Encouraging Creativity Through Imaginative Play

April 30, 2012

Play is essential to healthy childhood development.  It allows children to find their creativity, while building upon their social, cognitive and emotional strengths.

Storytelling, nurturing and role playing are important ways of fostering imagination and learning skills.

Puppets are a great way to inspire parent and child moments and young storytellers.

Dolls and stuffed animals make perfect companions for nurturing or pretend play.

Play mats and soft block sets will encourage the development of cognitive and motor skills.

Dress up clothes will take the creative minds to the land of make believe.

 

 

Filed Under: A Mother's Story

Frog Hand Puppet by Folkmanis

April 27, 2012
Frog Puppet by Folkmanis

Frog Puppet by Folkmanis

 

FACTS OF INTEREST

  • frogs are the most numerous amphibeans
  • the 3500 species dwell on all continents and in almost every habitat
  • some frogs, often males. care for their eggs and tadpoles by carrying them on their backs or even in their mouths
  • except for the brightly colored species of the tropics, frogs rely only on camoflouge and their powerful back legs for defense
  • frogs’ greatest threat is from human activity
  • as the rainforest is detroyed, marshland is drained and ponds are poisoned with pesticides
Filed Under: Featured Puppets Tagged With: ,

NEW PlanWood toys from PlanToys

April 26, 2012

This year, PlanToys is rolling out a new innovation called PlanWood.  PlanToys is constantly trying to find ways to play sustainably.  They took leftover sawdust from production and mixed it with their E-zero glue.  A little pressure molding was added and tada!  What you have is a material that is durable, sustainable, more cost-efficent and safe!  Check out the new toys made from PlanWood.

Sort N Count

Sort N Count

 

Filed Under: NEW 2012, Plan Toys Tagged With: , , ,

Watercolor Pencil Art

April 25, 2012
Watercolor Pencil Art by Faber-Castell

Watercolor Pencil Art by Faber-Castell

 

  • create color drawings just as you would with regular color pencils
  • blend and mix the colors with a wet brush to create beautiful watercolor paintings
  • 10 Faber-Castell ECO watercolor pencils (red, yellow, blue, green, orange, violet, pink, magenta, brown, black)
  • reusable plastic zip-lock pencil storage pouch
  • 20 page 6″ x 8″ illustrated instruction book
  • 20 page 6″ x 8″ watercolor paper pad
  • watercolor brush
  • pencil sharpener
Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, NEW 2012 Tagged With: ,

Color Pencil Art

April 24, 2012
Color Pencil Art by Faber-Castell

Color Pencil Art by Faber-Castell

 

  • lightly sketch
  • add, color, shadow and details
  • layer more color to creat drawings that will pop off the page
  • 10 Faber-Castell Color EcoPencils
  • reusable plastic zippered storage pouch
  • 20 page spiral bound sketchbook – 6″ x 8″
  • 6 sheets of colored drawing paper – 6″ x 8″
  • 8 sheets of Vellum Paper – 6″ x 8″
  • 20 page illustrated instruction book
  • eraser
  • sharpener
Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, NEW 2012 Tagged With: , ,

Cottontail Rabbit Hand Puppet by Folkmanis

April 23, 2012
Cottontail Rabbit Folkmanis Puppet

Cottontail Rabbit

  • FACTS OF INTEREST
  • though once thought to be part of the rodent order, they are actually lagomorphs
  • they are born blind and hairless in burrows
  • hares are born above groudn with fur and with their eyes open
  • a male is called a buck
  • a female is called a doe
  • a baby is called a kit
  • their teeth never stop growing
  • cottontail is a wild rabbit found in the AMericas
  • the cotton tail usually makes its home on the edges of meadows where it can search for food of grasses and herbs
  • the cottontail is known for its speed and agility
  • when pursued by predators, they run in a zigzag pattern
Filed Under: Featured Puppets Tagged With: ,

NEW 3 piece gift sets from Crocodile Creek

April 20, 2012
Butterflies

Butterflies

 

  • ages 1 year and up
  • 3-piece gift set
  • divided plate, fork, spoon
  • top-rack dishwasher safe
  • BPA free
  • PVC free
Filed Under: Crocodile Creek, NEW 2012 Tagged With: ,

Crocodile Creek Tumblers are back!

April 19, 2012
Ballerina Tumblers

Ballerina Tumblers

 

Dinosaur Tumblers

Dinosaur Tumblers

  • for all ages
  • 4.5″ tall
  • made of acrylic
  • BPA free
  • PVC free
  • 2-piece gift set
Filed Under: Crocodile Creek, NEW 2012 Tagged With: , ,

Wooden Stamp Sets

April 18, 2012

The wooden stamp sets by Melissa & Doug help teach colors, object recognitions, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination.  They also encourage imaginative play and creativity.

Activites can be extended by:

  • asking your shild to name the objects on the stamps
  • ask the child to sort the objects
  • ask the child to count the number of stamps
  • ask the child to place the stamps in a row
  • ask the child to tell a story about an object
  • stamp a pattern and ask the child to replicate the pattern
Filed Under: Arts & Crafts Tagged With: ,

Rat Pack Hand Puppet by Folkmanis

April 17, 2012
Folkmanis Rat Pack Hand Puppet

Folkmanis Rat Pack Hand Puppet

 

  • FACTS OF INTEREST
  1. pack rats, also called trade rats or wood rats, live in North America, from the Arctic to northern Mexico, most commonly in deserts and mountains of the West
  2. the name pack rat comes from the animal’s habit of collecting and hoarding small objects, especially shiny ones, which are used in building their nests
  3. during their nighttime hunting for food and nesting material, pack rats will also trade or drop what they are carrying for something they like better
  4. many generations of pack rat can use the same nest and nearby trash dump, called a midden, for hundreds, even thousands of years
Filed Under: Featured Puppets Tagged With: ,
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