Tips for Traveling with Kids: Forestalling the Inevitable Question "Are We There Yet?"

A couple of weeks ago I was driving back from a weekend trip with three other friends. We were just generally gabbing when Linda suggested we play the game 20 Questions.  I halfheartedly agreed, but as we took turns, I found myself really getting into it and laughing pretty hard, especially when Janice claimed to be thinking of a four-legged insect. Hmm...I'm a bit of a bug freak and I'm pretty sure that didn't sound right.  She thought bees only had four legs!

In addition to helping to pass the time more quickly on long car trips, verbal games are a great way to take advantage of being "stuck" together with family or friends. Instead of automatically turning to cell phones or other electronic devices, take some time on a road trip to engage everyone in conversation and fun with verbal games. Car games can help kids think creatively, improve memory, and develop communication skills. And besides, I could use a little of that myself as an adult.

In addition to 20 Questions there are many popular car games. I Spy is always a favorite. The person spying says, "I spy with my little eye, something that begins with the letter A."  I Spy can be hard in a moving car unless you focus on objects out on the horizon. One game I really like is  Grocery Store or Picnic List which follows along with the alphabet. The first person begins by saying, "I went to the grocery store for apples. The second person goes to the grocery store for something beginning with the letter B, such as bananas, and then has to remember what item the letter A was.  So the game builds with players having to remember an increasingly long list of alphabetical items, up to the letter Z. It's a great memory game.

Another interesting one is for a player to think of a famous person or character. Other players guess who it is by asking yes or no questions such as, "Is this person living or dead, an actor, someone famous, etc.?" A story-go-round is always fun too with each successive person adding a line to a tale that can get pretty far fetched and funny.

If you're traveling with older children, have them keep track of the trip with a detailed map. Perhaps they could read interesting facts from guidebooks about the area.  Or ask kids look up interesting things to stop for along the way or discover what they might want to do once you get to your destination.

For real boredom in the car, nothing beats a pillow and blanket for a nap. I know car trips can really lull me to sleep like a baby if I'm not driving. I always enjoy packing our favorite snacks and beverages too. I'm not advocating junk food, but it's a great excuse for  it. 

I like to make everyone get out of the car at rest stops for a Chinese Fire Drill, run around and touch their toes ten times. It gets the circulation going. And no matter how much your daughter claims she does not need to go to the bathroom, believe me, she needs to go. My motto is to never pass up a good bathroom.

Got plane, train or automobile vacation plans this summer? Fundamentally Toys is happy to help you plan ahead and anticipate the age-old question of "Are we there yet?" We have lots of great travel-sized toys and games you can take along (and even a little free advice) to make your trips relaxing and fun!

Hermit Crab Goes Decidedly Modern with LEGO Shell; Enters LEGO Contest

Harry the Hermit Crab and his LEGO Shell

Response to Fundamentally Toys' First Annual LEGO Contest was fantastic.  We had three age category entry levels: 3-6 years, 7-11 years, and 12+ years. Next year, it looks like we might need to add a category for animals, or at least drill down to invertebrates.

Harry the Hermit Crab was a late entry into our LEGO contest. He missed the cutoff of June 15, 2013, as it may have taken a while for word to get to him about the contest. You see, Harry lives at the Atlantis Discovery Center in LEGOland which is located in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom. But despite the lateness, and half a world away from Fundamentally Toys in Houston, Texas, we were delighted to see his entry.

For those of you unfamiliar with hermit crabs, here's the lowdown. I only know as much as I do because my daughter brought her school's hermit crabs home one summer. She even took them with her on the plane to visit Grandma. She got them through security and airborne both ways. No one was the wiser.

Hermit crabs are soft and have no protection from enemies, so they have to carry shells around on their backs. They must be plenty strong to do that! I know firsthand that they pack quite a strong pinch, especially if they're hungry. As the hermits grow they need to find bigger shells. I discovered that they actually trade shells, stand in line for size tryouts, fight over shells, and have been known to throw a dweller out. Go figure how they decide on new digs or how they know they want some other crab's shell.

It seems that Harry was having a hard time choosing a new shell. Hermit crabs are very picky about their homes, and predictably, Harry didn't seem to be happy with his choices. So for the heck of it, I guess, his caretakers at Atlantis Discovery Center made a shell out of blue, yellow, and red LEGOS. They presented it to Harry, along with other more natural and traditional bungalow choices.

It's reported that Harry took to the LEGO shell immediately. He's probably not stupid and figured it was so much lighter feeling. Or maybe he was attracted to its modern structure and bright colors. Who knows? So now, he's happily carting his LEGO shell around LEGOland UK as shown in this Harry the Hermit Crab video.

