Role Play & Dress Up: birthday

I first saw Kid Hip personalized music CDs in the giant Toys 'R' Us store in Times Square and I was immediately curious. Kid Hip CDs feature nine songs and they say your child's name 50 times! Their list of available names features nearly 1,000 names, including "Dhruv," "Atreya"and even "Vienna" (just in case Jake's looking for a special gift.)

I expected the name to sound robotic and out of...

Remember when Greg Brady found that Tiki idol? Their whole Hawaiian vacation was cursed! CURSED! Well, hopefully Idolz won't have the same effect on your Hawaiian vacation.

Idolz are collectible, posable figures that stack to make a sort of action-figure totem pole. You can even wear them around your neck like Greg did! They are funny and sort of quirky with names like, "Gruntor" and "Zebo." G...

For some reason Tangle Toys (compare prices) are intriguing. They just beg you to pick them up and fidget with them. That's why the Original Tangle has spawned a long line of toys with varying colors, textures, sizes and shapes.

Tangle Toys are fun for fidgety adults but I think their real calling is helping kids with special needs. Twisting, turning and curving the Tangle in their hands makes...

We've had a ton of snow this winter, and until my Zipfy Freestyle Mini Luge arrived I never would've wished for more. Now I'm checking the 10-day forecast and hoping for the white stuff! The Zipfy is a high-tech, fast-moving, maneuverable sled that comes in 1o snazzy colors.

I test and try every product I review, so there won't be a comprehensive toy review until I get to ride the Zipfy on t...

In honor of National Grammar Day, March 4th, I'm outing myself as a grammar freak. I was raised by two teachers, I started learning AP style (the writing rules journalists follow) in high school and I majored in journalism in college. I've been writing and editing professionally for more than 15 years and I do my best to ensure that my writing is free of grammatical errors. Though I'm far from ...