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Why Play is Important in Child Development

Posted on May 26, 2015May 26, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Parents want to give the best opportunities to their children. Music lessons, language lessons, extra tutoring, after school learning programs, the list can go on and on. We all want to give our kids the advantages and opportunities to succeed and/or perhaps we didn’t have as children. All of those activities are wonderful opportunities. However, play sometimes gets a bad reputation as being frivolous. On the contrary, play is very important in child development! If you want to learn more, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a report about the importance of play in promoting healthy child development (read here). Play can reduce stress and anxiety for kids AND adults so make some time to get silly! The National Lekotek Center , a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, provides an array of services to improve the lives of children with special needs through the utilization of toys and play. They have 20 wonderful reasons to encourage play for ALL Children.

Top 20 Reasons to Encourage Play for ALL children

Play advances many cognitive skills like learning to focus and paying attention to details.
Play produces an active, alert, but non-stressed frame of mind that benefits a child greatly.
Play opportunities help a child develop problem-solving, organizational and planning skills.
Play promotes both long-term and short-term memory.
Play stimulates language, negotiation and communication skills.
Play teaches a child how the world works from gravity to how things move, float or fly.
Play experiences allow a child to explore symbolic play, imitation and his own creativity.
Play allows a child to build confidence, one trip down a slide or throw of a ball at a time.
Play provides the feedback a child needs to develop self-knowledge and self-esteem.
Play is an excellent way for a child to connect to nature and to explore its many facets.
Active play can enhance a child’s mood, coping abilities and defuse emotionally charged events.
Play teaches the cornerstones of relationship building, cooperation and compromise.
Leadership along with group skills are learned through team or collective play.
Active play promotes a healthy body for children and lowers their risk of obesity.
Play promotes brain development through the use of both the body and mind.
Play can teach a child the lessons of strengthening and balancing his body and coordinating his hands and eyes.
Play stimulates resiliency by prompting the child to try again and learn patience towards self and others.
Play fosters courage to swing higher and jump farther.
Play teaches empathy by allowing a child to explore the role of both winner and loser.
Play leads to engagement and enjoyment that provides a child with both physical and emotional release.

Occupational Therapy for Kids and the Role of Game Play

Posted on May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Autism Awareness Month is over but the work for helping those on the autism spectrum continues all year long. At Blue Orange Games, we get a lot of praise on our games from professionals that work with special needs kids. We are absolutely humbled by this. As a mother to a special needs boy with autism and ADHD, this personally touches my heart. We work hard on creating games so that people of ALL skill sets and abilities can play and have fun.

Neal Carlson is an Occupational Therapist in the public school sector. We initially started talking when he reached out to us regarding Spot it! to share how he utilizes this game with his students. Read about his love of games and the lessons that are taught for his own kids and the kids that he works with.

Why I Love Games

By: Neal Carlson, OT

One of my jobs as a school-based occupational therapist is to analyze the steps of an activity and determine what skills are necessary to complete it. Take copying something from a smart board, for example. A student must be able to see and process the words, replicate it on a notebook and visually return to the correct place on the board. Being successful at this task requires skills such as visual acuity, shifting attention, visual memory, motor coordination, and postural stability, just to name a few. In short, my job is to determine what skills students need to be successful in school.

That is why I love games. My experience as a therapist and a parent has taught me that games have so much to offer. They provide fun and engaging opportunities to develop skills on so many levels. Below are a few reasons why I am such a big supporter of games in my practice:

1. Games are adaptable – A little creative goes a long way. One of my students was having difficulty copying accurately from a board like in the example I provided above. I determined that it was difficult for him to shift from a stimulus that was close (his notebook) to one that was far away (the smart board). I taped a Spot It card to the wall and had my student sit 5-feet away with the remaining cards. By locating the matches, he was able to build skills essential for school success in a fun way.

2. Games are a form of play – Many people underestimate the value of play as it relates to child development. Games teach important social skills such as taking turns, healthy competition and being a good sport. I have seen so many of my students beam with pride after doing well in a game or showing good sportsmanship after losing. These are important in every phase of life. And if I can step up on my soapbox for a minute…with our society so electronics-centric, traditional games are also an awesome way for families to connect.

3. Games are skill-building – All the best games build skills. Chess is a great example. The reason why it has been around for so long (and why it is taught in many schools), is because it teaches higher-level cognitive skills such as critical thinking, pattern recognition, and planning. Chess has been linked to academic development, but I always say that many other games achieve the same effect. Games help to build so many skills. To name a few: visual-motor processing speed, attention, fine motor coordination, memory, communication, and emotional regulation.

