tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335501942024-03-06T02:58:13.224-05:00discovery toys blog of billie elias<br>
tips for parents who play with their children or who want stay-at-home incomeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger272125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-91833295948483735732013-07-06T15:00:00.002-04:002013-07-06T15:35:25.709-04:00A trip to the New York Public Library's Children's Books exhibit<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,";">A trip to this magnificent edifice (now named after financier Stephen A. Schwarzman) has always been special, but never more significant to me than when it involves children and reading. Some of my fondest memories are of my mother reading to me and the pleasurable hours I spent snuggled up with and reading to my own child. Although we visited our local branch often, our visit to the 42nd Street library was mainly to visit the map room, one of the most visually interesting rooms for a child in that building. If you haven't been to the main library recently, I highly recommend you go see the current exhibit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,";">From now until March 23, 2014 the library has on display a sympathetic exhibit...a comprehensive homage to children's books. On display are many of the books that you or your children read while growing up, along with photographs of some of the authors or their subjects, personal letters, interactive touch screens and plenty of loose books or comics that you can pick up and read. Here you'll find Mary Poppins, a video of Eric Carle showing how he made "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," "Fun with Dick and Jane," "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," a sky-high tower of books (including Anne Frank's diary) that were once censored, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,";"><a href="http://stratemeyer.org/">Edward Stratemeyer</a>'s Bobbsey Twins/Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys, L. Frank Baum's Oz series, "Charlotte's Web," Peter Rabbit/Beatrix Potter, "Goodnight, Moon" (which has a life-sized replica of the great green room from the book, seen below).</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com%2f-wzxw3r1t3mg%2fudsazkqcemi%2faaaaaaaaaym%2fwqpwbpu4qpy%2fs1600%2f2013-07-02%2b19.36.28.jpg/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJq2xqG_7VcQBlYnfowMKzOLoN_HUstrpjKxwIwm0JfpGJepAvtCFa6TdvU6NOhzI63gZ6-LpIMe9E-rnMli43zsu4iunLoOv1VCSm52YWT7zfva5-d6rnacXmGjZZ4Oo-nrXfA/s1600/2013-07-02+19.36.28.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7_fd7vKbHKRmwSSLpFlqti6CWxFdKONbE_2fyZM3fQNWo11NEj8IMkqtM-BOnnow8gPYqXkx_-4MjUSk5AaV_GvF3eC8BUPks2CzDLL0IWilfnwqA1esKjegfYc1qA7IhaxZwA/s1600/2013-07-02+18.11.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7_fd7vKbHKRmwSSLpFlqti6CWxFdKONbE_2fyZM3fQNWo11NEj8IMkqtM-BOnnow8gPYqXkx_-4MjUSk5AaV_GvF3eC8BUPks2CzDLL0IWilfnwqA1esKjegfYc1qA7IhaxZwA/s1600/2013-07-02+18.11.37.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,";">Take a random walk through the interesting arrangement of galleries. Each book or genre or famous author has its
own vignette of a space. One of my personal favorites was a gigantic
gift box that you can enter, with a single book prominently displayed: a Little Golden Book that was, in fact, given to my son as <i>a gift -- </i>"The Poky Little Puppy."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Although I visit the Bank Street College of Education several days a year (to display Discovery Toys), I had no idea how influential it was in the early days of picture books. Its founder, Lucy Sprague Mitchell observed that children live in a world largely based on their immediate surroundings and their development as healthy, socially and emotionally secure "whole children" was fundamental. Books like "Goodnight Moon" and the Steichen's "The First Picture Book" are based on that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Below the set of unit blocks is a photograph by Edward Steichen's based on those blocks. The card next to the blocks explains that nearly 100 years ago Caroline Pratt, founder of City and Country School in Greenwich Village (and collaborator with Lucy Sprague Mitchell in the Bureau of Educational Experiences), invented unit blocks like these to provide "open-ended play." (Incidentally, that's the term Lane Nemeth used for her Discovery Toys...meaning there's no right way or wrong way to play with these materials, and no age limit: as a child ages they find new uses.) This same concept inspired him to leave the left-hand page blank so grown-up and child together could fill in their own dialogue.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIkceqn8eVMQuLA1y7kwMrvUshRaaxrRwf_RpOvdTniqRy2G5MWIZHlgZto5tQUYpsNxntqg5cCuhkP4e38YVc5jWmpL7E4dpgg7aVxIUhqre5zPZFAj9l_ZDDs3jRWSzSC2SUQ/s1600/2013-07-02+19.11.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: center; float: center; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-center: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKIkceqn8eVMQuLA1y7kwMrvUshRaaxrRwf_RpOvdTniqRy2G5MWIZHlgZto5tQUYpsNxntqg5cCuhkP4e38YVc5jWmpL7E4dpgg7aVxIUhqre5zPZFAj9l_ZDDs3jRWSzSC2SUQ/s1600/2013-07-02+19.11.31.