Play Talk

The Play Talk Blog shares stories, play ideas, and parenting resources to support growth, creativity, and joyful learning at every stage.

January 5, 2025

Organizing Your Playroom

Organizing can be a challenge, especially when kids are involved. Here are some tips to make organizing your kids play space easy, stress free and even FUN!

March 5, 2024

Smile Inducing Toys for Baby's First Easter

Calling all first-time and seasoned parents gearing up for their newborn’s first Easter! We're stocked with smile-inducing Easter gifts for your child.

June 11, 2021

Gifts Galore for Birthdays 1-4

Our top toy picks for kiddos 1-4. Perfect for the birthday babe!

August 8, 2019

Learning Never Looked So Good

March 18, 2019

Must Have Easter Gifts for Babies and Toddlers

March 1, 2019

MANHATTAN TOY STORY: Why Under the Sea?

February 11, 2019

Manhattan Toy LEGO Mini Figures Available Now!

November 8, 2018

Must Have Toys For Holiday

Find the perfect gifts for every little girl and boy on your list. We've got the must have toys for each age and stage - happy shopping!

August 20, 2018

Toys that Support Development for Newborns to 3+

No matter what age, your little ones are achieving developmental milestones. Here are a few of our favorite toys for fostering key milestones in your little ones.

January 17, 2018

Skwish - A Tensegrity Toy Invention

What's a Skwish? Unlocking the mystery behind the Skwish - how it came to be and it's unique tensegrity design.

August 15, 2017

Manhattan Toy in Target®

August 2, 2017

Tangled Up in Bleu - Jeanne Bleu, Our Creative Director

November 23, 2016

The Manhattan Toy Holiday Gift Guide

November 7, 2016

Favorite 1st Baby Doll

Stella dolls - the perfect first baby doll for 12 months+. Here's why . . .

October 31, 2016

Toys for Holiday Travel

October 24, 2016

Manhattan Toy's Monstrous Halloween: Trick or Treat With MiO!

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! That's because little ones are encouraged to use their imagination

August 24, 2016

Preparing for the First Day of School

MiO School Bus

Worried about Your Child’s First Day of School? Here’s What You Need to Do By: Kaila Weingarten, MSED I used to wake up early with a pit in my stomach the first day of school. Now, the nervousness is rolling over. My daughter will be entering preschool. How to prepare her for the first day? I’m going to start now. There is so much to get used to from the big yellow bus, to the classroom environment...

August 1, 2016

Epic Summer Bucket List for Kids: 40 Fun Ideas

By: Kaila Weingarten, MS ED The summer is reaching it's end, but there is still plenty of time and ways to enjoy the remaining days of summer. Searching for som..

July 22, 2016

The Creation of MiO - Part 3 MiO's Release to the World!

The Creation of MiO: MiO's Release to the World! – Part 3 of a 3 Part series MiO'S RELEASE! IT’S FANTASTIC! The line has been in development for well over a yea...

July 17, 2016

The Creation of MiO - Part 2 Becoming MiO

The Creation of MiO: Becoming MiO - Part 2 of a 3 Part series WHAT MAKES OUR PLAY ENVIRONMENT UNIQUE? There was much internal excitement, because we knew that w...

July 14, 2016

The Creation of MiO: Part 1 First Steps

The Creation of MiO: First Steps - Part 1 of this 3 Part series MIO – FIRST STEPS The original idea for MiO sprang from a series of events - a lecture at the Nu...

June 24, 2016

Building Blocks for Success: MiO Block Play

Do you have old fashioned blocks? Or have the simple building toys lost their appeal to snazzier toys? Here’s one rule to learn: The more a toy does, the less likely your child will be to use her imagination when playing. One milestone I assess in children is, “Can he stack seven blocks at age eighteen months?” I often wonder if children are missing this skill due to lack of exposure to blocks.

June 17, 2016

Behind the Scenes: A Toy's Journey From Idea to Best Friend

At Manhattan Toy, we find joy in making playthings for kids! Our wish is to create toys that become childhood favorites, but a lot of work goes into making unforgettable toys. Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a Manhattan Toy approved friend? Take a visual tour with us to see how our newest baby collection is coming to life! STEP 1: TREND RESEARCH The whole process begins with trend research. We travel the world, searching our surroundings for inspiration - store visits in Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Tokyo - trade shows in London, Paris, New York - along with trend forecasts and web research. This helps us to deve...

June 16, 2016

Today's Forecast: 100% Chance of Indoor Fun!

All parents know that kids are happiest when they're playing outdoors. Unfortunately for them, and us, there are many days every year the weather just doesn’t cooperate. Even though we've reached the summer months, the rain and the heat can conspire against us to keep kids inside. You may be up for splashing in the puddles or bringing out a sprinkler, but for the days you would rather stay dry, check out some creative ideas for indoor fun. After all, a rainy forecast is never a pain when you use your imagination. When boredom strikes and you're stuck inside, a puppet show is always a safe bet. In my house, we keep a few puppets around that can be used to act out any sto...

June 2, 2016

Is It Fun? Is It Safe? Is It IRRESISTABLE?!!

May 19, 2016

And the Winner is . . . Manhattan Toy!

We love when our products receive awards; which is why we're sharing the news about our recent award winners! Check out all the below recent awarded winners and the great things reviewers had to say about them. Chicago, Illinois (May...

