Take Your Child On A BackYard Safari

As a TeamMom mom, I was sent the following products to review and keep:


Cargo Vest, ages 5 & up
FEATURES:
RUGGED POLY-TWILL FABRIC WITH REINFORCED DETAIL
4 CARGO POCKETS WITH VELCRO CLOSURES
1 TWO INCH DEEP ZIPPER POCKET WITH MESH-NET OUTER POCKET
6 D-RINGS
CUSTOM ZIPPER PULLS
CARGO SHOULDER EPAULETS WITH SNAP CLOSURES
ADJUSTABLE REAR STRAP
2 OVER-SIZED MESH-NET CARGO POCKETS IN REAR
PLUS CLEAR-VU FRONT POCKET CONTAINING ESSENTIAL FIELD POP-GUIDE


Mega View Periscope, ages 5 & up
FEATURES:
THREE NESTED SECTIONS EXTEND OVER 4 FEET
WIDE-VIEW FACE PLATE FOR BINOCULAR VIEWING
ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED HAND GRIPS FOR STEADY, VERTICAL HOLDING POSITION
16 INCH WATER-TIGHT SUBMERSIBLE SECTION FOR UNDERWATER VIEWING

And

Bug Vacuum, ages 5 & up
FEATURES:
2 CATCH & RELEASE CAPTURE CORES WITH BUILT IN MAGNIFYING GLASS
PLUS: EXTRA NOSE CONE FOR THE REALLY BIG BUGS


These toys are part of the Backyard Safari Outfitters line of toys from Summit Toys. They arrived in a big box and I was eager to check out the quality of these products. The vest was a big surprise. I have bought my daughter a lot of dress-up clothes. Most are poor quality, and don’t last long. The Cargo Vest is made with your child in mind. It is high quality, durable, and practical. It is made to stand up to your child wearing it multiple times and to being well used. The quality is on the par of a Cargo Vest you would go out and buy for yourself. I like the pockets to hold all kinds of things. My daughter looks so cute in it. She absolutely loves it. I wanted to get a picture of her, but I dropped my camera recently, and now need to go purchase a new one.

The periscope is not my favorite item. It’s big and difficult for her to use and carry around. I would prefer her to have the binoculars from the Backyard Safari Outfitters line. The Bug Vacuum is great. If you have this, you need to get their habitat to store the little critters your child catches. We don’t have it, so I implemented the catch and release policy before coming into the house.

The toys also included a detailed Pop-Up Field Guide that can fit conveniently into a pocket of the Cargo Vest. My daughter uses this as a guide to determine what bug to go looking for next. I’m in love with Backyard Safari Outfitters. They bring science to life. Also, since my daughter hates to touch live insects, the Bug Vacuum allows her to capture bugs without actually touching them.

Backyard Safari Outfitters is available now at Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and Target. For more information about Summit Toys and a complete list of Backyard Safari essential field gear, visit www.summittoy.com

WWE Mattel Toys Not Just For Boys

I was given the opportunity to review and keep two new toys from Mattel. One is the World Heavyweight Championship belt and the other is a Wrestle Mania Heritage Series action figure. The action figure is the Undertaker. The belt is for ages 8+ and the figure is for ages 6+.

My son had no interest in these. That wasn’t a surprise. Most toys that he likes are centered around his favorite movies. My daughter, on the other hand, loves them both. Don’t let anyone tell you that these are only for boys. As my daughter has proved, girls like them too.

In my opinion, the action figure is well made and closely resembles the real Under Taker. The tattoos are impressive, as is the range of motion of the body parts. The flexibility of the arms is my favorite feature. When I was a kid, (I know. That was a while ago) they didn’t make action figures like this. Even my husband was impressed.

My daughter loves the belt. She puts it on and belly bumps anyone in her path. I think that they could have done a better job with the belt. It comes with Velcro attached to one side, and the other one has to be placed in the spot that gives your child a perfect fit. The problem is, you can’t adjust it. Maybe Mattel thought that kids would lose interest in the belt, before outgrowing it. Given my daughter’s age, I don’t think this will be correct in her case. I think that the belt should have been made adjustable. Not only to allow for a child’s growth, but also to allow for different children to play with. As is, it would be difficult for cousins and friends to play with her belt, unless they hap

pened to be her size.

