Dinosaurs 101

Top 10 countdown of dinosaur questions...

Question #7

How many dinosaurs were there? 

  There are over 500 dinosaur varieties that have been found, named and scientifically accepted.

There are about an additional 100 dinosaurs that are dubious.  These dinosaurs, usually represented by very incomplete fossils, may actually be examples of other already named genera.

There are also almost 100 newly-discovered dinosaurs whose names have not been through the formal naming process.This process is done by the ICZN (the International Committee on Zoological Nomenclature) in which it is decided that a specimen represents a new genus.

Then the really tricky part has to be considered. People have only probably found only a small fraction of all the dinosaurs that ever existed. There are a lot more dinosaurs that people are finding all the time. Also, there are probably many, many types of dinosaurs that didn't fossilize at all and are lost forever. The actual number of dinosaurs that lived is unknown. The population numbers of the dinosaurs (that is, how many individuals of each genus existed) are also unknown.

#TBT

 Boxes, boxes and more boxes! Boxes = new toys!

 A familiar sight this time of year as we prepare for what lies ahead!

This still cracks me up!

 Another version of Mr. Potato head!

Darth Tater!

Weird Science Wednesday

The Shocking Truth!

It's really something when an ordinary, everyday object can play such an important part in demonstrating a scientific principle! Grab a wool sweater and prepare to watch the sparks fly!

1. Perform this experiment in a dark carpeted room.

2. Slowly rub the sweater along the carpet.

3. Watch the sparks fly!

Static electricity is at work here. The contact of the sweater's wool against the carpet (both materials being insulators, with electrons on their surface) means the electrons can jump from one surface to the other creating more heat and causing sparks to fly!

FAQ's

 Where do we find these guys?

Well these guys come to us with their humans.

We get to play and they get to meet you! 

Consider Bailey and Sydney to be local celebrities

Didya Know?

Did you know that people also carve turnips for Halloween! They were used in the 18th century to scare away unwanted travelers. They would probably scare me away too!

Boredom Busters

Decorate a Pumpkin
It's the time of year to make the coolest pumpkin! But you can do much more than just carve a design, you can cover it in glitter or paint it and smack some googly eyes on it! There are so many awesome things you can do! Bring in your pumpkin on Saturday, October 25 to have the chance to win a two minute shopping spree here at the store!

 


Rake up some leaves
With all these leaves falling off the trees, they are probably all over your yard. Why not rake them up for your parents? While you're at it, make a big pile of leaves and jump into them. It's as fun as it sounds!

 

Make your own Apple Cider
Apple Cider is such a yummy drink, and it's so easy to make! Here is a great recipe that you can make with the help of your parents.

4-5 cups apple juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
cinnamon sticks and apple slices to garnish.

In a small pot heat the apple juice and spices over low/medium heat. Stir often while the mixture is heating so the spices will blend into the juice (you don't want any spice clumps). Once it's hot pour into two mugs and garnish with apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Serve warm, while wearing a turtle-neck sweater (Note: turtle-neck sweater is optional).

Dinosaurs 101

Question #8

How Many teeth did T - Rex have? 

How big were his teeth?

T. Rex had over 60 thick, cone shaped, bone-crunching teeth that were up to 9 inches (23 cm) long.

 His  jaws were up to 4 feet (1.2 m) long.

#tbt

Remembering when, without hesitation, 

we would twirl and twirl and twirl 

in our best dress up clothes.....

Weird Science Wednesday

Have you ever seen a rubber chicken bone? 

You may have seen a rubber chicken but really, 

rubber chicken bones?

You will need:

* A good - sized drumstick or chicken thigh bone leftover from a meal.

* A big enough glass jar that the bones will fit in with a little extra room

* Vinegar

1.The first thing to do is to thoroughly clean all meat from the bone as well as cartilage and any other scraps.
2. Rinse the bone under running water.
3. Put the bone in the jar and cover it with vinegar.
4. Secure the lid to the jar.
5. Let the jar sit for about 3 days with the lid still on it.
6. After 3 days, carefully remove the bone from the jar and rinse it under running water again.
7. Examine the bone and see how it feels.

