Frequently Asked Questions

What are you doing?

Taking a long weekend to relax and refresh.....

Did Ya Know?

We're celebrating Spring today and taking the day off!

Time for some rest and relaxation.... 

our long weekend to Ouray Colorado!

Soaking in the hot springs and doing some mountain biking....

Boredom Busters

 Wash your bike and get ready

for a nice long ride.....

 or

wash your bike after a 

nice long ride.

 Call it spring cleaning! 

Don't forget to rinse!

 Decorate a flower pot with almost anything you

can find around the house. Warm up the glue gun and let your imagination take your creation to a whole new level!

Make a candle to illuminate your senses! Use old candles,

Use crayons, 

Or go to the hardware store for some paraffin wax!

Add interesting objects as the wax settles...

Perhaps a scent too...

Flash from the Past Friday

Guess how many marbles are in the jar......

Jokes from our repertoire.....

What's a pirates favorite kind of sweater?

Arrrrrrrg-gyle

Two peanuts were walking down the street...

One was a salted!

How do you ask a tyrannosaur out to lunch?

"Tea, Rex?"

What happened when the Brachiosaurus took the train home?

He had to bring it back! 

Knock Knock!
Who's there?
Cash.
Cash who?
I knew you were a nut!

Knock Knock!
Who's there?
Cowsgo.
Cowsgo who?
No they don't, cowsgo moo. 

Knock Knock!
Who's there?
Avenue!
Avenue who?
Avenue heard this joke before. 

Dinosaurs 101

Dinosaur type #4
HADROSAURS: HAD- row- sores

Among the last and most numerous dinosaurs to roam the earth, hadrosaurs (commonly known as duck-billed dinosaurs) were large, oddly shaped, low-slung plant eaters with tough beaks on their snouts for shredding vegetation. 

Given their extensive fossil remains, it's likely that more hadrosaurs existed during the latter stages of the Cretaceous period than any other type of dinosaur . These gentle creatures roamed the woodlands and plains of North America, Europe and Asia, some genera in herds of hundreds or thousands of individuals, and some signaling to each other by funneling blasts of air through the large, ornate crests on their heads, a characteristic hadrosaur feature.

Hadrosaurs (Greek for "bulky lizards") were far from the sleekest, or most attractive, dinosaurs ever to roam the earth. These plant-eaters were characterized by their thick, squat torsos, massive, inflexible tails, and tough beaks and numerous cheek teeth (up to 1,000 in some species) designed for breaking down tough vegetation; some of them  had crests on top of their heads, while others  didn’t. Like cows and horses, hadrosaurs grazed on all fours, but some may have been capable of running clumsily away on two feet to escape predators.

Wacky Wednesday

We're celebrating a birthday of one of our 

Certified Toy Consultants toady by decorating cupcakes!

That's right, we're gonna slather on the frosting!

Sprinkles, must have sprinkles....

Game Review

Noodle Speedoodle! 

A quick drawing cooperative game from Peaceable Kingdom!

Grab a noodle - Draw a doodle! Use your noodle to speedily doodle in this quick-draw party game. You've got 30 seconds to draw a picture and get the other players to guess what it is. The trick is that you've got to include a noodle in your doodle. Spin the spinner to determine the style of play, pick a noodle, pick a card and choose a word to draw, flip the timer and draw! Guess correctly and everyone wins!

Why families love this game:

When families and friends can work together and are having fun doing it, everyone wins! Noodle Speedoodle is fast-paced, cooperative drawing fun, whether you're at a party or having a family game night at home!

What is a cooperative game?

A cooperative game is a game where all players play together against a common obstacle, not against each other. In a cooperative game no one feels left out and everyone has fun! Peaceable Kingdom’s cooperative board games use familiar game mechanisms – spinning a spinner, matching cards, moving a token, strategizing a win! The difference is that players play together. Playing together helps kids in many ways – they experience shared decision-making, they build self-esteem, they learn to share, to feel compassion, and to work as a team. Playing cooperative games teaches kids to cooperate.

Did Ya Know? Parenting Tip

How to put a toddler to bed in 100 easy steps!