The WWE action figures and Championship belts are available in stores now. You can also purchase other items to go with them, like Ring and Kickin’ Matt.

Nintendo DS Game Review for Shorts

I was sent the Nintendo DS game Shorts to review and keep. This game is based on the movie, Shorts and I have to admit that I have not seen the movie. This is a good thing, though. The last time I bought a game that was based on a movie, I was disappointed. It was the Wii game for Iron Man and it did not live up to the movie. I had an expectation of what I thought the game should be about, and it wasn’t.

Shorts is a delightful game that the whole family can take turns playing. The graphics are child friendly, which is a plus in my book. As an added benefit, since I didn’t see the movie, the enemy creatures in each level were a surprise. There are the boogers in level one, gators and snakes in level two, and each level after that has different creatures. The game is about navigating through a big building, defeating the creatures in each level and finding objects you need to move forward in the game.

I have not finished the game. As you go up a level, the difficulty increases. I have also noticed that there is a reason that you see more kids playing the Nintendo DS than adults. It’s because the buttons you push on the Nintendo DS are small and easier for kids to use. My adult fingers keep hitting on two keys at the same time. This can really mess up your progress in the game.

After spending time playing this game, I now understand better the attraction these games have for children. If you pick out the right games for your child to play, they can be educational and therapeutic. Playing the game Shorts can help improve eye-hand coordination, memorization, and problem solving.

Each level requires you to make jumps that have to be timed just right. You also have to remember where you have been and how to get back there. There are some doors that you need to have a key to get into. You go to one area to get the key, and then you have to back track to get to the door. If you go in the wrong direction, you may find yourself in the wrong place. There are also switches you have to activate to open up sliding doors that are blocking your way. This game is rated E (for everyone), ages 10 and up and can be purchased on Amazon for $19.99.

Our House Party Wii Game Review

I was sent the Wii game Our House Party to review for my blog. This game is rated E for everyone and is designed for four players. I tried it, but was having trouble figuring out how to perform the functions to play. My husband took over and I watched. I had a lot of fun watching him play.

You have to be a lover of Home Depot and home repairs to like this game. You always play against three other players. They can be three real players, three game system players, or a mix of them. You start off the game with a race into the store to make your purchase. After that, you are on to your first home improvement assignment.

Completing your tasks may seem easy at first, but then the game throws you a curve. You are not only competing against the other players during the assignment, you also have to watch out for sabotage attempts by the other players. You could be doing great, and someone will go and mess you up.

My husband didn’t like that feature. I laughed every time it happened. Listening to him complain that it was all he could do to finish his job. That he didn’t understand how they could have time to sabotage him and complete their task first.

We had the idea that if we had a second control, playing the game together would be more fun. Do you know how hard it is to find a Wii control after Christmas? Every store we went to was sold out. Next time we have a little extra cash, we’ll try to get one. I really would like to try playing this against my husband and the two game players.

This game would be good for pre-teens and older. I don’t recommend it for younger kids. The fine motor skills needed are high. As an adult, I had a little trouble playing the game. It’s also a great game for children that show an interest in home repairs. Most of all, there are no graphic depictions of violence in the game. This is a family friendly game and I recommend it for families looking for a fun game to play together.

All About Kids Guard Lizard

My son was sent this lizard for Christmas. My husband saw it and said that our boy will love it. I had the opposite reaction. There was nothing cute and cuddly about it. It makes lizard sounds when you push the button on it's back. It's a lizard!

Time for mommy to rethink what boys and girls like. Since Christmas, Mr. Lizard has been on guard duty on my son's bed. Only special, beloved items are allowed on my son's bed. Guess I need to start consulting my husband before buying anything for our son in the future.

This meme is brought to you by Super Mommy To The Rescue. To participate, just go over to her site and leave the link for your All About Kids post.

