I don’t typically blog about toys, but I wanted to share two really cool experiences Seth has had.

We were offered the opportunity to test out both Zhu Zhu Pets and the Fisher-Price TRIO Building System, and Seth had a ball with each, as did his friends.

Since Seth is such a vehicle-driven kid, I embraced the idea of his playing with something other than a fire truck or ambulance.

To check out Zhu Zhu pets, visit http://www.zhuzhupets.com/ (see photo above). Zhu Zhu Pets™ are fun, interactive hamsters that talk, move and even navigate their way around their own habitats.

Each hamster in a family of four has its own name and a unique personality. Chunk, Pipsqueak, Squiggles and NumNums will delight children of all ages with their cute squeaks, squeals and zany moves. You can watch the action as these adorable hamsters play, explore, run and slide. Chunk catches a wave on his own surfboard while Pipsqueak takes the car out for a spin and Squiggles races down a slide. A dozen add-on sets let your child create and explore a new Zhu Zhu Pets™ world every time they play!

Imagine a pet you don’t have to clean up after. You can buy everything from toy cars to a ball for them to race around in.

Seth even took his hamster to our pool club to show him around.

To check out TRIO, visit http://www.triobuilding.com/ If you have a child like Seth who loves building, TRIO is up their alley. Available for different age ranges, it’s a portable buiding set that comes with bricks, sticks and panels, and instruction booklet that kids can easily follow themselves to buid a wide array of structures.

The Fisher-Price TRIO™ Building System is a must-have for kids who love to stack, build and create their own masterpieces! The easy-click bricks, sticks, and panels make building a “snap” for kids and moms will appreciate the storage bin that doubles as a building base.

Visit http://www.fisher-price.com/us/trio/ and you can save $5 off any TRIO set. The offer expires 10/1.