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Download Free Hidden Object Games like
PJ Pride Pet Detective
Author: MyPlayCity - PJ Pride Pet Detective
PJ Pride Pet Detective is just one of many great free, full games available at MyPlayCity.com, one of the leading sites on the web for free and unrestricted gaming. Here gamers can find video games of every genre imaginable, so there truly is something for everyone including even the most demanding tastes. The site was created by gamers for gamers who wanted to create a huge collection of great free games which are safe to download and great to play. Amongst one of the most popular genres for casual gamers are the fun and addictive brain-teasing hidden object games, such as the colorful, fun and amusing PJ Pride Pet Detective. Players will work their way through a series of great scenes to uncover various clues and hidden objects.
PJ Pride Pet Detective gives the player a whole new level of fun that is not seen in many other hidden object games. It is a detective game with a few twists and an amusing and immersive storyline. Players will follow the main characters through an investigation to uncover various secrets and mysteries. The game takes place when a strange cosmetic manufacturer appears in the town and, shortly after, many of the town's pets start going missing. It's up to the player, who plays as PJ, to find the missing pets and stop the problem before it escalates out of control! The player will need to stop the animals from being experimented on in the cosmetics factory and return them to their rightful owners, driving the factory out of town.
PJ Pride Pet Detective contains no less than 96 unique scenes which are sure to keep the player busy for a while! With beautiful artwork and a fun storyline to engage the player, players will find hours of fun as they find the hidden objects and follow PJ through the pet detective work. There are hundreds of different objects which you will need to search for throughout the scenes and you will need to locate a ton of different types of pets. In addition to regular cats and dogs, you will also be looking for more exotic pets such as snakes and pigs and even more. Finding people's missing pets will require a lot of attention, skill and a determination to excel. However, if you get a little stuck along the way, not to worry, since there are some features to help you.
You can use clues if you find yourself in a situation where you simply cannot find a particular object. You can use a limited number of hints in the game to uncover hidden objects and get back on track again. Throughout the game, players will experience many different scenes including homes in the town, stores and much more. The game combines beautiful artwork, an engaging storyline and realistic sound effects to make it amongst the best in hidden object games. PJ Pride Pet Detective is a full game - you won't find any demos or trial editions at MyPlayCity.com. Download it today at http://www.myplaycity.com/pj-pride-pet-detective-detective-game !
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://www.articlealley.com/download-free-hidden-object-games-like-pj-pride-pet-detective-2362900.html
Made in USA Toys and Handmade Wooden Toys Make Quality Standards
Author: Marina Neiman
Have you ever wondered as to how safe is the simplest of toys that lingers around your toddler's hand throughout the day? Children are the most delicate form of beings that are prone to the slightest of infection or a toxin threat that they may endure from an external source such as toys which they are in constant touch with. The skin of your infants are susceptible to rashes caused by low quality goods and this is exactly why as a consumer you must be well-informed about the products manufacturing resource and their safety standards. Most toys sold in the U.S. today are made in China. These are hot products in the market thanks to their attractive cheap rates. For an average consumer only edible products might be a reason of consideration when it comes to buying quality products but the fact is with products like toys that are obviously bound to coming in close contact with your child's skin and mouth, you can never afford to be careless in this regard.
The safest raw material for toys today are the ones that have been used for thousands of years down the line which are majorly made up of wood. It is the most natural and utterly favorable raw material used till date for toys for children. Most of the USA toys made of wood are crafted by the hand and follow strict child safety guidelines. You can be rest assured that the quality of wood and the standards used in the production of toys is up to the mark when they happen to carry the tag of Made in the USA toys. These handmade wooden toys made in the USA stick to the U.S labor laws and workplace safety regulations. Wooden toys that are essentially ‘made in the USA toys' are well crafted such that no toxic paints or sharp edges exist on these heirloom quality toys. There is a range of handmade wooden toys available ranging from wooden kitchen play sets, all-American wooden board games, educational toys, science kits, wooden blocks and so on.
Kid's furniture also needs as much attention as do kid's toys. Kid's furniture has to have as much as the safety and durability factor in them as the attractiveness and fun factor with colorful designs. From bed, chairs, cabinets to toy boxes and bookcases, American-made furniture for kids is the best deal you can opt for in terms of longevity and supreme quality. You could also have personalized wood furniture to make your little ones feel extra special.
