Volume 2, Issue 1 Summer 2007 Downloadable PDF Version Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader Click here for a FREE subscription to Toy Times! In This Issue: What is Science? A Practical Definition by Fat Brain Toys How Did It Come That I Was The One To Develop The Theory of Relativity? Take A Fat Brain Toys Mini-Vacation Inside the Toy: Insect Lore Dado Cubes - Again! Where in the World? Fat Brain Toys in the Middle East Your Feedback Matters!

Thoughts from the Publisher Welcome to Volume 2, Issue 1 of The Toy Times by Fat Brain Toys! We had tremendous positive feedback to our first issue, so we’re really excited about this latest issue and the topics we’re covering. While we didn’t necessarily plan it this way, a couple different themes surfaced within the content of this edition, namely, science and alternative learning. The term “alternative learning” carries with it many different meanings so perhaps a Fat Brain Toys definition is in order. Traditional learning generally focuses on linear, fact-based information (ABC’s and 123’s). While there is certainly value in this type of learning, it excludes many of the traits that are critical to success in later years. Alternative learning allows children to discover the answer without asking the question. Alternative learning encourages the child to explore, experiment, make mistakes, make adjustments, draw conclusions, and bottom line, encourages them to think outside the book. Education in the classroom is great, but don’t you dare let your child stop there! As you read through the following articles, think about the wondrous educational opportunities all around us - and help the children in your life to see a world of life-long learning. Mark Carson Co-Founder, Fat Brain Toys

What is Science? A Practical Definition by Fat Brain Toys

If you look up science in Webster’s you find a number of different variations. All definitions there involve terms such as: knowledge, ignorance, study or practice, general truths, misunderstanding, operation of general laws, scientific method, tests. Man…what the heck is scientific method and who wants to take more tests!

Our take is that Science involves a number of additional terms that are not listed in Webster’s…Science goes beyond vocabulary - it’s found in song birds, Fruit Loops, fishing reels, an electricity tube, a flying rotor, curiosity, taking action, playing around, and dreaming big.

Beyond Vocabulary
“This boy said to me, ‘See that bird standing on the wheat there? What’s the name of it?’ I said, ‘I haven’t got the slightest idea.’ He said, ‘It’s a brown-throated thrush. Your father doesn’t teach you much about science.’

I smiled to myself, because my father had already taught me that that doesn’t tell me anything about the bird. He taught me, ‘See that bird. It’s a brown-throated thrush, but in Germany it’s called a halzenflugel, and in Chinese they call it a chung ling and even if you know all those names for it, you still know nothing about the bird. You only know something about people; what they call the bird.’

‘Now that the thrush sings, and teaches its young to fly, and flies so many miles away during the summer across the country, and nobody knows how it finds its way. There is a difference between the name of the thing and finding what goes on.’”

...the words of Richard Feynman, 1965 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics. Richard Feynman is known for his work in Quantum Electrodynamics, Particle Theory and Feynman Diagrams. (His father, a salesman by trade, was a good teacher of science.)

Out to teach science? Put away the vocabulary… and “find out what goes on.”

Fruit Loops, Physics, and Taking Action
“Alaina…Alaina, where are you?” I stride into the kitchen and find Alaina (our three year old daughter) doing her one leg balancing act routine up on a toy high chair that is wobbling precariously from its perch on top of a Rubbermaid storage box that is stabilized from sliding by the kitchen chair that is laying against it on its side wedged against the kitchen wall.

“Just getting some Fruit Loops, mom.”

All in the name of Fruit Loops! I can just imagine the underlying passion involved in the climb to the top. (Not to mention the hypothesis she reasoned, experimentation she attempted, and conclusions she drew as she proceeded perfectly through the scientific method in her breakfast quest.)

What led to Alaina’s use of the scientific method? Passion for the end result-definitely. But as I think about it, her motivation for the process of how she was going to get there was clearly just as exciting to her. Fuel the fires of your child’s interests by appreciating their efforts to take action. Their passion for the process is more valuable in building skills and character than any end result they can possibly attain.

Curiosity and Fishing Reels
Jack, our six year old, is the collector of the house. He has a special desk drawer in his room for all of his valuables. Bottlecaps, baseball cards, art projects, screws, rubberbands, cabinet latches, Kentucky coffee beans and much more have made it to his special drawer of priceless collectibles.

“A fishing reel…It’s rusty and it doesn’t work, Jack…why are you keeping that?” I asked.

“I want to know how it works – I’m going to take it apart,” Jack replied.

I never thought exploring the guts of a fishing reel with a kindergartner would lead me to consider principles of mechanical engineering. Do you know how many gears are in a fishing reel? I’ve learned some meaningful stuff from being around my six year old. When you invite curiosity into everyday experiences with your children, the simplest discoveries reel you in to new appreciation for human achievements and awe for the Inventor of it all.

An Electricity Tube and Some Playing Around
Ben Franklin was overjoyed in receiving the gift of an electricity tube from his friend, Peter Collinson. He immediately began to play around with it, performing experiments. It wasn’t long before an intense interest in electrical power developed - eventually leading him to his decision to tie a key to a kite and fly it into a stream of electrified air.

Tempted to give in to the parenting mantra, “Quit playing around,” in favor of convention or neatness? Consider first what is really going on in your child’s play. Another phrase may be apt for the situation, “Looking good. Keep at it.”

