The Big Toy Book® Unveils the First-Ever Universal Holiday Toy Catalog App

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Toys

Today, The Big Toy Book® announced the beta launch of the very first universal toy catalog into the iTunes App Store.

Recreating Toy Catalog Fun for Today’s Tech-Savvy Kids

Unlike retailer catalogs, The Big Toy Book’s catalog app allows users to browse over 200 of today’s most sought-after toys regardless of which retailer is carrying them. Through the app, children can easily:

  • Create personal profiles
  • Browse over 200 of today’s most popular toys
  • Circle toys they love with just a touch of the screen
  • Build wish lists
  • Share wish lists and retailer availability

The Big Toy Book® beta app is free and currently available through the iTunes App Store for Apple’s iPad. iPhone and Android versions coming soon.

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Holiday Survival Coupon Book for First 100 Black Friday Customers at Each Store

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Toys

This Black Friday, the first 100 customers to line up at their local Toys”R”Us store will receive a 48-page coupon booklet valued at more than $500 in savings, helping customers to stretch their dollars while dining out, catching a movie, going clothes shopping or booking a family cruise. In addition to the offers in the booklet, customers will gain access to the SaversGuide® website for 60 days, where they can enter their ZIP code to discover even more great deals at their favorite restaurants, attractions and destinations. Coupons retrieved online must be printed to redeem the offers.

*Toys”R”Us stores nationwide will open at 9pm on Thursday, November 24, except for stores in Paramus, NJ, which will open on Friday, November 25 at 7am, and select stores in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island  and Puerto Rico, which will have varying store open times. In general, these hours do not apply to Toys”R”Us Express or Outlet locations, which will follow the hours of their respective shopping centers. All store hours can be found online at www.Toysrus.com/BlackFridayStoreHours.

**Excludes purchases of gift cards, shipping and handling charges, and reward eligible greeting cards, formula, diapers and LeapFrog products. See a store employee or Toysrus.com/Rewards for maximum rewards and complete details. Customers who spend $500 or more will earn the maximum reward of $50 in “R”Us Dollars.

***If the grand prize winner is not within a 100 (one hundred) mile radius of a Toys”R”Us store location, Toys”R”Us reserves the right to substitute the shopping spree with a gift card of comparable or greater value.

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Black Friday: Toys”R”Us® Stores Nationwide to Open at 9pm on Thanksgiving Night

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Toys

Toys”R”Us® announced that its stores nationwide will open their doors at 9pm on Thanksgiving night to welcome Black Friday shoppers as they kick off the holiday shopping season.* Customers eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Toys”R”Us Thanksgiving weekend circular on November 24, which is filled with more than $12,500 in savings, including doorbusters, Thursday through Saturday discounts and free gift-with-purchase offers, can receive a sneak preview by visiting the Toys”R”Us Facebook page, Facebook.com/Toysrus, beginning at 12 noon today. Toys”R”Us Facebook fans will also have the opportunity to win a red carpet, private shopping experience at their local store before the Black Friday crowd enters.

With Toys”R”Us stores opening at 9pm on Thanksgiving evening, savvy savers have even more hours to shop for Black Friday values – in fact, 26 hours straight, as the doors of Toys”R”Us stores will not close until 11pm on Friday, November 25. Consumers can also take advantage of these same deals and discounts at Toysrus.combeginning Thursday, November 24 at 9pm.

Following are examples of select doorbusters available at Toys”R”Us stores beginning Thursday, November 24 at 9pm through Friday, November 25 at 1pm, while supplies last:

Free $50 Toys”R”Us Gift Card with purchase of any Apple® iPod® touch (Available on in-store purchases only; Limit one per guest; Valid 6 hours after activation and expires 1/28/12)

SAVE $120 on POWER WHEELS Boss or Barbie 12-Volt Ford Mustang Ride-Ons – Was: $319.99 each; Now: $199.99 each

50% OFF LeapFrog Leapster® 2 – Was: $49.99; Now: $24.99

50% OFF My Baby Alive – Was: $44.99; Now: $22.49

50% OFF Riptunes 2GB MP3 Player with Video – Was: $29.99; Now: $14.99

50% OFF Sylvania 7-inch Android Tablet or 7-inch Android Netbook – Was: $149.99 each; Now: $74.99 each

40% OFF ALL LeapFrog Leapster® Software – prices vary

40% OFF TRANSFORMERS Dark of the Moon Ultimate Optimus Prime – Was: $79.99; Now: $47.99

35% OFF Select LEGO® Construction Sets – prices vary

BUY 10 for $10 on ALL Squinkies™ 2-Packs (Must purchase 10 to receive the deal; Originally $2.49 each)

BUY 2 GET 3rd FREE on Beyblade Metal Fusion Battle Tops – prices vary

$10 Special Value Pack of Babies”R”Us® Diapers (48 – 96 ct) – Over $50 value (Includes $38 in coupon savings; Limit 4 per guest; Available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us)

Toysrus.com and Facebook.com/Toysrus will also preview more than 40 “Mystery Deals” on Tuesday, November 22 at 12:01am. These secret savings will be available in Toys”R”Us stores from 9pm on Thanksgiving night until 1pm on Friday afternoon, but customers can only find out about them by visiting these sites in advance.

