Archive for June, 2010

Destinations

Are you planning a family vacation to a place that isn’t completely kid-centric? Great idea!

Families so often end up at a theme park or a children’s museum (which are great). But kids are also capable of enjoying trips to places that are fun for adults. There are many authentic experiences to be had in the wilderness or in a thriving city—away from hoards of crying toddlers and balloon men. Why not go somewhere that you (the person actually in need of a vacation) will enjoy?

Keeping kids engaged without costumed mascots and thrill rides is easier than you think. Ask them to be travel photographers, capturing the details of the trip that are important to them. When you see their photos, you could be surprised by the wonderful things you overlooked.

The Tools

To make this feel like a mission, the camera needs to feel special. Special does not translate to expensive. Before the trip, present kids with a film (but not a disposable film) camera. Why film and not digital?

Aside from the difference in cost there is more anticipation. Film keeps kids wondering, “What will my pictures look like?” And because kids only get 24 frames per roll of film (instead of hundreds with a digital camera), they’ll take more time framing each shot.

There are some very cool and inexpensive cameras for kids ranging from 11 to 20 dollars over at Light in the Box. The Lomo 3 Lens Robot Film Action Camera and the Lomo Twin Stars 2 Lens Outdoor Film Camera are affordable and unique choices. Even if your kids don’t figure out how to photograph things all that well, these two cameras will take fascinating pictures. They capture multiple, consecutive images on the same print so that the result is a kind of very quick narrative from split second to split second. And both cameras are so cute looking!

Giving Instructions

Give your kids a crash course in photography. Try to develop the first day’s film and review it on the first night. Pointing out places where the lighting could be better or the subject closer. Cover the following guidelines before you begin. You can even pull out examples from your family photo collection.

• Fill the frame with the subject and keep the picture uncluttered
• Don’t get too close to the subject, or it will be out of focus
• Make sure that the subject is well lit. Keep the light source behind the photographer and the camera, so that it illuminates the object without washing out the photograph
• Look for interesting colors, textures and shapes
• Don’t take pictures out of moving car windows! (Okay, well maybe just once)

If the kids seem to lack focus or get bored as photographers, give them a daily theme. For example, “today I want you to look for round things that you like.” Other themes might include photographing old things, new things, red things or blue things.

And here is one last tip from National Geographic: take a couple of pictures with the kids’ cameras, yourself. If the film comes back a disappointment, the kids will have a few good photos to enjoy.

At Home

Get those pictures developed immediately! (If you’re like me and you put it off, they’ll never get developed). Soon after the trip, sit down as a family and look at all the memories. Let each child pick out their best work to frame or use in a craft.

To see how cool kids’ photography can be, check out this news story about 3-year-old photographer, Ruby Ellenby.

Enjoy the summer and each other! (Photographs from Cookie Magazine, Bankstreet Children’s Library, Light in the Box and Lomography dot com)

I’ll go out on a limb and say not many universities have a creamery on their campuses. We have just that here at Penn State, and even with Beaver Stadium and other features, the Berkey Creamery may be the number one attraction here!

The Creamery is busy year round, with not only ice cream for sale but other PSU-produced dairy products, grocery items and prepared foods. In the summer, visitors from near and far, and of course a whole lot of kids, come to enjoy a cone of Peachy Paterno, Death by Chocolate, or Happy Happy Joy Joy. New flavors show up (and sell out!) all the time. (Not here? You can take a virtual tour or even have their ice cream shipped to you!)

More than a place for tasty treats, the Berkey Creamery also does the entire process of making ice cream and other dairy products, literally “from the cow to the cone.” Check out a neat video that highlights the process!

Now, maybe you have a budding ice cream innovator at home! Until they are ready for Penn State’s Ice Cream Short Course, they can check out the Ice Cream Science Kit by Scientific Explorer! Made in quite a unique vessel, a t-shirt, your kids will learn how milk, sugar, salt and energy become tasty ice cream.

The sheer irony here is that, well, I am very lactose intolerant. Fortunately, I can enjoy frozen yogurt in moderation. Thank you to Melissa & Doug, however, who carries a 100% lactose free Ice Cream Set I can enjoy.

Like all of Melissa & Doug’s play food sets, their Ice Cream Set features fun, realistic wooden pieces. The ice cream scoops and scoopers are even magnetic, so you can stack your cone with as many scoops as you want.

Wherever you may be, relax, and enjoy a frozen treat (or three) this summer! (Photo above of ice cream production at the Penn State Creamery is from their Facebook page.)