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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In the 1940s Pooh author <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._A._Milne" title="A. A. Milne">A. A. Milne</a> donated the collection of original <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnie-the-Pooh" title="Winnie-the-Pooh">Winnie-the-Pooh</a> dolls (including Pooh's friends <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanga_%28Winnie-the-Pooh%29" title="Kanga (Winnie-the-Pooh)">Kanga</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeyore" title="Eeyore">Eeyore</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigger" title="Tigger">Tigger</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piglet_%28Winnie_the_Pooh%29" title="Piglet (Winnie the Pooh)">Piglet)</a> to the American publisher <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._P._Dutton" title="E. P. Dutton">E. P. Dutton</a>. The dolls were then donated to the library in 1988 and were displayed behind <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletproof_glass" title="Bulletproof glass">bulletproof glass</a> in the Children’s Reading Room at the Donnell branch in Rockefeller Center.<br />
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If you've been wondering what happened to the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh dolls since the Donnell Library Center closed in August 2008, you have a chance to see them again in this exhibit.<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjCrStUWhywUhrOEhTZQ4BUI-C3Vm3DSTu3oZT5OXuVfPDi8YuiTHm31VP8ohvlsr1cecu__qSghWaV6xCsI2DjW12ra4N9BjSA6TSYMdX8Y0fv-wxTN_MIMvyC20Rn6jwhOp4w/s1600/2013-07-02+18.30.59.jpg" height="480" width="640" />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,";">Before you go, I highly recommend reading Edward Rothstein's review,<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/books/public-librarys-abc-of-it-looks-at-childrens-books.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0" target="_blank">"Bedtime With Puritans and Wild Things--Public Library’s ‘ABC of It’ Looks at Children’s Books."</a></span><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-8025074691897800122012-09-08T01:18:00.001-04:002012-09-08T01:19:28.865-04:00All-natural hand sanitizer recipeYou can whip up your own chemical-free hand sanitizer, courtesy of Lawrence Rosen, an expert in pediatric integrative medicine:<br />
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Ingredients<br />
3 oz. filtered water<br />
1 tsp. aloe vera gel<br />
10 drops cinnamon essential oil<br />
10 drops clove essential oil<br />
10 drops rosemary essential oil<br />
10 drops eucalyptus essential oil<br />
20 drops lemon oil<br />
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Instructions<br />
Mix ingredients in a 4-oz. spray dispenser and shake gently. Spray on children's hands and teach them to massage the spray into their hands for 30 seconds. <div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-22165120473329319622012-07-19T18:15:00.002-04:002012-07-19T18:15:57.886-04:00Test takers or Innovators?Young children are at their most formative before they even begin school. This is when good parenting (and good toys, books, games, puzzles ) can really make a difference. But, more and more, we rely on our child's earliest teachers, to inspire a love of learning and creativity that will lead some children to become our next great innovators. Will "teaching to the test" foster that?<br /><br />A first grade teacher is called upon to teach a variety of subjects: reading, writing, arithmetic. It used to be acceptable if she was somewhat familiar with each. Today, she may be faced with a student who's less <i>phobic</i> about math than she is. What a breakthrough it would be to revamp how math and science are taught -- if children could be inspired, not by generalists, but by someone with a genuine passion for the subject!<br /><br />Our current system neglects to isolate high achievers who might be the future entrepreneurs. Instead of stretching their minds, they are drilled ad nauseum and asked to review material they have already mastered, all in an effort to raise test scores. Keeping bright children unengaged in the classroom makes them dislike school, when in fact, wouldn't we want our top students to have a sense of joy about coming to school every day?<br /><br />As a parent, I was astonished to hear a teacher tell me, "I teach to the middle" of the class. It would seem to make more sense for those students who show greater ability to receive enrichment and not be made to suffer environments that neglect to foster their curiosity and growth to the fullest extent. Conversely, the students who need extra help should receive it. Twenty-first century technology should be in use in our classrooms to create independent learning environments tailored to each student.<br /><br />I realize this approach may be costly, but it pales in comparison to the cost of being debt-ridden in a never-ending recession.<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-78234060851852019562012-07-05T23:08:00.002-04:002012-07-05T23:08:30.846-04:00"If you want your children to turn out well.... spend twice as much time with them and half as much money."