Time To Play Spring/Summer Showcase: My Picks For The Season

First of all, I want to send a huge thanks to Litzky PR and TimeToPlayMag.com who arranged my trip to New York to attend the Time To Play Spring/Summer Showcase. I was one of 2 winners on the TimeToPlayMag.com website and I had a wonderful experience.


Now, when I arrived at the conference, I had a mission. Not only did I want to find out about the fun things available for my family, but I also had something else in mind. It started back when I found out that I had won the trip to New York. A lovely twitter friend contacted me and mentioned that she had a child with autism so she was really hoping that she would be able to find out about the toys available for her specific need. Well, that got me to thinking...

The month of April is National Autism Awareness Month and I had wanted to write something about this from the perspective of a mom with 2 healthy children and a college major in education. I wanted to write something original and helpful, though. So when I was given the opportunity to meet with many brands in person, I wanted to key in on that question; "What do you have for the child with autism?"

So, on that note, allow me to share with you my favorite of the recommendations I received from brands attending the Showcase.

 Playmobil 1.2.3 Large Farm $54.99

The colors are bright, the pieces are easy to manipulate, and the play options are endless.

MEGA Bloks Lil' Pink Bus $10.99

Seat the person anywhere you want in the Bus and store the pieces in the back when you're not building. (See the website for even more items.

From Wild Planet: Woody's Run-Around Roundup $25-30

This game is for 1-6 players and is played by spreading out the pieces and then finding them with the RFID reader. Once the reader is placed over the piece, Woody will let you know you found the right piece. This game keeps children active and plays on different levels of difficulties. 

From Nickelodeon and Play-Doh: Dora The Explorer Playset $9.99

Children can make their favorite character come to life by making different molds using the EZ Molder. This looks like a lot of fun!

These are the things to keep your eyes open for if you're looking for something to add to your home or classroom.

For more information on autism, visit Autism Speaks and/or read this article on National Autism Awareness Month 2010.

**This is written purely based on my opinion. I haven't received any of these items or any payment to share these with you. Although, some reviews may be coming up on my blog for a few of these products so stay tuned.