A Flying Rotor and Dreaming Big
“While growing up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Milton Wright, the Wright Brother’s father, liked to purchase toys for his sons that he hoped would stimulate their imagination. One of the most memorable gifts was a toy helicopter that was designed by the French aeronautical experimenter Alphonse Penaud. Milton gave his sons this gift in 1878, and though it was a simple device with a stick bound to a four-blade rotor set in a spindle, it had the intended effect—it caused them to dream. Twenty-five years separated the gift of this toy and their invention of the airplane, yet the Wright brothers were convinced it had exerted an important influence.” (Dawson & Bowles, 2005)

Whenever possible, use something fun as a springboard for the imagination…It makes the transition to “dreaming big” easy, pleasurable, and more rewarding. If you want your kids to love science - give them something to hang onto, something tangible to learn from, something that inspires them to think beyond the obvious.

[A Fat Brain Toys Scientific Law: Textbooks do not qualify as springboards for the imagination. Giving kids a textbook and wondering why they “don’t get into it” is equivalent to coaching a football team from the locker room using a playbook - and then wondering why no one shows up for practice.]

Putting It All Together
So you want to teach your kids some science. How can we at Fat Brain Toys help kids better understand science?
Start with some raw material…from the world around you or from our inventory of microscopes, magnets, chemistry sets, electrical sets, anatomy models, terrariums, catapults…forget the vocabulary initially and then get curious, take action, play around and dream big.

Science happens. Fat Brain Toys style!

Dawson, Virginia P & Bowles, Mark D. (2005) Realizing the dream of flight: biographical essays in honor of the centennial of flight, 1903-2003. United States: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA History Division.

Feynman, Richard P. (1968). What is Science? Physics Teacher, The, 7(6), 313-320.

The Franklin Institute Science Museum. (2007) Resources for Science Learning: Electrified Ben. Retrieved March 4, 2007, from the World Wide Web: http://sln.fi.edu/franklin/scientst/electric.html

How Did It Come That I Was The One To Develop The Theory of Relativity?
Excerpts from the book In The Mind’s Eye by Thomas G. West with accompanying thoughts by Kathy Lorkovic, Fat Brain Toys

“How did it come that I was the one to develop the theory of relativity?”

When presenting himself with this question, Einstein reasoned that even as an adult, he had never stopped thinking as a child. Ironically, thinking as a child made him one of the most remarkable geniuses in history.

As you might expect, we at Fat Brain Toys believe Einstein was onto something.

Our staff is always on the lookout for information that relates to intellectual development and the value of play. Recently, we discovered a book written by Thomas G. West that turns common thinking upside down. Containing biographical information of unmistakable depth—intriguing glimpses of how other minds have worked, In The Mind’s Eye, puts play in new context. We read it, mulled it over, drew conclusions, and present here a compilation of our thoughts (inspired by Mr. West) and the geniuses of history rediscovered.

Researchers are just beginning to understand the significance of child-like thinking. Isn’t it fascinating….children and adults alike, when permitted and encouraged to think and play simultaneously, attain higher levels of intellectual thought.

Consider a teeter-totter of “thought” and “play”…the majority of the pivotal developments in mathematics, science, art, literature, and philosophy were initiated in a balance of thought and play. Pursuing the two equally—combining thought and play—the greatest minds of the world found motivation, inspiration, reward, and achieved things never thought possible. When thought and play are united in effort, the mind is lifted up to accomplish more.

If the value of “child-like thinking” vs. “thinking like an adult” were debated by Einstein, Edison, Maxwell, Churchill, Faraday, Patton & Leonardo da Vinci, there would more likely be a consensus than a debate. Differing upbringings, levels of education, and life experiences, make up the landmarks along their routes to achievement, but the inner-states their minds traveled were much the same…these formidable men were masters of bringing “great ideas into play” and “play into great ideas.”

Notable to historical geniuses are three common traits:
1. The Ability to Think Like a Child
2. A Tendency to Think Visually
3. Persistence in Spite of Obstacles

GREAT MINDS THINK LIKE CHILDREN
A child investigates wholly….curiously, observing what things are, how things work, the dynamics of interactions, related sounds, touch, taste, smell and images. The child’s mind assimilates information based upon real feeling and world experience. Children care little for the “serious” adult work of gathering knowledge. Oddly enough, some of the greatest minds throughout history were regarded as immature and unsociable until they reached adulthood. Maxwell and Churchill were masters of “thinking like a child.”

James Clerk Maxwell—Unsociable and Immature?
Maxwell is known for many innovative advancements: his projection of the first color photograph in 1860, a statistical analysis of Saturn’s rings, reasoning toward a system of analyzing forces on bridge structures, and authoring the first important paper on cybernetics and control theory. Despite his formidable achievements, the inventor was perceived by many of his day as immature and unsociable. He often displayed child-like focus on his own agenda. At times, becoming so involved in his thinking, Maxwell disregarded what was going on around him in favor of exploration.

