In the latest leg of TDmonthly's ''2012: A Year of Charity'' giveaway promotion, ten specialty manufacturers (and counting) have signed on to give away 100 educational products each to help this nation's school systems and children's charities during these trying economic times. Specialty toy store owners across North America are competing for the chance to give away 800 educational games, toys and DVDs from Uncle Skunkle, Crossen Creations, FindIt Games, b. dazzle inc., PlayMais Canada Inc., Amazing Science!, Moving Picture Books, Education Outdoors, We R Fun Games and The Spelling Bee Game. (Enter contest now!)
Our previous contest's winning retailer, Sari Powazek of Doll House & Toy Store in Scottsdale, Ariz., said that the charities she chose were overwhelmed with specialty manufacturers' generosity, "It really hit them," Sari told TDmonthly. "I don't think they expected it. They were absolutely thrilled." (See article on her giveaway.)
Here's what Uncle Skunkle, Crossen Creations, FindIt Games, PlayMais Canada Inc., b. dazzle inc., Amazing Science!, Moving Picture Books, We R Fun Games, The Spelling Bee Game and Education Outdoors have to say about the current large-scale educational giveaway and the products they hope will inspire and educate children and teachers in YOUR neighborhood:
Increasing Brain Power at Any Age
"We are honored and gratified to be one of the companies selected to participate as a sponsor of a TDmonthly Charitable Giveaway in support of our schools and educational products’ retailers," said Marshall Gavin of b. dazzle, inc. "Our award-winning made-in-America Scramble Squares® 9-piece brain teaser puzzles are Easy To Play, But Hard To Solve!® for children, teenagers, adults and senior citizens."
"Scramble Squares® puzzles teach patience, perseverance, fine-motor skills and critical thinking skills and help maintain mental acuity while providing a stimulating entertainment, either as a cross-generational cooperative activity or as a solitaire game." The company is donating 5 sets of 20 beautiful Scramble Squares® designs.
Making Science Exciting
"We wanted to be involved in the TDmonthly giveaway because we wanted to share the excitement of science with as many kids as possible," shared Jason Gibson of Amazing Science!. "We created the Amazing Science DVD to show how kids can be amazed by simple science using common materials found around the house. We're thrilled to be a part of the giveaway this year, and can't wait to bring smiles to children around the country as they discover Amazing Science!"
His company is donating 100 Amazing Science! DVDs to help school systems create fun and surprising science lessons and afterschool activities.
Sharing and Strategizing to Win
"Giving back to help out less fortunate children is very important to my company," stated Frank Crossen, President of Crossen Creations. "Charity is one of the reasons I started my company, it was put in the mission statement to help remind me of the most important mission of the company, ‘To create a better world for our children.’ Although sales have been very slow I still want to help charities and this program was a perfect opportunity to help and also get some exposure for us. Also, my company name is Charity Inspirations LLC, but it was too confusing for retailers so I now do business as Crossen Creations."
He is donating 100 deluxe Magical Rainbow Boardgame and Playsets, which teach children color recognition, sequencing, patterns, counting, strategy and sharing. "It’s more than a board game, it’s a tool for releasing the imagination in every child," Frank told TDmonthly.
Fostering Cooperation and Social Responsibility
"Bambooga is a human puzzle game where players use color wristbands to bind their hands and feet to one another, leading to a sticky mess of people," explained David Schreiber of Uncle Skunkle. "One of the factors that is most notable about Bambooga, is that the game is part of a social entrepreneurship project sponsored by Kids Ark Foundation of Thailand. Bambooga is safe and eco-friendly, adhering to "green" manufacturing practices with second-generation cloth material and sustainable bamboo construction. Bambooga uses mostly donated scrap material from factories in Thailand, and local villagers are employed to manufacture the games, bringing jobs to an area of Thailand were they are hard to come by."
"Uncle Skunkle Toys supports charities all over the world and has worked very closely with organizations from Thailand to Bolivia to Nepal, as well as local groups and schools in our home town of Portland, Oregon," said David. "We have partnered with Friends of the Children – Portland through in-kind and financial contributions. Friends of the Children offers a number of valuable and beneficial programs that support the education and well-being of local children including a mentoring program that provides at least 16-hours per month of one-on-one time with each child and commits to that for 12 years, no matter what happens." (Read our exclusive interview with David Schreiber) A Box Full of Creativity
PlayMais Canada Inc. is a distributor of high-quality educational toys from Europe and the US and is known primarily for PlayMais — a biodegradable crafting material that is made from corn and colored with food coloring. PlayMais is manufactured in Germany and is 100% safe. PlayMais is shapeable, cutable, squeezeable, and it sticks together with a little bit water from the PlayMais sponge, which is included in every box.