Earlier Risers Still Have Time to Snap Up Savings: 5am – 1pm on Friday, November 25

Those who prefer to sleep off their turkey dinner before heading to stores will still have the opportunity to take advantage of incredible savings at Toys”R”Us, with nearly 50 new doorbuster deals available on Friday, November 25 from 5am – 1pm during the 26-hour sale, while supplies last. Following are examples of these doorbusters:

FREE $19.99 Imaginarium Starter Kit with ANY Imaginarium® or Crayola® Easel priced $19.99 or more (Limit one per guest)

SAVE $20 on Crayola® Digital Camcorder and Camera (sold separately) – Was: $49.99 each; Now: $29.99 each

SAVE $30 on Toys”R”Us-Exclusive Disney Princess Royal Talking Kitchen – Was: $69.99; Now: $39.99

50% OFF Tonka® Bounce Back Racer – Was: $29.99; Now: $14.99

50% OFF LeapFrog Alphabet Pal – Was: $19.99; Now: $9.99

50% OFF Serta® Master Sleeper Crib and Toddler Mattress (Available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us) – Was: $179.99; Now: $89.99

50% OFF Select Shermag Glider and Ottoman Combos or Newco Upholstered Recliners (Available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us) – prices vary

40% OFF Select LEGO Construction Sets – prices vary

BUY 1 GET 1 FREE on ALL Earth’s Best Variety or Pantry Packs (Limit two per guest; Available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us) – prices vary

Marathon Shoppers Can Take Advantage of the Thursday through Saturday Sale

Customers can take advantage of deals and discounts on nearly 200 additional items at Toys”R”Us stores nationwide, from Thursday at opening until Saturday closing. Following are highlights of the deals and discounts available at Toys”R”Us stores from Thursday, November 24 at 9pm through Saturday, November 26 at 11pm, while supplies last:

BUY 1 GET 1 50% OFF ALL Trash Pack® purchases – prices vary

BUY 1 GET 1 50% OFF ALL Moshi Monsters™ purchases – prices vary

FREE $10 Toys”R”Us Gift Card and $100 Savings with ANY Xbox 360 console purchase

BUY 1 GET 1 FREE on ALL Toys”R”Us® Battery Pack purchases – prices vary

BUY 1 GET 1 for $5 on Select Xbox® 360, PS3 and Wii® video game purchases between $29.99 and $59.99

50% OFF Fisher Price® Medical Kits – Was: $14.99 each; Now: $6.99 each

50% OFF Crayola® Super Art Kits – Was: $19.99 each; Now: $9.99 each

50% OFF ALL Carter’s® Clothing and Sleepwear (Available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us) – prices vary

50% OFF ALL Disney® NFL Pillows and Blankets (Available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us) – prices vary

20% OFF Air Swimmers® eXtreme from Animal Planet™ – Was $49.99; Now: $39.99

FREE Pampers Value Box of Wipes (384ct or less) with ANY purchase of a Pampers Value Box of Diapers (88ct or more) (Available at Toys”R”Us and Babies”R”Us)

Toys”R”Us Facebook Fans Can Enter Black Friday Red Carpet Sweepstakes

Now through November 17 at 11:59pm EST, new and current fans of the company’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/Toysrus, can enter an exclusive sweepstakes for the chance to win a Toys”R”Us Grand Prize Black Friday Shopping Event. One winner will receive limo service and red carpet entry to their local Toys”R”Us store on Thanksgiving evening at 8pm – one hour before the store officially opens for Black Friday shopping. This winner will also receive a $1,000 Toys”R”Us gift card and a personal shopper to assist them in selecting the perfect gifts for the kids on their list.***

One hundred second prize winners will receive a $100 Toys”R”Us gift card that they can use on Black Friday. All winners will be notified by email at least one week prior to Thanksgiving. After visiting Facebook.com/Toysrus to enter, social savvy customers are encouraged to let their friends and family know about this exciting shopping opportunity simply by clicking the “Share” button and posting it to their Facebook Wall.

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FAO Schwarz® releases The 2011 Ultimate Holiday Collection Catalog

Posted on November 12, 2011 by Toys

FAO Schwarz® has unwrapped its plans to provide a magical holiday season to its customers. Beyond trimming the windows of its world-famous Fifth Avenue store with lighted versions of its iconic toy soldier, FAO Schwarz is now stocking its shelves with wonderful, new and classic playthings. The ultimate assortment of items featured in the store and online at FAO.com is showcased in The 2011 Ultimate Holiday Collection, a 40-page display of wondrous toys. The collection includes product presentations from iconic brands, the world of fashion, baby products, specialty toys and more. Additionally, to help New Yorkers, and visitors to FAO Schwarz Fifth Avenue, get into the Christmas spirit by helping children in need, the store is now accepting cash contributions to benefit the Marine Toys For Tots Foundation through Christmas Eve.

