Posts Tagged ‘doll houses’

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Trampoline Safety Info

Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

12ft-genius TP TrampolineMimitoys recently got a query on whether it is safer to sink trampolines into a hole in the ground than have them at normal height. On the face of it, it seems to make sense that the lower the trampoline, the lower the risk of injury from falling. When we put the question to TP Toys, however, we got a surprising response - sinking a trampoline so that the bounce mat is at ground level can be MORE dangerous than leaving it at normal height. Myles explains why:

Without a surround, injuries can be greater when the trampoline is sunk into the ground. Counterintuitive I know, but apparently when bouncing from ground level you become more reckless because you perceive the risk to be less - after all you are closer to the ground. This perception leads to more reckless bouncing, which means more landing off the bounce mat leading to a greater possibility of injury. Without a surround this can mean broken bones, whilst with a surround it can mean more ligament and tendon injuries than you would have with a normal elevated trampoline.

Mind the gap! Trampoline legs are wider at the base than at the frame - they splay out to give greater stability. Therefore there will be roughly a 12 inch gap between the edge of the hole and the outside edge of the bounce frame. That gap, if uncovered, is a hazard for adult and children’s legs.

Specific to our TP Trampolines, TP has stated that it assumes that any hole will not be drained and therefore will fill with water during wet periods, increasing the risk of rust damage to the trampoline. If the trampoline is sunk into the ground, the 10 year TP metal warranty (and all other warranties) becomes invalid.

Another safety issue that has been raised during discussions is the danger of children playing underneath the trampoline whilst someone is bouncing on it. I know it makes a great den, but please keep little ones out from underneath!

So, there you have it. TP’s advice seems to be - enjoy your trampoline but put the spades away unless you’re digging a new home for the goldfish!

For more trampoline safety tips, see the advice page on our website. We’d love to hear your opinions and tips to add to our info.

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Outdoor Toys

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

Now that Mimitoys has extended its range of outdoor toys in time for a glorious (?) summer ahead, I have had lots of queries about which toys I would recommend most for family outdoor fun. Of course I think that all our range is fabulous - that’s why I picked it! - but I have a few favourites that I’ll share with you here.

From the deservedly popular TP Toys, I have to finally admit that I have caved in and am thinking of getting a TP Star Trampoline with Surround for my 3 older kids. I have held out for years, arguing safety, cost and size concerns, but the health, fitness and fun advantages have finally outweighed any issues I had. The new breed of trampolines like those from TP have sturdy, high surrounds and clever safety features that keep feet safe from springs. Of course, these are only of full benefit when adult supervision is applied liberally and only one person bounces at a time, but that’s not unreasonable! I also have high hopes of a new toned me when I start my own bounce routine…

Of course you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get the kids outside. One of my family’s favourite toys is the Hand Catcherball. At €6.95, it’s probably not going to break the bank  but I promise you little kids love it! The TP Garden Games range also offers a nice selection of activities from seesaws to badminton/high jump sets, not to mention the ever popular Football Goal sets.

We have just started stocking one of my favourite outdoor toys: Swingball. I’m sure that it’s not just me who has fond memories of thwacking a tennis ball for hours on end in a sunny corner of the garden. Swingball also manufactures a useful range of junior basketball hoops that are compact and portable. Both swingball and basketball are obviously ideal for the garden, but are equally good for daytrips or holidays by car.

What we really need to have fun outside is, however, some good weather. We haven’t yet managed to find a reliable supplier for that, but when we do, you’ll find it first at Mimitoys!

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Playmobil has arrived

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

We are delighted to reveal that Mimitoys now stocks the widest range of Playmobil toys available online in Ireland.

Our children have always loved playing with Playmobil toys and we have wanted to offer them for a long time but felt it wasn’t worth doing unless we could stock a substantial range, so here we are!

Even though our family has enjoyed Playmobil for so long, I had no idea of the variety of themes offered and of how dedicated some of its collectors are. There’s a whole world of Playmobil obsession out there! I hope that we have a wide enough range to keep everyone happy.