May 12, 2016

Ages & Stages: Best Toys for Baby's Development

Child development is always a hot topic. I mean, what parent doesn’t want to know how to nurture their growing baby? Babies develop a wide range of skills within the first year of life. From smiling to cooing, from rolling...

May 3, 2016

Morning Routines that Work

Want to have a calmer day? Then work to ace the marathon with a morning routine. Routine can be a safety net for young children. Keeping a steady routine will help every member of the family feel loved and respected....

April 29, 2016

4 Ways the Winkel Builds Wonder

Why is the Winkel so wonderful? Find out our top four reasons!

April 21, 2016

Five Ways to Celebrate Earth Day!

Earth day is Friday, April 22. What are you doing to celebrate? Founded by former U.S. Senator, Gaylord Nelson, Earth day is a time to remember just how important it is to protect and care for the environment. After all,...

April 13, 2016

10 No-Nonsense Spring Cleaning Tips

By: Kaila Weingarten We all need a little help de-cluttering our lives! Check out these 10 tips to cleaning up your household this spring and say hello to the new, organized you! Tip #1: throw or donate Throw/donate 10 things...

April 6, 2016

“It’s not just Child’s Play”

By: Kaila Weingarten MS ED Play is crucial to a child’s development. It helps build your child’s imagination, encourages socialization and communication, and enhances many other areas of your child’s development. Early childhood experiences have a dramatic impact, physically determining...

March 29, 2016

Move to Music

By: Kaila Weingarten MS ED Why is music so vital to children? Children are programmed to move. As infants, rocking and hugging children soothes them, and teaches them about the rhythm. Music appeals to children, and helps them develop in myriad...

March 21, 2016

Sensory Learning Tips YOU need to know

Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed We use our senses to learn every day without even realizing it. With your fingers you decide that the pot is too hot to touch without a towel. You answer the door after hearing the bell....

March 7, 2016

Yes, You Should Buy Your Son His Very Own Doll

A boy snuggles with a wee baby stella doll and holds a magnetic pacifier.

February 22, 2016

Five tips for Surviving Travel with your Children

Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed Are you planning to travel with your family this spring? You are not alone. Although the holiday season is the busiest travel time of the year, the beginning of spring is another busy travel time when...

February 15, 2016

Puppet Play: How and Why

Did you ever wish you had an extra pair of hands? Hands to entertain your children, hands to help them learn, hands to make cleanup exciting or to explain why eating carrots is good? How about if these extra hands...

February 8, 2016

Sneak Peak at NY Toy Fair

NY Toy Fair is coming up this week and it is one of the biggest events for us each year, if not THE biggest. Planning for this event takes several months. Read more below for a small glimpse at what...

February 1, 2016

Baby's Snuggles: The Inspiration for Snuggle Pods™

Is there anything better than baby snuggles? That’s an easy one: No, there’s not! But cuddling up with your little love is more important than just squeezing those chubby little cheeks and getting the warm and fuzzies. According to Scientific...

January 25, 2016

Why I Love my Daughter’s Lovey

Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed You’ve seen the kid in the grocery with a little tattered piece of cloth. You shot weird looks at the mom, but when you have your own child, all you want is for them to have...

January 11, 2016

Toys for Three Month Olds: 4 Things you Must Know

By Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed Congrats! You made it through those first three months. Although your baby lost that newborn look, she’s finally responding with coos and smiles. She’s getting curious about you and the objects she sees. And he’s...

January 4, 2016

Meet Baby Stella®

Meet Baby Stella® Being a parent is a big job. Keeping the kids clean, happy and healthy comes with a to do list that’s longer than you could ever have imagined, and from day one, that means feeding, rocking, changing, singing,...

December 28, 2015

Reading to Babies-Why, When, and How

By: Kaila Weingarten, MS Ed When I was a young girl, there was one place I awaited going to eagerly. It was not the candy store. Nor was it the toy store. It was the library. I loved choosing from...

December 21, 2015

Toys that Encourage Nurturing

The nurturing bond between mother and a child is something that spans years, cultures, and even species! Little ones are never too young to learn about nurturing, which is why our Nursing Nana and Nursing Nina are such great toys...

December 14, 2015

Groovy Girls® - Inspiring Individuality, Self Confidence and Undying Imagination!

Little girls are great. They see the world with kaleidoscope eyes, and they remind us to stop and take a look through those colorful lenses. That’s why we think it’s important to give them playtime companions that encompass all that spirit and...

November 30, 2015

Wonder with a Wink

Babies delight in grasping things as early as four months. It’s when their fresh baby brains are just starting to develop their fine motor skills. While new infants can physically wrap their hands around an object (our pinkie fingers for...

November 20, 2015

We’ve Got the Tools for Successful Tot Travel

For a parent, road rage is something that doesn’t happen outside the car so much as it does in the back seat. A bored, tired or uncomfortable tot can be just as difficult on the road with as a crazy...

November 8, 2015

Neighborhood Toy Store Day!

It’s almost that time again! Every year, members of the “ASTRA” (American Specialty Toy Retailing Association) participate in Neighborhood Toy Store Day. Saturday, November 14th, is the date of this year’s Neighborhood Toy Store Day. ASTRA retailers across the nation...

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