Editorial Review

Edgar Bergen once said, "Ventriloquism is one of the oldestforms of entertainment. It was practiced by the ancient Greeks... why,ventriloquists were even found up among the Eskimos!" To which CharlieMcCarthy responded, "They weren't found up there, they werechased up there!" Charlie McCarthy makes a timely reappearancehere as a 31-inch working Celebrity Ventriloquist Doll. Charlie'simmaculate hair and features are painted on, and his transparentplastic monocle is removable, as is his velvet top hat. Beneath asatin-trimmed, black tuxedo coat, Mr. McCarthy sports a white shirtfront and white satin bow tie. While not the classic tailcoat he worein the 1940s, his jacket has a straight hem that does an admirable jobof disguising the string that controls his jaw. A hidden string pull atthe back of his neck works his jaw; it seemed stiff, but its tendencyto pull his head back was easily worked out with some practice atpositioning the doll. Charlie would make a terrific gift for yourfavorite theater buff or aspiring ventriloquist--and he cuts a dashingfigure sitting on a bookshelf or bedstead. Simple instructions for thebeginning ventriloquist are included. --Julie Ubben ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Dummy of mc
I have one of my onw and thes is so cool to see one as good is thes my dummy dos not havw the glass eiy or hat!!

Love'm to Death!
He is my new best friend.
He will make children go to bed when you want them to.
May you all that decide to adopt him have long and interesting conversations.

Nice doll
This is a nice doll if you like charlie McCarthy. As a working ventriloquist doll, it doesn't work very well. Good ventriloquist dolls have you stick your hand inside it. This one has a string to pull, and head keeps bobbing.

I liked the doll, but for decoration.

A BIG HIT!
I bought 3 of these for my grandkids for Christmas. They had so much fun talking to each other. The doll comes with a booklet that explains very simply how to throw your voice. My grand daughters wanted a girl doll which are hard to find in a basic beginners doll so I made a wig and glued it on, added some eyeliner with a flair pen and made some new clothes.

I still love Charlie
I've had my C.M doll for well over 12 years..My mother gave it to me as a xmas present when I was "about" 11 years old.. I am now about to turn 25 and and have a 1 year old... Although I have lost several accesories and his jaw no longer works ( it stays open)this is clearly one of the only toys that has lasted me so long.. Even my 1 year old loves Charlie... He is very well made and would make a great gift for someone of any age( over 3).. since I no longer have his small parts (eye lens, hat, shoes) it is safe for my son... I don't plan of ever getting rid of him, as a matter of fact I was consodering getting him fixed. But it would probably be cheaper to just get a new one..Either way this is a great toy w/ years of durability and enjoyment. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Kids love to emulate adults around them--give them the pleasureof learning to use their very own phone with the Pretend & PlayTeaching Telephone. The bright red and yellow plastic unit measures 7inches across and has large buttons for easy use. Program in a number(your home, for example) and record a message for the kids to hear whenthey get it right. There's also an emergency message associated with911 to teach them what to do when trouble strikes. Other fun featuresinclude speed dial and an 11-digit display. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Special Toy For A Special Boy!
My son has autism, so I am constantly on the lookout for toys that will help him in everyday task. The phone is FANTASTIC! In only two day, he got the hang of the phone and learned his home phone number! The kicker was for praise, he heard mommy's voice saying, he got it right! No mechanical, strange voices! Good Job! Great Product!

Gets loads of play! Kids of all ages love this.
This toy can be used by babies and toddlers and up. Younger kids can use it simply as a pretend phone. When certain buttons are pressed there is a dial tone sound, a ringing sound, and a "busy signal" sound. My youngest was one year old when he began playing with this, randomly pressing buttons, listening, and really pretending to talk.

Older kids (5 or maybe 4) can use this as a teaching tool, with the parent. As described by the manufacturer (above) this has the capability to program in numbers, record your voice, and practice calling 911 or practice calling other important phone numbers.

So far we've only used the toy to play with during imaginative play. My kids have played with it so much that it is worth the cost. Kids who visit for playdates also gravitate to this toy and love to play with it. I highly recommend this as a great toy for pretend play.

Also great from this manufacturer is the pretend cash register. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Why should Dad have all the fun of working with a good set of power tools? In this entertaining and impressively comprehensive set of gear from Home Depot, kids can get in on some of the hardware action. It features over 70 different pieces including circular saw, metal grinder, power drill, air wrench, screwdriver, pliers, wrenches, and a hammer. Each tool is soft and plastic so safety should not be a concern (although the set presents a great opportunity to have a talk about proper handling of tools). Many of the tools play sounds and flash lights, adding to the fun. A big plastic work bench in the set requires some adult assembly. This set is a bit of a battery hog, requiring 11 AA batteries, five of which are included. We liked the wide variety offered in this set, which is comprehensive enough to keep hardware-minded kids entertained for quite a while. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Editorial Review

