Boredom Busters

Light Writer
Draw glowing pictures or write illuminating poetry on this super cool glow-in-the-dark activity set. All you need to do is shine the light pen on the glow board to make your creations come to life. The Light Writer activity set comes with 29 different stencil designs or you can simply freehand whatever you want on the board to make your drawings shine in the night!

 

Hopscotch! 

All it takes is a piece of chalk, some blank sidewalk and energy that just needs to be released.  Hopscotch is the best way to get out and bounce around outside. The rules are simple; the first player throws the marker, usually a rock, and they have to skip the course but they are not allowed to put their foot in the square where the stone landed. Then the next player throws a stone and gets hopping! challenge yourself to see how fast you can skip through the course!

 

Travel Bingo!
Are you on a long, boring, car ride with your family? Hours fly by when everyone (except the driver) plays Travel Bingo! Its just like playing bingo at the senior center, but instead of listening for numbers, you are on the lookout for different objects that are on each board. Once you spot it, mark it and try to get a BINGO before anyone else!

With all these awesome options, how could anyone ever be bored?

Flashback Friday

Would You Rather?

From these pairs of choices, you must pick one! No passes or skipping!

Spend a day with Jacob OR Stub your big toe?

Play the piano in front of a big crowd OR blast off into space?

Eat a whole bowl of wet cat food OR Eat extremely moldy cake?

Bounce on a pogo stick for 7 miles OR Ride a giraffe for a whole day?

Ride the SCARIEST roller coaster in the world OR jump off a 80 foot cliff into water?

Sometimes making decisions are tough, but these ones are just silly!

Dinosaurs 101

Paulie Pliosaurus

Paulie the Pliosaurus lived in the Jurassic period and was a carnivore. This guy grew up to be HUGE! He was about 40 feet long and weighed up to 10 tons. They are found on the shores in western Europe but mainly in Norway. They have a very long head, a short neck and had many cousins that looked like them. Their diet consisted of fish, squids, and other aquatic reptiles. Being so big, Paulie had a huge heart!

Wacky Wednesday!

Check out all these new Safari Creatures! 

The best part about the Safari Toob is you get mix and match whatever you want til you make the perfect combination of critters. I think that when someone picks these toobs, it shows what kind of things that they like and what kind of person that they are.

If I were to pick a toob, it would be filled with so many different things. My top three Safari creatures would be...

3. The Astronaut - Because I find space travel fascinating!

2. The Brown Cow - Because I grew up on a cattle farm.

1. The Polar Bear -  Because polar bears are my favorite animal!

Word of the Day

ZOOINK!

[zoo-oink]

 1. The silly sound that a gravity tube makes when you flip it over or shake it.

       Did you hear that zooink that came from the gravity tube?!

2. An exclamation.

      ZOOINKS! That was a great birthday party!

Frequently Asked Questions

Toy Stores are just for kids, right?

NO WAY! Toy Stores are For everyone! Just ask anyone who works here, when a bunch of new toys come in, someone has to play with them in order to know just how they work. On a daily basis, a person can come into the store to find the employees hopping in a Pogo Jumper or trying to shoot a faux bow arrow into the front door of the Mahogany Grill Across the street. Most of the people who come into the store are grown ups who like to play as much as their kids. Toy Stores are for every one of every age!

Did ya Know?

 Paul K. Guillow, founder of the airplane company known as Guillow's, started producing model airplane kits using balsa wood in 1926. Guillow used this type of wood because of its strength and lightness.

When you fly a Guillow, you're flying the best!

One night, in 1936,

 a grocer named Goldman sat in his office wondering how customers might move more groceries. He stared idly at a wooden folding chair. Put a basket on the seat, wheels on the legs. . . Wait a minute. ...

Goldman and a mechanic, Fred Young, began tinkering. Their first shopping cart was a metal frame that held two wire baskets. Since they were inspired by the folding chair, Goldman called his carts "folding basket carriers".

Boredom Busters!

 Give your 4 legged friend (s) a bath!

I would do this outside because it is so nice out 

but it's always fun to plunk our dog Rowdy in the 

bathtub and scrub-a-dub-dub! He really likes it too! 

Then he gets brushed and brushed some more!

 Make a kaleidoscope

 with stuff that you already have in the house!

Follow this link for a great guide for this project.

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/activities/funscience/be-dazzled/

Go camping in your own yard!
That's right! Sleep out under the stars for a change! Invite some friends or siblings and make this an adventure to remember!

