Product Spotlight - Garden Works

Garden Works

#2090    $25.00

Gardening offers the perfect do-together family activity, and this set of sturdy child-size gardening hand tools is just what you need to get growing. With the Garden Works Activity Guide, you'll soon be exploring early science concepts involving planning, planting, growing and tending. Set includes four gardening tools, two interchangeable tool handles, one plastic watering can, plus handy plastic storage case.

Learning Pathways: from 4 years - primary school
Exploration, Motor Skills, Expression, Thinking Skills


KEY BENEFITS:
-Identify and learn to use simple hand tools designed for gardening;
-Understand that a tool’s shape is related to its usage;
-Explore and experience science concepts and vocabulary related to planning, planting, growing, and tending a garden;
-Learn how to do research to make informed choices;
-Strengthen small motor dexterity;
-Promote independence and self-esteem!

To learn more or order this and other games and toys, click here.


My 4 year old loves to play with these Garden Tools. We have already planted some apple seeds and he loves to go out and see if it has grown.  He asks me every day when he goes outside if he can take the tools.  I love them because he has his own tools and doesn't have to use mine.  I also like that they come in their own case so he can easily keep them together.

posted by:

Cara Retz
Educational Leader, Discovery Toys
www.playsmartstore.com
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Making Work at Home Work - March 2010

As you may remember, I recently partnered up with Making Work at Home Work as a blogger.

Find the Right Coach
By Mary M. Byers

In my last post I talked about working with a coach. This time, we'll address how to find the right coach for you. I suggest the following:

Referrals. Ask friends and colleagues if they can recommend anyone to you. Listen to conversations. If you hear someone mention that they work with a coach, ask if they'd be willing to share the name and contact information. Referrals are by far the best way to find a coach.

Identify specifically what you need help with. Do you need help increasing your income? Decreasing your expenses? Someone to brainstorm marketing ideas with? Or, do you have plenty of ideas but lack the follow through to do them? In this latter case, you'll want someone who can use a little tough love to hold you accountable for getting things done. The more specific you are regarding where you need help, the more likely you'll be to find a coach that's a good fit for you.

Search online.Do a search for coaches online. You'll find plenty! Pick a few sites to go to, read about each coach and his or her philosophy, and watch the videos. You'll get a sense of who you might feel comfortable working with. Narrow the list to these possibilities.

Request a complimentary introductory session. This is THE most important step. I "met" by phone with several coaches before finding mine. One coach spent the whole conversation talking about herself. Another spent the entire time saying, "If you decide to work with me, then..." And a third was not at all focused during our conversation, which led me to believe our coaching sessions would be the same way--frustrating for me.

Make the decision. Know that your coaching relationship won't last forever. This makes it easier to decide who you will work with. Pick the coach you are most interested in. Then, ask if you can sign up for a limited number of sessions (a minimum of three). You'll have a good sense of how the relationship is working after several sessions.

Be willing to do the work. When you enter a coaching relationship, you're making a commitment to help your coach help you. And you're making a commitment to doing homework between sessions as well as to do the heavy thinking required to help take your business to the next level. Coaches see lots of people who are willing to pay for help, but fewer who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work. Your work with a coach only pays off if you're invested and willing to sweat along with your coach.

Good luck!

Mary Byers is the author of Making Work at Home Work: Successfully Growing a Business and a Family Under One Roof. You can learn more about making work at home work by subscribing to Mary’s free blog at www.makingworkathomework.com. Interested in more articles like this? Join the blog ring here.

posted by:

Cara Retz

Educational Leader, Discovery Toys

www.playsmartstore.com
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Happy Anniversary....

....to me!

Today is my 3yr Anniversary with DT. To celebrate, I'm giving YOU a gift. Place any size order today (March 13th) and you get 3% off plus a special gift. Call or email me your order or, if you order online send me an email saying you ordered and I’ll refund your 3%!

Check out all our products at www.playsmartstore.com.  Click on Shop Products.

posted by:
Cara Retz
Educational Leader, Discovery Toys
www.playsmartstore.com
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Marketing Mondays Blog Hop

posted by:
Cara Retz
www.playsmartstore.com
playsmartstore@gmail.com

Product Spotlight - Beyond The Book Gustav Mole Collection

Beyond the Book
Gustav Mole Collection

#8424  $50.00

In The Musical Life of Gustav Mole, readers join Gustav Mole in his passion for music, classical instruments and performance venues. Companion CD features an audio story narration and a bonus instrumental accompaniment track. Gustav Mole hand puppet includes a removable violin and bow. Multi-leveled card game challenges players to identify, match and categorize instruments and animal characters. Includes 6 page Activity Guide.

The Musical Life of Gustav Mole Book & CD

#2650  $22.50

In The Musical Life of Gustav Mole, readers join Gustav Mole in his passion for music, classical instruments and performance venues. Companion CD features an audio story narration and a bonus instrumental accompaniment track.

Learning Pathways: 3 years - primary school
Exploration, Motor Skills, Thinking, Reading & Language, Math, Expression


KEY BENEFITS:
-Learn about character attributes and character interactions
-Develop observation skills
-Strengthen listening, decoding, and comprehension skills
-Identify sounds produced by individual instruments
-Enjoy story featuring a series of events that take place in sequence over time
-Observe changing story settings
-Stretch imagination by speculating on story outcomes throughout text
-Strengthen descriptive language related to music and the arts
-Foster imaginary thinking

Gustav Mole Musical Families Game

#2651  $12.50

Multi-leveled card game challenges players to identify, match and categorize instruments and animal characters.

Learning Pathways: from 3 years - primary school
Exploration, Motor Skills, Thinking, Reading & Language, Math, Expression


KEY BENEFITS:
-Recall and identify characters and musical instruments presented in the book
-Strengthen reading skills by identifying labels and numbers printed on cards
-Practice matching illustrations
-Group cards into "quartets" according to different attributes (e.g., members of musical instrument families, and members of animal families.)
-Foster memory skills with games that ask players to recall card content
-Support positive social skills, such as taking turns and the ability to accept game outcome
-Play in multiple ways, depending on child’s skill, ability and interest
-Foster love of literature through play
 

Gustav Mole Puppet

#2653  $20.00

Gustav Mole hand puppet includes a removable violin and bow. Includes Activity Guide.

Learning Pathways: from 3 years - primary school
Exploration, Motor Skills, Thinking, Reading & Language, Math, Expression


KEY BENEFITS:
-Encourage story retelling
-Allow book character and prop to "come to life"
-Promote oral expression
-Strengthen listening skills
-Includes activity guide with opportunities for dramatic play and storytelling experiences that extend beyond the book
-Aid story comprehension with puppet that can move and "play" musical instrument
-Support imaginary play

posted by:
Cara Retz
Educational Leader, Discovery Toys
www.playsmartstore.com
playsmartstore@gmail.com