Manufacturers Making News

Are you, or is someone close to you a teacher of grades kindergarten through 3rd grade? Then you should check out the awesome Playmobil Teachers Grant Program!

For over 25 years, Playmobil Toys have inspired children to play with fun and recognizable examples of real life like Police and City and the newer School, as well as fantasy themes such as Ghost Pirates. This grant program challenges teachers to develop lesson plans based on any of Playmobil’s themes. All lesson plans will be judged by the following criteria:

• Inspires creativity
• Educational content
• Originality
• Ease of implementation

Winning teachers will help their schools and students “win” too with Playmobil awarding $1,400 in grants and $3,175 (retail value) of their fun toys.

The deadline to create a Playmobil-based lesson plan and apply for a grant is February 28, 2011. We hope this program inspires not just teachers, but everyone to explore new ways to play with Playmobil toys!

Manufacturer of the coolest wooden cars around, Automoblox had some exciting news to share recently:

Automoblox announces their sponsorship of Highcroft Racing. The Automoblox logo will be featured on the rear of the #1 HPD ARX-01c chassis that Highcroft will campaign in this year’s American Le Mans Series.
(via Facebook)

How cool is that? It even goes a step further as kids (and we bet, a lot of BIG “kids”) can have a Highcroft-branded Automoblox of their own. The wooden replica will even have its own trailer.

Watch for these newest additions to the Automoblox family in April! You can get more of the latest news from Automoblox via their Facebook page. (Check us out as well on Facebook or @growingtreetoys!)

What can I say – sorry for the delay on the highlights of the 2010 Toy Fair! Sometimes – who am I kidding, ALL the time – sifting through the notes, catalogs, handouts, and the other material we get at Toy Fair is a laborious, time-consuming process.

But, we are definitely not complaining over here because it is always fun to review the new products, feel the excitement of finding a brand new manufacturer, share notes on the fun toys with which we played, and start filling our warehouse and store with the latest and greatest of the toy world. And while the 4 days felt like a whirlwind of toys, toys and more toys, we have had some time to review, and to relax, and we are happy to clue you in on some of the things we saw and loved!

We always feel like we are lacking in great outdoor toys for kids – while we have a lot, we think we should have more! That is why we are overly excited to finally be bringing Zing into our product mix. Talk about a great line of thrilling toys for kids of all ages – I caught Jon enthusiastically playing with more than one of the toys in their booth (don’t deny it Jon!). From the coolest flying toys to the smallest hopping action toys, Zing has a bit of indoor and outdoor fun for everyone.

But, for those that want to exercise their brains instead, the introduction of Recent Toys was a mind-bending pleasure indeed! We are excited to add this new game manufacturer, and the hand-held brainteasers of this company will not only captivate children (and adults!), but they will surely offer hours of challenging game play.

And let’s not forget what some of our current manufacturers debuted at Toy Fair, like the exciting new Wild Science line from International Playthings, the absolutely adorable Groovy Girl dress up clothes and Fraggle Rock dolls from Manhattan Toy, new Le Toy Van/Papo castles for both knights and their evil counterparts, the reintroduction of the retro Bed Bugs game from Patch (one of my childhood favorites!), the sweet selection of soft toys from Kids Preferred, the astounding assortment of new products from Alex Toys, and the list just goes on and on!

While we always pick out new toys year-round, this time of year is always full of exciting decisions that allow me to tap into my inner child and get SUPER-enthusiastic about the toys we plan on carrying. Whether they unearth some of my favorite childhood memories – like travelling down to Fraggle Rock or pulling my Fisher-Price xylophone – or they allow me to picture little girls dressed up as their favorite Groovy Girl, I love imagining the hours of fun and play these toys bring to children, as well as the “child-at-heart” in all of us.

Well, time to get back to work and get some of these new toys in here for you to enjoy! While some of these products will make their “debut” in our store and on the website soon, sadly some will still be months away. Either way, we will be sure to let you know when they arrive!

Bed Bugs Game Image Source:
Board Game Geek. http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/35248/bed-bugs?size=large

Are you ready to shop for fun, exciting toys for children? Are you tired of searching the big box stores, trying to find the hottest toys that are part of the latest craze? Worried that once these toys are bought that they may end up at the bottom of the toy box six months from now?

Growing Tree Toys can help! We are happy to announce our list of the Top Specialty Toys for the 2009 Holiday Season – a list full of fun, educational toys that are sure to remain a hit with kids long after the excitement of the holidays is over. Shopping for toys during the holidays can be a very daunting task, which is why we have taken some of the “guess work” out of toy shopping with this top toy list. Plus, even if you stray from the list and purchase one of the other thousands of toys on the website, www.growingtreetoys.com, you can feel confident that you are getting a quality toy that children will love!

With almost 30 years of experience selecting and selling toys, Growing Tree Toys knows what goes into quality playthings and is quite skilled at choosing fun, educational toys for kids. While children may be engrossed in the latest trends or hottest toy craze, adults can feel confident that a toy purchased from Growing Tree Toys will lead to inspired, imaginative play, providing a top-quality product at a fair price with amazing play value for children.