“We specialize in toys that have a high educational factor, allowing for a lot of play value while at the same time stimulating imagination and creativity,” Frank Weirauch, of PlayMaisUSA, told TDmonthly. “We believe every child should have the opportunity to use toys that are so much fun to play with, they don't even realize they're learning. Participating as a sponsor of the TDmonthlyCharitable Giveaway is a perfect way to reach children who wouldn't otherwise have a chance to try PlayMais, and help spread the word about it at the same time.”
Increasing America's Spelling IQ
The multi-award-winning Buzzlewords by The Spelling Bee Game comes in 5 levels, from 1st & 2nd grade to Adult. Inventor Richard J. Sullivan says that, "here are no other board games on the market which allow each player to spell words selected from their own grade level and which combine elements of chance, strategy and spelling knowledge in a way that makes learning to spell fun and easy."
The Spelling Bee Game will donate 25 games of each of the first 4 game levels of BUZZLEWORDS — The Spelling Bee Game: Level 1— 1st & 2nd grade; Level 2 — 3rd & 4th grade; Level 3 — 5th & 6th grade and Level 4 — 7th & 8th grade.
Richard is confident that the retailers and kids who get to know Buzzlewords through this promotion will get hooked on the game. "It's a great game to improve spelling," he told TDmonthly. "We want to improve the spelling IQ of America and the charity giveaway is a great way to help." READ ABOUT THE WINNING RETAILERS!
Here are some of the educational products the winning retailers will be giving to their neighborhood schools and charities:
In this human-puzzle game, players use color wristbands to bind their hands and feet to one another, leading to a sticky mess of people. The goal of the game is to crawl, walk, scoot or jump one’s way towards the finish line, all the while maintaining the connections determined by a shake of the Bambooga Shaker. Bambooga is safe and eco-friendly, adhering to "green-" manufacturing practices with second-generation, sustainable bamboo construction. “Bambooga is the result of a social-entrepreneurship project sponsored by Kids Ark Foundation of Thailand,...an organization that hopes to find a solution to the AIDS epidemic in Thailand,” Uncle Skunkle Toys Inc. Marketing and Communications Director Maya Cardoso told TDmonthly. A portion of "the proceeds from the manufacturing of Bambooga [is] recycled back to Kids Ark and [goes] towards projects to raise education and standards of living.” Launch date: April 2008. Awards: Bambooga is a winner of "Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Picks Children’s Products for 2009" and also won Creative Child Magazine's "Toy of the Year Award" for 2008. Bambooga has also been recognized with a favorable review by The Old Schoolhouse, a magazine for homeschooling families.
The Magical Rainbow is a magnetized game that takes children on a special adventure through its lands. Players race to a pot of gold, watching out for Paddy the Leprechaun, who on every turn travels from land to land protecting his gold. Throughout the journey players will try to collect gold coins, avoid the Leprechaun and his lucky trinkets, and use strategy to win the game. This game is designed to teach children color recognition, sequencing, patterns, counting, strategy and sharing. "It’s more than a board game, it’s a tool for releasing the imagination in every child," Crossen Creations President Frank Crossen told TDmonthly. Awards: 2009 Family Choice Award
Learn fundamental principles of science through Amazing Science Experiments. Viewers learn about electricity, magnetism, heat, temperature, pressure, surface tension, buoyancy, and much more. For every demonstration, a complete materials list is given, and each experiment features multiple camera views so kids can see exactly what happens. Most importantly, every concept is explained in a step-by-step fashion. Viewers not only be amazed - they'll understand the science behind every experiment.
By combining high quality animation, rich narration, sound effects and music, Moving Picture Books provide a fun and educational digital reading experience for children ages 0-7. There are 38 titles — both classic stories and new favorites — each available in English, Spanish and English Read-Along-Text versions. Our books can be purchased as digital downloads, or DVDs.
Now the whole family can play a fast paced hidden object game with the Deluxe Find It Game containing over 70 hidden items. The Deluxe Find It hidden object game includes a deck of cards, a spinner, a timer, the check off pad, and instructions for 6 ways to play and variations to adapt to younger players. The basic play starts with each player being dealt seven cards that vary in point value. At the beginning of each turn use the spinner to determine the action required prior to play (add points, miss a turn, trade hands etc.) Look fast! Players will have 30 seconds to try to find a many items as possible. Play continues until someone finds all of their items and runs out of cards. Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine Seal of Excellence; Tillywig Sterling Fun Award Winner
Fishing Camp is a game where both children & adults can play & learn fun facts about Fishing. The game is designed to grow with the player, starting at level one questions, which are primarily identification of fish and fishing tackle. As the players increase in their knowledge about Fishing, they grow into the higher level questions. A fun & educational game where parents & children can play to see who catches the first fish and gets back to the docks. Game includes: 1 game board, 200 game cards(400 questions, and 100 fun facts), 1 decoder, 8 game characters, 1 die, 16 level cards, and 1 GPS card. Launch date: 2012.
