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John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Dr. Toy, Stevanne Auerbach, PhD, has been for many years one of the nation’s and world’s leading experts on play, toys, and children’s products. With 30 years of direct experience, Dr. Auerbach includes educationally oriented, developmental and skill building products from the best large and small companies in her four annual award programs. Many parents, teachers and toy buyers use Dr. Toy’s guidance in making selections. Read More.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

About.com says: It sounds like fun playing board games for a living. According to inventor Tim Walsh it is; lots of fun and hard work. Tim is the inventor of Tribond and Blurt!, and in the last year TriBond passed the one million mark in sales, and Blurt! blazed through the ranks of the top 15 best-selling adult board games. We have interviewed Tim Walsh, trying to bring you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of board game invention. You also have a chance to play Tribond and other board games on-line, but first let’s take a look at the history of Tribond: Read More.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Skybridge is not for the faint-hearted. It’s math-based directions are challenging but in the end very rewarding. It is best for math-minded adults and older children. There is a genius to the design of this toy and the elegant simplicity of the game pieces makes this a champion wood toy. Skybridge says: In this 3D strategic thinking game, be the best builder and take over the city. The simple rules and quick games will make you want to play over and over again! Includes 44 wooden playing pieces, wooden game board and instructions. For 2 to 4 Players. Ages 7 & Up. Read More.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Fat Brain Toys: It’s a building set that really offers you the freedom of exploring the-inside-and-the-out of fun designing. Playing with Twig is gratifying for your hands – and offers mental play that’s exuberant!  Wondering what makes Twig blocks so special? It’s not the green conscious design and packaging, the colors, or even the shapes, it’s your hands and mind in concert with the finest materials for amazing building. Equally appealing in the playroom, in your office, or on the coffee table. Twig is design for everyone. Read More.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Play is essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an idea opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children. This report addresses a variety of factors that have reduced play, including a hurried lifestyle, changes in family structure, and increased attention to academics and enrichment activities at the expense of recess or free child-centered play. Read More.

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John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

The HaPe Fiesta bamboo game shown below teaches color and shape matching as well as helping kids improve their dexterity. Players have to choose the right color and shape pieces and get them onto their skewer before anyone else. The set comes with four skewers and 40 shapes in four colors. Fiesta is recommended for ages 4 and up. The entire line of HaPe bamboo toys and games are high quality and well designed.  Visit HaPe website.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Revilo Toys says: Our toys are made by some of the most famous and loved brands from around the world. They are made to high standards from top quality materials by companies who care and they are selected to be on the Revilo Toys website with passion, love and experience. They are all safe, they all meet or exceed safety standards and all paints are non toxic. Every year our team looks at thousands of toys but only the best toys are chosen and selected for the Revilo Toys collection. We choose them because we believe them to be the best at doing the job they were designed to do. Therefore, if a toy is sold by us, you can be sure that it is the best we have found of its kind and therefore suitable for your child or someone else’s. Read More.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Croatian-born Goran Lelas is an accomplished designer whose magical style spans fashion, illustration, children’s literature, product and costume design. Beginning in the Italian fashion industry, Lelas has developed a signature aesthetic that he has carried into sculpture, apparel and shoe design. Lelas has also created highly detailed costumes and puppetry for theater and opera, including a special production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute in his native Croatia. His work has been published in Vogue Pelle, Vogue Bambini, Casa Vogue, Glamour, ID Magazine, The Shanghai Daily and The New York Times.

In 2008 STRANGEco released a special series of collectibles titled Somewhere City, designed by Lelas and co-branded with the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Featuring both plastic toys and plush dolls, Somewhere City contains interchangeable pieces which makes them ideal for adult collectors and kids. Read More.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Flair says: Here at the Sylvanian Families Shop in London and in our online store at sylvanianfamilies.com we are pleased to offer one of the most extensive selections of Sylvanian Families products available in Europe. Amongst our products, you will find the full current UK Sylvanian Families range, along with a huge number of discontinued lines including many families that are no longer in production. In addition we stock many items from the Japanese Sylvanian Families range, giving you even more choice.

What a lot of people don’t realise is that Sylvanian Families are actually from Japan originally and were developed back in 1984 by a Japanese comapny called Epoch. Sylvanians arrived here in the UK in 1987 when launched by Tomy and are now distributed by Flair Leisure Products. Whether you are buying Sylvanians in English, Japanese, American or French packaging, the actual product inside has been produced in the same place by the same people. Read More.

John W. Lewman Toy Designer www.toymakerpress.com
Publishers of fun to make wood toy projects and plans.

Ringbo puzzles shown above provide multiple opportunities for creative play.