Join us for a Brio Play Day!

We are super excited here at ABC & Toy Zone to be hosting Brio Play Days at three of our stores this July! Here are the dates below.

Monday, July 14th Chanhassen 10 am to 12 pm
Tuesday, July 15th Burnsville 10 am to 12 pm
Tuesday, July 29th Rochester 10 am to 12 pm

What is really special about Brio Play Days is that it gives kids a chance to play with a ton of track and trains! For each of these events, a gated “coral” will be set up. Within the coral, there will be two huge suitcases of track pieces and trains for kids to play with. What a fun opportunity for young train enthusiasts to build and play together! This event will be great for children ages 3 to 8.

Look at all of those trains!

Look at all this track!

Furthermore, each child who attends this event will receive a free train to take home!

Not to mention, if you choose to make a purchase on the day of the event, we have a coupon for you to use! Feel free to print this off and bring in, or just take a picture of it with your smart phone that you can show when you check out. For each $25 Brio purchase you make, you get to enter a drawing to win a Brio train set!

Thank You Thursday: A Tribute to Perplexus Warp!

Thank you Perplexus Warp, for being the perfect size for a family road trip. It might be hot outside, but sitting in the car with the air conditioning going, the scenery flying by, and a Perplexus Warp in hand, vacation is a beautiful thing. Thank you Perplexus Warp, because 80 challenges and obstacles should keep the kiddos busy all the way to our destination!

Awesome New Product Alert: Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty!

Okay, I am legitimately excited to share this product with all of you. For the longest time in our Burnsville store, we have had the little tins of Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty. I always like to describe Thinking Putty as “Silly Putty with special effects”. Well, this new batch of large tins of Thinking Putty brings this to a whole new level. Take a scroll below to check out pictures and descriptions of this awesome putty! It makes the perfect gift for children and adults! (I can speak from experience, I have given these large tins to many grownups and they have been a hit every time.)

Phantoms

Besides sounding awesome, Phantoms Thinking Putty is UV Reactive. Each tin of Phantoms Putty comes with a small keychain black light. Simply expose the putty to the black light and it will change color! You don’t even have to be in an dark or dim space, the black light will work even in well lit conditions. Even better, because of the way that you have to hold the keychain to activate the black light, it is a great way for kids to practice how to grip a pencil and write their letters, etc. The only difference is that instead of writing with a pencil and lead, they are holding a keychain and writing with light. How cool is that!

Super Illusions

Super Illusions Thinking Putty includes cool colors like Super Oil Slick and Super Lava. This type of putty is sort of hard to describe, but I’ll try. Think about an actual oil slick in a parking lot. Although the oil is a brownish black, when the sunlight catches it you see a rainbow of other colors. Well, Super Illusions putty does something really similar. The putty sort of reflects other colors as it is pulled and played with. I can speak with experience on this one, as I own the Super Oil Slick personally, this stuff is really cool. Seriously.

Super Magnetic

If you have a little free time in your day, I highly recommend taking a trip over to YouTube and taking a look at all of the awesome videos users have posted showing Super Magnetic Putty in action. I can not get over how cool this stuff is! Place a metal object on your Super Magnetic Putty and watch it be sucked up by the putty! What a cool way to introduce kids to the concept of magnetism! This putty also comes with a magnet, so you don’t need to worry about any of your refrigerator magnets being commandeered for play in your magnetic putty.

Hypercolor

Hypercolor Thinking Putty is a oldie but a goodie. Simply put, the putty changes color as it is warmed by your hands as you play. So simple but so fun!

Glow in the Dark

Speaking of oldies but goodies, who doesn’t love a little glow in the dark every now and then. Glow in the Dark Thinking Putty practices what it preaches. Charge it up by a window and let it glow! This putty is also a little translucent, in my experience, which is sort of nifty.

Final Thoughts
A couple of reasons that Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty might just be the toy for you!
– Made in the USA!
– Makes a great fidget
– Good way to build hand strength
– You get a nice big handful in each tin
– Never dries out!

Come in and check out our great selection of Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty Today!

LOOK AT THIS BEAR!

Sometimes, you just need to use all caps. This is one of those times. THIS BEAR IS SO HUGE AND FLUFFY AND I JUST WANT TO BE ITS BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD AND EAT HONEY!

Painting with Annie in Chanhassen!

Come and join us in Chanhassen on Friday, July 25th from 10 am to 12 pm for our first Paining with Annie class! Students will paint this beautiful Enchanted Fairy Tree! Cost for this event is $20 (cash only). Payment is due at time of registration. This event is recommended for children ages 7+. Space is limited, so stop in our Chanhassen store today to save your spot!