4. Games are fun – The reason why I value games as much as I do is because GAMES ARE FUN! They bring people together. I can still remember the enjoyment I felt as a kid playing Clue with my friends. Now, as a parent and occupational therapist, I get to see the impact games have had on my own children and the children I provide services to at school.

In addition to working as an occupational therapist, Neal also writes music for TV/film and teaches guitar. He lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and two children.

Wonder Works Toys – Store of the Month

Posted on May 8, 2015May 8, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Blue Orange Games is lucky to partner with a fantastic bunch of retailers who are passionate about their businesses and supportive of our games. We want to do more to recognize the stores and individuals that make our mission possible. That’s how our monthly spotlight on an outstanding Blue Orange Games retailer came about! We are pleased to announce that Wonder Works Toys in Charleston, South Carolina is our Store of the Month for May!Renaud, from our sales team, nominated this store because of their dedication to the local community and their passion for creating fun times with their customers. Renaud also recognized Wonder Works Toys “For their continuous support, the energy they show in their store and how they are dedicated to bringing happiness to kids. They have the perfect location for the summer time and are very loyal to Blue Orange Games!”

Wonder Work Toys is often known as being the ‘Trendy Toy Store’. The store does a lot of research to discover what the latest trend will be and makes sure to have it in stock! I had the pleasure of speaking with Elizabeth, who has been an employee for 15 years and has worked all positions that are available in the store. She is currently the director of operations and it is clear that she has a lot of experience in toy store buying and trends!

Elizabeth tuned us in on the latest trends and what is exciting to come this year. Currently, Shopkins has taken storm of their store, “These Shopkins are so hard to find, but we have them in stock! Shopkins will be around for a while, and soon Ugleez will be added to the brand.” These are not the only trends of the year, “Dinosaurs are huge, especially with Jurassic World coming out so soon. Kids are always seeking out dinosaur toys, but this will be heightened even more. We also cannot forget Star Wars; I can promise that will be huge this year!”

How does a store always know what the latest trend will be and how long it will last? Simple, it is the passion of coming to work and listening to industry peers. Elizabeth stated, “It is so important to listen to your peers and what is going on in the industry. The specialty store community is a tight one and is not afraid to give advice or share their secrets to success.” On top of that, Wonder Works’ employees are passionate about what they do and give their opinions on games to purchase. Customers are used as a resource to bring in the games that they want to see on the shelves.

While trends are important to follow to keep your store thriving, Elizabeth shared an even more compelling aspect of Wonder Works Toys. You could hear the smile in Elizabeth’s voice when she stated, “Magic happens here, any store could say that, but I have witnessed it.” Wonder Works Toys have spread the magic through major acts of kindness, for example, Wonder Works has thrown a birthday party for a boy who came in after no one showed up to his party. It is simple acts like this that allow magic to happen under their roof.

Wonder Works also takes pride in their community work and partners with local charities in the area. A lot of the charities are kid’s ideas and Wonder Works helps to support them. One charity raised 65 thousand dollars to build a crisis ministry homeless shelter. This is an aspect that Wonder Works is involved in that gives back to the community, aside from being a toy store.

Thank you to Wonder Works for their continued support and love of Blue Orange Games. When you are in South Carolina, make sure to pay a visit to the ‘Trendy Toy Store!’

For more information visit: www.wonderworkstoys.com

Reducing Our Carbon Footprint by Planting Trees and Helping Small Scale Farmers

Posted on April 22, 2015May 27, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Every year members of our sales team pack up their vans and head out across the country to visit current and prospective stores. While we take pride in this unique aspect of our company, we are also aware of the impact that multiple cross country trips in a van has on the environment.

What exactly is the impact? Well, for example, it is emitting 67 tons of CO2 just in the year, 2014. That is the reason that we have teamed up with the outstanding organization, the Pur Projet to reduce our carbon footprint as a company.

The Pur Projet organization has a vision to change the world, “Our mission is to integrate social and environmental innovations to the heart of business and corporate activities, to regenerate, revitalize and preserve the ecosystems we depend upon.” With that said, Pur Projet believes that their partnered organizations have ‘Pur(e)’ intentions to better the social and environmental issues that exists on our planet. The organization provides native trees for the reforestation on small producers’ cocoa plantations in the Amazon.

