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Apples to Apples Party Box Edition

Apples to Apples is the wild, award-winning card and party game that provides instant fun for four to ten players. It’s as easy as comparing Apples to Apples. You can just open the box, deal the cards, and you’re ready to play. Select the card from your hand that you think is best described by a card played by the judge. If the judge picks your card, you win that round. And everyone gets a chance to be the judge. Each round is filled with surprising and outrageous comparisons from a wide range of people, places, things, and events. Fast moving and refreshing, Apples to Apples is perfect for any get-together with family and friends.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Fun
the more people whom play this game the more fun it is. this game is laughable and interesting.

5 Stars Really awesome!
I love this game! Other reviewers have said it all. But, it’s fun.

The only catch is that you can really just create a bunch of cards at home and make your own version for free! It might even be more fun because it’s personalized. If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t bother buying it.

5 Stars A Fun Game for All
“Apples to Apples” is such a fun game, have enjoyed it with many different groups of friends and relatives, young and old alike.

The game can also cause some interesting discussions about the reasons for picking one answer over another.

5 Stars Fun and educational
I have a class of extremely reluctant high school students, but they get really involved in this and don’t actually realize that they are expanding their vocabulary while they play.

5 Stars Easy to Play, Enjoyable Word Association Game
It is understandable why Apples to Apples has become so popular. Because it is a simple word association game, a group at a family gathering or a casual get-together can easily be persuaded to play. What makes the game a standout is that the psychology of each player is on exhibit, providing a great deal of group entertainment. Everyone gets a chance to be the judge: With each new round, a new person takes on this role, in which he or she must pick the best match for the green adjective card. Everyone else picks up subject cards, from which they choose the one they think the judge will select as the best association. The items on the subject cards present a broad range of topics including people and places, entertainment and sporting activities, science and nature and food, history and culture. Even poison ivy and off-the-wall topics like pond scum come into play!

Studying and understanding the psychology of the judge of-the-moment is a critical aspect of winning the game. One can get a clue from the cards he or she discards when not the judge. Is the judge-of-the-moment goofy and given to oddball or off-the-wall matches, or staid and given to straightforward connections? I have had a number of situations in which my card was chosen because it made for an amusing or “contrarian” fit, and I have done the same as a judge. There can still be skill at winning because more often than not, judges will pick something that is similar in an ordinary way. But because of the subjective element along with twists, subtleties, and ironies, anyone can win. Even when one does not win the overall game, there is enjoyment in being picked by the judge for an amusing match that makes everyone laugh or shake their head.

Buy/More Info

Kid Toys Sports Apples To Apples, Card Game, Deal The Cards, Family And Friends, Fun Game, Group Entertainment, High School Students, Moving, Party Game, Psychology, Relatives, Reviewers, Standout, Vocabulary, Word Association Game

Jarts

The classic lawn game has returned for more backyard fun. Players take turns tossing two safe Jarts into the target ring. Score a ringer and nab three points; the player closest to the ring earns one point. Includes four Jarts and two Target Rings.

User Ratings and Reviews

2 Stars Nothing like the original Jarts
The supplier was wonderful but this is certainly nothing like the original Jarts game…pretty boring as this new style doesn’t stick in the ground to get points…probably would be better to just throw colored rocks in a circle…

5 Stars lawn jarts
We have enjoyed these jarts. They are what I expected. I like the old ones better, but these are fun anyway.

4 Stars Rod the Darter
I read all the reviews that said that the old darts were better because they had a metal point that stuck in the grass. So I will modify the darts to put a metal point on them so they will stick in the grass and I bought them anyway.

3 Stars Enjoyable, but not durable
I don’t mind the change in the tips from metal to rubber; however, as one of the other reviewers points out, the jarts do bounce quite a bit now. What bother me is the moving vanes (what I would call the fletching on an arrow) on the jart. The original lawn darts that I had in the 70s were one solid piece of plastic with the metal tips. The new jarts have vanes that slide up and down the shaft. The problem with moving parts is that they break. And after one session of play with my friend and his nine year old daughter, guess what? One of the darts now comes apart (the vanes leave the shaft) on nearly every throw. Given that the toy is meant for family play, I think I should expect that they last more than one session with a nine year-old.

4 Stars not the Jarts of old, but my kids enjoy it
The kids enjoy the game and that is the major criteria. I used the old version when I was a kid, so I am a little more critical. This version doesn’t have the point that will stick in the ground (the old version was outlawed because some felt it would stick in the body as well).

This version you may need some new rules- what do you do if the jart slides under the circle?

The short story is my kids like the game and I don’t see a safety risk to the new version. I would buy it again.

Buy/More Info

Kid Toys Sports Arrow, Colored Rocks, Darter, Fletching, Grass, Jart, Lawn Darts, Lawn Game, Lawn Jarts, Moving Parts, New Style, Old Version, Reviewers, Ringer, Score, Shaft, Stars, Target, Vanes

Barbie Girls MP3 Player Green

It’s an MP3 player that’s sweet and sassy or all about cool chic. Mix the fashions, hair, and faces to match your mood!