Glow Fourth!

Happy Fourth of July! I hope you have a day of fun planed with family and friends. Grilling, picnics, games, and, of course, fireworks!

But let’s be honest, when it comes to fireworks, there is always the agonizing wait for it to get dark and the show to start. Here at ABC & Toy Zone we are aware of the wait and have just the remedy for your kiddos boredom- GLOW TOYS! You are already waiting for it to get dark, why not take advantage of the Fourth of July twilight and play with some great glow and light up toys! Here are some of my favorites below!

Here is the Meteor Storm looking a little dull…

All lit up, this thing is super awesome! The lights spin as well as change patterns. Just press a button and watch it light up. Recommended for children ages 3+ and there is no safety risk, like with sparklers.

Glow tattoos are amazing! Apply these before you go out for the night and watch them glow!

Once the kids are done running around, have them settle down with a cool glow in the dark sticker book.

Head Lamps make any activity a night time activity! Just a simple game of cards played in the dark is special! This Night Zone Rebound Ball lights up multi-colors when played with.

Lazer Fingers and Fiber Optic Lazer Fingers are both great for night time outdoor play. They also come in packages of four, so plenty to split between the kids. Good old classic glow sticks are always fun!

One final suggestion, let you kids enjoy all of the fun of launching these LED lighted rockets! Way safer than fireworks, Stomp Rocket Ultra LED is a great activity for the whole family. Not to mention, the rockets are a lot easier to spot once they have landed because of the lights!

Burnsville Cookies & Canvas Event July 29th!

Our first Cookies & Canvas class was such a hit, we are having another one here in our Burnsville store! On July 29th, we will be holding a second event from 1-3 where young artists will be painting the adorable owl you see pictured above! This class is recommended for children ages 7+ to ensure that they have enough time to complete the project. The cost for this event is $20 and space is limited. Register online at https://www.wineandcanvas.com/cookies-and-canvas-calendar-minneapolis-mn.html

Cool New Product Alert! CleanSmart Hand Sanitizer

For many of our classroom teachers, hand sanitizer is a necessary evil. Issues with alcohol ingestion, flammability, and chemicals found in many traditional hand sanitizers have caused many parents, teachers, and administrators to reconsider the products being used in their homes and schools.

If you are looking for an alternative to traditional hand sanitizers, look no further. CleanSmart Hand Sanitizer Spray is the perfect solution for in classrooms. Below are a couple of reasons we highly recommend this product here at ABC & Toy Zone!
-Alcohol, Triclosan, and BZK Free
-100% Kid Safe
-Dermatologist Approved
-Fragrance Free
-Hypoallergenic
-Naturally Moisturizes
-Easy application all you need is a quick spray!
-Dries wicked quick
-No taste when dry (ask my very brave manager, she has licked her own hand after using this product to prove this prove this to us employees).
-Kills 99.9% of germs!

Seriously, this product should be on every teachers desk, in every diaper bag, and every child’s backpack. What a great little gift for your child’s new teacher or new parents!

So if you are looking to avoid the issues caused by traditional hand sanitizers, or just want to try something new, come in and check out this great item today!

P.S. Did I mention the fact that it is just a quick spray? I am just imagining students standing in line with their hands stretched out and a teacher walking down the line and giving them a quick spritz. What a time saver!

Awesome New Product: Brain Breaks from Carson-Dellosa!

Now that I am back from a restful week of vacation, I’m starting to think ahead to the start of the new school year. Carson-Dellosa just came out with a new line of Brain Break cards that are a great way to help your students refocus, recharge, and take a quick mental break. Brain Break cards focus on themes such as Energize, Brain Benders, Focus, and Calm.

For example, one card from the Calm pack is titled “What’s That Smell?” The card says, “Have students close their eyes, wrinkle their noses and foreheads, and have them relax their faces. Have them repeat five times.” So simple, yet so perfect for getting students back to a focused state. Each pack of Brain Breaks comes with 36 different cards. Why not buy a pack of each, hole punch them, and throw them on a book ring or two to make the perfect tool for in the classroom, on a field trip, standing in the hallway, or anywhere! Also, what a great gift for a new teacher! Come in and check out these awesome cards today!

Time for a Little Vacation…

This lady knows how to take it easy.

Much like the Playmobil figure pictured above, I am heading off on a little summer vacation. I hope everyone enjoys the gorgeous weather they have predicted for the next week and, if not, we can all band together to complain to the weather people who have given us false hope. Enjoy the sun, fill up some water balloons, stomp some rockets, and enjoy June while it lasts! I’ll be back next week, well rested and ready with some new posts!