Category — Kids' Trends

Don’t put the pink strollers away yet!  This holiday season, little girls may be dreaming of proudly taking these dolls out for a stroll around town:

Baby Alive: This updated classic eats, drinks and goes potty, but without the noises BABY Born makes, so it’s great for kids who already have a lot of noisy toys.

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Get ready, because the Disney Fairies are on the loose and ready to enchant little girls everywhere.  Tinker Bell is leading the charge with DVD that hit shelves on October 28th and is sure to be an instant classic.  For one thing, it is the first time that Tinker Bell actually speaks in a Disney film, and she not only speaks, but also sings.  It’s a nice update from the chimes and bells Tink usually has in lieu of a voice.  (Can you imagine an hour long video with nothing but a chime voice?  Egads!)

The DVD also features some great computer animation and voice acting by Anjelica Huston, Kathy Najimy, Kristin Chenoweth and Lucy Liu, to name a few.  From the trailers I have seen, it looks like a great film for the whole family.  And unlike Phineas and Ferb, Disney didn’t drop the ball on merchandising for the Disney Fairies, so you’ll find plenty of kids’ clothes, dolls, bedding and books to satisfy the kids in your life.

Disney is also holidng a Tinker Bell DVD & Blu-Ray Sweepstakes that runs until January 31, 2009.  Grand prize is a trip to Disney World…not too shabby!

I had never heard of Phineas and Ferb until this weekend when my nephew announced that he intended to go as Perry the Platypus for Halloween.   Never mind that Halloween is less than 2 weeks away and Phineas, Ferb, and Perry the Platypus Halloween costumes don’t exist.  Sigh.

The upside of this last minute scramble to make a Perry the Platypus costume is that I am learning a ton about the hit Disney animated series Phineas and Ferb.  Here’s the rundown, so you can keep up with the kids in your life:

• Several of the characters on Phineas and Ferb are voiced by actors like Allison Janney, Malcolm McDowell and Caroline Rhea, to name a few.  That’s pretty cool.
• The official Phineas and Ferb website is chock full of fun activities for kids, but seriously, invest in earplugs before letting your little ones check it out.  You will thank me.
• Each episode of Phineas and Ferb has at least one musical number, with songs like Gitchi-Gitchi-Goo, that may get stuck in your brain for days.  Again, ear plugs may help avoid this annoyance.

Ok, that is all I have for now.  I am off to continue my quest for a teal sweatsuit that can be transformed into a Perry the Platypus costume.  Wish me luck.

Today is the 50th Birthday of the publication of “A Bear Called Paddington“, the book that introduced the adorable Paddington Bear to the world.  To celebrate Paddington’s big day, here is a look at some of his antics through the years:

Here are a couple of great gift ideas for fans of Paddington:

The Paddington-inspired duffel coat will delight young ones who yearn for something unique yet stylish in kid’s coats.

Commemorate Paddington’s birthday with this 50th Anniversary Paddington Bear with Suitcase.

Adult fans can enjoy their daily cup of tea with this Paddington Bear mug.

The new Strawberry Shortcake DVD collection isn’t the only cool gift for berry sweet girls.  Check out these ideas:

Strawberry Shortcake costumes: Great for Halloween, but I can’t tell if the socks are included, and they are the best part, IMO.

Strawberry Shortcake Baby Berry Kisses: This doll giggles and blows strawberry scented kisses!  Little girls will be proud to push Baby Berry Kisses around town in tiny pink strollers.

Strawberry Shortcake Slumber Bag with Backpack: This berry cool sleeping bag ensures sweet dreams at home or at slumber parties.

Ok, that’s enough berry talk for a while

Strawberry Shortcake’s recent makeover is on full display in the recently released DVD collection “Strawberry Shortcake: Holiday Dreams.” The gift set includes 3 DVDs and 5 Strawberry Shortcake holiday greeting cards, for hours of berry berry fun times.

There are a couple of contests for Strawberry Shortcake fans who want to get their hands on a free copy of the DVD.  Check out:

• Parenthood.com: Strawberry Shortcake Holiday Dreams Collection Giveaway
• SAHM Answers: Win 1 of 5 Strawberry Shortcake: Holiday Dreams Collection

As I mentioned in an earlier post about Disney Princess Aurora, the limited release Sleep Beauty Platinum Edition Blu-ray DVD will be available in stores starting TODAY, just in time for early Holiday shopping.    I was surprised to read that Sleeping Beauty is “Disney’s most expensive animated feature to date“; I thought for sure a movie like Cars would have had a much larger budget.  I guess that is something of a testament to how esteemed Princess Aurora is in the pantheon of Disney Princesses.

Here’s a rundown of the news on the release of Sleeping Beauty: 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition DVD:

• Boston Herald: Sleeping Beauty: 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition

• Market Watch: The Magic of Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Comes to Life on Blu-Ray

• Star-Tribune: ‘Sleeping Beauty’ gets high-def makeover

• if Magazine: Exclusive Profile: ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Awakens a New Era for Disney Blu-Ray

• DVD Talk: Sleeping Beauty: Two-Disc Platinum Edition
• Digital Camcorder Redux: DVD Release of the Week: Sleeping Beauty

Disney’s much-anticipated and much-delayed  “The Princess and the Frog” just added Oprah Winfrey to its vocal cast, starring as Princess Tiana’s mother.  This is exciting news for many reasons, but I am most excited about the fact that this is the first time (at least to my knowledge) that the mother of a Disney Princess will actually appear on the big screen.  The Princess and the Frog is set to hit theaters on Christmas Day 2009, but it’s already stirring up controversy online.  Here are some more reactions:

• Stereohyped: Disney’s Princess Tiana: A Gift or A Curse?
• The Independent: Disney’s ’subservient’ black princess animates film critics
• Film School Rejects: The Princess and the Frog: Controversy or Innocence?

The Teletubbies craze in the US has definitely waned in recent years, but Tinky Winky, Laa Laa, Dipsy and Po are still shaking things up in the UK with the Teletubbies Dance with Me dolls.  It’s a shame Teletubbies dolls are only available in the UK, because they actually look like a lot of fun and I think they’d give Elmo Live some fierce competition for best holiday toy of 2008.

American kids who are Teletubbies fans will just have to resign themselves to these items:

Teletubbies costumes are great for Halloween or play time fun.

Night Glow Dipsy plays Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to help bring sweet dreams.

Looks like Canadians have had enough of the Bratz’ saucy attitudes and skimpy attire.  Parents and psychologists convinced Scholastic Inc. to stop selling Bratz related books and merchandise as of this school year.  This comes as terrible news for the Bratz, who are already in debt up to their eyeballs thanks to Barbie’s legal maneuvering earlier this summer.

(Source: Jezebel via Perez Hilton)