Some of the newer products we stock were completely unknown to me and I have had great fun introducing them to my younger children (and my older ones had a play too, when they thought no one was looking). Amongst my new favourites are the Clip Ons, like this Hot Rod Pick Up and Power Boat - great fun for young enthusiasts on the go.

I still love the Playmobil farm and forest range - we have had years of play out of these sets. The level of detail and imagination really pulls children in. I will be doing my best to persuade my younger daughter that she would like the Playmobil Childrens Zoo for her next birthday as I think it would combine perfectly with the farm toys (Playmobil and others) that we already have.

I also like the Playmobil character sets, like the Fire Rescue Squad and Prince and Princess. They are good value impromptu presents or treats, and much better quality than most other toys in this price bracket.

I hope you enjoy browsing our Playmobil range. I’d love you to share your Playmobil stories and hear your comments on the choices we offer.

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Educational toys

Friday, January 21st, 2011

I just had a request via Twitter (follow me @Mimistores) about small toys for pre-school fun and learning about abcs and numbers. I though that it would be a good opportunity to share some ideas with everyone and ask for other suggestions. Besides, I don’t like to restrict myself to 140 characters!

My favourite fun and educational pre-school toys are:

  • Doowell Alphabet Animals - Magnetic animal shapes with corresponding letters
  • Shapes and Numbers - A very simple wooden puzzle that will get little ones working things out
  • Sorting and Teaching Clock from John Crane - A big, bright wooden clock
  • Triangular Activity Centre from Big Jigs - With spinning blocks and an abacus, this toy is suitable right up to school age
  • Fishies - A very simple linking game for the younger child to encourage colour recognition and counting
  • Magnetic Blocks - Easy construction set for little ones
  • Alphabet and Number Blocks - No home should be without them!
  • Fantacolor Daisy - A chunky peg board and one of my favourite toys
  • Djeco Wooden Puzzle - Shapes or Colours
  • Magnetic Numbers and Letters
  • 100 Wooden Blocks - So many ways to play and learn with these

These are just a few of my favourites. We have carefully thought about and picked all the toys stocked on www.Mimitoys.ie so it’s hard not to list every toy we have! If I have left off one of your favourites, or one you would recommend to other customers, please leave a comment.

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Top Up Toys

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

These are a selection of my favourite Top up Toys - ideal for presents for nieces or nephews, or as extra-special Santa treats. All are available from www.Mimitoys.ie where you’ll also find photos and more detailed descriptions.

For smaller stocking fillers, have a look at the ideas on http://tinyurl.com/Mimisstockings

You can also see photos on our Facebook page http://tinyurl.com/MimisFacebook

Daisy’s wardrobe - Daisy has such a cute pink wardrobe and loads of fashionable clothes, bags and hats….Sigh…we wish we were Daisy! Try on loads of different outfits and then tidy them all away into the pretty pink wardrobe. Make sure you hang the clothes up properly on the hangers! This toy combines three games that children love: dressing up, role play and playing with dolls. €12.95

Dragon hand puppet - A　good choice for boys’ tales of derring do and girls’ tales of princesses in peril.　Stories can be made up, told and retold using this soft to the touch hand puppet, keeping lively minds enthralled for hours. A beautiful hand puppet with vibrant colours. €16.95

Fairy hand puppet - Who can conjure up a fairy wonderland and make up a tale of magic and wishes? 　An original and fun way for children to develop their communication and language skills whilst putting on their own puppet show…or an engaging way for adults to tell stories to children. The Fiesta Crafts Fairy hand puppet has expressive embroidered features, pretty clothes, wool hair and a magic fairy wand for banishing evil witches. €16.95

Pirate hand puppet - Who can make up a tale of swashbuckling pirates? 　An original and fun way for children to develop their communication and language skills whilst putting on their own puppet show…or an engaging way for adults to tell the stories to children. The Fiesta Crafts Pirate hand puppet has expressive embroidered features, wool hair, fur beard and a fearsome looking detachable sword for running brigands through. €16.95

