Imagine and Play

Wide-eyed, boldly-dressed, and keen to play, an exuberant ensemble of characters created by Lidiia Marinchuk nudges us to remember the most precious parts of childhood.

 

So, are we finally done with unicorns?

According to Edplay magazine, the trade mag dedicated to the specialty toy industry, unicorns, princesses, cats, and even axolotls have a new contender for favorite toy theme with kids.

 "Capybaras, the largest rodent in the world, came in at number 11, and are moving up quickly. First launched in late 2023, we feel this will be the main new animal theme for 2024." 

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How a toy becomes the coveted 'it' gift of the holiday season

The Tickle Me Elmo craze of 1996 is perhaps the most extreme example of how a single well-placed toy can captivate holiday shoppers. But a new "it" toy seems to emerge every holiday season.

 Many reasons propel a product to vaulted status among consumers – and the recipe to become the coveted toy is complex, especially for today's shoppers. 

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Weekend plans

David Katzenstein 

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Check out the new Lego Pac-Man arcade set

New LEGO Icons PAC-MAN Arcade set is a detailed recreation of the classic 80's arcade game. 

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Creepy Furby Spills the Beans

i hooked up chatgpt to a furby and I think this may be the start of something bad for humanity pic.twitter.com/jximZe2qeG

— jessica card (@jessicard) April 2, 2023

Funny Pop-Culture And Movie-Inspired Dolls By Debonair Heads

Debonair Heads is an artist based in Texas who makes one-of-a-kind dolls you can't find in a toy store.

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Top holiday toys from the year you were born

 

Informed by data and archives at the Strong National Museum of Play, Stacker created their list of the "Top holiday toys from the year you were born." 

 

REMO and the Earthly Elements

Joey Tadiar, a London-based Web 3D artist and creative director of Kapsule Studios, has announced the release of his first solo NFT art project.

Remember those floral adult coloring books that were all the rage not so long ago?

Maybe you owned one, and relaxed by losing track of time filling in the patterns with color. 

One company that picked up on the benefits of creative, meditative activities is LEGO, who began releasing sets specifically for adults. Among these is the Botanicals Collection, comprised of several plant-inspired sets designed with intricate details and a sophisticated darker color palette.

 The newest addition to the collection of elegant flora are the Orchid and Succulents sets.

 

Zelenskiy Lego Figures Released To Raise Money for Ukraine

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, numerous fundraisers have been launched to help Ukrainians in need, from GoFundMe campaigns to Airbnb bookings.

 But one Chicago artist chose a singular figure in the crisis and began to design a Lego-style figurine of the Ukrainian president. Joe Trupia is the owner of Citizen Brick, a toy manufacturing company.

 At Citizen Brick, Trupia takes “the iconic LEGO® mini-figure and print[s] his own unique designs on them”. Although he has no personal connections to the war, Trupia felt compelled to help. 

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Watch a Little Boy Realize His Drawing Has Been Turned Into a Huggable Plush Doll

His parents had a stuffed toy made from one of his drawings, so cool. 😃🔥❤️🖌 pic.twitter.com/vQfdYb2uBS

— Fred Schultz (@FredSchultz35) January 20, 2022

When a boy named Ben opened up a gift, he was shocked to see his drawing brought to life as a plush toy. more

 

Do you watch Home Alone every holiday season?

The classic Christmas film is well-loved by many, but LEGO Fan Designer Alex Storozhuk is perhaps its biggest fan.

 He designed an epic Home Alone LEGO set, allowing anyone to build their own miniature McCallister house and recreate iconic moments from the movie.

 

Twisted Tug’s’ dangerous dolls

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Eslyn’s Life-Like Dolls

These are not like the ordinary dolls that you will find in a toy store. No.

 These are much much more superior.

 

Death by Toys

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Push pop fidget toys are the new spinners

These silicone rubber popper discs are like bubble wrap that you can reuse. After popping all of one side, just flip over and start popping again. It's an endless task even Sisyphus would enjoy! 

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The town of Onil has changed the lives of children everywhere

The town, home to around 7,500 people and 38 toymakers, made headlines across Spain last year after a local collection of four dolls with Down’s syndrome won the country’s much-coveted “toy of the year” prize.

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Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ Painting Is Being Turned Into a 3D LEGO Set

The 3D build captures the Dutch artist's swirling skies with an assortment of bricks plates and curved parts. The set even features a Van Gogh mini figure with a paint brush, painting palette, easel, and a miniature Starry Night painting. 

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Fake Toys By Obvious Plant

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