Plan Toys

Who knew that a toy crane could be so beautiful? 

Plan Toys creates toys that inspire children's imagination as well as promote their physical and intellectual development. This brand is proof that it is possible to maintain superior quality standards while steadfastly following a path of environmental and social responsibility.

Don't forget to visit either aMuse location THIS SUNDAY, April 18th, to receive a Plan Toys tote bag and game in honor of Earth Day with any purchase of $30 or more! Come out early because supplies won't last!

Sunday, April 18th: Earth Day Celebration!

Come out and help us celebrate Mother Earth on Sunday, April 18th!

Anyone who spends more than $30 will receive these great Plan Toys gifts:

For more information about the event, please become our fan on Facebook and visit the Event Page!

The Toy Fair!

Guest Post by Allison Humphries, Assistant Manager at aMuse

When I started working for aMuse in 2008, I remember hearing about the Toy Fair that takes place every February in New York City. It sounded like so much fun to walk up and down endless aisles of toy booths and build relationships with the creators of my favorite brands. I had so many expectations of what it would be like to attend the largest toy fair in the world.

From the moment I received an email containing my train reservations to and from New York, I anxiously anticipated my day trip to the Toy Fair 2010. I'll have to admit that waking up at 4 a.m. to meet Tom and Claudia at Penn Station was not my cup of tea,  but I’d do it to experience the energy and excitement of the Toy Fair! After all, it isn’t everyday that you get your picture taken with a six-foot Ugly Doll! 

In true aMuse fashion, Claudia and I spent the train ride to the fair playing Crossword, a great traveling game for enhancing vocabulary and just pure fun! We arrived at Javits convention center with time to organize our game plan and we were off!

Our first stop was my favorite of the entire day; a company called All New Materials, Inc. They have a line of stuffed animal heros, Ze Zuper Zeros, which will be coming soon to aMuse. The colors were vibrant, the people were inviting, and the toys were incredible!

By one o’clock we had covered a ton of ground and were ready to refuel and prepare for the rest of the day. We grabbed some lunch and sat down to organize our virtual tote bag and order forms. The virtual tote bag was an amazing environmentally-friendly iPhone application created for Toy Fair to limit the amount of paper circulating throughout the fair. Next came a quick picture with the oh-so cool “Big Toe” Ugly Doll and we were back out on the floor.

The rest of the day flew by. Captivating designs and stimulating creations were found around every corner. Every booth we visited had its own unique style and personnel to play games with and ask questions. I was able to meet sales representatives from my favorite companies including Haba, Blue Orange Games and Plan Toys. It was an amazing experience that made me so passionate about my role in the aMuse family.

I don’t want to give away too much, so I’ll let Tom and Claudia fill you in when they return from the fair later this week!

Something That Goes

 

Growing up, my little brother, Eric, was a typical boy. He loved trains, trucks and racecars; basically anything that "goes," as he put it. In honor of his love of all things with wheels, a tradition was started and each year he received Something That Goes for Christmas. Some years it was a train for his trainset, some years it was a police car or a firetruck.

That tradition was all but forgotten until a couple weeks ago when my brother and I went to aMuse to pick out a Christmas gift for my daughter, Fiona. Not surprisingly, Eric headed right over to the toys with wheels and the tradition was reborn.

Every year, Uncle Eric will give Fiona Something That Goes.

This week, each of us is going to share a tradition in our family and we think it would be fun if you would leave a comment about any special traditions in your family.

Home, Sweet Home

A dollhouse is one of a child's most treasured possessions and inspires the most imaginiative play. It's a place where a child can create a world all their own.

I remember clearly when my parents got me my very own dollhouse. I "worked" for hours setting up each room perfectly--rearranging  furniture, cutting out squares of felt and fabric to make bedspreads and rugs. I gave each family member their own personality. In this miniature world, I was in charge.


These PLAN dollhouses are so beautifully made, they will become family heirlooms, encouraging imaginative play for not only this generation of children, but generations to come.