Frog Skittles - Line ‘em up and knock ‘em down. How can something so straightforward be so much fun? Small and lightweight, these little frogs are ideal for indoor play when the weather isn’t being kind, but can also be set up outside when it’s nice. Just remember to bring them back inside when you’ve finished. Contains 6 skittles and 4 differently coloured wooden balls.　€12.95

Large family calendar - Want to know what’s happening this week? Go check the calendar. For a family on the go, what better way to plan the week than a family calendar? With all the pieces you need to plan the week ahead, it’s ideal for keeping track of everybody’s busy lives. This is a great visual way to involve the children in planning the family’s week and there should be fewer arguments　about less popular tasks when they have been agreed in advance. €19.95

Shape sorter castle - An appealing wooden shape sorter with 9 coloured blocks. There is a sliding board on top which gives the younger ones a better chance to check if they have the right match without the pieces falling through too quickly. Because of the shape of this sorting toy I’m sure that it will used as a castle, garage and house for other toys as often as it is used as a sorter! €16.95

Magnetic Theatre - Children will love to act out their favourite stories with the help of the 15 adorable wooden characters in this beautiful magnetic theatre. They have everything they need to tell the tales of Cinderella, Pinocchio, Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Pigs, even the words! The wooden characters can be moved from under the stage using the magnetic wands and the backdrops for each of the 4 tales are included. €17.95

Mama K Aromatic Play Clay - This play clay combines aromatherapy and creativity. It feels great to play with, smells divine, and the fabulous colours are not day-glo! 100% natural, certified Gluten Free flours are used, as well as all natural dyes, but like all play clays - please don’t eat it! The tube of 5 individual 4oz pots have the following incredibly soothing scents: lavender (relaxing), sweet orange (uplifting), bergamot (ease anxiety), lemongrass (inspiring), geranium (balance). €29.95

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Top Christmas Toys for Older Kids

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
Wondering what to buy older kids for Christmas? Have a look at this list for ideas, or use the Shop by Age filter on our home page www.Mimitoys.ie
What are my favourites? Either the Djeco Art Sets (represented here by the Art Nouveau set), or the Sticky Mosaics (see http://tinyurl.com/mimimosaics for our full range).

See our website for photos, or join us on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/MimisFacebook

Art Nouveau - Kids will love creating their own Klimt-like masterpiece with these detailed Art Nouveau cards. It’s very easy to produce beautiful pictures that they’ll be proud to hang on the wall. The detailed coloured booklet suggests which colours to use on the outlined cards, and how to decorate with stickers. The quality of the art materials is wonderful and the brush pens can be used for many other art projects once the pictures are complete. €22.95

Clics Turbo - Need some more vehicles for your garage? You’d better get building! With this Clics set, little ones can create 6 different Turbo models…or just build whatever they like! Clics are colourful plastic building blocks that click together to form a huge variety of models. Each piece clicks to another in loads of different ways to add extra flexibility. Produced in bite-proof, safe polypropylene, Clics are able to withstand prolonged use. €42.95

Draw a Fashion Show - Awaken your inner fashionista with this fabulous art set from DJECO. Your little designer adds clothing outlines to their model and then colours them in or adds patterned paper, before finishing it all off with a choice of accessories. The results will make lovely pictures because of the high quality paper and pens in the set. Everything can be stored in the pretty, sturdy box when not in use. €22.95

Horrid Henry - HENRY! Act out naughty scenes from your favourite Horrid Henry story with this gorgeous hand puppet. Or, even more fun, make up your own wicked adventures. Parents can also add real magic to bedtime stories by using this puppet when reading. Based on the books by Francesca Simon. €18.95

Perfect Peter - Ahhh, dear Perfect Peter - he never puts a foot wrong. Act out scenes from your favourite Horrid Henry story with this big hand puppet. A quality hand puppet that is based on the books by Francesca Simon. Perfect Peter will add magic to bedtime stories or will happily take part in any adventures children make up. €18.95