Flashback Friday

 It's such a beautiful morning and I so enjoyed my stroll down the boulevard of 3rd avenue. Sigh.

What could be better than starting my day by playing ball with Rowdy in the backyard before

I even consider coming into town?

Really, come into town and going to spend my day in a toy store. How can you call that work? Pinch me!

Besides, the two sisters who were here this morning helped start the day on the right foot with their preschool discussion of having mustaches... that's why you open the doors! 

That reminds me of Jacob...

 Jacob was visiting Durango a couple of years ago with Mom & Dad. We became friends almost immediately and I learned that Jacob was allergic to real dogs but he wanted a dog of his own in the worst way! He bonded with a giant  plush retriever while he was here and even had me put his new friend in the office so we could take really good care of him until Jacob returned.
So we took care of him until Jacob came in to adopt him a couple days later..... a happy ending!

Sum, sum, sum, sum, summmmmmmmerrrrrrtime! 

Or is it sun, sun, sun,sun, sunnnnnnnnnnnnnerrrrrrtime?

 I suppose that isn't necessarily true for Colorado with 300+ days 

of sunshine year round.... nonetheless,I wonder if the strawberries are ready in the garden. I get so distracted when I leave the

 house I forget to look.... we had one last week and we ate it! 

No, it was savored! 

As tiny as it was,

I savored the fruit of the sun.... yum!

Dinosaurs 101

Let's just have some fun this week! 

Color me crazy but we can make up a story or a joke

 to go along with the picture too!
 

There was a T-Rex, a Pteranodon, and a Troodon standing on the platform at the train depot.

"Knock, Knock" says the T-Rex.

"Who's there?" asks Mr. Troodon who looks like a conductor.

"Owl" replied Buddy, the T-Rex.

Snicker, snicker, "Owl Who?" said the Conductor.

"Owl get you on the train" laughed Buddy.

More great Dinosaur Train pictures and activities at PBS.org

Wacky Wednesday!

Dizzying Toys!

Playing with these toys just might make your head spin! First there are classic tin tops that spin like there is no tomorrow! The colors change as fast as the top spins. There are also drills that spin so fast they are able to put a screw into a wall. But my favorite is the classic pinwheel! Just a little breeze will make it twirl around and it has the ability to captivate a person of any age!

Stop by soon to see what other spinny toys we have!

Word of the Day

Aim

[eym]

1. To position or direct (ball, arrow, rocket, etc.) so that, on firing or release, the discharged projectile will hit a target or travel along a certain path.

Woah! Check out Lou aim that faux bow at the Strater Hotel window! Go Lou!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some groups of animals called? Like jellyfish, or giraffes and maybe even porcupines?

According to my research....

I found that a group of jelly fish can either be called a bloom or a smack of jellyfish!


 
A bunch of giraffes are called a tower of giraffes.



When it comes to porcupines, a group of them are called a prickle of porcupines!



Those are some fun answers to a scientific question.

Did ya Know?

The Plasmacar turned 

10 years old!

The Original PlasmaCar is an innovative, ride-on toy that harnesses the natural forces of inertia, centrifugal force, friction, and kid power! No batteries, gears, or pedals. Use indoors or out on a smooth, flat surface.

Strider Sports International, Inc. designs efficient, no-pedal balance bikes that encourage Toddlers to ride, learn, and explore the world on two wheels. Founded in Rapid City, South Dakota, USA in January 2007, Strider Sports is a company full of passionate riders of dirt, mountain, street, and road bikes.  The goal of Strider Sports is to simplify a bike to its essence, so that proper size, weight and ease-of-use combine to eliminate any fear of riding; instilling confidence in young new riders.
The patented STRIDER™ No-Pedal Balance Bike is now distributed worldwide.

Alfred Carlton Gilbert thought up the idea for the Erector Set during one of his frequent commutes from New Haven, Connecticut to New York City. From his train window, Gilbert viewed workers building a power-line tower. He based his children's construction set on minature versions of the same steal beams the workers were using.

Boredom Busters!

 Have a contest!

My Dad used to see who could pull their 

ears the hardest... it worked something like this.... You find a likely opponent (like your Dad) or yout brother or your sister, then you say "I bet I can pull my ears harder than you can pull yours!

 Ready, on the count of 3 PUUUUULL!"

Here's the joke, you only pretend to pull your ears... don't forget to make your strong face while you do this!

 It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
Take a stroll down the Animas River Trail or even a bike ride for tat matter! Listen to the river and watch all the birds and animals.....

