First, we bought one train. Then, we watched the DVDs. We didn’t want Thomas to be lonely and he definitely needed more tracks, so we bought James, Gordon, and Percy and lots of straight and curvy tracks to wind them around our family room. But soon, that wasn’t enough.

What was playing trains like with the magical Lady? And, what train stories were fun without the giggling, troublesome trucks or Diesel’s dark side? And then, we couldn’t just be on flat ground, which didn’t at all represent the Island of Sodor. We needed mountains with boulders and the round house, of course! Hundreds of dollars and a full bin of toys later, we had our very own railroad. And one year, @TroyPattee even made these amazing Thomas the Tank Engine Halloween costumes, which earned him Father of the Year for life!

My boys are now eight and 10 and just the other day, we pulled out the trains and tracks and wooden scenery and started building and in no time, we all reverted back six years choo-chooing and talking in multiple voices and making up stories and building “the world’s best train track.” And I realized, just like my grandma’s wooden spools that we would play with hour upon hour and still pull out from time to time, Thomas the Tank Engine’s Wooden Railway would be a toy none of us would soon outgrow.

What are your children’s favorite toys? Which ones are timeless—that they won’t ever outgrow? Which ones do you like to play with the most?

Sometimes when shopping for toys, I only think about my children. What would they like? What would help with their development? What would help them build curiosity and learn to problem solve? And sometimes I forget that toys can be equally as important for adults as children. They get you out of your routine, help you to stop thinking about the pressing items you have to deal with in your every day life, and most importantly, help you build creativity. This can not only be stress relieving and fun, but can also inspire your work in other areas.

If I were to name one toy from my children’s collection that has helped me develop creativity, it’d be Thomas the Tank Engine. When my kids were younger, we’d spend hours building train tracks and villages and telling stories about the trains and the people in the villages. I’d find myself building more and more creative tracks long after my children had moved on to another toy.

And then there are the classics like the Rock-A-Stack. You know? The stackable, brightly colored rings. They now have them in Stack and Roll Cups and my modern-day favorite, the Little Superstar Classical Stacker. Add a little music and I’m always game.

I enjoyed a fun twist on this toy the other night when I attended a Fisher-Price event at the Loew’s Regency Hotel, which partners with Fisher-Price to create family-friendly experiences for hotel guests (what’s not to love about that?). The centerpieces were brightly colored flowers tucked inside classic Fisher-Price toys, including the Rock-A-Stack. It was fun to head back down memory lane and think of playing with this toy as a child and later, buying it, albeit in a more modern rendition, as an adult for my own children. I always wonder how “they” come up with these fabulous inventions:

The Fisher-Price Play Laboratory, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, was the first child research center of its kind in the industry. Herman Fisher established the Play Lab to observe real children playing with the company’s toys during various stages of development. The Play Lab remains at the heart of product development today.

So, whether you are purchasing the latest and greatest gadgets for your children or looking for educational-oriented toys to help with their development, don’t forget to factor yourself into the equation and buy things that you can do right along side them to enhance your own creativity.

Why was Elmo so excited? Sesame Workshop and Playskool announced a partnership yesterday followed by the unveiling of the new product: “Let’s Rock Elmo.” As quoted in The Street:

We are really excited to be able to bring Sesame Street’s great cast of characters to life for a whole new generation of kids to enjoy,” said Jerry Perez, General Manager of PLAYSKOOL. “Our goal with LET’S ROCK ELMO was to create the most interactive Elmo ever and take his special bond with kids to the next level of engagement.

How Do Toys Build Memories for You and Your Children?

As I sat watching the presentation of the evolution of Sesame Street, I thought back on the memories from my childhood—memories of repeating words in Spanish with my mom and Maria, wondering which of these things was not like the other, and learning my numbers with The Count.

Then, my thoughts immediately shifted to my children, especially my oldest, who was obsessed with Elmo. I laughed as the songs from Elmo in Grouchland and Cinderelmo came flooding to my mind, bringing an immediate smile to my face and at the same time, a desperate urge to scream: “Stop growing up!!!”

Toys help us develop fine motor skills, they help us learn important building blocks of education, they inspire creativity, and most of all, they create fun memories from childhood and from parenthood. And, they evolve with us. If Monopoly can go digital and the Easy Bake Oven can bake a la microwave, what’s next? Here’s a sneak peek:

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What toys have created positive memories for you and your kids?

All of the awesome pics were taken by Jen Tilley and I’m sharing them with her permission. The not-so-awesome pics were taken by me on my iPhone with horrible lighting… cuz that’s the level of my mad photog skillz!

