Fathers be Good to your Daughters & Sons

I always get a little teary and deeply touched when I see a dad walking along holding the hand of his young daughter or son. I sometimes eavesdrop on their conversations and delight in their laughter and banter. There is no more secure time in your life as when you are holding your dad’s hand, skipping along with crazy legs and not a care in the world.

My own dad did not have a lot of time to hold my hand and skip a long. He was a World War II veteran who worked long hours to provide for his family and often came home exhausted. He wasn’t usually in a frame of mind to deal with four rambunctious kids.

At times, dad came home in a good mood and he was relaxed and chatty. I would hang on his every word as he told us interesting tales about his childhood or other funny stories and jokes. My dad was also an expert carpenter, letting me help at a young age with projects that taught me building skills I have used all my life. I also loved the impromptu family Sunday outings my dad would initiate for French fries or ice cream at our favorite fast-food restaurants. It was these special, out-of-the-ordinary things we did with dad that made a lasting impression on me.

While I largely remember my dad for these fun times, I simply never expected him to care for me the same way my mother did. During my childhood, parental roles were more rigidly defined as father, breadwinner; mother, stay-at-home mom and caregiver. It was a model that worked well enough for a while, but due to sweeping social and economic changes, parental roles began to evolve and today they look quite different from baby boomer times. Fathers have also awakened to the importance of their roles and want to care for their sons and daughters more actively on a day-to-day basis, not just for the special or fun times. 

As I was writing this story, I came across a blog by Scott Behson called Fathers, Work and Family. He talks about his involvement in the everyday work of raising a child and creating space for special times and moments. I liked his opening statement, “If we want to be remembered as good dads, we have to both put in the hard work of being a good father and also carve out time for fun, memorable shared experiences with our kids.”

 

Behson's two pieces of advice are:

1.) “Do the everyday, sometimes unnoticed work of being a good father.” While the day-to-day humdrum of homework, baths, discipline, and care-giving are “less glamorous,” they are extremely important and create a constant, loving presence in kids’ lives.

2.) “Punctuate the everyday with occasional bursts of something memorable.” These are the special things you do together with your kids, the interests you share, the impromptu outings, and memories you look back on and still smile about.

 

To read more on Scott Behson's blog, go to Fathers, Work and Family.

There’s also good solid evidence about how important the roles of fathers are in the lives of children. Research conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has shown that children with nurturing, involved, and playful fathers reaped tremendous emotional, cognitive, and social benefits into adulthood. Children who develop special bonds with their dads: 

• Have strong verbal and cognitive learning skills
• Achieve early and continued academic success 
• Develop better social connections with peers and friends 
• Become emotionally healthy, stable adults that can handle stress 
• Feel confident about exploring the world around them 
• Possess solid self-esteem and an ability to make the good choices in life

Wouldn’t every dad want all this for his children? You bet!

My simple advice to dads is to get involved as much as possible with their kids. Carve out a niche with your daughter or son. Honor the differences in your children and figure out what each child needs to feel secure and enjoy being with you.

• Find an interest to share
• Play games together – sports or board
• Make time to just talk
• Build something together – a Lego or yard project
• Go out for a meal together at a favorite restaurant
• Comfort their bumps and bruises with tenderness
• Don’t be afraid to show affection
• Hold hands and skip
• Put your smartphone away and devote your sole attention to your child
• Do something completely unexpected now and then

It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized the important role my dad played in my life and understood that, sure, it could have been bigger and better. Dads today don't have to fit the defined roles of the past and they have many resources and ways to make times with their kids meaningful and fun.

Happy Father's Day!
Debbie School, FUNdamentally Toys

National Children's Book Week - VOTE for your Favorite Board or Picture Book

We're celebrating National Children's Book Week, Monday, May 12 through Sunday, May 18, 2014 at Fundamentally Toys in Houston, Texas. Stop by and cast a ballot for your favorite children's board or picture book. And when you buy three books this week, you'll get a fourth book of equal or lesser value FREE!

We've compiled a list of our top sixteen bestselling children's board and picture books and created a ballot listing eight in each category. Now you get to cast your vote for your favorite board and picture book out of this delightful stack of bestsellers. And just for voting, children ages ten and under will receive a FREE Little Golden or I Can Read book - a $3.99 value.

