Six Toys that Make You Go Huh?
There are bad birthday presents and then there are BAD birthday presents. And then there are the birthday presents that leave you scratching your head and wondering “what in the hell were they thinking?” The answer? They probably weren’t. However they came to be, these toys are out there lurking in darkest corners of the […]
Farewell, Toys ‘R’ Us – We ‘R’ Sad
Today, Toys ‘R’ Us begins closing the doors on its stores, and with them, part of my childhood. There’s a vast universe of “My Kids Will Never Know” memes out there. This is really a timeless theme; generations always have and always will advance forward, turning the things of today into antiquated and unfamiliar footnotes […]
Toddler Cars: Beyond Fury Road
I just recently rewatched the original Mad Max and was surprised by how well it survived the passage of time. I remember watching it as a kid and being struck by the sad desperation of a post-apocalyptic world, but, because I was kid, I was obviously way more struck by how totally flippin’ awesome it […]
Superhero Action Figures Come to Life! (40 Amazing Photos)
Much to my fatherly delight, my son has grown up into a 7-year-old who loves action figures. As an aficionado myself, and the one who has to pay for the dang expensive things, I’ve taught him to pay attention to how articulated they are; how many joints they have and how poseable they are. The […]
When Dads Toy Battle (Crazy Special Effects VIDEO)
Kids can get pretty carried away when they’re playing, augmenting reality with their powerful imaginations. They can reach cruising altitudes of thousands of feet by sticking out their arms when speed-toddling. They’re the defender of the realm when they pick up a stick. Anything is possible. Adults have a harder time stepping into a world […]
“Favorites” – Scrabble Scribble #18
When you get right down to it, kids are basically hoarders. Parents quickly learn that whole “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” applies to ALL trash for most kids. You just wouldn’t think that a crumpled juice box straw was THE BEST MOSTEST FAVORITEST THING EVER. But they’ll be sure to inform you loudly […]
The World’s Largest Nerf Gun Is The Only Toy You Need
When you’re a kid, the world is larger than life. So you reenact the adult world and all its glory: foot races, gunfights, negotiations, playing house — the full continuum, as far as you’re concerned, is up for grabs during playtime. Generationally, however, it now seems we’re predisposed to reversing the order. We want all […]
5 Reasons My Single Mom Helped Me Become A Better Father
Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at the White House. From morning until the early evening, we heard from panels of educators, researchers, marketers, brand representatives and parents all talking about the topic of gender disparity and stereotypes that face our children. We heard how girls are driven to great lengths to achieve […]
Barbie Made Her Do It! (Adorable VIDEO)
After countless comics of Calvin talking and playing with his stuffed tiger, Hobbes, and after all the Toy Story movies, parents still just don’t seem to get it. TOYS ARE ALIVE! To kids, anyway. Especially when they need a scapegoat. Or, in this case, a scapedoll. Watch this little cutie get all passionate snotted-up while […]
100 Years of Dangerous & Banned Toys
It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye, or a finger, or gets cancer. Wait. WHAT?! Before I begin, I must admit that I’ve got a slight nagging worry that the only non-digital toys my children’s children will be legally allowed to play with are… well, none. Not even dirt. Or biodegradable gummy […]
