Tomorrow, May 21, is National Bike to Work Day.  It’s time to get the dust off those spokes and get your legs working again.  How many people remember their first experience ever riding a bike? The fear, anticipation, happiness, nervousness….  so many emotions go into that first pedal!  The greatest feeling of all, one that will never be forgotten, is the feeling of joy after successfully gliding, pedaling, and actually riding a bike.  That’s what all the hard-work and preparation is for…  and it’s definitely worth it!

There are numerous products on the market today designed to help a child learn how to ride a bike.  They have handles that clip on to the back of the bike seat so the parents can hold on and stabilize the bike for their child.  There are also the classic training wheels.  So many products out there to stabilize the bike for the child that the child, in essence, doesn’t learn how to balance on their own until their faced with the challenge of doing so after the handle comes off or the training wheels come off.  That experience alone seems more frightening than exciting! However, there’s one product on the market that helps the child learn how to balance without the fear and anxiety of having to learn how to balance while learning how to pedal.  Granted, there are many different varieties but the concept remains the same: teach the child how to balance and add the pedals later.  Balance Bikes took off in popularity in Europe and have slowly moved westward.  GTB stocks both wooden and medal Balance Bikes by companies such as Skuut and Kettler. 

Skuut is a wooden balance bike for children ages 2 to 5 years.  It has no pedals and no training wheels.  Children kick off the ground as if running, thus pushing or skuuting themselves and the bike forward.  The Skuut is perfect for learning balance, steering, coordination and independence.  Having mastered balance on the Skuut, the transition to a traditional two wheeler bike is easy.

The concept of the balance bike is so simple yet rarely practiced, until now.  What a genius thought though, take away the chore of pedaling until the child learns how to balance and then add it back in when they’re confidence is sky-high!  Brilliant!  Not only does this concept help the child develop their balance, but they build up their self-confidence and have no fear when it comes to tackling new challenges.

It may sound like a stretch, but that confidence doesn’t just stop at balancing and riding a bike.  If a child feels more confident in themselves, they’ll take more chances and ultimately have a great life experience.  That’s all a parent could really ask for on top of having a healthy child… you want a happy child… plain and simple.

In a recent news article titled “CPSC Warns of Baby Sling Dangers,” CBS reports that the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning that baby slings may pose a risk of suffocation to children.  Don Mays, of Consumer Reports, stated that potential hazards arise because, “A very young infant’s head will be folded forward.  That cuts off the airway, and they essentially suffocate.  Another problem could be if the baby’s head could be nestled up against the carrier’s body.”  Not only could this be contributed to “wearer-error” but also to a sling that is poorly made.  Not all slings are created equal and we must keep that in mind during times like these.  The article goes on to state that many of the babies who died while in slings were “either a low birth weight twin, were born prematurely, or had breathing issues such as a cold.”  This could all stem from not being properly educated on how to use a sling and how to properly carry your baby in one.  As stated before, not all slings are created equal – ERGO Baby Carriers, for example, are excellent for newborns, preemies and the like.  They offer an Infant Insert that “is specially padded and shaped, and can be quickly and easily placed in the carrier and readjusted or folded to pad just the right places for your infant. Your infant is then cradled in a cozy, protected environment.”  This insert was created with an infant in mind and made to support their growing body.  ERGO understands that infants do not yet have the neck strength and this insert provides them with much needed support.  Referring back to the article, Mr. Mays goes on to say, “Don’t use slings at all… There are safer ways of carrying your baby than in a sling.”  This statement is not only striking but it also raises questions about the history of slings and why they are all of a sudden so dangerous. 

Babywearing has been practiced for centuries in countries around the world.  It made its way into western culture in the 1960s and its popularity has only increased since then because of the many benefits it provides.  The increase in popularity leads manufacturers to create slings that are potentially unsafe, such as the “bag-style” sling.  The “bag-style” slings have a deep pouch where the baby is put in a C-like position, which can cause a child to suffocate.  What adds to the hazard is the excessive fabric and elasticized edge that ends up covering a baby’s face and ultimately inhibits their breathing.  As for the types of slings that Geppetto’s Toy Box carries – we carry only what we feel is the best.  The types of slings we carry – and are considered safe- are ring slings, wraps, Mei Tai’s, and the ERGO Baby Carriers.  We also offer seminars to help parents on their quest to educate themselves about carrying their baby.  With all the negativity surrounding the subject, there are so many positives to babywearing that are getting overlooked.

There are many benefits of carrying your baby in a sling or carrier:

• It helps strengthen the bond between parent and child through physical contact.
• Infants that are carried tend to be calmer – their caregiver can be seen, heard, felt.  It also establishes their sense of balance and helps tone their growing muscles.
• Infants are more “organized” – Parental rhythms, such as how they walk, their heartbeat, and overall movement, have balancing and soothing effects on infants.
• Helps children establish their independence earlier
• Baby carriers/slings help increase the number of hours a day an infant is held – babies who are held more often tend to be calmer and more at ease.