Upon opening the box I discovered what was a long (26 feet!) black garbage bag. Definitely too thin to be one of the sturdy name-brand bags, but most certainly garbage baggish (my word, not Mr. Webster’s). The premise is that when taken outside and inflated with air, the sun heats the trapped air, causing the Airship to rise. The instructions were simple, and warned that “pylons, substations, cables, roads, railways, trees and buildings” were to be avoided. Examples of ideal launch sites included a sandy beach or a recently mowed lawn (recently mowed?).

Living in a sub-arctic region like I do there was nary a sandy beach to be found, and my recently mowed lawn (a relative term if ever there was one) was buried under three feet of snow. So naturally I put on some socks to wear with my sandals and stumbled out the back door onto the frozen tundra that just weeks before had been a lush green (and recently mowed) lawn. Because the plastic was extremely thin (12 microns), the instructions said the launch site must be clear of all obstacles. I did a quick scan of the surrounding area—Trampoline? Securely buried under the snow. Patio furniture? Also buried. Pylons? My wife is afraid of snakes. Cables, roads, and railways? None. I was good to go.

I unfolded the entire length of plastic, and then sealed one end with the included zip tie. Next I was to fill the ship with air by holding the remaining end open and running a short distance. The instructions showed a father and son gently waltzing through the park, pulling the sheet of plastic behind as it quickly filled with air. In keeping with my life theme of making even the simplist of tasks difficult I decided to do precisely as they had done, but while running backwards to make sure the airship was properly inflating. It was during this process that I was suddenly attacked by a giant black crow causing me to crash to the ground, followed by the magnificent airship crumpling on top of me. Okay, it wasn’t a crow. The severe temperatures caused me to forget that our backyard was terraced, and I had just fallen from one of the tallest points, landing on something buried in the snow.

With my pride dented, but not demolished, I quickly surveyed the perimeter of the yard to make sure none of the neighbors had seen what had occurred. Having learned from my therapist that holding anger inside can be damaging, I gave a swift kick to the obstacle I had landed on, thereby releasing negative pent up feelings into the universe. Immediately after that kick that however, I was reminded that I was wearing only open-toed sandals (albeit with socks), and the obstruction turned out to be the business end of a wheelbarrow loaded with stones I had intended to discard before the seasons changed.

Limping and with the beginning signs of hypothermia setting in, I began the process of laying out the 26 feet of plastic once again. But as the air began to fill the chamber I discovered the airship had suffered damage during the accident as well (Oh, the humanity!). It had snagged on something during the fall (most likely a pylon) and several tears had occurred as a result. Thankfully, due to the miracle of duct tape, I was only momentarily delayed. It might not have looked pretty, but within a few moments the tears were repaired and the airship took to the sky—and it was amazing!

The solar airship was everything I had hoped it would be. Simple, fun, and even educational. I was definitely impressed and quickly phoned my wife and told her to look outside to behold the magnificent black tube now soaring through the airspace of our frozen backyard. She slowly came to the window, poked her head outside, and said, “Is that all it does?” Hmmph! Haters gonna hate. No matter what she says, this is an awesome product.

I went with one goal in mind: To find toys that teach. While I was oohing and aahing over tech treats and eye candy, I was on the lookout for toys that’d make learning fun and one in particular caught my eye and kept me busy for a while.

I about missed the entire expo due to my lengthy conversation with the inventor of the Perplexus, Michael McGinnis (read more about him and his creation here and here). Michael says it best:

Perplexus is not easy. It is a skill and action game that takes time to master. The game helps develop hand-eye coordination and spatial skills. There is an “ah hah” moment when someone for the first time picks up the game, says, “what the heck is this thing? What do I do?”, and then understands the entire concept.

I don’t know how to explain the truth behind this statement other than to say that I experienced this “a hah and LOL” moment, when I realized the difference of this maze from other 2 dimensional puzzles.  It’s both fun and educational. It forces you to problem solve, think outside the box, and be quick while at the same time being patient—all skills I’d love my kids to learn.

Score! I brought two home—one for each of my boys. They’ll love getting them for Christmas!

What educational toys are on your holiday shopping list this season?

Thank goodness education isn’t all about homework. Lots of learning happens through play, exploration, and discovery. And this week’s giveaway will help your kids do just that—learn while having fun!

The Prizes

Five lucky winners will receive a Chuggington prize pack. Prizes include (ARV $250):

• The Abso-TOOT-ly Traintastic Pack (grand prize): Fill Wilson Pack from Learning Curve, The Chugger Championship book from Scholastic, a Chuggington DVD screener from Anchor Bay Entertainment and a Chuggington conductor hat
• The Clackety Clack Pack: Training Yard Bridge Pack from Learning Curve, a Chuggington DVD screener from Anchor Bay Entertainment and a Chuggington Conductor hat
• The Honking Horns Pack: Learning Curve’s Fix and Go Repair Shed and Chugger Rolling Stock Pack, a Chuggington DVD screener from Anchor Bay Entertainment and a Chuggington Conductor hat
• 2 Trainee Packs: Each will include a Chuggington DVD screener from Anchor Bay Entertainment and a Chuggington Conductor hat.