<br />~Abigail Van Buren<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-42371529279803303502012-04-17T08:16:00.001-04:002012-04-17T08:17:31.701-04:00SCIENCE OBSERVATION KIT using styrofoam packing material<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 6.75pt; margin-right: 6.75pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u> </u></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 6.75pt; margin-right: 6.75pt; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">Discovery Toys proudly packs shipments in environmentally friendly packing peanuts made from corn starch. These dissolve easily in water. They are great for hands-on activities in solubility, Archimedes’ principle of buoyancy, adhesion, cohesion, & more! </div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 6.75pt 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 6.75pt 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">Some suggested observations are: </div><ul><li> *How long does it take for a peanut to dissolve in water? </li>
<li> *How long if you stir it? </li>
<li>*Does it make a difference if you use hot or cold water? </li>
<li>*How long with another liquid such as shampoo or oil? </li>
<li>*Try to write on a peanut with a marker. What happens? Do different markers cause different reactions? </li>
<li>*What about gluing peanuts? Does this work? Courtesy of C. Sutter </li>
</ul><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-34186001795955242572011-09-01T09:16:00.001-04:002011-09-01T09:18:54.390-04:00Frank Gehry ~ "License to Play""My grandparents had a wood stove, and I'd go with her to shops around the neighborhood where we'd buy burlap sacks filled with small, leftover wood pieces. When we got home, she'd open one of the sacks and . . . we'd sit on the floor together and make things out of them -- cities, bridges, buildings. . . . Years later, I realized it was a license to play. That was important to me, because when you start out in architecture, or in any of the arts, the baby steps you take are scary. By the time you get there, you've been through a school system that tries to make everything rational, mathematical, and logical and all of a sudden you're confronted with something that's emotional and intuitive. You look for anchors, and my anchor was this memory of my grandmother."<br />
~ Frank Gehry, <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pritzker_Prize" title="Pritzker Prize">Pritzker Prize</a>-winning architect<br />
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P.S. Your child deserves <a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">wooden building blocks</a>, too. <div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-86799802358622407572011-08-07T16:18:00.000-04:002011-08-07T16:18:54.984-04:00Discovery Toys Back-to-School Sale 2011Shop the sale between August 8 and 21.<br />
14 Products at 20% off, some only while supplies last. See flyer below.<br />
Shop at <a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias</a><br />
Get these products : Glove Story, Wiggle Jingle & Roll, Story Stacker, Sounds Like Learning, Zingo,<br />
Giant Pegboard cards, Discovery Fun Play House, Word Match First Words, Letter Fun Lotto, Measure Up Balance, Playful Patterns, A to Z Jr. and Zip Track cars<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYyVtktXeWzGbwjOXIjAxeysXlkDZ8dzJZdI1X0lgYGasf_EcnnoxCuXMIGeQtRZ_0BdNj5QQCxcNbmUNvdTDZXIiC4lF4i52VzMxPKuz1uMGcR0qok8HKMZV53ciBWGVQneWLA/s1600/btspage1+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYyVtktXeWzGbwjOXIjAxeysXlkDZ8dzJZdI1X0lgYGasf_EcnnoxCuXMIGeQtRZ_0BdNj5QQCxcNbmUNvdTDZXIiC4lF4i52VzMxPKuz1uMGcR0qok8HKMZV53ciBWGVQneWLA/s1600/btspage1+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYyVtktXeWzGbwjOXIjAxeysXlkDZ8dzJZdI1X0lgYGasf_EcnnoxCuXMIGeQtRZ_0BdNj5QQCxcNbmUNvdTDZXIiC4lF4i52VzMxPKuz1uMGcR0qok8HKMZV53ciBWGVQneWLA/s1600/btspage1+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYyVtktXeWzGbwjOXIjAxeysXlkDZ8dzJZdI1X0lgYGasf_EcnnoxCuXMIGeQtRZ_0BdNj5QQCxcNbmUNvdTDZXIiC4lF4i52VzMxPKuz1uMGcR0qok8HKMZV53ciBWGVQneWLA/s400/btspage1+2011.jpg" width="334" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUCqKwzvBVNcklLPEtkUZShqRIPiHLeJtLhYMiMfKZ2O6DtNyQqJNrtb6qUPQ7E3rk80w1U-WOg1OYfeT1qxJPJa019CaQdp9sQwSPvpMB6KlyY-pB8V0LaKz_6EgExvpSgsnOA/s1600/btspage2+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUCqKwzvBVNcklLPEtkUZShqRIPiHLeJtLhYMiMfKZ2O6DtNyQqJNrtb6qUPQ7E3rk80w1U-WOg1OYfeT1qxJPJa019CaQdp9sQwSPvpMB6KlyY-pB8V0LaKz_6EgExvpSgsnOA/s400/btspage2+2011.jpg" width="329" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-88488178339577213052011-07-16T12:32:00.000-04:002011-07-16T12:32:13.252-04:00Shop for the holidays in JulyIt may only be July, but starting your holiday shopping now, a little at a time<br />
(rather than doing all of your gift buying in one month) can be a good strategy. Not only will you be able to spread your expenditures out over a period of time, but you'll free up your winter calendar to go to parties and enjoy the festive season without fighting the crowds. Why not reduce the last minute stress so many people experience in November and December? Take advantage of our <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com/2011/06/discovery-toys-2011-summer-sale.html">summer sale - extended to end of July - </a>to get you started!<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-32441277859885640842011-07-12T07:27:00.000-04:002011-07-12T07:27:08.334-04:00Lullabies around the World CD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPXsjggxdzWyi5aJnGPE7fwzHcNjAfHY2Hsafro-yv0WNusfJoZUR_TaLcWGzlJLflW8GQlpSuOi6IYpJsZpGkaPqflK3tuE-0XbYcTVjfuBX5XpnMMTZCj9YUYcbuJ4SQLSioA/s1600/lullabies+cd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPXsjggxdzWyi5aJnGPE7fwzHcNjAfHY2Hsafro-yv0WNusfJoZUR_TaLcWGzlJLflW8GQlpSuOi6IYpJsZpGkaPqflK3tuE-0XbYcTVjfuBX5XpnMMTZCj9YUYcbuJ4SQLSioA/s1600/lullabies+cd.jpg" /></a></div><br />
