Nov 28

The new Fisher Price Elmo Live Doll has already become one of the HOTTEST Christmas gifts of the year 2008 for kids and tots. If you are lucky as me to preorder Elmo Live previously, you don't have to worry about "sold out" anymore. There is rumor spreading now that the Sesame Street Elmo Live Toy has been sold out in some local retail stores already (Remember what happened to Tickle Me Elmo and other HOTTEST toys by Fisher Price in the previous years?)

So I received my preordered new Elmo Live toy last week, and I have to say I am really impressed by this furry red doll. Fisher Price includes 6 AA batteries in the package, I immediately played with him after pulling out the “Try Me” strap near the battery compartment. Similar to the beloved Tickle Me Elmo (a.k.a.T.M.X Elmo), this Elmo Live toy tickles if you touch his tummy, foot and back (sensors will be activated when you touch the right part of Elmo's body). He Moves, Talks, Dances, Tells jokes, and even Sneezes! When he tells stories or jokes, he actually moves his mouth in nearly perfectly sync with the voice. And you know what, he even acts out during his story-telling. For instance, he moves his cute hands up to show he is shocked. If he reads to some part that's really funny, he laughs out which is really hilarious. This new Elmo Live doll is capable of so many life-like movements, that he looks like the real Elmo alive from the Sesame Street.

Another difference that sets Elmo Live apart from other "talking" toys is that he is quite interactive in a way. For instance, he asks you for a hug and then says "thank you" if he receives one. Interactive features like this make Elmo Live an alive friend rather than a toy for kids, as if he or she is playing with a live creature.

I did notice that sometimes the Elmo Live toy can fall over if he doesn't stand on a hard, flat surface (He will ask you to help him back up again and says "Thank You" if you do so. This could be a good way to teach good manners towards young tots). Also you can hear the mechanical sound when he moves sometimes, but I found this noise is not that loud and quickly forgotten since you see so many wonderful features from Elmo Live.

Click here to shop for Elmo Live and other Elmo products.

Nov 28

What’s better time spent than playing fun Elmo Games with your kids? There are a wide selection of Elmo-themed games for kids of all age groups. As a matter of fact, Elmo games are so popular that there are so many new Elmo games available every year that parents will probably have the most difficult time deciding which ones to bring home with. Not to worry, I will list out some of the best Elmo Games below after much research & reviews, so you can narrow down your selections and pick the most approporate ones for your youngsters.

1- Elmos Number Journey (Rating: 5.0/5.0)
Available for PlayStation and Nintendo Wii, Elmo Number Journey is by far my favorite kid game. The child plays as Elmo travelling through three fantasy worlds. During his journey, the computerized game will prompt the child to touch the instances of particular numbers. Great Elmo graphics and age appropriate for preschool kids or kids who just start learning. I brought a copy for my 4-year-old niece and she simply couldn’t get enough of that. And she learns numbers by playing this game. Two thumbs up for Elmos Number Journey!

2- Elmo’s Letter Adventure (Rating: 4.5/5.0)
The child who play the game will of course take the role of Elmo and meets his Sesame Street neighbors. Similar to “Elmos Number Journey” game, the kid must travel to three adventure areas and collecte requested letters. This Elmo-themed game helps kid get familiar with letters while playing the game for fun. Highly recommended.

3- Cardinal Industries Giggling Elmo Hot Tomato Game (Rating: 4.2/5.0)
During this game, kids tossing a shaking and gigling Elmo along to each other. The child who holds Elmo when it stops giggling loses and has to leave the game. The remaining kids would continue playing the game until one last person remains, just like the popular game of “musical chairs.” Kids are able to learn color, shapes, letters and categorization skills through the “hot tomato cards” that comes with the game. A classic game for kids aged 3 to 10.

4. Fisher Price Elmo’s Peek and Seek (Rating: 4.0/5.0)
Don’t forget the “Elmo’s Peek and Seek” game by the Toy Giant “Fisher Price.” Elmo will help the kid learn with hide and seek. The kid places a shape into the device and Elmo wiil then identify what the shape is. In the other hand, Elmo will ask the kid to find a particular shape and place it right into the device. It is a simple yet charming game.

Ready to pick up a few Elmo games for your kids? Click here to shop now!