Blog | Goldberger Toy

Remembering Your First Doll

We all recall memories from childhood, especially when we watch our own children grow.  We remember fond moments like grandma's cooking or a family vacation.  We also have a difficult time forgetting less fuzzy parts of our youth, being picked on in high school or the first time we were turned down by a date. 

All memories are great tools for us to look back on when we're having a tough moment, when stress has us turned upside down.  The ugly memories become funny stories to tell our older children or to be proud of ourselves for overcoming.  The fond memories help us to get through, to smile and to simply transport us to a happier, easier time.

Women of all ages recall the wonderful details of their first doll.  Do you remember your first dolls name?  The way she smelled?  The dress she wore?  We bet most of your do!  Nurturing and caring for your first doll taught you love and affection.  It's a toy you will never forget. For many it's a toy they still have safely tucked away or that they have passed on to their own child.

This holiday season consider your memories when you're confronted with aisles of electronic gadgets and complex toys.  A doll simply soothes a tearful moment, warms your little ones tiny body with great big hugs and fills their heart with love.

Our Holiday Catalogue is filled with dolls that make perfect presents for any time of the year.  A precious first doll creates a one of a kind childhood memory for them to cherish forever.

Avoid Tipping the Scales

A mug of eggnog here and a chocolate cookie there can really add up over the season, but who wants to count calories during the most jolly time of the year?

It may sound obvious, but there are two things that you must do to avoid tipping the scales.  Diet and exercise.  Not what you wanted to hear, but it's the truth!

How do you fit mindful eating and fitness into a month filled with parties and late nights?  We've got a few tips to help you get through the holidays healthfully.

• Don't say no to everything, you'll just set yourself up for a binge for denying yourself.  Choose your indulgences wisely. Have the one thing you don't have the rest of the year, be it a piece of fruitcake (who eats that anyway) or moms famous apple pie.
• Wear a pedometer.  You'll be surprised how many steps you take at the mall picking up last minute gifts.
• Don't go hungry.  When you are headed to a friends house or an office party have a healthy snack or small meal before attending.  Apple slices with peanut butter or a yogurt with fruit and granola will curb your appetite.
• Bring your own goodies.  If you're not sure if your host will have healthy options for you, bring a crudite or fruit platter, a salad packed with fiber filled vegetables or homemade biscotti.
• Go easy on the alcohol or avoid it altogether. By avoiding the punch you can offer to be a designated driver, you'll be less likely to over indulge and eat empty calories and the chances of you doing or saying something regrettable at the office party are avoided!
• Snowball fights, sleigh rides, decorating the house and delivering presents will get you up and out of the house.  Keep moving!
• Hit the dance floor.  It's party time right?  Take the focus away from the food and make a great playlist to bust a move to. 
• Not a dancer?  Try karaoke or have a Rock Band or Guitar Hero playoff with  the kids!
• Use your phone.  There are tons of apps to track what you're eating and how many calories you're burning.  Download FoodIQ or take pictures of what you've eaten and share them on mypetfat.com.
• Get under the mistletoe. Don't forget to share love, hugs and kisses this holiday season!  Kissing can burn up to 2-5 calories a minute

Jennifer D'Eramso, NYC Personal Trainer adds one very useful piece of advice: "Never feel guilty or beat yourself up for a holiday food choice you regret.  It's the time of the year to enjoy family, friends, AND food! You have the rest of the year to worry about eating healthy and as soon as the holidays are over you can get back into your normal routine."

Now get out there, enjoy yourself and party smart!

On The Road Again

Traveling with the kids this holiday season?  

It can be a tough trip with kids of any age.  Long car rides and airplane travel can not only prove to be frustrating, but it can throw your child's internal clock off just as easy as your own.

Here are a few tips to help you on the road to grandma's house!

