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SensoryEdge Kids Furniture and Educational Toys Blog
Friday, March 19, 2010
Classroom Furniture Choices: The Right Stuff
Your current classroom furniture should be anatomically appropriate. In other words, school furniture must be student friendly. When furniture is comfortable for a student, their productivity is far better. Older student desks were the paddle shape, however, it never really allowed much space for a student's books and notebooks. Most of the student desk designs of yesteryear where very not comfortable which made it difficult for some students to study and learn. Another problem with traditional student desks is that that they only contain one compartment underneath the seat. If a student was given an open book test, it was hard to have an open book and the entire test paper on the desk at the same time. There wasn't much room for anything else. It is true that student desks have made changes throughout the years. The more advanced rectangular desks are much better than the traditional school desks.
Virco Classroom Furniture
These days, students have desks with the lift up tops and desks with an open end to put books on other subjects (it's amazing how many books early learners carry around these day!). This is so that students can conveniently store their books and other school supplies. Many school class rooms have desks, storage units, and cubbies with wheels so that students can easily maneuver around into groups during study and art time. Students shouldn't have to waste time picking up traditional desks to form into groups. Today's furniture is designed in long rectangular tables, kidney shaped and even trapezoids. These unique shapes are fun plus they entice kids to easily get into their own mastermind groups. Some of these innovative desks are capable of holding equipment including PC's, laptops, and other new fangled technology. Why let kids struggle on their own when they can pow wow with peers and learn via discussion?
Jonti-Craft Classroom Furniture
As a school teacher, you know and understand how to choose school furniture that will be appropriate for you and your students. Besides desks, teachers love cubby units, waist high room dividers, and book cases. Obviously budget constraints will almost always keep you from getting every item you really want, but there are certain types of furniture that ensures classroom productivity is heightened and remains a positive learning atmosphere. Without the right tools, the classroom is likely to become unproductive. Furniture that is designed to organize materials in the classroom is considered to be ideal. An organized area is typically a smoothly run and efficient class; where teachers are able to concentrate on lesson plans and not the chaos that comes with messy surroundings. There are many different types of furniture that are productive when it comes to this aspect of the educational progress in the classroom. Supply cabinets, cubby shelves, and art storage can incorporate the use of storage containers for supplies such as crayons, markers, pencils, clay, and more. If you're a teacher in an area where resources are almost non-existent, did you know that you can petition for classroom supplies at http://www.donorschoose.org/? Check it out, you might find help from friends across the country.
New classroom items at SensoryEdge:
preschool open toddler shelf
5 Section Revolving LockerLabels: classroom-furniture, school-furniture
posted by SensoryEdge
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Plastic Toy Shelving
For over six years SensoryEdge has sold mostly wooden products. We were recently contacted by Pierce Intharakamhan of Enjoy Plastics who asked us to review and potentially add their line of multi color plastic toy shelves to our site. Here's a recap of a quick interview we did with Pierce.
(Sensory Edge): We're speaking with Pierce Intharakamhang of Enjoy Plastics USA, Inc. about his company and their basket shelving. Now Pierce, I understand that you and Enjoy Plastics are fairly new to the plastic storage industry, tell us what it would take to for a new company to come out with something and succeed in a crowded market place?
(Pierce): Well first off, your product has to stand out and look like nothing on the market today and still be appealing to the everyday consumer. Secondly, the product actually has to function as good, if not better, then the competitors and be within a reasonable price. With that pointed out, the item will already sell itself, now all people would have to do is discover it. (Sensory Edge): Please explain to us what separates your items from everyone else?
(Pierce): With most shelving units out there, they're mostly all the same color and are just plain flat shelving units. Our shelves have a patented basket design that prevents toys, games, books, and other items from falling out. We have a number of bright, vibrant colors available in four different sizes that can accommodate any room for many different applications.
(Sensory Edge): I see, giving that your products has an array of colors and sizes, how does is match up in quality against the leading companies that currently dominate the industry today?
(Pierce): I’m glad you ask that. Our shelves are made of light weight, but very durable plastics. With its patented design, it can hold up to 50 lbs per tier. I can literally stand on the top shelf. Also, all our products are made in the US, so we take pride in standing behind, as well as on top, of our products.
(Sensory Edge): Wow, that is pretty heavy duty. Now what do you say something like this would generally cost on the market? And how do you predict people will take to it?
(Pierce): Well, for the smaller sizes, like the corner and the small, the price rage will be right around the $20 dollar mark. The medium being the best seller would go from $25 to $30. And the large going for $45 to $50. We try to make our products as affordable as possible, with the most value for your dollar.
(Sensory Edge): Ok, that about wraps it up. Thanks for telling us about your productds, is there anything else you would like to mention to the customers out there?
(Pierce): Thank you Sensory Edge, and yes there is. I just want to say, if you are looking for an affordable, alternative shelving unit, that has multiple uses, that is very easy to assemble, and that is a breeze to clean, take a look of the full line of Enjoy Plastics USA, Inc. Thank you again and good bye. (Sensory Edge): This is Sensory Edge saying thank you for reading and keep your lives organized.
