Well grandparents, just in case you don’t know Toy Story is the big character theme of the times. On Friday, June 18th, the movie, Toy Story 3 was released. Tom Hanks is the voice of Woody in all three of these Disney-Pixar films. Toy Story 3 was the #1 movie this weekend and it is getting rave reviews from adults and kids as well.
Pixar knows how to make great animated films and Disney knows how to market their characters. In February at the Toy Fair and in April at the A Time to Play Showcase I got to see many Toy Story items - some not yet available in stores and we weren’t even allowed to take pictures because Disney did not release the rights to use “Toy Story 3” yet.
I’ve been saving my “Toy Story reviews” for the movie release so here it is.
The Toy Story character has been licensed to many companies so there is a huge variety of products with this theme on it. In addition to toys, you can of course buy sheets, towels, clothing and god knows what else. I am just going to feature a few of the more interesting toys I saw in person – out of the box and so I could see how they work and feel. Keeping with my preference for connecting grandparents and their grandchildren with updated versions of toys we remember, my favorites were Mr. Potato Head, Monopoly and LEGO/DUPLO playsets.

Mr and Mrs. Potato head are characters in the Toy Story movies and Hasbro/Playskool has released Toy Story versions of the traditional Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. They are not expensive like so many toys these days are, and they can provide hours of imaginative fun.

LEGO has a great new playset – Woody’s Roundup featuring Sherrif Woody and Bullseye saving Jesse at the gold mine and Stinky Pete is in jail.
For the under age 5 group there is a Toy Story 3 DUPLO set with Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie figures in The Great Train Chase theme set with a locomotive and a caboose. Both sets have other pieces - I've just listed the main ones.
You don't have to be a kid to have fun playing with either of these sets. When I saw them at the LEGO event at the Toy Fair in February I couldn't keep myself from moving the pieces - especially the train. If there are children in your life who enjoy LEGO and DUPLO toys, they will love these sets.
We loved playing board games with our kids – especially at our summer cabin which still does not have a TV. There is a big push to revive interest in board games with "family game night" being promoted by Hasbro. Many of our old favorites are being updated with a Toy Story theme including Memory, Yahtzee, checkers, Tic Tac Toe and more. Monopoly was always a favorite in our family. Now there is Toy Story Monopoly. The player pieces are Toy Story characters and the properties are Toy Story places such as the Parr's family home, Gll's Pirate Skull, Edna Mode's Mansion and more.
In all honesty I haven’t seen a Toy Story movie yet. But I have seen a massive number of Toy Story theme toys. Chances are your grandchild will love a Toy Story theme toy and these were my favorites. Enjoy.
Marion

You don't have to be a kid to have fun playing with either of these sets. When I saw them at the LEGO event at the Toy Fair in February I couldn't keep myself from moving the pieces - especially the train. If there are children in your life who enjoy LEGO and DUPLO toys, they will love these sets.
We loved playing board games with our kids – especially at our summer cabin which still does not have a TV. There is a big push to revive interest in board games with "family game night" being promoted by Hasbro. Many of our old favorites are being updated with a Toy Story theme including Memory, Yahtzee, checkers, Tic Tac Toe and more. Monopoly was always a favorite in our family. Now there is Toy Story Monopoly. The player pieces are Toy Story characters and the properties are Toy Story places such as the Parr's family home, Gll's Pirate Skull, Edna Mode's Mansion and more.
In all honesty I haven’t seen a Toy Story movie yet. But I have seen a massive number of Toy Story theme toys. Chances are your grandchild will love a Toy Story theme toy and these were my favorites. Enjoy.
Marion