“When at table he often seemed abstracted from what was going on, being absorbed in observing the effects of refracted light in the finger-glasses, or in trying some experiment with his eyes—seeing round a corner, making invisible stereoscopes, and the like.” (p. 114)

Winston Churchill—carrying toys into adulthood
Churchill was a military strategist, a widely respected leader during World War II, an eloquent speaker and writer (receiving a Nobel Prize for literature), and a prolific painter. Churchill continued, even as an adult, to use his ability to “think like a child” to his advantage. As a young boy, he spent his time with fifteen hundred toy soldiers… At the height of the Battle of Britain in 1940, Winston Churchill was observed with a mass of tin soldiers on the carpet, re-enacting the battle, lining up formations, blowing puffs of smoke from his cigar to make cannon fire. (p. 158) (As an adult, Churchill also devised a catapult used to hurl apples at a cow.) Perceived as bizarre to some of his day, Winston Churchill carried a love of toys and a child-like approach to finding solutions to problems into adulthood.

GREAT MINDS THINK IN PICTURES
In his book, “Frames of Mind”, Dr. Howard Gardner presents his theory of multiple intelligences. One of the eight intelligences he describes is visual-spatial intelligence. According to Gardner, “spatial intelligence entails a number of loosely related capacities: the ability to recognize instances of the same element; the ability to transform or to recognize a transformation of one element into another: the capacity to conjure up mental imagery and then to transform that imagery; the capacity to produce a graphic likeness of spatial information; and the like.” (p. 28)

Gardner proposes that visual-spatial ability has great longevity in individuals, and may be associated in a key way with what we recognize as wisdom. The preoccupation with wholes, rather than parts, with patterns rather than pieces, with similarities rather than differences is required for transferable “wisdom.”

Historically, people we’ve come to associate with great wisdom do appear be visual thinkers. The evidence suggests that they display special sensitivity for and attention to patterns, forms, and the whole. Although often known to make errors in details, our history’s geniuses, Einstein, Faraday, Edison, Leonardo da Vinci…had vision—a vision of the whole. A picture of the outcome that guided them.

Albert Einstein—an uncanny sense of the whole
Einstein developed the Quantum Theory of Light, the proof that atoms exist, E=MC2 (the connection between energy & mass), and the General Theory of Relativity. Einstein’s ideas revolutionized physics and our view of the cosmos…ironically perhaps, they all began with playing with visual images. Describing the process, Einstein “played” with “images” relatively independent of conventional thought, education, and accumulated scientific understanding at the time. From his images, Einstein worked backward to determine in a secondary stage how to best communicate his findings to others.

Unlike many adults, Einstein didn’t find keeping facts to memory to be critical. Once when Einstein was asked a question as to the speed of sound, he replied, “I don’t know. I don’t crowd my memory with facts that I can easily find in an encyclopedia.” (p 124)

“Einstein was observed to have an uncanny sense of the whole in the scientific problems on which he was working. One biographer pointed out that although Einstein had a reputation for making frequent small errors, he was able to arrive at correct results in very complex calculations where even small errors could easily have thrown him off the scent. Aware of this special ability, Einstein joked that he had a good ‘nose’ for such things.” (p 39)

Michael Faraday—the ability to conjure up mental imagery
Likely, the greatest electrical innovator of all, Faraday discovered electromagnetic rotations, induction, the magneto-optical effect and diamagnetism. Shockingly, he was considered ignorant of mathematics. Highly visual, Faraday often thought of interactions in the physical world in terms of pictures rather than formulas.

Rather than progressing through formulas, Faraday’s methods compared more to conceiving a picture. An example resides in his discoveries regarding lines of force. Other mathematicians worked through calculations based on the idea of centralized forces pulling at a distance. But where they saw only space….Faraday conceived a medium there. He viewed lines of force in a notably unsophisticated way, imagining them like rubber bands.

Thomas Edison—seeing connections between unrelated things
Edison was incredibly visual in his thinking. With 1,368 patents to his credit at the time of his death, Edison changed the world on a grand scale with his evolving inventions. Some of his more recognized contributions are movies, light bulbs, record players, numerous telephone devices, tin foil, sockets, switches, insulating tap underground conductors, the electric motor, the electric lighting system, 300 patents on electric, light, heat and power systems, the steel alkaline storage battery, and equipment for detecting gun position, submarines, and airplanes.

His most beloved book as a child and into adulthood was Parker’s School Compendium of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, a text with little written content, filled with illustrations of mechanical devices and simple electrical equipment. Edison poured over the pictures and as an adult presented the book as a gift to Henry Ford.

Critical to Edison’s success was his capacity for making analogies between - at first glance - unrelated things. This allowed him the insight to move from one invention to the next with amazing speed and success. On the first page of his motion picture profile, Edison wrote, “ I am experimenting upon an instrument which does for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear.” (p. 141)

Leonardo da Vinci—a global view integrating a diversity of subjects
Leonardo da Vinci is recognized for his painting and sculpting. Less widely known, he anticipated many of civilization’s advancements hundreds of years before they were devised. An intellectual giant, he made highly significant contributions in the fields of anatomy, physiology, mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, physics, architecture, music, optics, philology, mathematics, astronomy, geology, botany, and geography. Leonardo da Vinci combined subjects widely diverse in nature. Like a scout from the highest mountain top, he provided the rest of the world with images that could not been seen from our limited perspective.