Learning with The Price is Right for the Nintendo DS

My son loves The Price is Right. He has been watching the show since he was a toddler. As he got older, he started noticing the games in the stores. He discovered the television game, the computer game and the Wii game. He would insist that I buy each one until he had a complete collection of The Price is Right game types.

He would try to play them, but they would be too difficult for him to pick up quickly. When I bought him the Nintendo DS to use for his TapToTalk, he kept trying to get me to buy the Nintendo DS version of The Price is Right. I made him wait until after Christmas.

As luck would have it, he was given two of The Price is Right games. They are two different versions, 2008 and 2010. I was relieved. Buying for my son at Christmas is difficult. When family members asked me what he wanted, I always included this game on the list. Because of this, he ended up with one from my husband’s side of the family and one from my side of the family.

I am pleased to announce that he can play it on the Nintendo DS. Both my husband and I take turns sitting with him and teaching him how to play the game. In a day and a half, he has picked up on lot. He prefers the newer version better. The pricing games are a little easier for him to do.

I am extremely proud of my son. It requires a lot of skills to play this game on the Nintendo DS. It works on his eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills. Improving his skills with the stylus and selecting pictures on the little screen will help improve his communication skills when using the TapToTalk on his Nintendo DS. It is also great to watch him having so much fun doing.

Loveable Look-a-Like Doll Review

Leaving your child with someone and walking out the door can be hard on both mommy and child. I have been introduced to a new product that can help your child with being without mommy. It’s called a Loveable Look-a-Like doll. The company sent me a Do It Yourself Doll Kit to review and keep. This one is “ A 24 inch blank face doll packaged with an iron-on heat transfer for a do it yourself doll kit. Doll is clothed with jeans, white shirt and matching socks.” It is soft and cuddly.

You print out a close up of your face on an iron-on heat transfer sheet and iron it onto the doll’s face. You can also order a recordable micro voice chip to put in the doll. On this, you can record a message for your child. This doll does come assembled, you just have to put your face on it. You can order different outfits for the doll off of their website, too.

I think this is great. With the Loveable Look-a-Like doll, your child can cuddle with a doll that has your face and your voice. This can make separating from your child easier and less traumatic for both of you. It’s also good for autistic children that like to hug and cuddle.

You can order this doll with the photo of your face on it for a little extra. Also, the micro voice chip can be recorded over multiple times. This allows you to change the message whenever you need to. For more information, please visit the Loveable look-a-Like doll website.

Recent Recalls for Roman Shades, Toys and Clothes

This was just posted today on the Window Coverings website. US CPSC hasn‘t posted it yet on their website but have made the announcement publicly. Please read and take action.
"U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Window Covering Safety Council Announce Voluntary Corrective Action Plan

NEW YORK (December 2009) — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) are announcing an industry-wide voluntary corrective action plan covering roman-style shades and roll-up blinds to prevent the potential hazard of strangulation to young children. The recall involves window coverings that can form a loop and cause strangulation. According to information provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, since 1990, more than 200 infants and young children have died from accidentally strangling in window cords."


Last week, there were three important recalls that were overshadowed by the Zhu Zhu Pets issue. Here quotes from the U.S CPSC website, and you can read more about them and what actions to take by visiting their website.

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2009
Release # 10-061

Toy Trucks Recalled by Variety Wholesalers Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Super Rigs Play Sets
Units: About 700
Importer: Variety Wholesalers Inc., of Henderson, N.C.
Hazard: The toy truck’s surface coating contains high levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves “Super Rig Transport” toy truck with trailer and vehicles. The truck and trailer are multi-colored, holding two vehicles and two action figures. “Super Rigs Play Set” is labeled on the outside of the packaging. The box back has a bar code square with Item No. 67007, Made in China and Bar Code 6-98567-67007-3. The bottom of the trailer has an engraved code 45TNGO9.
Sold at: Discount stores in the Southeast from September 2009 through November 2009 for about $20.
Manufactured in: China"



