The Ark's Toytastic Year In Review

As another year of toys, smiles, and giggles come to a close here at The Ark, we wanted to look back at some of this year's best memories.  From our week-long customer appreciation festivities to visits from Santa Claus himself, it has surely been a busy year for us.  And it's not over yet!  There's still a few more hours left of 2014 to go and even more to talk about in our year-end blog post.

Trending Toys of 2014

Last year's Rainbow Loom craze helped usher in excitement for one of this year's most talked about toys, The Loopdedoo.  Winning awards left and right, the Loopdedo introduced kids to a fresh new way to design their accessories.  Proving itself a popular next step up from the rainbow loom, the LoopDeDoo became one of the most in-demand birthday party gifts in 2014.  Soon thereafter we started to carry the Loopdeloom, an even more fashion-forward looming toy that included trendy colors and modern patterns.

Switching to the world of kids decor, our extremely popular A-Cup Sailboats mobile held strong as our #1 selling baby mobile.  The USA's recent America's Cup win helped put this sophisticated kids decor item back on the map, pushing it to become our biggest online seller to date.  But this isn't your everyday, run of the mill sailboat mobile.  What makes the Authentic Model's A-Cup mobile special is that is was modeled after REAL America's Cup racing yachts from the 1930s!  Swing by your local Ark location to get a true up-close view of this intricate mobile made from solid wood and real cotton sails. 

Just in time for the holiday season!  We were so excited to start carrying award-winning toys by Build & Imagine.  Featuring such popular products as "Day At The Beach" and "Malia's Beach House", these special building toys can be described as a fusion of Magna-Tiles, classic dollhouse play, magnetic dress-up dolls, and fashion design toys.  We've found that toys like these inspire an interest in a wide range of subjects and activities, like art and design, storytelling, and architecture. 

Memorable Store Events

We're definitely party people here.  So we love to find ways to get both customers and our staff involved throughout the year.  We threw a lot of cool events this year, with our first annual Halloween Contest being one of our most successful events!  We had well over a 100 entries and gave out prizes for categories like Best Overall Costume, Frozen Inspired Costume, Most Creative and Dynamic Duo.  

Later on in the year we partnered with American Express and locally-owned businesses across the country to celebrate the importance of shopping small.  Using the hashtag, #ShopSmall, we used our social networks to connect with fellow small toy stores as well as getting the word out about shopping local in the Bay Area.  Our lovely sales associate Laura even took the time to create this awesome #ShopSmall photo for our Facebook page.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for us!  Stay tuned for even more tid bits about our most favorite memories and toys of the year.

It's Official: The Ark is San Francisco's BEST TOY STORE of 2014!

We've done it again, and we could've of done it without YOUR support, San Francisco!  The Ark Toys has been named "Best Toy Store" of 2014 by San Francisco Bay Guardian readers in their renowned Best of The Bay issue.  This is a very special honor as this marks the end of The San Francisco Bay Guardian and their influential reader's poll issue, Best of The Bay. 

This isn't just an accolade for our store, but a symbol of continued support for local, independently-owned Bay Area toy stores.  We look forward to providing San Francisco residents with our signature unique selections, timeless wooden toys, birthday party gift-wrapping, and more fun store events come 2015.

In the mean time, learn more about our upcoming Halloween event where you can find free giveaways hidden throughout our stores, our annual costume contest, and delicious candy to get your trick or treating adventure started!

Meet Nicolas! The Plush Musical Wolf Kids Love

And WE love Nicolas too!  This whimsical toddler toy is one of the most unique activity plush you'll come across, and he quickly became a big customer favorite since his debut.

So what makes Nicolas so different?

Whimsical french baby toy company, Lilliputiens, is known for producing cool interactive plush toys that appeal to babies and tots 6 months and up.  They even feature a colorful cast of characters, ranging from Arnold the Pirate Hippo, Jef the puppy dog, Ophelie the chicken, and even more plush friends.

Each character comes in a variety of different designs, such as soft rattles, puppets, musical plush, and colorful teether toys.  This particular Lilliputiens toy definitely stands out for its truly unique design and features.  Simply pull up Nicolas' corduroy top hat to switch on an instrumental version of "Humpty Dumpty", while a charming little plush bunny awaits inside his hat to say hello!

But what's our most favorite feature of Musical Nicolas?

His face illuminates with soft twinkling lights as the music plays!  Making it a great sleep aid for babies and tots, this special plush wolf has been a regular favorite for baby shower gifts, first birthdays, and holiday presents.