Moon in My Room - A unique bedroom decoration and an amazing educational toy. Moon in my Room is authentically detailed and projects an image of the moon, as it really is, with twelve different moon phase settings. The Moon phases can be automatically or manually controlled by the infrared remote control. This 28cm moon is easy to hang and auto shuts off. Also included is a 15min audio CD which provides a guided tour of the moon. €36.95

Sew a Puppy - This craft set is a great way to introduce kids to sewing. Sew an adorable puppy in printed cotton. Simply cut out and stitch together the fabric pieces using running stitch or back stitch.  Fill with stuffing then create a pink felt flower to decorate your pup.  Includes a paper pattern to make more puppies from recycled fabrics, so you can make your own litter of cute pups! €15.95

Star Theatre - Turn your bedroom into a real planetarium! Watch as hundreds of stars and constellations are projected on your ceiling and walls. Set to season, month, day and hour and tour the night sky guided by the 45min CD. Extra features are the hand-held Meteor Maker that projects streaking comets and meteors. The Star Sphere also detaches for use outdoors as a 3-D star finder and has a directional built-in compass on base. €36.95

Sticky Mosaics Ballerina - Add sparkles and stickers to these 4 beautiful ballerina designs….what little girl wouldn’t be enchanted? Add the sticky pieces to the numbered cards and create 4 beautiful pictures to hang in her bedroom. With 5 sparkling designs and hangers and more than 2400 sticky jewel and foam mosaic pieces, this mosaic set provides hours of creative fun. €18.95

 

 

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Top Girls’ Toys for Christmas

Monday, November 15th, 2010

And now it’s the girls’ turn! This is a list of my top picks for girls’ Christmas pressies in 2010. It wouldn’t be a list of favourites without the stunning Mayberry Manor - every little girl’s dream doll house. All available from www.Mimitoys.ie 

For photos, see our website, or join us on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/MimisFacebook

Baking set
 Invite your friends to afternoon tea! After you have mixed and rolled, decorated your cupcakes, sliced your swiss roll and arranged it all prettily on your cake stand it’s finally time for that well earned cup of tea. A gorgeous wooden play set that includes food mixer with rotating whisk, rolling pin, knife and baking tray, apron and assortment of cakes with stand. €49.95
Breakfast puzzle
 Is it your turn to have breakfast in bed? This big wooden breakfast tray is a lift out puzzle where each item can be placed according to its shape. The breakfast pieces can also be used separately for kitchen pretend play. It’s always good to find a product that’s 2 toys in 1! €12.95
Calypso kitchen range
 Children find the stylish range of Calypso play kitchen equipment very appealing. The bright colours and the no-nonsense styling of the wooden microwave, fridge freezer, sink, cooker and washing machine seem to inspire great role play imagination. Sturdy and great fun. All items available separately Microwave €39.95, Sink €89.95, Cooker €89.95, Washing machine €89.95, fridge freezer €114.95
Doll cradle
 This is a sweet rocking cradle that will appeal to any little girl who sees life through rose tinted spectacles. Rock a bye baby in the pretty cradle with comfy bedding included…in pink of course! This doll’s cradle is fit for a princess and suitable for any doll up to 43cm. €29.95
Dolls high chair
 Little girls usually love girly things, and you can’t get much girlier than this sweet doll’s high chair! The sturdy wooden high chair has a pretty seat back in the shape of a heart. Doll not included, but most little girls will have no trouble finding a hungry doll to feed. €29.95
Mayberry Manor
 The Le Toy Van range of dolls houses is well known for its high quality workmanship, but it is the attention to detail that really appeals. The 3 storeys, 2 staircases and elegant bay windows of Mayberry Manor really add to its sense of grandeur and will stimulate some wonderful stories. It comes beautifully painted in soft colours inside and out, has its own garden and will be a favourite for years to come – a real heirloom piece. Characters and Furniture available separately. €119.95
My vanity case
For little girls on the go! This is a lovely set with good quality accessories that will bring loads of fun. Think of the fun they will have packing everything back into the pretty little case when they have finished! Contains all you need to keep up appearances, with hairbrush, mirror, pretend lipstick, powder flask, perfume bottle, two hair slides, two rings and a bracelet. €24.95
Silver Shopping Trolley
Realistic toys like this cute Shopping Trolley provide so much inspiration for role playing - just like mammy and daddy at the supermarket. Tantrums in the sweet aisle are optional. With a special seat for Teddy to come along too. €24.95
Tea set
Tea time! Who are you going to invite to share your strawberry themed tea party? This Honeybake tea set has all the charm we expect from Le Toy Van, as well as all the little details that add to the role play fun. 12 piece painted wooden strawberry tea-set complete with cups and saucers, tea-pot and tea bag, milk jug, fabric cake and sturdy portable tea tray. €26.95