Because of his unique curiosity about vastly different subjects, Leonardo da Vinci was able to tie things together and integrate perspectives, making valuable connections between fields with his genius. Da Vinci had incredible visual-spatial ability and held a holistic view of the world and the components of it.

GREAT MINDS PERSEVERE IN SPITE OF LABELING AND PERCEIVED DISABILITIES
At first glance, it would seem that those credited for great wisdom and ability would hold superior capabilities across many subjects. It is reassuring that even those individuals making pivotal contributions to civilization had areas of difficulty to overcome. Looking at the lives of Patton, Churchill, Edison, Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci, we find evidence of people like ourselves—imperfect and faced with daunting challenges.

George Patton—a slow thinker and late bloomer?
Patton is regarded as a formidable military mind. An innovative military tactician and a clear communicator, he was not recognized with special abilities in his youth.

“Far from brilliant in his early days, Patton was quite aware that many others were quicker in mind than he. But he considered this to be merely a handicap to overcome by will power, study, serious application, practice, and perseverance. Eventually, he outdid and outshone his classmates…He was a late bloomer, a man who developed the habit of study…..” (p. 167)

Winston Churchill—menaced by education?
Churchill had clear difficulties in his early schooling going as far as to say he was “menaced by education.” He was referred to as a failure in the educational system. At the bottom of his class, Churchill had a good memory but could not memorize, had difficulties using a dictionary, was horrible in Latin (describing pain in his instructor’s eyes with his attempts), and could not perform to the level of his peers in reading or mathematics. Of his time spent trying to learn as a child…“We continued to toil every day, not only at letters but at words, and also at what was much worse, figures.” (p. 155) Yet he pressed on. In his late teens, Churchill began to enjoy reading and developed remarkable skill in using language. His ability to learn started late, but once begun did not stop.

“As often happens with the late-blooming, learning-disabled actor or performer, when Churchill did finally develop skill in language, his interest and understanding and fluency were well beyond common capacity…” (p. 152) “And the boy who was slow to develop in time advanced well beyond all his peers, by pressing energetically forward long after most others would have passed the baton.” (p. 166)

Thomas Edison—a daydreamer?
As a boy, Edison vacillated between perpetual motion and daydreaming from his school desk. Some sources indicate that Edison struggled with memorizing, spelling, grammar, arithmetic and overall achievement in school. He is thought by many as having been dyslexic or attention deficit. Fortunately for us who enjoy his inventions in our daily lives, Edison proved that, disability or not…he was out to change the world.

Albert Einstein—speech delayed and challenged by simple arithmetic?
Einstein had varied verbal difficulties as a child…not speaking clearly until the age of 7. Later he assessed…“My principal weakness was a poor memory and especially a poor memory for words and texts.” (p. 119) In relation to mathematics, Einstein continuously made simple errors in computation and calculations. Despite these obstacles, Einstein persevered in reading texts of interest to him and endeavored to understand the workings of the universe. Although slow to develop, we are quick to recognize his hard-earned contributions.

Leonardo da Vinci—challenged by literacy?
The highly-talented Leonardo da Vinci made frequent errors in the spelling of simple words. Revealed by historians, his writing was often bizarre, including errors like splitting words, doubling consonants, spelling by sound, additions, and frequent substitutions. Leonardo da Vinci nearly always wrote across his pages from right to left, and he sometimes wrote backwards creating a mirror image. His errors in writing when evaluated neuropsychologically, pointed to patterns believed to exist in those having damage to the left hemisphere or a developmental disorder. For all his challenges in writing his “visions from the mountaintop” for those of us in the valley remain awe inspiring.

In Summary
The brilliant people of history understood what we are just beginning to know. In truth, people free to observe, to explore, to experiment, to think freely, to play—unconstrained by labels of disability—have the potential to develop the next “theory of relativity” of the 21st century. Often in our modern day culture, we strive to help children “advance” or progress quickly to thinking like an “adult.” Let us take care to encourage our children to jump on the teeter-totter of thought and play. It’s precious to the world, in our best interest, and simply great fun for our kids.

Quotes and inspiration for this article were gathered from the book “In the Mind’s Eye” by Thomas G. West published by Prometheus Books, 1997.

Available for Purchase at: www.Amazon.com

Take a Fat Brain Toys Mini-Vacation!
When School’s Out & Summer Starts, Kids Warm Up To Learning

Summer is here and your kids are set to welcome summer vacation with great enthusiasm. Moms are wondering how they will fill the days ahead. Relax. No need to go overboard on summer classes and activities. It is so important to allow your kids to just be kids! Your children really do remember the little outings that you take with them. A few little day trips (or night trips) and time spent with them arguably have a much greater impact than a week away at camp.

Little side trips towards fun and learning – especially when initiated by mom or dad – bring families together in an extra special way. Memorable experiences are ahead! Bring your curiosity and your kids and take a Fat Brain mini-vacation!
Mini-vacations don’t require a lot of preparation; they don’t demand careful planning. Just determine where your interests lie and set out to explore together. Here are a few ideas to help you get started. To purchase any of the items listed, simply go to www.FatBrainToys.com and search for the appropriate item number. Find even more mini-vacations here!

The Exploratory Nature Hike
Take time for an exploratory nature hike. Stuff your backpack with nature gear & prepare to look close at critters in their natural habitats! It really doesn’t matter where you go…nature will greet you! For a really impressive wildlife study - find a location with trees and a natural water source. Get eye to eye with nature & you’ll find yourself scheduling more wonder-filled hikes in the days ahead.

