cutemonster Archives - Page 2 of 3

Boxing Robots Drop Jaws, Toy Maker Wins Hearts

February 13, 2015February 14, 2013 by Vincent Daly

In the past 3 years of attending the New York Toy Fair, I’ve found the experience to be informative about the industry’s direction. Without question, the integration of technology has become pervasive in almost every toy category. Yet there’s also been a considerable amount of stagnation in respect to big ideas. Instead, innovation seems to occur not from the larger well established companies but rather the small independent upstarts who have the hunger and flexibility to take huge risks.

My Beastly ABCs Storybook App for iPad

December 19, 2012 by Vincent Daly

One of the key elements of a Storybook app should be to visually captivate an audience. My Beastly ABCs by Duncan Studios not only manages to capture the imagination of children but also offers an educational fun experience that kids will love to explore. Created for the iPad by renowned artists and animators as well as featuring narration by actor Jim Dale, My Beastly ABC should quickly become a kids Storybook app favorite.

Yelling Is Not a Bad Thing

December 11, 2012December 10, 2012 by Vincent Daly

In the past few decades in the United States, there’s been a consistent push to strip away all means of discipline to the point that we are simply coddling children instead of imparting life lessons. This holds true for the latest trend being advocated by parenting experts. The idea of not yelling at one’s child at all no matter what the scenario.

Jack Frost Will Warm Your Heart

December 8, 2012 by Vincent Daly

Jack Frost has always been a minor player as far as beloved children’s mythical characters go. Arguably, if it were not for Nat King Cole’s version of “The Christmas Song” which contains the line “Jack Frost nipping at your nose”, Jack may well have drifted into complete obscurity. Enter DreamWorks animated feature film “Rise of the Guardians”, a movie which aims to propel Jack Frost from minor historical footnote to bona fide hero.

Ice Age: Continental Drift

July 17, 2012 by Vincent Daly

When you’re a parent of young children, going to the movies doesn’t necessarily include seeking out quality stories. On the contrary, the experience often entails going to see whatever age appropriate movie is playing on a given day. Such was the case when choosing to see the animated feature “Ice Age: Continental Drift”, the 4th installment of the ongoing adventures of Manny the Mammoth, Diego the Sabretooth Tiger, and Sid the Sloth. Surprisingly, a comically fiendish band of pirates breathes new life into the series offering up a pleasant diversion much like an ice cream sundae.

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted

June 13, 2012June 11, 2012 by Vincent Daly

Being the 3rd movie of the series, I had low expectations for the latest installment of “Madagascar”. Yet it was an unusually hot Saturday for June, and the kids were in dire need of a diversion. I opted to skip the 3D version and use the savings to buy an overpriced medium sized popcorn instead. After a seemingly infinite amount of movie trailers, the lights mercifully dimmed and “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” started. Ten minutes into the movie, the unexpected happened. I was actually enjoying it…a lot.

Review of ThinkFun’s Roll & Play

May 15, 2012May 15, 2012 by Vincent Daly

Trying to introduce toddlers to multiplayer gameplay can be an exercise in futility. More times than not, a toddler will not fully grasp the concept of the game and instead decide to create their own fun to the frustration of other players. ThinkFun, an educational game maker, has decided to take on this challenge by debuting a game called Roll & Play designed specifically for toddlers. Since my children fell into the range of the game’s target demographics, I decided to test out Roll & Play in a real world environment, sibling rivalry and all.

Dreaming Big

March 19, 2013March 9, 2011 by Vincent Daly

The premise of following’s one’s bliss should never be undervalued or underestimated. Pursuing one’s dreams is a simple concept to comprehend yet utterly unattainable to achieve for much of the population due to a variety of reasons. External pressures such as the economy, family, religion, and politics all factor in to stifle ambition. But often internal pressures like the fear of failure present a greater obstacle. As a parent, one holds the key to unlocking a child’s potential. Conversely, parents can inadvertently destroy dreams by way of tendency towards risk aversion. What steps might a parent take to allow one’s children to dream big?

CuteMonster Art Wednesday

March 30, 2012January 19, 2011 by Vincent Daly

The illustration above was inspired by a memorable day at the playground with my son. At the time I was irritable due to a bout with allergies and not particularly in the mood to engage in play time with my boy. After witnessing another Dad having a boisterously good time pretending with his son, I was inspired to partake in the fun as well. It was a reminder to me of the importance of play for both parents and children.