news « Terra Toys

Beado Toy Recall

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Much as we love the new Beado toy, the company has found that they must make changes in the manufacture, and recall any Beado with date code "02910". If you bought the toy from us, you can exchange it at the store (a full refund requires receipt), or you can mail it back to the company for a refund.

Click here for more info and better product images.

From their letter:

"Rhine Toys Inc. Recalls Beado Toy Due to Choking Hazard (Part #1501, Date Code (02910)

Some of the wires of the toy have insufficient adhesive, allowing for the wires to come loose from the hubs and allowing the beads to slide off and pose a potential choking hazard to a child.

Product was sold from March 2010 to May 2010.

Consumers should immediately stop using this product and return it to the store where it was purchased to receive a full refund or replacement toy.

(877) 887-4433 www.rhinotoys.com"

Free Event – Paint Your Own Train!

Thursday, June 24th, 2010

Choo Choo! Come to Terra Toys on July 15, 2010, 1:00 to 3:00pm to paint your own train. Terra Toys provides materials and instruction, including a wooden boxcar or tanker that fits on any standard wooden railway (cars are made by the same company that makes Thomas the Train Wooden Railway). See you there!

Fairy Tea Party 2010 a Big Success!

Friday, June 18th, 2010

This year’s Fairy Tea Party was a big success! Over the course of the two-hour event, more than 100 excited kids participated. Many arrived in delightful costumes with wings, glitter, capes. Children made the rounds to several tables, each station providing the next step in the fairy-making craft, and ending with tea and cookies. Kids also received tickets for free face-painting three doors down at our new children’s shoe store, kidOshoe.

In fact, the whole party was so cool that our Gretchen made the front page of today’s Austin American-Statesman’s Metro section.
Click here for more photos.

If you liked this event, check out next month’s event: Paint Your Own Train! July 15th, 1-3pm – more details soon…

Saturday In The Park

Monday, June 7th, 2010

Little Julia made a playdate to spend a Saturday in the park (she thinks it was the Fourth of July). People talking, people laughing, a cart selling sno-cones – can you dig it? She thinks she’ll take her sketchbook so she can doodle some of the doggies and unicyclists as they go by.

Yellow Flower Dress by Twirls & Twigs, sizes 4-6X, $51.00; Hot Pink Leather Sandals by Bear Feet, sizes 5-12, $64.00; Purple Sunglasses $7.50; Flower Sparkling Journal by Pecoware $10.00

Prices and availability may vary – call store for current info.

Art Toy Promises Bright Future

Monday, June 7th, 2010

Sketch Art LED, $50, ages 8+

Sketch Art LED is a cool new design toy. Like a lite brite for the new generation, it is made up of illuminated color pegs. But unlike the old model, this one has no pegboard – the entire surface is usable, so you’re not limited to a pixel-grid. Each peg has two short metal legs which, when pressed through the soft foam surface, connect to the current underneath and light up. There’s also a light cord that can be shaped and woven around the pegs to add extra flair, and set to be continuous or blinking for even more nighttime fun.

Though it can be used with just fingers, it comes with tools for more precise insertion and extraction. And because use is slightly more sophisticated (and possibly pokey) it’s recommended for ages 8+.

We have one set up and turned on – come by and give it a try.

Prices and availability may vary – call store for current info.

Littlefoot, Big Style

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

Hey, buddy! Remember those dinosaur movies our parents grew up with? Oh boy, are they classics! I hope they’ll play them at the old arthouse theater. We’ll go casual in jeans and tees, but I think I’ll dress it up with a most excellent vest that I found when I was shopping with Mom at the toy store last week.

Green Dino Tee by Charlie Rocket, sizes 0-24 months, $25.50; Nicholas Vest by DMO Baby, size 6-24 months, $47.00; Black Jeans by NANO; Casual Shoe by i-Walk, infant/toddler sizes 3-8, $48.00

Prices and availability may vary – call store for current info.

Romp Around the Clock

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Baby, baby, how I love to wiggle! Let’s throw on some cool clothes and head out to The Playroom. They’ll be playing some sweet tunes today, and we can rock around the clock.

Teaching Clock (the classic!) by Fisher Price, $16.50; Overall Jumper by Beary Basics, infant sizes 0-24 months, $34.00; Vintage Sunsuit by Dagmar Daly, infant sizes 0-24 months, $59.50; Beary Jane shoes by Bear Feet, infant sizes 1-4, $44.00

Prices and availability may vary – call store for current info.

Marble Run

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

Get your kids a marble run, so they can become engineers when they grow up. They might even create something like this someday!

(Skip ahead to 7:56 to see it in action)

The kit in the video is home-made, not sold in stores, but Terra Toys carries a few different marble run construction sets: Quercetti plastic sets from Italy; Haba wooden sets from Germany; Alex brand wooden zoo themed sets; and though it isn’t in stock right now, we anticipate the return of the popular Quadrilla wooden sets in late fall or winter 2010.

Corny Island Adventure

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

The approach of summertime brings visions of castles and moats, and sand play is even better when your tools are recycled like these. Digging and building all day can really work up an appetite! With this outfit, it’s perfectly fine to wear your lunch on your shirt.

Hot Dog High Five Tee by Mini Rotation, $25.50, sizes 2-6; Navy Cargo by SHRNK, $27.50, sizes 4-6; Recycled Sand Play Set by Green Toys, $20.

What’s in Ned’s Head? Game

Tuesday, April 6th, 2010

Another great game for kids as young as four years! Winner of several awards, What’s in Ned’s Head is a game that appeals to kids’ love for gross stuff while increasing sensory awareness.

Ned’s Head is a large plush head with openings in the mouth and ears. Each player draws a card indicating a weird object for which the player must feel around inside Ned’s Head. A nationwide contest resulted in inclusion of some kid-suggested objects like "Bird Poop With A Worm" and "Dirty Diaper". Included are a total of 15 silly objects with corresponding cards, and 10 extra blank cards so you can add your own wacky stuff!

What’s In Ned’s Head?, $35, 2-5 players, ages 4+

Prices and availability may vary – call store for current info.