Nicolas also promotes gross motor skill development and sensory stimulation.  The pull-string top hat helps improve large arm movements, plus young kids are treated to a visual and musical experience as they enjoy a twinkling music show.

What was your favorite plush toy growing up?

The Very Colorful World Of Soft Baby Blocks

Toy blocks that crisp and crackle to the touch are just one of the many beneficial features of today's soft toys for baby.  One of our favorite baby building toys, the wonder soft blocks set, does just that and even more cool stuff. 

Tot's really enjoy the neat sounds and tactile feeling of their favorite soft blocks, but these special German-made wonder blocks introduces a range of intriguing features to help stimulate the senses as well, such as mesh-like textures, ribbed surfaces, soft reflective windows, velcro blocks, a captivating color palette to stimulate color recognition, and a sturdy design for easy stacking.

Soft blocks with little windows and doors that allow kids to discover new images is a fun way to help improve object recognition, like pets, people, natural objects like leaves and trees, elements of a home, and more.

So when is the right age to introduce soft blocks?

Soft baby toys are designed for a variety of age ranges, and early soft block sets are good for kids who're just discovering their clutching and object placement abilities.  Children as young as just 6m can benefit from soft block sets from Apple Park, HABA and Lamaze, just to name a few.  Our favorite wonder blocks set is actually designed for children ages 6m and up and comes with its own accompanying carrying case for quick and easy storage too.

An introduction to more involved wooden building sets, soft blocks help kids improve their manual dexterity and creative thinking to eventually create more complex structures later on.

What are your most early memories of using building toys?  LEGO?  Traditional wooden block sets?  Let us know in the comments below!

Encouraging Imaginative Play With The Chalet Dollhouse

Dollhouses have been a staple of Childhood play for generations of kids.  Allowing children to decorate and arrange their own dollhouses helps inspire creative ideas, like an early fascination with architecture, design, art, and even creative writing.  Dollhouses often serve as a stage for kids to set up their own original plays, craft their dream homes, and even act out ideas of what they want to be when they grow up!

Today there's a wide selection of dollhouse designs to choose from, ranging from that traditional Victorian style to more modern houses with minimalist decor.  Falling into a category of it's own is the sustainable Chalet style dollhouse with that cool and earthy color palette, modern skylights and open design.  These dollhouses aren't confined to one look either and are designed to be arranged in a variety of ways.

There's a lot of room for imaginative play and creativity here.  Kids can choose whether their cascading stairs should belong in or outside the house, turn the dollhouse itself into separate condos, decide on the feng shui of the accompanying furniture, or even add compatible parts to create an epic sprawling metropolis.

Like creative writing, painting, and theater, imaginative play with dollhouses can serve as a creative outlet for kids of all different ages.  Wee ones who're still developing their logical thinking skills, creativity and object recognition naturally take to dollhouses because they allow hem to work out and understand the world around them.

While kids who're growing a little older may see dollhouses as a platform for working out more complex and creative ideas, like coming up with dollhouse decoration plans built around color or themes.  Kids naturally start to pick out their own dollhouse furniture, accessories, and miniature dolls to create more involved worlds.

What are some of your favorite dollhouse memories?  Let us know in the comment section below!

How To Buy Toys With Confidence and Make Informed Choices

I've been thinking about writing this post for a while now, and today's the day!  Ever since I started building The Ark's Youtube channel, I've been struck with all types of inspiration on how to keep shoppers informed about what's out there in toy land. 

While it's true that you can find nearly everything online, including in-depth toy reviews, that doesn't mean the content you're reading is credible and aimed at helping you make those informed toy purchases.  Yes, there are a lot of fake reviews out there.  In fact, last year Yelp and a slew of other companies (about 18 others) were dinged for publishing fake product reviews.  Not only does this harm the credibility of consumer review sites, but it leaves honest online shoppers with an uneasy feeling about the information they're reading.

 

However Google has been trying to do their part to gradually rid the web of spammy pages aimed at misleading web surfers, which opens the door for legitimate toy connoisseurs, passionate toy bloggers, and reviewers for their credible content to be seen. 

Luckily for us Arkians, we're oozing with toy suggestions, honest info, and the type of enthusiasm customers appreciate and need.  One of our goals online is to deliver that same customer service experience to parents and shoppers from across the globe.  We know not everyone can have that small toy store experience as more and more independent toy stores disappear, but social media gives us a chance to create our unique atmosphere right online for everyone to enjoy.

As mentioned earlier, one of the inspirations for writing this post came from the new Youtube channel I've been working on for the store.  In addition to making playlists linking to some of The Ark's favorite toymaker videos, I've also been creating and uploading the store's very own toy demo videos.  Youtube videos may have to be one of the best ways to make an informed decision about a toy, as there's nothing quite like seeing it in action to cement a decision.

