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Tag Archives: Toys

How To Visit An American Girl Store

07 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Featured, Lifestyle, USA

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

family, Frolic, Toys

Today’s post is sponsored by the American Girl Store location at Tyson’s Corner in Washington, D.C.

American_Girl_McKennaIt was the best gift you gave and she received this year. No, you didn’t go to Jared’s, but you did research the heck out of this one special gift, deciding on the perfect American Girl Doll for your little American girl. Whether she resembles your daughter in looks, or matches her interests in history, it is the one she wanted. She had the biggest smile from ear to ear when she opened that big red box- it was the most memorable moment of the season. For the last few weeks, she’s been the center of your daughter’s world, taking her along on daily errands and joining your family for dinner. Well, that was easy. Hard part done, right? Haha…uh, no, sweetie, you are just getting started. Welcome to the world of the American Girl.

I’m not even going to mention how many dolls my daughter has, and how many more she plans to collect. We have Historical Characters, a Girl of the Year, and a couple My American Girl dolls. As much as I like to complain, the truth is that my daughter really loves these dolls. She dresses them every day, brushes their hair (that hair!), and takes them along on outings. She convinced my father to build a condominium out of plastic bins that take up a whole wall in her playroom. These dolls have travelled as much as she has, and been to as many fancy dinners, plays and special events. And, yes, they may be pricey, but they have replaced any other toy on the market for us. YouTube videos have showed her how to make her own furniture using recycled products like boxes, paper towel holders and socks. She asked for and received a sewing machine for Christmas and is learning how to make doll clothes and accessories. These dolls keep her busy and entertained for hours, and allows her to escape her reality of being the only girl out of 4 children, and into a world of girlfriends and sisters. We have spent endless amounts of time re-organizing her space to keep her items nice and neat and easy to find. Even still, it seems like we are adding new wardrobe pieces, furniture, and other accessories every month from friends, family and special occasions.

American_Girl_Travel

That all sounds like fun and games, right? Well, here comes the “hard part”. She is allowed one trip a year to the mecca- an American Girl store, and only receives new items based on grades, behavior and other realistic measures (like, eh-hem, budget). If you have not had the opportunity to visit one of these mega-stores, then continue reading. If you have, please read on, and add any of your favorite tips to the comments below. Our first store visit was to the Garden Grove location in Los Angeles, California. A skip, hop and a jump away from Las Vegas, Los Angeles seemed to be the perfect city for our first experience at an American Girl store, however, there are locations all around the country. Here are some tips on how to make your visits productive, fun and memorable, and still stick with your budget. This is how to visit an American Girl store like a RockStar!

American_Girl_Catalog

Pre-Game Plan Yes, she’s your little girl and you want to give her the world, but let’s face it, you could literally blow her college savings in this one store with one visit. It’s worse odds than Vegas. Make sure you go in prepared and confident and know where you are willing or not willing to budge on your budget. Follow these easy steps for a fool-proof pre-game plan:

  • Order a catalog. This could take a few months to get your first one, or maybe one was sent along with the doll you just purchased. Save it. It is an integral part of the plan.
  • Decide on your budget.
  • Have a conversation with your child about the budget.
  • Determine the top priority items, then rank from there. This is key because sometimes not all items are available in the store. Make sure she has a back-up just in case.
  • Book a Personal Shopping Experience for your visit. See below.

When we know a trip is in our future, we save the latest catalog. I let my daughter devour the catalog, circling her favorite items, starring her must-haves. After my husband and I set a budget, we have this conversation with my daughter. She then goes back to her Wish List, and decides which ones she wants now, and which ones she can save for later (Christmas, birthday, special initiatives, etc.). We take that catalog directly to the Personal Shopper, and she handles the rest. If it is your first visit to the store, you may want to have a look around, but remind your little one about the items she has already selected that fit within her set budget.

American Girl doll Rebecca Rubin

Store Visit Visit the store on a Monday-Thursday if possible. If you can sneak away with your daughter during the week, the store itself will not be as crowded as it would if on a week-end or during a shared holiday like Christmas and Spring Break. This will allow you more freedom to move around the store, visit the book store and the doll museum, and book appointments for hair styles, ear piercing, or general maintenance at the doll hospital. Yes, this is all a thing.