I know Harry didn't mean to steal the thunder from the winners of our LEGO contest.  We were so delighted with all the entries we received! I've got to tell you that all our contestants were incredibly imaginative. Not only did they make cool creations, but they invented stories to go with them too. It was really difficult to pick winners.

Every contestant received a LEGO minifigure and a $5 gift card to Fundamentally Toys. Since there were so many great entries, we also chose six honorable mentions in addition to our winners. Here they are:

Three winners of Fundamentally Toys First Annual LEGO Contest each received a $50 gift card to the store.

Ages 3-6: Henry for "Shakespeare presents Hamlet"

Ages 7-11: Aidan for "LEGO Lightsaber"

Ages 12+: Will for "Apocalypse"

Six Honorable Mentions each received a $10 Fundamentally Toys gift card.

First Honorable Mentions:

Ages 3-6: Grayden for "Grayden's Masterpiece"

Ages 7-11: Gabriel for "Prison Escape"

Ages 12+: Rylie for "Modern Cabenin"

Second Honorable Mentions :

Ages 3-6: Genevieve for "Animal Rescue"

Ages 7-11: Iain for "Stormy Sea"

Ages 12+: Ben for "Outpost"

And as for Harry...well, we didn't award him a prize, but he's already a winner in his own category and unique way.  And we discovered what we knew all along: EVERYBODY LOVES LEGOS! Even invertebrates.

Check out the winners on Fundamentally Toys' Facebook Page!

Debbie Scholl

Creativity Day at Fundamentally Toys

Be a Part of Imaginative Fun on Creativity Day

at Fundamentally Toys!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

10:00 am  - 2:00 pm

We're hosting a Creativity Day! Kids and adults can work on tables full of colorful, creative materials to create something uniquely imaginative. It could be a crazy character or object -- anything's possible!

I believe that creative arts are an essential springboard for young children. We tend to associate creativity with being artistic, but creativity goes well beyond artistic expression. Creativity in thinking involves innovation, problem solving, and risk taking that moves the human race along in technology, science, mechanics, health, and many more fronts.  Without creativity, our world would stagnate.

There is strong evidence that children are experiencing a creativity crisis, as measured by the Torrance® Tests of Creative Thinking. Since 1990, test scores have been declining. The most recent results indicate that children are responding less creatively, showing less humor and imagination, and having fewer ideas. That's kind of scary to me!

There are no specific reasons cited along with the declining scores. Could be a sign of the digital age. With so much information and entertainment constantly streaming, there are fewer reasons for children to seek out simple, creative things to do. Another reason could be that creative arts have become less important in schools.  As a child, I always looked forward to art class. Heck, I still remember many art projects from  my childhood. I clearly recall the fun I had and distinctly remember what I learned -- not just from my own work, but from seeing other kids' creations. Made me a little competitive too!

I have continued to express creativity through my adult years with all kinds of crafts, art and  writing classes, and even in decorating my home. I know those early creative seeds were important.  I also see how much my daughter benefited from doing creative activities when she was young, and how she is carrying creative thinking skills into her college years.

So what can we do about this crisis? We can simply bring it back to basics for starters. Fundamentally Toys is partnering with toy manufacturer Creativity for Kids for a Creativity Day on Saturday, June 22, 2013. Kids and adults can come in, sit a spell, and create something cool from an array of fun materials. They can also print out this coupon, bring it to Fundamentally Toys,  and pick up a FREE Creativity Can from Creativity for Kids.

The Creativity Can™ is a small cardboard can filled with simple, traditional materials such as pom poms, wood sticks, googly eyes, yarn, feathers, and other colorful things. The idea is for kids to take the can home, lay out the contents, and be imaginative by creating something cool out of what's simply before them.  After they have made their creation, if they share it on Creativity Can website, Creativity for Kids will make a donation to the Lily Sarah Grace Fund, a charity that supports underfunded schools with creative materials.  So it's a chance to have fun and do good at the same time!

Fundamentally Toys is proud to be in partnership with Creativity for Kids®. For over 40 years, the Cleveland, Ohio-based company has been a leader in developing toys that encourage creative activity.  While having fun with painting, coloring, crafting, and assembling, kids learn to think creatively, solve problems, develop dexterity, and feel a sense of satisfaction at having created with their own hands.

It might be good idea for kids to put their digital devices aside and use their hands to develop creative skills that will last a lifetime. Get started with Fundamentally Toys for Creativity Day!

100 Days of Summer: Creative Ideas for Summer Fun

100 Days of Summer:  From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Fundamentally Toys brings kids and parents tons of creative and imaginative ideas for fun all summer long.