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Not for Mac users….
My daughter’s have both been begging me for this toy/Mp3 player for at least 6 months. They play on the website, which you can do without a ‘Barbie Girl’, but of course if you actually buy one, it allows you a special access code that opens up a whole new world of online games. So, we finally bought 2 Barbie Girls, one for each of them. It was my oldest daughter’s b’day and they were so excited when they unwrapped their presents to find “Barbie Girls”!!! Unfortunately excitement quickly turned to disappointment when we tried to install and register it. We followed the instructions and nothing. I did a little ‘googling’ and found that they are not compatible with Mac computers! I was so disappointed for my girls who were so excited to finally have their own Barbie Girls. We are a ‘Mac’ family and do not have a PC. Now these Barbie Girls sit in their boxes in the hopes that Mattel will reply to my request for help. I’m sure there must be a way to make these usable, but no response yet from Mattel. I am really disappointed that there was NO mention of this incompatability to Mac’s when I placed my order. I still gave this game 5 stars because I know from those who have one that it is a fun thing to play with. I just hope my girls get a chance too.

4 Stars Perfect first MP3
I purchased this for Christmas for my little girl. We won’t be going online to Barbie World yet because I think she is too young but the player itself is great for the price. I think some reviewers need to be reminded this is not actually a “toy”. It is an electronic device so it’s durability will decrease if it is played with like a toy. It is not compatible with itunes or any other subscription service but you can burn a cd through your service then rip it onto the software provided for this MP3. Overall, it’s a great starter to teach responsibility and how MP3 players work. I’ve already loaded songs on it so I can’t wait for my daughter to open it Christmas morning!

4 Stars Perfectly Fine
I ordered this for my little sister on christmas. It came that same week! There was nothing wrong, no damages, and she still uses it so i can complain. It keeps her busy The last one she had was destroyed by our dog so i do not think these tiny things are very durable but thats somewhat obvious. I also wasnt sure how educational these were because as far as i know its some type of mp3 player they can play with online at a barbie website so i didnt give it many stars there. Other than that, it made her happy which makes me happy and shipped incredibly fast!

5 Stars Not just for kids, super easy to use
After my 19 year old daughter had asked for one of these, I felt that maybe it wasn’t just for children. I had wanted an mp3 player for a while, but I never thought I would be able to figure out how to load songs on it. I took a chance and bought this one since I found a really good price on it. A few minutes after I opened the package and had put it on the charger I was already putting songs on it. Technology easy enough for a grandma to learn by herself, and cute enough to make my inner child happy. I ordered 3 of the fashion packs, because it actually is fun to express myself by changing the way my mp3 player looks, and since I felt the earbuds looked a little funny on me (they have a little tab so you can put a charm or earring on each one) I splurged and added a set of Sony neckphones with super bass for a more comfortable listening experience. Even with the earbuds the sound quality of the playback is excellent for a “toy”.

5 Stars Great!
My six year old loves it. We have windows vista and didn’t have any problems playing the games on the computer. She loves shopping and dressing barbie on the computer. When my niece came over, also six years old, she would not put the mp3 player down. She loved it so much I got her one for her birthday. Her mother said she has it with her wherever she goes. It holds plenty of songs and is very easy to load the songs on to the player. I had no problems with this product which we have had since last Christmas.

Buy/More Info

Kid Toys Music Access Code, Barbie Girl, Barbie World, Disappointment, Durability, Electronic Device, Excitement, Fun Thing, Googling, Incompatability, Itunes, Little Girl, Mac Computers, Mac Users, Mattel, Mp3 Player, Must Be A Way, Online Games, Reviewers, Subscription Service

LeapFrog Sing Along Read Along

Ready to add a fun twist to reading time? You can motivate little ones to read on their own with 12 engaging music videos on DVD and matching books. Each music video brings a story to life through lively animation, songs and words on-screen; and the 12 matching storybooks reinforce the learning experience. Books are great for take-along fun, too.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great for beginning readers
I was a little hesitant to make this purchase, but I found it about half off at a local discount store and decided to give it a try. As described, it includes 12 short phonics based (with a FEW sight words(is, the, on, and, in, the, etc.))readers. There are 2 books for each vowel sound, an introductory book that introduces the characters, and a cumulative book wraps up the set. They’re a good quality paper, stitched bindings. I see some reviewers are watching the dvd and then tackling the books, and whatever works is great. We are reading the books first, and then as a reward, she’s “unlocked” (as her brothers do on Wii Fit) the corresponding video. Each of the 12 are listed on the menu, so we play only the ones she’s “unlocked”. She loves the music and dances around the living room. I agree it would be difficult to sit down to read with the books and dvd together. If it helps anyone, we’re about halfway through the yellow (kindergarten) Hooked on Phonics book, and this is right on target – sight words from cards we’re using, and she can sound out all of the words, but the video afterward adds an extra motivator.

5 Stars Excellent
Our children (ages 3 and 4) love watching and singing along with this DVD. But even better, the cute stories have really motivated my 4 year old to read the books on her own. In a very short time we have seen a significant improvement in her reading thanks to this set. The little skits in between the songs/books on the DVD do a great job teaching vowel sounds. I highly recommend this set for any pre or beginning reader. It is a great educational product that the kids actually enjoy.

