Takin' a break in KID Toys Caillou Pop-up Tent at the CTA summer media event
Active outdoor toys ruled the day at the Canadian Toy Association’s recent Hot Toys for Summer media event. The annual showcase, which highlighted a variety of product – all designed to keep kids entertained through the upcoming vacation months – took place on May 16 on the grounds surrounding Toronto Zoo’s African Pavilion.
Tim and Evelyn Gould, Jester's Fun Factory, with 2011 Small Business Award.
Specialty toy retailers Evelyn and Tim Gould, who co-own Jester’s Fun Factory in Fergus, Ontario, were recently recognized for their hard work and top-notch service to customers with a prestigious 2011 Small Business Award.
The award, which also salutes the staff’s “excellence in product knowledge”, was presented on April 26 to the Goulds by the local business community of Centre Wellington township, part of south-western Ontario’s Wellington County. Fergus, with a population of just over 19,000, is the largest town in Centre Wellington, a popular tourist region.
Prakash Singam (L) and Imane Ben, Cansa Impax with Hover Helicopter
Although Trader’s Forum spring show, which ran May 6-8 at Toronto’s International Centre, is not the same big draw for specialty retailers as the organizer’s January show, those that did attend — primarily from Ontario and Quebec — would have found more than a few reasons to stop and shop.
The annual event hosted almost 100 exhibitors, who displayed everything from groceries and home décor items to fashion accessories and partyware.
Screen Free Week, an annual campaign encouraging kids to take a seven-day break from computers and televisions, kicks off on April 30. However, the promotion does more than just bring awareness to the huge number of hours North American children spend gazing at screens every day. (Research shows the average preschooler watches 32 hours of television per week, with excessive screen time linked to everything from obesity to attention deficit.)
Crafts should be big for May 13, Mothers' Day.
Once upon a time, back when today’s grandmothers were youngsters, it was common for kids to make a gift for mom on Mother’s Day. Sure, it might be just a painted rock, a shop-class ash tray or a colourful piece of boondoggle, but it was the time, love and personal touch involved that counted first with moms.
However, like everything, traditions change. Perhaps because of a new and wider-spread prosperity in North America, successive generations became more likely to choose store-bought over hand-made.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