1. Announce that it's time to go to bed.
2. Wait for your toddler to stop crying.
3. Explain that bedtime is not a punishment.
4. Explain that bedtime is not a new concept.
5. Explain that, yes, bedtime will happen every night.
6. Console your toddler.
7. Announce that it's still bedtime.
8. Let your toddler know that we don't call names in this house.
9. Tell your toddler it's time to go upstairs.
10. Watch your toddler move at a snail's pace.
11. Wait for your toddler to stop crying.
12. Pick up your toddler.
13. Walk your toddler upstairs.
14. Pick out the wrong pair of pajamas for your toddler.
15. Pick out another wrong pair of pajamas for your toddler.
16. Explain that the right pair of pajamas are in the wash.
17. Explain that you will not be doing a load of laundry this evening.
18. Console your toddler while he/she cries.
19 Explain that in this house we don't call names.
20. Watch your toddler struggle to get into his/her pajamas.
21. Ask your toddler if you can help.
22. Continue watching your toddler struggle.
23. Watch your toddler try to wear a pair of pants like a shirt.
24. Console your toddler.
25. Put the wrong pair of pajamas on your toddler.
26. Announce that it's time to brush teeth.
27. Explain the benefits of dental hygiene.
28. Console your toddler.
29. Carry your toddler into the bathroom.
30. Put a microscopic amount of toothpaste (poison) onto the toddler toothbrush.
31. Wet toothbrush.
32. When your toddler opens his/her mouth 1/45th of an inch wide, attempt to clean teeth.
33. Your toddler will attempt to spit in the sink, but will actually spit on the counter. Clean it up.
34. Console your toddler.
35. Ask your toddler to pick out two books.
36. Toddler will pick out the two longest books in your home.
37. Read the first line of every third page of the two books.
38. Field unrelated questions and interruptions.
39. Tell toddler it's time for a good night kiss.
40. Toddler will be suddenly and urgently thirsty, give toddler a small drink of water.
41. Toddler will ask a question. Answer question.
42. Say "good night" and kiss toddler.
43. Toddler will ask for a hug. Hug toddler.
44. Toddler will take up a sudden interest in potty training and ask to use the bathroom. It's poop.
45. Help toddler in the bathroom. Notice that there is no poop.
46. Toddler may become afraid. Assure toddler that there is nothing to be afraid of.
47. Toddler will ask a question about life. Answer question.
48. Toddler will need another hug and kiss. Give hug and kiss.
49. Toddler needs to urinate. Help toddler in the bathroom. Notice that toddler actually urinates.
50. Toddler requires a sticker for urinating successfully.
51. Put a sticker on toddler's potty chart.
52. Toddler may want to tell you a brief 10-minute story. Listen to story while backing out of the room.
53. Turn off the light.
54. Toddler remembers that he/she needs a special stuffed animal.
55. Ask where the stuffed animal is.
56. Toddler tells you it's in the car. Find your keys and look in the car. It's not there.
57. Look in the living room.
58. Look in the kitchen.
59. Look in the backyard.
60. Scout the neighbor's property.
61. Find the toy in your toddler's room, under the bed.
62. Ask toddler if he/she knew the toy was under their bed.
63. Toddler will ask for dinner. Explain to toddler that dinner ended hours ago.
64. Toddler will cry that he/she is hungry. Explain to toddler that he/she should have eaten said dinner.
65. Explain that we do not call people in this house names.
66. Toddler will ask for hug and kiss. Hug and kiss toddler.
67. Toddler will ask you to help arrange his/her pillows and blankets. Arrange pillows and blankets.
68. Toddler will ask you three essay questions. Answer them.
69. Toddler will notice that the tag end of the blanket is next to his/her face and will kick it off. Fix blanket, this time with care and precision.
70. Toddler will ask for the hall light on. Turn on the hall light.
71. Toddler will ask for another story. Explain that there will be no more stories.
72. Toddler will ask what the plan for tomorrow is. Resist the urge to say, "I won't be here. I'm running away tonight."
73. Tell toddler "good night."
74. Toddler will say his/her back, legs or butt is itchy.
75. At your discretion, try to relieve itchiness through lotion or wipes.
76. Put toddler back in bed.
77. Arrange blanket in the proper formation.
78. Say good night.
79. Toddler will say "good night."
80. As you reach the door, toddler will inform you that he/she is not wearing socks.
81. Choose the wrong pair of socks for your toddler.
82. Choose another wrong pair of socks for your toddler.
83. Choose the right pair of socks for your toddler.
84. Put the right pair of socks the wrong way on your toddler's feet.
85. Put the right pair of socks the wrong way on your toddler's feet.
86. Get the right pair of socks the right way on your toddler's feet.
87. Use your last thread of energy to stand.
88. Say "good night."
89. Toddler will say "good night."
90. As you leave the room, toddler will ask for a sip of water with pathetic sad look on face.
91. Give toddler sip of water and beg to be released from this Hades.
92. Toddler will ask for a back rub/tapping.
93. Tap toddler's back until you lose feeling in your arm and your toddler seems tired.
94. Slowly stop tapping. Stand up. Try to float out of the room.
95. Toddler will look at you. Say, "it's time to go to bed."
96. If toddler cries, pretend to be serious this time.
97. Say "good night."
98. Act like you're walking downstairs but just linger by the door, out of sight.
99. Pray.
100. Walk downstairs.