LULLABIES AROUND THE WORLD <br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Item # 1097 </span></b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Orig $15</span><b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> SALE $7.50</span></b><br />
Expand Baby's worldview while never leaving the nursery. Musical CD presents 11 sweet and peaceful songs sung in their native languages, mixed with their English translations. Lyrics sung in Italian, Spanish, French, Russian, Polish, Mandarin, Yiddish, and more. Includes 11 additional instrumental versions. <br />
from birth to toddler<br />
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<a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">Order Lullabies Around the World </a><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-91361134789566702222011-07-09T18:46:00.000-04:002011-07-09T18:46:59.804-04:00One week only sale July 12-18, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufuUrJImQ-WMJnyI3iCteDzvJloG1T5twRw6Qdxc5bZ4EvIeVfydCJqZdtg3Z9qNuC7jULEqYGb-HaWPH7s1SsUkfSYpnJlgYfxVv9Vn6ZhK317O_JcxS3vidWnTo25Al8xX1w/s1600/july2011sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufuUrJImQ-WMJnyI3iCteDzvJloG1T5twRw6Qdxc5bZ4EvIeVfydCJqZdtg3Z9qNuC7jULEqYGb-HaWPH7s1SsUkfSYpnJlgYfxVv9Vn6ZhK317O_JcxS3vidWnTo25Al8xX1w/s1600/july2011sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufuUrJImQ-WMJnyI3iCteDzvJloG1T5twRw6Qdxc5bZ4EvIeVfydCJqZdtg3Z9qNuC7jULEqYGb-HaWPH7s1SsUkfSYpnJlgYfxVv9Vn6ZhK317O_JcxS3vidWnTo25Al8xX1w/s1600/july2011sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufuUrJImQ-WMJnyI3iCteDzvJloG1T5twRw6Qdxc5bZ4EvIeVfydCJqZdtg3Z9qNuC7jULEqYGb-HaWPH7s1SsUkfSYpnJlgYfxVv9Vn6ZhK317O_JcxS3vidWnTo25Al8xX1w/s1600/july2011sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufuUrJImQ-WMJnyI3iCteDzvJloG1T5twRw6Qdxc5bZ4EvIeVfydCJqZdtg3Z9qNuC7jULEqYGb-HaWPH7s1SsUkfSYpnJlgYfxVv9Vn6ZhK317O_JcxS3vidWnTo25Al8xX1w/s1600/july2011sale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDufuUrJImQ-WMJnyI3iCteDzvJloG1T5twRw6Qdxc5bZ4EvIeVfydCJqZdtg3Z9qNuC7jULEqYGb-HaWPH7s1SsUkfSYpnJlgYfxVv9Vn6ZhK317O_JcxS3vidWnTo25Al8xX1w/s400/july2011sale.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>click on image to enlarge<br />
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<a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">Tactico</a> can be enjoyed by adults. My son came up with some enhancements to the rules that Discovery Toys provides for younger players. For example, turn the numbered side of each game piece up, initially, and try to remember where you saw the smallest numbers. Then turn all pieces over. Now you have a memory game as well as a strategy game. Leave low numbers for your opponent to pick up last, giving them a low score. <div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-28436491100080792662011-07-03T17:16:00.004-04:002011-07-09T18:34:20.353-04:00"Are we there yet?" summer travel toys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jqt0sCvlUxY/ThjXYSqcKBI/AAAAAAAAAPo/5tItenoII74/s1600/travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="90" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jqt0sCvlUxY/ThjXYSqcKBI/AAAAAAAAAPo/5tItenoII74/s400/travel.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Summer is here and vacations are planned, so you are likely to hear these words uttered more than once as you travel. <br />
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Discovery Toys has the answer with some terrific books, games and CDs on sale to help kids stay busy in the car or on the plane. Save money and shop for the perfect travel products with our SUMMER SALE!<br />
Tips for Stress-Free Travel with Kids<br />
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Here are 5 good tips for parents to keep in mind whether traveling by car, plane, train or ship this summer:<br />
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1. Allow more time than usual. Even the best laid plans can hit a snafu, so allow extra time to pack up and get where you are going. <br />
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2. Pack an activity bag. Bring lots of things to do. A short drive can feel like an eternity to a child. Don't forget to pack lots of snacks (too much is better than too little) and some relaxing music to play when things get rowdy. Take a look at the PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT above for some Discovery Toys products that will work great on your trip! And check out my recommendations listed below. <br />
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3. Get a good nights sleep. A well rested child is a happy child.<br />
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4. Pack an emergency kit. Include medications and ointments you might need, as well as baby wipes. Throw in a small sized bucket and a towel in case of motion sickness.<br />