If you're flying consider buying a seat for your child under two.  Even though it's not required for most airlines, it will provide room for a car seat and wiggle room for yourself.   Opt for a window seat so that you're out of the way of food carts and other passengers walking to and from their seats.  Check with the airline when buying the extra seat, they may let you check-in and carry-on more baggage free of charge.

Be sure to pack enough milk, snacks and goodies for double your trip.  With holiday flight delays and traffic, being stuck with in-flight options or road side snacks may not be ideal or convenient.  While you're packing be sure to bring extra clothing in the event of spills or accidents.  Disposable, recyclable dirty diaper sacks should be in tow or heavy duty zip lock bags.  This will help to hide a stinky diaper if you have to make a change mid trip.  Pack brown and plastic bags for a long car ride in the event any of the passengers (including you) get sick.  Have the brown bags in the back and front of the car so that anyone can reach them quickly.  Store the plastic bags away from children, but have them handy to dump the brown bags into and tie off for easy disposal at your next stop.

If you're traveling by car be sure to plan your stops in advance.  By mapping out rests and meals prior to departure you'll have destinations that your child can look forward to on a long drive. 

Books and toys that aren't noisy will keep them engaged and keep the volume down.  Pack an iPod with holiday music as well as some music for bedtime.  A sing along in the car will make at least an hour of the ride fun. 

Try to stick to their bedtimes so that they don't become irritable, what goes for you goes for them!  Though you may be able to tolerate jet-lag, in a season full of colds and viruses, sleep is essential for little ones.

If you're staying overnight with family or friends remember that even if they have children, they may not have everything you're used to.  Pack n' Plays are a great travel tool as well as strollers that car seats can snap in and out of.  Nightlights, favorite blankets and toys are also musts along with safety products for outlets, cabinets and doors.  Try to bring as much to make your kids feel like they're at home, especially if it's their first trip.  

Now that grandma is minding the kids, get out there and have a snowball fight, dinner out or catch an adult movie you've been longing to see.  It's not every day you have an extra pair of caring hands!

Mom's Holiday Wish List

What are you wishing for this year?  More than ever sensible and affordable gifts are in demand.
We have baby covered with our Holiday Catalogue.  If you haven't already dropped a hint or two for what you would like to see wrapped up with your name on it, here are some excellent, inexpensive ideas for what to wish for!

Magazine Subscriptions

There are hundreds of great magazines out there so research Amazon.com for ideas on what you would like to receive each month in the mail.  Looking forward to new recipes, craft ideas, or parenting tips? These magazines have great tips and tricks to make life easier and your family will love them too! 

A Great Book

We can't say enough about a mommy recommended book (thanks Natalie from Las Vegas), "Consumer Reports Guide to Baby Products."  This book is a great gift for an expecting or new mom.  With so many things to buy and hundreds of options, knowing that you're getting a Consumer Reports tested product will help to eliminate confusion, save money and make sure your baby is safe.

Another great read that we found in Martha Stewart Living Magazine is Lucinda Scalla Quinn's "Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys."  Lucinda has four hungry brothers, three ravenous sons and a husband who loves to eat.  She shares her recipes and tips for getting the gang fed!

A Little Luxury

Every woman loves to find a great new product, but even finding a new lipstick  can be tough and expensive.  Trial and error has been eliminated thanks to Sephora.  They have boxed up several of their favorite products in each category (mascara, lip gloss, fragrance, skin care, etc.) to help you try to find what works best for you.  Most of the samplers are under $40 with actual values of over $100.  These make great gifts and also can be divided up as stocking stuffers!

A Treasure Forever

Moms like to let the world know they love their little ones.  What better way for mom to show off than this Mother's Eternal Love necklace from Red Envelope.  They have several perfect for mom pieces, but this one is sterling silver and under $50!

It's better to give than to receive, so now that you know what you'll be getting be sure to wrap up some of our precious dolls for all of the little one's on your list!