Scramble Squares® are nine-piece puzzles that feature original art and only one solution. They're designed for everyone from age 4 to 104.
Ladybugs are small oval or round beetles whose scientific name is “Coccinellidae” They are known as “ladybirds” in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Malta and in some parts of Canada and the United States. “Ladybirds” are known as “ladybugs” elsewherre throughout North America. Scientists increasingly prefer the names “ladybird beetles” or “lady beetles,” because these insects are not true bugs. Lesser-used names for these insects include “ladyclock,” “lady cow” and “lady fly.” Awards: Dr. Toy's Best Picks Children's Products for 2011.
The Soccer Scramble Squares puzzle features boys and girls of many cultures playing the world's most popular team sport. This puzzle edges out our Baseball Scramble Squares as the most popular sports style and sells strongly all though the year. Awards— Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2011
Dolphins are playful, have individual personalities and adapt well to humans, making them a popular sea mammal to kids and adults alike, making for a very enjoyable Scramble Squares® Puzzle.
This beautiful new “Fall Festival” Scramble Squares® 9-piece brain teaser puzzle by b. dazzle, inc. celebrates nature’s paintbrush and the harvest ceremonies that have been conducted by many grateful cultures throughout the history of civilization. Award Winning Scramble Squares® are perhaps the World’s Most Challenging Puzzles® for ages 4 to 104.
The sophisticated colors of the realistic Serengeti Scramble Squares puzzle make it among the best selling styles of Scramble Squares overall, appreciated by enthusiasts of African art and nature, naturalists and conservationists. This puzzle is also especially popular with children. Awards— Dr. Toy’s Best Classic Toys for 2011
PlayMais is a biodegradable crafting material made from corn and colored with food coloring. It is manufactured in Germany, 100% safe, and biodegradable. PlayMais stimulates children's imagination and creativity, trains fine-motor skills, and develops social group skills. PlayMais can be shaped, squeezed, and cut — and all it takes is a little bit water to create unlimited fun. Children can build in 2 or 3 dimensions, or wherever their imagination takes them. The PlayMais M-Box contains 150 pieces, a sponge, and an instruction booklet. It is a perfect starter box.
PlayMais is a biodegradable crafting material made from corn and colored with food coloring. It is manufactured in Germany, 100% safe, and biodegradable. PlayMais stimulates children's imagination and creativity, trains fine motor skills, and develops social group skills. PlayMais can be shaped, squeezed, cut and all it takes is a little bit water to create unlimited fun. Children can build in 2 or 3 dimensions, or wherever their imagination takes them. The PlayMais XM-Box contains 250 pieces, a sponge, a biodegradable plastic knife, and an instruction booklet. It is a perfect starter box if you want to build more and bigger creations.
PlayMais is a biodegradable crafting material made from corn and colored with food coloring. It is manufactured in Germany, 100% safe, and biodegradable. PlayMais stimulates children's imagination and creativity, trains fine motor skills, and develops social group skills. PlayMais can be shaped, squeezed, cut and all it takes is a little bit water to create unlimited fun. Children can build in 2 or 3 dimensions, or wherever their imagination takes them.
Buzzlewords® The Spelling Bee Game Level 1 - 1st & 2nd grade by THE SPELLING BEE GAME INC.
This is a fast-paced, fun Spelling Board Game that teaches spelling, vocabulary and reading as it's played using spelling words taken directly from any child's grade-appropriate spelling list. Also available in challenging Adult level for those who think they can spell but might find out otherwise.The fast-paced game teaches spelling, reading and vocabulary. "There are no other board games on the market which allow each player to spell words selected from their own grade level and which combine elements of chance, strategy and spelling knowledge in a way that makes learning to spell fun and easy," Richard J. Sullivan, president of The Spelling Bee Game, Inc., told TDmonthly. Launch date: July, 2009. Awards: 2010 Creative Child Magazine Game of the Year, Children's Educational Board Game Category; 2011 Creative Child Magazine, Game of the Year, Children's Educational Board Game Category.
Buzzlewords® The Spelling Bee Game Level 2 - 3rd & 4th grade by THE SPELLING BEE GAME INC.
BUZZLEWORDS® - The Spelling Bee Game is the most fun that children and adults can have while learning spelling, reading and vocabulary. Because the spelling words are taken from actual school word lists, children will master all of the spelling words for his or her grade level just by playing the game. In addition, by reading the words to the speller and by looking up the meanings of words for the speller, children will improve his or her reading and vocabulary skills while having fun, without even realizing it. Includes Game Board, Tri-Colored Die, 6 Bee Playing Pieces, 300 BUZZLEWORD Cards, 50 BUZZLEBEE Cards.