The science says.....

Calcium.... we need it to help us build our bones and keep them strong. In fact, calcium is what helps to keep our bones rigid as well. The calcium in the chicken bones was dissolved by the vinegar because the vinegar is a mild acid.

Game Review

Where is Sock Monkey?

Is he in the refrigerator? 

Is he under the bed? 

Is he in the closet?

The game comes with a real Sock Monkey. One player hides the Sock Monkey then players use the clue cards to try to find him. Sock Monkey is included. This game is sure to become a classic for your family game night. Clue cards help you find the Sock monkey. Fun for kids of all ages. Kids will have lots of fun with their friends and everyone in your family can play!

FAQ's

Who is ASTRA?

No, no, no, not Astro, ASTRA!

 We Are

The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) which is a non-profit association that provides leadership and resources to grow the specialty toy industry.   It is the largest association serving the specialty toy industry.
ASTRA members build their businesses around specialty toys, which generally are designed with a focus on what the child can do, rather than what the toy can do.  In other words, our members’ products are about the features of the play more than the features of the toy. 
Our more than 1400 members include:

• Locally-owned independent toy and children’s products retailers
• Specialty toy manufacturers
• Manufacturer’s representatives
• Industry affiliates
• Suppliers and service providers
• Book stores
• School Supply stores
• Gift stores

ASTRA was founded in 1992 for two simple reasons: 

• To strengthen the part of the toy industry that is committed to providing children with healthy, quality play materials that have high play value
• To bring members of the specialty toy industry together to help each other succeed

Did ya Know?

Did ya know that bad jokes are the best kind of jokes?

Why does Waldo wear stripes?

Cause he doesn't want to be spotted!

What do you call a fish with no eyes?

A fsh!

Why is there only one Yogi Bear?

Because when they tried to make another, they made a Boo Boo!

Boredom Busters

Bake some apples for a yummy treat that will make the house smell apple-icious!

 This baked apples recipe with cinnamon makes a great side dish or dessert for a delicious Fall meal. Food blogger Jenna Weber shares tips for picking out the perfect apples for baking on the Fresh Tastes blog.

Teach your dog a new trick!

Be sure to have some treats on hand to 

reward your pooch for a job well done!
The possibilities are endless!

 

Talk a walk and see how many different types of leaves you can collect...

I love to walk thru fallen leaves and scruff them with my feet so I can hear them rustle and smell them! Look up and around you but be careful that you don't get hit with a falling leaf!

Dinosaurs 101

Top 10 Questions about dinosaurs

                                   Question #9:What color were the dinosaurs?

Answer: No one knows. Animal's skin colors are produced by organic pigments which are not preserved in the process of fossilization.

The best guess about dinosaur coloration is to try to figure out how a particular dinosaur lived and use modern-day reptiles (and other animals) as a guide. For example, an animal that is heavily hunted may need camouflage to help it hide from predators. Or, it may be brightly colored, mimicking a poisonous species.

Basically, it is impossible to know what the dinosaurs' coloration was (using today's science). You can imagine that a dinosaur blended into its environment, or its coloration was part the body's system to help keep it cool or warm, whatever the case, we don't think there was  ever a checkerboard 'saur (but we're not ruling it out)!

Weird Science Wednesday

What you'll need:

A thin metal baking sheet

Wide-mouth drinking glass with a heavy base

Wine glass

Enough dried peas to fill the wineglass

Water

What to do:




1. Place the baking sheet on top of the wide mouthed drinking glass.
2. Put the wine glass on top of the baking sheet.
3. Fill the wineglass to overflowing with the dried peas.
4. Add enough water to come right to the brim of the wineglass.
5. Slowly, over the course of the next few hours, the peas will fill with water and begin falling out of the glass and onto the baking sheet. They will make a spooky plink sound as they fall and it will look like the rest of the peas are lining up to jump out of the glass too!




From the Book of Totally Irresponsible Science by Sean Connolly

Game Review

Tell Tale..... it's okay to tell stories!