Pur Projet says it right! By giving back to the environment that gives companies, like Blue Orange, the resources to produce the products that are sold, is only fair. Pur Projet goes on to say, “By integrating these concerns within their sectors and activities, Pur Projet partner organizations offer a vision and means that lead to concrete projects to improve social and environmental activities and products.” Trees are planted following agroforestry systems improving the yield of cocoa trees while preserving soil and water quality and protecting biodiversity.

Since 2000, 952,000 miles were driven by Blue Orange, releasing 370 tons of CO2, which means that 1,110 trees have been planted to date. This past year, 2014, Blue Orange vans drove 152,000 miles consuming 10 liters/100 km of gas producing 67 tons of CO2 emissions. This means that 201 trees were planted in 2014 to offset our carbon footprint! When a tree has reached it’s level of maturity, it will take 14 years for the tree to offset one year of 67 tons of CO2 emissions.Not only does this help to shrink our carbon stamp and to fight against global warming, but there are also co-benefits with social and environmental issues.

The Pur Project shares that, “Small-scale farmers and their families account for 4.2 billion people or two-thirds of the world’s population. They can, if supported financially, fight efficiently against climate change by applying agroforestry models that incorporate trees to their existing crops.” As a result, 1,500 farmers cultivate Fair Trade and Organic certified cocoa to increase and diversify their earnings. While planting trees reduces carbon footprint and global warming, giving work opportunities to small-scale farmers makes the Pur Projet a win-win organization!

In 2014, our 201 trees have been planted by farmer, Elias Villacorta, in a forest area of Peru. The type of tree depends on the location and the square footage, but the type of tree planted could be a Caoba or Capirona tree.

We are so proud to be able to reduce our carbon footprint as a company, but even prouder to do so with a world changing organization with Pur(e) Intentions, such as Pur Projet.We understand the need to work towards the preservation of our planet. We believe it’s important to take steps to reduce the environmental impact of our business and to share our passion for sustainability.

For more information, visit: www.purprojet.com
How to get involved: http://purprojet.com/en/how-to-get-involved

All photos are credited to: Christian Lamontagne

Smiles Can Change Lives

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

It may sound cliche to say “I went to the Dominican Republic to work with Orphans and I came back a different person.” However, that is exactly what happened. When presented with the opportunity to travel over 3,000 miles to work with Orphans for a week in the D.R., my heart had no hesitation, but my head ran around the idea of missing work and figuring out the finances to get there. I am forever grateful that my heart won that battle because in return I gained so much more than money could ever buy.

Preparing for a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, I was to collect two 50 pound bags of donations for the orphanage, anything from shoes, to soccer balls, to pencils, to chalk, were accepted. On top of that, you were to pack a carry-on with your own belongings. Our leaders prepared us with a list of what to bring, which was very daunting, from snacks to specific sunscreen and bug spray, all to fit in one carry on and a backpack.

Spending one day at the orphanage, I realized that those preparations for the trip were very unnecessary. I did not need 8 different types of Bandaids or even as many snacks.

It was not what I brought to be prepared for myself or what I brought to donate to the kids in need, they wanted something else. Every orphan or student at the Constanza location just wanted a smile or a hug. They were not looking to see what cool ‘gifts’ you brought, but simply wanted your attention and love. In the midst of a beautiful place with so much hurt, your personal belongings did not matter much at all. A little sunburn and a couple big bites did not even phase me, how can it when the kid next to you doesn’t even own a tooth brush?

This was the biggest lesson that I learned from the children, and yes I learned way more from them than I could ever return to them. But the lesson learned was that love is really the biggest possession that we carry and are capable of sharing on a day to day basis, locally and globally. A smile and a hug is really all it takes. On top of that, most of these kids have overcome huge struggles at such a young age, yet their smiles are some of the brightest that I have ever seen. It was a huge wakeup call and reminder to be happy everyday and not to sweat the small stuff that we are tested with constantly. It is easy to get wrapped up in our busy lives when we are as privileged as we are in our first world countries.

It was easy to feel guilty about all that I had back in the United States, from possessions, to a home, to a bed, to shoes, to parents who love me unconditionally, but it is important to remember that you do not choose the life that you are born into. I learned not to feel guilty about the possessions I own, or spending extra money on the weekend, but to react to others with the resources I have. It is all about what you do with what you have to help others on a big and small scale.