Buzzlewords® The Spelling Bee Game Level 3 — 5th & 6th grade by THE SPELLING BEE GAME INC.
BUZZLEWORDS® - The Spelling Bee Game is the most fun that children and adults can have while learning spelling, reading and vocabulary. Because the spelling words are taken from actual school word lists, children will master all of the spelling words for his or her grade level just by playing the game. In addition, by reading the words to the speller and by looking up the meanings of words for the speller, children will improve his or her reading and vocabulary skills while having fun, without even realizing it. Includes Game Board, Tri-Colored Die, 6 Bee Playing Pieces, 300 BUZZLEWORD Cards, 50 BUZZLEBEE Cards.
Buzzlewords® The Spelling Bee Game Level 4 - 7th & 8th grade by THE SPELLING BEE GAME INC.
BUZZLEWORDS® - The Spelling Bee Game is the most fun that children and adults can have while learning spelling, reading and vocabulary. Because the spelling words are taken from actual school word lists, children will master all of the spelling words for his or her grade level just by playing the game. In addition, by reading the words to the speller and by looking up the meanings of words for the speller, children will improve his or her reading and vocabulary skills while having fun, without even realizing it. Includes Game Board, Tri-Colored Die, 6 Bee Playing Pieces, 300 BUZZLEWORD Cards, 50 BUZZLEBEE Cards.
Hilarious! Combines fast "moo"-ving action and authentic family-farm mishaps for "udder"-ly unpredictable fun! Teaches basic economics, yet is simple to understand and play. A REAL family game - designed so ages 8 to 108 can easily play together, comfortably! First to "Retire" wins! "Life on the Farm" has won a National Parenting Center "Seal of Approval 2012"; Best Family Fun Tillywig Toy Awards; National Teacher's Choice "For the Family" Award; “Outstanding Product”and “Hot Product” *iParenting Media Awards, among many others.
Writer's Bio: ALISON MAREK is an award-winning writer, director and cartoonist whose work has been published by Fairchild Publications and DC Comics (Piranha Press), broadcast on Showtime and other cable networks, and viewed worldwide in film festivals. See her short films and print work on www.alisonmarek.com. Watch her nefarious villains in the web series www.MuggsMovers.com. Get inspired by her cartoons "Daily ARFFirmations to Unleash Your Inner Fido" at www.ARFFirmations.com. Phew! And then ... Read more articles by this author
"We are honored and gratified to be one of the companies selected to participate as a sponsor of a TDmonthly Charitable Giveaway in support of our schools and educational products’ retailers," said Marshall Gavin of b. dazzle, inc. "Our award-winning made-in-America Scramble Squares® 9-piece brain teaser puzzles are Easy To Play, But Hard To Solve!® for children, teenagers, adults and senior citizens."
"We wanted to be involved in the TDmonthly giveaway because we wanted to share the excitement of science with as many kids as possible," shared Jason Gibson of Amazing Science!. "We created the Amazing Science DVD to show how kids can be amazed by simple science using common materials found around the house. We're thrilled to be a part of the giveaway this year, and can't wait to bring smiles to children around the country as they discover Amazing Science!"
"Giving back to help out less fortunate children is very important to my company," stated Frank Crossen, President of Crossen Creations. "Charity is one of the reasons I started my company, it was put in the mission statement to help remind me of the most important mission of the company, ‘To create a better world for our children.’ Although sales have been very slow I still want to help charities and this program was a perfect opportunity to help and also get some exposure for us. Also, my company name is Charity Inspirations LLC, but it was too confusing for retailers so I now do business as Crossen Creations."
"Bambooga is a human puzzle game where players use color wristbands to bind their hands and feet to one another, leading to a sticky mess of people," explained David Schreiber of Uncle Skunkle. "One of the factors that is most notable about Bambooga, is that the game is part of a social entrepreneurship project sponsored by Kids Ark Foundation of Thailand. Bambooga is safe and eco-friendly, adhering to "green" manufacturing practices with second-generation cloth material and sustainable bamboo construction. Bambooga uses mostly donated scrap material from factories in Thailand, and local villagers are employed to manufacture the games, bringing jobs to an area of Thailand were they are hard to come by." 
A Box Full of Creativity
Writer's Bio: ALISON MAREK is an award-winning writer, director and cartoonist whose work has been published by Fairchild Publications and DC Comics (Piranha Press), broadcast on Showtime and other cable networks, and viewed worldwide in film festivals. See her short films and print work on www.alisonmarek.com. Watch her nefarious villains in the web series www.MuggsMovers.com. Get inspired by her cartoons "Daily ARFFirmations to Unleash Your Inner Fido" at www.ARFFirmations.com. Phew! And then ... Read more articles by this author
