Monthly Archives: March 2013

Pick of the Week: Games for Early Intervention & Young Learners

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Our latest catalog has just arrived and there’s a lot of talk in the office about which of the 70 new products are our favorites. These three games are definitely leading in votes. Hello Sunshine!, Zingo!, and Roll & Play are fun, interactive games that teach key concepts to young learners and are a perfect fit for any EI program.

 

Hello Sunshine! is a charming game will have you and your children laughing and playing while learning prepositions. You can play hide and seek with Sunshine – a huggable plush toy – while teaching positional concepts such as In, On Top, Below, Next To, and more. Pick a card and then hide Sunshine BEHIND your back, NEXT to a chair, IN a bed…The toy comes with a storage pocket for the 18 double-sided cards (36 images). Hello Sunshine! builds vocabulary and language skills through smiles.

 


Roll & Play is an ideal first game as it gently introduces young learners to play patterns and rules of a game through interactive activities that encourage creativity, active play and gross motor skill development. Roll the big, plush cube and identify which colored side faces up. Choose a matching color card and perform the simple activity shown. Players will “Make a happy face,” “Moo like a cow,” and “Find something red.” The activity cards cover six categories that are part of early development: Emotions, Counting, Body Parts, Colors, Animal Sounds, and Actions. All of the activities are designed to let children shine, supporting their development and celebrating their success. The plush cube comes with 48 cards, 8 in each category and a parent’s guide.

 


Zingo! is a wildly popular game that’s a fast-paced, energetic variant on Bingo…with a zing! Zingo encourages pre-readers and early readers alike to match the pictures and words on their challenge cards with the tiles revealed in the Zinger device. The first player with a full card wins by yelling out “ZINGO!” Two levels of play and game variation ensure that the zaniness won’t end. In addition to delighting players of all ages, Zingo builds language and matching skills, concentration and social interaction.

 

 

 


This week only, save 15% on Hello Sunshine!, Roll & Play, and Zingo! by entering the Promo Code BLOGEIG2 at checkout.

*Offer expires on April 2, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Pick of the Week: New Building & Patterning Puzzle Games

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We’re in absolute love with these new wooden puzzle games. How to describe all of the skills these three new games address? Each one is a beautiful wooden puzzle that comes with a booklet of patterns that  the player must recreate. They range from simple to challenging, even for the most experienced builders. Each game stretches a player’s logical thinking skills, develops spatial reasoning and problem solving skills. All of the feedback we’ve received tells us that your kids won’t notice any of that – they’ll be having too much fun playing.

For the teachers out there, if you have a student that isn’t interested in blocks but is crazy for cars or captivated by castles, these are the games for you! Each puzzle has a clear beginning, middle and end so they require less support, making them ideal for centers, activity schedules and independent play.

 

Smart Car

This is a truckload of fun that evolves with a child’s growing and expanding skill set. The four included pieces produce 48 unique shapes and patterns! Younger players will love playing with the adorable block pieces and creating their own models while older players will be stimulated by the challenge of building a car to match the puzzle design booklet. Recommended ages 3 and up.

 


Bill & Betty Bricks

Little builders will have their work cut out for them as they create constructions using these brightly colored wooden blocks and figurines. Bill and Betty need to have their feet on the building at all times to supervise the work – and provide an added challenge. For students who love to build but resist incorporating figurines into play, Bill & Betty Bricks is a great solution. By pairing construction with characters and making them an inherent part of the game, players will receive a gentle introduction to the world of imaginative play. There are more than 60 challenges in the included booklet that range from simple to “wizard-level” so players of all ages will be engaged and motivated. Recommended ages 5 and up.


Castle Logix

The challenge of this beautiful 3-D wooden puzzle is to assemble the blocks and towers into one of the castle designs in the booklet. From simple puzzles for inexperienced builders to complex puzzles that will challenge skilled architects, Castle Logix is designed to stretch a player’s logical thinking skills and develop spatial reasoning abilities. It includes seven durable wooden castle pieces and a full-color, illustrated booklet with 48 multi-level puzzle challenges. Recommended for puzzlers ages 5 and up.

 

 

This week only, save 15% on these versatile new games by entering the Promo Code BLOGBCT9 at checkout.

*Offer expires on March 26, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.

Pick of the Week: New Time Timers – On Sale!

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New products from Time Timer AND a sale? What words go together better than that? We’re thrilled to introduce you to three new excellent products that raise the bar on that workhorse of a visual timer we’ve all come to love and depend on.

The brand new Time Timer PLUS comes with a portable handle, volume control for an optional alert when time is up, and a protective clear lens to protect the signature red disk. The Time Timer PLUS operates silently with no ticking and measures 7″ x 9″. The Time Timer PLUS contains all of the features you love and trust about the original timers with a fancy new makeover for only $36.95.

Another new and highly anticipated member of the Time Timer Family has arrived – The Time Timer Watch Plus for youth. In two lovely colors – light grey with white lettering or dark grey with orange – the Time Timer Watch PLUS allows you to watch your time and see it too. The watch has a sporty design and uses simple icons and a large display to ensure ease of use for all age and ability levels. Ideal for anyone who wants a discrete and portable visual timer, the Watch PLUS is customizable: there are two Time Timer modes (Original 60 minutes and Customized), vibrating and/or audible alerts and repeatable time segments for interval training. There is also a 12- or 24-hour clock with one alarm. The soft, silicon watch band measures from 4.75″ to 7″ making it perfect for children or adults with small wrists.

This week only, save 15% on the new Time Timer PLUS and the Time Timer Watch PLUS by entering the Promo Code BLOGTTN7 at checkout. Hurry! Offers like this don’t last too long.

*Offer expires on March 19, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST. Not compatible with any other offer. Be sure there are no spaces after the Promo Code when you enter it at checkout.