Another great asset for confident toy buying is understanding the labels on the back of the box.  Just like food items, toys also have their own unique set of "nutritional facts."  When customers inquire about the quality of a product, I often talk about a company's attention to manufacture oversight (if it's being produced overseas) and I always point out that big CE logo.

 

So what does this "CE" logo actually stand for?  When a toy has this special marking, it means it has passed all European standards for toy design, manufacture and safety.  A toy can absolutely be made oversees in China and still qualify for this "quality seal of approval" if the manufacture oversight is exemplary and conforms to European toy standards.  In fact, a toy can't be sold in Europe without this "CE" qualification, making Europe's standards a definite authority concerning safety, material quality and toy design.  

The next time you stroll into a toy store looking for top quality gifts, remember to check out helpful YouTube channels and look out for special labeling that assures safety and quality.

Mommy Blogs You Should Be Reading Right Now

Okay Moms ROCK!  Not only are they fabulous customers, but Moms have some of the best suggestions, tips, and insight when it comes to kids toys.  As a toy store sales associate and blogger, their honest opinions and suggestions have helped diversify our toy selection and give us new angles to consider.

From the specifics of fine motor skill development to how kids truly react to certain toys, the feedback we've received from Moms have been invaluable to our lil' toy company.

Some of the most honest, useful, and even funny advice and parenting stories come from today's mom bloggers.  There's really too much to count, and we're always discovering new mom bloggers every week, so we wanted to introduce you all to some of our current favs of the moment.

So without further ado, we bring you Mommy Blogs that we love!

1.  Not Your Average Mom is pretty amazing.  Definitely not average and one of the funniest mom bloggers out there today.  While she has an awesome knack for infusing that signature humor into her writing, her work is also very insightful and profound, giving us a lot to think about on child raising and life in general actually.  You don't have to be a Mom to read and enjoy mommy blogs; in fact, some of the most enjoyable writing can be found on today's top mommy blogs.  This particular blog post is brilliant, and you can see why she made our list. 

2.  First Time Mom and Dad is a seriously wonderful blog that follows new parents, April and "first time dad" a.k.a FTD, on their exciting daily journey with their toddler.  Talk about a courtship that's made for the movies!  You can read all about how they met on their about page (trust me, it's a pretty awesome story!)  Since then, they've become one of the most enjoyable, stand-out Mommy AND Daddy blogs.  Providing everything from humor, to real talk, to parenting tips you can actually use, First Time Mom and Dad is a super great read.

Stay tuned for our next batch of Mommy Blogs we love to read!

Back To School Toy Guide For Teachers!

Back to school season is officially here!  And while kids nationwide aren't throwing any back to school parades anytime soon, teachers can prepare for that exciting first day with charming educational technology and toys to fill their classrooms.

Educational games like eeBoo's Spanish and French Bingo features whimsical illustrations that appeal to young children.  This inspires them to learn the basic Spanish and French vocabulary, while playing a fun, challenging game with their friends.

Magnetic wooden responsibility charts are a fun, interactive way to instill good work ethic in children, which crosses over into their at-home responsibilities as well; like doing their homework, washing the dishes, cleaning their rooms, and helping out the neighbors.

Preschool teachers have a lot of great PreK educational toys from wooden toy makers, Plan Toys, Hape, and Melissa & Doug.  It's always good to have imaginative toys on hand for recess or play time; play food sets like the basic four food groups, pizza party food, sandwich making kits, and popular cutting food sets are great for bringing kids together and inspiring creative ideas and storytelling!

Adding both colorful wooden block sets, as well as plain all-natural wood building blocks, to a preschool classroom can really motivate kids to explore early architectural ideas, creative planning, and their own imaginative ideas.  Natural wooden pieces are a signature part of any Waldorf Education inspired classroom too, as well as Waldorf-style soft dolls, brilliant imaginative play silks, and European made art supplies; such as all-natural modeling beeswax, crayons, and poster paints by Stockmar.


Any of these educational toys also make wonderful presents to give that favorite school teacher in your life.

And not so fast teachers, we have another blog post on the horizon about the benefits of cooperative games too.  So stay tuned for more!

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How Toys Are Made: Watch Your Favorite Toy Makers At Work!

It's SO much fun watching toys being made.  It conjures up all that Santa's Workshop sentiment, along with an appreciation for trade, craftsmanship and creativity.  That's what's so great about the show How It's Made and all those great tutorial videos on YouTube.  Watching familiar, everyday objects like chalkboards, neon signs, and crayons being made from step one is really mesmerizing to watch.  These videos are great for kids because it helps develop a real appreciation and curiosity for making things.