American_Girl_Bistro

Dining Options Decide if you are going to eat in the cafe for lunch, dinner or tea prior to your visit as sittings book up. Depending on location, each American Girl store offers either a Cafe or Bistro. Pricing is moderate and the menus offer a 3-course option with appetizer, main entree and dessert. There are specialty drinks for both mom (wine, champagne) and daughter (seasonal themed milkshakes and mocktails), and of course, the doll is treated like a super star given her own seat at the table along with place setting. If it is a special occasion, like a birthday, I would recommend considering the package options that include a cake and special gift for your daughter. We have done both- the birthday package for her first visit, and just lunch with the dolls and her friends. My honest opinion- is it world class dining at its best? No. But, the experience, at least one time, is worth it if it means that much to your daughter. It’s an adorable set-up, very girlie, and caters to the fantasy that her American Girl is her BFF. In any location I have been to, service staff has been friendly, and efficient. Rooms are clean, and food is good. Our recent trip to Washington D.C. happened to be during the holidays. We spent a Mother/Daughter Day at the American Girl Store at Tyson’s Corner, and they had the most adorable winter themed drinks for the little girls. My daughter also loved having mini-hamburgers and hot dogs and a fruit kabob. It really is like a Disneyland for dolls.

 American_Girl_Personal_Shopping

Personal Shopping This is a complimentary service provided at every American Girl store, and one I have found to be underrated. Book an appointment with a Personal Shopper for the day you plan to spend at the store. Check in at the main desk, and you will be directed to a private area with couches and tables. It is fabulous, and it is free. This is also how you will be able to stay within your budget. Once you have established your Pre-Game Plan (see above), put everything onto a list, or go through the catalog with your Personal Shopper. There are different ways the final task will be completed.

1. The Personal Shopper will go through the store and retrieve all the items for you, while you sit in the room, spending time with your little girl.

2. (my favorite option) The Personal Shopper will place your order through the computer and have everything shipped directly to you, shipping fees apply.

American Girl Personal Shopper

Of course, you could do both- let your daughter pick out a few items to bring home, and ship the rest, based on your situation. I prefer the shipping because normally we are flying or driving home with an already completely full vehicle. In addition to the easy shopping, the Personal Shopper will also escort you around the store and provide you with a tour of the store if desired. Another great component of utilizing the Personal Shopper is that you can call ahead for special things like having her set aside your daughter’s requested doll, scheduling hair appointments and suggesting additional items like books and videos. The book store is pretty impressive. Each Historical Character has her own series as well as videos of their own movies. There are also great finds in there for the ‘tween who has questions about her changing body, and fun activity books to share with her BFF or mommy (if you’re still cool like that).

AG_Books

OK. You can do this. You got this. Be smarter than the doll. All joking aside, a visit to an American Girl Store can really be a very enjoyable and memorable experience to share with your daughter. If you are a detailed oriented personality, you will love all the little accessories and components, and if you are a history buff, you will fall in love with the outfits and story lines. In the end, you may be the one who needs to stick to the budget! Take the time to make the experience pleasant for both of you. If you plan on incorporating more visits in the future, think of ways you can start making the visits your own and follow your inner star.

A special thank you to the American Girl Store at the Tyson’s Corner location for sponsoring today’s post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Twinners: The Battle of the Green Tub Toy

25 Monday Jul 2011

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Archive It

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

Toys, Tub, Twins

Watch those boys take a stab at winning over the green tub toy.