Besides buying toys that are made in your own country also ensures environment friendly practices since there are no long-distance shipments causing the depletion of non-renewable fuel energy. American-made furniture for kids helps you customize your toddler's room décor with a variety of fun furniture styling for those colorful childhood moments to be cherished.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/made-in-usa-toys-and-handmade-wooden-toys-make-quality-standards-2718041.html
About the AuthorMarina Neiman, author and mother of two, writes for 1888Toys.com – Educational Toys Store, features classic wooden toys, handmade kitchen playsets, wooden kitchen for kidsand many more toys for safe and fun pretend kitchen play.
Fun USB toys for your notebook
Author: Billy Morris
If you're looking to have more fun with your notebook's USB drive, then this article is here for you. This is a list of five of the most fun toys that are powered by your USB drive, and most of them can be controlled by your computer too. Although, you may want to be careful with some of them because they seem like they might be able to break your monitor. This would be a terrible loss, well, unless you have
a free notebook.
USB Fridge
This cool toy is a miniature fridge that plugs into your USB drive. It will keep one can of soda cold for as long as it is plugged in. This could come in handy at work, and save you a few trips to the vending machine too. Just make sure to keep it safe, and nobody "mistakes" the fridge to be free. Notebook refrigerators are not cheap.
USB Powered Aquarium
Now, you can take your favorite pet fish with you everywhere your laptop
goes. This tank's filter will run off the power from your computer, and you just have to remember to clean it. This is one toy you want to be careful with. If that aquarium breaks, you are going to wish you had a free notebook computer because that laptop will be fried.
USB Missile Launcher
This is a great toy if you work in an office where you are constantly annoyed by co-workers. Just plug in the missile launcher, and let them fly. It comes with amazing sound effects, and it's even controlled
by your computer. Next time Phil, who you hate because he won a bunch of free notebook computers, asks you about those T.P.S. reports, just let the missiles fly.
Golf Simulator
This very cool toy lets you practice your golf swing when you should be working. It comes with a miniature green and golf club. It syncs up with "Tiger Woods PGA Tour," and now you can practice your swing everywhere you go. Although, you don't
want to get too crazy with your swing, it looks like you could easily send the attached ball flying into your monitor. You'll wish you had a whole stack of free notebooks then.
USB Circus Cannon
This toy is just like it sounds. It's a circus cannon you plug into your USB drive, and you can control it with your PC. It comes with three darts that you load into the cannon and fire at will. This is a lot like the missile launcher, only in circus cannon fashion. Furthermore, the darts appear
as if they might not be so soft. You might want to be careful launching them over cubicle walls because they may smash a laptop monitor. Even if your co-worker was the winner of a million free notebooks, he'd still want a free notebook computer to replace the one you broke.
All these toys are fun and USB powered. Most of them shoot objects, which is always tons of fun regardless of where you're from. Also, you clearly need to be a little
careful using most of them, well, unless you were the winner of that stack of free notebook computers. Either way, if this is the kind of thing that you're into, then give these toys a try.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/laptops-articles/fun-usb-toys-for-your-notebook-3072519.html
About the Author I am a software engineer and technologist. I mostly write about computer and technology related topics.
How To Select An Appropriate
Construction Toy For Your Child?
by Richard Runion
Construction toys will keep both your child and you busy for hours on hand. I bet you never had such cool toys when you were a kid. Buy your kid one, and there's your chance to play truant from work, and make up for lost time, by playing with your kids, round the clock.
Preschool children spend more than 20% of their waking hours in play. Boys play with vehicles and girls with dolls. These are examples of domestic role play and dressing up. These are some revelations derived from survey samples of play behavior of preschool boys and girls.
Children learn from play; thus toys are tools of learning. What kind of play materials have you provided your children? How are your children using them? Are the toys safe, and appropriate for the development level of your child? The answers to these questions are important. For instance, if you give a toddler toys that have small plastic pieces, he/ she is likely to swallow the pieces.
Child experts are unanimous that the growth and development of a child hinges on play. In particular, a child's creativity and imagination can be developed by construction toys. Hand-eye coordination and logical thinking are developed, too. For instance, a child who plays with racing cars is likely to experiment to find out which car moves faster, when pushed.