My favorite toy at Growing Tree Toys is the Casa Cabana House, a plain-white cardboard playhouse. It’s a space that kids can use in any way they choose. It can be painted or wallpapered like a dream house. You could glue toys, jewels, fur and feathers all over it to complete a more abstract vision of home. No matter how kids chose to decorate and redecorate the Casa Cabana, the pretend play possibilities are endless and that’s why I love it as a playhouse and plaything.

I’ve been running around the internet, looking for more cardboard playhouses to love. I found three.

The Villa Julia

Spanish artist and designer, Javier Mariscal, created the Villa Julia in 2009. It’s special because it doesn’t look like the familiar four walls and peaked roof that frequently communicate, “this thing is a house” to a child. It’s modern, with long windows gathered to one side and a graceful slanted roof. It’s homey too. There’s a chimney, implying an imaginary fireplace and a spigot for gardening and outdoor chores. I think of it as a cartoon bungalow.

It’s a playhouse with style and charm. Unfortunately if you want your own Villa Julia to play with (I really, really do) then you’ll have to pay around three hundred and fifty dollars. How would I justify paying hundreds of dollars for what is essentially cardboard? I think like this, “It’s like buying a first edition print of artwork I like.”

Cardboard Cubby House

This playhouse is a little bit insane. The Cardboard Cubby House is a prototype created by Marcus Trimble and Erin Field of architecture firm, Super Colossal for the Sydney Design and Decoration trade show in 2008. It consists of 7 interlocking tubes that are open at the top to allow in light. Although this one is gigantic, Super Colossal has talked about creating a smaller, flat packed version that could fit in the trunk of a car.

So far, no version is for sale, but Super Colossal has a plan you can follow to build your own on their website. The Cardboard Cubby House is meant to be a temporary outdoor playhouse that biodegrades after a rainfall. With such a short lifespan, the Cardboard Cubby House becomes a special experience for kids.

Cardboard Apartment (Casa De Carton)

This one isn’t really a playhouse for kids. It’s an art installation by Chilean artist Luise Valdes (a.k.a. Don Lucho) made completely from cardboard, paper, white paint and marker. Unlike my other favorite playhouses, this one doesn’t focus on exterior architectural elements. It’s all about the interior details like cardboard sneakers, a toilet, kitchen utensils and hundreds of little details that make the apartment seem full.

The general disorder—from the cardboard underwear strewn about the bedroom, to the skateboard deck against the wall—the paper apartment hints at who its inhabitant might be. There’s even a cardboard car that Valdes crashed into a signpost outside the gallery.

This has been a Growing Tree Toys Amazing Toys Post. For more amazing playhouses, I recommend a playhouse blog called, A Place Imagined.

It’s been a week since the conclusion of the ASTRA Marketplace in Providence, RI, and while all the ordering is done, there is still much to do!

Here’s the good news though – old and new favorites are trickling into our warehouse, which means we will have plenty of new product appearing on the website over the next few months. While these new toys are not yet featured on the site, I wanted to give you a “sneak peek” of what to expect.

First, we are happy to add a new baby brand that is as eco-friendly as it is cute! Dandelion provides a wonderful assortment of baby products, with great green elements like organic cotton and bamboo, and with all products featuring recycled packaging. We will be carrying their cute plush, some teethers, blankies, and adorable products from their pink line – while the product is all “green” in the eco-sense, it can still have kid-friendly colors, right? So, look for the dandy company Dandelion in August!

Let’s shift gears and look at games – especially the MENSA winning games! Each year, MENSA bestows awards upon 5 children’s games after playing some of the industry’s best. And, we have 4 of the 5 winning games coming in for you to play! First, are games from new companies for us – the Anomia Card Game from Anomia Press and the Yikerz Game from Wiggles 3D Incorporated. While Yikerz is all about placement and patience, with magnetic stones that can’t help but attract, Anomia is the quick word-play card game that will have your mind scrambling! While both are a little mind-bending, both are super-fun too!

We also feature 2 new games from manufacturers we have carried for some time – the Dizios Game from Mindware and Forbidden Island from Gamewright. Dizios is all visual as players try to match up color tiles to align edges for points, while Forbidden Island is all strategy as players try to collect treasures before their island sinks! Best of all, all of these games are great family games – perfect for family game nights!

And while I could go on and on with great new product, like the new introductions from Creativity for Kids or the amazing new French line Djeco from Hotaling (the people who brought us Papo) or the latest styles of Uglydolls; instead, I will leave you with one last new item to anticipate. Fun and Function is a great company that focuses on special needs toys, and we are excited to bring in their Saddle Scooter! This wonderful little ride-on toy is made from high density foam and is great for building motor skills while scooting about – and kids will love it!

