Archive for September, 2009

A few days ago, I asked my sister, a proud third grader, how she enjoyed her first week of school. She replied, “Math is fun, and lunch is too!” Ok, so she enjoys approximately 2 hours of her school day – then again she’s 9, so it takes the latest and greatest toys or the Disney Channel to get her excitement flowing. With each passing year, my sister’s attention span shortens, which makes the topics she focuses on that much more important (I know her frustrated teacher agrees!). The problem is that though the pizazz and panache of creative learning in elementary school curriculum today is cutting edge, it’s just not sinking in. What can we do? To help bring those scatterbrained kids we know and love around to focusing once again on schoolwork, Playmobil plans to use toys – yes, toys! – to enhance creativity and excitement in the classroom.

Playmobil has recently launched a contest for teachers of grades K through 3, currently working at an accredited elementary school in the U.S., to develop an imaginative lesson plan around a specific Playmobil product theme – and there are approximately 30 different themes from which to choose! Two of the more popular themes include the Egyptian and the Knights Collections:

The lesson plan must show, in detail, how toys from the chosen Playmobil theme can be actively incorporated into the classroom to nurture children’s imaginations in the classroom in such as way that will continue to impact children’s creativity at home as well.

I’m glad that a company with such reputable toys and a dedication to learning is sponsoring a contest that will be beneficial to so many children and will spark a new interest in creating an imaginative learning environment. I can’t wait to pass this news along to my sister’s school – after all, you can’t win if you don’t enter!

The contest deadline is November 15, 2009 by 11:59 p.m. Winners will be announced at www.playmobilusa.com in January 2010. Twenty-two prizes will be awarded as cash grants and Playmobil products for the winning teachers.

For more information and detailed contest guidelines, please visit: http://download.playmobil.com/public/eCS/Store/us/infos/PLAYMOBIL_Grant_Program_2009.pdf

Here at Growing Tree Toys, we are announcing our arrival to the toy blogging scene and – though we may be a little late – we’re making a fashionable entrance! Why so late, you ask? Though we’re a small specialty toy company, we wanted our blossoming blog to showcase our mighty desire to provide our customers, toy enthusiasts, and parents with quality toy driven content that is both informative and entertaining. Our goal is to craft an interactive environment where your questions and concerns can be heard and answered – we’re here to serve your needs!

We strive to put a face on our company and give you a better understanding of who we are by providing inside perspectives from those who know our company best – its founding family and its dedicated employees. We’re here to share our toy experience as parents, siblings, grandparents, and long time toy lovers to help parents and friends choose the highest quality toys for their favorite young ones, or even the occasional reminiscent toy from the “good old days” for the young at heart.

Most importantly – we love to have fun! From playing baseball in our warehouse parking lot to demonstrating toys for our customers, we’re a bunch of professional goofs. But, when it comes to making your experience with us a positive one, you have our full attention and our expertise at your fingertips. After all, we’re in this line of work because we care about what you care about when it comes to choosing the right educational toys for your kids.