Some of the popular construction toys in the market include multi-color flexible foam tubes, Magnaball connectors, clips, bases, panels, and large and small storage bags that are safe and sturdy.
Kids can construct a castle or fort, build a boat, or put together a playhouse with nearly 100 pieces. Anything you can imagine comes to life. And cleaning up is easy.
Construction toys come in a range of variants, and prices. Some of them come with a limited warranty of 30 days.
When you give your child a toy, avoid older toys, and even hand-me-downs from friends and family, as these may not meet current safety standards. Also, they may be so worn from play that they can break and prove to be hazardous.
Never assume that a child who seems to be advanced in intelligence, compared to his/ her peers, should play with toys meant for older children. You need to factor the safety aspect first, when you decide whether or not a particular toy is good for your child to play with. Maturity or intelligence has little to do with this decision.
Your child's temperament, habits, and behavior are also important considerations when you buy a new toy. Playing with your kids teaches them how to play safely while having fun.
Richard J. Runion is the President of Geostar Publishing & Services LLC. Rich loves net research & blogging. His new blog on Cranium Fort is fast becoming popular, as it is comprehensive and well-researched.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
Playing the Judge: The Who, What and Why behind the best known toy awards
By: Heather Rhoades
Parents today want toys that are both fun and educational for their children. Toy manufacturers want toys that are big hits with both kids and parents. Enter in the Toy Awards. There are several awards given each year for Best of Breed toys, but they all judge toys on different criteria. Some may judge from a kids point of view, while others may be from an educators point of view, while others judge toys based on an adults
view of what a kid would like. We have listed some of the best known toy awards and how those awards judge toys.
Family Fun Toy Award
This toy award is given out by the Family Fun magazine, which is a magazine for parents with children. The Family Fun Toy Award is broken into categories for both age and style of toy, plus a Top Ten list which includes all the toys together. Family Fun Toy Award only judges toys that have been introduced by toy makers for the upcoming year.
Family
Fun Toy Award is judged solely by children and goes through two rounds of voting. The first round is with a group of 100 - 200 children conducted at a research firm. The toys that are voted as the children's favorites then go onto round two. Round two consists of a group of 1000-1500 children at day-care centers trying and voting for their favorite toys.
All the votes are then tabulated and the results are published in the Family Fun magazine and on the Family Fun website.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
Platinum Awards
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards is also referred to as the Oppenheim Awards. This award is given out by the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio which is an independent consumer review company run by a mother and daughter team with a background in child development. The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio not only gives out the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards but also releases their reviews of all the toys they have judged. The award is broken down into developmental stages as well as categories.
The Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards only judge toys that have been introduced by toy makers for the upcoming year.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Awards is judged by both adults and children. There are two rounds that determine the winners. The first round is done by a panel of Oppenheim experts who look at the quality and safety of a toy as well as the developmental appropriateness of a toy. If the toy passes the first round, it is then sent to the second round, which is tester families who then
try the toy for several weeks. The toy is then rated by both the parents and the children.
All of the reviews are combined and the winners are determined. The results of the reviews are then published in the annual Oppenheim Toy Portfolio and are announced on the NBC's Today Show.
Dr. Toy Award
This awards is given out by the Dr. Toy website. Dr. Toy is actually Dr. Stevanne Auerbach, the director for Institute for Childhood Resources. The award is broken down into toy style categories
with a Best of Best category. The Dr. Toy Awards judge toys that are submitted by toy manufacturers and are deemed suitable for possibly being a Dr. Toy Award winning toy.
Dr. Toy Award is judged by adults. If the toy is accepted to be judged, it is reviewed by members of the Institute for Childhood Resources and "Dr. Toy". The reviewers are looking for toys that will help develop a healthy play atmosphere for children.
The results are then re-reviewed and the final determination of who the winners
are is made. The results are published on the Dr. Toy Website.
Great American Toy Test
This award is given out by KTVU, Channel 2 of San Francisco, CA. It is held annually. The award is broken down into toy style categories with a Best of Best category. The Great American Toy Test judges toys that are submitted by toy makers.