Here's the list below. Download a ballot from our website or from our Sunday, May 11, email. Make your two favorite selections and bring the ballot to Fundamentally Toys by Sunday, May 18 to cast your vote and claim your FREE book.

Fundamentally Toys' Top Eight Children's Board Books:

Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle

Belly Button Book by Sandra Boyton

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

Tails by Matthew Van Fleet

Tons of Trucks by Sue Fliess & Betsy Snyder

Olivia by Ian Falconer

Inside Noah’s Ark by Charles Reasoner

Fundamentally Toys' Top Eight Children's Picture Books:

I Broke my Trunk by Mo Williems 
Goodnight Houston by Jennifer & Kyle Solak 
How I became a Pirate by Melinda Long and David Shannon 
The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen 
Pinkalicious by Victoria & Elizabeth Kann 
Angelia Ballerina by Katherine Holibard 
When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore 
I Need my Monster by Amanda Noll

Great children's books like these entertain, teach reading skills, or even calm children before bedtime. But the benefits of reading go far beyond these obvious facts. Reading at an early age:

• Strengthens bonds with parents
• Increases vocabulary and language skills
• Teaches new things and concepts
• Helps with concentration and focus
• Establishes logical thinking patterns
• Develops communication skills
• Primes children for academic success

If you read to a child, he or she will literally hang on your every word. If you child sees you reading books, they will be likely to do the same. Make it a habit to read to or with your child every day. 

If you need suggestions, look no further than Fundamentally Toys for our expert help. We offer a carefully selected assortment of some of the best children's books to help your child grow up with a lifelong love of reading.

Baby Steps: A Guide to Baby's First Year of Play

Play is the way for baby to learn and grow each day. The right toys can help babies develop physical, social and emotional skills, engage sensory awareness and promote cognitive learning. Here is an easy-to-follow guide to baby's first year of play from Fundamentally Toys in Houston, Texas

0-3 months:
Just home from the hospital, a newborn's vision is fuzzy. Baby's gaze will fix on objects 8-15 inches away. She is naturally drawn to the human face, but it will take about a month for her to recognize yours. 

During these first three months, baby will be visually captivated by bright colors and high-contrast patterns - especially objects that move slowly. Her little ears will appreciate soothing sounds, gentle music and lullabies.

Suggested Toys for 0-3 months:

• Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile, Mind-Shapes and Car Seat Gallery
• cloud b soothers and sleep aids such as Twinkling Firefly Frog, Lullaby to Go Turtle or Ladybug and Glow Cuddles Bunny
• Jellycat soft cloth books: Are You are My Mommy and I Love My Daddy

3-6 Months:
Little fists begin to unclench as baby discovers how much fun hands are! Tactile sensation becomes important at this point.Tiny fingers can reach for objects and fine motor skills start to develop.Baby can grasp, rotate and move objects from hand to hand. Rattles make a delightful noise and after a little exploration objects usually go into the mouth!

As baby starts to push up and begins to sit up, physical development comes into play. There is so much more to see and hear and interact with!

Suggested Toys for 3-6 months:

• Sassy Development Playmat
• Lamaze Sit Up and See Gym
• Oball Twist-O-Round or Clickety Twist
• Sassy Flip & Grip or Rings Around Rattles
• Baby Paper (crinkly paper toy)
• Sassy Sensory Ball Set

6-9 Months:
Baby's play is becoming much more vigorous. As she masters new fine motor skills, her movements are more precise and her fingers more dexterous.Teeth are starting to come in, so teethers and toys to soothe the gums provide relief.

At this stage, babies often  develop an attachment to a favorite toy or blanket. Pediatricians encourage this connection because familiar objects comfort and soothe and can help little ones deal with future changes and transitions.

Suggested Toys for 6-9 months:

• Earlyears Stack N Nest Cups, Sweet Baby Blocks and Baby Driver
• Baby Cheeks Puppy or Cow Loveys from Mary Meyer
• Cora Doll Snugglers or Sshlumpies from Douglas Cuddle Toys
• Freezies Terry Teethers by Sassy

9-12 Months:
At 9-10 months baby is creeping and crawling around the room, maybe even trying to stand up while holding on to furniture. He's well on his way to walking soon.

Starting to close in on the one-year mark, baby is able to understand words and recognize the names of familiar objects. Problem-solving skills begin to kick in as she or he takes things apart and starts figuring out relationships between objects.

