Toys for Makers P2:Joining Things

Joining Things. Gluing, nailing, soldering, welding, tying, lacing, riveting, taping, stitching, screwing. Most of these are cheap to learn — give them an old log, a hammer, and a bag of nails, and let them bang nails until that log looks like a rusty hedgehog. Nearly any craft project or model kit. One of the areas we have endless choices: Number one for Makers - the Make-Do kits. These kits make projects out of recycled materials - imagination and joining all in one! We have a section on our web site just for Building/Joining skills This is one of my favorite categories, and it's a category that is always evolving, so call us for our latest ideas!

Toys for Makers Part I

Yesterday I posted about the Curriculum of Toys. This list is a great starting place, and a reinforces what we do with our toys at The Golden Apple - we want toys that help kids grow! Not what used to be sneered at as "educational toys", but toys like the Trebuchet Kit from Mindware. From the Curriculum:

Forces. Gravity, levers (moments), projectile motion, friction, pulleys, mechanical advantage, gearing and gearboxes, torque. Mobiles, trebuchets, magnets, juggling, throwing and ball sports, board sports, sailing, seesaws, slides, Lego, and bicycles!

We've identified these toys as specific to learning about force: Mindware Trebuchet Mindware Catapult Zcurve Bow Magnet Science I'll update with more toys as we develop the list. Keep Making!

Toys for Little Makers

Saul Griffith has published a list of toys that help kids build important life skills - not the usual educational toy subjects, but skills everyone needs. I happen to agree with this list, nothing depresses me more than shoppers who ask for an "educational toy - something that teaches the ABCs!" I much prefer showing people toys that teach the skills outlined on this list.   I'm in the process of adding toys from our store to the categories Mr Griffith has outlined. Watch for them here, and posted in the store.

Our Holiday Toy Catalog is out! This is our big event for the year as far as marketing ourselves goes, and we want it to be really big. This year we have a contest: Our Holiday Catalogs have arrived at the store - which means yours should arrive soon too! With pages full of toys kids will love - there's somethng for every child. We're having a photo contest for our Facebook users - When your catalog arrives, let your kids pick their favorite toy - take a picture of them holding up the picture and post it to YOUR Facebook page, then tag The Golden Apple -the 1st 10 tags will win a $10 gift card, and one lucky kid will win their toy! Everyone who posts and tags is eligible for a $25 gift card drawing. Catalog arrives this week, and the contest ends 11/05!

President Obama: "Our Kids Only Get One Shot at a Decent Education" | The White House

RIP No Child Left Behind. It does take an awful long time to figure out something is a failure. I wish something wonderful was rising from the ashes, but do more with less is all I see.
President Obama: "Our Kids Only Get One Shot at a Decent Education" | The White House

Rolling Libraries for Joplin

This would be a great project for a public works program! Volunteers write the first chapter for Joplin books - KansasCity.com

Best Toys for Kids 2011

The Specialty Toy Retailers Association has released this year's Best Toys for Kids list. We are happy to promote this list, not only because we voted for it, but also because we love the toys that made it! You can see the toys on our website right now. I'll be featuring this list in our emails and postings for the next few months - with more about the selection process and how a toy makes the list. In the meantime, stop by the store and ask us, we love to talk about these toys!