Take it away!



Made in Germany, Haba Toys are known worldwide for their superior wood craftsmanship, as well as introducing a variety of important concepts aimed at improving logical thinking, dexterity, creativity, and problem solving, just to name a few.  This is one of our favorite toy videos.  Enjoy!




A CBS profile of San Francisco toy makers, The Original Green Toy Company.  We love this brand!  Not only are their toys made right in San Francisco, but they're made from 100% recycled plastic.  You can take them to the beach, camping, school, you name it.



A look at how Play-doh is made!  Every step has to be precise to get the right consistency and scent.



Does LEGO need an introduction?  This video is pretty cool.  Take a look at the "robot" factory behind your kid's favorite building toys.

Looking Back At The Toys Of Yesteryear

Charming, whimsical toy stores reminiscent of Santa's Workshop are hard to find these days.  That's what's special about working for The Ark, especially here in San Francisco where it's really one of the few independent toy shops left.  So we like to keep that spirit of classic toys alive by carrying quality wood toys from Europe, local toys made in the USA, creative wooden block sets, Waldorf dolls, and all types of cool toys that veer on the timeless side.

These types of stores bring back memories of past toy shops for many, while introducing that same magic to a new generation of kids and parents.  Toys are more than just things, they're an experience.  Using the Museum of Childhood's amazing collection of historical children's objects,  lets take a look back and get to know some of history's favorite toys in this first entry of the "Toys of Yesteryear" blog series!

Turn Of The Century Dollhouses

Actually this insanely detailed dollhouse was made in 1890 and is noted for featuring some of the most advanced home technologies of the time; miniaturized of course.  Water heaters, knife cleaners, and bicycles are featured, while popular architectural spaces of the time like billiard rooms and in-home classrooms are also packed into this grand dollhouse.

Dominoes of Year's Past

Did you know Dominoes were first introduced in 13th century China?  And by the mid 18th Century, the game grew in popularity and made its way over to England from Italy where it took off ever since.  The very first dominoes sets were made from bone strips and ebony, then tightly fastened together with brass pins; these pins were known as "spinners" and they helped to support dominoes tiles so they could be placed upright.  

The most commonly played dominoes game is called the "block game."  It's most fun with at least four players participating.  Each player must draw seven dominoes tiles from the pile and place them upright so they stand freely on their own; however the tiles cannot directly face the opponents, just the edges of the tiles!

The first player who ends up with the "double 6" tile must place that tile on the table face up, which really gets the game going!  When players have tiles with the same number of spots, they must place those tiles next to dominoes already played.  The game ends when one person plays all of his or her dominoes tiles.  This same game is played together and enjoyed by kids, parents, AND their amazing grandparents. 

Stay tuned for Volume II of this very special blog series about cool toy history!

The Lowdown on Fine and Gross Motor Skills When Choosing Baby Toys

You've heard this term a lot, "fine motor skills", but how does it relate to babies and why is it important when choosing baby toys?  And to throw another curve-ball in there,  what's the actual difference between fine and gross motor skills? 

For starters, "fine motor skills" in babies refers to the small movements they exhibit early on.  These movements represent the beginnings of muscle coordination, as shown through small movements of the feet, toes, wrists, fingers, tongue, and lips.  The following examples fall under this umbrella:

• The holding or "clutching" of small objects, such as holding a little spoon and clutching a baby beads toy or teether.  That's why baby clutch toys typically feature large wooden rings for grasping or tactile features like bumps and large shapes to improve grasping ability.

• Discovering the coordination between thumbs and fingers to pick up objects (and before long chucking them across the room!)  Through baby toys, parents can help condition these fine motor skills with large wooden knob puzzles, stacking toys, sound rattles with large handle rings, and pint sized soft blocks for example. 

It's important to note that both fine and gross motor skills involve the development of muscle coordination, and they both grow together.  While fine motor skills in babies involve smaller movements like clutching and picking up toys, gross motor skills describe more physical movements like rolling over and sitting, and eventually more advanced large movements like crawling, walking, and running as children get older.

These motor skills continue to develop well past the toddler stage, into kindergarten, and beyond.  Gross motor skills continue to strengthen via sports and other outdoor physical activity, and mastering handwriting skills is just another continuation of fine motor skills for example.  

Developmental baby toys are designed to foster these motor skills and bring the two together early on, which also helps to improve early logical thinking!  