Suggested Toys for 9-12 months: 

To encourage crawling, standing and walking -

• Little Autos by Hape
• Press 'N Go Worm from International Playthings
• Fisher-Price Activity Walker
• Walker Wagon from Radio Flyer

To encourage cognitive learning -

• Boppin' Activity Bugs by Fisher-Price
• Shape Sorter by Green Toys
• Ophelie and Her Chicks by Haba

Tips:

Keep a variety of toys coming during baby's first year.
If you're not sure what is best or age appropriate, get advice from specialty toy store experts such as Fundamentally Toys. 
Introduce new toys one at a time.
Never overwhelm a baby with too many choices.

Rotate toys every few days to keep interest fresh
Strive for diversity in toys and activities to stimulate all senses.
Remember that play is not just about fun. It's a very important way for babies to develop physically, mentally and emotionally and learn cognitively.

We're here for your early years!  
Fundamentally Toys

Love Letters: National Scrabble Day, April 13, 2014

National Scrabble Day, celebrated each April 13, is a day to acknowledge Alfred Mosher Butts for giving us one of the most popular games ever invented. His love of crossword puzzles and chess led him to create an unusual word game that uniquely combined knowledge and strategic thinking.

If Mosher had not lost his job at an architectural firm during The Great Depression, Scrabble may not have been invented. Well, maybe someone eventually would have dreamed it up, but not likely in the same way as Butts. The architect studied the New York Times and put serious analysis into how often each of the 26 letters of the English alphabet got used. He mathematically apportioned the letters out among the tiles. He then assigned a point value to each letter and designed the board which also played into scoring. It was a pretty complicated case of cryptography!

Scrabble was not a slam-dunk success. Game companies weren't interested in producing Butts' creation. So he and his partner James Brunot painstakingly produced tiles and boards themselves by hand in an old Connecticut schoolhouse. The game slowly gained mild popularity, but it was years later in 1952 that it caught a big break. The president of Macy's saw the game being played while vacationing at a resort and ordered it for the store. Scrabble's popularity soared and the rest is history, as they say.

Today, Scrabble is played all over the world in over 121 countries and in 29 languages. While most of us think of Scrabble as a leisurely family game played around the dining room table, there is a surprisingly large contingent of people that play competitively in the U.S. and internationally.

Take Down Under wonder Nigel Richards of New Zealand. He is the 2013 winner of both the National and World Scrabble Championships. In the U.S. he's been the championship winner for the past four years. Having played well over 2,000 competitive games, Richards wins 75 percent of the time with an average score of 460. I might add that he gets some decent monetary compensation for doing it, too!

While the rest of us Scrabble lovers will never make money playing the game or have scores approaching 460, our brains will certainly become rich for the playing of it. All ages benefit from playing Scrabble and, in particular, it has proven to be a very effective teaching tool for children. The educational benefits of Scrabble are:

• Expansion of vocabulary
• Learning to spell
• Use of addition and multiplication in keeping score
• Development of strategic thinking and planning skills

As a toy store owner, I love games that both entertain and teach. I personally have fond memories of growing up with Scrabble as part of our household stash of games. During holidays and on rainy Sundays, we'd often get a game going. I enjoy the leisurely pace and patiently waiting for everyone to take all the time they need to make a move. At the same time, I like watching the board for opportunities to score big - especially when the luck of the draw yields high-point letters. But most of all, I love the fact that Scrabble brings people together and that the game still has bonding power generation after generation.

So as we celebrate National Scrabble Day, pull your Scrabble game out of the closet and dust off the cover - or stop by Fundamentally Toys and buy a brand new one!

Spring is Here: Get Outside & Play!

While freezing temperatures and snow may be keeping most of the country indoors, the weather in Houston is beautiful. Time has already sprung forward by one hour. Days are longer. For Houston schools it's SPRING BREAK!. And spring officially begins on Thursday, March 20. What more could you need to make yourself get outside and play? Great ideas for outdoor fun and things to fling, of course, from Fundamentally Toys!

Growing up in the Midwest, I couldn't wait to get outdoors after being cooped up in the house all winter. At the first hint of warm spring weather, kids in my neighborhood would drag their bicycles out of the garage, dust off their catcher's mitts and softballs, or organize a game of tag or hide-and-go-seek. It felt so good to stretch our legs after a long winter's nap.

