Easy-Bake Oven Gets a Makeover

Boys Just Wanna Bake Too: Hasbro to introduce a more manly color scheme for the Easy-Bake Oven.

McKenna Pope of New Jersey wanted to give her little brother, Gavyn, an Easy-Bake Oven for his birthday, but felt that there should be more than just two choices of pink or purple.  The 13-year-old pre-teen took matters into her own hands and not only contacted Hasbro requesting more gender-neutral colors for the oven, but also presented the company with a 40,000-signature petition backing her up. Turns out, Hasbro had already been working on updating the popular product and the company invited McKenna and her family to the their Pawtucket, Rhode Island, headquarters to view a proto-type of a new design and color for the oven.

McKenna met with the Easy-Bake product team and offered her suggestions for improvement, including a request to feature boys in advertising for the oven.  Both boys and girls have always played with the Easy-Bake Oven, no matter the color scheme, but only girls have been featured in advertising.  Hasbro has agreed to do almost all of what McKenna has requested, including featuring boys in their advertising.

A cool black, silver and blue version of the Easy Bake Oven will be unveiled in February, 2013, at Toy Fair in New York.  We can't wait to see it! Budding chefs will have to wait a tad longer until the summer of 2013. 

Awesome job, McKenna! Thanks!

National Toy Hall of Fame Reveals 2012 Inductees!

National Toy Hall of Fame Reveals 2012 Inductees!

"Star Wars" action figures and dominoes beat out 10 other contenders to become the 50th & 51st inductees into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

In 1998, the Strong National Museum of Play, located in Rochester, New York, started the National Toy Hall of Fame. Each year teams of curators, toy experts, historians, educators and collectors review hundreds of nominations for inclusion into the coveted hall of fame. Anyone can make a nomination. The criteria to be inducted is that a toys must be widely recognized, foster learning, creativity or discovery through play, and have endured in popularity over generations.

Who were the other nominees this year? The Magic 8 Ball, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, little green army men, Clue, Lite-Brite, Pogo Stick, Sidewalk Chalk, the tea set, Simon, and Twister. Oh well, maybe next year....


The Strong National Museum of Play is an interactive and educational institution that houses the world's largest and in-depth collection of toys, games, dolls, and play materials. The museum  is dedicated to the study of play.  It "explores play and the ways in which it encourages learning, creativity, and discovery and illuminates cultural history."

Sounds like fun to us!  Check out their fantastic website and view all 51 inductees.

http://www.toyhalloffame.org/about

Small Business Saturday

November 24, 2012

It's a national day dedicated to supporting small, local businesses which play a vital role in creating jobs and economic opportunities all across the country. Shop Fundamentally Toys and other great stores in Houston's Rice Village neighborhood. 

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance published this great article entitled:

“Top 10 Reasons to Support Locally Owned Businesses”.

http://www.ilsr.org/why-support-locally-owned-businesses/ 

Holiday Shopping Card Event Starts October 25, 2012

VICTORY Houston makes shopping so easy and rewarding 

with the Holiday Shopping Card! 

VICTORY Houston was founded in 1987 as a branch of the American Cancer Society.  The organization raises funds for cancer research, education, advocacy, and patient services in the Houston area.  To date, the group has raised over $32 million dollars!

The Holiday Shopping Card Event is one of Houston’s most anticipated events of the year and a great kick-off to the holiday season – especially for those of us who like to get a jump start on our gift list.  Beginning October 25, 2012, you can purchase your Holiday Shopping Card at many Houston area participating merchants – including Fundamentally Toys.

For a minimum donation of $70, you can shop till you drop for 11 days from October 25th through November 4th and receive a 20% discount on regularly-priced purchases from hundreds of local area merchants in Houston.  And you can be assured that 100% of your donation goes directly to the American Cancer Society.

This is a win-win-win event.  Save lives! Save Money! Shop Local!

For more details, visit Victory Houston's website.