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5. Relax and have fun! You're on vacation, enjoy yourself! Relax, slow down, and savor the moment.<br />
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Family Vacation<br />
Discovery Toys' products are perfect for your travel needs. I recommend:<br />
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Infant/Toddler<br />
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Peek-A-Boo Cube<br />
Monkey See Monkey Do <br />
Sounds Like Learning CD<br />
Animal Lullabies Book & CD<br />
Glove Story Puppet<br />
Try-Angle<br />
Baby Grooves<br />
Boomering Links<br />
Baby Moves Collection<br />
Place & Trace<br />
Geo Cubes<br />
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Preschool<br />
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Zingo<br />
Word Match (First Words & Colors/Shapes)<br />
Build-A-Story Books<br />
Sounds Like Phonics Games<br />
ABC & 123 Wipe Clean Books<br />
It's A Match<br />
Busy Bugs & Busy Farm<br />
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School Age<br />
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From Time to Time<br />
Tricky Fingers<br />
Speed Wiz<br />
Wiz Kids<br />
Mosaic Mysteries<br />
Think-It-Through Tiles<br />
<a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com/2011/02/discovery-toys-star-explorer-kit.html">Space Exploration Set</a><br />
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To shop the SUMMER SALE, and our entire catalog, visit my website at <a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias"</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-21641602510160924332011-06-26T08:51:00.003-04:002011-06-26T08:57:37.950-04:00Online Toy Fundraisers for your school or charity<b>Last week I blogged about online fundraisers, but I should have specifically mentioned <a href="http://www.toysofdiscovery.com/fundraiser.html">online TOY fundraising</a>.</b><br />
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<b>By organizing a fundraiser for your school, you are doing more than just helping families acquire award-winning toys for their own personal use (so much healthier than candy drives! and more beneficial to their play-learning experience than wrapping paper). You are also helping children to develop important skills they can use now and in the future: critical business, financial and life skills such as money-management, customer service, goal setting and decision-making. Your school can take their rewards in toys or in cash.</b><br />
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<b>Charities can also utilize online Toy fundraising. In particular, children's charities can take advantage of earning FREE TOYS in lieu of cash. Those toys can be shipped directly to the agenc(ies) you choose, saving you the time and effort. (With gasoline prices mounting, you can save a bundle by letting UPS do the work. It's also a way of reducing your carbon footprint, as that UPS truck is already making the rounds. Go green!)</b><br />
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<b>Learn more at <a href="http://www.toysofdiscovery.com/fundraiser.html">Toy Fundraisers</a>. </b><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-65073737470688681782011-06-19T14:39:00.000-04:002011-06-19T14:39:04.730-04:00Organize an online fundraiser for your favorite cause<b><span style="font-size: small;">Technology is changing the way many direct sales companies are doing business. Free e-vites are rapidly replacing post card invitations sent by costly snail mail. <br />
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Some reps are filming their parties and making them available on You Tube to people who cannot attend in person. Others are asking people to "Skype"-in to interact with the live party and its guests. <br />
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Some companies already have the technology to do virtual parties. Hostesses can invite their guests to enter their order, right online. It's great for charities and fundraisers, too, as all the orders can be aggregated and the hostess/school/institution will receive the hostess rewards based on that total.<br />
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You no longer need to jump in your car and drive 20 miles to your friend's house (with gasoline at $4/gallon, or more, this is a relief). Now you can sit in the comfort of your living room and the party hostess still gets all the benefits of you having attended her party.</span></b> <br />
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<b><span style="font-size: small;">Let me organize an on-line fundraiser for your school or any charity that benefits children. In addition to the generous Discovery Toys hostess rewards, I will add an extra 5% for any Discovery Toys "party" booked through me at <a href="http://ishopathomeusa.com/profiles.php?dlr=83">I Shop at Home</a>.</span></b><br />