• For players Age 6 to Adult
• Packaged in a sturdy round tin, the game is easy to take anywhere you go
• With unlimited possibilities and four variations to spice up the game, Tell Tale unlocks the creativity within everyone
• Tell Tale is the unique storytelling game where your imagination comes to life. You will take a journey into storyland as you improvise and listen to stories based on a variety of images. The 60 charming cards will take you to unexpected situations with surprising characters. Do you ramble on? No problem. Exaggerate? Use it to your advantage! Like to tell it sweet and simple? Game on! Packaged in a sturdy round tin, the game is easy to take anywhere you go, and all you need to play is the cards and your imagination. With unlimited possibilities and four variations to spice up the game, Tell Tale unlocks the creativity within everyone. Bedtime is always a special cherished moment to share with your kids... Tell Tale offers a new option to traditional storybooks; your little one can choose a few of these images for you to tell bedtime stories! Together you will share added complicity that will send you off to sweet dreams.Tell tale exercises children's imaginations and stimulates creative thinking. It develops literacy skills and concept imagery. Describing images can be a great alternative to reading words to reinforce language skills. Contents: 60 Cards with 120 Images ,Illustrated Rules"

FAQ'S

                       What is Neighborhood Toy Store Day?

 Toy stores across the country will be celebrating the joy of play during Neighborhood Toy Store Day on November 8, 2014. To launch the holiday shopping season with community-minded fun, ASTRA (American Specialty Toy Retailers Association) retailers throughout the nation will host special events at their stores. Durango Toy Depot is an ASTRA member.

The celebration of community, the shop local message, and the joy of play brings neighbors together at their neighborhood toy store. Last year's programs included crafts, entertainers, scavenger hunts, and charitable donations. Through Neighborhood Toy Store Day, customers see that specialty toy retailers are more than just store, they are a central part of a vital community.

We participate in Neighborhood Toty Store Day and offer the opportunity to play outside the box, we unveil this year's "ASTRA Best Toys for Kids" and give away prizes all day long!

Local stores have knowledgeable helpful staff, offer special services like gift-wrapping, help preserve a vital downtown, and reinvest their profits in your community. Search the Calendar of Events to find a participating retailer near you or use the Store Locator to search for a neighborhood toy store near you and give them a call to find out what they have planned for the big day!

Did ya Know?

Did ya know that in Welsh Folklore, fairies would ride Corgi Dogs into battle? 

Boredom Busters

 Start planning your Pumpkin creation for our annual EPIC Pumpkin Carving contest! Carve or decorate a pumpkin and bring it to Durango Toy Depot on Saturday October 25 to enter to win a 2 minute toy shopping spree!

Details: http://durangotoydepot.com/events/

 Build and launch a rocket!

Whoa! Choose a kit and build a

model rocket that you can launch 

and have it return to earth! 

Choose from many of our Estes rocket kits!

Meet Wrigley! 

He's another Denver Broncos fan!

Do you have your gear to show 

your team colors?

#tbt

  

Always time to pretend 

and dress up!

Chugginton!

Chuggy, Chuggy, Chuggy, 

Chugginton!

Weird Science Wednesday

The Sandwich-
Bag Bomb....
One may think of acids and bases as harmful chemicals that white coated scientists keep locked away.
This experiment is a simple way of showing that a kitchen cupboaard has these chemical "secret agents" in abundance, And with just a little outlay in time and equipment, you can get "more bang for your buck!"

You will need 

* a ziplok sandwich bag

* paper towel

* 1 1/2 Tablesppoons of baking soda

* 1/2 cup of vinegar

* 1/4 cup of warm water

Then...
*This experiment will only work if the sandwich bag has no holes in it. Test it by filling it with water, zipping it shut, and turning it upside down over the sink.If no water leaks out, you are fine. Empty the test water from the bag. If you have leakage, repeat the process until you find a bag that has no leaks.
* Tear a sheet of paper towel into a 6 X 6" square.
* Pour the baking soda onto the center of the paper towel, then fold the paper towel into an "envelope" with the powder inside it.
* Pour the vinegar and warm water into the bag.
* Carefully and quickly, add the "paper towel" envelope to the bag and seal it.
* Shake the bag a little, then place it on the ground and STAND BACK!
* The bag will inflate and POP with a satisfying BANG!!!!|

Game Review

• Parlor Bingo
  A hundred numbers in a sack: draw them one by one.
  As each one’s called, you’ll search your card. Learning can be fun!
  Mark all the numbers that you find with coins across your card;
  Complete a row and you have won! It’s really not so hard!
   
