eeBoo is an American company that produce beautiful, useful and well-made games and stationery for children. Using the original art of well known and well loved children's book illustrators they create vibrantly original toys and gifts that children will affectionately remember. All eeBoo products are beautifully packaged and make great gifts. Just arrived in store and sure to delight are the new releases for 2009.
eeBoo Paper dolls
New from eeBoo for 2009 are these thoughtful girl paper doll fashion kits. Each set comes with a two sided stand up scene that creates two rooms, two thoughtful girl paper dolls, and two sheets of reusable electrostatic vinyl clothes and accessories. Take a lovely walk back to yesteryear with this retro inspired gift
eeBoo Tell me a story
‘Tell me a story' sets from eeBoo are created with original art from wonderful children's book illustrators. They are designed to help children form creative individual stories of their own. Each pack contains a set of 36 fancifully illustrated flash cards in a sliding tray box. Instructions are included for a variety of games and activities. This is an imaginative pre-reading activity for the whole family.
eeBoo - Write me a Story
eeBoo are masters at making wonderfully creative open ended toys and gifts. These ‘write me a story ' sets are a classic example of this. They are ‘do it yourself' story books that come with images linked around a theme. They are open ended, allowing children to create their own stories around the images. The images are actually stickers, which children can use to sequence and tell a story around. It's suitable for pre-school aged children, who can tell their story to an attentive listener who will write it down for them. It's equally appropriate for an early primary school aged child who may be capable of writing the story themselves. Either way, the result is a very original tale that will be treasured for a lifetime.
eeBoo also have some new releases in their spinner games series. These are fun party games that get everyone involved. Their retro inspired 'Pin the tail' themed games are also a hoot. New travel versions of popular memory and matching games are also available.
A recent exchange with a customer in our retail store has led me to muse over the concept of childhood and the innocence of play. The customer was looking for a gift for their grandson; and told me that she didn’t really expect anything in Entropy to be suitable as he was really past the stage of toys. So, how old was he? The grand old age of 6, in fact! After I got over the shock, I went on to explain that we do in fact have lots of choices for children over the age of 6 which are not electronic, and you are never too old to have fun a toy shop. People come into Entropy for hours (literally) and just play. We encourage it, and tell customers who come in for the first time that if they have not spent at least an hour in store then they have not played enough.
Children develop differently, and move onto toy ranges at varying stages. I have seen 6 year old girls who are totally beyond playing with dolls. Equally, I have seen girls in their early teens who absolutely adore their exquisite Kathe Kruse collector dolls. Some boys have grown out of Thomas wooden trains at age 3, for others it is closer to 6. Every child is different, and we should allow them to progress at their own pace. There is no need to accelerate them through the joys of childhood. The innocence of a child playing with a precious toy is a scene to be treasured. These days children seem to be growing up faster, but you really are never too old to have fun in a toy shop.
So here are my top 10 suggestions of educational toys, wooden toys and gifts for children in the later primary and high school years, plus of course the big kids (Mum and Dad).
1. Kikkerland windup toys are classic toys with a modern twist. They are great quality umm ... thingys; that appeal to both the young and young at heart. Each has their own character and personality, simply wind them up and watch then go. We sell absolutely oodles of these, as they are fun and cheap as chips. They are a great birthday gift for teenagers and adults.
2. Quadrilla is a marble run system of blocks, tracks and accessories that allow for an infinite number of designs. These marble runs are easy to construct, and you can pull them apart and start again as many times as you like. There are lots of add on sets, that are all compatible; so you can virtually take over a room with Quadrilla. Popular with adults and children, especially doting Dads.
3. Intelliquest is a range of quiz and puzzle books with a unique interactive twist. Enjoy working your way through each book using the Quizmo, a hand held thingamebob that knows every answer to every question in every Intelliquest book. The math and english titles are a great way for children to practice at home, without feeling like they are doing homework! To get started you will need one quizmo unit and one book. You can then add books whenever you like. A great choice for the 7-11 age group, plus these are some quiz books suited to those of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s.
4. Webkinz are a collection of plush toys with a difference. Each Webkinz pet comes with a unique tag containing a secret code to open Webkinz World; a fun, interactive and safe learning environment for children. Once inside Webkinz World children adopt and name their pet and are then invited into a virtual world where they can learn to care for a pet, share time with their friends and most importantly, use their imaginations. Best suited for children 6-12 years, plus big children of course!
5. Thinkfun are award winning games that engage and educate children and adults. These games channel the natural joy and energy of play into a stimulating, family-focused way of building essential thinking skills. Many of these games are particularly suitable to older children and adults (from the age of 8 years) and can be played solo, making them perfect for the holidays and as travel companions.
6. 4M science and craft kits give children the opportunity to experiment and be creative in an exciting, but safe way. The mould and paint and dino dig series are particularly popular as birthday gift ideas, especially for older children.
7. Discover the wonderful toys of Active People who are always on the cutting edge with innovative concepts and surprising ideas. They are toys that get you moving, toys that engage your imagination and creativity; toys for mind, body and soul, including the multi-award winning Kiwido poi ribbons.
