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SensoryEdge Kids Furniture and Educational Toys Blog
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Learning Through Crawling and Playing
 Babies are on the go and their little minds are like sponges. Whatever you put in front of them, they soak up. If you have a little one that is on the move, give her a safe place to play that is also stimulating for learning. The Alphabet Foam Mat is a fabulous place for your little one to crawl, play and learn letters and colors. The foam letters are far to big to pose a choking hazard and are easy for little hands to handle and grasp due to their squishy, foamy design. It makes for great interactive play with your child as well as a cushy place to do it. Sing the Alphabet Song to her, talk about colors, and play games like "Find the Letter". When she's a toddler, ask her what her favorite letter is, favorite color and have her point them out. Toddlers love to be opinionated about everything! Your little one will stay safe and clean, while she'll love the bright colors and things to do on her mat. The 5-foot by 5-foot square mat has interlocking pieces that go together like a puzzle which will really please a curious toddler. When your child is even older, she will be delighted to discover that the assembled squares can be put together into cubes for large-sized building play. If you like toys that can grow with your little one, this is another great addition to your child's room! Labels: boys, building Toys, children, girls, kids, learning toys, toddler toys, toddlers, toddlers toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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Thursday, February 07, 2008
Safe, Fun Developmental Toys for Kids Under 2
 Does your little one seem bored? A quick glance in your child's toy chest may yield the reason why. Numerous toys that are sold for smaller children today are so advanced they actually play for the child too. Electronic coloring books are safer for your newly painted white walls but your kids don't learn as much about the colors from touching dots of color on a screen with a light pen. Tactile senses - being able to hold and feel what they are playing with - are important to the development of children. Because of the boom in video games, many children have exquisite hand-eye coordination but lack development in other fine motor skills. This isn't to say video games are a bad thing - they aren't and there are a good number of wonderful learning programs that will give your child a leg up on learning. But as with all activities - they should include parental involvement and limit their use. Diversity in activities will keep your child's mind stimulated and ready to absorb information. Another good way to get your young child's fine motor skills up and running is to use some of the types of toys you probably remember from your own childhood. A simple wooden pounding toy will delight your young child and he will quietly be learning to place the hammer where his eye sees the point to hit and in turn develop his fine motor skills. You can also talk about the shapes and colors of the various parts and help him brush up on his colors and shapes. If you've been skittish about buying wooden toys, rest assured the fine folks at Plan Toys have taken your concerns to task. All Plan Toys are safe and non-toxic made with replentishable rubberwood. It's made by a natural process and contains no wood preservatives. The toys are inspected to have all sharp corners removed and made with safe, non-toxic paints. Last but not least, this toy is assembled using a proprietary non-formaldehyde glue replacing the traditional wood glues that are high in chemicals and formaldehyde. Labels: boys, girls, kids, Plan Toys, toddler toys, toddlers, wood toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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Saturday, February 02, 2008
The Groundhog Said Six More Weeks of Winter....
 Today was Groundhog Day and if that little critter is accurate, he foretold that the United States will be experiencing another six weeks of wintry weather. If you have spirited little ones, the prospect of another six months cooped up indoors and keeping them interested and entertained can seem daunting. The fine folks at Bazoongi have a wonderful creation that will stimulate young imaginations as well as allow your kids to learn while they play. The Learning Cottage Playhouse has so many features to keep your kids busy you'll be amazed at how much fun and learning has been packed into this design. The attention to detail is outstanding. The doors and windows open shut for an impromptu game of "peek-a-boo" and your little ones will also learn concepts such as "inside" and "outside" and as you're well aware, study after study has shown that learning done through play is much more easily grasped by the child as well as retained. More features on the playhouse include a padded door, shutters and roof in case your kids decide to engage in a little light hearted horseplay and in case that cup of apple juice you asked not to go into the playhouse sprouts legs and finds its way in there and spills as things tend to do; the floor of the playhouse detaches and is easily cleaned. There is so much to learn in the playhouse too! A clock with removable hands lets your kids learn to tell time and create scenarios around time ("You're late for school/work!"); other features include an interactive coat with zippers and velcro attachments so little ones can practice dressing themselves. There's a fun side game with learning to match numbers and letters that is on detachable squares so they can be removed and reused over and over. Ideal for when your kids want to play school. The playhouse also has a learning shapes section with a soft-fill circle, square and heart. If your kids have wanted to practice tying their shoes, there is also a shoe laces feature and last but not least, there is a read and match color words game to play. Keep your kids busy over the next six weeks and beyond with their own fun playhouse! Labels: bazoongi toys, dramatic-play, learning-toys, make-believe, pretend-play, toddlers, toddlers-toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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Saturday, January 12, 2008
One Good Thing About Bad Weather Shut In Days...