Entry Requirements

For a chance to enter and win, please complete the following three requirements and leave a separate comment for each on this post, including links to your original tweets.

1. Follow @Chuggington on Twitter.
2. Visit http://chuggington.com, check out the Games (http://www.chuggington.com/#/chugger/games) and/or videos (http://www.chuggington.com/#/chugger/videos), come back here, and leave a comment on this site, sharing your favorite game or video or train you most think your child would like.
3. Tweet the following:

• Check out @Chuggington on Facebook @  http://www.facebook.com/chuggington #gno PLS RT
• GIVEAWAY! Enter 4 chance 2 win $250 @Chuggington prize pack. http://bit.ly/9xQP7m #gno PLS RT

Optional Entries

The following extra entry is completely optional and will earn you one extra entry for this giveaway. Leave a separate comment on this post for the completed entry.

Like the Chuggington page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chuggington.

Terms and Conditions

Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at midnight ET Wednesday, September 15, 2010. See all terms and conditions here.

Their goal is to give you the best information and the easiest way for you to find the toys, videos, electronics, accessories and more that are perfect for your child… or yourself!

The Prize

Time to Play is providing one lucky winner with an awesome prize pack with these toys and products (ARV $280):

• Graco Interactive Smart Baby Doll, $79.99
• Velcro Kids Royal Princess Castle, $29.99
• Alex Cap it Off Jewelry Set, $17.99
• Whiplash Scooter, $79.99
• Iron Man Techbot, $14.99
• Crayola Glow Explosion, $9.99
• Crayola Dry Erase Travel Pack, $9.99
• Barbie Pocket Learner, $24.99
• Bakugan Bakutriad, $12.99

Entry Requirements

For a chance to enter and win, please complete the following three requirements and leave a separate comment for each:

1. Follow @timetoplay on Twitter.
2. Visit the Time to Play website, check out the Toy Reviews section, and leave a comment on this post, sharing one toy you’d most like to get your child and why.
3. Tweet the following:

• GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win an @timetoplay prize pack full of toys (ARV $280) http://bit.ly/bv1U6i #timetoplay #gno PLS RT
• Check out great toy and game reviews on http://timetoplaymag.com. Perfect site for back to school! #timetoplay PLS RT

Extra Entries

The following five entries are completely optional and will earn you one extra entry per item for this giveaway. Leave a separate comment on this post for each completed entry.

1. Follow @jimsilver and @thetoyguy on Twitter.
2. Follow @momitforward on Twitter.
3. Follow Mom It Forward on Facebook at http://facebook.com/momitforward.
4. Become a Friend of Mom It Forward’s Google Friend Connect (see box in right sidebar).
5. Subscribe to the Mom It Forward RSS feed (click on orange heart at the bottom left on the homepage).

Terms and Conditions

No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends on at midnight ET Wednesday, July 28, 2010. See all terms and conditions here.

• (1) MEGA Battle Strikers Tournament Set, $34.99
• (1) Hasbro Connect 4×4, $19.99
• (1) Crayola Crayon Makers, $29.99
• (1) Fisher-Price Trio Basic Tub Sets, $29.99
• (1) VTech Giraffe Ride & Learn Bike, $49.99
• (1) Dr. Seuss Super Stretchy ABCs Game, $19.99
• (1) Fisher-Price Elmo Tickle Hands, $29.99
• (1) Super Why Super Duper Computers, $39.99
• (1) Spin Master Liv Doll, $19.99
• (1) AniMagic Honey my Baby Pony, $49.99

Entry Requirements

Please do the following three things to enter for a chance to win and leave a separate comment for each:

1. Visit TimeToPlayMag.com and share one tip, product, or insight from a review you found helpful or fun.
   XXXX
2. Follow @jimsilver, @timetoplay, and @thetoyguy on Twitter.
   XXX
3. Post these messages on Twitter and leave comments here with a link to your tweets:

GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win a @timetoplay prize pack ($300 Value) http://bit.ly/cHadLa #gno PLS RT
XXXX

Check out http://timetoplaymag.com 4 awesome kids’ toys, videos, films, books, games, & video game reviews! #timetoplay  PLS RT

Extra Entries

The following four entries are completely optional and will earn you one extra entry each. Leave a separate comment on this post for each completed entry.

1. Follow @momitforward on Twitter.
2. Become a Friend of Mom It Forward’s Google Friend Connect (see box in right sidebar).
3. Subscribe to the Mom It Forward RSS feed (click on orange heart at the top of the right sidebar).