Pounding toys for example require large movements of the arms for pounding objects and smaller movements like picking up mallets.  And wooden Stacking, nesting, and sorting toys utilizes those smaller fine motor motor skills to improve logical reasoning like sequencing. 

To learn more about the relationship between motor skills and toys, check out our detailed online product pages, or visit our Baby & Toddler Pinterest Board for inspiration!

Get To Know The Timeless Stories of Elsa Beskow

You may have noticed in our Books section online that we carry quite a bit from Swedish author, Elsa Beskow.  What you might not know is that Beskow is one of Sweden's most beloved children's book authors and illustrators, producing such timeless works as The Sun Egg, Pelle's New Suit, and the delightful Woody, Hazel and Little Pip! 

Those are just a few of the many classic children's stories Beskow contributed over the years, and her work is regularly immortalized in such things as kids decor, baby dish sets, and photos albums, just to name a few.

Elsa Beskow worked prominently at the turn of century in Sweden and well into the 1940s, writing such classics as Peter in Blueberryland, Children from Solbacka, and Ollie's Ski Trip in between 1898 and 1907.  Later on, she went on to produce more storybook favorites like The Flower Festival in 1914, The Children of Hat College in 1930, and Peter & Lotta's Adventure in 1947.  

Her stories were often fanciful or whimsical in nature, typically introducing woodland characters like acorn or toadstool children, fairies, miniature people, and other imaginative characters.

Beskow was born in Stockholm, Sweden in 1874 and went on to study art education at the Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts, and Design.  Before long, Beskow was already contributing to well-known Swedish children's magazine, Jultomten in 1914.

Elsa Beskow's whimsical children's stories are a big favorite of librarians, Waldorf Schools, Waldorf-inspired homeschooling, imaginative kids, and creative writers!

Why We Love Rough n' Tumble Bruder Toys!

Toy trucks, buses, fire engines, and bulldozers are just a few of the many classic construction vehicles kids have been enjoying for decades.  At the Ark we definitely love to keep the spirit of traditional toys alive, and we do it through brands like Bruder and wooden toy makers such as Melissa & Doug and Hape for example.

Plus there is something truly magical about finding a bright shiny fire truck under the Christmas tree or a large CAT bulldozer with a big beautiful birthday bow on it!

As far as coming close to the fine detail and experience of those timeless toy vehicles of yesteryear, Bruder definitely takes the cake.  Made in Germany, Bruder makes a stunning variety of vehicles like Mercedes Benz Fire Trucks, realistic tractors with front loaders, CAT excavators, giant cement mixer trucks, Mack Granite dump trucks, and towering cranes; just to name a few!

So which is the right toy vehicle for your child?  The best thing to do is head down to your local Ark Toys and get a feel for which vehicle your kid reacts to best, or have them look through our online store if you're not local to the area, so you can gauge which vehicles they're most drawn to.

Bruder toys are also exciting because young kids already recognize these gargantuan vehicles on the road while on the way to preschool, the supermarket, and family gatherings.  And they could even help spark an early interest in trade, engineering, large construction projects, and city planning.

Showing The Art of Customer Appreciation. Ark Style!

It's been an extra special month here at The Ark!  School's out, the weather's been fabulous, and we've dedicated the entire month of July to our lovely customers.  So we're running this nifty month-long offer that gives new customers a gift card when they sign up for our frequent buyer program and spend over $35.  It's been really great to see new faces welcome brand new customers to The Ark family!

Okay giving away Ark gift cards is pretty awesome, but we're all about having fun here at The Ark.  Yes, we're a bunch of grown up kids here, so we just had throw some weekend events to entertain the kiddos while Mom and Dad shop around. 

Thanks to our store manager Anna, who also moonlights as the world's best cook, we've been able to supply our guests with complimentary homemade baked goods and beverages too.  As well as providing activities like paper flower making, hula-hooping, sidewalk and window art, foam popper bullseye games, and juggling.  Every weekend has been a completely different theme which has been really fun for us and our customers.

So what's in store for this weekend's customers appreciation festivities?  After tackling outdoor and crafts, we're going to harness the power of your mind with brain teasers, window mazes, giant dot-to-dot games for tots, fortune teller games, and of course, super delicious free food.  Oh yeah!  We're also throwing in a 40% off sidewalk sale too for those last-minute birthday gifts.

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, take advantage of our July offerings before it's too late.  We're looking forward to playing with you this Summer!

Baby's First Birthday Gift Guide

It's almost here!  That awesome day your little niece, nephew, cousin and grand kid turns the big #1.  And the very best part?  Buying them awesome presents they'll absolutely love of course.