"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2009
Release # 10-063

Children's Pajama Sets Recalled by Little Miss Matched Due to Violation of Federal Flammability Standard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Little Miss Matched Girls Pajama Sets
Units: About 7,000 in the United States and about 288 in Canada
Importer: Little Miss Matched Inc., of New York, N.Y.
Hazard: The sleepwear fails to meet the federal children’s sleepwear flammability standard posing a risk of burn injury to children.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: This recall involves long sleeve toddler and girls pajama sets. The sets were sold in sizes XXS (2t-3t), XS (3t-4t), S (5-6), M (7-8) and L (10-12), and in three varieties:
Black Multicolored stripes/polka dots
White Multicolored stripes/polka dots
Pink Blue stripes and oversized polka dots

Sold exclusively at: Various retailers nationwide from March 2008 through July 2009 for between $30 (U.S.) and in Canada from March 2008 through November 2009 for about $30 (CAN).
Manufactured in: Honduras"


"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2009
Release # 10-064

JCPenney Recalls Cooks® Outdoor BBQ Grills Due to Fire Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Cooks Outdoor® BBQ Grills
Units: About 5,600
Importer: JCPenney Purchasing Corp., of Plano, Texas
Hazard: The drip pan on the grill does not allow for adequate drainage, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 11 reports of fires resulting from inadequate drainage. No injuries reported.
Description: This recall involves Cooks® brand outdoor BBQ grills. The grill has a digital thermometer on the hood, stainless steel top and a global LP regulator. Lot number 780-2176 is printed on the underside of the grill’s stand.
Sold exclusively at: JCPenney stores nationwide and online at www.jcp.com from February 2009 through September 2009 for between $190 and $600.
Manufactured in: China"

Are Zhu Zhu Pets Safe for Autistic Children

As you know, the CPSC has confirmed that the popular toy Zhu Zhu pets is safe. It is “not out of compliance with the antimony or other heavy metal limits.” My concern is, as a parent of an autistic child, I have been told that an item is safe for children, yet have found that it is not safe for my child.

A lot of our children are more sensitive to toxics than other children. They say that the amount of toxic metals contained in these toys are within government guidelines. My concern is that they do not say that these toys do not contain any of the toxics.

As a parent of an autistic child, this concerns me a lot. I do love these toys, and so do my children. However, I have to think about their health and safety. I contacted a representative of Zhu Zhu Pets via email. Here is a copy of what I asked and his reply. I contacted the CPSC and I have it and their reply copied below.


My email request:

I've been keeping track of what has been going on. I have that the CPSC has issue a statement that the toys are safe for normal play, although I don't see their statement on their website yet. My question is whether or not they are safe for autistic children. Our children are not known for playing normally. Some can be violant with their toys, others tend to mouth them. Under these circumstances, does the company believe that our children are safe? Thank you.

Tammy Lessick

Response received:

The CPSC confirmed that Zhu Zhu Pets meet their safety standards. You can see the article that was posted this morning in the Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-zhuzhu-pets8-2009dec08,0,7448175.story?track=rss. Cepia has also posted the results of the tests to the zhuzhupets.com web site if you’d like to take a look for yourself. - Company Representative

My email request:

Good afternoon. I am in need of follow-up information about the safety of the Zhu Zhu Pets. I have read that the CPSC has issued a statement that they are safe for normal play. My publiccation centers around autistic children. Our children are not known for playing with their toys normally. Many can be violent with their toys or mouth them. Many of our children also have weak immune systems and are more sensitive to metal toxins. My question is, are these toys, under these circumstances, safe for our autistic children?

Response received:

Tammy,
See our statement below re: Zhu Zhu Pets.
Thanks, Nychelle
“CPSC confirmed today that the popular Zhu Zhu toy is not out of compliance with the antimony or other heavy metal limits of the new U.S. mandatory toy standard. CPSC will continue to evaluate safety issues on toys as they arise.”


Nychelle (Nikki) Fleming
Public Affairs Specialist
Office of Information & Public Affairs
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

The toys are safe. They are within the government’s guidelines. We are told the same thing about vaccines, yet for some of our children, vaccines were harmful. Did you notice that neither one actually answered my question? What do you think? Are Zhu Zhu pets safe for autistic children?

