Tonka Toys and Trucks:

I grew up with Tonka trucks and vehicles in my backyard - trenchers, cranes, tow trucks, backhoes, bulldozers, dump trucks, and loaders. All I can remember is that my friends put those toys through some tough times and they always seemed to work just fine. They were made of durable metal and the tires were huge. The first Tonka truck was built in 1947 and over a half century later, over 250 million Tonka trucks have been sold worldwide. The majority of Tonka toys are marketed towards little boys, but I have seen plenty of little girls who love using the equipment in sand boxes and the dirt just as much as boys. We all know that kids can be tough on toys and that is why Tonka has such a great reputation with their vehicles and trucks since they last forever and are very strong. I recently bought the Tonka Dump Truck and Tonka Firetruck at Toys R Us and the vehicles are just what I had imagined after almost 2 decades since I last used these products. I can rest assured the Tonka products will not break and my son will have a fun time using them in our yard.

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With the early success of their trucks and vehicles, Tonka expanded their toy line to include games, puzzles, and books. We have a book that allows the user to press a button to hear the various sounds of the equipment (crane, bulldozer, backhoe, etc.) and my son loves it at bedtime. Although I don't necessarily want my child to become a dump truck driver, the toys do let him use his imagination and do "pretend play". Other Tonka books that we like are the Tonka Busy Dump Truck Book ($8), Tonka Construction Zone Book, and the several Tonka Coloring Books that are available for around $3/each. The Tonka games are Pop-O-Matic Tonka Search and Rescue Game ($20) and the Tonka Memory Game - a great game for kids 3 and up. You can find Tonka products at stores like Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, and Fred Meyer. For kids outdoor toys, I must say that Tonka provides some of the best value for your hard earned money. Parents in toy forums and in reviews at online toy stores say Tonka is one of the few childrens toy manufacturers they "trust" most for quality toys. We have a lot of requests on how to find vintage or antique Tonka toys (1947-1963) and trucks and we suggest that people looking for older Tonka vehicles search online at Ebay.com through their auctions. RECOMMENDED - We suggest shopping online at Amazon.com since they carry all the latest products and often have the lowest prices on the internet. You can browse their top selling Tonka trucks and toys online here.

Tonka Online Website:

If you go online to http://www.hasbro.com/tonka/ you will find all the latest Tonka toys and trucks on their official website. You can read writeups on new Tonka products, see photos of all the Tonka trucks, and find out where to buy Tonka toys. The free online Tonka games include 2 matching games (Tonka Road Signs and Tonka Trucks), an online Tonka puzzle, and coloring books with all sorts of Tonka pictures you can print out and color at home. The free online Tonka coloring book features dump trucks, bulldozers, tractors, cranes, and trenchers. You can even download the Tonka song at http://images.hasbro.com/tonka/TonkaAnthem.mp3. The parents forum is another great feature on the Tonka website with comments and feedback on raising boys or general reviews on Tonka toys. The message board is a great sounding board for new parents to voice concerns or issues and let other parents give feedback.

Tonka Trucks - Tonka Dump Truck:

Tonka offers fun and durable toys for kids ages 2 to 5 and their construction vehicles will allow your child to use their imagination and invent play scenarios using the products. The most popular vehicles are the Tonka Talking Garbage Truck ($15) - an interactive toy that gets your child involved, Tonka Toughest Mighty Truck ($30), Tonka Toughest Mighty Crane ($25), Tonka Toughest Mighty Loader ($25), Tonka Tough Bulldozer ($10), the Tonka Tough Trencher/Backhoe ($10), Front Loader ($4), Junior Dump Truck ($10) - made with plastic and less durable, and the Tonka Junior Tow Truck ($4). The more expensive Dump Truck and Crane are durable and great for indoor or outdoor play. I just bought both of them last week for my 2 year old son and he loves loading the dump truck and using the crane to lift pretend pieces of metal.

Fire & Rescue Vehicles - Tonka Fire Truck:

The current line-up of Tonka fire and rescue vehicles includes the Tonka Fleet Rescue Vehicle ($10), the Tonka Chuck & Friends Douser - My Talking Firetruck ($15), and the Tonka Junior Fire Engine ($4). I was able to get a free Tonka Firetruck when I purchased the Tonka Mighty Dump Truck at Toy R Us, so shop around and perhaps you will find the same deal. The utility vehicles are fun and not as large as some of the construction rigs. They include the Tonka Fleet Tow Truck ($10), Talking Tow Truck ($15), Tonka Fleet Pickup Truck ($10), Tonka Fleet w/ Baha Buggy ($15), Tonka Fleet w/ Garage Car ($15), Tonka Junior Pick-up Truck ($10), and the Tonka Junior Force Tractor ($10). All are good for 18 months or older and good for outdoor as well as indoor play.

Tonka Truck Bedding:

For Tonka bedding and bedroom decor, go online to Amazon.com. They carry a Kids Construction Truck Lamp Cement Mixer for $70, a Kids Bulldozer Lamp for $70, a Tonka 4 piece Toddler Bedding Set for $40, a Tonka Luxury Plush Blanket ($20), a Tonka Toddler Fitted Sheet and Pillowcase for $15.

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