 If you have younger children, you know what a challenge it is to keep their minds and hands busy. If you don't have something stimulating, they tend to get bored and start getting into mischief. With winter in full effect for most of the country; your kids may be a little blue because the weather conditions don't allow them to go outside and play, you can take the opportunity to work with them on learning skills through fun play activities. Study after study has shown that children readily absorb, maintain and can recall lessons learned through pleasurable activities such as simple play more than any other teaching method. If your little one is ready to start dressing himself, work with him on simple skills to help him learn to use his fine motor skills. You can have fun with your kids as they use the Basic Skills Board and learn how to zip zippers, lace up laces, tie strings into knots and bows, button up the buttons and snap the snaps. All of these are skills that are necessary for being able to dress themselves. The fun bear has a ton of fun things to do (and undo) again and again and you can let your child challenge himself and set a kitchen timer and see what his best time is for doing the whole board. You can also do only buttons or or just laces - and set a time for each one. Another fun activity this board can be used for is to learn colors. Ask your little one to "Button the green button" and what him find it and do it. Then let him tell you a task to do. And take turns. There are so many ways to use this fun board and all of them will not only keep your kiddo having fun - but learning! Labels: boys, girls, Melissa and Doug Toys, tactile play, toddlers, toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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Thursday, January 10, 2008
Give in to Your Baby's Need to Spill!
 Fill and Spill that is. It's never too early to stimulate your baby with a toy that will encourage development on many levels - along with being a whole lot of fun. Babies love repetition as a part of play. Many babies become unsure or even frustrated when a toy doesn't perform the same sound or movement over and over. Most babies have an innate need to know what to expect and this in turn helps them gain confidence. Pour objects out and watching them fall again and again through the grace of gravity is a never ending fascination for most babies. Give your little one a fun toy that will also work on building up his or her fine motor skills as well as grasping skills. Melissa and Doug have put out so many wonderful toys for kids and the Fill and Spill is no exception to that rule. The Fill and Spill will keep your baby entertained for hours with four buggy friends that each make their own sound. One buggy rattles, while another jingles. Another squeaks and that last one crinkles. The toy is completely washable and easy to keep clean. The bugs can be put into the container again and again and then poured out. Your baby will have so much fun experimenting with putting his or her hand inside the "bug jar" and then swirling the buggies around and then tipping the entire container and pouring them out. They can be stacked, counted and you an even play games and ask your baby to give you the bug that jingles or tell your baby to show you the color blue on a bug. There are so many levels of learning with just this one toy! Delight and stimulate your baby with the fun of a Fill and Spill Toddler Toy and watch your child's mind and skills grow. Labels: boys, children, girls, kids, learning toys, Melissa and Doug Toys, pretend play, pretend-play, special needs kids, toddler toys, toddlers
posted by SensoryEdge
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Thursday, January 03, 2008
Building Blocks of Basic Learning
 Did you ever consider how powerful of a learning tool a simple bunch of blocks can be? There are so many ways to work with your child no matter what his or her age and teach them so many things with a simple group of building blocks. The first thing that children can gain from playing with blocks is the development and fine tuning of gross and fine motor skills. Stacking blocks takes practice and even very small children will enjoy practicing carefully putting one block on top of another until it becomes unbalanced or an unsteady handy hits the wobbly tower of blocks and it comes crashing down - an action which delights most children too! With practice, your child will learn to cause and effect. What happened when he or she stacked up the blocks too high? Finely placing blocks one on top of another also develops manual dexterity needed for grasping and picking up the blocks as well as learning to place them on top of each other in a straight manner. You can move on when your child is older and talk about the shapes of the blocks. Squares and make rectangles and other shapes by stacking up blocks. Play guessing games and create shapes or have races and stack all the blocks of a like color together. All of these create fast thinking and decision making skills in your child. Older children love and appreciate pretend play. Build a simple block house. Decide if it's really a house, a school, an office and talk about what could be going on inside. There are so many ways to learn with a simple set of blocks, if your child doesn't already have a set, get one this week and watch how many ways your child can blossom! Labels: boys, building block toy, children, girls, learning-toys, playroom toys, pretend-play, special needs kids, tactile play, toddler toys, toddlers, toddlers toys, toys, wood toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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Thursday, December 20, 2007
Ready, Set, Action!