The Next Hot Toy For Christmas

Remember the review I did for the Mattel Avatar toys? The other day, my husband saw Avatar iTag Set with Figure at the store. He told me about it last night. I asked how much it cost, and expected the price to be high. It was only $15. We really can not afford to buy the kids much for Christmas. I want to at least buy one toy for each of my children.

My husband and I agreed that this would be the one toy for our son. With this set, you can take two of the iTags and have the creatures fight each other. I can’t wait to see my son’s reaction. He is fascinated with just one creation moving around. He is going to love watching two interacting with each other.

Zhu Zhu Pets may be considered the hot toy of the year by many, but I think these Avatar toys are better. I think that they will be a big hit with young boys and that they will soon be flying off the shelves. The Avatar set is recommended for ages 6-9, but I bet that older boys will be as drawn to the iTags that come with the toys.

Adventure Playset and Other Recalls

With the Zhu Zhu Pets recall scare, I thought it would be a good idea to check what the latest recalls issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission are. I found a couple that I thought I should share.

The first one is a crib recall that was actually first announced in 2001, but are still being used by parents that are not aware that they have been recalled.

"Name of Product: “Molly” and “Betsy” Cribs

Units: About 400 (This recall was first announced in December 2001

Manufacturer: LaJobi Inc., of Cranbury, N.J.

Hazard: The cribs have cut-outs in the end panels that can allow young children to get their heads entrapped, which can pose a strangulation hazard to infants and toddlers.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC is aware of the death of a one-year old girl whose head and neck became entrapped in the headboard cut-out of the “Betsy” style crib in 2003 in Mississippi, following the 2001 recall. No additional incidents or injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves both “Molly” and “Betsy” style wooden cribs. The end panels on the "Molly" style cribs are made of solid wood with openings on both sides. The end panels on the "Betsy" style cribs are constructed with wood slats. The model numbers are printed inside the headboard at the bottom."

The second is a child's hoodie that you may want to check to see if your child has. No injuries or incidents have been reported, but the potential is there.

"Name of Product: “Hello Kitty” Zip Up Hoodie Sweatshirts

Units: 1,200

Distributor: NTD Apparel, of Los Angeles, Calif.

Hazard: The sweatshirts have a drawstring through the hood which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines (pdf) (which were incorporated into an industry voluntary standard in 1997) to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets or sweatshirts.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: The “Hello Kitty” hoodie has an appliqué on the right chest and screenprint on left chest and left sleeve. They were sold in black with silver lining and in sizes 2T, 3T, 4, 5, 6 and 6X. NTD APPAREL, D1592H7273, RN#116180 is printed on the neck label and care label.

Sold at: Macy’s and Dillard’s department stores nationwide from November 2008 through December 2008 for $36."

The third is a kitchen blender.

"Name of Product: Blenders

Units: About 53,800

Importer: Haier America Trading, L.L.C., of New York, N.Y.

Manufacturer: Ka Po International Industrial Co., of Hong Kong

Hazard: The blade assemblies of the blenders may come apart or break, posing a laceration risk.

Incidents/Injuries: Haier America has received approximately 60 reports of blade assemblies coming apart or breaking. One consumer reported receiving a minor cut to his hand.

Description: This recall involves commercial-style 500-watt blenders with model number HB500BSS. The units are stainless steel and black plastic. “Haier” is printed on the front below the power switch, and the model number is printed on a label on the bottom of the blenders.

Sold at: Mass merchandisers and specialty retailers nationwide from November 2006 through October 2009 for between $26 and $60."

The final product that I want to share is the Adventure Playsets Wooden Play Sets.

"Name of Product: Adventure Playsets Wooden Play Sets

Units: About 275,000 in the United States and 6,800 in Canada

Distributor: Adventure Playsets, of Amarillo, Texas

Hazard: The plastic coated lumber on the horizontal ladder (monkey bar/swing beam) can weaken over time due to rotting of the whitewood (spruce, pine and fir species), resulting in a fall hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Adventure Playsets has received more than 1,400 reports of rotting ladders involving 16 injuries that resulted in nine emergency room visits. The injuries include two arm fractures, lacerations, scrapes, and bruises to children younger than 8 years old. Most of the reported injuries occurred when the swing came out of the monkey bar/ swing beam that had rotted.