Shopping for children may feel a little daunting but it's actually really fun!  Plus it's a blast channeling all that childhood nostalgia for stuffed animals, board books, and blocks.

It's pretty cool what 1-year olds are doing in terms of motor skill development, creativity and logical thinking, so there's tons of awesome gifts to choose from which is great.  And we're talking birthday gifts kids can actually use for a while and grow with too.

All-Natural Wooden Toys

For starters, high-quality wooden play blocks are a great choice for promoting dexterity and creative thinking.  Keeping quality in mind, limit choices to top rated wood toy brands like the following:

• Haba
• Melissa & Doug
• Janod
• Plan Toys
• Hape

These high quality wood toy brands produce some of the most whimsical and creative wooden block sets for babies.  Haba's fanciful Sakrada block sets are made in Germany and features a cool color palette with pastel shades and cool tones; as well as incorporating sensory elements like miniature bells and reflective materials.  

Hape's known for it's dazzling and colorful block sets, plus they're fantastic at blending in themes with their sets too.  1-year olds and toddlers are especially drawn to their Fantasy Castle Blocks that feature sound blocks, bright colors and whimsical illustrations.

Soft Toys & Plush

Switching gears from solid wood toys to extra soft plush goodness, another gift option are plush products from Kathe Kruse, Apple Park, and Lilliputiens.  Like HABA, Kathe Kruse toys are also produced in Germany, plus they're known for their high quality, detail, and charming aesthetic that's uniquely Kathe Kruse.  

Their towel dolls come in a variety of styles like Waldorf dolls, foxes, donkeys and rabbits, which are great cuddly add-on gifts to accompany a building set or activity toy. * Oh btw, If there's a baby shower on the horizon, Kathe Kruse also makes teethers and grabbing toys for infants that come with detachable plush, like Alba the wise owl pictured below/ 

   

Stylish Activity Toys

Like Kathe Kruse, French toy company Lilliputiens has also earned a reputation for their stylish, whimsical plush toy designs.  Crafting a growing cast of adorable characters like Arnold the Hippo and Ophelie & Her Chicks, Lilliputiens has done an extraordinary job at blending style and creativity with fine motor skill development.

Children delight in discovering oodles of plush animals hidden away in Lilliputien's soft Noah's Ark Toy.  It's like opening a clown car of never-ending alligators, giraffes, lions and chickens!  And Mama Chicken Ophelie comes with her own plush nest that's filled with four adorable (and numbered) chicks that transform into small finger puppets.

Need more birthday ideas for that awesome soon to be 1-year old?  Stay tuned for our next blog post on buying organic toys for kids!

Under The Sea Toys For Babies and Tots

The phrase "Under The Sea" definitely resonates with me on that Disney's Little Mermaid Level (90s kid here), but it was also one of my favorite toy and decor themes growing up.  Still today, I'm enchanted by dazzling aquariums, larger than life whales, and coral reefs.  Soothing ocean waters and charming marine life continues to be a popular decor and toy theme for both boys and girls, proving it as a reliable go-to reference for quick birthday gifts and baby shower presents.

Top toy brands like Hape and P'kolino offer great solutions for ocean themed birthday presents for babies and toddlers too.  Offering a more unique twist on the shape sorter game, P'kolino's Fishing Hole Size Sorter encourages children to drop colorful fish into their corresponding fishing holes; helping to foster such fine motor skills as hand/eye coordination, dexterity, and logical thinking.

Children aged 1+ can continue to improve their building skills by creating whimsical oceanic structures with Hape's signature wooden blocks.  Hape is one of those completely charming brands, like eeBoo, Janod, and Haba, that produce vibrantly colored play blocks with personality.   Their "Under The Sea" blocks particularly stand out because they feature a wide variety of visuals, such as bubbles, starfish, water, sea grass, octopus and sand.

Switching gears a little to the Arctic, polar bear plush is a terrific add-on gift with a more educationally-driven toy.  Gund makes adorable baby plush with so much character, with Snuffles being one of the most beloved and softest of the bunch.  This terrifically chubby snow-white polar bear is appealing to both babies and big kids alike.  Snuffles also reminds me of those Coca-Cola polar bears during Christmas time!

"Under The Sea" style gift wrapping is really fun to create too.  There's so many possibilities if you're running short on time as well, such as creating party favor bags with simple recycled brown paper bags, sea-themed party confetti, and tissue paper (sea colors: light blue, white, dark blue, light green and a dash of pink)

Need more ideas? Visit our website for toy and party idea inspiration.

Whimsical Birthday Gift Guide For Imaginative Kids

Magical gnome villages, woodland fairy houses, cute intergalactic toys, and marshmallow soft plush are among the many go-to gifts for whimsical themed Birthdays.