Terms and Conditions

Items featured in image may differ from what is included in the giveaway. No purchase necessary to enter. Giveaway ends at midnight ET Wednesday, March 31, 2010. No more than one entry per person via each of the methods listed in the Giveaway details. The odds of winning a Giveaway depend on the number of entries. Winners will be selected randomly by Mom It Forward. All decisions of Mom It Forward are final. Employees of Mom It Forward and the Giveaway sponsor are not eligible to participate. All entries received after the Giveaway closing date and time will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If the winner does not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants who are residents of the US 18 years and older. Void where prohibited. Taxes on Giveaways are solely the responsibility of the winner. Winner agrees to permit Mom It Forward and the Giveaway Sponsor to use her or his name, voice, photo, or likeness for reasonable promotional and marketing purposes for up to 90 days after the end of the Giveaway. Mom It Forward and Sponsor are not liable for late or misdirected entries, entry errors, or transmission problems. Mom It Forward reserves the right to terminate the Giveaway in the event of technical problems, or to correct typographical or technical errors, or to amend these rules. All participants should review the Mom It Forward disclosure and privacy policies. By entering, participants agree to release and hold harmless Mom It Forward, Sponsor, and their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injuries, loss, or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with a Giveaway. Mom It Forward will provide the name of the winner for any Giveaway, upon request, for 90 days after that Giveaway’s entry period ends. Unless otherwise provided by the Sponsor, no substitution, transfer, or assignment of prizes is permitted. Non-winning entries from one Giveaway are not carried forward to future Giveaways.

Prize

Three lucky winners will receive the following prizes in this PBS KIDS gift pack (retail value $100 each):

• Electric Company Backpack on wheels
• PBS Kids baseball hat
• Curious George plush
• PBS Kids T-shirt
• Steve Songs CD
• Music from Dinosaur Train
• Sesame Street Playground (Songs and videos from Around the World)
• Martha Speaks book
• Super Why book
• PBS Kids Color Foil book
• Super Why Hidden Word Puzzle
• PBS Kids USB port
• Sid The Science Kid Toy Microphone
• PBS Parents photo envelop

Entry Requirements

To enter for a chance to win, you are required to do the following three things. Make sure to leave a comment here linking to each one:

1. Check out the http://pbskidsgo.org/lunchlab site and leave a comment here about your or your child’s favorite part of the site.
2. Comment on the PBS Kids Healthy Eating for the Holidays Whrrl story and leave a comment here, letting us know you did so.
3. Retweet and/or post the following two messages on Facebook and Twitter and comment here, linking to your update/post:

GIVEAWAY! Enter 4 chance 2 win $100 gift pack from #pbskids (3 Winners!). http://bit.ly/3PlZta PLS RT

Visit http://pbskidsgo.org/lunchlab 4 gr8 healthy eating/cooking w/kids tips just in time 4 holiday cooking/baking! #pbskids PLS RT

Extra Entries

You can earn up to two extra entries this week. Leave a comment for each one on this post!

1. Follow @pbsparents on Twitter.
2. Become a fan of the PBS Kids Facebook page.

The Fine Print

No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. PBS and Mom It Forward employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Wednesday, November 18 at midnight PT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older. One entry per person.

Prize

Two lucky winners will receive gift baskets from Crayola right in time for the holiday season and gift giving.

• Grand Prize Winner will receive a gift pack loaded with 30 amazing starter products to get those first-time Crayola kids started on some colorful fun (retail value: $200).
• Second Place Winner will receive six new products from Crayola: Magic Light Brush, Glow Board, Glow Station, Glow Dome, Color me a Song, Crayon Maker.

Entry Requirements

To enter for a chance to win, you are required to do the following four things. Make sure to leave a comment here linking to each one:

1. Check out the #gno Crayola Whrrl story and leave a comment on one of the pictures.
2. Follow @Crayola on Twitter.
3. Become a fan of the Crayola Facebook Page.
4. Retweet and/or post the following two messages on Facebook and Twitter and comment here, linking to your update/post:

Join #gno Tues 11/10 (9-11 pm ET) 2 chat about creative holiday gift giving w/@crayola RSVP: http://bit.ly/1cuZfL PLS RT

GIVEAWAY! Enter 2 win @Crayola gift packs just in time 4 holidays (2 winners/ret. val. $200!) http://bit.ly/QoTq8 #gno PLS RT

The Fine Print

No purchase necessary to enter. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Crayola and Mom It Forward employees are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Wednesday, November 11 at midnight PT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified and will have 24 hours to confirm receipt of the e-mail. If they do not reply within 24 hours, another winner will be selected. Open to participants in the US and Canada 18 years and older. One entry per person.