Take a “Field Day”
Consider Wind & Flight: take to the skies and encourage the why’s. Head to an open area and let loose a beautiful kite…fly a Solar Bag…make aerodynamic plane designs and watch perfect bubbles dancing on the wind. Send a rocket spinning through the atmosphere. Let fun be the guide for their speculation.

Star Gazing Extravaganza
Get away from the bright lights of the city and everyday, busy life and take in the solitude under the canopy of thousands upon thousands of shining stars. Make time together to delve further into the wonderful mysteries of space with fun materials and books. You will inspire wonder for the universe and perhaps a future astronaut!

Have Wet & Wild Water Fun
What’s more fun than splashing around on a hot summer day? Watching your kids dive into creative thought and action with unconventional water fun. Pick up a few clever water toys and make time for the always-kid-appreciated classic water fight.

Inside the Toy: Insect Lore
An Interview with John White, Vice President of Marketing, Insect Lore

“Inside the Toy” is a recurring feature providing an in-depth look at a different toy manufacturer each issue. “Inside the Toy” will give you new insight into the inspirations and personalities behind your favorite toys.

At Fat Brain Toys, we are intrigued by Insect Lore live insect kits. Many thanks, John White, for letting us bug you!

What was the inspiration and motivation for beginning Insect Lore?
My father’s first love was knowing insects. The whole idea of Insect Lore began because my dad wanted to educate kids about the value and benefits of insects.

When did your father become interested in insects? Was he passionate about insects as a kid?
My father was always fascinated by insects, even as a boy. He used to lay on the ground in his front yard and watch ants dig their anthills. The other kids even made fun of him, but that didn’t stop him. He just loved bugs! Because of it, he went to college to learn about insects…earning a degree in enthomology at Eastern Illinois University.

What did he do after graduation? Did he go on to study insects?
Ironically, his first job in the field was working for a pesticide company to raise the insects so they could kill them with the pesticides. It always bothered him tremendously that he was raising these things to be slaughtered in experiments. Needless to say, he quit that job. He began experimenting with concocting a diet to raise caterpillars to turn into butterflies. It took 5 years. 5 year later…he came up with the right formula. Once he was able to perfect the food, he came upon another idea. As the butterflies would lay eggs - the eggs would hatch caterpillars. He wanted to ship the caterpillars along with the special diet to people so they could watch the metamorphosis process.

How did he go about selling his idea? And what was it like when your dad sold his first kit?
It all started on a small scale. My dad and mom took the kit directly to the Los Angeles School District. My dad talked to some teachers and they instantly fell in love with it. I was too little to remember, but I am sure both mom and dad were ecstatic!

So this was the first Butterfly Garden! Was it exactly like the Butterfly Garden Kit sold by Insect Lore today?
(Laughing) No….Our family sat around the kitchen table assembling the first butterfly habitats. We made them from cardboard, using mylar for windows…Myself, my two younger sisters, and my mom helped, too. Dad put them together also. He made sure we did it right.

Your whole family helped. Your mom has been involved from the beginning? Is she still working with the company?
Mom has been as instrumental as dad in Insect Lore. He’s the scientist and the dreamer. She made the business part of things happen. She’s the administration. They are both equally invested in the success of it …for years they traveled all over to offer their products to schools and then school suppliers. Rightfully, dad’s the President, and mom’s the Vice President.

And as a kid, you continued to help with the process?
Yeah, it was a part of my life from as far back as I can remember. We always had butterflies around. On weekends, we always had to go and feed the butterflies.

Are there still people on staff caring for insects…feeding butterflies and such?
Yes, we have 6 full time people just feeding and raising the butterflies. The Ladybug Kit is the second most sophisticated kit…3 full time people are assigned to just the ladybugs, and 3 people raise and care for the mealworms. These people are key to our success. We literally send out thousands and thousands of insects every day. They have to be healthy.

It must have been a natural step for you to work for your dad’s company.
Actually, no. I never had his same passion for insects. I was never, ever going to go into anything related to insects. I went off to college and took another direction altogether. Then later, I looked back in maturity and thought, ‘Hey that is really cool. My dad has worked hard and has come up with something amazing. I want to be a part of that. I have marketing skills and creativity to help them.’ When I was first hired, they didn’t think they had enough money to pay me. I volunteered, and they scraped together enough to pay me anyway. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I would work for them.

So you do not share the same love of insects. Are you like your dad in other respects?
I’m more gregarious than my dad. We compliment each other well. Dad would rather I be the one to be up front in the limelight - which is why you are talking to me. He’s most comfortable in the background. Since I’ve come into the picture, he’s been able to settle to what he loves best…overseeing the creatures and the care of them.
We both have a sincere desire to help people.

Your corporate name - Insect Lore, where did that come from?
Dad came up with the name. He was going to do Butterfly Lore and then Nature Lore. He was hung up on the word lore for some reason. (Laughing) He ended up with Insect Lore.