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TV Fame

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

I had a very exciting day yesterday.

Mimitoys has been selected to be the first Irish toy retailer to present one of its toys on the RTE1 TV shopping programme, Shopping From Home.

Yesterday I went over to film what will be a 5 minute piece on the Mayberry Manor Value Pack.

See it at http://tinyurl.com/mimismayberry

Shopping from Home is headed by the Kathy Hoffman who started airing her TV shopping programme in February of this year.  She is such an enthusiastic and positive person to be around, she made me feel very relaxed and we had the filming done within 3 hours - I thought we’d be there for the full day.

We arrived at 8.30am to a real home environment, as in everyone chatty and friendly with loads of cups of tea being offered.

I really enjoyed the day, despite a nervous start in front of the two camera people and sound person. They were so professional and reassuring - I had emailed them about the features of the dollhouse and when I arrived I found my email turned into a 95% finished script prepared by their production team. It all went smoothly with the exception of stopping the filming at one stage to wait for a noisy street sweeping machine to pass.

Kathy was an official nominee for the 2008-2009 IFTA awards and prides herself on how Shopping From Home proudly supports Irish operations in Ireland.

Our 5 minute slot goes out within the Shopping from Home programme that will air for the full month of December anytime between 7am-8.30am on Rte1 (depending on schedules.)


Please try and catch it - if only to admire my beautifully manicured nails and professionally applied make up…alas now long gone!  www.mimitoys.ie

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Top Baby Toys For Christmas

Monday, November 1st, 2010

To give you a helping hand this Christmas, we have put together a list of popular baby toys that might give you inspiration for your Christmas shopping. In the weeks to come, we’ll follow this up with lists of top boys’ toys, girls’ toys and toys for older kids.  All available from www.Mimitoys.ie

Bear Stacker - This friendly bear has a big smile as he wobbles from side to side on his wooden rocking base. The smooth wooden rings are very tactile and little ones love stacking the　hoops on the peg before topping the tower with the magnetic teddy head. Gorgeous colours and easy to stack. €18.95

Big and Big Cushions and Playmat - This cosy big playmat gives your baby a comfy area to play in and plenty to explore. Babies feel secure surrounded by 6 soft cushions and an inchworm pillow, and parents have more confidence that they won’t roll off. When the babies aren’t babies any more, you can connect all the cushions together to build a lovely soft squishy chair. €64.95

Bunny Ride On - A bright and cheerful wooden Ride on Bunny that children love to play with. We love its simple wooden styling and bright colours but it’s the soft floppy ears that give it added charm. It doubles as a shape sorter for extra play value and includes 6 wooden shape blocks. €39.95
 
Construction Vehicle Dumper - The range of wooden vehicles from I’m Toy has been perfectly designed and sized for little hands to grasp and manipulate. This chunky wooden dumper truck has a removable driver and tipping action for realistic building site role play. €14.95
 