The list could go on and on.  A huge benefit for the child is that they are developing social skills as they are being carried because they are interacting with everyone, not just children.  They are developing their language skills and constantly observing how their parent or caregiver is interacting with other people.  The vast benefits of babywearing should not be disregarded with the report of incidents from “bag-style” slings.  The CPSC warnings only prove the growing popularity of baby slings/carriers and the immediate need for education in order to avoid more accidents and injuries. 

Please join Geppetto’s Toy Box in supporting babywearing and educate yourself on the benefits and the proper ways to wear slings and carriers.  In order to avoid harming a child, we all need to take responsibility and educate ourselves about how to properly use a sling or carrier before putting our children in one.

The month of March is full of riddles and teasers at GTB! Get ready to Shamrock and Roll your way to savings. Answer the leprechaun’s riddle correctly at the time of purchase and roll the dice to save some gold. The number you roll determine’s the precent discount off your entire purchase!

There’s different types of riddles and we have a good assortment of them on hand to test your skills.  There’s two types of riddles: enigma’s and conundrum’s.  Enigma’s are riddles that are presented as either a metaphor or allegorical language.  These one’s require careful thinking and ingenuity.  Conundrums are riddles that rely on the questions effects on punning the answer or question itself.

Families that participate in brain teasers and riddles exercise their brains and can increase their overall thinking potential.  Just think of them as aerobics for your brain!  You exercise your body to stay physically in shape, so why shouldn’t you exercise your brain to stay mentally fit?

To help, be sure to stop by our monthly game nights – the second Friday of every month.  We always have staff on hand to teach and play the games with you!

About Grimm’s

If you know the owner of Geppetto’s Toy Box, you know that he absolutely LOVES games!!  Not only can he pick out the perfect game for a gift, but he has his own list of personal favorites that he just so happened to share with me.  From the toy-man himself, here’s a list of his own personal favorites:

1.  Pentago

Pentago is a fast and fun strategy game that is both simple and sophisticated.  The object of the game is to create a row of five marbles anywhere on the board.  The mind twisting part is that you’ll twist on of the four game blocks as part of your move.  This causes the game to dynamically change, making for a fun and challenging game experience, both for beginners and masters alike!

Ages 8+
For 2 players

2.  Froggy Boogie

The Fun Memory Race Around the Pond!  It’s naptime at the pond but the baby frogs still want to play.  Baby frogs try to be the first to hop around the pond without being seen by the adult frogs.  Players guess or remember which adult frog popping eyes will freeze the baby frogs in their race.  This fun memory game is a delight for the entire family!

Ages 4+
For 2 to 6 Players

3.  Element

Element is an abstract and educational strategy game where a great sorcerer king and queen do battle with the elements.  In an age long before ours, when dark things still roamed the earth, people would look to those whom the very elements of nature would obey, the Elemental Sorcer Kings and Queens, to protect them.  In order to hone their skills to the greatest degree, these Sorcerers would often meet in a tournament of duels, calling upon the powers of Fire, Wind, Earth and Water to capture their opponent.  The victors would earn the right and the duty to protect the lands from where they came.  The field of battle is readied as two opponents stand face to face.  The die is cast, power is unleashed, and destiny awaits!

Ages 9+
For 2 players

4.  Zingo

Zingo is a simple Bingo-style game, with a fancy plastic tile dispenser that kids just LOVE!  Everyone who knows Zingo loves it, kids and parents alike.  To play, players try to fill their Zingo! cards with matching tiles from the Zingo Zinger.  The first player to fill his/her card wins! Rules can be adjusted to favor more or less competition among players, and to vary length of time that each game takes to play.

Ages 4 to 8
Multi Player

5.  Ligretto

Ligretto is a fast moving card game where you must get rid of your Ligretto stacks as quick as you can to be the winner.  You must have fast hands and quick thinking, as the need for speed is key in this color stacking card game!  All players play at the same time, so there’s no time to lose!  Add different colored decks together for a lightning fast game for up to 12 players.

Ages 8+
For 2 to 4 players

6.  Take it Easy

Take It Easy is a true multi-player solitaire in which each player individually completes a hexagon-shaped board with spots for 19 hexagon tiles.  There’s no limit to the number of players if you’ve got enough sets on hand.  One person (the caller) draws a tile randomly and tells the others which of the 27 tiles featuring colored/numbered lines crossing in three directions, with numbers from 1 to 9, it is. “The 9-8-7,” for example. Each player then chooses which empty spot on his own board he’ll play the 9-8-7. This is repeated until the boards are filled.

The idea is to complete same-numbered lines across your board. Scoring is calculated by multiplying the number on the tile with the number of tiles in the completed line. A complete column of three 9s is worth 27, for example… but a lot of players will hope for five 9s to fill the big column down the middle.