But it wasn't just about feeling good - it was good for us! We didn't think of it that way at the time, but we were active, fit, and happy from free-form outdoor play time for a fair portion of our days. Unstructured play connected us to friends and families in our neighborhoods and nature in our own yards. Getting outside and playing was simple, instinctive fun.

But kids today spend less time playing outside compared to any previous generation. Kids watch more television, are loaded with homework, and spend an increasing amount of time "playing" in front of digital devices.There are many factors pushing children toward a more sedentary lifestyle. With this unhealthy situation comes a host of physical and medical problems, such as obesity and early-onset diabetes.There is also increasing evidence that too much digital focus at a young age contributes to a lack of social skills, low attention spans, cognitive learning disabilities, and a high level of anxiety.

That's why it's important to make sure your child is getting enough physical activity in his or her life. You may be lucky and have a naturally active child who easily gravitates toward physical play. That's great. If not, your child might need a little nudge and negotiation to get off the couch. You don't have to force children into playing competitive outdoor games or strenuous sports that aren't right for their abilities or personalities, but you can encourage free-form activities that are fun and easy to do.

The advantages of a more physically active life are enormous.Through outdoor physical play, kids work their muscles, develop gross motor skills, and improve coordination, balance, and reflexes.Team games and sports encourage social interaction and help kids collaboratively problem-solve. Physical exercise releases endorphins in the brain, which in turn provide a feeling of well-being. When a child feels good, confidence builds. It's a round-robin of fun that's good for the body, mind and spirit!

Back to those ideas for outdoor fun I mentioned earlier. Stop by Fundamentally Toys in Houston's Rice Village Shopping Center this Saturday, March 22, for a day of "Get Out & Play" ideas. We'll have in-store product demos, games, contests, prizes, and savings on everything you need to totally fling yourself into spring!

LEGO: The Little Brick That Could

Hard to believe that a little over ten years ago The LEGO Group was purportedly on the edge of bankruptcy. During the 1980s and 1990s, the company churned out seemingly innovative products at lightning speed. But many of them lacked sustaining popularity, and worse, they also strayed from LEGO's "system of play" mission. Unbridled creativity and a lack of focus took a huge toll on the company.

Luckily for LEGO® (and all of us!), top management stopped the roller coaster ride, regrouped, and spent the last ten years climbing back and maintaining strong and consistent growth. Now with a large cast of characters known as minifigures, legions of wheels, and a plethora of worlds that continually emerging across many media forms, the iconic LEGO brick and "system of play" philosophy remains solidly at the base of the company's foundation and future.

I wonder what Ole Kirk Christiansen would make of all this today? The Danish toymaker and inventor of the LEGO plastic brick died in 1958, the year the modern plastic brick, as we  know it today, was finally perfected and patented by his son Godtfred. I picture Ole as a cute little minifigure residing in LEGOHeaven, still working at his toy bench and crafting "the best of the best," as he would put it. The classic wooden toymaker is likely beaming down on his grandson Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, the third generation of Master Builders now at the helm of The LEGO Group.

Who knew Ole's simple little LEGO brick could hold a universe and expand so exponentially beyond itself? LEGO has twice been named "Toy of the Century." The bricks continue to spark creativity and imagination in the hands of each generation that touches them. Contests go on all over the world. They range from a fun little neighborhood one such as Fundamentally Toys' "LEGO Minifigure Movie Scene Contest" which celebrates the release of "The LEGO Movie" to a complex LEGO robotics competition held annually at Penn State.

LEGO brick devotees log massive amounts of hours clicking them together and building incredible, ingenious, and intricate creations. I came across The LEGO® Certified Professionals website. There are about 100 such professionals worldwide who have turned their passion for LEGOS into part- or full-time work. They are not employees of LEGO, but the company selects them for inclusion in the community-based group and recognizes them as trusted business partners. They are artists, architects, teachers, and inventors who create amazing stuff with LEGOS. It really is quite inspirational!

Follow Fundamentally Toys' on Facebook as we post our "LEGO Minifigure Movie Scene Contest" entries. For details on how to enter go to www.fundamentallytoys.com.Get your entries in soon! Contest ends February 15, 2014.