What lessons and/or experiences have you gathered along the way?
I have had more people in their 20s coming up to me saying, “I remember when I was in Kindergarten, and my teacher did this with us, and I just loved it.” There is not price you can put on that at the end of the day. When someone can learn about nature from the living thing - they remember it every single time. You can’t compare it to material on a screen or in a book. Seeing the metamorphosis firsthand sticks with people forever.

We sold a butterfly garden to a speech and language specialist who was working with a mute child probably 8 or 9 years old…never spoken a word in his life until he saw the butterfly coming out.
You always feel good at the end of the day when you are doing something wholesome and good at the core. It transcends the toy market. Senior citizens love these kits as much as kids. It’s really a great blessing to be a part of improving lives, even in a small way.

How does new product development happen? Idea conception?
We are a bunch of kids at heart here. People who have been in education and all of us are a little bit wacky. Combining our experiences and skills we come up with neat new stuff kids like. It seems to be working.

The Butterfly Garden, Butterfly Pavilion, Ladybug Land, Beetle Barn - All of these kits include factual information and activities ideas related to the insects. Do ALL Insect Lore Kits come with such factual, usable information on the insects?
Absolutely. Each and every kit.

What’s in the future for Insect Lore?
There are some really innovative new things coming out…although I can’t give much away just yet! More insect and small critter life cycle kits…more accessories. We are bringing out more related educational curriculum materials that will make it easy for parents and teachers to provide kids with a complete experience.

What’s in the future for your dad? Is he still just as passionate about insects?
Yes, in fact, he is retiring after nearly 40 years. He and mom are moving to Hawaii where they have just bought a home. Dad is 75, Mom is 72. I expect they will love it. (Dad will love the insects there I am sure!)

Dado Cubes Awarded - Again!

Dado Cubes - The Blues - Now Shipping

Some educational toy companies never create products that get honored with awards. For other companies, it takes several attempts before they get any official feathers in their caps. That is why we are incredibly proud to announce that our very first two products, The Learning Calendar and Dado Cubes have just garnered the National Parenting Center Award, iParenting Media Excellent Products Award, and the Dr. Toy Best Products Spring 2007 Award. [ADDENDUM: Dado Cubes was also awarded the Mr. Dad Seal of Approval on June 12, 2007]

In other news, Fat Brain Toys announced the immediate availability of the newest member to the Dado family - The Blues. 100% compatible with the original set, “The Blues” captures the same sense of high-design in a monochromatic set of blue cubes. Loved by children and adults alike, Dado Cubes are as beautiful as they are educational.

Learning Calendar News
The Learning Calendar takes on a new design as well. The Learning Calendar 2008 is a 17 month school calendar - covering the months of August 2007 through December 2008. Packed with hundreds of interesting facts about geography, history, math, technology, art, and much more - the 2008 Edition will be available for shipment in July 2007.

Where in the World? A Geographic Peak into Fat Brain Toys

When Fat Brain Toys was originally founded almost five years ago, we eagerly plotted each and every sale with stick pins on a big map of the USA. While this exercise was primarily aimed at giving our children an education on how far reaching our business could be, it also proved to be a powerful reminder for us adults as well. But as our order volumes grew over the months and years, our map quickly degraded into a massive blur of colored stick pins and we eventually discarded our map into the dumpster.

When Google first introduced their mapping service, it immediately conjured up that image of our original sales map. So it was put on a “to-do” list to create a digital version of that beloved sales map using the Google Maps API. The resultant map turned out better than we could have ever imagined! Not only can you get a visual of where our orders are being shipped to, but by clicking on any stick pin, you can actually see what was ordered as well. (A feature that our old map certainly didn’t have!)

One last thing we’d like to draw attention to is the location of Fat Brain Toys - smack dab in the middle of the country. Our central location gives us the ability to provide ultra-fast shipping to the entire country from East to West and North to South!
To interact with our map, visit the following web address: http://www.fatbraintoys.com/about_us/google_maps

Fat Brain Toys in the Middle East
by John Batcher, Fat Brain Toys

I recently had the great honor of representing Fat Brain Toys in the 73rd meeting of Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, a Department of Defense outreach program. The conference afforded me the opportunity to visit with several men and women in the armed forces while touring military installations throughout the Middle East. During our stop at the Alasid base in Kuwait I had what would turn out to be one of the most amazing moments of my Fat Brain life.

As we loaded onto busses to be transported to the barracks, our accommodations for the night, I heard a woman asking for a “Mr. John Batcher.” As I turned, we made eye contact, and she said it again - this time as a question. “Mr. John Batcher?” I nodded as she reached to greet me and hand me a folded note.

“This is a letter from one of my soldiers,” she said and retreated toward the back of the bus.

I stared at it, shocked, and noticed a collective sense of disbelief in those around me – a letter? Here? I opened it and read:

Dear Mr. John Batcher,

Last week I was looking for some kites and came across your website. I would like to say you have a great selection and would also like to say thank you for shipping to an APO address. I ordered two kites and some other items for my family. This will help keep my morale up which in turn also helps my wife and son at home.

I would personally like to thank you for supporting us troops. My family and I appreciate you finding the time to fly halfway around the world so you can meet some of the troops and see what it is we do as service members.