Tips for Great Holiday Pictures

We were very lucky to have professional photographer Erica McCarthy of McCarthy King Photography share 5 excellent tips for capturing snapshots of our little ones this holiday season. 

McCarthy said:

1. Make sure there is nothing too distracting in the background, keep it simple.

2. Get on the same level as your child, be sure to be playful, have fun and keep them busy with toys or one of our dolls!

3. Pick a time that the kids are the happiest (not nap time!!!).

4. If you are going to shoot outside, the best time is in morning and evening, bright sun will not look the best on your children, no matter how nice the sky looks.

5. Coordinate their outfits, but don't match them exactly.  Avoid patterns, they can be too distracting.

6. Get close!  You may think you are too close to them, but their faces are what you want to see, so get in there!

Now that you've got a few excellent shots be sure to print them online using services like KodakGallery or Snapfish.  These sites offer easy, affordable ways to make photo albums, online galleries and holiday cards to share pictures with family and friends.

Want pro photos?  E-mail Erica if you live in New York area!

Kids in the Kitchen!

Looking for a fun way to get the kids involved in the kitchen?

Start off by teaching them the ropes and make sure they learn safety first.  Bringing them into the kitchen is a great way for them to begin to understand about stove and oven safety, navigating around sharp items, the time it takes to prepare food safely, germs and cleaning up.  It's also a fabulous way to teach them math, measuring and timing.

Start off with a simple, fun kid friendly recipe that doesn't involve sharp objects or the oven.  This is a great recipe that even your very little ones will enjoy!

Hamburger Cookies

Ingredients

Box of Vanilla Wafers (Nabisco Nilla Wafers or similar)
Water 
Sesame Seeds
Small Individually Wrapped York Peppermint Patties (thumb size)
Bag of Shredded Coconut
Green Food Coloring
Red Cake Frosting (if it's not available, use red food coloring to dye vanilla frosting)
Yellow Fruit Leather

Have the kids wash their hands, clean a workplace in the kitchen, unwrap all of the "hamburger" patties and make sure they neaten the wrappers and save them (they look like mini fast food wrappers).  While they're doing this, using a wet kitchen brush paint wafers lightly to adhere sesame seeds.  You can have them sprinkle the seeds to help.

Toss the coconut with green food coloring for "shredded lettuce," and use a dab of red icing as "ketchup" to hold the "bun" top in place, but don't forget the fruit leather "cheese."  Assemble burgers and place on "wrapper" to display on a platter for the whole family to share!

You can't beat a bite sized burger!

Be sure to share pictures of your burger creations with us!

Natural Product Spotlight!

Looking for all natural products for children that smell great, don't break the bank and do a fantastic job of getting our little ones clean and sparkly? 

Chocolate Lotus Inc. was created by Kim & David Snow to offer natural, organic and luxurious bath, body, skincare and gourmet goodies all in one store. Their natural product shop has great finds for mommy and baby. 

Our favorite line at the moment is 100% Pure Organic Kids, products that are available in 3 yummy flavors and come in Bubble Bath, Body Lotions, and Foaming Body Wash/Shampoo. They do not contain any synthetic ingredients, dyes, sulfates, perfume oils, or color additives! They are also certified organic and all of the containers are made from post-consumer recycled materials and are completely recyclable, with labels made from soy ink.

The products come in super sized 19 ounce pump containers to make it easy to wash up with just a few squirts!  The Yummy Vanilla Ice Cream sounds good enough to eat, no wonder...the entire collection is vegan, natural and food-based, with no ingredients or products that are tested on animals!

Looking for a natural toy for baby? Our 16” Seedlings Willow is a natural doll designed with Mother Nature in mind. All surfaces and clothing are made from cotton fibers, which are free of harsh chemicals and dyes. Their soft bodies are filled with all new materials-polyester fibers.

Willow comes dressed in soft cloth diaper with baby bottle!

Get Active - Our First Monthly Edition!