But that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Whimsy can be found in almost any toy genre, like imaginative play food, dress up silks, Waldorf style dolls; yes... the list goes on and on!

Stuffed animals are a classic hallmark of imaginative play. An ideal go-to gift for girls and boys, Jellycats plush is definitely well-suited for whimsical birthday parties because they come in a variety of cool creatures like unicorns and dragons.  Plus they feature fanciful pastel colors too!


Classic, finely crafted wooden toys are reminiscent of Santa's workshop, also making them a surefire choice for whimsical birthday gifts. Like These wooden dress up bears that were made in Germany!  They also come with heaps of adorable miniature outfits for whimsical imaginative play and their own sliding wardrobe box.  

Along with Manhattan Toys' charming finger puppets, these gifts are not only fanciful and creative, but thoughtful as well.  Plus they're a great way to bring kids together and inspire puppet theater masterpieces at that next birthday bash.

Top Local San Francisco Tweets Of The Week

Okay I confess, I LOVE Twitter. Along with tweeting out Ark Toys media, new toys, and events, I also spend my morning Muni commute scrolling through tweets about retro toys, Toy Story theories (too awesome), local San Francisco happenings, and I could seriously just go on and on. There's so much toytastic info out there to share!

Since I have Twitter on the brain, I thought I'd round up some fun local San Francisco Tweets. Twitter is great for finding things to do in the city. And speaking of, don't forget to swing by your local Ark location to take advantage of our 40% Sidewalk sale :)

Washed Ashore, a new art exhibit at the San Francisco Zoo http://t.co/gDVIAVbayg

— San Francisco Zoo (@sfzoo) May 23, 2014

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood! *Mister Rogers Voice* On the corner of #Haight and Lyon. Sun… http://t.co/qwfy72ReUP

— Katherine A (@KAToday) February 3, 2014

Are you an artist in SF? Learn how to safely dispose of unused and leftover art supplies: http://t.co/HrO2pW0Vfv #greensf #SFArt

— SF Environment (@SFEnvironment) May 16, 2014

Happy Carnaval San Francisco! http://t.co/ledyTQ3jYY Look for the bookmobile on the Ninolandia Block at Harrison St btwn 23rd & 22nd Sts

— SF Public Library (@SFPublicLibrary) May 23, 2014

It's another beautiful day on #pier39, perfect for checking out the new @SeaLionCenter that opened yesterday! pic.twitter.com/qZW2yZ4PSi

— Aquarium of the Bay (@AquariumOTheBay) January 18, 2014

Love these SF history makers. RT @pier39: Check out this video of the sea lions' 1990 arrival at #PIER39! http://t.co/FOqzloMEu8

— Kimpton SanFrancisco (@KimptoninSF) August 20, 2013

Unique Plush Gifts For Kids of ALL Ages!

For many of us, stuffed animals never went of out style.  Tossing out our childhood plush friends was definitely out of the question, and from time to time we still indulge in buying a mini plush Totoro or an adorable Steiff baby dragon.  Not to mention they're also tried and true gifts for first birthdays, holidays, and get well baskets.  From fresh Kawaii plush to collector's favorites like Hanza, there's never a shortage of whimsical and fun plush gifts for kids ages 1 to 101!

Dragon Plush

Steiff Baby Dragons make wonderful gifts for friends in the hospital, kids birthdays, and of course Game of Thrones Fans!  He may not be nearly as threatening as Godzilla, but Steiff's Raudi baby dragon will destroy anyone with utter cuteness.  Along with his twin sis, the equally as adorable Racy dragon, this pair would be a wonderful surprise for special occasions throughout the year. Complete with those signature Steiff tags too!

 

Jellycats - The Softest Plush Ever? 

The quest for the softest plush is on!  It's hard to choose between popular favorites like Snuffles and Baby Gund, but Jellycats may take the title on this one. It's up for debate, but one thing's for sure, kids come racing into The Ark Toys looking for magically soft Jellycats to add to their collections.  From zebras, giraffes, to tabby cats and classic teddy bears, Jellycats are quickly becoming the new classic plush for kids. Seriously, check out this giant purple mouse!

 

All this writing about plush makes me want to raid my childhood bedroom for all my favorite Care Bears, Popples, Pound Puppies, and of course BEANIE BABIES! ;) What were your most favorite plush toys growing up?

Buying Child Therapy Toys For The Office

Next to LEGO and Arts & Crafts, Play Food sets were some of my favorite toys growing up. I always got excited when I realized I was unwrapping a fresh new batch of fruits and veggies, pretend sandwich supplies, or wooden pizza toppings.