The Battle of the Green Tub Toy

How to Avoid Summer Brain Drain

07 Saturday Aug 2010

Posted by Stefanie Van Aken (RSMLVTravel) in Fun, RSMLV

≈ Leave a Comment

Tags

educational toys, Toys

In Vegas, the countdown is on…25 more days until school starts again. My daughter is in year round and JUST FINISHED (that was annoying), so her brain is ready for a little draining. My three boys, however, have been out since the beginning of June, and I’ve pretty much let them rule the roost for the most part. My kids work super hard during the year. They are great students, athletes, and have other interests like religion classes, theater and Girl Scouts that keep them super busy during the school year, so this summer I decided to give them a break from the normal Tiger Mom routine. They attended Summit Ridge Day Camp for the full 8-week session, continued with lacrosse practices and private sessions, theater classes ran all summer long with final performances in August, and throw in trips to Telluride, Alaska, Vancouver, and Newport Coast…as you can see they have definitely been busy. But I am getting Tiger Mom remorse as I have been very lenient on reading and summer school workbooks, and very heavy on the staying up late watching Chowder and South Park and catching as many Pokemons as they can. My face is even squinting right now thinking about the countdown to school. I also promised myself I wasn’t going to be that mom this summer, and let my kids actually enjoy being kids with some serious downtime. SO…what’s a recovering Tiger Mom to do to avoid summer brain drain???

Luckily, as timing would have it, I was asked to do a segment on The Morning Blend show on KTNV Channel 13 about that exact topic…avoiding summer brain drain with unique and interesting toys and books that get kids thinking in a more creative way, opening their minds and brains to a whole new way of thinking. While secretly getting their brains moving out of the iPad funk and into the school year ready mode! Check out some of my faves from these awesome educational, yet, f u n, options:

Little Scholar™ Little Scholar Mini pre-loaded tablet combines all the wonderful workbooks and flashcards the Little Scholar brand is known for into a convenient ready to use educational tablet focusing on math, reading, spelling, telling time and more. Designed to teach kids ages 3-7 the essential skills needed for school and is the only tablet that comes fully loaded with 200+ uniquely fun apps, books, songs and videos.

What I 💜 about the Little Scholar Mini is that all of the educational apps you would want your children to play with are all right there. No more searching in the app store for the appropriate, highest rated, and FREE app that is going to do exactly what you want it to do for your child. The Little Scholar Mini took did all the work for you. Based on their own learning programs and new educational video series, Charlie & Company, featuring Charlie and his friends in different videos, games and learning tools, the Little Scholar Mini totally rocks. What I also love:

  • Parent Panel monitoring your child’s progress in the different educational areas
  • The Parent Panel also allows you to control the amount of time (ex: 2 hours a day) your child can play on the tablet, it also allows you to control the times of day your child is allowed to play on the tablet (ex: from 8am-10am). You can even take this a step further and control it by the specific days of the week.
  • The tablet comes with a rubbery protector. Size is great for littles hands. Easy to travel with.
  • The Little Scholar Mini can also be used as a regular tablet if an adult needed to access internet, or other apps, watch movies etc.

What Needs Work? The tablet moves a little slow. Once in its groove it operates fine, but it is the initial getting it going that was losing my child’s interest and testing my patience. I want instant gratification, and computers that work faster than me (which is pretty fast), so this is my biggest complaint with the tablet. Other than that, this was one of my favorite items. I’ve questioned the whole preloaded tablet thing before, but I have to say, this really impressed me. I would have bought these for my twins vs the mini iPad had I known about them prior.

Find it here: ToysRUs Retails: $129

CogniToys™ Dino by Elemental Path provides educational and entertaining experience without the need for a screen. Powered by “Friendgine: and IBM’s Watson™ technologies, CogniToys™ respond to thousands of questions across multiple topics with age-appropriate answers. The Dinos also explore educational subjects like spelling, geography and math, through games and stories designed to challenge kids’ problem-solving abilities. While other tech toys rely on pre-programmed responses, CogniToys™ listen to kids’ questions and adapt to their interests creating a unique opportunity for interactive learning. The Dinos are wi-fi enabled and Cloud based and update regularly as new content becomes available.

