Learning Expressions

BLOG: Learning Express Kids Speak Up

This year marks the twenty-fourth anniversary of Learning Express. In 1987 Sharon, our Founder and CEO, opened her first store, and in 1990 the first franchise location was purchased. What that means is that an entire generation of kids has grown up in the Learning Express family.

Every year the Learning Express home office offers a scholarship opportunity to the college-bound children of our storeowners. This year, the applicants had to answer the question:

If you could choose one person (famous or not)
to be a spokesperson for Learning Express,
who would it be, and why?

For this week’s blog, I thought I’d share a few of the answers. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

When I think of Learning Express Toys, the first word that comes to mind is—fun. When one first walks into any of the stores, you get a whimsical, joyous feeling that can easily brighten anyone’s mood, no matter what age. If I were to decide on a spokesperson for Learning Express, I would choose one who could perfectly express youthful character. I believe that my ten year old sister, Maddie, would be an excellent choice for a Learning Express spokesperson. […] Maddie is crazy about the scene at Learning Express. Every weekend she is determined to go down to our store in Rye, slap on an apron, and get busy investigating the store. […] She loves the idea of helping customers pick out the best toy, as well as testing out each and every one. She’s a natural when it comes to product knowledge. […] For a representative of a toy store, one needs an individual who is lively, energetic, charismatic, trendy and young. With that said, look no further, my sister Maddie would be the ideal representative for Learning Express Toys.
(Annie, Rye NY)

 

I have the clearest memory of myself waiting anxiously on my living room couch for my personal invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was irrelevant that I had shown no predisposition to magic or that Harry Potter was a complete, albeit brilliant, work of fiction. I was 11, and like my beloved Harry, I would be going to Hogwarts. […] However, my failure at becoming a witch is not the topic of discussion here, but rather the ability of one character to ignite the imaginations of all generations, whether 10 or 100. As the magic and adventure of literature sparks the imagination and excites the mind, so do educational toys. I am aware that Learning Express cannot actually use Harry Potter as their spokesperson—doing so would [result in] a lawsuit of the gravest nature. My point is that childhood is nothing short of magic. Only as a child can one’s imagination take you to outer space, forbidden forests, and magic castles, all within the safe confines of your home. And with the help of a few good props (toys) and a book or two, a child’s adventure can be transformed from the mundane to the epic.
(Cali, Teaneck NJ)

 

The measure of any good teacher, whether human or inanimate, is the ability to relate their material in a way that is understandable to the learner. […] Given that Learning Express is a company devoted to the goal of providing children with constructive toys, it would be most fitting that the best spokesperson for Learning Express should be a well-spoken individual who embodies these same virtues of fun, community, and learning. One such individual who truly understand our youth as the key to the future is my older brother, Gray. […] Blessed with plentiful childhood learning opportunities that many do not receive, my brother has now made it his profession to give others the same chances. Just as he finds a way to teach his pupils in his daily life, I have faith, based on my firsthand knowledge of his character, that Gray could teach the greater community about Learning Express and the educational virtues that it embodies. I believe that Gray would make a great spokesperson of “Learning through Fun” because he would not just be saying it: he wholeheartedly believes in it and works for it every day.
(Zach, Newton MA)

 

If I could choose one person to be a spokesperson for Learning Express, I would choose a young, unknown child actor. […] Over time, the spokesperson, or spokeschild, will become synonymous with the company and influence an entire generation of children to become Learning Express children and fall in love with the store that fosters their creative sense of wonder.
(Michael, Wayland MA)

 

If I could recommend any one person to be a spokesperson for Learning Express, I would choose former First Lady Laura Bush. Before her term, she was an elementary school teacher, then a librarian up until her marriage to former President George W. Bush in 1977. As First Lady of Texas she implemented the initiative Take Time for Kids, an awareness campaign to education parents and caregivers on parenting, along with several literacy campaigns. As First Lady of the United States, she continued fighting to promote literacy and also pulled together programs to aid early child development. Learning Express puts forth their best effort into improving children’s childhoods through educational play which allows them to grow into strong, successful young adults. I feel like Laura Bush would be a perfect choice because of her dedication to the enrichment of children’s lives, especially in the educational field. Her goals and those of Learning Express are very similar in a way that people can appreciate.
(Rachel, Exton PA)

 

Thanks for reading!

BLOG: Toys for Special Needs Kids

When we first started talking about this week’s blog and the topic we wanted to tackle, the focus was on outdoor fun. In some previous articles I’ve raved about items like the Plasma Car, and Ariel has written about the wonderful world of bubbles, which are a fantastic activity for special needs kids. (Bubbles are great for practicing counting and encouraging language development. I used to blow one bubble at a time and say, “Pop, pop, pop!” to encourage interaction.) But while I was brainstorming about all the fun we had playing out in the yard when my daughter (pictured right) was still quite young, I kept remembering the most challenging part—going inside for bedtime. So this week, I’m going to talk a little bit about the activities and toys that helped us when the outdoor fun had come to an end (for the day at least). I hope you enjoy!

The All-Important Routine

I was recently talking with a customer at the Learning Express store in Roseville, CA where I am the manager. He wanted to find a toy that would tucker out his four-year-old before bed. I think that’s something that all parents can identify with. Sometimes we think of toys as just for fun, sometimes they are invaluable tools for developmental learning, and other times they’re something that gives us a little break from the daily grind of parenthood.

As the parent of a child with Autism, I know that toys can bridge the two worlds of learning and play. I also know that quality play time can help with sleep patterns, and reduce the number of times everyone is up in the middle of the night. My husband and I knew that if we were going to have any hope of our daughter sleeping through the night (something she didn’t do until at least the third or fourth grade), we had to follow a scheduled bedtime routine, every single day.