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On top of that, I Shop at Home has extended a special offer to the first hostess who organizes a benefit that supports the double cause of Children and Cancer...like Ronald McDonald House. They will donate Fifty Dollars {$50} to that cause. <span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="color: #3300ff; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="color: #6700cc; font-family: Times New Roman,serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In other words, any Juvenile Cancer-Related Cause {Treatment, Research, Quality of Life, etc.} will get loads of free Discovery Toys if you host a Discovery Toys party or fundraiser for them.</span></span></span></span></b><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-9563584360210634242011-06-02T09:03:00.000-04:002011-06-02T09:03:58.773-04:00Discovery Toys 2011 Summer SaleFrom now until June 30, catch these great items at up to 50% off.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m48up7SfmpM/TeeI7H46s9I/AAAAAAAAAPM/gnpMxJnXdFE/s1600/summer%2Bsale%2B2011p1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m48up7SfmpM/TeeI7H46s9I/AAAAAAAAAPM/gnpMxJnXdFE/s400/summer%2Bsale%2B2011p1.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqXCzR0VL5DX-37JsmdKph_ebuN2nCfys1mtKnnymtnKKN-MH-Qx1zVEaS-iwFkSovpbQp6j6LW82eWMEYsFuwlwui-Tfov7AvDPUkjHgklLkagKDaj8X7PacJPPRJGg6KYZDhw/s1600/summer+sale+2011p2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqXCzR0VL5DX-37JsmdKph_ebuN2nCfys1mtKnnymtnKKN-MH-Qx1zVEaS-iwFkSovpbQp6j6LW82eWMEYsFuwlwui-Tfov7AvDPUkjHgklLkagKDaj8X7PacJPPRJGg6KYZDhw/s400/summer+sale+2011p2.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-48968644950478026962011-05-07T11:17:00.001-04:002011-05-08T13:21:45.410-04:00Pre-K graduation decorationsQ: What decorations can I use as centerpieces for my child's pre-k graduation?<br />
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A: Purchase an age-appropriate educational toy from <a href="http://www.toysofdiscovery.com">www.toysofdiscovery.com</a> and use the toy as the centerpiece. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVd_rvjkdQC-_2ZYxlJ5j6v1_vtgKA0w3Dnqtv3ujWmHl_Zh7gLQxjECmnO3XUEh-QqsFF_1zGbymI8SGS8Jn3Gu7tiyZ6JMee7ifpPLTInTsDARxWcrFMocczfr8NchJYC5NVcA/s1600/dragon+puppet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVd_rvjkdQC-_2ZYxlJ5j6v1_vtgKA0w3Dnqtv3ujWmHl_Zh7gLQxjECmnO3XUEh-QqsFF_1zGbymI8SGS8Jn3Gu7tiyZ6JMee7ifpPLTInTsDARxWcrFMocczfr8NchJYC5NVcA/s320/dragon+puppet.jpg" width="301" /></a></div>Our toys are really colorful and fun and make darling centerpieces. You could arrange them in a basket or simply add a balloon.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCEwOQUfKOP7LjoLNAHhvZydsBt1CfPsegEKWkaD4Q0Q-wtrJol4lLKf4pSzMQxznqoRLjMVXgNGPZIN2TjrBM4wXX9S5-N5yBNUIZTRmn2IoCSajkcb7u13c6kR4zxhohj9rqQ/s1600/baby+basket1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuCEwOQUfKOP7LjoLNAHhvZydsBt1CfPsegEKWkaD4Q0Q-wtrJol4lLKf4pSzMQxznqoRLjMVXgNGPZIN2TjrBM4wXX9S5-N5yBNUIZTRmn2IoCSajkcb7u13c6kR4zxhohj9rqQ/s320/baby+basket1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Consider raffling the toys off to cover your cost, have a drawing with all the families entered, or you could even donate the toys to the school.<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-89869082405900776142011-03-19T09:34:00.000-04:002011-03-19T09:34:11.275-04:00Social Skills for kids on the spectrumAn interesting <a href="http://www.yai.org/about/sharing-our-stories/social-skills-interventions.html">article on autism by Moira Lewis</a>, <i>MS, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist</i>, is worth a read. She discusses how children with ASD (autism spectrum disorders) can be helped to develop social skills through therapy, peer mentors and social stories.<br />
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Please know that Discovery Toys is very interested in children on the spectrum, as you can see by the codes a - f on the toys listed in our catalog. The 6 skills generally lacking in children with autism are shown <a href="http://www.toysofdiscovery.com/autismlink.htm">here</a>. Once you identify the child's areas of weakness, you can use that code to find toys that will be helpful. For example, a child who has difficulty talking about their play experiences, code "d," may benefit from Item #2240, Flip Flop Faces- Emotions in Motion. Playing with <a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">Flip Flop Faces</a>, children begin to understand facial expressions while they develop gross motor skills and coordination. The game encourages cooperative play, color and word recognition, and social awareness. Includes 6 target bowls and 6 bean bags labeled with emotions that add up to one great party game. The DT Activity Guide is in English & French. For French speakers, #2185 is the French version of the same game.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIe9q5sGx_YYgtR2qyjfqePRk0OExMLfsWOz-f-1F1FVThOgpkbL94ZJqtE641DWxiMJ3Xy__plWjwWBVH0a3-i7ory0Dov4QTWCvfs0UZKP_7NBw9gcnSBdoxJUqxk0aZA8rtw/s1600/flip+flop+faces+2240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIe9q5sGx_YYgtR2qyjfqePRk0OExMLfsWOz-f-1F1FVThOgpkbL94ZJqtE641DWxiMJ3Xy__plWjwWBVH0a3-i7ory0Dov4QTWCvfs0UZKP_7NBw9gcnSBdoxJUqxk0aZA8rtw/s1600/flip+flop+faces+2240.jpg" /></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-16394227823299866102011-03-07T23:01:00.000-05:002011-03-07T23:01:51.660-05:00Billie talks toys with James PiecowyeTake a listen to my radio interview with James Piecowye, professor of communication and media sciences at Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates. He hosts a popular talk radio show called Nightline in Dubai.