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September 2010 | Vol. IX - No. 9

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TDmonthly’s Psychologist Mom

She’ll Put Your Toys on the Couch

By: Dr. Tiffany Wright
Jul 30, 2010

TDmonthly Magazine’s Psychologist Mom enjoyed card games with her two tween-aged sons and got to kick around a soccer ball that supports eco-friendly practices and respect for all.

Anomia from ANOMIA PRESS
Age: 10 and Up
Gender: Boys and Girls
Category: Card Games
MSRP: $16.00

TDmonthly rating:

The Dr.’s Impressions: One at a time, each player discards a card and the cards have a title like "Baby Toy" and a colored design. If the colored design matches another player, the first person to yell out an example of their card, e.g. Rattle, wins both cards. There are also twists with the wild cards. The hardest part of the game is finding a table where everyone can see each other’s cards in a quick and easy way!

Kids’ Perspective: The slogan, "Where common knowledge becomes uncommonly fun," made my kids think they would not be able to play — like it was Trivial Pursuit-type game. Turned out it was a blast! The kids had a blast trying to remember silly things like "Insect" and were challenged by things like "Jazz Musician." We also played with a foreigner and it was wonderful and stimulating for him.

Recommendations: I would highly recommend this for children who are new to the States, as it’s a great vocabulary game. Furthermore, I would recommend it for any family.

Eco Soccer Ball - Match (Size 4 Quad) - Respect by FAIR TRADE SPORTS INC.
Age: 8 to 11
Gender: Boys and Girls
Category: Sporting Goods & Accessories
MSRP: $59.99

TDmonthly rating:

The Dr.’s Impressions: The Eco Soccer Ball played like any good soccer ball, but isn't it nice to have the opportunity to do the right thing? Union-made is a comfort, but it is even better — it is a vegan soccer ball. The quality is there, as well as the opportunity to help the environment.

Recommendations: As a homeschool mom, I was compelled to make the Respect Soccer Ball an opportunity to teach what exactly "fair trade" means, so it was a sounding board for further instruction and learning.

Run Wild by OUT OF THE BOX PUBLISHING
Age: 8 and Up
Gender: Boys and Girls
Category: Card Games
MSRP: $9.99

TDmonthly rating:

The Dr.’s Impressions: This is similar to Rummy in the sense that you are doing runs and sets, except you are doing it simultaneously and playing off of your opponent and with all the sets on the table.

Kids’ Perspective: The kids, ages 11 and 14, really liked it because it was colorful and fast paced.

Recommendations: I am a rummy player and found the game a challenging sister. We have played many times as a family, and the kids play on their own, too.

Air Hogs RC Switchblade by SPIN MASTER TOYS
Age: 10 and Up
Gender: Boys
Category: Remote Controlled
MSRP: $59.99

TDmonthly rating:

The Dr.’s Impressions: This remote-controlled machine is pretty cool. When it starts it goes STRAIGHT UP, then it flies like a plane. It is called the switchblade effect, which allows it to fly in a most unusual manner.

Kids’ Perspective: The Air Hogs RC Switchblade is fast and wild and very fun, especially for an 11-year-old boy. The kids had a bit of a time figuring out how to run it, though, due to some battery confusion. Turns out you can't use different brands of batteries and they need to be fresh and new. But once we figured that out by calling customer service, it really took off like a rocket.

Recommendations: It turns out you can't use different brands of batteries and they need to be fresh and new. But once we figured that out by calling customer service, it really took off like a rocket!

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Writer's Bio: Dr. Tiffany Wright doesn’t just look at toys; she analyzes them. In and out of the box, she scrutinizes them for playability, appropriateness and educational value. The latter quality is especially important to this stay-at-home psychologist/mother, who also homeschools her three youngest children. Her daughter attends UCLA. Dr. Wright earned her Ph.D. in personality psychology from University of California, Riverside. She is always on the lookout for toys and games that inspire creativity and impart knowledge while bringing fun and laughter to her home. Read more articles by this author

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