Creative Kidstuff

Nancy Carlson!

On Tuesday, July 22nd author/artist Nancy Carlson visited our stores in St. Paul, Maple Grove, and at the Galleria in Edina to teach an art class, read from her new book Henry’s Amazing Imagination, and sign copies of her famous titles!

Children were given blank pieces of drawing paper and Nancy showed them how to draw some of her animal friends, including Vinney the Frog! We even got to see some sketches in Nancy’s sketchbook– she especially loves drawing candy that comes alive!

Nancy offered some great advice to the aspiring artists: it’s important to carry around a spiral-bound sketchbook (spiral-bound sketchbooks are great because they open up wide). You never know when a great idea will come to you! As for drawing utensils, markers work great! Nancy uses colored pencils and technical pens and draws on 100% rag paper. The kids were able to come up with their own character and create a problem for that character to overcome while waiting to get their books signed.

It takes Nancy about six months to write and illustrate a book. Look for some exciting new titles in 2009!

Did you attend the event? Have pictures? Want to discuss Nancy Carlson titles? Leave a comment!

Make learning part of your summer plans!

Summer is generally thought of as a carefree time to relax and have fun, and it should be! However, it’s important to encourage education and learning during the break from school so your child won’t forget what he or she has already learned. Many subjects, particularly math, build upon previously learned information so it’s essential to keep that information fresh in your child’s mind.

Summer learning can be achieved in every day, fun activities. From the home office in Minneapolis, Minnesota, here are the top ten ways to keep your child learning during the summer. Here we go:
10. Make daily events learning opportunities! Have your child calculate change at the store, figure out sales tax, etc.
9. Work on a summer reading list, or join a local book club!
8. Make family vacations educational. Have kids figure out the mileage, locate places on a map, and visit local historic sites.
7. Nature walks are a great way to learn about the environment, and local plant and animal life. Also, keeping a garden brings learning to your backyard.
6.Play games like Banangrams, Colorku, and Head Full of Numbers.
5. Have your child keep a summer journal. It will make answering “what did you do this summer?” a lot easier!
4. Build a weather station. Keep track of temperatures, rain fall, and learn how to predict weather!
3. Enlist your kids help with cooking and baking. It’s a great way to figure out measurements, sequencing, time, fractions, and serving sizes.
2. Keep a routine and set goals. It makes back to school time less of a shock and helps your child know what to expect.
And the number one way to keep your child learning during the summer is…
1. Go outside and play! Physical activity is essential to healthy development. Interaction with the outside world encourages an inquisitive mind which makes learning FUN!

July is National Picnic Month!

Despite the common belief that Minnesotans wear parkas year-round, Minnesota has warm, sunny, beautiful summers to make up for those frigid winters! July is National Picnic Month, so if you haven’t already ventured outdoors to eat this summer, now would be a great time to pack your picnic basket or cooler full of delicious treats and go outside!

Here are some great tips to make your picnic even more enjoyable:

The most important thing to remember:
Leave only footprints!

Do you have any picnic tips or fun picnic stories to share! Leave a comment!

LEGO fun!

After a year hiatus, the LEGO Event is returning to Creative Kidstuff on Saturday, August 2! Many Creative Kidstuff employees look back on previous years fondly, and remember LEGO creations from very simple designs to elaborate scenes constructed entirely of LEGO bricks! The event is for ages 2 to adult, and is a great way for families to have fun together. One great tip: combine DUPLO and LEGO bricks to make a masterpiece! Register for the event at your local Creative Kidstuff by July 23.

Even though I grew up playing with LEGO toys (and admittedly still play with them now), I knew next to nothing about them! I realize this may be a common trend for other LEGO fans out there, so I present a brief history of LEGO:

The first LEGO toys were developed in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Billund, Denmark. However, they weren’t called LEGO toys until 1934. The word LEGO is from the Danish phrase “leg godt” which means “play well.” One Latin translation means “I put together.”

The first LEGO blocks were built in 1949 and called “Automatic Building Blocks.” The design was an improvement over a British wood block design. Since LEGO bricks were made of plastic, they could lock into place but still pull apart easily. The traditional LEGO blocks weren’t patented until January 28, 1958. So 2008 is the 50-year anniversary of LEGO blocks! Would you believe the bricks created in 1958 are compatible with bricks manufactured today? It’s true!

Random and fun LEGO facts:
*There is no such word as “Lego’s.” LEGO is an adjective, and the product should be referred to as LEGO bricks or LEGO toys, not Lego’s. The word LEGO should also always be written in all uppercase letters.
*Only 18 bricks out of every one million do not meet the quality standards. This really proves the LEGO Company motto: “only the best is good enough.”
*Only 1% of plastic waste goes unrecycled.
*The LEGO molds are so top-secret that worn-out molds are encased in the foundations of buildings to prevent their falling into competitors’ hands.
*The LEGO Company produces 20 billion bricks per year, at an average rate of 600 bricks per second!
*If all the LEGO bricks in the world were evenly distributed, everyone in the world would have 62 bricks.
*Children worldwide play with LEGO toys for a combined 5 billion hours per year.

Best of luck to all the LEGO builders participating in the LEGO Event!