News Branch

If you live near our store in downtown State College, be sure to stop by this summer for some crafty fun! When kids participate in Kidtivities™ at Growing Tree Toys, we provide supplies and personal attention so that each child can create an awesome project such as a plaster pet, green shopping bag, paper bag puppet, sticky mosaic and more!

To register for a Growing Tree Toys Kidtivity™, just call (814) 237-3655 or ask at our store, located on the corner of Beaver Avenue and South Allen Street in State College. The costs for any of the remaining Kidtivity™ sessions this summer run from free to 4 dollars per child! Click to view the full schedule while I highlight a few favorites!

Kids 3 years and up can get wild while creating Paper Bag Puppets next Wednesday, July 28! Kids decorate colorful paper bags with punch-out shapes and bright stickers to make fabulous animal puppets. And the best part? There’s absolutely no charge for this theatrical mid-day activity!

On Friday, July 30th, kids ages 6 and up can create their own environmentally friendly shopping bags! Every registered child will receive a 14.25” x 15.25” bag to stencil with an eco-conscious design. It’s the perfect Kidtivity™ for kids that want to show their love for the Earth and it only costs 4 dollars to register!

Don’t live local to State College? “Hosting” your own Kidtivities™ can be easy! If you have a group of children coming over, you can keep them occupied with a fun group craft that costs little to purchase, but provides an imaginative way to spend an afternoon. For example, the Paper Bag Puppets Kit from Alex features 5 paper bags, making it easy to entertain 5 children at one time – that comes out to about $2 a child! Then, have them put on a play with their puppets for even more entertainment!

Or, any of the First Sticky Mosaics are great for a younger child group activity. Each of these kits features 5 themed templates, making it a great way for 5 children to spend some time doing creative activities together, also at a cost of $2 per child if they each do one template. And the fun doesn’t stop there – we have many art kits that can easily be “split up” to provide a low cost activity for multiple children. Check out our Arts & Crafts for Kids to find your next group activity!

But, if you want to join us in store for summer fun, our Summer Kidtivities™ at Growing Tree Toys take place on certain Wednesdays and Fridays until August 4th. They fill up fast so be sure to register soon by calling (814) 237-3655 or stopping by the store! You can also, check out our Kidtivities schedule on Facebook—become a fan while you’re at it!

There’s no rest from “fests” here in State College! Fresh off of the celebration of the 4th is Arts Fest! Officially known as the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, thousands of alumni, families, and fans trek back to Happy Valley to meet up with the locals for summer fun.

Of all the crafts, foods and festivities, our favorite feature is Children’s Day! On July 7, dozens of super kids display their artistic wares, and there is plenty of activities and entertainment geared towards the young ones. As we have for many years, here at Growing Tree Toys, we welcome children of all ages to make a fun free craft. (This photo is from last year’s visor-making!) It runs from 10am to 3pm, but if you’re planning on coming, let us recommend you come early!

Check out the Arts Fest blog for neat insight on this year’s activities, and check back next week for our own recap of the fun.

So, now we take a quick trip around the country for other neat family festivals that take pride in their hometowns, as well as take advantage of the warm summer and fall weather. The following is ordered by date and we hope it makes you consider where to head for your next family trip!

Redmond Derby Days (July 9-10, 2010) – Celebrating the 70th anniversary this year, Derby Days in Redmond, Washington has the longest running bike race.
Fun for kids: Carnival, Lego Building Tent, Airbrush Face Painting, Bubble Ponds, Inflatable Fun

Gilroy Garlic Festival (July 23-25, 2010) – My personal favorite; three tasty days in the Garlic Capital of the World.
Fun for kids: Build your own Terrarium, Wax Hands crafts, Mini-Rides, Caricatures

Maine Lobster Festival (August 4-8, 2010) – I’d be happy to be a taster for their cooking contest! The Lobster Crate Race is one of the main highlights.
Fun for kids: Diaper Derby, Lobster Eating Contest, Cod Fish Carry, Costume Parade

