There’s a new book out that asks kids to display their favorite toys … Toy Stories: Photos of Children from Around the World and Their Favorite Things. Some you immediately recognize. Of course, kids in developing countries have to do with much less but they seem just as happy. You can read more at BrainPickings.org

More at Zahir Batin’s Deviant Art Site.  

The main takeaway … (from Antonio Urcelay, CEO, Toys”R”Us, Inc., and Hank Mullany, President). Over the past several months, we have undertaken a comprehensive analysis and diagnosis of the business, and believe we have four main issues to resolve – improve the customer experience in-store and online, make progress on changing price perception, put disciplines back […]

Fast Design article on Mattel’s process to create a better Nerf … Video shows Design Center entrance if you’re curious …

Well, if you still have a Kmart near you (NOT ONLINE), there seems to be a toy sale at Kmart. Save $3 with a $10 toy purchase so 33% off is nice. Not just for CARS but any toy purchase. Runs until April 20, 2014. Good luck!  

From Mattel, official NY Toy Fair 2014 Monster High figures and playsets … Catacombs Freaky Fusion Frights Camera Action

This apparently came out in the 1950’s – looks pretty cool even after 60 years! From Mark’s Scrapbook of Oddities. I don’t know if this is what the real one looked like or this was the box …  

Or $3.49? 🙂 Thanks for the link, “Mariela P.”

“Frank F” sends along an interesting heads-up on a German-only release from old school diecast company, Schuco – an 1:18 scale Lightning McQueen. On the surface, it looks like the Mattel 1:24 high end version from a couple years ago – sharp looking and probably synthetic rubber tires. The painted bolts on the rims looks […]

Via NPD. The NPD Group, 2013 US retail dollar sales of toys experienced a decline of 1 percent when compared to 2012*. Retail sales do appear to be impacted by 2013’s shorter holiday shopping season. While the weeks of Black Friday and Cyber Monday saw respective sales increases of 4 percent and 24 percent (compared […]