Our family loves fall and Halloween. We live on a farm surrounded by woods on a dead end road. Definitely, 
dark and spooky. The highlight of fall is Halloween and each year my husband and I dress up with the kids and make the rounds of the neighbourhood. It is a great opportunity to connect with the neighbours especially in a rural area. Most kids migrate to the city for better candy opportunities but we stick it out in the country and for some of our neighbours ours are the only kids they see at Halloween! It’s nice that they look forward to us coming every year.
Whether you are going out trick or treating or staying in, here are a few ideas for some ‘spooktacular’ Halloween fun!
Roylco’s brain and skeleton molds for a party with a scare! This can be the highlight of your Halloween party.
Roylco makes brain and skeleton molds that are creepy, cool and very 
multifunctional. You can use these to make creepy treats for the party. Use them as a jelly mold—what kid doesn’t want to eat a brain? After Halloween you can use then with plaster for the perfect science project. Also by Roylco are ‘true to life’ human skeleton x-rays. We put our set on the patio doors for a true 'see through' experience and then we loan them to the school for science class. Let your little monsters dig in and enjoy. Reusable molds are $15 each. Set of skeleton X-Rays is $38.
We don’t get a lot of kids at Halloween but for those that make the trip up the long 
dark driveway we give them special rewards. For those special trick or treaters you might want to consider an alternate to the candy. Be Amazing Toys has a great line of pickup items for under $4 each. Their Monster Science expanding polymer line allows you to grow mucus, brains, aliens and eyeballs. Fun for the kids to grow and use to freak out their parents! Another great treat is a Dover coloring book. Amazing quality graphics on top quality paper. One of my favourites is the nocturnal creatures colouring book with info on every page about each animal which sells for about $6.
Lastly, get outdoors! Enjoy the last of the fall days! If you are short on ideas, try a kite, a Jump Rocket, or a
Geyser Tube. Be Amazing Toys offer an amazing product to perform the menthos miracle with the Geyser Tube. The tube screws onto a large-size pop bottle and has a pin and string assembly. You load up the menthos, step back, pull the string, and watch the excitement. We use diet cola—doesn’t leave a sticky mess. Retail price is approximately $7.
Happy Halloween to you and all your favourite little monsters!
Angela Field is the owner of Tradewind Imports (Toys & Gifts), a member of Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS) and an active and slightly crazy mother of four little boys. She has been in retail for over 15 years and has increased her toy lines with the arrival of each of her boys and the knowledge they have imparted. The boys, along with relatives, and other kids in the community are an active part in her toy-testing. Angela’s motto is “I won’t sell it if I don’t believe in it.”
It won’t be long now until the streets in your neighbourhood come alive with pirates, princesses, kings, and fairies this Halloween! Little ones (and maybe even a big kid dad or two), will come home on a sugar rush, full of excitement over the costumes they saw, the people they scared, and the treats filling up their bags. To make this special night easier for the busy moms and dads independent toy retailers like Treasure Island not only have everything you need to help your little ones bring their imaginations to life but also offer the expertise to guide you through the decision-making process. We encourage you to come on in and let us help you transform your little princess into true royalty or your rough-and-tumble boy into a real pirate! Here are our recommendations to make this Halloween the most memorable yet!
Mommy and Daddy's Little Princess
We love this "Sleeping Cutie" dress ($35.99), especially when paired with a pink ribbon tiara ($9.99) and 
lace fan ($8.99). The dress is easy to get in and out of with its Velcro backing, and its long sleeves will help keep your princess warm. A long sleeved shirt can also be worn and hidden underneath to provide extra warmth. We love the subtle glitter and gold accents and know that this dress will be used beyond this Halloween and played with year-round. (What little girl doesn't want to be a princess 24/7?) The tiara is comfortable to wear with a flexible head band and the fan completes the outfit beautifully. Your only challenge will be convincing her to change into her PJs for bed!
The Good Fairy
This adorable fairy costume is a definite favourite around the shop. It comes as a complete outfit with wings and a fairy wand ($33.99—everything your little girl needs to be the next Tinkerbell. The flowing dress just demands to be danced and twirled in, and has a sweet touch of glitter to catch the eye. The material has a great deal of room to stretch, so it will fit Tinkerbells of all sizes, and allows for mom and dad to add layers underneath.