There's still plenty of time 

to make Dad a macaroni necklace before Father's Day! Take a peek in the pantry, grab some string, and let the creativity begin! Dads always like a homemade present!

Flashback Friday!

 Wow! 

This is our 3rd summer in downtown Durango.....

wonder what this will bring??

I remember our first day.....

 We received our first shipment of toys that arrived in 4 little boxes!

At the time, we started freaking out.... really? 

We're opening a toy store?

This is where we began to get nervous because 

we wanted everything to be perfect.....

 Then the boxes would not quit coming!!!!

 We thought we were so organized and hooty tooty too.....

So we unpacked box after box after box until there were no more to unpack. We swept, we mopped, we invited all our friends to see the new store....

Of yeah, Ashleigh.....

 our first customer.....

I think we relaxed a little...

Dinosaurs 101

 Pop Quiz time.....

1. Velociraptor was probably one of the smartest dinosaurs? 

True or False?
2. A very famous T-Rex is named________________ and he lives with _______________, __________________, and  ________________.

3.A Biped is a dinosaur that __________________________________.

4. Mr. Cretoxyrhina was   1)  most like a dolphin

                                           2) most like a deer

                                           3) most like a shark

5. A corythosaurus grew to be about 80' long. True or False?

6. Michelinoceras most likely lived underwater. True or False?

7. An adocus looked most like 1) an eagle

                                                          2) a fuzzy rabbit

                                                  3) a turtle

8. There's a brachiosaurus at the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge railroad depot today?  True or False?

Answers: All of the answers can be found in previous blog articles. 1. True 2.Buddy, Shiny, Tiby, and Don 3. mainly walks on 2 legs 4. a shark 5. False 30' long 6. true  7. a turtle 8. True there's a Brachiosaurus on the lawn.

What are we up to?

Jack, our new security officer, looks as if he means business! 

Must be the glasses...

We've got some amazing Uniforms in the store that look just like the real thing. 

Picture a day in the life of a SWAT team member, an astronaut, a chef, a Race Car driver, 

or even the leader of your very own backyard safari!

 I pretend to be a toy store owner most days but find that I can just wear regular clothes most of the time. I think it's when I wear a hat that I really pretend to be something else.... or I just wear a hat because it makes whatever job I'm doing easier.

That's what makes this little toy store different! 

You can be who you want to be or 

you can pretend to be someone else.

 Explore the possibilities!

Word of the Day

Pie-Licious!

py-li-shus

Something that is almost as good as pie!

"That graph is pie-licious!"

What is your favorite kind of pie?

What is happening today in Durango?

Go Joe Go!

Joe will be racing today from Cortez to Durango in the 28th Annual Ride the Rockies bike race! That is over 64 miles! Everyday the cyclists will be pedaling to a different town in Colorado eventually ending up in Colorado Springs. It will be a grueling race that will cover 513 miles and test the endurance of every participant. It is sure to be a tough race but Joe has been training all year round and is sure to take a top finish. We took a picture of Joe while he was mapping out the race. Cheer on your favorite racers all week during Ride the Rockies!!

As always, Duke will be right next to Joe during the whole race!

Did ya Know?

Teddy Bears

These snuggly little guys got their name from our 26th president Theodore Roosevelt? He was out and about trying to settle some border disputes in 1902 when in his spare time he decided to go on a bear hunt. Later that week, a cartoon artist sketched a doodle that pictured the President next to a bear cub. 

 

In the coming year, Morris Mitcham owned a novelty store in New York sold bears that his wife Rose made. Morris sent a bear to President Roosevelt asking permission to use his name and call the bear a Teddy Bear. Theodore happily said yes and thus the Teddy Bear was born and is here to stay! 

Stop by Durango Toy Depot to see all the different Teddy Bears that we have.
Thank you President Roosevelt for naming the Teddy Bear!

Boredom Busters!

Plant a Garden!
Homegrown Veggies always taste better when they have been raised with tender loving care! Get some pots and soil and choose your favorite veggie seeds to plant. Don't forget to provide water and sunlight!

Turn a book into a play!
Do you have a favorite book that always brings a smile to your face when you read it? Well, get your family and friends together to turn it into a play! Give everyone lines and costumes and put on a show. Be ready to do a lot of bows and curtain calls



Practice difficult Origami!
Some origami is really easy while other stuff is really hard. See if you can perfect the ultimate origami creation like the crane or a praying mantis. There are all sorts of different origami papers here at Durango Toy Depot to make amazing folded creations!