Cuddly Kid Mirror - Babies love to look at themselves. The crinkly arms and legs of this huggable mirror companion make it a good traditional grab toy too. They can play with it in three ways: attach it to their cot for mirror play, sit it up for tummy time play, or encourage crawling by laying the mirror flat on the floor. €24.95
 
Early Rocking Horse - The Early Rocking Horse combines wood and soft fabric, making it perfect for smaller children. The enclosed side rails help to keep young riders in place, whilst the padded head and sides protect heads and tummies from nasty bumps if they get too enthusiastic. The safety features are superb but don’t detract from the character’s appeal and fun. €64.95
 
Fill and Spill Toolbox - This soft plush toolbox and accessory set is perfect for the smallest builders. The 9-piece set includes a hammer, screwdriver, saw, nails, screws and blocks, and a drill that vibrates when the cord is pulled. A durable set that will provide hours of spilling, filling and building fun but everything must be packed up when the working day is over. €19.95
 
Ladybird Baby Gym - Fed up with the ocean of bright plastic taking over your living room? A great alternative is this baby gym made of solid wood with a natural finish. It has colourful wooden rattles decorated with flowers, butterfly and ladybird and a bright yellow sun that’s also a peek-a-boo mirror. The Ladybird Baby Gym will entertain and encourage your little one to focus, reach and kick. €34.95
 
Paddie Rider Tigger - Not every toddler has a Tigger ride on that comes straight from the jungle but is as cuddly as a pussy cat. With its cute face and tactile ears, this sturdy safe toy will soon become a favourite. Solidly made of beautiful stained rubber wood with a lovely comfy seat and 4 wheels for extra stability. €49.95
 
Princess Walker - This is a great idea – a pretty walker that can also be used as a toy tidy or buggy for young toddlers. With non slip wheels and sturdy handle, this will be used as a doll’s pram long after it’s needed as a walker. €39.95
 
Soft Photo Album - A big photo album all about baby! With 8 large fabric pages and 7 clear photo pockets (take 6 x 4 inch photos) and a large mirror on the back page. You can follow the themes on each page - bath time, playtime, birthday, holiday, etc. - or just add your favourite pictures. Activities include a peep-o leaf, furry lion’s mane and squeaky sun. €14.95
 
Stack a Cake - Whether you’re practising for your 1st birthday or re-enacting the excitement, you can now have a happy birthday every day! Layer the cake then blow out the candle. Take it apart and start all over again. Soft stacking cake with crinkle, bell and rattle sounds. €21.95
 
Zanimoferme - There is a home for every animal in this cute farm play set. There are so many stories to tell and adventures to play out - little ones are bound to have other toys that will come to visit. Great for open ended play and will be played with for years in
different ways. Lovely graphics and sturdy card construction. €22.95

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Too much to do?

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

The summer passed by in a blur and suddenly here we are, 3 weeks into the new school year and the kids are already exhausted. I know that a lot of the tiredness comes from settling into a new routine  and new classroom, with new teachers, but I also think that the modern approach to parenting could also be to blame.

When I think back to my childhood, I remember a lot of “down time”: home from school, something to eat, relax a bit, watch telly, play with my toys and then homework. After school activities were restricted to once or twice a week and every evening was spent with my family.

Consider the 3 or 4 after school activities, the 2 evening activities and the weekend exploits of my kids, and there doesn’t seem to be much time left for the family to spend together. I don’t think that we  have signed our kids up for more than other parents and I think that there is great peer and school pressure to get involved in everything. Obviously the opportunities offered to our children are much more exciting than those offered in our youth, but I wonder whether we have got the balance right?

What do kids do when there is nothing organised to amuse them? What happens when they get bored? I don’t think our kids are learning to amuse themselves and think that it’s interesting that nearly all activities are adult-directed and not led by the children. Will this breed a generation of passive adults, waiting to be told what to do? Or will it create a well rounded group who have experienced everything and therefore made informed choices about their lives?

I don’t know the answer, but I do know that if I have to stand on the side of a sodden football pitch one more time this season…

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