• Learn big numbers 1 to 100
• For ages 5 & up
• 12 double-sided Bingo cards
• De-bossed master sheet
• Red cloth bag included

FAQ's

 Do you ever have fun?

Fun??  Did someone say FUN?  We know how to have fun at Durango Toy Depot.  Owners,  Betty and LouAnn are just kids at heart!!  We love to get out the toys and play with kids of all ages that visit the store.  Sometimes you come by you'll see us on the sidewalk loading the Blast Pad for the next jumper!!  Inside, we may have  the poppers out for a little game of hide and pop!  Or maybe a game of FastTrack!  You never know what we're up to but rest assured, we'll be instigating some fun!

Did ya Know?

 Did ya Know? 

*The ingredient that gives Play Doh its distinctive aroma is vanilla?

* Architects, artists, and engineers have been know to use Play Doh when developing new ideas.

*A model of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home in Virginia, has been constructed using more than 2500 handmade Play-Doh bricks.

Checkers.....

*One variation of a checkers game is called "losing checkers" in which the object of the game is to be the first person to lose all your checkers.

* In England checkers is called draughts which is pronounced, drafts.

                                               

It's Slinky, It's Slinky

For fun it's a wonderful toy    

It walks down stairs alone or in pairs.....

*There's about 80 feet of wire in a Slinky

*It takes about 10 seconds to manufacture 1 Slinky

*Slinkys make good scarecrows! After seeds have been planted, try hanging a Slinky nearby because it will dance and move in the slightest breeze keeping the birds away!

                  

Boredom Busters

 Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam, Where the deer and the cantelope play, Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,  And the skies are not cloudy all day. ...It's cowboy poetry weekend! Sing around the campfire or even learn to play the harmonica or guitar.

 Get out and saddle up them horses for a beautiful ride on the mountain trails.

 Image the first cowboy settlers in this corner of the world!

Do some reading about a great cowboy

 legend or even watch a 

cheesy spaghetti Western.

 Either way, cheer for the hero to 

rescue the damsel in distress tied 

to the railroad tracks!

Dinosaurs 101

Top 10 Dinosaur Questions Countdown

 
 Question #10: What does dinosaur mean and how are dinosaurs named?

Sir Richard Owen coined the word dinosaur, meaning "fearfully great lizard," in 1842. In Greek, deinos means "fearfully great" and sauros means "lizard."
Naming Dinosaurs: Newly discovered dinosaurs are named by the discoverer or by the scientist (in this case a paleontologist) who determines that it represents a new genus (or species). There are many different ways to choose a dinosaur name. Sometimes the dinosaur is given a name that describes something unusual about it's body, head, or feet. Some are named after the location where they are found, their behavior, size, or in honor of a person. The name has to be approved by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

Weird Science Wednesday

This is weird and WacKy!

                                                              THE POWER OF ICE
Why do people put covers on their outside faucets in the winter? Why isn’t it a good idea to leave water in a garden hose during freezing temperatures? It’s the power of ice.

What You Need:

• three small plastic drinking cups, one with a lid dish or pan big enough to hold all three
• cups
• water
• freezer

What You’ll Do:
Fill all three cups with as much water as possible without overflowing. Put the lid on one.
Set all three cups on the dish and place in the freezer overnight.
Check to see what happened the next morning. Did the water stay the same size after it became ice?
Leave the frozen items in the freezer for a few days. Did you notice any changes?
What’s Going On:
When water freezes, it expands. When water is left in a garden hose during freezing temperatures, the force of the ice expanding can cause the hose to break open. The same thing can happen with the water pipes in your house. If the water freezes in the pipe, it can break the pipe open.