Great American Toy Test is judged by both children and adults. The toys are shipped to day-care and latchkey centers all over the United States where children
play with the toys while being observed by their teachers and care takers. The toys are then reviewed by both children and adults for a wide range of standards including short- & long-term interest, quality and fun.
The results are combined and the results are announced on a KTVU news broadcast and published on the KTVU website.
T.O.T.Y. Award
T.O.T.Y. Award stands for, quite simply, the Toy of The Year Award. This award is given out by the Toy Industry Association. This award
is broken down into toy style categories with a top award given to one toy. T.O.T.Y. Award judges all toys that are being sold in North America during that year's judging.
T.O.T.Y. Award is judged by adults. The adults are members of the Toy Industry Association. The toys can be nominated for final voting by either Toy Industry Association members without a fee or any non-member who is willing to pay the $50 nomination fee. The nominated toys are then voted on by all members of the Toy Industry Association.
The
results of the final vote are tabulated and the winners are announced at the annual T.O.T.Y. Awards Ceremony, where the winners will be inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. The results are also published on the Toy Industry Association website.
The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval
The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval is given out by The National Parenting Center. The award is broken down into toy style categories and by developmental stages. The National
Parenting Center Seal of Approval judges all toys that have been introduced by toy makers for the upcoming year that are submitted to The National Parenting Center.
The National Parenting Center Seal of Approval is judged by both adults and children at a testing facility run by The National Parenting Center. Toys are judged on gathered information, observation of play interaction and playing with the toy. The results are created from both statistical data from surveys about the toy and tester comments.
The
final results are published by The National Parenting Center in both publications and on their website.
Now that you know a little more about how different toy awards are given and judged, you will be better able to choose which of these awards will help you choose the right toy for your child.
Author Bio
Heather Rhoades is a mother of three boys and owner of the OneOnFun website. To help you search for the right toy for your child, visit OneOnFun.com and the OneOnFun Toy Search Engine
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
The Joy of Vending Machine Toys
Author: Anne Carter
Let’s face it, walking inside a toy store can be a joy for kids of all ages, but where’s the thrill in that? The toys that you’ve been dying to get are most of the time the most expensive ones. If you do have the money to purchase them, the happiness of toy shopping is only short-live: you see it on the shelves, get your hands on it, head straight to the counter, pay for it, and take it home with you.
Vending machines offer double the treat for the ultimate toy lover. You don’t only get a surprise toy out of numerous exciting designs of toy collectibles; the method of acquiring one is a game in itself where you’re always a winner!
It’s as easy as 1 2 3. You put a coin in it, press a button or turn a knob, and voila! A toy comes out. The best part is when you finally find out what you got. You may or may not like the toy you get but here’s the good thing, vending machines are totally affordable, with just a dime you already have a cute collectible. So there’s no pain in doing it over and over again. It’s addicting! That’s why vending machines throughout the years have developed into something that isn’t just a display in malls, arcades, or sidewalks, it has now become an indispensible part of today’s culture.
There are various innovations of the good ol’ vending machine. One of the all-time favorites is (ironic as it may sound) the evil claw machine. Name one person who hasn’t kicked or shouted at these machines out of frustration, I bet you can’t. Most of the time, it’s the adults who ‘fight’ with these evil machines. At most instances, one’s kid or little brother/sister points at a toy they see inside of the claw machine, with the matching repeated irritating shouting of ‘I WANT THAT! GET ME THAT!’. The generous innocent big brother/sister or parent puts a coin in the slot, grabs the control stick or press on the arrow buttons, carefully and strategically clawing the coveted toy, and when the ‘perfect’ grip is done, confidently hits the grab button. Well, we all know what happens 99% of the time. The claw grabs air and the kid shouts ‘AGAIN!AGAIN!’ while the clawer (shall I say, the victim) puts another coin in, challenged by the claw machine, willing to do whatever it takes to get that toy!
There are instances when some kids actually get stuck inside these machines, it may seem bizarre but you can’t blame them for being curious. This kind of news isn’t really new. Vending machines are like magic robots for young kids. They wonder if there is a person hiding inside of these machines, or most of the time they want to cheat the machine by getting inside of it because the grown-ups can’t get the job done by playing the game right, even if they have already done the kicking and shaking of the machine.