<object width='600' height='85'><param name='movie' value='http://nightline.podomatic.com/swf/joeplayer_v16.swf'></param><param name='flashvars' value='minicast=false&jsonLocation=http%3A%2F%2Fnightline.podomatic.com%2Fentry%2Fembed_params%2F2011-01-31T21_32_29-08_00%26color%3D1c60ff%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26width%3D200%26height%3D85'></param><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true'></param><param name='allowscriptaccess' value='always'></param><embed src='http://nightline.podomatic.com/swf/joeplayer_v16.swf' flashvars='minicast=false&jsonLocation=http%3A%2F%2Fnightline.podomatic.com%2Fentry%2Fembed_params%2F2011-01-31T21_32_29-08_00%26color%3D1c60ff%26autoPlay%3Dfalse%26width%3D200%26height%3D85' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' width='600' height='85'></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-62684107310815646412011-02-28T08:28:00.000-05:002011-02-28T08:28:03.274-05:00Free drawing for free shippingYou will be entered into my drawing for free shipping on your Discovery Toys order if you go to<a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias"> my website</a>, look around at the toys and comment here about a toy you find interesting. If your child has a favorite, you can write about what makes it so.<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-58740909256987035422011-02-25T14:01:00.000-05:002011-02-25T14:01:07.958-05:00Sir David Frost on making a difference"My father often used to talk about that old proverb, 'Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.' In other words, everybody you meet has something to teach you - if you take the trouble to find it. The most unlikely person can enlighter your life. That's tremendously important for the self-worth of the people you meet, as well as your own.<br />
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There are all sorts of ways in which we're not equal, but we are all equal in what we can strive for. When I interviewed Senator Robert Kennedy back in 1968 - the last interview he gave before his assassination - I asked him how he would like to be remembered. He replied, "Well, there is a line of Albert Camus that says, 'This is a world in which children suffer." I'd like to have made a contribution to lessening that suffering.' Kennedy spoke a lot about making a contribution. He used to say, "For if we do not do this, then who will do this?" It's so simple: if you have a talent, you have a duty to use it to the full.<br />
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Making a contribution and making a difference - they should be linked - is not only something that famous people can do, or that dead politicians can be quoted on. It is something that everyone can do in their own lives...."<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-39394580013990059842011-02-24T17:55:00.000-05:002011-02-24T17:55:29.544-05:00"King" Colin & stutteringI'm a huge movie fan, and the Academy Awards ceremony is a must-see for me every year. Many seem to feel that <u>The King's Speech </u>has a good chance of garnering many of the 12 awards for which it's been nominated. But the folks at the Stuttering Foundation are so enamored of it that they want the film to be used as a teaching tool for those working in the speech-language pathology realm. Read this charming <a href="http://blog.asha.org/2011/02/01/the-king%E2%80%99s-speech-part-2-interview-with-jane-fraser-president-of-the-stuttering-foundation/">interview with Jane Fraser</a>, the president of the Stuttering Foundation. If you're a Colin Firth fan, you'll find some great pics of him there, too. Good luck on Sunday night, "King" Colin!<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-17751753522320810682011-02-19T18:16:00.000-05:002011-02-19T18:16:11.719-05:00discovery toys Mystery Hostess Party--you're invited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee1mKjaSu5RYP_ZehYFWxUVD8RSBCSR3CVbYVqVO7ACePcqNyEdqN9YNCjUfPLmzjA1DHBNgNXvFk8xfsmqpK98JrrnG8-_R__18Exg5zZLc8tztj2XKcw-4C6GRvQvAjs8QC4Q/s1600/myst+host+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee1mKjaSu5RYP_ZehYFWxUVD8RSBCSR3CVbYVqVO7ACePcqNyEdqN9YNCjUfPLmzjA1DHBNgNXvFk8xfsmqpK98JrrnG8-_R__18Exg5zZLc8tztj2XKcw-4C6GRvQvAjs8QC4Q/s640/myst+host+art.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPJMzeMvGv5TiRoZQGINdOD_-oFL1DZjbNK9edZ0YYLdM5H_YgaBKmNX0zKF30Ez1TNRPTEMD6CuVlpMTU3eA52OplFjM6IL0fgGUmF7mVsKqtx84YMqIPEPJG4hcAsTYevbeYw/s1600/myst+host+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-15366960247509973022011-02-15T11:57:00.000-05:002011-02-15T11:57:42.055-05:00Discovery Toys Star Explorer Kit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKq_IiZePwOQVfl6ElZ6x2kvEVjOkQJNxoZrnNzslX7zkm_sxR_w1hfI4UIggURXN2cqj4TUqZhFT1nH-y4pSyLxHgYcEIuOr61xg_iwcF82-G8XSp_OTcRWnBM3ziUlCt2sWXg/s1600/star+explorer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAKq_IiZePwOQVfl6ElZ6x2kvEVjOkQJNxoZrnNzslX7zkm_sxR_w1hfI4UIggURXN2cqj4TUqZhFT1nH-y4pSyLxHgYcEIuOr61xg_iwcF82-G8XSp_OTcRWnBM3ziUlCt2sWXg/s320/star+explorer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>February school break is coming soon and some families will be hitting the road and heading to camp sites in warmer climes. If you'll be under the stars, you'll want to check out <a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">Star Explorer Kit</a> to pinpoint and identify popular seasonal constellations. The portable light-up device with compass comes complete with 15 constellation transparencies for convenient night-time use. Additional constellation fun fact cards and seasonal star charts promote interest in science, nature, and astronomy.