8. Swatch Flik Flak full size watches are perfect for children aged from 8 years onwards. They have a more grown up design that lets kids keep track of time in a fashionable way. They have ‘classic’ dial hands and ‘seconds’ hand. The unique Flik Flak colour matching concept of the numbers with the watch hands makes learning to tell the time a little easier.
9. Sigg is the original Swiss bottle and the brand leader for comprehensive, high quality drinking systems for leisure and sports use. Unbeatably tough and light, and taste neural - perfect for school lunch boxes. The 0.6 litre model suits older kids and you have the option of an 'active top' that works using pressure from your lips, meaning the bottle is easily used with one hand.
10. Folkmanis have been making innovative and engaging specialty puppets since 1976, delighting imaginations and winning nearly every industry, child development, and kid-tested award;many repeatedly. A gift of a puppet encourages imaginative, open-ended play, endearing hugs, and snuggly companionship.
People who know me and the store and pretty familiar with my philosophy on toys and activity programs. At Entropy we love being a battery free zone and there is not a plastic or throwaway toy in sight. We stock good quality wooden toys and educational toys that have great play value. Generally speaking I am not a fan of toys that encourage children to spend more time at the computer. However; Webkinz ARE different and I spent a lot of time in Webkinz World checking whether the educational value of these plush toys was really enough to justify their inclusion in our store. After all, we have pretty lofty standards to uphold!
So, what are Webkinz? Webkinz are a collection of plush toys with a difference. Each Webkinz pet comes with a unique tag containing a secret code to open Webkinz World; a fun, interactive and safe learning environment for children. Once inside Webkinz World children adopt and name their pet and are then invited into a virtual world where they need to care for their pet. This includes feeding it, making and decorating their pet's room, and communicating with other Webkinz friends. In order to look after their pet children need to earn Webkinz World money, known as KinzCash. They can do this by completing quizzes, undertaking jobs at the employment office and playing games. Children can create unique spaces for their pets and add their own touch to the design; grow an outdoor garden, exercise, and lots of other fun activities.
Members can also safely 'chat' using pre-constructed messages that are flexible and cover lots of topics. Webkinz World changes every day, with new challenges, making it an interesting and exciting place for children to visit. It's one of the fastest growing sites on the internet and is best suited for children aged 6-14 years.
It's not just for kids though; at Entropy all of us have adopted pets and we love the interactivity and fun of the site. Kids can learn to care for a pet, share time with their friends and most importantly, use their imaginations. There are heaps of Webkinz to choose from; the hard part is picking the first one to start your collection.
What's not to love about an old fashioned circus? They are dry, dusty, smell vaguely of Africa and the clowns are a source of wonder and amazement for children. Get into the spirit with circus and clown themed toys from Entropy.
Make bath time fun with magical Gelli Baff. The special crystals turn bath water into fun glorious goo! When the kids are finished simply add the dissolving crystals to turn the goo back into water. Gelli Baff contains no harmful chemicals and will not stain carpets or clothing. Gelli Baff is the ultimate in bathtime fun! Gelli Baff gives children a fun bath time whilst cleansing and softening the skin. Gelli Baff does not block the drains, is bio-degradable and is kind on the skin. It's also great to use in paddle pools. Choose from Princess Pink, Magic Swamp Green and Lava Blast Red.
Like it or not, e-commerce is going to continue its growth, as more and more of us 'time poor' mothers look for alternatives to spending our precious spare time dragging the children around shopping centres. I personally dislike shopping centres quite a lot, so I have been an on-line shopper for a while now. Some people are reticent about purchasing on-line as they feel there is no replacement for touching and feeling a product. I understand this completely, that's why at Entropy we always make an effort to give you a decent product description and photos. One of the key things on-line shoppers are looking for is good customer service. I want to give you two examples of experiences I have had recently that were at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Young Nugget is four years old and his room is due for a makeover so I went on-line to look at some linen alternatives. I find this the best way to do my research. I found some gorgeous choices, but only one on-line store that had 'in stock' the complete range I was after. I duly placed my order, for a not insignificant amount. Two weeks passed and no delivery, no update, nothing. So I think it is about time I followed this up and send the store an email asking for an update. I get one back telling me that none of the items I wanted were 'in stock' and that my order 'might' get dispatched this week and that normal dispatch times are 7-21 days. Argh!! this is one of my pet dislikes of some e-commerce sites that give the rest of us a bad name. This practice is known as selling on consignment. That is, the store does not actually have the item in stock, and when an order comes through they then place an order with the supplier so they can fill your order. The least that a store can do in this situation is let you know what is happening. So I have shopped at this store twice; for the first time and the last time.
At the other end of the spectrum I have had totally satisfying customer service from www.costumebox.com.au. I am off to a Venetian ball that is a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House. I needed a Venetian mask for myself and the other half and these are not that easy to come by. So I check online; great pics, looks like items are available; I place my order late on a Sunday night. I get an email back before 8.30 am on Monday morning to let me know the items have been sent. Bouquets to you costumebox and brickbats to the other e-commerce site that shall remain nameless.
At Entropy, everything you see on our website is in our store. If you order by 2pm then we will send your order that day, with a tracking number from Australia Post; so you will always know where your parcel is. Our commitment to you is to always have great customer service, and some fun along the way.
ps: pics of the Venetian ball to come... should be a hoot.