 With the cold days of winter here you kids may be spending more time inside than they usually do and when they do the walls of the house can seem more closed in and smaller than ever when you have a couple of bored kids in the house. Even if you live in the parts of the country that stay warmer during the winter months - there will still be cold, rainy days your kids are indoors. Pretend play is a great way to pass the days and encourage group play, turn taking and stimulate imaginations - all they need is the right tools to do so. Something as simple as a play tent can do the trick. The Train Station Play Tent is a marvelous way to give your kids a place to play and create imaginary scenarios. This pop up tent is perfect for providing hour upon hour of fun play. There's lots of space with mesh roof windows for plenty of fresh air, as well as roll-up windows. The tent is made of long wearing 70 Denier 190T polyester and combined with the Pacific Play Tents exclusive "G-3" patented pole system, the indoor/outdoor tent is a breeze to assemble with the color-coded tent pole system and attached connectors; the train station will be ready to begin hosting endless imaginary play with your kids within minutes. An accessory that is very fun but must be purchased separately is the 19" tunnel portal that your kids can run through to get to the train station. The Train Station itself has flaps and velcro stays and is easy to keep clean with mild soap and water. Labels: bedroom, boys, children, childrens exercise, childrens furniture, dramatic play, dramatic play for children, girls, kids, learning-toys, make believe, pretend play, toddlers
posted by SensoryEdge
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Monday, October 29, 2007
Stimulate Your Toddler's Motor Skills!
 It's frustrating being a toddler. You have this great new body that runs, jumps, plays and boundless energy that runs it - and so few toys let you expend this energy. A great toy to have on hand for both your own energetic toddlers as well as visiting little ones for the upcoming holiday season is the Toddler Pyramid Play Center. This fun play center has Velcro fasteners to hold this unique climber together as one solid piece. It fits neatly in corner floor space and needs about 60 x 72-inches of space to ensure safe use. There are mirrors that are sold separately so kids can make faces and watch themselves, jump roll and slide to their heart's content. Little ones from 6 months to 4 years of age will have a blast pulling up, climbing, jumping and sliding down this fun pyramid. This toy encourages group play, cooperation and imaginative play. Also, having a toy around to keep the little ones entertained when they get tired of playing other games will keep them from disrupting holiday gatherings and ensure they have as good of a time during their visit as everyone else. It's hard to be a toddler, show you understand and have a fun toy around that not only is great for physical activity, but will teach waiting to take turns and other group play and social skills. Labels: childrens exercise, Childrens Factory, learning toys, pretend play, soft play, toddlers, toddlers toys
posted by SensoryEdge
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Saturday, October 06, 2007
Holiday Cooking With Your Kids
 You know just how much you always wanted to cook with your mother or your grandmother as a child each and every time they were hard at work in the kitchen. The smells of something delicious baking in the oven were enough to draw you in. However, once you caught a glimpse of what they were putting together, you couldn't help but want to join in. As your children begin to grow and explore around the kitchen, there are going to be times when they will want to get right in there and help with the cooking just like you did. For these times, you might want to set aside little projects that they can help you with. Simple cookie recipes are always nice when the holiday season rolls around, or they can even help you put together some delicious decorate chocolates. Either way, this will be the starting point for the kinds of cooking skills that your children will carry on with them as they grow into teenagers and then to adults. The Little Farm House Table & Chair Set is a delightful selection of furniture that you can have in your kitchen for your children to use when they are helping you cook and create. Either use while they are mixing and kneading or even let them sit down and reap the rewards of all of their efforts after they are finished helping you. Holiday goodies and the perfect place to enjoy them are the best ways to create special moments of bonding that you can cherish for a lifetime. Labels: bedroom, boys, children, childrens furniture, girls, home furnishings, kids, kids furniture, pretend-play, toddlers
posted by SensoryEdge
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Saturday, August 25, 2007
Imagination Central
 Whether you are a parent or caregiver, you realize that stimulating a child’s mind is very important in helping them grow and mature. Many experts agree that there is a vast difference in children that are encouraged to use their imagination opposed to those that have little or no stimulation. The ones that have been encouraged to be curious and explore are far more likely to grow and mature into a well-rounded adult. Most children begin to really display curiosity and seek out things that catch their attention around their first birthday. Some may do this sooner and some later, the time frame itself is not written in stone, it's just a guideline. No one knows your child as well as you do, so you will need to watch for individual signs that your child is ready to explore. One way to help them along is to provide ways for them to start developing and shaping their own individuality. This can be done in a variety