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TOY-RELATED ARTICLES and ADVICE |
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How To Select An Appropriate Construction Toy For Your Child? 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 awardsParents 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. Author Bio Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Baby Toys
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.
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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. 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 Rodgers), Gary Coleman, Lou Ferrigno and on and on. Some are from your childhood others are from your parents childhoods. I can tell you that when I unexpectedly got 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 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.
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GeneaSearch Children's Web Magazine Educational-Toy-Guide
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Home Playground Safety Checklist
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