No matter how we look at it, vending machines are irreplaceable for both kids and adults. They may sometimes be a struggle for most of us, but the thrill of getting a toy and winning over the evil claw makes it all worth it.
The author recommends Sqwishland.com. Join the fun today, play online mini games and explore the biggest and educational virtual world for kids. Get your Sqwishcodes from vending machines and get squishy animal toys too!
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://annecarter.articlealley.com/the-joy-of-vending-machine-toys-1800211.html
About the Author:
Baby Toys
by: Robin Darch
There are a lot of important things to remember about buying baby toys for your baby. If you are buying toys for someone else’s baby make sure you buy toys that are safe and toys the parents won’t object to.
What are some of the best toys for baby? I’m glad you asked. Let’s review some of the best baby toys available out there.
Alphabet Blocks are standard equipment of the well-stocked baby toy box. They have been one of the best developmental toys for centuries. Alphabet blocks appeared as early as 1693, when the philosopher John Locke pointed out that "dice and play-things, with the letters on them to teach children the alphabet by playing" would make learning to read a more enjoyable experience. A century and a quarter later, Friedrich Wilhelm August Froebel, a museum curator who pioneered kindergarten, introduced geometric solids carved from wood. Known as Froebel's "gifts," they soon led to alphabet blocks.
Parents may like them because they have educational value, but children like them because of their colors, the pictures on them, and their numbers, patterns, and symbols look nice piled up. These baby toys will always be a hit.
DVDs that teach letters and numbers. With today’s technology we can move up to other ways to keep babies entertained, while teaching them the alphabet and their numbers and more. DVDs are perfect for teaching the letters and numbers to your little ones. It's amazing how babies and toddlers pick up letter and number recognition skills through these DVDs.
Toys that move with just a little help from baby. Toys like the Press N Go Inchworm, Tumble Time Tigger, and Carousels with lots of small moveable features that stay attached to the larger toy are great choices for your baby. They are colorful and with all those things that move, they can keep a baby entertained for hours.
Soft Dolls and Stuffed Animals are always a favorite. Make sure when you buy these baby toys, you check for loose parts, like eyes, buttons, and other parts that can be pulled off too easily. But babies love things that are soft, so choosing stuffed animals or soft dolls are a wonderful choice.
Colorful, Educational Books, introduce numbers, counting and equations to babies, toddlers and older kids. Lots of different activities are possible with these books, including number recognition, counting and more. As baby grows older, more possibilities emerge.
Baby Activity Belt; Hands-free entertainment is a valuable thing for busy parents! The Busy Belt is a portable activity center that allows parents to run errands or even ride a bike while baby plays contentedly. The rattling, squeaking and music-playing animals hold baby's attention, while the small mirror and picture frame provide familiar faces for gazing. Since the Busy Belt buckles around a parent's waist or onto a stroller or shopping cart, this is one toy you won't have to pick up several times when baby is at the toy-flinging age.
We hope the Tips on buying Baby Toys gave you plenty of ideas for what to get baby. There are more tips for buying Baby Toys at http://babyport.info Take time to choose the right baby toys and it will be very much appreciated by both parent and baby.
About The Author
Robin Darch, of PRT Specialised Services Limited has a website, http://www.babyport.info to help parents find all the information they need about babies, baby toys, baby showers, baby gifts, products for babies, baby clothing, and more. There is also more about baby toys at http://babyport.info/43422.php Chris McElroy runs a missing children’s organization at http://www.kidsearchnetwork.org robin@prtservices.co.uk
The Joy of John Deere Toys
by Chris Linux
Like most children, you probably had a predilection for playing with toys when you were younger. Maybe while playing outdoors, you and some of your friends liked to pretend that you were constructing busy roadways for your imaginary cars and trucks. That's actually a fun pursuit because creating little roadways and highways all over the backyard along with various obstacles makes the journey an exciting and interesting ride
for those imaginary drivers.
With John Deere toys this tradition continues
as many children spend their playtimes making roadways and trails with the aforementioned toys; toys that are strong and durable and won't break after only a few uses. The John Deere construction toys are scale-model replicas of actual equipment pieces used for all sorts of construction projects in the real world. There are bulldozers, front end bucket loaders, graders and other types of machinery used to create a lot of construction projects in the real world. These John Deere construction toys can be used to
help create some very exciting and interesting imaginary playtimes for the children in your life. John Deere farm toys include small tractors that can be used for everything from tilling a miniature field to helping the other children make roadways and highways for their toy cars. Everyone loves playing with toys. Being able to use the toys to create different types of places to play in is just one of the benefits of John Deere toys. John Deere farm toys don't just mean playing with small tractors though.