I hope you enjoy your trip here to Kuwait. I am looking forward to flying my kite and sending stuff back home to my son. I also look forward to and will certainly be doing business with Fat Brain Toys in the future. Once again thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
SPC Dustin Ackerman

I sat in silent disbelief. Unknowingly I’d followed one of our kites from Fat Brain Toys half-way around the world to a place where few, if any kites ever flew. As fate would have it, I was within arms-length of General Steven Whitcomb, commander of the Third Army in Iraq. As he stood just ahead of my seat he nodded at me and inquired about the letter.
“It’s from one of your men,” I said and handed him

the letter. He read quickly, refolded the letter, and stowed it in his shirt pocket. “I’m going to get this kid up here to see you,” he said matter-of-factly. And, that was that.

The following morning we began our northward move toward forward operating base Sword just outside of Iraq. A couple of people who were sitting next to me in the helicopter wondered aloud if General Whitcomb would remember the kite letter. Little did we know that not only would he remember it, but he would deliver

PFC Ackerman the shock of his young life in requesting his presence at the training exercises with the JCOC participants.
Our convoy pushed on to FOB Sword and participated in several training exercises with the troops before breaking for lunch. Walking toward the mess hall, I was greeted by the General’s assistant who smartly introduced himself and turned to introduce PFC Ackerman.

It actually happened – the kid with the kite was real. We shook hands and exchanged words and smiles of disbelief over the series of events that had transpired to bring us together.

From a distance General Whitcomb spotted us and made his way over to where we were standing. He greeted us both and suggested we take a photo of the three of us at this unlikely “reunion”. We posed and then I asked him if PFC Ackerman and I could fly the kite to which the General responded, “of course.”

So, there we stood on the Iraqi border in the middle of the desert...the new Pirate Ship kite flying proudly as the crowd of onlookers grew larger and larger. We talked minimally as we watched the kite and simply enjoyed the moment – a moment I bet few ever envisioned or will ever see again.

Upon returning home and reading a “thank you” email from PFC Ackerman, it occurred to me that our chance meeting may not have been chance at all. As evidenced in the following excerpt from his email, he epitomizes the Fat Brain Toys customer and the foundation on which our company stands:

“I am still laughing at the whole situation. I find it amusing that something as simple as a kite can bring people together half a world away. I only hope that more people can get off the couch, stay away from the TV, and leave the video games alone long enough to enjoy the more simple things in life. Like flying a kite. That is the message that the public needs to hear. There are many other things I could be doing, but I am happiest when I fly my kite. Even if it is hot. There are no odds for what happened - only fate.”

As a company, we feel very fortunate that we played a role in this serendipitous turn of events. That’s why we’ll continue to ship all orders to APO/FPO addresses free of charge. It’s a small gesture, but as evidenced by PFC Ackerman, it means a lot to the men and women deployed in military service around the world.

Your Feedback Matters
Our Customers Speak...We Listen...and Often Smile!

Last year, over 100,000 wonderful customers placed orders with Fat Brain Toys. As a follow up to each order, Fat Brain Toys offers each customer the opportunity to voice their opinions on the products and the services of Fat Brain Toys. In reading these thousands of reviews annually, we enjoy and very much appreciate your honesty in conveying your thoughts and feelings. We learn from your experiences:

• Playthings that work for you and playthings that do not work for you
• The toys your kids loved – or didn’t
• Teaching ideas and toy uses that we hadn’t previously considered
• Suggestions for product inventory to better meet your needs
• Ideas for maintaining an optimal level of customer service

All our customers’ comments are thoughtfully considered and your feedback helps us to do better. If a customer needs a replacement or a refund for a toy…these reviews are channeled to customer service for immediate follow up. Please realize that we may not be right 100% of the time, but we try to do what is right 100% of the time.

We are continuously amazed and touched by the responses of our customers. With every batch of reviews, there are a few that standout from the rest. Here are some of our favorite reviews that we think you might enjoy. Bravo to each of you for inspiring all of us at Fat Brain Toys! Here’s to you...

To PlasmaCar Hogs: PlasmaCar
“We purchased two Plasma Cars (a blue and a red) for our 3 and 4 year old boys. This latest one was for my husband - because the boys said he was driving theirs and not sharing!”

To Quiet Audiences: Moon in My Room
“My son was very quiet for about 15 minutes. I went to visit him in his room and what should I see .... all the family’s stuffed animals lined up watching the phases of the moon while listening to the CD. How precious and how fun! Thank you!”

To Romantic Moonlit Nights: Moon In My Room
“I got this for my wife for Valentines Day. My wife loves moonlight shining into our room and the Moon in My Room provides ‘moonlight on demand.’ It is a very unique present and it is safe to say this is a great product for all ages.”

To Gallop’s New Rider: Gallop-N-Go Stick Pony
“My grandson just loved ‘Gallop’ and so did the rest of the family. The stick pony was not only attractive, but very well constructed. We loved the fact that the batteries are hidden in Gallop’s mane and not easily found by little hands! Our grandson even created a barn in a corner of the closet where Gallop sleeps when he’s not out for a ride.”

To Failed Mouse Impressions: Snorta
“My husband and I played Snorta with 2 women friends last night after dinner. We were laughing so hard, especially at my husband’s attempts to squeak like a mouse. It was really funny, and a great way to relax. (p.s. We are in our 60’s.)”