Stay tuned for all the newest toys and games to be added to our site over the next few months. Be sure to visit the “New Arrivals” category on our site often to make sure you don’t miss these and other great toys!

I’ll start this post off right: if you are planning a roadtrip and want some truly unique spots to stop at on the way, you must check out Roadside Architecture! It is an impeccable collection of photos and information of just about everything that’s worth a stop off the highway. For example, the Giant Animals section goes further into Insects, Cattle and Sea Creatures, just to name a few! The site is a must see, and has provided much of the inspiration for this post.

If I think about giant, roadside attractions that kids would love to witness, the absolute first thing that comes to mind is the giant baseball bat outside the Louisville Slugger Museum. It’s even called, simply, “Big Bat.” Tour the recently renovated museum and tour the factory! If you’re planning a trip there, follow them on Facebook for special deals and information. (This photo is from their Facebook page, and is copyright Hillerich & Bradsby Co.)

Another highly iconic huge object you can’t miss is the Longaberger Basket in Newark, Ohio! The seven-story basket is actually the home office for the Longaberger Company. It’s an exact replica of the Medium Market Basket, just 160 times larger. In nearby Frazeysburg, you can find the world’s largest apple basket at the Longaberger Homestead! Make your own basket (see options, including a discount for children) and visit the Homestead Restaurant and Factory Store.

For more festive fun, you can experience the liveliness and colors of Carnival year round at Mardi Gras World! Naturally in New Orleans, you can see all the work done by Blaine Kern Studios. Watch the artists create floats and sculptures for the annual Mardi Gras parade and other events around the country. Tours are offered seven days per week (except for select holidays) from 9:30am to 5:00pm.

I don’t think any discussion about roadside attractions can go without mentioning Wall Drug! “America’s Favorite Roadside Attraction,” is 76,000 square feet of free, family fun! It’s full of photo opportunities, like the roaring T-Rex and Mt. Rushmore. And as always advertised, Wall Drug’s still the place to stop for a root beer and free ice water!

Put those digital cameras to good use this summer! Visit our blog for more fun, new family travel ideas.

(The Longaberger Basket is one of many awesome photos in photo.architect’s Flickr stream. Wall Drug photos are from their website. Photo of Mardi Gras sculpture is from the Mardi Gras World Facebook page.)

I have always enjoyed the Outdoor Toys department here at Growing Tree Toys, and whenever there is a new twist on a toy you throw I must try it for myself. Last year I was hooked on the Djubi, and this year when I saw the Zartz Darts – I knew I had to try it.

To play you need two players – and each player places one of the hand targets on their hand. Then you can throw the darts back and forth and try to catch the Zartz Dart on your target.

First of all, let’s start with the Zartz Dart.

The Zartz Dart is made of what I would say is a sturdy foam material – perfectly safe for children who may not catch the Zartz Dart and have it hit them on the arm, leg or even head! And while it is foam, it is also very sturdy, as our dog stole the Zartz Dart while we were playing and the dart showed not signs of damage! The dart is also great because it is weighted on one end, so no matter how you throw it, the dart lands with the suction end facing down – just like you need it to make a great catch!

Now as for catching, you use the two included target paddles. There is an elastic band on each paddle and you wear it just like a baseball glove. The great part about the target paddles is that all you need to do is get your paddle in front of the dart and it sticks – it is that easy! This makes the game really easy for kids of various ages and skill levels. We played this game with an 8 year old boy and 4 year old girl. The 8 year old loved it because it was catching (he is really into baseball), but with a different twist that made it unique. And while the toy is recommended for ages 6 years and older, the 4 year old could not let her brother have all the fun – so she wanted to give it a try. What was nice is that with a little parental supervision she could stick her hand out and make a catch – just like her older brother! And of course, as adults we had a good time launching the Zartz Dart to one another. I must say, it is amazing how well it sticks to the paddles – very rewarding for young children learning to catch – they feel like a pro! Heck, even I felt good about myself!

In addition to catch, the Zartz Dart has one more cool feature – it sticks to almost anything – especially windows and doors. So for some extra fun, we threw the Zartz Dart at our door to see who could get it closest to the center, the top of the door or whatever someone thought of next. Of course, anytime you get to throw something at a door – it is a good time for all! So as you can imagine, with the ability to stick to anything it is easy for children to create different games and activities with the Zartz Dart. Although kids, please ask your parents before you throw at any doors!

The Zartz Fun Pack comes with one “Zartz Dart”, two paddles and a carrying case – and for the price, you really can’t be it! So I highly recommend the Zartz Dart game for children and adults!