There are special attachments for each toy tractor that allow the toys to do different things such as pretend to plow a field, hauling a baler behind to bale up harvested hay, using a spreader, etc. Of course, tractors are not the only vehicles in play as some John Deere toys also include trucks, trailers and other pieces of equipment that can be used. Like the John Deere construction toys, the John Deere farm toys are especially durable and will last a very long time, even with the toughest pairs of hands playing
with them for extended hours. (And, yes, some kids can literally play for hours!) So, there shouldn't be any worry about the paint and decals coming off during normal levels of play. This means that the money you invest in John Deere toys will be well spent because the toys will last for years.Many children still have the original John Deere toys that they had when they were small, because the toys were built so well that they lasted through their whole childhood. Many of them have even passed them down
to their own children and started the whole process of having fun with the toys all over again. Some of these older toys have even shown up on special collector sites and auctions and have commanded very respectable prices. That's because there's just no hiding from the quality of these toys.They know that purchasing one of these toys means that they won't have to worry about the children having a good time playing with them. The toy will last and the play will be creative and imaginative and everyone will be
happy that you bought such a well made toy. These toys will be around for a very long time, providing many happy years of enjoyment in your home. Your backyard may start to resemble a maze of highways and farm fields after awhile, but your children will have a wonderful time, imagining all the things they can create. Keep in mind many John Deere farm toys also have the potential to become collector's items. This means that their rarity can lead to the toys increasing many times in value. Consider the fact that
Hess trucks have proven to be incredibly prized items on the collector's market. John Deere toys are not too far from Hess in terms of their collectible value and this is why one who enjoys collecting toys should check out what the John Deere Company offers. One side note: if you are collecting these toys for future value then it may be best to leave them unopened in the box. The reason for this is because the value of unopened toys is usually triple than that of opened toys. That is just the way it works on
the collector market.
Of course, even if you aren't interested in collecting these still make great toys because they are a lot of fun. Now, what better value could toys have than being fun? Very little else comes to mind!
John Deere Toy Tractors and all other John Deere Toys can be found at John Deere Auctions - author Jason Wirrall
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
Newbie's Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy
and Genre Conventions
by: June Williams
A very large number of people who have never attended a Sci-Fi convention have the idea that they are all about people standing in line to get autographs of actors while wearing Klingon makeup and costumes or pointed ears. I'm not saying that those stereotypes don't exist, but the Convention experience is much richer and diverse than you may have been led to believe. To get the best experience it is important first consider your interests and then match them to what conventions are available.
Conventions come in two primary flavors: professional and fan run. Professional conventions should have actors who have appeared in genre television and films ready to sign autographs and have their photos taken with fans. Some of these conventions include the costs of autographs and photo sessions in the cost of admission others operate in more of an a la carte fashion.
Often genre conventions have previews of new shows and films, and usually an extensive dealer's room where you can buy anything from jewelry, ornaments, t-shirts and action figures to full scale replicas and costumes... and more. While there are a number of professional promoters, the best known and run are Chiller Theatre Expo, Creation Entertainment, Fed Con (Germany), Starland and Vulcon. Do expect things to be as advertised and run on time. Do not expect warm and fuzzy.
Warm and fuzzy is more the field of fan run conventions. Fans who get together to run conventions have a great deal of enthusiasm, but usually are run with a volunteer staff and can be a bit "bumpy" with organization of the activities.
What you can expect? A movie room, anime room, gaming room, art show, dealer's room, and various special interest group rooms and tables. It is a rare con that doesn't have a dance and a masquerade.
Many fan run conventions also have guests ranging from actors, authors, cartoonists, illustrators, scientists etc. You may also find workshops for writing, acting, art, costuming, make-up and special effects. It all varies from convention to convention and year to year. Older fan run conventions such as Aggie Con, Balticon, Bay Con, CONvergence, Dragon Con, ICON, Shore Leave, United Fan Con, Toronto Trek to name a few.
