July 07, 2004

By: Crystal Hobeyn
Website: http://www.1st-in-kids.com

Hedstorm keeps kids active at play through the wide world of sports

Hedstrom's got game in 2004, introducing a variety of sports-themed, active products that will entertain children of all ages. From interactive gear to travel games, licensed characters and plush hoppers for toddlers, Hedstrom finishes first.

Quarterback Jack, the ultimate passer, is an interactive football player programmed to be the all-time quarterback. Developed for kids age 7 and up to play football with a group of friends or on their own, the programmed football player comes with a junior-sized foam football and 12 different play cards, with which kids can easily create their own strategic plays.

After choosing a play and inserting the card, kids simply pump Quarterback Jack up, get into position at the line of scrimmage and press start. Quarterback Jack makes the play-call and lets kids know when to run with one of 24 different programmed plays. Then kids run for the pass to go for the touchdown. Quarterback Jack can make a pass up to 50 feet long for ultimate playability and can rotate left and right and move his arm up and down to make a wide variety of passing plays.

Quarterback Jack includes a built-in cardholder and a pressure gauge to help customize plays.

We paid close attention to parents' concerns with traditional pitching machines in order to give Quarterback Jack high-quality performance, said Matt McNamara, vice president, marketing, Hedstrom. One significant value is that Quarterback Jack uses bursts of air to shoot the ball rather than a motor, so the ball will never get stuck.

McNamara continued, With added features like sound, player-like movement, plus the ability to customize your own plays, kids will think it's just like playing with a real quarterback.

QuickPlay Sports travel anywhere in a convenient carrying case and set up in seconds, letting kids compete in their favorite sport just about anywhere. These games are available in five popular sports: baseball, football, basketball, soccer and hockey and each comes with the appropriate equipment, plus the convenient carrying case for travel and storage.

* Mini League Baseball features a spring-loaded batter box, three bases, multiple hitting targets, a pitching mound, a back wall for those homeruns, player markers and an extra baseball bat.

* Touch Down Challenge Football comes with a hand-sewn football and a flat foam football, two goal posts with suction cups and a kicking cleat.

* Foul Shot Challenge Basketball includes one backboard with a foldable rim that will suction to a flat surface, and a basketball with shooter, which can flick into the basket.

* Soccer Shoot Out features a foldable soccer goal, foam soccer ball and a soccer foot, which players can use to kick with.

* Penalty Shot Hockey comes with a moveable hockey goalie, foldable hockey goal, two sticks and two pucks.

Designed for children age 6 and up, QuickPlay Sports are available January 2004.

BounZing Buddies are the only action figures that are safe to roll, throw and bounce. The character-shaped, foam bouncing balls range from astronauts to professional sports heroes and now in favorite licensed properties. The BounZing Buddies can bounce or 'zing' in all sorts of directions.

All the BounZing Buddies feature fun facts and information about the character. Kids can collect and trade them or display them in the collectable clear packaging.

Hop-Alongs are the latest innovation in hopper fun from Hedstrom. The new Hop-Alongs combine soft, plush, stuffed animals with the classic hopper, allowing kids to hop around on their favorite characters. Hop-Alongs are specifically designed to assist younger riders, ages 2 to 4, in learning balance and coordination.

New characters include a frog, pony, puppy and duck, each including a sound box that creates realistic animal noises for added imaginative play.

Hedstrom Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, Ill., is one of the nation's premier manufacturers and marketers of children's toy, leisure and outdoor recreation products and a category leader in each of its major product lines. Visit www.hedstrom.com to learn about its diverse selection of brands that promote family fun.

About The Author:

Crystal Hobeyn is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-kids.com.  Helping parents find kid-approved clothes, toys, games, books, activities and more.