By the time summer rolled around when I was a kid, the last thing I ever wanted to say to my mother was "I'm bored."  Her quick reply was always "Bored? I'll can find plenty for you to do!" Following that threatening statement was a long list of distasteful solutions to my boredom, such as cleaning my closet, bedroom, or worse yet, the garage. Believe me, I learned to not bring up the subject and appear to be busy, or take off for the neighbor's house.

Summer in the Midwest evokes sweet childhood memories for me: feeling the heat and humidity on my skin; seeing a flash of lightning in distant black clouds; or listening to an endless orchestra of cicadas in the trees. My family never planned a big summer trip. I didn't go to camp. Cousins from out of town never came to visit. My memories center purely on the fun we made for ourselves in the backyard, woods, streets, library, or community pool with friends and families in our small town in Ohio.

When my daughter was growing up, I made sure she spent a long portion of her summer vacation with my mom in Ohio. I did not want her to miss the uniqueness of a Midwestern, small-town summer. Boredom was nothing this kid ever experienced at her grandma's house. There were ponds to play in, fireflies to catch, gardens to plant, swimming lessons to take, and many trips to Dairy Queen for frozen custard. It was fun for me to re-experience my childhood summers through her.

As I was planning Fundamentally Toys' 100 Days of Summer events, I wondered to myself if the summer fun I had as a kid was really so very different from the fun that kids have today. Of course, much has changed -- particularly in the digital age. But I really think there's still lots of fun that simply never goes out of style in the summer months.  It's a great time for kids and families to not only relax, but to continue to learn, explore, and create together. And we'll be showing you how to do just that with events, ideas, giveaways, promotions, rewards, and more as the summer unfolds.

So we "cleaned our closet" over the Memorial Day weekend and held a sidewalk sale. Now that the hard, boring work is done, we can concentrate on fun from now through Labor Day. And as my mother said, "I'll find plenty for you to do!" But I mean that in a fun way.

Stay tuned for 100 Days of Summer fun.

Debbie Scholl

Top Picks for Children's Books

A great children’s book entertains, teaches reading skills, or calms a child before bedtime. But the benefits of reading go far beyond these obvious facts. Reading at a young age:

Strengthens bonds with parents

Primes children for academic success

Increases vocabulary and language skills

Establishes logical thinking patterns

Helps with concentrate and focus

Teaches new things and concepts

Develops communication skills

We offer a carefully selected assortment of children’s books at Fundamentally Toys in Houston, Texas.  Pigs, cats, ducklings, pandas, gorillas, zebras, and bunnies are just a few of the delightful characters that fill the pages of some of our favorite and popular children’s book picks:

Chu's Day by Neil Gaiman

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems

Emeraldalicious by Victoria Kann

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

Pete the Cate and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin; Illus. by James Dean

Press Here by Hervé Tullet

The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown

Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld

Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham; Illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky

A nice little stack of books by a child’s bedside is a big comfort.

 

National Tell A Story Day - April 27, 2013

Who doesn’t love to hear a good story? I’m drawn to people who can paint vivid pictures with the spoken word and captivate me or make me laugh - not just professionally, but in everyday life.

While most of us don’t think of ourselves as storytellers – we all do it in some shape or form when we tell funny stories or jokes, describe something that happened, or pass down family history. Anyone can tell a story!

April 27 is National Tell A Story Day. It is a day celebrated in many schools and libraries. Storytelling is an oral tradition, as well as an art, that plays an important role in education, culture, and communication between each other.

On Saturday, April 27, 2013 Fundamentally Toys is encouraging budding young writers to use their imaginations and write a story. Here’s what we are doing:

• ·    Stop by our store at 2401 Rice Bvd. in the University Village Shopping Center, Houston

• ·    Select seven double-sided image cards from Tell Tale by Blue Oranges Games

• ·    Take the cards home and write a story of up to 300 words using at least seven images

• ·    Use your imagination to be funny, amusing, magical, mysterious, and more

• ·    Email your entry to Fundamentally Toys Story Contest by Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Everyone who enters will get a free copy of the storytelling game,Tell Tale. 

The most creative story will win a $50 store gift certificate!

Telling a story is good for getting brains to think imaginatively and logically. It instills a sense of confidence as we develop speaking and animation skills.

It is also a way to just have fun. I took an improvisation class last year, and one of the most interesting exercises we did was to throw words to each other around the room and make up stories. It was spontaneous word jousting and side-splitting fun. My guard was down. It woke up my brain. Made me a little sharper and quicker, too. Thanks, I needed that!