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Frame the Fresh Face of TP

TP is looking to frame the fresh face of 2009 and is searching for a certain little somebody to front their 2009 brochure which will celebrate 50 years of TP outdoor play!
They are not looking for a professional modelling image, nor is this a competition to find the best photographer. The photograph of your child must be taken outdoors and demonstrate their interpretation of having fun; whether you use TP equipment within the actual image to convey this is totally up to you. All that we ask is that you capture TP’s mission - ‘freedom to play’ in the photograph.

What Next?
You need to tell thrm in no more than 100 words why you think it is important for children to play outside.

So if your little monkey is between 18 months and 7 years old, then get going and start having some playtime fun.

Click here for more details.

 

The Wonderful Web World of Rubik’s
Check out the best, the only official source of Rubik’s information on the worldwide web – with the brand new Rubik’s website at www.rubiks.com

You won’t be surprised to know that the Rubik’s Cube has recently been named as one of Britain's coolest brands.
Pretty appropriate, then, that the world’s most iconic toy has just launched its cool new website. Log in to
www.rubiks.com and you’re just a click away from everything you ever wanted or needed to know about the
legendary Rubik’s Cube. Now you’ll be one of the first to know about any new products, events or news relating to the Cube. And of course, the site itself will be constantly updated with the latest Rubik’s news and information.
There’s loads of great stuff there already, with lots more being added all the time, so be sure to log in regularly.

Games galore
Games, for a start. As you’d expect from a website dedicated to one of the greatest puzzles in the world, the new Rubik’s website has challenging games for you to play online – all with a Rubik’s theme, naturally.
Like the Rubik’s Clock, where you need to set all 18 clock faces to 12 o'clock in the shortest time or the fewest moves. Or the Rubik’s Eclipse, where the object is to get three of your tiles the same way up in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line. All the games are great fun, and good practice for honing the mental skills you’ll need if you want to become a Cubing Master.
The site also has great links to take you to other fun stuff, such as the Rubik’s REVO site, where you can play online versions of the original electronic REVO games, such as Code Cracker, Light Speed and Pattern Panic – all requiring lightning quick reactions, just like the real Rubik’s REVO.
Learn from the Masters
If you’re new to the Cube, do you want to know how to solve it? Or polish up your solving technique? Then you need to click through to the ‘Rubik’s Academy’. There you’ll find a step-by-step video guide to completing the Cube, plus tips from the
world’s top Cube Masters. People like Tyson Mao – who, with his brother Toby, taught Will Smith to cube for Pursuit of Happyness- Dan Harris (the fastest Cuber in the UK) and Jasmine Leeb (one of the fastest females Cubers in the world). There are also video clips of some amazing solves – including the youngest ever solve, by a three-year-old!

The Facts at Your Fingertips
Want to know more about the fascinating history of the Cube? Or discover a few fantastic facts to impress your friends? (Did you know, for example, that if all the Cubes sold to date were placed on top of each other, they would reach the top of
Mount Everest, twice?!) Then ‘Rubik’s World’ is the webpage for you. Here you can find out about all things Rubik, and
learn more about the man behind the Cube, Hungarian Professor Erno Rubik. Plus there’s a neat online calendar that tells you about all the upcoming official World Cubing Association competitions that are taking place around the world.
Chatterbox
One of the best things about being a Rubik’s enthusiast is sharing your enthusiasm with like-minded people from different countries. So why not create yourself a user account and log in to the ‘Chat Forum’. Create your own avatar and signature, then get chatting to fellow Rubik’s fans straight away. You can share tips and solution methods, post news of your best
times, or simply have a friendly webchat with your own cubing mates… and members of the evergrowing online Rubik’s community, throughout the world.
Top Shopping
Then there’s the Online Shop, where you can buy all sorts of Rubik’s products, in a galaxy of cool designs - from the classic 3x3x3 Cube to the brilliant, hi-tech REVO, marketed as The Revolution in most countries. Then there are Collectors Items… snap them up, they’ll be worth a lot more in a few years’ time. There’s even everything you need to give your favourite competition Cube an MOT, like spare stickers or a Cube Lube kit. There’s lots more – FAQS, links to other Rubik’s sites you’ll want to visit - but we think you’ll have fun exploring the new Rubik’s website for yourself. And you can get in touch with the Rubik’s webmasters, to ask questions about the Cube, send in your photos, stories or competition news etc., or perhaps even to tell them what you think of the new site.
When you’ve finished flexing your fingers at the keyboard, checking out the virtual world of Rubik’s, you’ll doubtless be itching to get back to the real thing. And with the all the power of the Rubik’s internet just a mouse click away, we’re sure you’ll want to visit again and again… to share the experience.
Drumond Park Ltd is the UK distributor of the Rubik’s Cube (RRP £10.99), which is available in toy and games outlets everywhere, including many catalogues such as Argos, and online traders such as Amazon.. For stockists, call 01506 855576 or visit www.drumondpark.com