of ways, from scheduled instruction times to free play. Naturally, the ideal would be to combine the two, as this seems to get the best results. If you are attempting to insert a little educational instruction, keep in mind the younger the child the harder it may be to keep their attention. It does help to make it as fun as possible while still keeping it age appropriate. An excellent choice for this type of educational toy is the Purple Play Panel Wall Toy. As the name indicates, it can be mounted on a wall, which leaves more space available for a play area on the floor. It has a great variety of games that children love to play and the bright colors are pleasing to the eye. It can also be great fun trying to teach your child how to say the name, they love those P's. Labels: boys, children, girls, hand eye coordination, kids, learning-toys, make believe, pretend-play, toddlers
posted by SensoryEdge
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Friday, August 17, 2007
Ready to Learn
 Summer is almost over and another school year is right around the corner. Are you ready? Or at least as ready as you can be? Children's educators are just about the most important people around and are most certainly high on the list of exceptional role models. If you are a teacher, and that includes the people that home school their children, you already know how important you are to those growing young minds. Long considered a most noble profession, teaching children is a very rewarding career. You get the chance to see the look of excitement and pride when something new is learned, or a skill is mastered. As you are probably already aware, the environment for learning can be just as important as the lessons themselves. This holds particularly true for younger children. Once you have their attention, keeping it can be a difficult task. There are different tools and methods that may be used to encourage learning in a fun and enjoyable manner. As a teacher, it is important to make the teaching area as inviting and comfortable as possible, which in turn lends itself to a learning environment. Bright colors and bold shapes tend to be very popular with young children. It catches their eye and makes them want to investigate it further. Colorful posters on the walls and bright carpeting are great for getting their attention. You may also want to consider a reading corner, complete with several beanbag chairs in bright colors and shapes. They will love sitting in these great chairs, which just may result in a new appreciation for books and learning. Labels: autistic-children, bedroom, boys, children, girls, kids, kids furniture, seating, toddlers
posted by SensoryEdge
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Friday, July 06, 2007
Kid Friendly (and Parent Approved) Carpeting
 Children spend a good part of their time on the floor. And no, its not always because grandma doesn't like feet on her couch or mom is going to freak if she sees those jelly-covered hands anywhere near her new chair. However, it has been said they prefer the floor when watching television simply because they can be close to it and they don't have to worry about anyone being in their way during their 50th viewing of a Barney video. Hey, you never know, Barney might say something new this time. For whatever reason, they do tend to be on the floor a lot. So why not stimulate their learning process a little with kid friendly carpets and rugs. Depending on the age, there are several bright, colorful and yes, educational themes to please everyone. As a parent or caregiver, you realize that due to a child's innate curiosity they want to know and touch everything. It just makes sense that even if the rug was not the first thing they noticed (it is more likely that they noticed some other kid playing with one of "their" toys), it will soon capture their attention as much if not more than the original toy they had their eye on. With everything from alphabet carpets, numbers and shapes rugs, rugs about animals and nature to biblical rugs and even geography carpets, there is bound to be something that a child would adore. And remember you are not required to tell them it is also educational. Why ruin a good thing? Labels: boys, girls, home furnishings, learning toys, pretend-play, toddlers
posted by SensoryEdge
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Tuesday, June 26, 2007
A Climber Set For Exercise And Motor Skills
 You would be amazed at all of the different ways that infants and toddlers can gain strength and motor skills. To begin with, since their little bodies are constantly growing, even the slightest movement can help them work all of their muscles. When you are looking for a great way to give them a boost, you may want to get a great climber set to help them work on their motor skills and take part in important exercise. Once you find the 7 Piece Step by Step Climber Set by Edushape, you will wonder where such an amazing product came from! There is something to be said about a colorful and safe climber set that is geared toward the needs of growing infants and toddlers. Babies can enjoy this climber set by moving around on each of the surfaces that have different textures as well as colors and shapes. This set is even large enough that it can be used for one child or several kids if you happen to have a play date planned. When set up, the 7 Piece Step by Step climber set is a world of exploration and amazement for any young child. With the different blocks and interesting, oversized shapes, kids just love to move around and have a great time. This is a truly wonderful way to ensure your child is receiving a good amount of visual and tactile stimulation, which is always a very important part of their growth and development. Labels: exercise, toddlers
posted by SensoryEdge
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