Ages 10+
For 1 to 8 players

7.  PitchCar

Build your own track, choose your car, and pitch it!  Choose the best trajectory using the safety rails, stay on your wheels and don’t go off the track if you don’t want a penalty!  This outstandingly beautiful game of skill is made of wood and is composed of 16 track parts, which allow you to build a vast number of  long tracks.

Ages 6+
For 2 to 8 players

8.  Consensus

Consensus is a game about opinions.  Consensus is not a trivia game, nor is it a strategy game.  It is a game that allows its participants to express themselves as individuals and/or as part of a group.  Although Consensus is the perfect game for a party setting, it is extremely well suited as a family game.  In addition, Consensus has a subtle yet strong educational component as well.

Ages 12+
For 3 to 8 players

9.  Abalone

This beautiful and functional board has room for two teams of large marbles.  Players take turns pushing the marbles around the board, with the goal of pushing six of the opposing player’s marbles off the board.  The central idea is that a column of marbles has weight given by the number of marbles in line.  Someone will need to push with a heavier group of marbles in order to push the column along that axis.  However, with six possible directions, it’s difficult to defend yourself perfectly.

Ages 7+
For 2 players

10.  Dig It

Join the neighborhood dogs in their search for these tasty, but well-hidden bones!  To find these elusive treats, you will need to move one piece of turf at a time to an empty space in the yard until you have managed to uncover the bone.  This requires creativity, cleverness and determination. The challenge will only make the reward that much more delicious.  So get out there, think it through and dig it!

Ages 7+
For 1 player

Keep an eye out for Staff Favorite’s, too!  We’ll have those lists coming soon to help with those hard-to-shop-for people on your holiday shopping lists!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I took a little time to get inside the head of Eric Masoncup, owner of GTB, to see what his favorite things for this upcoming holiday season were.  With products ranging from building to games to dolls, I would keep this list in mind when searching for the kids on your list!  So without further adieu…

Eric’s Favorite Things for the Holidays!

1.  Citiblocs building planks

Citiblocs are high quality wooden construction blocks which inspire both traditional building and modern building.  Each block is exactly the same shape and size and cut from Grade A Radiata Pine from certified renewable forests in New Zealand.  Citiblocs construction is perfect for justa bout anyplace and anyone – including groups and individual play!

Recommended for ages 3+

2.  Artisands

The original sand painting kit, will provide many hours of fun and creative expression. Whether you are 5 or 105, our pre-cut picture patterns and our non-toxic assortment of colored sands will bring out the sand art genius in everyone—regardless of artistic ability!

Ages 5+

3.  Flower Tower by Grimm’s Spiel & Holz Design

Grimm’s Flower Tower is a unique and intricate building toy for kids.  Beautifully designed with amazing benefits to children.  It inspires children to be creative and use their imagination.  Its simple, reduced shapes and beautiful colors help children develop artistically.  It is made of all natural wood which stimulates the child’s senses and is colored with a water-based dye that is harmless to children.

Ages 4+

4.  Karito Kids by KidsGive

Karito Kids dolls are a fantastic line of dolls by KidsGive that help teach children about charity and giving back to others.  KidsGive’s mission is to raise global awareness among our youth, teaching them about children around the world and exposing them to the importance of social responsibility and charitable giving.  Through the purchase of each Karito Kids product, 3% of sales will be donated to Plan USA, a worldwide children’s charity.  By entering a special code (found on every product) on the company website, children will be able to select the charitable cause to which the donation will be directed.  By directly tying together the purchase of any Karito Kids doll with the support of children’s charities, KidsGive will teach a generation of children at a young age what charitable giving really means.  The dolls are high quality made from non-phthalate vinyl with 1/3 vinyl breastplate for fashion sensibility and 2/3 soft body torso to maintain the nurture nature of a doll.

Ages 6+

5.  Überstix

Uberstix are the latest construction toy, but with a twist.  Uberstix are engineered to work with recycled materials such as straws, paper cups, paper clips, water bottles and more. Uberstix also connect with other major building systems such as Lego, K’NeX, Erector, Zometool and more so you can integrate and end up with a great construction project!

Ages 8+

6.  Architecto, Cliko, Equilibrio & Tangramino by Foxmind

Architecto: Players construct 3D models based on illustrations shown in perspective.  As players progress, the models become more complex, thereby developing an intuitive understanding of 3D forms, geometry and spatial vision.  Creative free form play with the Architect precision blocks further stimulate the imagination.  For ages 7 and up.