 

 

Spin Master Racing on a New Track with SwypeOut Online Battle Racing

Spin Master Toys are proud to launch SwypeOut Online Battle Racing, the first interactive racing game that combines the fun of online gaming with the successful world of collectible trading cards! Swypeout lets kids customize cool cars, weaponize with outrageous battle gear, and put the pedal to the metal against anyone in the world, because with Swypeout Battle Racing, they can do it ONLINE!

On www.swypeout.com kids compete to be the best battle racer and climb the leaderboards. Swypeout is FREE for anyone to play online but to get the full experience one must purchase the SwypeOut starter kit which contains the cards and the special USB scanner. To improve your car and receive new weapons and skills you need to buy the
upgrade kit which contains 6 more SwypeOut cards to add to your collection. The cards let kids collect new cars and add powerful weapons and defences such as Tse Tse Swarm, Alien Abductor and Ice Blaster to their online game as they try to out battle and out race their opponents! The website offers a SAFE, fun community experience filled with battle races, tournament play, racing statistics, product news and more!
SwypeOut is available from Argos, Toys R Us, Amazon and all good toy stockists.

 

 

 

 

This is Me says Character

Character Options is introducing a new range of dolls for 2007 set to take the UK market by storm.

Hailed as the hot new soft-bodied doll here to stay, the ‘This is Me’ collection will inject a breath of fresh air to the fashion doll market.

The poseable range is made up of six beautiful dolls with high quality clothing and accessories. The soft look and background story of self-confidence, moral values and wholesomeness will appeal to children, teenagers and parents alike.

Girls from the age of three will appreciate the soft body, long hair and poseable features. Teenagers will love the collection for the attention to detail, cool clothing and up-to-date styling.

Also being introduced is a range of Deluxe This is Me dolls, which come with all the beautiful features of the standard dolls plus an extra outfit, a pet, earings for little girls to wear, sunglasses and an exclusive magazine.

More information can be found at www.thisismedolls.com

 

 

 

Gr8 Gear goes portable

The Gr8 Gear range has enjoyed immense success since its launch in 2004, and continues to grow with two Gr8 new products to be introduced in 2007.
In the first half of the year the Gr8 2 Go assortment of three ‘on the go’ creative fashion items will be launched. The assortment contains three pods each with a different activity - Friendship Bracelet Kit, Tat2 Roller Kit and Fabric Badge Kit. These portable pods come complete with carry tags that can be looped onto a belt or worn round the wrist.
Autumn/Winter will see another Gr8 item launched the Glitter Me Tat2 a glitter tattoo stamping workstation in a case! This item will build on the runaway success of the Glitterator in 2007 and the continuing year on year success of the Tat2 Pen. The Glitter Me Tat2 comes complete with glitter, special cosmetic glue and stamps so you can start creating your own glittering tattoos straight away!

These two new items join the current range that comprises the Twist and Twirl Braider Centre, Groovy Locks, Tat2 Art Pen, Glitterator, Air Brush Nail Bar, Knitting Machine and Fashion Centre.

 

 

Robosapien but not as you know him!

Robosapien has taken on the personality of his favourite super hero and has become Spidersapien.
He comes with all the original Robosapien features but with his new personality comes a host of new features including Spider-Man armour, a vocabulary of ‘Spider-Man’ phrases and he pretends to shoot webs with ‘Web-shooter’ noises.