Flashback Friday

Hmmmmm.... Flashback Friday!

Seems like sitting in this desk should set the wheels in motion!

Wow! I love this hat.... 

Last summer I wore it on special occasions in downtown Durango. Oh, oh, oooohhhhhh! Remember last summer when ya waved to the carriage driver every time he passed the store?

 Oh yeah, he even stopped by to say "hi" one day. That was fun!

Then there was the launching of foam rockets in the middle of Main street ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuxZz21iyJU

What else???? 

The classic, the awesomest, the one that started it all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gic-WEIkx4I

The World Fast Draw Championship practice!

It's the hat, must be.....

I wonder what would happen if I wore it everyday?

Dinosaurs 101

Meet Valerie, one of the most intelligent dinosaurs ever!

She and her twin sister stopped by on their way to the Sand Dunes for directions to the nearest pedicure!veh-loss-ih-RAP-tor

"Valerie the Velociraptor exemplifies many of the numerous similarities between dinosaurs and birds, which go far beyond the skin-deep appearance of feathers. Like birds, Velociraptor had hollow bones, tended nests of eggs, and probably behaved in similar ways.
Despite their birdlike plumage these dinosaurs were not fliers. Their short forelimbs made liftoff impossible, though they may be the evolutionary remnants of an ancient ancestor's flight-giving wings.
Velociraptor was probably one of the more intelligent dinosaurs, because it had a large brain proportionate to its body size. It was formidable on land and, as the name suggests, almost certainly covered ground quickly. Moving upright on two legs, they may have been able to reach speeds of 24 miles an hour (39 kilometers an hour).
When they caught up to prey, these predators likely brought them down quickly with a long, 3.5-inch (9-centimeter) retractable claw on each foot and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Velociraptor is known to have preyed on herbivores such as Protoceratops. One famous fossil immortalized the two species locked in an ancient duel to the death."
 Velociraptor was about 5 to 6 feet long (1.5-2 m), and 3 feet tall (1 m). It may have weighed about 15 to 33 pounds (7 to 15 kg). It had a stiff tail that worked as a counterbalance and let it make very quick turns.
 Valerie lived about 85 - 80 million years ago and she lived in a desert-like environment that had some streams.  



http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/activities/checklist/Velactivity.shtml
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/prehistoric/velociraptor-mongoliensis/

We're Different.....

This is what sets us apart from the rest!

 Our new friends, Dipper, Bob, Flipper, and Chomper! 

The sea squad comes to life out of the water complete with googly eyes and bright colors!

Pretend play and puppet shows become a splash with these comical marine friends and story time is transformed into an adventure.

Now you can meet the Inventor, sort of.....

Educational Insights toys and games manager Brent Geppert has something up his sleeve—a puppet! Raised on The Muppet Show®, this former college radio DJ and longtime puppet lover puts on nightly puppet shows for his two sons, complete with voices and sound effects. The puppets are comprised of whatever is "handy"—socks, pillows, dinner rolls, and more. Talk about hands-on fun!

Word of the Day!

 Word of the Day!

Wonder.....one-duhr

something strange and surprising; a cause of surprise, astonishment, or admiration: 

 That balloon is such a wonder! 

 

to think or speculate curiously: I wonder what's so funny!

 Thank you dictionary.com

Did ya Know?

 Did ya Know?

In the 1960s, 3M scientists were hard at work researching an alternative to carbon copy paper and subsequently invented a technique known as micro-encapsulation. The process of micro-encapsulation allowed researchers to make ink copies without carbon copy. Eventually scientists began using this process for perfume testing strips in 1981.

Lincoln Logs

Introduced just after Tinkertoys and the Erector Set, Lincoln Logs were yet another construction toy to make it big during the early 1900's! 

 

John Lloyd Wright, son of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, brought out the line of sturdy, interlocking logs in 1916. Wright claimed that the foundation of Tokyo’s earthquake-proof Imperial Hotel, which he saw while it was under construction, inspired the shape of his logs.

 

 

 Jigsaw Puzzles

 

Englishmen, John Spilsbury invented the jigsaw puzzle in 1767. Spilsbury was an engraver and mapmaker. The first jigsaw puzzle was a map of the world. Spilsbury attached a map to a piece of wood and then cut out each country. Teachers used Spilsbury's puzzles to teach geography Students learned their geography lessons by putting the world maps back together.