“For New Yorkers and tourists alike, a special part of any holiday season is a visit to see the amazing toys at FAO Schwarz,” said Richard Barry, Vice President, General Merchandising Manager, Toys”R”Us, Inc. “To offer a preview of the wondrous playthings featured in our world-famous store, The 2011 Ultimate Holiday Collection catalog takes customers on a magical journey of the unique items available this year, from classic playthings to limited edition items.”

The 2011 Ultimate Holiday Catalog – In Mailboxes Now and Available Digitally!

Now landing in mailboxes nationwide, The 2011 Ultimate Holiday Collection from FAO Schwarz features toys beyond kids’ wildest imaginations, along with items that will catch the eye of discerning collectors. Presented in thematic pages, the 40-page book presents statements dedicated to FAO Schwarz collectibles, over-the-top toys, playthings from Paul Frank, Lionel Trains, life-sized plush animals, baby items and more. Customers can view the entire catalog online at FAO.com/2011Holiday.

Those who cannot visit the store in-person can experience all of the items in The 2011 Ultimate Holiday Collection catalog online at FAO.com. This fully interactive version of the catalog, with flippable pages, allows customers to begin browsing the assortment of classic toys, incredible games and extraordinary items beginning Friday, November 11. Items featured in The 2011 Ultimate Holiday Collection catalog can also be ordered via phone by calling 800-426-8697.

Additionally, fans of the store’s official Facebook Fan page at Facebook.com/FAO can tune in every Monday to find additional information about products displayed in the catalog.

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Inventive Minds Introduces Motivational Workbook for Kid Inventors

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Toys

Inventive Minds continues to add useful and inspirational media products to its line of tools for inventions. Most recently, it has created and released A Workbook For Young Inventors. This workbook incorporates colorful characters known as the “Dreamalings®” that are used to educate and motivate children to imagine and create, and ultimately – invent.

The Dreamalings® travel with the child on their journey every step of the way. They propose organizational and structural tips to help the child to structure their thoughts in a manner that will help them to execute their ideas.

The purpose of the workbook is two-fold: to stimulate imagination and to serve as a teaching tool for documenting projects and inventions that may contribute to historic and positive change.

“Our mission is to work with inventors, organizations and schools around the world,” says Alina Mirzaian, founder of Inventive Minds. “We all have a certain genius inside of us and my desire is to help people to tap into that creative power and guide them on how to invent.”

This new workbook is designed for children aged 7 to 12 years of age and is 32 pages in length. It is full color and introduces the purpose that an invention serves. It includes workbook rules and guidelines; numbered entry and grid pages; colorful characters with inspirational quotes; cool facts related to historical inventions; and a history of Thomas Edison and his inventions.

A digital download version is available for $7.95; a softcover edition is available for $13.99. Both may be accessed here: http://www.inventivemindsjournal.com/workbook/ . Also available on Amazon at www.amazon.com.

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The Evolution of the Board Game Is Upon Us!

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Toys

Just in time for the holidays, Identity Games – an international award-winning game creator, producer and publisher – introduces a true “game changer” to the board game category.  Presenting GameChanger™– a groundbreaking innovation in game play.  GameChanger is an electronic game board that works with the iPad.  Featuring interactive animation and sound, GameChanger adds a whole new dimension to the traditional board game by creating a different experience every time you play.

The GameChanger, which is an app-based accessory “Made for iPad,” is very simple and easy to use. Kids are given the option of playing two different games; The Magic School Bus® from Scholastic or Animal Mania. The iPad simply slides into the GameChanger cradle, and one of the included game skins can be placed on top of the board.  Parents can download the App, which is free with GameChanger purchase, and then the family fun can begin!

With GameChanger, the electronic game board and the iPad screen become one, and come alive with a simple touch. The game pieces themselves interact with the iPad, which asks questions and assigns tasks, so players always know whose turn it is. A “spin” of the wheel on the iPad lets players move their pawn across the game board. Since the game board and the iPad are connected, all game play is completely guided and tracked.

The GameChanger comes with the electronic game board, four game skins (Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus and Animal Mania), four game pieces and free App download.  It is recommended for children ages 6 and up, and has a suggested retail price of $79.99. It will be available beginning on November 1, 2011 at retailers including Toys”R”Us, Apple Stores and Amazon.com.  Additional games will soon be available, including Kaboom and DuckDuckGoose. For additional information, visit www.boardgamechanger.com.

 

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