The following sections may help you in selecting the kind of convention you would enjoy the most. Don't be afraid to try other sorts once you've sampled those that are in your comfort zone. Exploration can be fun:
* LITERARY CONVENTIONS
Love to read speculative fiction? Do you have an interest in attending workshops on writing and publishing? Would you like to mingle with like-minded fans and meet professionals in the field such as authors, editors, illustrators and publishers? Then a literary convention would be the place you might enjoy most.
Conventions such as World Science Fiction Convention (which is where the Hugo awards are announced), the World Fantasy Convention, World Horror Convention, Balticon, Philcon, Lunacon, Boskone, Readercon, Wiscon and Capclave are all reader friendly and while you may find the occasional filking group, men in kilts, swords and women in medieval garb, I doubt that you'll see many people dressed like the attendees of the convention seen in the movie Galaxy Quest. OK maybe one or two, but they are a tiny minority.
* MEDIA CONVENTIONS
Media conventions are very much about television and film. Science Fiction and Fantasy or Horror and Paranormal guests abound. You may meet and hear behind the scenes stories of actors and illustrators, SFX experts and make-up artists and a host of media professionals. Many of the attendees may be wearing costumes. Depending on whether you are going to a "pro" con or a "fan run" con the rest will vary greatly.
Parties are expected and encouraged. At a pro convention this will take the form of a banquet with the guests at a fee and/or a dance or cocktail party all for various prices. Fan run conventions may also have a price attached to a banquet or "private" gathering with a particular celebrity or celebrities, but they will also have fee free dances, masquerades, art shows, filking, sword demonstrations etc. Toronto Trek, Celebration, BotCon, Dragon Con, Comic-Con (both Dragon Con and Comicon will appear under many categories).
* GAMING CONVENTIONS
Gamers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, colors and ethnic backgrounds, but they all have something in common. A love of games.
Role playing, live, pen and paper, MMOG as well as video gamers and board gamers all have a lot of interactive fun at gaming conventions. You can meet game designers, try out new games that have yet to hit the general market, and play in tournaments for glory and prizes. Once an almost male-only pursuit, gaming now has a growing number of female enthusiasts. Gaming has become so pervasive that it is now nearly socially acceptable to the mainstream public. Nearly.
There are giant conventions like GENCON and ORIGINS, where it is so crowded you may have trouble negotiating the exhibition halls due to the crowds. The upside is the great diversity and FREEBIES as there are so many gaming companies competing for your attention. Then there are the more intimate play intensive ones like Archon, CastleCon, Dragonflight Dreikonigsnacht (Twelfth Night), Festival
of Dreams, HexaCon, KublaCon, MACE, MarsCon, Marmalade Dog, ShaunCon, Strategicon, The
Once and Future Con, and many many more.
Keep in mind that many conventions other than pure gaming conventions have gaming tracks. If you like to game but want to do more than only game during the weekend you might look into some of the other cons with a strong gaming element.
* ANIME CONVENTIONS
For the older generation anime seems so foreign, even unreachable. It shouldn't be.
Yes, anime and its siblings manga and ahem [cough] hentai are of Japanese origin, but the striking visual styles and beauty, the characters and stories, connect with westerners as well as with audiences in the east.
Because they are animations, they can either be sub-titled or dubbed in the language of the country where it is being broadcast. In anime the stars are the illustrators, authors, and voice actors.
At conventions you will find many of these sorts of guests as well as companies promoting their projects. You will also find some of the most imaginative of costumes created and worn by fans.
At larger conventions you may find multiple rooms running films day and night. At smaller ones perhaps just one room will be devoted to showing their favorites.
There are often panels discussing aspects of cosplay, fan fiction, video games, favorite voice actors, anime series or movies. As in literary conventions there are often workshops. These workshops are mostly how to draw manga, make computer animation, or how to become a voice actor. The dealers room will be filled with DVDs, software, graphic novel manga, art books, apparel, toys and exotic (for us) foods.