Although we feel all of our products are “top toys” and will make any child happy, these toys are some of the favorites for the 2009 holiday season. Growing Tree Toys has hand-selected these products, as well as all their products, in order to ensure the highest of quality and the best of educational fun for children both young and old! The Growing Tree Toys 2009 Top Toy List features:

Infant

1. Sophie the Giraffe – An all natural, rubber teething toy for young ones. While this toy has been around for decades in Europe, Sophie is new to us this year!
2. Gentle Giraffe Toy – This sweet plush giraffe is the perfect way to calm a fussy baby and send her off to a restful sleep.
3. GBaby Blocks Set – A reintroduction of a gone too-soon favorite! These large size magnetic blocks, available in multiple sizes and styles, are a great “building” toy for young ones.

Toddler

1. Educo Wooden Alphabet Abacus – It’s never too early to learn the ABC’s and 123’s, and this sturdy, colorful abacus is a great introduction to the classic learning activity.
2. Color Roller Toy – This primary-colored version of the push toy makes a colorful design as kids walk along. Some classics always stick around!
3. Tidoo Lutin Bright Baby Doll – This sweet baby doll is not only colorful and cuddly, but she can hop into the bath with toddlers too.

Preschooler/Young School Age Children

1. Playmobil Pyramid – Hidden treasures, mummies, mysteries … this exciting Pyramid play set has everything inquisitive and imaginative minds could want!
2. Chimp and Zee Silly Socks Game – While adults think laundry is a chore, kids will love diving into laundry with this cute matching game for preschoolers.
3. Calico Critters Cozy Cottage – Calico Critters are just so darn cute, they need a cute, complete cottage in which to live too!
4. Dodge Tag Game – Kids love to play dodge ball in gym class, and now they can bring the fun home with this cool adaption of the favorite game.
5. 3-in-1 Indoor Sports Set – Whether kids love soccer, hockey, or knee hockey, this all-in-one, indoor sports set will score big!
6. Twinkle Tiara Sticky Mosaics Kit – Kids can be queen for a day and share their cute crowns with friends with this crafty, creative sticky art kit!
7. Automoblox – Whether kids like sports cars or SUV’s, these wooden car sets are great for building unique cars and revving up the imaginative engines.
8. EzyRoller Ride On Toy – Ride on toys are nothing new, but the sleek look and design of the EzyRoller will have kids out on the pavement – pronto!

Older School Age Children

1. Dangerous Book for Boys Chemistry Science Kit – Explore an exciting side of chemistry with this cool science kit based on the popular book.
2. 6 in 1 Educational Solar Kit – Learning about alternative energy has never been so much fun, thanks to this cool kit that will have kids building models and exploring solar energy!
3. Uglydolls – These dolls are so cute, they’re ugly! Uglydolls are the cool collectible dolls with fun colors and designs that will have kids loving their “ugliness!”
4. Friends 4Ever Bracelet Kit – A craft kit that celebrates friendship, kids will love to make colorful bracelets to wear and share with friends.
5. Yamslam Game – This game is a slam dunk with kids! With some strategy and a little luck, kids can be victorious in this game of chips – but they won’t care who wins because they will be having too much fun!
6. Crosswise Game – From the makers of the award-winning Qwirkle, this game challenges kids to think strategically as they try to score 3-in-a-row, all without earning points for their opponents! Fun for the whole family!

So, whether you are looking for girls or boys, young or old, Growing Tree Toys has the perfect toy for any child on your list. Be sure to check out www.growingtreetoys.com for the latest and greatest toys this holiday season! Happy shopping!

“Designed to help parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children, the Parents’ Choice Awards is the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s media.” This program honors quality material for children in categories such as, our favorite, toys! But, who are these wonderful toy testers you ask? Parents’ Choice Award panel members include educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents, and kids themselves!

Let’s introduce the rest of the winner! Drum roll please … the winners are:

4 years

A new twist on an old favorite, the S’Match Matching Game from ThinkFun challenges players to match cards by color, number or category. But wait, how you match is determined by the game spinner, adding a twist to what players need to remember!

8 years

The Friends 4 Ever Bracelet Kit from Alex Toys allows kids to show the world that they are so important to each other that they share and wear their imaginative bracelet masterpieces everywhere they go! This fabulous friendship kit includes 4 color-coded foam looms, which allow kids to make 2 distinct bracelet styles in 8 funky patterns; 22 colors of floss; funky beads for adding special accents; and a beading needle – my oh my!

A fun-filled cross between poker and Yahtzee, the Yamslam Game from Blue Orange Games promotes calculated risk and smart strategy. In this game, it’s all about the luck of the dice roll because players score points based on what combinations (or attempted combinations) they roll. Score high and score often to claim victory! For 1 to 4 players.

