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AUGUST 2005

Dr. Toy’s Vacation Playtime Pointers

By Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. (Dr. Toy)

Here are some guidelines from Dr. Toy for wholesome vacation playtime to help you to make the time even more interesting and fun for your children. The product assortment included below gives you a number of good suggestions available from many excellent companies that are examples of recent Dr. Toy’s Award winners. See Dr. Toy’s Guide (www.drtoy.com) for more details:

*Scramble Squares Puzzles. Age 3 and up. $7.95
These 9-piece puzzles offer challenge, learning and fun for all ages. Over 100 different themes including: Hot Air Balloons, Insects, Sea Shells, Space Shuttle, and Vintage Airplanes. b. dazzle www.b-dazzle.com 800-809-4242

*Blokus. Age 6 and up. $ 29.95
This popular strategy game, composed of a game board with 400 squares and 84 colorful game pieces, helps develop critical thinking skills.

*Travel Blokus. Age 5 and up. $19.99
The travel version of this popular strategy game has a more compact design. Only one color game piece per player. Challenging for both beginners and experts alike. Educational Insights www.educationalinsights.com 800-995-4436

*Smart Splash™. Age 2-5. $14.95
Makes water play fun and educational! Perfect for pool and bathtub—three different water toys teach numbers, counting, shapes, size and colors.

*Pretend & Play Trace & Learn™ Cake. Age 3-5. $24.95
Learn while you celebrate with this fun cake that teaches letter recognition, beginning words and print awareness.

*Reading Roadway USA™ Reading Comprehension. Age 8-12. $19.95
Travel around the USA discovering fascinating facts while building reading comprehension skills. Board game for 2-4 players. Learning Resources www.learningresources.com 800-222-3909

*Block Buddies® Musical Farm. Ages 1-5. $19.99
This musical Farm entertains and teaches with engaging, interactive musical fun.

*Block Buddies®. L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Ages 1-5. $29.99
This set offers enhanced building experience where children learn by acting out their favorite scenes from this classic and all-time favorite storyline.

*Mega Bloks® Lil’ Copter™.
Preschool builders are sure to enjoy this brightly colored helicopter with real working propeller.

*Mega Bloks® Building Imaginations™. Ages 1-5. $7.99-14.99
Your child develops social interaction skills through group building play and stimulates senses through playing with a variety of colored and textured blocks. 24-, 80-, and 100-piece sets. www.megabloks.com 800-465-6342

*Bratz Sportz. 6 yrs and up. $9.99
Inspire physical activity and involvement in sports  with this series of four Bratz Sportz dolls ready to play their favorites—soccer, cheerleading, bowling or golf. MGA Entertainment, www.mgae.com , 800-222-4685

*Original Colorforms® Play Set. Ages 3 and up. $29.99
This wonderful addition to your child’s classic toy collection is a reproduction of the original product includes 350 brightly colored pieces in an elegant spiral bound book.

*Colorforms® Fun Pockets™. Ages 3-8. $5.99
Now your child can carry Colorforms everywhere. Each tot-sized tote features two play boards, a Fun Pockets reusable pouch, and lots of Colorforms pieces.

*Brain Quest® and Brain Quest® Geography Games. Ages 6 and up. $22.99
Brain Quest games ask different questions of different age groups to level the playing field when kids of varied grade levels play together. For two or more players.

*Toy Creator™ Real Toy Maker™. Ages 6 and up. $12.99
Using new FlipFaze™ technology that allows materials to change shape and color using warm tap water, kids will be amazed at the magical transformations they can create.

*Spinner Books™ for Kids. Ages 7-12. $7.99
Pick up a great book and take it for a spin! Spinner Books are fun to read, play, share, and take on the go. University Games, www.areugame.com, 800-471-0641

*V.Smile TV Learning System. Ages 3-7. $59.99
Combines educational content, loveable characters and a video game platform. Teaches essential day-to-day skills and language, math, vocabulary and problem solving.

*Write & Learn Smartboard™. Ages 4 and up. $29.99
This interactive writing and drawing board helps teach letters and numbers and inspire creativity through counting, drawing and music activities. VTech Electronics www.vtechkids.com 800-521-2010

*Tangle, Jr. Ages 3 and up. $1.99
For children (and adults) to play with on trips in the car, on a plane or anytime. It slips through your fingers and knots up in your hand. Stimulates your brain as it helps increase finger dexterity. Tangle Toys www.tangletoys.com. 888-829-3808.#

Stevanne Auerbach, PhD author of Smart Play/Smart Toys How to Raise a Child with a High P. Q.( Play Quotient) and Dr. Toy’s Guide (www.drtoy.com) has been evaluating toys for 25 years.

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