Step 1: Bath Time

Our first task after dinner every night was a nice warm bath. It was our little “water therapy” session, and I was always amazed at how calm and mellow my Kiki was in the tub. It was a mandatory part of her sensory Rx—we focused on having fun rather than the task of cleaning up.

Water play presents a great opportunity for developmental learning. We often noticed that our little girl’s language and focus were much better during bath time while the water was engaging her senses. We worked on pouring, filling, and spilling—great cause and effect activities. Learning Express has several different tub toys that are great for special needs kids—Draw in the Tub Crayons and the Flow N Fill Spout (right) in particular.

I spent a lot of time singing during bath time. My daughter’s primary deficit was language and her ability to process language. She had a severe auditory processing disorder that accompanied her Autism diagnosis. We had to use very clear language with as few words as possible initially, but words set to music seemed to “stick” in her mind better. And besides, who doesn’t like to sing in the shower?

Step 2: Bounce Time

After a warm bath, it was time to put on jammies. We would then go to the playroom area of our tiny house where we had a mini trampoline, a tunnel, and a tub of balls. We would begin with a good amount of bouncing time on the trampoline. At first my daughter couldn’t jump independently so I would give her my index fingers to hold on to, and would gently help her bounce up and down. Eventually her strength, muscle tone, and focus improved and she mastered the jumping all on her own. The development of that skill was very rewarding to watch, and the time on the trampoline was a great opportunity for rare face-to-face time and eye contact. (The Fold N Go Trampoline is pictured right. It has a handle, which is perfect for the transition to independent jumping.)

Step 3: Floor Time

The last step in our bedtime routine was a more mellow activity, but one that still engaged some very important gross motor muscles. We would find ways to play with a tunnel (like the Bella Butterfly below) and a few balls. My daughter would climb through the tunnel or roll a ball through it. (This is very helpful for a shy or apprehensive child who is afraid of crawling into the tunnel. Occupational Therapists stress how important crawling is developmentally, and the tunnel motivates them to do so in a social setting. Take it along to the park!)

I always enjoyed this rare “family time” we got to spend together. It was a great way for our son and daughter to play in parallel. He got to spend some special time with his sister who was non-verbal and preferred to be alone during her toddler years.

Looking Back

My wonderful daughter is now sixteen-years-old, and to this day we can set our clocks to her scheduled routine. She is now 100% independent with her grooming and self care. As soon as the clock says 7:00pm she lets us know that it’s time to take a shower. We acknowledge her and off she goes—down to her bedroom to retrieve her clean jammies and then she’s off to the bathroom! And even as a teenager, she still craves that gross motor input and bounces on her exercise ball while she listens to her iPod.

It is so rewarding to know that we have helped her feel successful and independent. At times, we were discouraged, but with the help of our routines, some wonderful developmental toys, and a great support system, we’ve come a long, long way.

Thanks so much for reading!

 

Blog: Putting the Zing in ZING TOYS | Vendor Spotlight

Zyclones, and Z-Curves, and Zartz, oh my!

AmaZed by my Zealous use of Z-words? These are some of the bestselling products from one of our favorite vendors here at Learning Express—Zing Toys. With the school year finally coming to an end, and kids gearing up to spend more time in the great outdoors, this week’s blog will go behind the scenes at an innovative company, which puts a new and unique spin on outdoor (and often airborne) fun. Check it out!

Company History

Zing Toys (based in Portland, Oregon) was officially incorporated in 2006. The company is dedicated to creating new and innovative products, which will inspire kids to get off the couch, turn off the television, and get outside to play. You can see how perfectly this fits in with the Learning Express philosophy. How do we get kids to lead healthy, active lifestyles? We make it more fun than the alternative.

The genius of the Zing products is that they completely satisfy the boyhood desire to shoot stuff, but the engineering and design make them safe both indoors and out. Kids won’t get hurt and windows won’t get broken. I don’t think it can get much better than that.

While Zing toys are primarily sold by specialty retailers in the USA (like Learning Express), the market is constantly expanding and evolving. They’ve had a whole bunch of great publicity in major media outlets. The Zyclone was featured on The Letterman Show, the Z-Curve Bow was on Live with Regis and Kelly, and the Zing Shot was written up in the Wall Street Journal.

Zing toys really speak for themselves, so check out these Rapid Reviews of our favorites!

Our Favorite Zing Toys

Zartz
This is one of the staples of the Zing Toys line—a suction-cup arrow made of SOFTECH tough foam that sticks to any surface for 15-30 seconds before releasing. You can literally play with these anywhere. The Zartz Funpack comes with one Zartz arrow and two target shields to take the game of tag to a whole new level.

 

 

Zyclone
This toy is a feat of physics and aerodynamic engineering. Zing uses something called “Z-Spin technology” to launch a soft foam Zing-Ring from the hand-held canon. The ring then glides through the air. You really have to see it in action to get the full effect, but this is great for playing catch in the park.

 

 

Z-Curve Bow
I’m a big fan of this one in particular. For someone who is hand-eye-coordination challenged, the design of this bow makes it very straightforward to launch the arrows. Then the challenge is all about actually hitting your target (and not about how many times you can poke yourself in the eye in the process). The Z-Curve Bow can send missiles soaring over 100 feet, and I’ve seen it done. The two foam ones have great bounce-back action and won’t damage any walls if you’re playing indoors. The set also comes with one suction-tipped Zartz arrow (mentioned above). Way fun! Even Regis and Kelly think so (see below).

 

My conclusion? Zing Toys produces high quality products that get kids moving. I simply can’t think of a better way to start the summer.

Thanks for reading!