Time to Play: Spring Showcase

By Zippy Sandler, Founder, Champagne Living
You can also follow her on Twitter and The Review Broads

On April 27 in New York City I had the opportunity to meet up with some old friends and make a lot of new ones at the Time to Play Spring Showcase. Thanks to Time to Play Magazine, I won an all-expense-paid trip to the Big Apple to see what’s new in toys this spring and summer season.

I was so happy to run into old friends like Playmobil, Mega Brands and Hasbro, as well as Lego and Mattel who have continued to make the classics year after year. Of course it being 2010, there are a few new twists. For example: remember that sidewalk chalk that we grew up playing with? Well, don your 3D glasses and watch as your children’s artwork POPS off of the driveway right before your very eyes.

It wouldn’t be summer fun without bubble soap, squirt guns and swing sets. Little Kids, Inc. has made it safe AND fun for your little ones to play with bubble soap, with their no-spill containers and fun bubble makers, while Hasbro’s iconic Super Soakers now BLAST water with one pump. Backyard Discovery playsets will have your kids inviting the neighborhood friends over to swing and slide all summer long.

Of course there are always new friends to make and it was a PLEASURE to meet them. Everyone will enjoy growing insects from caterpillars into butterflies and I know that our WHOLE family can’t wait to play with Spin Master’s Air Hog as it hovers and responds to your movements.

It’s not just the little ones who want to be outside playing on a beautiful day. Your older children will love Street Surfing on the new Whiplash Scooter. For the younger ones there are still backyard pools and funnoodles from Jakks Pacific, as well as balls that will bounce up to 75 feet from Maui Toys, and the classic T-Ball game takes on technology from EA Sports and Toy Island.

With the upcoming summer movies, you can bet that there will be plenty of licensed toys that are both collectible as well as interactive from movies such as The A-Team, Toy Story 3 and Iron Man.

This is going to be an EXCITING summer for toys and fun. I can’t wait to get out there and PLAY… I mean, I can’t wait to get out there and play with the kids.