Description: This recall involves wooden play sets with swings, slides and ladders. Each set has an overhead monkey bar ladder that acts as both the monkey bar and swing beam, and an end ladder coated with cranberry or green plastic. The instruction manual has the name “Adventure Playsets” and one of the following model numbers printed on the cover."

For more information about these product recalls, please visit the U.S. Consumer Product Safety site.

Zhu Zhu Pets ( ZuZu Pets Recall )

The big news going around surrounding the Zhu Zhu Pets (or ZuZu if you spell like my daughter) being recalled is a rumor. So far, they are not. As I have previously posted, the manufacture of Zhu Zhu Pets says that their toys are safe. They have issued a full statement about their product and testing procedures.

I started following this story yesterday, after my mother-in-law called me and said that she had heard on the news that this new favorite toy was toxic. GoodGuide reported that their testing showed toxic levels of two contaminants in the toys. Ceppia, LLC denies these allegations and states that their toys are safe.

The question is, do you feel safe giving your child a Zhu Zhu Pet? My kids have one and several of the habitat sets. They love them. I can not take away this beloved toy based on GoodGuides testing. If other toy testers come out with the same findings, I would be more inclined to take my children's favorite toy away from them.

For now, I believe that these critters are safe. As long as my kids don't put them in their mouth, (which they don't) I don't see how they could be harmful.

No Recall on Zhu Zhu Pets or ZuZu Pets As My Daughter Spells Them

This is a quote from their website about the safety of the Zhu Zhu Pets. Please refer to my previous post for more information.

Manufacturer of Zhu Zhu Pets Confirms Safety of Mr. Squiggles Toy
and Offers Validation of Testing Protocol
Hottest toy of the holiday season passes the industry's most stringent consumer health
and safety certification standards
St. Louis (December 5) -- Cepia LLC, the manufacturer of Zhu Zhu Pets, says
that its Mr. Squiggles toy is “absolutely safe and has passed the most rigorous testing in
the toy industry for consumer health and safety.” This statement is in response to a report
made earlier today by Good Guide that alleges Mr. Squiggles contains unsafe levels of
antimony.
"We are disputing the findings of Good Guide and we are 100% confident that
Mr. Squiggles, and all other Zhu Zhu Toys, are safe and compliant with all U.S. and
European standards for consumer health and safety in toys”, said Russ Hornsby, CEO of
Cepia LLC.
“All our products are subjected to several levels of rigorous safety testing
conducted by our own internal teams, as well as the world’s leading independent quality
assurance testing organization, and also by independent labs engaged by our retail
partners,” Hornsby said. “The results of every test prove that our products are in
compliance with all government and industry safety standards.”
Test results show Mr. Squiggles, as well as all other Zhu Zhu Pets products, are
well within U.S. government standards and these results have been certified by the
world’s leading independent testing organizations.
Rigorous testing and inspection procedures are in place for all Zhu Zhu Pets
products to assure that the toys are completely safe. Working in conjunction with
representatives from governing toy industry and trade organizations, we have made
certain that all Zhu Zhu Pets products are regularly and frequently tested through an
independent testing service, Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services, the global
leader in Quality Assurance.
The Zhu Zhu Pets products are tested in laboratories several times during
production, and again before they ship from the factory. The testing laboratories that
conduct Zhu Zhu Pets product testing are accredited by the largest national and
international bodies and adhere to the strictest protocol for testing. In fact, all Zhu Zhu
Pets testing exceeds the levels for products distributed in the US, by passing the EN71
test required for products distributed in Europe.
"We are contacting the Good Guide people at this moment to share with them all
of our Mr. Squiggles and Zhu Zhu Pet testing data so we can get to the bottom of how
their report was founded,” Russ Hornsby said. "We want to assure everyone already
enjoying Mr. Squiggles or other Zhu Zhu Pets, and those planning to purchase Mr.
Squiggles or another Zhu Zhu Pet this holiday season, that the toy is 100 percent safe and
in compliance with all U.S. and European toy safety standards. I have been in the toy
industry for more than 35 years, and being a father of children myself, I would never
allow any substandard or unsafe product to hit the shelves. That’s why we always test to
not only meet but also exceed safety standards."