The Fearless Knight-in-Training
Keep a close eye on your knight-in-training when you're out trick or treating or he might just win a princess' heart! He'll be comfortable in this costume while keeping the neighbourhood dragon-free. The silver tunic ($24.99, pictured left) has elastic sides that stretch to accommodate many body sizes, and has a detached hood that can fit a toque underneath. The chain mail cape ($24.99 )is light and soft, attaching easily with Velcro around the neck, and has ample neck space so an older knight can use it too. And what knight outfit is complete without a sword and shield? ($12.99 each) Both items are soft and light to carry, so if any real battles do occur they will be safe and pain-free. Your knight is sure to be the hero of the neighbourhood!
The Trickster Pirate
You best be holdin' onto yer keys with a little pirate around, matey! We have all your pirate needs including a striking red vest with skull and crossbones on the back and a matching pirate hat with eye patch ($31.99). The vest is easy to put on with Velcro on the front and can easily fit over a sweater or jacket. Your little pirate will be ready for plundering with a safe foam sword ($5.99) and an expandable telescope ($10.99) to view the seas with. You can complete his tough pirate look with the pirate make-up and accessory kit ($4.99), which gives you make-up, a spare eye patch, and a gold earring. Tell the other kids to watch out - there's a pirate about!
Since 1988 Treasure Island Toys, a member of Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS), has been an independently owned and operated toy store on the Danforth in Toronto. At Treasure Island Toys it doesn’t matter what your age is, we have fun for everyone, play areas to keep kids happy and occupied while parents browse and a dedicated staff of toy experts to guide you in the right direction to find the best selection whether you are shopping for a newborn or a teenager! We will top off your visit by offering Pirate Points and expert gift wrapping as a complimentary service!
In our last post we shared some toy recommendations for the younger set, from pre-school up to Grade 5, that can effectively promote and encourage learning. Now lets take a look at what we can offer to keep older children, those in Grade 6 through 12, interested in learning and engaged in skills development.
If your child is of this age group you may have already found that it has become harder to encourage them to enjoy learning, and even harder to get them to enjoy school. The older a student becomes, the more likely it is that social 'obligations' will pose a challenge to homework, school and independent time spent exploring and learning. However, the ongoing development of reading and writing skills are just as crucial here as they are for younger children.
School subjects depend more and more on these basic skills, just to get through the subject matter, as the student moves through the senior grades. Science and problem solving become more difficult. The ability to stop, think and question will do wonders for a student’s ability to avoid being stumped by the problem-solving aspect of education.
Quick and easy family games, as well as hands-on model sets, allow students to create and discover as their imagination allow. These types of games and ‘toys’ help to foster fundamental skills, plus inspire a sense of confidence and pride based on what they discover, create and solve. Here’s are some recommendations we like to share with our customers to encourage learning, in a fun way, with older students --
Quiddler This is a great word game using cards that has somewhat of a ‘Scrabble’ mentality to it. The 
challenge of Quiddler is to arrange your entire hand into everyday words. In this fast-paced game, draw and discard in turn. Try to use those high point letters, but don't get caught with them ‘uncombined’. A bonus is given for the most words in each round (so little words can help you win), as well as for the longest word. Quiddler is a delightful challenge for both rookies and word game lovers and as many as eight players.
Albert’s Insomnia Albert’s Insomnia makes learning math fun. Albert can’t sleep and he needs help counting his sheep. This game is a mental math game that requires players to think and solve equations. Albert’s Insomnia helps with mental math, math facts, learning order of operations, the practice of critical and creative thinking skills and so much more. It can be played in small groups or collaboratively in a large group or classroom.
Pathfinders 4-in-1 Hydraulic Machines Fun for future engineers! This offers hands-on construction and 
creation of four simple machines. It is a fun introduction to building and the mechanics of hydraulic machines. Using all pre-cut pieces, glue, and simple instructions, kids can make a platform lifter, scissor lift, cherry picker, and excavator. Each working model uses water instead of hydraulic fluid. No batteries are needed to power these models.
Meccano Multi Model Meccano is a model construction kit consisting of reusable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, as well as nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. Meccano is a highly versatile construction toy that encourages children to build a variety of working models and mechanical devices. It offers enough to challenge even the most creative mind! Meccano toys allow a child to build multiple designs, all from the same box. All kits and models are compatible so there's no limit to the size of a creation.
Brighten Up is a member of Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (NETS) and is located in Erin ON. Chris Bailey (owner) and Stephanie Giugovaz (Education Director) are proud to be part of the Erin community and committed to a mission of making learning and discovery fun for everyone. Brighten Up provides toys, games, puzzles, books and magazines as well as educational services and special interest seminars. Along with other NETS retailers they will celebrate Neighbourhood Toy Store Day on Saturday on Saturday, November 10 with loads of fun activities for the family!
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