Preschool games are an essential part of a child’s development. Games are more than games. They are a way of teaching children the basics of social skills and communication.

There are some old favorites such as drop the handkerchief. Kids still love it but you need at least five players to make it fun. The players stand in a circle and someone is chosen as “It.” That child takes the handkerchief and walks around the ring of children and drops the handkerchief behind one of the other players.

In the old version, the person who is It chants "A tisket, a tasket, A green and yellow basket. I wrote a letter to my love. But on my way, I dropped it; A little child picked it up And put it in his pocket."

Whether or not this verse is used or another one or whether there is no verse, “It” drops the handkerchief and runs around the circle. The person who has the handkerchief chases the runner and if the runner is caught, he or she is placed in the middle of the circle and the new person is It.

The cost of raising kids keeps on going up and up and up. So it is no surprise that savvy parents keep an eye out for a good toy sale. Just as with clothes, kids outgrow their toys. At least most of their toys. There are always favorite toys that they will keep close to their hearts for most of their childhood and maybe even beyond childhood.

If you look at toys from the perspective of toy manufacturers, there is a constant need for them to create something new. Otherwise, children would not be motivated to want more toys and parents would not feel the need to get the latest game that has been created.

The problem with new toys is that it is hard to find these at toy sales. The sales often focus on classics or last year’s models. A Buzz Lightyear action figure or a Mickey Mouse designated toy continue to enchant boys and girls even if they are models from previous years.

Babies love to be stimulated. While a tiny little baby might seem contented in his or her crib, looking at the brightly colored mobiles that hang over the crib, the more entertainment and stimulation they receive, the better they like it. Unless of course, they are sleepy or hungry.

The thing about babies is that they are often sleepy or hungry because they are going through an incredible period of development of their little bodies. And of their minds, too. This is why meeting their needs calls for more than simply keeping them well nourished, well rested, and clean and dry.

Baby games are the ideal way to carry their development over into the mental development arena. Games can help them thrive physically and mentally.

Bobble Art is a phenomenon that may not have started out with children in mind but since the founders, Brad and Jacqui Marabel-Whitburn have seven children, it is fairly certain that the designs stemmed out of their great relationship with and their love for children.

They have artists’ eyes and when they started out in 1999 with hair accessories, maybe it was just a fun “mom and pop” kind of hobby turned into small business. Bobble Art may have been a play on bauble art. They were creating mere baubles that quickly turned into something much bigger than imagined.

It is all about the art. The designs are bright and compelling and they cover just about any accessory that you can imagine. You can find luggage in Bobble Art patterns. You can also find jewelry boxes, Bobble Art drink bottles, Bobble Art stationery, lunchboxes…well it might be shorter to list the items that are not done up in Bobble Art.

Here at Happy Little Hippos It is usually about 4 months after the initial purchase we consistently have mums coming back and asking for the same blanket, wrap or stuffed toy they bought the first time this time they don’t want just one but often 4 or 5.

Why do they need 4 or 5 of exactly the same item well, it’s called attachment and the babies just can’t seem to be without that special blanket or that cute little rabbit?

Why do most kids get attached to certain items?

If you delve a little bit deeper into the benefit of children's educational toys rather than just being fun, entertaining and a means to keep them occupied you will find 4 main categories. I will break these categories down for you and explain why it’s so important to invest in a real mix of toys for your child’s physical and mental development and learning.