Hasbro Virtual Lite Brite

I loved playing with Hasbro's Lite Brite as a child. I just found out that they have a Virtual Lite Brite game. I tried it out and was dissappointed. It was no where near as fun as playing the real thing.

Do you remember how much fun it was to make a picture with the pegs? The light inside the Lite Brite made the pegs shine. It was always a lot of fun for me. There are a lot of new games out on the computer that are virtual versions of our childhood favorites. Sometimes, it is better to just leave things the way they were.

Although I don't recommend the virtual version of Lite Brite, I do recommend the real thing. It is great for working on fine motor skills, eye hand coordination, and color recognition. It helps develop creativity with your autistic child. I know that my son does not like to be creative. I have to help him a lot in this area.

Currently, we do not have a Lite Brite for the kids to play with. I would love to get one, but money is tight. I know my daughter would love it. My son and eye would have to spend a lot of one on one time together with it. That's fine with me. I'm used to it. Plus, it would be a great homeschool/therapy tool.

What do you think? Have you tried the Virtual Lite Brite? If you have, did you like it? How do you think it compares to the real thing?

Are Zhu Zhu Pets Toxic? Recall Talk

My mother-in-law called me this morning about Zhu Zhu pets. My kids have one and she bought her great-grandson a couple. She told me that she saw on the news that they emit a dangerous toxic and wanted to know if I had heard anything about it.

I hadn't. I did a search and the only thing that I could find was on Good Guide. Good Guide says that they have a dangerous amount of tin and antimony. Tin can be harmful to the immune system and antimony can be linked to cancer, lung and heart problems.

This got me a little worried. I did some more searching, but have not been able to come up with anything. I am going to keep investigating this. I also ask that if any of my readers have heard anything about this, please leave me a comment. My mother-in-law is wanting to return the ones she bought and I need to decide if I need to get rid of the one my kids have. They absolutely love their Zhu Zhu pet, so I really don't want to.

Update: You can view the Zhu Zhu Pets response to the allegations of their toys being toxic by reading my follow up post.

PR Pitches and VIP Forum

I have been getting a lot of pitches from companies that are looking for autism and special needs bloggers to review their products. I thought that it would be a good idea to set up a special VIP section in our AutismLearningFelt forum.

Before I do this, I would like to know who would be interested in joining. The VIP membership fee would be $5 a month in order to get bloggers that are serious and dedicated bloggers. I would list my pitches and I encourage other members to list theirs. I would appreciate it if you would leave a comment if you are interested. If I see that there is enough interest in this, I will set it up.

As the membership rises, I will invite PR companies to join us and pitch directly to you and you can pitch directly to them. If you are a PR rep., and would be interested in participating, please leave a comment letting me know.


Update: I am getting a little interest in this, so I am setting it up. If you wish to join, go ahead and register for the AutismLearningFelt Forum. I am not going to charge for this at this time. I was reminded how difficult things are for us all, and wish my forum to be about helping others. If you have already paid, you should be seeing a refund show up any day now. I've refunded it on my end. I have started entering pitches and will continue to do so over the next couple of days. I have been getting slammed in the last couple of days with review requests for Christmas.

Toy of the Year Awards

This time of year, we take a long, hard look at toys. Our children have created their wish list of the latest “hot” toy of the year. New toys are hitting the shelf and we ask ourselves “Are they safe?” and “Are they appropriate for our child?” We check all over the internet for toys that are on the recall list in order to make sure we don’t buy that one for our child. We hunt out the “in” toys for the year. This year, I can’t afford to get that many gifts for my kids. A couple each will be it. That’s why I like these two sites that I am writing about today. Studying both sites will give me the ability to pick out the best toys for my money . I will be able to go out and buy a couple of “popular” toys, yet still remain in budget and be assured that they are safe and developmentally appropriate.