Cliko: Logical analysis and geometry come into play while players attempt to reconstruct 3-D structures based on 2-D images.  As players progress, imagination and perseverance are called for in order to succeed.  A solitary or group game of exquisite ingenuity.  For ages 6 and up

Equilibrio: A game of ingenuity and fine motor skills. Using the Architect precision blocks, players erect structures illustrated in the challenge book.  As players progress in the game, the structures become more complex and difficult to balance requiring the use of fine motor skills, ingenuity and perseverance.  In addition, while immersed in the game, players experiment with basic concepts of geometry and balance.  For ages 5 and up.

Tangramino: Players use the 18 enclosed precision-cut geo-blocks to construct each of the 60 two dimensional shapes illustrated in the enclosed challenges book.  Initial challenges are easy, however, as players progress in the game, the challenges become more sophisticated requiring rather creative thinking.  A simple color coded progress indicator allows players to track their advancement.  Tangramino is an all time classic that will captivate children and adults alike.  For ages 6 and up.

7.  Science Project Kits for Kids by Bright Products

Discover how Project Kits for Kids can give your child the opportunity to explore the world of science.  Create, investigate, and have fun flying planes, propelling boats, launching rockets, performing optical illusions, sending Morse code, building a motor, and making an electromagnetic train.  Every kit includes easy-to-follow instructions, cool graphics, and lots of interesting trivia.   Each kit is a Multi-Award Winner!

Ages 8+

8.  Boochie by Gamewright

There’s a new name in indoor/outdoor games – Boochie!  Whether you’re hanging out in the back yard, or heading to the park or beach, we guarantee you’re going have a blast playing this game.  There are so many things to love about Boochie: from the active-play element, to the unique 12-sided rolling target, to the amazing variety of throwing challenges packed inside.  No two games will ever be the same!  Take note that all of the wrist trackers have completely different sets of challenges so be sure to try them all.

First toss out the soft foam Boochie target and then try to land your ball and hoop as close to it as possible.  Keep score on a special wrist tracker that gives you a different outrageous throwing challenge every round.  You may have to toss between your legs, behind your back, or even with your eyes closed!  The player with the most points wins.  Get out and play!

9.  Doinkit Darts by Marky Sparky

The Doinkit Dart set was designed with one thing in mind…  To develop the best playing magnetic dart set on the planet.  Each Doinkit Dart uses N-35 Neodymium rare earth magnets.  Combined with their space age Doinkit material that is light, durable and keeps the dart always flying perfectly true, we feel Marky Sparky have the perfect dart.  This is the finest, most well designed and balanced magnetic dart set made at any price.  The best part?  It’s recommended for ages 3 and up!

10.  Snail Pull-Along by Plan Toys

This friendly Pull-Along Snail to encourages good balance and steady walking for toddlers. German Design Prize and the “Good Toy Award” in Thailand.  Made from durable, recycled rubberwood and painted with eco-friendly, vegetable based paint.

Ages 19m+

Keep an eye out for Eric’s Favorite Board Games, too!  If you know Eric at all you know he likes his board games.  We came up with his list of favorite games as well that we will be sharing with you soon!

The roller-coaster we’ve all been riding for the past couple years has certainly changed our daily conversations; we’re all worried about the “bottom line”.  While businesses continue to rethink their financial bottom lines, we recognize that customers are scrutinizing their purchases more closely too.

As our customer, you know that the “bottom line” for us is much broader and more meaningful than the current economic reality.  Our “bottom line” is about the meaning and purpose of the products we sell and the kind of community we want to promote.  Out goal is to make sure the store demonstrates our understanding of how play is essential to a child’s development; it’s not: “here’s a whole bunch of toys,” but “here are carefully selected toys to enable play that builds and establishes relationships, develops physical, cognitive, emotional, and social skills, all while stimulating life-long learning and quests for fun.”  So… it go us thinking.  We offer all these activities for kids, why not some for the parents?

On October 22, 2009, Geppetto’s Toy Box collaborated with local psychologist and mother, Dana Flynn Schneider, Psy.D., to host a conversation entitled: “Why Play?!”  In our busy world, it’s important to remember that play is purposeful, meaningful, and necessary.  Play is the language of children and is how we, as adults, fully connect with our families and those around us.  It is a language that can be “spoken” by all ages and it has an incredible impact on individuals, families and communities – nothing builds better relationships than having fun together!  So on October 22nd, we talked about how spontaneous, imaginative (and “unplugged”) play could lead to happier, healthier children and better-connected families.  We also discussed facets of our children’s development so we could better understand the real “bottom line” of play in the life of our children and families.

So get out there and explore, play a bit, and make sure you take the time to enjoy the beautiful fall weather with your families.  We’ll have lots of fun games and puzzles waiting to keep you busy over the winter!

This is the first of MANY posts to come and we’re really excited! Geppetto’s Toy Box prides itself with serving the Oak Park and River Forest communities with great toys and events for children and their parents. We want to inspire your kids and spark their imagination! Stop on by soon to see our hand-selected array of educational toys that help your kids create, imagine and grow!