Play Talk

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

May 31, 2024

The Importance of Play

Attention parents and caregivers! Here from our team of child development experts as they share 5 key benefits to playing with your child and play's importance in social, emotional, and physical development.

August 2, 2022

How to Plan an Adopt a Pet Party

Our how-to on throwing a killer adopt a pet party takes the guess work out of planning your kiddo's next birthday bash.

December 1, 2021

2021 Holiday Gift Guide

Not sure what to get for the kiddos on your list? No worries, we have some great options for newborns to kindergarteners.

June 11, 2021

Gifts Galore for Birthdays 1-4

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

March 24, 2021

Easter Baskets by Design

Adorable Easter baskets; artfully crafted to ignite your basket creation process. Take a look, get inspired and have fun finding the perfect gifts and goodies for your little’s Easter basket this April!

March 1, 2019

MANHATTAN TOY STORY: Why Under the Sea?

February 11, 2019

Manhattan Toy LEGO Mini Figures Available Now!

November 14, 2018

Introducing: Create Your Own Wee Baby Stella

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!

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 . . .

September 29, 2016

Baby Safety Tips

As September draws to a close, we reflect on the toys we've created throughout the year and turn our focus to the holidays and the busy shopping season.

Perhaps you are starting to think about the toys you may be gifting...

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 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...

April 29, 2016

4 Ways the Winkel Builds Wonder

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

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 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 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 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 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...

July 15, 2015

The Magic Behind Top Ten Toys

Amongst the hustle and bustle of the Greenwood area in Seattle, Washington there’s a fascinating toy store by the name of Top Ten Toys. Just off 85th street, Top Ten Toys has Seattle’s largest selection of classic, hands-on and fun...

June 10, 2015

School’s Out! Time for Summer Travel Planning

June 4, 2015

Supporting Visual Development: The Importance of Developing Baby’s Visual Abilities

Visual development is a crucial part of baby’s growth. According to Pregnancy & Baby’s 2012 article on visual stimulation, newborn babies are only able to see a mere 8-15 inches in front of them. In addition, “they are unable to...

May 14, 2015

Your Yukon Toy Destination: Angellina's Toy and Children's Boutique

In Whitehorse, the capital city of Canada’s Yukon Territory, there is a remarkable place you ought to visit. The Yukon offers many extraordinary sights throughout the year. You may catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights, or witness the wonder...

May 7, 2015

Puppet Playtime

Imaginative play is an important part of the development process. Through pretend play, children nurture a variety of necessary skills to succeed in life. Nurturing your child’s ability to exercise their imagination supports the development of different social, emotional and...

April 29, 2015

Fine, Gross, Small and Large Motor Skills . . . What’s the difference?

You've probably heard the terms, fine motor and gross motor development. But, what’s the difference? Wonder no more! Here are the basics behind these terms and techniques for fostering motor development in your littles.

April 15, 2015

The Story Behind “Big Blue Whale”

When you find yourself walking down historical 19th street of the Houston Heights shopping district, there are several boutiques and shops you may come across. Perhaps you find yourself inside a thrifty antique store, or seated in a comfy chair...

October 30, 2014

The Educational Perks of Having a Plush Pal

We take great pride in creating some of the very best plush critters on the market because we know many times a baby's first toy is a teddy bear or another soft animal creature. When shopping for a cuddly toy to gift (or...

October 15, 2014

How to Encourage Imaginative Play

Imaginative play is essential for children and their key to engaging and making sense of the world, because children learn best from experience: from what happens around them, what they see, hear, smell, taste and touch. To truly absorb these skills they need to act...

October 8, 2014

Teach Kids Responsibility Through Organization & Chores

As a parent, you have a job to teach your child valuable life lessons. One of these important lessons you must teach your child is how to be more organized. Let’s face it — not all kids are naturally organized...

October 2, 2014

Don't Forget the Toys

When planning for your first child there are many things to consider adding to your baby shower gift registry. From the car seat and crib, to clothing and diapers, there are so many things to think about. All parents want...

August 21, 2014

Playful Learning

Spotlight: Preschool Teacher Mrs. Mandi Sauer shares how she prepares for the school year and the importance of play in the classroom Most schools in Minnesota start the day after Labor Day. It’s a busy time of year for students, but especially...

August 7, 2014

Family Road Trip Take‐Alongs

It’s not too late for a warm-seasoned family road trip of weekend vacation. Summer is still here! In fact, with the increase in flight prices more and more families are spending time on the road in order to vacation this...

May 21, 2014

Play This Memorial Day Weekend!

By Manhattan Toy Editors The official kick-off to Summer is almost here, Memorial Day weekend. It appears that most of the US will have beautiful weather, for at least part of the holiday weekend, so make sure you and your family...

April 23, 2014

Retailer of the Month Feature: Five Little Monkeys

The History and Magic Behind the locally-owned, family run, green certified, San Francisco Bay Area toy store Owner Stephanie Sala opened the first Five Little Monkeys location in Albany, CA in 2001. Opening her own toy store, was not part of...

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