There are two sites that can answer all of your questions. First, to locate the top toys on the market now, you can visit TOTY (Toy of The Year). Whatever category of toys you are looking for, you will find the best listed here. From toys for boys to toys that are educational, this site will have the top toys listed in each category, who makes it, what it does and what the MSR is.

The second site, ToyInfo.org, gives you all the information you need for toy safety. You get the latest in recalls and safety guidelines you should follow when purchasing a toy for your child. I like the Stages of Play list that they have. Through the years, it has been difficult to purchase toys for my son. Intellectually, he is 10, but his fine motor skills are extremely below that. Toys are usually labeled by age, so it is nice to be able to look at a list and see what developmental skills are attributed to that age range.

You can also go and vote for your favorite toy in each category at Toy Awards. After you vote, you can enter to win all of the toys in one of the categories. The winner will be notified January 31st, 2010. Good luck.

Build-A-Bear Makes a Connection

My son doesn't like to use the touch screen to communicate. He doesn't like to touch it with his finger because of his extreme sensory aversion issues he has with touch. He can do it, but he doesn't want to. Because of this, getting him to touch the screen to play games, communicate, or anything else has always been difficult. He hasn't figured out how to use the mouse yet. I've always believed that he just needs the right motivation and he would be a wiz on the computer. Today, thaks to Kim at Accidental Mommies, we have found the right motivation.

This morning, I was over on her site checking out her giveaways. My son came in and wanted me to get a movie out for him. I did. He then went straight for the computer and sat down. I thought that he did so because he wanted to play the movie on my computer. That's when it happened. He saw something on Kim's site that caught his attention. Something that turned out to be amazing. It was an advertisement for Build-A-Bear. He touched it. Yes he did. All by himself.

At the Build-A-Bear site, he started navigating around using his finger and with no prompting from me. He found cute little cuddlies and he found the Party tab. He tried to schedule himself a party. I got him away from that and clicked on Games. He selected the Fluffed and Fabulous game. Talk about fun. He had a blast with that game. I've never seen him like this before. It was amazing.

Thank you Kim and thank you Build-A-Bear for opening up this door for my son. This is such an amazing breakthrough for him. I absolutely can not express in words how much this means to me to have been able to watch my son do something that deep in my heart, I knew he could do. Thank you so much.

Autism Mom Thursday

Today's Autism Moms Thursday is easy. Your post can be about anything family related. Include the above picture with your post and link it to this post. That's it. I am going to post a picture. My son's OCD took over and he ended up with a tower that was top heavy. I had to hold it up with one hand while taking the picture.

Fun with K'NEX Toys

As a Team Mom, I was given the opportunity to review two toys from K’NEX, K’NEX 400 Pieces Tub and Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building Set. After reviewing, I get to keep these for my kids. I let my son do this review with me. He even let me record him with the Sesame Street set.

The K’NEX 400 pieces Tub is for children 7 years old and older. My son is ten, but his fine minor skills are delayed. We different have that much luck with this toy, but it did show me some areas that my son needs to work on. He was also interested in playing with it. Although he did not have the dexterity to put the tiny pieces together, he showed me where he wanted them, and I would put them together. This is a good toy for children that love to build things and have the fine motor skills of a child that is at least seven years old.

The Sesame Street Neighborhood Collection Building set is for children 2 - 5 years old. We received the 123 Brownstone Building Set from the collection. This was a big success. The big pieces were a lot easier for him to manipulate. He was putting them together, all by himself. Afterwards, he had no problem taking them back apart. The video below is him playing with it in front of the camera. I couldn’t get the whole thing to upload. I had to edit it down to get it to upload into blogger. I did notice problems with his OCD. He placed most of the windows on top of each other. I loved how he actually played independently with these. He also didn’t get frustrated whenever he had a little problem putting them together. I give this set a big thumbs up.

K’NEX is giving their customers a chance to win $1,000 worth of K’NEX Building Sets and to be featured on the KNEX.com site. The contest runs from November th thru December 7th, 2009 on their site. This is a video contest and you can visit K’NEX for the rules and to submit your video. Good luck.