You may now relax for 2-5 minutes before you're called back in. Congrats!

The Honest Toddler: A Child's Guide to Parenting is out in paperback April 22, 2014.

from the Huffington Post!

Boredom Busters

 It's time for the Fairies to come back to Durango!

Make your fairy house to attract fairies to your neighborhood..... 

they especially like trees, gardens,

and secret places like under the steps.....

just be sure you have some fairy dust to sprinkle around!

 New from our friends at Klutz!

Five fascinating designs in five colors keep hands working and minds learningas you build sixty amazing planes. They all launch from a straw!

Each design features easy- to-follow instructions, educational facts,  and there's even a stencil for making gliders from your own paper!

How can ya not!

 Tis the season!

What's your 3 point %?

How many rebounds?

What does it take to make 

it to the Final 4?

Or are you the all important fan?

Flash from the Past Friday

A few of our favorite things....

Watching the look in a child's eye when they come into the toy store and see something they have never seen before that their parents had when they were kids...

Springtime... with all the flowers springing back to life!

Handmade collectible marbles, because they are just cool.

Ferry boats or Fairy boats!

Being in  a Historic place everyday! 

Having a fancy bagel for breakfast from our local Bagel shop!

Walking along the river trail!

Japanese puzzle erasers.....

Posting funny photos  and bad jokes on the internet!

Science, science kits,chemistry sets, and Gyrobots!

Super Hero capes!

Little people playing with our train set!

Puppets, when someone gives them life. 

Otherwise they just stare at us...

Dinosaurs 101

Type #3, Dino Birds

During the Mesozoic era (about 252 to 66 million years ago) there wasn't just one "missing link" that connected dinosaurs and birds, but dozens of them! Small, feathered theropods that possessed a unique mixture of dinosaur and bird features. Exquisitely preserved feathered dinosaurs like Sinornithosaurus have recently been unearthed in China, prompting paleontologists to revise their opinions about bird (and dinosaur) evolution.

 

Sinornithosaurus

SIEN-or-nith-o-SOR-us

Wacky Wednesday

What better way to celebrate Wacky Wednesday

 but with the Master of the Wonder Emporium himself?

    Today is paper airplane day! 

We've got the paper, the plans, and everything one would 

need to create their own high flying aircraft!

Countdown to takeoff .....10.....9.....8.....7.....6.....5.....4.....3.....2.....1..... 

To The Moon!

Game Review

Fluxx: the title alone tells you this game is all about change!

This game plays the best with 4 players ages 8 and up even though you can play with as many as 6 players. We find it takes about 15 minutes to play a game.

"Fluxx is a card game in which the cards themselves determine the current rules of the game. By playing cards, you change numerous aspects of the game: how to draw cards, how to play cards, and even how to win.
At the start of the game, each player holds three cards and on a turn a player draws one card, then plays one card. By playing cards, you can put new rules into play that change numerous aspects of the game: how many cards to draw or play, how many cards you can hold in hand or keep on the table in front of you, and (most importantly) how to win the game."

Many cards alter the rules either allowing players to draw more cards, or limiting how many cards they can have. Every card played changes the focus, and makes it totally unpredictable. There's also strategy in Fluxx. Players can't predict what will happen, but you can formulate plans. You can stifle your opponents based on what they think will happen, and move toward your own goals. You can never tell who will win. In fact, when the game starts you don't even know what it takes to win.
Easy to learn. Easy to play. Not to be taken too seriously, but still loads of fun.

Did ya know?