The launch of Spidersapien will coincide with the new Spiderman movie released in May.

 

 

 

Lighting the way with Rainbow Skipper

Skipping is taking on a whole new dimension with Rainbow Skipper - the light up rope that creates a colourful 3D light bubble around the skipper as they use it.

With dual controls it is easy to select single, multi or combined colour effects, and with 25 colour patterns and the option to mix it up and generate one of 325 colour combinations – skipping just got colourful!

Taking skipping to a whole new level of fun, Rainbow Skipper is now available in all good toy shops priced around £12.99.

 

 

 

Bringing the dancing flowers craze of the 1990s in to the 21st century, Character is introducing Movin’ & Groovin’ Flowers.

The new line takes everything that was popular in the 90s and brings it up to date using the latest technology.

Just plug in an iPod®, MP3 Player or CD Player and see the flowers move and groove to the music. The range will also include Movin’ & Groovin’ Snakes.

 

 

 

 

Character adds sparkle with Disney Princess

The 2007 Disney Princess range has been transformed with new packaging and new look dolls; which feature softer thicker hair, improved outfits and more realistic faces. In addition to the Disney Princess Collection there are three new Princess ranges, which will be introduced throughout 2007, all of which feature beautiful new accessories for their owner to wear.

The Storybook Collection, which comprises of Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Ariel, is a great talking point as their fairy tale story is told using glittering pictures on their skirts – perfect for imaginative play or an interactive bedtime story.

The Charming Collection – Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Ariel – come with beautiful ball gowns decorated with charms that can be removed to make a Disney charm bracelet.

Bringing even more sparkle to the range, in the Golden Glitter Collection, the Princesses have glittering golden gowns and come with a golden tiara hair slide that their owner can wear.

Later in the year aspiring princesses will adore playing with the Golden Glitter Carriage, the Golden Glitter Castle and the Cinderella Storybook Playset.

Also in the range the Disney Cinderella Pumpkin Carriage complete with Jack who has been transformed into a magnificent stallion horse with a marvellous sparkling mane and tail. There are lots of hair clips and fun bits ‘n’ pieces to decorate Jack’s hair.

There is also the beautiful Disney Snow White Cottage, a fold-out house for the Seven Dwarves with 85 accessories including an organ with sound, basin with pump for real running water, cutlery, cups, jugs, large cooking pot, table, chairs, and wheelbarrow. Plus the Disney Seven Dwarfs with Beds, perfect for after a long day’s work when the dwarfs need a comfy little bed to curl up in and a teddy to cuddle. Help to tuck them in with a cosy blanket to keep them warm and wish them sweet .

 

Crackdown on mini-motos planned
Laws control the use of mini-bikes and powered machines.
Mini-motorcycles riders or drivers of "motorised recreational transport" are being targeted in a police crackdown.
Officers will check required documents and Northamptonshire police said they were ready to prosecute if any failed to check out.

Pc Lee Flavell said: "Trendy bikes and scooters will doubtless have been top of the wish list for many youngsters.

"But many of these machines are capable of speeds up to 25mph, indeed mini motos can reach speeds up to 65mph."

He asked parents and youngsters to check up on the rules and regulations covering mini-motos, go-peds, petrol scooters, micro-scooters or mini dirt bikes before taking them onto the streets and into public spaces.

Local by-laws

"Most of them are in fact motor vehicles and must meet construction and use regulations. This applies to both petrol and battery machine," he said.

"Anyone riding a mini moto or similar in a public place or on a public road, including the grass verge, without the relevant driving documents and certificates would be liable to prosecution under the Road Traffic Act.

"On conviction, a rider may be subjected to a fine or even a disqualification from driving.

"Owners and riders should be aware that it is an offence to driver a motorised scooter or mini moto on a public footpath.

"Local by-laws also prevent these machines from being ridden in most public parks and on common land. If they are used on private land, permission from the landowner is required."

The legislation was introduced to prevent nuisance use of these vehicles in public places and police can seize and ultimately crush offending vehicles in given circumstances.
Source: BBC News