The other day some family therapists came into the store looking for play food themselves. Plan Toys' and Melissa and Dough Play food sets are two of the top choices among therapists for imaginative child therapy toys.  But how do family therapists and psychologists use wooden play food sets and other toys in their practice?

Next to designing a space that makes the youngest patients feel comfortable with expressing themselves, therapists also buy child therapy toys to aid in creating a safe environment to talk.  Professionals often choose timeless toys such as play food sets, play blocks, building sets, figurines, arts and crafts, and stuffed animals among several others. 

These classic role play toys help therapists establish trust with their patients, and they always start off their sessions by letting kids play for a while. That's why many child therapists have safe sports toys in their office as well, like koosh ball toys or a mini soft basketball sets.  

Along with making kids feel comfortable with their setting, these specially selected toys help therapists address specific issues with their patients. Plus therapists find that these role play toys help to relieve stress in young patients while talking about difficult or traumatic events. 

Wooden play food sets, LEGO, and other child therapy toys have also been observed to ignite creativity in young children too!  As the entire process is helping them to express their concerns as well as creative ideas and thoughts about their future. 

And toy therapy isn't limited to just kids. Therapists often have toys in their office readily available for patients of all ages to help them ease their nerve and talk openly.

These are just a few of the popular child therapy toys that professionals love!

• Stir Fry Wooden Play Food Set
• Birthday Party Cutting Cake Set
• Sandwich Making Play Food Set
• Petit Four Plush Pastry Set
• Plan Toys Cooking Utensils 
• Classic DUPLO Legos
• Citiblocs Wooden Building Sets
• Cuboro Standard Marble Run 
• Magnatiles Deluxe

My Favorite Easter Pins of 2014

Wow, Easter is seriously just around the corner. Super fun times! We've been dressing up our windows with vintage Easter egg gift boxes, yellow chicks, Hanza bunnies, Jellycat, and loads more. Even the Easter Bunny himself has already finished making the rounds to all our bay area locations. 

I still have Easter on the brain though, and all the festivities as of late inspired an Easter egg hunt of my own on Pinterest. There's been some great Easter 2014 pins this year; here are several of my personal favorites!

       

Need more Easter decorating inspiration? Stay tuned for more featured Easter pins and my upcoming Easter TV Guide for the Kids!

How to Buy Nursery Decor When You Don't Know Anything About Babies.. Or Nurseries

Don't have kids? That's cool, neither do I.  Babyworld is still mysterious terrain for me, so I know all too well how difficult shopping for a friend's newborn can be.  Finding unique, useful, and meaningful gifts for babies and new moms is a fun challenge though.  And luckily today's nursery decor offers some really creative and clever choices. 

Wow.. I've been working toys for quite a long time, but I've had a lot of fun getting acquainted nursery decor over the years that isn't run of the mill. 

For starters, basically everything from Authentic Models is amazing!   Their products are definitely high-quality and based on fascinating content, making them a neat choice for stylish nurseries. Their mobiles in particular work great with a variety of wall colors, furniture, and themes, plus they don't feature jarring characters that could scare a baby.

The A-Cup Sailboats mobile (pictured above) is a BIG hit with nautical themed nurseries, and with the recent USA victory in the America's Cup, the history behind these lil' racing boats makes for really special gift too.

The boats of the a-cup mobile were modeled after the real 1932 American J-Class racing yachts!  But it's not the only Authentic Model's mobile that's inspired by American history. Switching gears to aviation, the Gee Bee Squadron mobile represents the real, award-winning Gee Bee racing planes of the 1930s.

I read a blurb online that likened these planes to something you'd find in a Disney Movie.  I could totally see it, especially in Who Framed Rodger Rabbit or Disney's 2013 feature, Planes.

Aside from neat mobiles, tabletop or dresser decor for the nursery is another good route to take. Stylish wooden "nesting" blocks work great as colorful nursery decor, plus they serve the dual purpose of being safe, high-quality play blocks for babies when they're a bit older. 

Other gifts that fall in this category are Ostheimer wooden figures and decor, which come in a wide variety of trees, animals, people, homes, and more. They're all handmade from Germany's most recognized wood shop. Ostheimer gives people the freedom to create dresser top decor that fits perfectly with any nursery theme. Literally, I think they make EVERYTHING. 

Last but not least, I wanted to mention the versatility of Steiff plush. Most recognized for their vintage jointed teddy bears, Steiff also has a series of more plushier stuffed animals that make for cute, whimsical nursery decor as well.