After the interview ended, we asked Pierce to send us a sample unit. We wanted to test how easy it was to put together, functionality and strength. We received the unit a few days later and it took us about three minutes to assemble! We like the look and were very impressed with the Enjoy Plastics unit. With the thumbs up from boss lady Alycia, we added the plastic shelving to our site at http://www.sensoryedge.com/plastic-toy-shelves.html. We think you'll appreciate these low cost high functioning units for educational toys, books, art supplies and other assorted loose treasures that you want to keep organized.
Labels: book-shelves, plastic-toy-shelves, toy-shelves
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Personalized Kids Furniture
Children love seeing their own names displayed proudly on their favorite possessions, but there are also lots of fun and practical uses for kids furniture. Not only will your child feel special and more in control of his own belongings, but you may also use personalization to prevent conflict involving kids and to enforce non-confrontational discipline strategies.
A smart way of making use of personalized products is to help youngsters with the concept of sharing. It is normal for kids to stake their claim on valued property during play dates. Nevertheless, as we all know, children who don’t learn to share are not much fun to play with and you may have a difficult time getting parents to bring their kids back to your home if their small one departs in tears after each visit. The remedy? Get your child his own personalized toy box.
You can also add your youngster's name to these products to help infuse a sense of belonging. Seeing his or her name prominently placed on chairs, benches, and some other items gives them a reminder that their place in the family is long lasting and significant.
Personalized furniture helps avoid misunderstandings when multiple young children have the same product. This is true both for classes where there are dozens of kids sharing the same classroom and for home for settling conflicts over which thing belongs to whom. Let kids pick out their own toys and personalize any of them that may become a source of distress for kids (and yourself…). That way, the next time there is an discussion, you can point to the name on each toy and say “See, this one belongs to you, and this one is your brother’s.” Trouble solved.
You can employ this same strategy when correcting children by having a "naughty" box, bench, or stool. For boxes, you can personalize it by adding the word "naughty" or your child’s name. Use them for putting toys, games, and other revoked privileges. Viewing the visual reminder of having his toys taken away is frequently more successful than putting them away somewhere sight unseen (out of sight, out of mind…just get a lock for the box if there is not one already).
Just before any play date, have him put his favorite toys inside the box and then close the lid. Tell him that all toys inside don’t have to be shared simply because they are in his own special box, with his name right on front. (If you want to get REALLY fancy, you might also have a box labeled “Sharing Toys” or something similar.) Let him know that any toys NOT inside his special box have to be shared with his friends. Most children will comply knowing that their feelings have been respected and that their favorite things are safely tucked away.
New at SensoryEdge:
Gift Mark Toy Box in White
Costume Center by Childrens Factory
18 Open Pocket Wire Rack for School StorageLabels: kids furniture, kids-furniture
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Monday, March 08, 2010
Kids Easels in School. Is one of your Students the Next Picasso?
Teaching art work is a excellent move in classrooms, no matter the age of the children. Creativity appears to come naturally for many children, and allowing them to express it in a balanced way is a excellent thing. For this reason, kids easels are valuable things to have in a schoolroom, as they can make it easy for kids to paint or draw. Of course, like any other type of schoolroom furnishings, there are a lot of options when it comes to easels.
If you have children of different heights and ages in your classroom, such as in a preschool, you might find easels with adjustable heights to be invaluable. In fact, such easels usually have two sides, and each one can be set at different heights. Some easels even feature up to four sides of different heights. This makes it easy to allow four children of different ages or heights to draw or paint simultaneously. This type of easel has hinges that easily lock into place when you find the right height.
Many easels feature not only a blank paper canvas, but additionally a big chalkboard. In fact, some include a whiteboard, too, as well as space to store erasers, markers, and chalk. Of course, you can also attach plain white paper to this type of easel so that little ones can use it to sketch or paint. This kind of easels allow youngsters various ways to express their creativity. If they like playing with chalk or child-friendly dry erase markers, they have the ability to do so, but can also quickly switch to paint or regular markers when you add paper to the easel.
A few specialty easels include certain extras that you might find appealing. For example, several include much more storage space than most, with many shelves underneath that are big enough to accommodate small bins or buckets of products. Keeping all the art supplies in one place makes this type of easel a great piece of classroom furniture. Other easels attempt to encourage more creativity than ever in kids by including a certain theme. Some look like fire engines, police cars, or ambulances, which are especially appealing to toddlers who enjoy bright, recognizable themes.
Before you select an easel for your schoolroom, think about the age range, heights, and interests of kids in your class. If you have a specific art time, it makes sense to get several easels that have adjustable heights so that many children can paint or draw at once. However, you may simply have one easel available for play time. In either case, this type of schoolroom furniture can encourage kids to get resourceful.
Virco Tablet Arm Chair Desk with Bookrack
Wooden Unit Block Kit of 144 Pieces containing 17 shapes
Primary Activity Mat
Set of 3 Mini Sea Me Aquarium Wall Mirror
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Easels: Expressing Their Creativity in School
Encouraging art is a good move in classrooms, no matter the age of the students. Creativity seems to come naturally for children, and allowing them to express it in a healthy way is a good thing. Kids easels are helpful items to have in a classroom, as they can make it easy for children to paint or draw. Of course, like any other type of classroom furniture, there are plenty of options when it comes to easels.
