Summer may be winding down but there's still plenty of warm days left. Let me tell you about the latest craze in this neck of the woods. It’s great for summer play in lakes and pools and great for the beach on your next, dare I say it, winter (brrr!) vacation.
All summer long we’ve had people come into the store asking about "that ball”, the one that bounces on water!
It’s called a Waboba. I can barely keep them in stock. As soon as I get more in they bounce right out the door with the next customers. Weird name. Great toy. Great fun for both kids and adults. And it gets everyone active.
So what’s a Waboba ?Why does everyone want this thing with the weird name?
It is a small, hand-sized ball that bounces on the water like you wouldn’t believe! Great for play in pools, lakes and beaches, it is made of a polymer core and durable Lycra coating. It is about 2.5 inches in diameter, weighs approximately 60 grams and feels a bit squishy, like a stress ball. It’s a great alternative to hurling hard plastic disks at one another.
Can’t picture it? See the video below:
I don’t think the video really does justice to how much fun you can have with this toy, but you get the idea.
There are two different editions of Waboba available. There’s the Waboba Blast and the Waboba Extreme.
I recommend the Blast version for pool play as it doesn’t bounce as high, making a little easier to control. You know how annoyed the sunbathers around the pool get when an unwanted ball lands in their slushie, right? Plus it is a little lighter and easier to use for the younger ones.
The Pro, on the other hand, has a little more ‘oomph’ and is better suited for play in larger bodies of water like a lake or even an ocean.
There are great ideas on how to use Waboba and for creating teams and new games at www.waboba.com/use. Or just make up your own! Any way you use it your family is sure to find this toy to be a cool water play essential.
Waboba is recommended for kids aged 3 years plus and both versions retail for approximately $9.99.
Loadza Toys is a member of Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS), a network of Canadian-owned specialty toy stores that parents love because it represents quality products and superior product knowledge and service.
NETS stores are owned and staffed by people, usually parents themselves, who are passionate about showcasing unique, interesting and quality-made toys.
Planning a road trip or more this summer? Wondering what will help preserve the family peace AND keep the children (of all ages!) happy travelers?
From birth to 4 years or so of age check out the Kids Movie and Game Interactive Console from K-Magic (K’s Kids). You can watch preprogrammed cartoons and play games. This compact and sturdy small screen unit only takes 3 AA batteries and has great video, stereo sound and study program cards a toddler can easily insert into the unit to get the fun started! A handy case to hang on the car seat (for infants) or the back of the seat for toddlers is well designed and convenient. The unit itself is small enough to be hand held for the preschoolers in your backseat! For more details check out the product at www.kmagic.kskids.com.
For toddlers GALT has a great product easy to travel with – Water Magic! A handy-sized, hard board flip pad that can be “painted” with the handy water pen—no mess! Really! What’s really neat is that you can paint and repaint over and over again the same picture!! Don’t pass by this nifty number! www.jamesgalt.com Also, check out the Galt First Activity Book - great travel item for preschoolers!
Nano dots, magnetic board games, Rubik’s cubes, along with other solitary ‘brain teasers’ are always a great choice for the “big kids” and parents!
Bon Voyage!!
From the craziest and zaniest new toys to the retro and classic toys, The Rocking Horse will help you find what you are looking for. Whether you're after a specific toy or have no idea what it is you're looking for, have no fear. We understand the language of "it's a thing-a-ma-bob with a whatcha-ma-call-it that's make a sound like swishy-swishy" that my son Bobby asked for." We're here to bring the fun back into shopping.
Everyone loves to take a vacation and Rule #1 when planning the family vacation is “Don’t leave home without travel toys!" Backseat boredom can turn into whining, complaining and bickering faster than you can say "Are we there yet?!" so parents need to be prepared. Here are some of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s favorite playthings to help pass the time away whether travelling by plane, train or automobile!
Often the simplest game can be the most entertaining and this can be said for Travel Hangman by Melissa and Doug. Come up with your mystery word and draw in the blanks with the included dry erase marker. As the game progresses, flip the attached wood pieces to reveal parts of the hangman and letters already guessed until a winner emerges. Because all pieces are attached, there are no game parts to misplace or clean up. Older kids can increase the difficulty by picking themes such as movies or popular phrases!
Scholastic Klutz Books are containable, take anywhere activity books. Most Klutz Books come fully loaded with all the supplies included! There are many titles to choose from so let us recommend a few that make perfect traveling companions. Klutz You vs Me is full of fun challenges for players to face off with such as seeing who can complete the maze faster or who can make the most words out of five random letters. There is also Klutz Chicken Socks Eye Find which takes the traditional game of “I Spy” up a notch by using cool searching tools to find hidden treasures in the various picture puzzles.
No travel toy list would be complete without mentioning portable puzzles such as the Classic Rubik's Cube. A more recent one that people have been excited about is the spherical maze, Perplexus. Twist, turn and manipulate the transparent sphere to will the tiny metal ball through the interior maze. There are three versions to choose from: Perplexus Rookie (ages 4+), Perplexus (ages 8+) and Perplexus Epic for those who want an ever greater challenge!
Whatever entertainment you pack for your kids, keep it light and portable. And remember, don't take any games that have lots of pieces that can be lost along the way. Happy Travels!
Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s is a member of Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada. Since the grand opening in 1977 Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s has been providing quality toys for quality kids in the Ottawa area. It is a place with a sensory smorgasbord for both the young and ‘young at heart’ where all are encouraged to let imagination grow. The above recommendations are the top picks from the wonderful staff!
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