What I 💜 about the CogniToys™ Dino is the true interactive experience it provides my children. Both my 10-year-old to my 5-year-old, were engaged with our Dino, Champ. The Dino recognizes the age of the child through an app you install on your phone or tablet. After inputting the info (only allows for one child at a time), the Dino then formulates responses based on the child’s age. It kept my kids busy for at least 30-45 minutes trying to come up with new questions, new jokes, listening to stories and music. Champ’s response to questions like, “How far is the moon,” changes from super technical in distance, to a bit more whimsical and imaginative based on the age inputted into the app. He was even able to answer who is the current governor of Nevada, and the best part? He will respond to my 5- year olds millions of knock knock jokes. That’s good enough reason for me to have Champ around. Don’t worry about your kids asking questionable or inappropriate questions to the Dino…he is even built to answer in a very appropriate way. “Where do babies come from?” provokes a, “From dinosaur eggs, at least that is what I’ve been told. Maybe you should go ask your mom or dad.”

What Needs Work? In order for the CogniToys™ Dino to really get going and be truly interactive, you must be connected to a very strong wifi, buuuut not so strong that there are firewalls and secret service agents. Two different instances of a weak wifi and a super secure wifi did not allow the toy to function properly. We also struggled a bit to get him to answer our questions as the quick guide does not provide any type of voice prompts or suggestions on how to start a conversation with the Dino. Once we figured out some key elements, Champ started talking to us right away, and didn’t stop talking to us until we turned him off.

Find it here: ToysRUs  Retails: $119

morning blend brain drain

brackitz™ is an award winning innovative new construction line that encourages open-ended, imaginative play giving children the opportunity to use their imagination to construct entirely new worlds by playing on their own or with friends. A durable construction set, made in the USA, that also promotes STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math).

What I 💜 about brackitz™ I had to love them. I have identical twin boys who are very much the same looks but very much opposite in ways of thinking and playing.  One loves the iPad, anything gaming related, electronic- he and his older brother could play together for hours finding Pokemon and discover new worlds in Mario Brothers. But, my other twin is a builder. He loves to build anything and with anything. One time I came home from Costco with several huge bags of different sized plastic cups, which he took all of them out and built and entire city. Legos? His thing. Wooden Blocks? He could sit for hours creating houses. Cardboard bricks? Forts forever. When I showed him the package of the brackitz™ his eyes got wide, the iPad dropped to the floor, and he went straight to work. I love the ingenuity of the product which allows for angles and pieces that have different openings allowing for more experimental thinking.

What needs work? Not much, but if you have a little builder on your hands like me, you may want to invest in some of the bigger packages that come with 44, 100 or 170 pieces to allow for even more freedom to get creative.

Find it here: Barnes and Noble  Retails: $19.99 for the 28 piece set

IncrediBuilds™ Harry Potter: House-Elves Deluxe Book and Model Set is an innovative new 3D wood modeling kit collection that encourages builders to explore their imaginations and thinking outside the box. Earth friendly, do-it-yourself freestanding 3D model with easy to follow step by step directions, and no glue or tools needed.

What I 💜 about IncrediBuilds™ Harry Potter: House-Elves Deluxe Book and Model Set is that my daughter loved them. I’m not much of a puzzle person myself, but watching her put together these puzzles was fascinating to me. I think the biggest reason that sparked her interest was the topic of Harry Potter and her slight obsession with the series itself. She even had to correct me on-air that the Hour-Elf’s name is Dobby (Dah-bby) not (Dough-by). Whateves. She loved that the book gave more insight into the characters and how the house-elves were brought to life for the Harry Potter films. There are several books in the collection featuring Quidditch and the Golden Snitch as well.

What needs work? The wooden pieces are like no regular puzzle pieces, and they are wood, so they are little rough around the edges when they are punched out of their perforation. She complained they were scraping her skin a bit (but she complains a lot these days because she’s 10). I attempted to put one together and had trouble keeping the pieces connected. It is definitely more challenging than say a jigsaw, but if your child has the mindset and patience for it, it is a great summer project.

Find it here: Barnes and Noble Retails: $19.99

summer brain drain toys 2016

Overall I really loved all of the products. Providing new ways to stimulate my children’s brains without being super obvious. What I also loved about ALL of these products? The ease in which they could be thrown into a travel bag! Not too many small pieces to be lost or make a mess, and plenty of grippy pieces for small hands. It is still summer vacation after all!

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