KOTA

Here’s the perfect toy to freak out your kid this Christmas. Kota the Triceratops from Playskool/Hasbro is a life-size baby dinosaur that’s made to interact with your kids.

Kindle your child’s curiosity for prehistoric creatures and make-believe adventures with his very own life-sized baby dinosaur. You may have seen “talking” and “moving” toys before, but chances are your dino-loving toddler has never seen a prehistoric “pet” that comes to “life” with realistic electronic sounds and motion. It’s fossil-sized fun standing just over 2.5 feet tall. A hidden handle helps kids hold on once they climb onto the dinosaur’s back. Realistic stomping sounds add to the make-believe fun as kids bounce in place on the spring seat. Talk to KOTA the Triceratops and he roars back with expressive tail, head, eye, mouth and horn movements. Touch his nose with your hand and KOTA “sniffs” it! In fact, it’s easy to trigger all of his sensitive spots – try tickling his belly or chin to make KOTA “laugh”. And when you think this pretend dinosaur has worked up an appetite, be sure to “feed” KOTA his leafy snack – it really sounds like he’s munching on it! Four different adventure-themed tunes set the mood for your child’s wild imagination as he embarks on a dino-filled rides. But don’t worry! A convenient volume control switch lets you adjust the level or turn it off. KOTA the Triceratops may look thick-skinned, but just one stroke on his scaly-like fabric “hide” will prove he’s really a soft and snuggable playmate who’s ready for all of your child’s dino-roarin’ escapades.

Is this the new wave in kid’s toys, a quick way to blow $300, or just another step toward the pending robot revolution? I’m not sure, but I would have dug that as a kid.

This – Not so much.

That’s at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History. Imagine turning the corner and running into that as a kid. We saw something similar to this at the Walking with Dinosaurs Live show and it was very realistic looking. Thanks to Yewknee for that video.

Ben Walker- A Love That Transcends Time, Space and Manufacturer

Gallery 1988 has another great show going on this month. This time the nostalgic subject is toys. Tons of wonder images over at toys1988.blogspot.com for you to check out.

Desiree Fessler - My Little Stallion All of the artwork is great. The custom Hot Wheels are especially cool. What a great idea, to paint/customize such a small item. For some reason, I find Desiree Fessler’s “My Little Stallion” especially hilarious. Definitely worth checking out (or even purchasing) if you’re in the Los Angeles area between April 1 and April 25.

Be sure to check out the G1988 blog to see the photos of the actual gallery. The pieces of Hot Wheels track on the wall are insanely cool looking and really add to the feel of the show. Add this to the list of cool shows (Stan Lee, 8-Bit, etc) that Gallery 1988 has done.