Japanese puzzle erasers

"Why do you call these Japanese erasers PUZZLE ERASERS?  We have hundreds of answers, take a look at some of our puzzle erasers.  They are originally designed in Japan, not counterfeits, they are made in Japan, that means they fit perfectly and last a long time.  Counterfeit erasers leave a powder on your hand, they fall apart without you even trying to take them apart."

"Colors are important, Japan made colors are just superior, just right. There are many factors involved, the color powder material, the eraser materials and finally, the skill and experience of the engineers and workers handling the colors and production, exactly how much, when and what temperature at which points.  Best quality materials, most professional and dedicated workers are all vital, you cannot cut any corners nor take any shortcut."

Visit the Japanese Eraser museum.... 

Official Japanese Eraser Museum

Boredom Busters

 Pick a pile of bricks and see how many different things you can build in 5 minutes or 1 minute or 10 minutes! Or race to see who can build a dog house the fastest!

 Jump! Hop! Bounce!

 It's gonna be a beautiful day outside so why not bounce and jump your way through it?

It's time to make your Leprechaun trap! Really! Before the little guys reak some havoc! Our plan is to to get their attention with the drinking bird, then they will see the gold and their vacation home! Shhhhhhhhhh! 

It's a trick!

Dinosaurs 101

The 2nd main type of Dinosaur on this adventure!

Ceratopsians: ser-ah-topse-an

Among the oddest-looking dinosaurs 

that ever lived were the ceratopsians! 

Characterized by their horned faces and including such familiar dinosaurs as Einosaurus,
Triceratops, and Pentaceratops. All of these had huge frilled, horned skulls. Most ceratopsians
were comparable in size to modern cattle or elephants, but one of the most common Ceratopsians
 of the Cretaceous period, Protoceratops, only weighed a few hundred pounds and was not very
 tall. 

Wacky Wednesday

We made an aquarium without the water!

Game Review

Watch out, Mermaids! The Sea Witch is on the move! 

 The object of the game is to move all 3 mermaids from start to Mermaid Island before the Sea Witch gets there. Because Mermaid Island is a cooperative game players play any of the mermaid tokens - no one player has a single mermaid she is trying to get back to the island. Players take turns spinning the spinner and moving a mermaid or the Sea Witch. Mermaids move 1 or 2 spaces at a time and can take the bridge short cuts. The Sea Witch moves only 1 space at a time and always goes the long way around. If the Sea Witch lands on a mermaid, the mermaid must go back to start. But mermaids can collect wand tokens which move the Sea Witch back one space. Players decide together when to use the wands and which mermaids to move to keep the mermaids going. Looks deceptively simple, but is a lively and strategic game of chase!
Components:

• 1 game board
• 3 mermaid tokens
• 1 sea witch with stand
• 4 wand tokens
• 1 spinner

Mermaid Island from Peaceable Kingdom is a fantabulous game to use to introduce board games to your child.

Did ya Know?

Who invented Ka-Bongers?

When I was growing up, I was thrilled to have gotten a set of these to play with! Mine were clear and made from really, really, hard plastic. You would hold the center of the string, move your hand really fast up and down, and the "Ka-Bongers" would hit each other and keep going from the top of  your hand back to the bottom!

Here's some official stuff about them...

 Ka-Bongers were a toy which was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They consisted of two plastic spheres suspended on string which were swung up and down so they banged against each other, making a "Ker- bang" sound. 

They are formed out of two hard plastic balls, each about two inches in diameter, attached to a tab with a sturdy string. The player holds the tab, with the balls hanging below. Through a gentle up-and-down hand motion, the two balls swing apart and back together, making the clacking noise that give the toy its name. With practice, it is possible to make the balls swing so that they knock together above the hand as well as below.

Boredom Busters

 Duct Tape Something!
Design a messenger bag and craft it from your favorite colors of yes, that's right, dust tape!

 Or create your own masterpiece to 

hang on the wall or the fridge!

 Listen to some Celtic Music in 

downtown Durango today! 

Or download some Celtic tunes to 

listen to and expose yourself to a new genre!

For more info about the music in Durango visit:

www.durangocelticfestival.com/events/ 

Go fishing!

Get outside, stand near the river, 

listen to the birds and GO fish! You could even take a nice long walk along the river trail!

Flash from the Past Friday

 How cool is this? 

My photo on the wall in a gallery in a real show? 