If you have children of different heights and ages in your classroom, such as in a preschool, you might find easels with adjustable heights to be invaluable. In fact, such easels usually have two sides, and each one can be set at different heights. Some easels even feature up to four sides of different heights. This makes it easy to allow four children of different ages or heights to draw or paint simultaneously. This type of easel has hinges that easily lock into place when you find the right height.
Many easels feature not only a blank paper canvas, but also a large chalkboard. In fact, some include a whiteboard, too, as well as space to store erasers, markers, and chalk. Of course, you can also attach plain white paper to this type of easel so that kids can use it to draw or paint. Such easels allow children several ways to express their imagination. If they enjoy playing with chalk or child-friendly dry erase markers, they have the opportunity to do so, but can also quickly switch to paint or regular markers when you add paper to the easel.
Some specialty easels include certain extras that you might find appealing. For example, some include much more storage space than most, with several shelves underneath that are big enough to fit small bins or buckets of supplies. Keeping all the art supplies in one place makes this type of easel a great piece of classroom furniture. Other easels attempt to encourage more creativity than ever in kids by including a certain theme. Some look like fire engines, police cars, or ambulances, which are especially appealing to toddlers who enjoy bright, recognizable themes.
Before you choose an easel for your classroom, think about the ages, heights, and interests of kids in your class. If you have a specific art time, it makes sense to get several easels that have adjustable heights so that many kids can paint or draw at once. However, you may simply have one easel available for play time. Either way, this type of classroom furniture can encourage kids to get creative. Labels: classroom-easles, kids easels, kids-easels
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Friday, February 26, 2010
Guidecraft Sunflower & Sports USA Furniture Blow Out Sale
Take advantage of huge price discounts on the Guidecraft Sunflower & Sports Collection supplies last. While you're in our Clearance section you'll also find great deals on tons of Melissa & Doug Puzzles. Guidecraft makes excellent kids furniture for homes and schools and you won't be disappointed in the quality of their products.
Some of the low prices are:
Sunflower Kitchen or Refrigerator $99.95 Free Shipping
Sunflower or Sports USA Table Set $99.95 Free Shipping
Sunflower or Sports USA Rocking Chair $59.95 Free Shipping
Check out some of our other new items:
Labels: classroom-kids-furniture, Guidecraft, kids furniture, kids-table-sets
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Small Footprint Big Fun: Wall Activity Toys
 Wall panel activity toys are the perfect solution for places of business where lots of children need to be entertained. We've put wall toys in many peditric waiting rooms as well as adult doctors offices, car dealerships, hair salons, check cashing stores, and many therapy clinics. Keeping children happy in your waiting room doesn't have to be an ordeal. With a few simple additions to your toy collection, you can make time fly for every kid in your office. And while there is no official guide to finding the right toys for your office, some are definitely better than others. Wall panel toys, for instance, are designed specifically with a waiting room in mind and it shows. Here are five reasons why the wall panel will make a big difference in your waiting room.
1. Save Precious Space.
The reality is that no waiting room has unlimited space to work with and that means that it may take a little planning to make sure that every child is entertained in your office. Even larger waiting areas need to be designed with traffic control in mind. Wall panels can go a long way in helping you keep your floor clear from clutter. In fact you can choose to hang multiple panels along your walls instead of pictures and create an entire play area without ever putting something on the floor.
2. Brighten up the Room.
And trust me, with these panels on your wall, your room will have an instant kid-friendly makeover. They have vibrant colors and wacky designs that are sure to catch their eyes. You can find panels to fit a theme or simply mix and match to give your waiting area a unique look. So, whether you're looking for some friendly sea creatures to welcome your little guests or some zany mirrors that grab their attention, wall panels can help you achieve your vision.
3. Liven up Play Time.
But that first look is just the beginning, wall panels feature the kind of games that will keep kids occupied for their entire wait. You can find all kinds of games and activities that kids will love. Mess-free doodle zones, bead mazes and pathfinder panels are just of few of the activities that children can enjoy. And most of these games are best when shared with a buddy which means that the kids in your office will get an extra nudge in the right direction when it comes to making friends.
4. Keep those Brains Working. No doubt that the kids will be enjoying their new found toys, but parents can also be happy knowing that their kids are developing important skills. The panel games will help develop visual tracking, logical thinking, fine and gross motor dexterity, sensory-motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Toys like this can really let parents know that you care about their children's development.
5. Keep the Parents Happy.
Of course, safety has to be the number one priority with any toy you choose and that is another reason why wall panels work so well. All panels are self contained and have no removable parts. That means no loose pieces that can potentially harm a young child. They are made with non toxic materials and always designed to stand up to some tough wear and tear. And cleaning is also a breeze as wall panels can be cleaned with nothing more than a little soap and water. That means that you don't have to worry about them once they're installed, a quick cleaning here and there and they are ready to go.
Labels: activity-toys, educational-wall-toys, wall panel activity toys
posted by SensoryEdge
0 comments
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