Tag Archives: Playmates

Give it Forward: Christmas is For Kids 2017 Donation

Christmas is for Kids 2017 Donation
Photo-A-Day #4594

These are toys that we received from various toy companies for free. Opinions are our own. Amazon.com affiliate links are withing the post.

Back in 2008 we began a Christmas tradition. That year a friend of mine was having a toy drive for Christmas is for Kids, a local charity that collects toys for the area children. That first year we donated a couple of toys but then we decided that each year we would put aside some money each month so that we could make a decent toy purchase at the end of the year. That way we could give a good sized donation. Fast forward to today and we’ve been making larger and larger donations because of the work that we do through this blog. From contests to conferences and everything in between there are many toy companies that have been providing us toys each year and we give the overflow to Christmas is for Kids.

Early on Allison and I decided to involve the kids in our toy buying. We wanted to show them, from an early age that they can help people less fortunate. You may not change the world for everyone but you can start locally and help those in your immediate environment. My kids have never had any want for toys especially because of this blog. Involving Eva and Andrew in the process of selecting toys for other children is very important. This year they were fantastic in the store. Not once did they ask for any toys for themselves. The hardest thing was saying no when they choose expensive toys. I had to keep explaining that the higher the cost of the toy the less toys we could buy to help out the kids. I think we also had some lessons in math and estimating and rounding and more and also understanding how much prices are for toys came in to play as well. Andrew wanted to get a toy and thought that it was $6 but was actually $64. It gave me a chance to talk money with him.

We also recorded a video thanking many of the toy companies for sending us toys to review and some that we were not able to review but instead added to our gift donation. I wanted to recognize them here. You can see the video below. And below that a bit about the toys.

Continue reading Give it Forward: Christmas is For Kids 2017 Donation

The Half-Shell Heroes Get Their Own TV Special

When I was at Toy Fair this past year I toured the Playmates booth and got to see a ton of things coming for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. One of the things was a ton of new toys for the Half-Shell Heroes line. These are the toys that are mean for pre-schoolers. They are smaller, cute versions of the Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. I thought that this would make a great series that my kids would enjoy and I am excited that this will actually be a TV special. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Dinosaurs. A fun combination. Check out the Press Release below.

TMNT Half Shell HeroesNickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Time Travel to Jurassic Era in Original 2D-Animated Special Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past Premiering Sunday, Nov. 22, 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT)

One-Hour Special Pre-released on Nick.com and Nick App Nov. 1

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime when they accidentally time travel back to the Jurassic Era in Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past premiering Sunday, Nov. 22, at 11:00 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. During the 2D-animated one-hour special, the Turtles encounter friendly dinosaurs from the past and dangerous aliens from the future who have a nefarious plan of their own. Using their ninja skills and having some fun along the way, the four brothers must find a way to save the day and get back to home.

Starting Nov. 1, Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past will be available on Nick.com and the Emmy Award-winning Nick App, along with platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Xbox, Google Play, Vudu, PlayStation and VOD.

You can see a Video preview on the TMNT Play Facebook Page. Continue reading The Half-Shell Heroes Get Their Own TV Special