While the U.S. and Canada have the largest SF conventions in the world, the largest Anime conventions are Lucca Comics and Games in Lucca Italy (85,000), Japan Expo in Paris France (83,000), Salon del Manga in Barcelona Spain (63,000), and Romics in Rome Italy (50,000). The big guys in North America are Anime Expo Los Angeles California (41,000), Otakon Baltimore Maryland (23,000), and A-Kon Dallas Texas (14,500). Hey, size isn't everything
and some of the smallest might be the way to start if you have never been to a con before!!
* HORROR CONVENTIONS
What a perfect place to let it all hang out (dating myself but who cares).
Horror conventions revel in going over the top. Long live Elvira, Freddy Krueger, Jason, Dracula, Zacherley, Even the names of these conventions and expos are meant to be graphic illustrations of what you will find there. Chiller Theatre, Fangoria, Fright Night Film and Fantasy Fest, HorrorFind, HorrorHound Weekend, Spooky Empire. Nothing to subtle here. No sparing of the gore.
It's like the rollercoaster of genre conventions. If you have a strong stomach and a dark sense of humor, you will have tons of fun.
The dealer's room, art show, video rooms all are in sync with the horror theme. Guests that reach back decades up to the present. Once again there is a chance to meet actors, artists and authors for autographs, photo shoots, and anecdotes.
Attendees go wild with costumes and you can do so too, even without a ton of money or a pile of cash. Try out your best monsterish clothes and make-up or come as a victim... or not. Costumes aren't required, they are just fun.
There is usually a monster mash even if that isn't the name given. Some horror conventions invite guests that more about nostalgia than horror. Chiller Con is a good example of this. Some of their guests are Micky Dolenz from the Monkees, Ernest Borgnine , Lindsay Wagner, Brigitte Nielson, Katey Sagal (Married with Children), Stephen Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin, Barry Bostwick, Erin Murphy (Tabitha of Bewitched), Avery Brooks, Armin Shimmerman, Robert Picardo, Geri Reischel (Jan from The Brady Bunch), Susan Olsen (Cindy from The Brady Bunch),Joe Pantoliano,Richard Kiel ("Jaws" Moonraker), Lou Ferrigno, William B Davies (X-Files-Cancer Man), Stella Stevens, Frank Stallone, Ron Bumblefoot (Guns N Roses) and a host of others.
* COMIC CONVENTION
When you think of a comic book convention you will probably think of a sea of old comic books, toys, Star Wars stuff, Star Trek stuff, action figures, collectible card games and magazines for sale and you would be right, but that is only a part and an increasingly small part of the experience.
You will find illustrators, authors, publishers and very often interesting workshops and panels that deal with every aspect of the industry past, present and future. There are the costume contingents that always show up at the larger conventions and some are so good that you could almost believe you were seeing superheroes and villains walk out of the pages and off the screen to meet you and be photographed.
Some cons such as Dragon Con and Comic-Con began solely as comic conventions but grew to tremendous size, scope and diversity that they have transcended the genre that gave rise to them. Even those such as HEROES which remains focused on comics, manages to have a number of other aspects and should be able to keep the whole family amused for the weekend.
Comic conventions often have a lot of pop culture and nostalgia guests. So if you would like to see people like Creature, Parthenon and Fat Mama from Who wants to be a Superhero or maybe even Stan Lee himself, you might get your chance. How about James and Oliver Phelps who played the Weasley Twins in the Harry Potter movies? Or perhaps Sean Astin or Billy Boyd and even Elijah Wood. From Heroes Hayden Paniterre and Masi Oka, or Ice-T... yes I said Ice-T AND his swimsuit-model wife Coco. For a walk down memory
lane there is Erik Estrada, Betsy Palmer, Soupy Sales, Richard Hatch, John Saxon, Adam West and Burt Ward (Batman and Robin) , Julie Newmar, Peter Mayhew, Eddie Byrnes (77 Sunset Strip), Erin Gray (Buck Ro and on. Some are from your childhood others are from your parents childhoods. I can tell you that when I unexpectedly godgers), Gary Coleman, Lou Ferrigno and ont to meet the very ladylike and gracious Betsy Palmer, it was a thrill.
The bottom line is conventions are places where adults can go and play and slough off the average workday week. Have fun !!
About The Author
June Williams
VP Buzzy Multimedia Publishing
http://www.buzzymultimedia.com
June Williams has worked the convention circuit as a professional and been to scores of conventions as a fan over a period of more than 25 years.