommend SUPER BUZZ LIGHTYEAR! He talks, he moves, he flies, hell, he might even hula hoop if you let him try.  This toys is a no imagination required type of product. It responds when you talk to it, has a working laser, pop out action wings, and functioning utility belt.  Ty hasn’t put this thing down since he got it and it has even breathed life back into the normal action figures, and for once they aren’t just looking for Woody’s hat.  My only knock on this Super Buzz is the hefty price tag.  For that price Ty better play with this thing until he’s 30, and then pass it on to his kids!!!

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 6-29-10
Kid-Tough Digital Waterproof Camera

 Name: <Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera – Blue

Manufacturer: Fisher Price

Price: $57.40

Length of Ownership: 18 months

Rating: 4 stars

Let me start off by saying that Ty loves this camera.  He takes it everywhere with us and snaps pics of ANY & EVERYTHING.  There are currently about 400 pics sitting on his camera waiting to be downloaded (a few displayed below).  So as you can see it gets utilized very often.  I love the fact that it is extremely durable, it can withstand the toughest scrutiny (e.g. Tre) and still perform wonderfully.  I must admit, this is our second purchase of this camera, the first one just decided to quit working and Ty was so upset we had to get another one.  This one has performed great, with no issues, so I’m happy we got him another one.  One word of caution, this thing eats batteries like they are Scooby Snacks! I would advise purchasing rechargable batteries.

Examples of Ty’s Photography

 Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 11-10-09
GeoTrax Transportation System & Airport

Name: Fisher Price GeoTrax Transportation System Remote Control Timbertown Railway

Fisher-Price Transportation System GeoAir High-Flyin’ Airport

Manufacturer: Fisher Price

Price: $49.97/$39.00

Length of Ownership: 2 years

Rating: 5 stars

Let me start off by saying that I think this is an awesome toy! Ty loves it and it has held his attention for 2 whole years.  That’s pretty impressive for a preschooler.  I think that it still ranks as one of his favorite toys to date, it’s typically one of the first things he plays with in the morning.  I say all this to let you know that you will not be disappointed buying this for your child.  The add ons (such as the airport) allow for continued expansion and let’s your child’s imagination run wild.  We have spent countless hours designing and redesigning the track layout and it seems as if it will never get old to Ty.  I highly recommend the GeoTrax series, it’s the perfect Christmas gift.  Let me end by stating that I’m starting to notice ALOT of our kids toys come from Fisher Price, I never noticed that until I started doing these toy reviews, but if they continue to make items such as this, I’ll be happy to continue giving them my money.

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 9-29-09
V.Smile TV Learning System

 Name: Vtech – V.Smile TV Learning System

Manufacturer: Vtech

Price: $43.36

Length of Ownership: 18 months

Rating: 3.5 stars

This toy is a good addition that will help supplement your child’s learning in a fun manner.  Kids already enjoy playing video games, so combining educational content should be a win-win for everyone.  Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case.  I’ve found that sometimes, Ty is more interested in completing the tasks of a given game than actually paying attention to the lessons that are being pushed.  But at the same time, he has picked up quite a few things from playing these games, so it’s not all bad.  The games themselves are typically full of content ranging from letter recognition, counting, and even math.  The type of content found in these games have been helpful in jump starting Ty’s education, so that when it’s time for him to attend school, he’ll already have a head start.  I must mention that the graphics are absolutely horrible, so if your child is around PS3s, Xbox360s, or Wii’s, the appeal of a V.Smile may wear off very quickly.

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 8-18-09
Crayola Magnetic Double Easel 

Name: Crayola Magnetic Double Ease

Manufacturer: Crayola

Price: $89.99

Length of Ownership: 8 months

Rating: 4 stars

Ty really likes this double sided easel.  He gets more use out of the marker side than the chalk side, but still uses both pretty regularly.  We use it to leave him notes and pictures for when he wakes up in the morning and he loves it.  This toy really allows him to express his creativity and requires minimal supervision.  I did not give it 5 stars because the writing apparatus was sold seperately, and for the price I felt at least a few markers or a piece of chalk could of came bundled along with the product.  Also, it comes with tiny magnetic alphabet letters, becareful if you have small children around as these pieces can easily be swollowed.

Ty’s Tuesday Toy Review 8-11-09
Black & Decker Jr. Power Tool Workshop

Name: Black & Decker Jr. Power Tools Workshop

Manufacturer: Creative Designs

Price: $69.99

Length of Ownership: 8 months

Rating: 5 stars

As you can see, Ty likes this toy & his only gripe is the fact that screws from his other tool sets won’t fit in this workbench. I really like this tool bench because it has mulitple activities for your child to enjoy. The power tools make real sounds and move as their real life counterparts. With the provided plastic “wood” pieces your kid can use the workbench to cut wood, drill holes, and piece together a toolbox. This gives them the feeling of actually achieving something and they’ll love to show it off.