Little ones learn what it's like to grocery-shop with this role-playing toy from Toys "R" Us. Load up the brightly colored shopping cart or shopping basket with make-believe groceries, or ring up purchases at the cash register. The microwave has working sounds and lights, while the checkout conveyor belt is accompanied by a scanner and a microphone. The set contains more than 90 pieces including milk, eggs, cereal, salad dressing, and ketchup. Accessories come housed in a clear vinyl backpack. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Editorial Review

Few toys are more majestic than this charcoal-gray plush elephant. Bonus: this gentle giant is also a puppet. He boasts an extendable trunk, protruding horns, wrinkled eyes, and soft, floppy ears. With his velvety body and big belly, he's the perfect pachyderm for puppet shows, naptime, or cozying up with to read a book. This unforgettable elephant stands 17 inches tall from head to hoof. --Melissa Wilson ... Read more

Reviews (2)

super soft, an excellent puppet!
I knew Folkmanis would never disappoint but was still thrilled at the high quality of this puppet. Folkmanis puppets are consistently great quality, of beautiful design, and fun to use. This puppet, however, is exceptionally soft, almost velvety in texture. A great toy for little ones to hug and hold as well as a fun puppet. Using your hand, one can move the mouth and swing the trunk a bit.

My children love this puppet! This large puppet is a must-have for puppet lovers and elephant lovers!

jumbo fun!
I love this elephant! I use it for storytimes and you can not only move it's mouth but also put your hand/arm down the trunk and move that too. It's big and soft and a beautiful grey. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Polly Pocket is slowly building an empire of accessories and alternative homes that may soon rival her more famous colleague Barbie. But unlike Her Pinkness, Polly doesn’t seem intent on pursuing a wide variety of challenging careers, preferring instead to just hang out and enjoy all her cool stuff. The star attraction here is a four-room hotel setting with bedroom, living room, bathroom, and patio. Adding to the fun is a sort of combination Ferris wheel and roller coaster where little cars are spun to the top of a wheel before rolling down a curving ramp to the wheel’s base. Also included is Polly’s friend Shani, dressed in festive apparel, and equipped with a couple of more rides: a two passenger contraption that spins passengers around as they descend a pole while riding in cars and a double swing set. As with any Polly Pocket set, there are zillions of tiny accessories; this makes pretend play all the more fun but parents should make sure very young kids get nowhere near. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fun Toy, Not durable
My 3 yr old son received this for his birthday. Both he and his older siblings loved it for 2 days until the shaft broke in 2 places. Extremely disappointed with the durability

He loves it
My son received this as a gift at his second birthday party. He absolutely loved it then and still does a month later. It was a definite hit with other kids at the party too. Ash figured out what buttons he had to push to "crank" it within minutes. He has been trimming weeds ever since! ... Read more

Editorial Review

For playing house, restaurant, or sidewalk snack stand, thiscolorful kitchen appliance combination--with light-up, cooking-soundburners--fills all the needs of the imaginative little chef. Throw somechow in a pan and turn on either of the burners. One makes sizzlingfrying noises, and the other makes seething boiling sounds. The3-foot-tall food prep center assembles easily with a guiding hand from Mom orDad. The set includes adjustable blue shelves, rotating green shelves,slide-out yellow shelves, hook hangers, a drying rack and dishes, cups, utensils, pans, serving implements, food (tomato, hot dogs, Frenchfries, sunny-side-up eggs, fish, and steak), a refrigerator, an oven, andeven the kitchen sink! The Star Kitchen comes with instructions (in 12languages) for assembly and use. Burners operate on two AA batteries,which are not included. --Ava Natov ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Best Christmas gift yet.
My two year old daughter just loves this kitchen. It is not to large but has all the amenities of the larger size kitchens. Very easy to assemble.I was most impressed with the high quality materials used in making this set.After shopping around and testing out the more popular brands,I found the Chicco Star Kitchen to be the best. Highly reccomended!

Top heavy item!
I bought this item last year from another retailer for my children. My younger child had knocked it over onto my older one about 30 times in two weeks when i returned it.

My 16 m/o LOVES this!!!!
My daughter got this kitchen set for her 1st birthday. We kept it in the box, storing it in the closet, thinking she wasn't "ready" for it. Now that she's 16 months, we decided to take it out and see if she likes it...she LOVES it!!!! We keep it in our basement (faimly room), and whenever she sees it, she squeals and runs right over to play with it. The size is PERFECT, and it has enough features (doors, knobs, hooks, pull out trays, etc...) to keep my daughter interested. I love (and so does she!) how she can walk around it - it has a stove on one side and a refrigerator on the other. It was quick and easy to assemble and is extremely durable! What an AWESOME gift!!!! It is something that she can play with now, but also enjoy for a few more years.

My 3 year old Loves it
And can't stop playing with it. Bought it for christmas.

Great Toy
My son loves this kitchen and it is small so it works well in our confined space. I got mine from sams club for about $29.99 ... Read more