To Holiday Celebrity Launches: Special Edition Erector Set
“My son is almost 8 and already says that he wants to be an engineer. He told me recently that when he grows up he’s going to build the fastest race cars. I figured I’d jump at the chance to get myself...er...him an Erector set for Christmas. We built our first model and it was great! On several occasions we found ourselves fighting over the tools. I told him, ‘I think I’m having more fun than you’. ‘Trust me, you’re not!’ was his reply. Two hours passed, and when the last bolt was tightened he literally shouted out loud in excitement. We spent the next 30 minutes launching Santa and Frosty across the room with the catapult we built. I don’t know who had more fun, but we both really had a blast and can’t wait until we can build the next model. To think that I’m 34 years old and I love this toy. The quality of Erector sets go without saying. There’s a reason why they’ve been around so long. And I’d like to add that I couldn’t have bought it from a better place than Fat Brain Toys! Excellent service from beginning to end. I WILL buy from Fat Brain again. You can count on it. Thanks again.”

To 70 Year Old Kids: Erector Set Landmarks of the World
“Believe it or not, I bought this for a 70-year-old who is a child at heart. He never had a erector set growing up coming from a family of 15 children and always wanted one. Well, you should have seen his face when I gave it to him. It was worth a thousand words just to see the smile from ear to ear. I never felt so good giving a gift to someone such as this. Life is certainly full of surprises. What a small price to pay for something that is invaluable to another.”

To The ‘WOW’ Factor: Geomag Deluxe 350 Piece Set
“I got this set for my desk at work. Everyone that walks in is drawn to it like moths to a flame. They can’t resist it. Frankly, I can’t either. Geomags are amazing. The wooden box is very high quality and simply stunning to look at. This is a set that is worthy of any executive desktop. It is plenty big enough for anything you would want to build at work. Should provide many years of fun. Expensive? Very. I must say that it is worth every penny in WOW factor from the attention it gets.”

To Church Fundraiser Projects: Deluxe Jumbo Cardboard Blocks
“Great product. Easy to assemble once you work through the first one! We used the ‘bricks’ as ‘banks’ to include our pre-school through school-age children in investing in our church building project. We scored a coin/bill slot in one end of each brick and applied a label with our logo. Since we’re expanding our existing preschool and childcare center, when the banks come back at the end of the fundraising campaign, we’ll have a set of blocks for our facility to use!”

To The Memory of Bob the Beta: Dinosaur Plant
“We bought Dinosaur Plants to give away as party favors for my 5 year olds birthday party. I don’t know how everyone else liked theirs, but I can say that my 5 year old likes his a lot. He makes sure we change the water every day (I don’t know why he thinks we need to. If we had done the same for our Beta fish, maybe Bob the Beta would have lasted longer.) It was fascinating to watch the plant spring to life, and we look forward to letting it dry out and repeating the cycle.”

To Young Legs & Eager Arms: Sky Pilot Parachute Catch Kite
“Warning: Should only be flown when grandchildren are available to chase and catch. With a 12 to 15 mph wind this kite is a blast!”

To Goofing Off In The Workplace: Black Max Football
“This might sound crazy, but I love this football. I’ve always wanted a nerf one to throw here at work, but couldn’t find a good one. This Black Max is great.”

To Marriage Improvement: Magnetic Poetry Original Edition
“Great product. For me it’s good when I’m upset or stressed. It gives me something to focus on while at the same time giving me an appropriate way to express myself. This is most true when it’s my husband I’m upset with. Instead of arguing right then and there I stand in front of the fridge for an hour. Honestly I’d rather yell at him but since it’s not good for the kids, I just play with my magnets until I can get him alone...then he’s a dead man! Good thing my kids can’t read yet! I only gave it 4 stars because in order to really enjoy them you need at least 2 or 3 different sets.”

To Standing Taller Than Barbie: Geomag Geopanel 220
“I have purchased 3 or four sets of the Geomags for my 7 year old daughter the last 2 years, and she just loves the toy. Each time she gets a new set, she asks for more. I am amazed at her imagination and creativeness. Last week she built a crown for her head, an eye patch with a polygon and rods and balls that went on over her head and a cuff hook for her hand that made her look like a pirate princess. I am lucky that I found this site to buy from. This is one toy that I have definitely gotten my money’s worth out of. I have a $120.00 4 ft tall Barbie that she got 2 years ago that she won’t even play with. I wish I would have known about the site then and I would probably have 3 or more sets of Geomags instead. Thanks for everything.”

To Losing Your Mind In Blissful Boyhood: Geomag Geocolor 132
“I knew the GeoMag construction set from a friend and I was immediately fascinated. So I decided to give a set to another friend for his birthday. It was a full hit! So here we were, two fully-grown men in their sixties, starting to put interesting shapes together within minutes of opening the package. I think our wives thought we had lost our minds. So? What’s wrong with that? There were memories of blissful boyhood wafting through the air ..... ah, happiness!”

To Something Good in Baghdad: Frigits Deluxe
“My sister gave the Frigits box to my niece and her little friend, two girls, 5 and 6 years old. They figured how to put everything together completely by themselves without any help from adults and they played with it for hours and hours. They loved it. It’s still on the fridge getting regular use. Because I’m about as mature as my niece, I ordered another set of Frigits for our offices here at the United Nations compound in Baghdad. We are looking forward to our new toy. Thanks for a great product. Cheers.”