Hanover Harvest Festival (August 7, 2010) – This Minnesota festival has a bit of everything, including a new bicycle stunt show this year.
Fun for kids: Batting Cage, Turtle Races, Helicopter Visit, Petting Zoo

Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival (August 20-21, 2010) – 45 years ago, Reynoldsburg, Ohio was recognized as the birthplace of the commercial tomato, and has been celebrating since!
Fun for kids: Western Obstacle Course, Pig Races, Corn Hole Competition, Make-Your-Own Stuffed Animals

Alaska State Fair (Aug. 26 – Sept. 6, 2010) – I’m featuring the Alaska State Fair because they feature enormous (and world record holding) fruits and vegetables! How about a 127-lb. head of cabbage?
Fun for kids: Sealife Center Exhibit (sea lions, ducks, etc.), Moose Calling Contest

Beetlefest (September 11, 2010) – Frisco, Colorado combines fun and function with a festival about the mountain pine beetle and the problems the species causes in the mountains.
Fun for kids: Bug Petting Zoo, Lumberjack Show, Smokey the Bear Appearance

Cherokee Strip Days Celebration (September 17, 2010) – This year’s festival honors the Oklahoma town with a theme of “Celebrate Enid!” and always recognizes the 1893 Land Run.
Fun for kids: Basket Making, Music, Chuck Wagon Cooking

National Storytelling Festival (October 1-3, 2010) – Now this is neat: three straight days of acclaimed storytellers under festival tents and under the stars in Jonesborough, Tennessee.
Fun for kids: Stories! Some are not appropriate for all ages; see the website.

Marble Festival (October 2-3, 2010) – Tour the marble quarry and see marble sculptors, plus celebrate 30 years of the festival in Jasper, Georgia.
Fun for kids: Trackless Train, Petting Zoo, Obstacle Course, Free Arts & Crafts

Want to see more? Check out other family travel ideas we’ve recently posted on our blog!

With 4th of July 2010 on Sunday, the nation is really celebrating with a full three- or four-day weekend of patriotic spirit!

In our home of State College, PA, the (naturally) annual 4th Fest has occurred in some form since 1927, and is considered one of the largest all-volunteer Independence Day celebrations in the country. The full day and night includes the Firecracker 4K race, Spikes minor league baseball game, performances, unique displays, and hot air balloon rides. There are even free hot dogs (donations are appreciated) and a 14-foot American Flag cake! The highlight of the night, of course, is the enormous, volunteer-run fireworks display, choreographed with music you can hear at the event or tune in to on the radio.

Taking a look at ways other areas celebrate Independence Day:

At 10am on the 4th in Aptos, California, the bands, vehicles, and others line up for the World’s Shortest Parade! Yep, you read that right. You can get ready for all that walking with a pancake breakfast preceding the procession, followed by the Party in the Park with food, drinks, music and crafts.

Located near stunning Sedona, Arizona, the Verde Canyon Railroad welcomes riders year-round for neat, scenic trips. Their “Firecracker Express” excursion celebrates the red, white and blue with a barbecue and festive music. Thanks to the moderate Arizona temperatures, for this and other trips there are open-air cars for a unique experience.

Sagamore Hill on Long Island, New York, the home to President Teddy Roosevelt, celebrates with an old-fashioned affair. Free festivities on both the 4th and 5th include tours of Roosevelt’s home, old-fashioned kids games (like a three-legged race and an egg and spoon race!), cultural walks, and reenactments.

It doesn’t have to be the 4th of July though to catch fireworks at Niagara Falls. There are fireworks shows every Friday and Sunday from mid-May to Labor Day Weekend (plus Friday-only shows for another month.) In July and August you can also catch shows on Wednesdays. In addition, the Falls are illuminated with colored lights every night – what a visual masterpiece!