Thank you Suzi Moore McGregor, 

I am honored to be a part of your art.

 Really, everyone should start their grown up day with a relaxing spot o tea! Especially with one of your favorite Bears....

Yeah, Ahoy! Chores must be done but when you have to do them, why not put on a hat for the occasion that changes everything?

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH!

Dinosaurs 101

We're gonna start our countdown of the 15 main types of 

Dinosaurs and what makes each type special.

Let's start with "A".

                                  We got our information from http://dinosaurtrain-asia.com/ankylosaurus/#.UxfKo4Wp0dg including this very cool visual.
Ankylosaurs were among the last dinosaurs standing 65 million years ago with good reason: these otherwise gentle herbivores were the equivalent of Sherman tanks, complete with armor plating, sharp spikes and heavy clubs. Ankylosaurs  seem to have evolved their armament mainly to ward off predators, though it's possible that males fought each other for dominance within the herd. 

Wacky Wednesday

Macaroni art!

Golden Macaroni making Egyptian Bracelets!

Perhaps some dried kidney beans, some yarn, 

some bedazzling jewels, 

and some stones will complete this project! 

I think we can do a fancy head dress too....

Game Review

"Killer Bunnies is a funny and satirical non-collectible, 

expandable card game."

The object: Collect as many "Carrots" as possible, hoping that one of them is the predetermined "Magic Carrot". In doing so, you must keep your bunnies alive as long as possible, while eliminating your opponents' Bunnies because once all the Carrots have been claimed you must have a living Bunny to win.

The problem: Your opponents are armed with outrageous weapons (from level 1 weapons such as a "Kitchen Whisk" to level 12 weapons such as the "Nuclear Warhead") and you must roll the die higher than these levels to survive.

Use cards to defend your Bunnies, such as the hilarious "Magic Spatula" or other special cards, or use a "Feed The Bunny" card to force your opponent to buy cabbage and water (if they have the money to do so...)

Your opponents, as the back of the box quotes, "will stop at nothing to keep you from winning the game, which can get dreadfully vengeful, horribly nasty, hilariously messy, and just plain fun!"

The game includes 165 cards (including the Blue Starter Deck and Yellow Booster Deck), 36 small cards, 6 twelve-sided dice, & Instructions.

Killer Bunnies will take about 90 minutes to play and 2 - 6 players can play. We like to play with 4- 6 players ages 10 and up. Truly harmless and ridiculous, Killer Bunnies has expansion packs available so that you can add to the game or even add more players!

Frequently Asked Questions

What brands do you have in your store?
Funny you should ask! We have...
Brio, Breyer, House of Marbles.
Safari LTD, Tonka trucks, Chuggington and Dinosaur Train.
We have Bric Tek bricks that place nicely with Legos, Mega Blocks,
Nanoblocks & Hape Bamboo Blocks.
Toys from Marky Sparky, Schylling, Toysmith, EEboo, and Innovative Kids.
Games from Mayfair, Blue Orange, Winning Moves, Playroom Entertainment, and Parker Brothers!

Thames & Kosmos, Educational Insights, Learning Resources, Tedco toys, and Elenco circuits.

That's just to name a few. When you are looking for specialty toys and games these are the names to look for!

Did ya Know?

Brio Toys

BRIO is a toy company that makes wooden toys founded inSweden. The company was founded in the small town of Boalt in 1884 by abasket maker.  For a long time the company was based in Osby  in southern Sweden. In 1908 Ivar's three sons took over and founded BRIO, which is an acronym for BRöderna ("the brothers") Ivarsson [at] Osby. 

BRIO is best known for theirwooden toy trains sold in Europe since 1958. Most are non-motorized and suitable for younger children. The cars connect with magnets and are easy to manipulate; in recent years, the range has been extended with battery powered, remote control, and 'intelligent track'-driven engines.  Many competitors make products that are compatible with BRIO. The high quality woods used and the Swedish manufacture make BRIO toys more durable than many other brands.

Boredom Busters

 Make and wear a goofy costume skiing!

These are a little extravagant for a one day project but I think you get the hint!

 Homemade slime....

Made from stuff that is usually in the house or can be obtained with a quick trip to the grocery store. 

The best part? 

You pick the color.

Rainy day jigsaw puzzle. 

Dig the puzzles outta the closet and make yourself comfortable!