We know it's hard to fit in exercise and eat a healthy diet when you're juggling a career, housework, playing with the kids and taking them to school.  Throw in the unpredictable factors like job loss, financial instability, etc. 
You're overwhelmed!

Once a month we are going to share an activity to Get Active! When finding "me" time isn't fitting in and you've got too much on your plate, use our ideas to keep your children busy and physically active. 
The sooner they learn the benefits of exercise, the lower their chances are for developing bad habits and unhealthy lifestyles.

Get Active!

Help A Neighbor

Do you live in an neighborhood where homes are close to one another and you know your neighbors well? Have your children pitch in to rake leaves, shovel snow, fold laundry or help with recyclables.  Elderly neighbors could always use a hand around the house (even if they won't ask for it).  Offering to help them with odds and ends, carrying groceries or even going for a short walk together will teach your children responsibility and generosity.  They will be able to get to know someone and share stories while getting in some physical activity. 

Have an infant or small baby?  Find other moms close by and schedule a weekly neighborhood stroller walk, say Friday at Five for example.  It's an easy date to remember,  you get some exercise and most importantly, you get to make friends!

Buying for Baby

Finding the perfect holiday presents for infants, toddlers and young children can be tough. 
School-age children make it easier for us as they begin to understand the holidays and tell us what they wish for (if only everyone made it that easy)! 

When shopping for babies, safety is the biggest factor so we most commonly give the gift of clothing. 
Most moms will tell you that their baby has a bigger wardrobe than they do! Since infants outgrow outfits day by day, use our handy tips for gift giving and think outside the clothing gift box.  If you must give clothing, buy an outfit for a season or two ahead in a size or two larger.   This will help mom down the road!

Babies from newborn to 12 months of age will appreciate gifts with bright colors, textures and sound. Safety shouldn't scare you into not giving a gift they'll treasure forever! Gifts should be items that are free of detachable small parts and moving parts. Also remember that babies under one year of age like to put things in their mouth. Great gifts should be washable or inexpensive enough to toss and replace.

Some perfect gift ideas include:

• play centers or accessories with lights, sound and bright colors
• stuffed animals
• washable fabric baby books

 

Of course you can make your baby's first holiday an extra special one by giving them their first baby doll!
Our Baby's First Doll is specifically made for newborns (appropriate for ages birth and up)!  As with all Goldberger Toy dolls, they have been safety tested and approved for their age group. 

Frugal Fashion Forward Finds

Finding affordable and stylish clothing for ourselves can be a daunting task, but shopping for the kids with the throngs of holiday shoppers can really stack up stress. 

The Gap has a great new line that you can purchase from their website called Copper Mountain.  The clothing line is earthy, rustic and comfy but still has all of the right details to keep junior looking spiffy and warm during the colder months.

A few of our favorite pieces from the collection include this Girls Shearling Trapper Hat that looks super expensive ($16.50). 

Pair with toasty winter mittens to keep her hands warm ($14.50). If your little guy would rather be playing Guitar Hero than bundling up for the elements, he definitely won't lose this Intarsia Mohawk Hat ($19.50).  

Coordinate the hat with Gap’s Buffalo Plaid Faux Sherpa lined shirt jacket, a great piece for layering ($26.50).  Your baby girl will be the hit of the holiday party in a red polka dot 100% cotton bodysuit with a shirred velvet trim neckline ($14.50).  Wrapping him up for a visit to friends and family this winter couldn’t be easier (or cuter) with the Intarsia Sweater Hoodie One-Piece (now on sale $19.99).

Be sure to search the web for coupons on discount offers before shopping.  There are twice as many great deals during the weeks leading up to the holidays. 

Remember that the best time to give is during the holiday season.  Have clothing your little one doesn’t fit into anymore?  Be sure to consider giving it to friends or neighbors, the local church or bring them to a nearby schoolyard (there are bound to be a mom who’d love and appreciate the gesture)!