5 Stars Great for learning
My 4 year old loves to watch the DVD and it helps him learn how to blend letters into words. The books are wonderful because most of the words are simple words that he can sound out and there are not too many words per page. It is a great way to work on reading skills.

5 Stars Educational, fun and love the tunes!
I love LeapFrog! They come up with the most entertaining educational stuff! I have a two year old and four year old and they both equally love it! My daughter is really getting into reading and sounding words out, so this is perfect! Both my children and I love the tunes, it’s surprisingly entertaining for Mom too! I also really like the segments that go over phonics and sounding out words that were covered in the song/stories.

I think this system works best if you watch the DVD first, and read the books together later; as the speed of some of the songs/reading is quite fast for even me to keep up with (to follow along and actually go over w/ your child). I think it’s a great addition to the LeapFrog library of toys and videos. Hope the review helps!

5 Stars greatt first step at phonics
I love this product. I was looking for simple books that use only words that have the most common letter sounds. words that once your child learns the phonetic abc’s, they can start sounding out words. we loved the leapfrog letter and word factory and wanted to utilize what our child had learned from it. but even the most simple books out there (that I found) used more advanced letter sounds and combinations. this product has 12 books that use words that can be sounded out from the basic 26 letter sounds, with the exception of maybe 2 words. that in itself is great. then add to that, that they have a dvd and songs that go along with it. the words light up on the screen as they are being said. and there are tiny skits regarding the short vowel sounds also. very educational. yet, fun and nice simple but entertaining funny animation. some kids’ videos annoy me, but this one is fun. not as beautiful as say, word world. more simple, but just great. the songs are great. very short, very simple, but perfect for what they are trying to achieve. my only complaint would be that since it is a leap frog product, it would have been nice for them to use the same letter animation themes regarding why “I” says “i”, etc… and also buyers should be aware that the 12 books are tiny paper pamplets. oh, and they use lower case letters. but regardless, I am so happy that I found this product.

Buy/More Info

Kid Toys [Learning & Education] Dances, Experience Books, Introductory Book, Leapfrog, Learning Experience, Little Ones, Matching Books, Motivator, Music Videos, Phonics, Quality Paper, Reading Time, Reviewers, Short Time, Sight Words, Significant Improvement, Skits, Target Sight, Vowel Sound, Wii

Leapster Arcade Letterpillar

This hungry Letterpillar loves to eat letters. Watch him grow as he munches his way through a lively arcade game that reinforces important early reading and spelling skills. Teaches phonics, uppercase and lowercase letters and word building. For use with the Leapster Learning System or Leapster L-Max Learning Game System, each sold separately.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great Beginner Game
My son received the Leapster system for his 4th birthday as a gift. It comes with this game. While this game isn’t the most challenging, my son enjoys it. I am not sure at what level the previous reviewers children are at, but my son doing very well at school. Maybe they are academically beyond him. He knows all of his letters, their sounds, and can read three letter words. He can also write out all of the letters in the alphabet, uppper and lower. So while this game isn’t extremely challenging, he still found it fun. I haven’t found controlling the letterpillar to be difficult at all, as a previous reviewer said. The arrow buttons on the control respond fine when controlling the letterpillar. I think this game was great as a “free” game with the system, because it allowed him to get used to using the controller. And my son isn’t electronically deprived. He uses our personal computer all of the time to play games. He also has a V-Smile with other games. We wanted this as a portable gaming system. Again, it was a good first, free game. I have nothing bad to say about it considering I didn’t have to pay for it.

5 Stars Great letter review!
Found the letterpillar a fine afternoon rainy day breath of fresh air for my girls. Like that the letterpillar gets ill if it eats numbers.

2 Stars It’s educational
We bought cartridge for our 3 year old. We were going on a airplane trip and thought it would keep his attention. He used it for only 5 minutes and wanted the creature creation cartridge. He may get more into this one when he gets older.

2 Stars Letterpillar – doesn’t stack up to other Leapster games
While my 3 yr old and 5 yr old play this game some, it doesn’t compare to the other cartridges we own. There is only one game on the cartridge. It is simple, and I’m not convinced it has much educational value, as do most of the other Leapster games we have. I recommend you buy the Draw & Write or the Letter Factory. My children fight / “take turns” over those two games and they are educational.

5 Stars Great letter teacher, phonics, etc. lots of fun
My grand daughter loves this and Running on Zero, one for letter skills, the other for math. Both are fun, and teach the child. They challenge your child to try harder, for a better score, even though there’s no grading involved (the way it should be)

Buy/More Info

Kid Toys [Learning & Education] Airplane Trip, Alphabet, Arcade Game, Arrow Buttons, Breath Of Fresh Air, Early Reading, Free Game, Game System, Games, Gaming System, Girls, Leapster L Max, Leapster Learning System, Lowercase Letters, Personal Computer, Rainy Day, Reviewers, Spelling Skills, Uppercase, V Smile