<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-40781024673183141402011-02-10T18:59:00.000-05:002011-02-10T18:59:52.538-05:00"Race to Nowhere"Last night my son's school had a screening of a most disturbing film: Vicki Abeles' "Race to Nowhere." The documentary contains interviews with students, teachers, a dean of education at Stanford University, parents and psychologists...all addressing the current state of affairs in the education system from the earliest years through the teens. In case you hadn't noticed, more and more our children are being taught to be good (or excellent) test-takers, as opposed to good thinkers. There are the ERBs, the PSATs, the SATs the ACTs, the 4th grade and 8th grade standardized tests, admissions tests for specialized schools, the tests that prepare kids to take these tests and in states like New York, the Regents Exams. Stress-levels are high, even at the pre-kindergarten level, for if you don't go to the right pre-K, you might not get into the right elementary school that will set you up for someday attending Harvard; cheating is commonplace; teen suicides are no longer rare. Excessive homework keeps kids up so late that many of them are sleep deprived, on top of being stressed and depressed.<br />
<br />
One teen interviewed remarked that his life from school to tests to college and onto the workplace just seems like a "race to nowhere." What's the point, if you're unprepared and uninspired?<br />
<br />
There is a grassroots effort afoot to reduce homework and adjust our system to reward better teaching. The film mentions a study that demonstrated that a no-homework policy actually led students to better scores. (Do you think less homework meant less stress? more sleep? better conditions for test-taking?) I think it would be great if the quality of teaching <i>nationwide</i> was such that a lot of learning could take place right in the classroom and aside from team projects or other long-range assignments, little or no homework be assigned. I also feel that slower learners be separated from quick studies, so that teachers aren't forced to "teach to the middle," as one of my son's teachers in elementary school told me she did. This would help everyone learn at their own pace, and then truly, no child would be left behind.<br />
<br />
After our screening, we were treated to a panel discussion with a group of child psychiatrists from the <a href="http://www.aboutourkids.org/">NYU Child Study Center</a>, who offered that public policy ignores well-known scientific findings....simple things like starting school later than 7 or 8 am, so that kids can get the extra sleep they need.<br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.racetonowhere.com/">film's website</a> has a page that will help you find a <a href="http://www.racetonowhere.com/screenings">screening</a> near you.<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-70783540459454439792011-02-10T17:44:00.000-05:002011-02-10T17:44:01.798-05:00Introduce a Girl to Engineering DayThe 10th anniversary of <a href="http://www.eweek.org/EngineersWeek/Introduce.aspx?ContentID=143&Version=5">Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day</a> is on February 24, 2011. Can you help?<br />
<br />
And don't forget, budding young engineers would love the Discovery Toys <a href="http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/billieelias">Qubits</a> construction set.<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550194.post-66510583176165525632011-01-28T10:37:00.000-05:002011-01-28T10:37:49.842-05:00Two models of Parenting"I got two A's," the small boy said.<br />
His voice was filled with glee.<br />
His father rather bluntly asked,<br />
"Why didn't you get three?"<br />
<br />
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,<br />
the girl called from the door.<br />
Her mother rather calmly said,<br />
"And did you sweep the floor?"<br />
<br />
"I mowed the grass," the tall boy said,<br />
"And put the mower away."<br />
His father asked him with a shrug,<br />
"And did you clean off the clay?"<br />
<br />
The children in the house next door<br />
Seemed happy and content.<br />
The same things happened over there,<br />
But this is how it went:<br />
<br />
"I got two A's," the small boy said.<br />
His voice was filled with glee.<br />
His father proudly said, "That's great;<br />
I'm glad you belong to me."<br />
<br />
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,"<br />
the girl called from the door.<br />
Her mother smiled and softly said,<br />
"Each day I love you more.<br />
<br />
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,<br />
"And put the mower away."<br />
His father answered with much joy,<br />
"Thanks so much, that makes my day."<br />
<br />
Children deserve a little praise<br />
For tasks they're asked to do.<br />
If they're to lead a happy life,<br />
A lot depends on you.<br />
<br />
~ unknown<div class="blogger-post-footer">This post appeared on <a href="http://billiediscoverytoys.blogspot.com">discovery toys blog of billie elias</a></div>Billiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02618932760731909740noreply@blogger.com0