Learning to knit has never been so fashionable or so fun! The Knitwear Designer Kit from Alex Toys is the fun and fashionable kit that lets kids test their fashion know-how on the friendly Molly Dolly by creating her a wonderful wardrobe. This all inclusive kit features everything young ones need to knit away – wooden knitting needles, sewing needles and easy-to-follow, full-color instructions that show kids how to make 12 fashions for their favorite friend, including a coat, skirt, dress, scarf, leg warmers, and more! Plus, kids can add buttons and ribbon, but most importantly – they can add their personal flair!

Now, instead of admiring the raw power of rushing water from a distance, the Hydropower Science Kit from Thames & Kosmos lets kids explore the intricacies of water power on their own! Perfect for the child interested in the environment and renewable energy, the Hydropower Science Kit provides all of the supplies to build a waterwheel, a sawmill, and a hammer mill – all of which harness the energy of moving water for various types of physical work.

All Ages

Ugly is the new pretty! With a one-of-a-kind appeal and an adorable look, Uglydolls show kids of all ages that you can’t fake ugly. Check out the four new members of the Uglydoll community whose award-winning finesse that both kids and adults will love.

Mr. Kasoogi	Mrs. Kasoogi

Uppy	Black and White Turny Burny

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see which of our toys will win next year!

Source Citations:
“Parents’ Choice Awards.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/aboutawards.cfm
“Toys.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://parents-choice.org/award.cfm?thePage=toys&p_code=p_toy

“Designed to help parents and caregivers of all achievements and backgrounds make informed decisions about which new products are right for their children, the Parents’ Choice Awards is the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s media.” This program honors quality material for children in categories such as our favorite – toys! But, who are these wonderful toy testers you ask? Parents’ Choice Award panel members include educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents, and kids themselves!

When the awards were handed out, Growing Tree Toys was proud to discover that 12 of our popular toys were among the honorees this year! Drum roll please … the winners by age are:

9 months

Nothing makes a splash at bath time like the Fill n Flow Spout Bath Toy from Yookidoo Toys – the automatic play spout that no baby can resist! Let the imaginative water run wild with this flowing spout as baby turns a propeller, creates a shower, and plays “peek-a-boo” with a floating friend without wasting a drop of water. Just like a real spout, the control of this Fill n Flow Spout Bath Toy is controlled with the push of a button.

1 year

A magical island of water fun in baby’s bath time, the Stack n Stream Tub Fountain Bath Toy from Yookidoo Toys is the water-jet powered tub tower that is full of surprises! While is tub toy attaches to the tub bottom, drawing water through the center of the stack, kids can choose any of the 4 interchangeable fountain heads to make a completely unique spray. And, when fountain play is finished, the fountain head attachments can be used as individual floating bath toys!

3 years

Lost socks beware because with the Chimp and Zee Silly Socks Game from Pressman Toy, every sock will have a pair! A matching game like never before, kids will love reaching into the dryer and pulling out silly socks in hopes of finding a match. Washing clothes may be a chore, but folding socks just got a lot more interesting!

Let’s go fishing! The Pretend and Play Fishing Set from Learning Resources Toys has all the supplies kids need to bait and catch friendly fish just like grown ups! Featuring a magnetic fishing rod, 3 magnetic worms, and 3 magnetic fish, this Pretend and Play Fishing Set is sure to attract kids to the pond. This set also includes fish net, an adjustable fishing vest made of plastic, nylon and canvas, and a plastic storage tackle box.

Who better to teach young ones to match colors than their terrific turtle friends? The Turtle Shells Matching Game begins when players create their own color combinations of turtles and the interchangeable shells (there is no correct color combination). One player rolls the colored dice, and if the colors rolled match one of the turtle figurines and his shell, that player gets to look at a memory card. If the memory card also matches the turtle, the player “wins” the card. For 2 to 4 players.

There’s never a dull moment with the KidKraft Activity Center with 3 Stools because there are two cool ways for 3 young ones to play the day away! With everything kids need for an artistic day of play – 3 wooden matching stools, a center triangle-shaped storage bin, and a convenient 2-sided play surface (a smooth surface and a Lego compatible surface) – this Activity Center with 3 Stools will bring playtime off of the floor and into a whole new world!

A necessity for any little carpenter, the Educo Master Carpenter Workbench has all the tools needed to fix anything around the house! When there’s work to be done, this workbench gives young ones the tools to succeed. With a counter that is the perfect size for kids to work, this Master Carpenter Workbench features holes for screwing, hammering and pulling non-stick nails, screws, nuts and bolts. Get building!

With the Sprig Captain Owen Wild Water Explorer Toy from Sprig Toys, kids can pretend to explore the rampaging river using their own, limitless supply of energy and imagination! The Sprig Captain Owen Wild Water Explorer Toy is the rugged, water proof adventure boat that is ready to cut through choppy waters and unexplored territory to uncover a new adventure!

With so many award-winning toys to share, one post just isn’t enough! Check back soon for the 2009 Parents’ Choice Awards Part 2!

Source Citations:
“Parents’ Choice Awards.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/aboutawards.cfm
“Toys.” Parents-choice.org. November 2, 2009. http://www.parents-choice.org/award.cfm?thePage=toys&p_code=p_toy