Although I did not spend one day or night with dry eyes in the D.R., my heart is as full as ever. To be rejuvenated with the love of so many that have so little was so impactful that words can not be put onto the experience. As hard as it was to leave the children that touched my life and that I grew very close to, I hope that when all else fails they will remember the warmth of a hug or smile exchanged during my time in Constanza, I know that I will be doing the same.

I am so very happy to be able to reevaluate my ‘budget’ and ‘needs’ to be able to sponsor two young boys who attend the school. This is just a way for me to spread love from thousands of miles away, but also to give back from what I have been lucky enough to have in my life. I saw first hand the magic that sponsoring a child has, not only does the monthly donation pay for doctor appointments and dental work, but the contact from letters and Skyping helps to add and keep joy in their lives.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child, please contact me at rachel@blueorangegames.com or check out the organization’s website: http://www.kidsalive.org/around-the-world/latin-america/dominican-republic/

Top Ten Toys – April Store of the Month

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

Xavier, from our sales team, nominated this store because of their dedication to the local community and their passion for creating fun times with their customers. Xavier also recognized Top Ten Toys because of their loyalty and being one of our oldest customers. Katie, a Top Ten Toys employee, remembers Julien, Blue Orange Owner, coming into the store of Blue Orange’s first big road trip!

Top Ten Toys has been open since 1987 and is the largest toy store in Seattle! Top Ten originally opened as a store for homeschoolers which is why they bring in toys with an educational flare. When speaking with Kristi, Top Ten buyer, she stated “Our mission statement is keeping healthy play alive. I have been working here for over 10 years. I became the game and skill toy buyer shortly after I started working here because I am a board game lover and a skill toy enthusiast!”

Top Ten Toys is ready to share their secrets to success, “I think the secret to having a successful toy store is knowing your customer base and being part of your community. We donate to local charities and school auctions.” There is no doubt that Top Ten Toys puts their community first. With cheerful employees and ready to help at anytime service, customers never leave the store disappointed. Even when visiting the website, the contact button is always available if you have a question when shopping! Their dedication to customer satisfaction is evident when Krista shares “I get the most satisfaction out my job when a customer falls in love with an item we carry.”

It is a joy to have been working with Top Ten Toys for many years. Since Kristi is familiar with our game selection, we thought it would be fun to hear her personal favorites, “Blue Orange has many games I enjoy but my favorite is Flash or Fastrack but I have to say I am really enchanted with Thumbs Up! That one is lots of fun!!!” It is always great to hear that our current and classic games can be lumped together as someone’s favorites.

While all of the spotlight is on Top Ten Toys, we couldn’t help but to be tickled by Kristi’s comment, “My favorite thing about Blue Orange is how everyone who works for the company is enthusiastic and fun loving. Every employee believes in the products, which is not hard to do since all your games are AWESOME!

And of course, we think that Top Ten Toys is awesome too!

For more information, check out: http://www.toptentoys.com/

April is Autism Awareness Month

Posted on April 1, 2015April 1, 2015 by Corinne Marcot-Jones

I love playing family board games. This isn’t just because I work for Blue Orange. It’s not just because I have fond memories of playing board games as a kid or even as an adult. The simple reason is that it engages my son in a way that other things cannot. My son has autism and ADHD. Board games provide us a way to engage with each other and with friends and family , and work on his social skills. I learned and honed the skills of game play for my son through ABA therapy sessions. We worked with him on turn taking, focus and attention, visual perception, social skills, sportsmanship, etc. He would have so much fun with the games that he never thought he was doing any type of “work”.

He beats me in Gobblet Gobblers (probably his favorite game).He can’t get enough of the multiple Spot It! versions. Sometimes, we don’t play the game the way it’s meant to be played and that’s ok too. I have fond memories of a playdate with him playing “hide and go seek Spot It! cards” at a friend’s house. Not only was the mother ok with our kids running around the house trying to find hidden cards but she encouraged it! He made up a new game using materials from an already beloved game and everyone had fun.

Charles — Playing the giant version of Gobblet Gobblers.

April is Autism Awareness Month. I’m so happy to hear about the role that board games contribute to ABA Therapy. I’m a big fan of Sam Blanco, BCBA and her website – Teach Through Games. She’s an ABA therapist that utilizes games in her therapy sessions. She does a great job of modifying games to her students individual skills.

Have fun and learn through playing!