In Roswell, New Mexico (where else?) the 4th adds to the fun of the Roswell UFO Festival. On top of lectures and symposiums, there are tons of free movies, laser shows, costume contests, and an Alien BBQ (the competition is for brisket, chicken, chili, etc., but there is a contest for the best “How to Cook an Alien” recipe!)

Happy Fourth of July from Growing Tree Toys!!

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!

One of the greatest things about Minor League Baseball is that cities and towns that may not be large enough for a professional team still have a chance to exhibit hometown pride! As I originally hail from San Jose, Calif., though we had pro teams nearby (and eventually our own NHL team) the always local San Jose Giants were always special to me. What better place to be in the summer than at a baseball game?

Plus, nationwide, Minor League Baseball holds as one of the more affordable, wholesome, and fun experiences for families. As cited in a story from our own hometown State College Spikes:

“A survey of the 160 Minor League Baseball clubs in the U.S. and Canada that charge admission for their games found the average cost for a family of four to take in a Minor League Baseball game this season is just $57.70.”

That includes a game ticket, food and drink, and of course the game and related entertainment! It’d probably be difficult to merely get tickets to a theme park for that low of a price.

Best of all, there are always fun promotions and money-saving opportunities to take advantage of. Here in State College, (whose season, among many, kicks off today), there are easy-to-remember deals every day of the week. To name a few, hot dogs are just $1 on Dollar Dog Mondays, “green”-themed giveaways highlight the award-winning Going Green Tuesdays, and Kids Eat Free on Thursdays! And another popular promotion all around the country: kids 12 and under can run the bases following the games on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

At State College’s Medlar Field on August 25, in the midst of their 5th anniversary celebration, the Spikes will host “What If Night.” Donned as the Spikes (primarily an homage to the number of deer we have here), they’ll look back at other names considered possibilities: Anglers, Coalys, Furnace and Haymakers. But, there are plenty of minor league teams out there with truly amusing names, like the Lansing Lugnuts, Vermont Lake Monsters, Montgomery Biscuits, and my favorite, the Casper Ghosts! (The Ghosts even wear glow-in-the-dark caps; how cool is that?!)

I wholeheartedly recommend you rediscover your local minor league baseball team, or perhaps, take a roadtrip and see the festive stadiums, local color and ballpark treats that make the games an absolute blast for the whole family.

(Photo above of a lucky kid getting an autograph from a Lansing Lugnut is from their Facebook page. Locals: check out the State College Spikes‘ site to plan your fun this summer. Wikipedia’s the source for ALL minor league teams and their websites. Finally, take a look back at our Play Ball! post from earlier this year for some top baseball toys.)

It’s a busy week at Growing Tree Toys. Why, you may ask? Because our buyers are at the ASTRA Marketplace in Providence, RI, searching out great new toys and preparing for the upcoming holiday season.

For those of you who don’t know what ASTRA is, it is the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, of which we have been a member for many years. Each year, they have a conference that offers educational sessions, as well as a “marketplace” of toy manufacturers from which we can purchase new toys, see our favorites, and get some of our orders in for the holidays.

It’s been a busy few days for us, and with one more day of the “marketplace” and one more day of sessions, we still have a lot to go! We have seen half of the exhibit floor, found some great new products, and are looking forward to what remains tomorrow. Be sure to be on the look out for all of the new additions that will be featuring on the website, some from current manufacturers and others from completely new companies that we may not have found if it wasn’t for this ASTRA show. In addition to finding new product, being able to catch up with other specialty retailers, share product information, and learn about what is popular in other stores is always interesting and fun!

While we don’t have specific toy information to share with you now, we will keep you informed of the newest toys we are getting in and the most exciting toys that we have seen at the ASTRA show. Stay tuned for updates soon! While this show is only 4 days long, we fill the days with the best in educational toys and informative sessions that make our business better. Stay tuned for more of the latest and greatest from Growing Tree Toys about ASTRA – and more!