Safari Ltd.

We've Moved!

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:09:11 -0400

We’re excited to announce the launch of the official Safari Ltd® Blog! Hop on over to our site, safariltd.us/blog, to continue discovering creative play ideas, go-green tips and more!

We’ll see you there! :)

Teaching Math with Dinosaurs

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:44:59 -0400

What happens when dinosaurs meet mathematics? You might picture a T-rex chomping on your high school algebra book, but we have something a bit different in mind. Most kids love dinosaurs. Maybe it’s the teeth, or maybe it’s just that dinosaur toys are so cool.

But let’s be honest, many kids don’t have quite the affinity for math that they do for dinosaurs. Math has no sharp, pointy teeth, and it hardly ever roars. More than most other subjects, math gets challenging pretty early on, and this can cause kids to think they are not good at it. We can help, but you’re gonna need some dinosaurs.

One early math skill that kids need to master is patterns. Because there are so many different kinds of dinosaurs, yet so many similarities between them, dinosaurs lend themselves to teaching children patterns.

It works like this. Start by lining up a few dinosaurs in a simple pattern. Then give your child a group of dinosaurs and have him pick the one that comes next. Consider one of these basic patterns:

Dinosaurs walking on two legs
Dinosaurs walking on four legs
Plant Eaters
Meat Eaters

As your child masters simple arrangements, transition to more complex patterns, like ones that alternate or require more attention to detail. Praise your child often as he succeeds at this, letting him know that he is solving difficult math problems. Success breeds success in math. If your child feels that he is doing well, he is more likely to confidently approach a harder problem.

In the end, your child gains confidence and practice with patterns, all while playing with his favorite dinosaurs. Now if only there were a way for dinos to teach Algebra.

Dragons, Books, and Imaginative Play

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:58:03 -0400

It’s National Children’s Book Week, a celebration of the many delightful books that encourage children to laugh, learn, and love reading. So what’s the connection between children’s books and a company that promotes the joy of play with realistic replicas? Imagination. And one of the creatures that inspires some of the most imaginative tales is the dragon—subject of hundreds of children’s books and a centerpiece in our collection of mythical creatures.

Dragons can be friendly, like the whimsical dragon in Puff the Magic Dragon. Or they can can be ferocious fire-breathers, like the ones in Saint George and the Dragon or The Paper Bag Princess. And commonly, they are misunderstood, like the ones in The Reluctant Dragon or My Father’s Dragon. In all cases, dragons capture the attention of children and get imaginations firing.

Dragon replicas, like our Mountain Dragon shown above, also capture attention and inspire imaginations. Even more than other animal figures, dragon toys get kids thinking of new possibilities and exciting adventures. Whether they are roaming the backyard or stomping through the playroom, kids and dragon replicas make a delightful combination.

Between great books and great toys, children can truly discover the frontiers of their imaginations. Do your kids love dragons? What’s their favorite dragon tale?

Playing and Learning with Bugs

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:39:00 -0400

Most children are intrigued by insects. Their quick movements and bright colors attract attention and invite exploration. You can tap into this natural curiosity for a fun time of learning and creative play with our Insects Toob®.

One fun activity kids enjoy is pretending the insect toys are real and playing with them in their natural habitats. Because of the diverse arrangement of bugs in our Toob®, kids can spend an entire afternoon arranging and rearranging the bugs and pretending to make them buzz, fly, jump, and crawl.

The realistic bug toys are a treat in your backyard, and they give your children a chance to explore where each type of bug lives.

By the end of the day, your kids might know the names of a dozen new insects, plus where they live, and even what they like to eat.

The best part? This collection of realistic, hand-painted bugs won’t disappear when the fun is over. Kids may enjoy them again and again, finding new ways to play and explore with their favorite bugs. Now that’s a summer day well spent.

Ethical and Allergy-Proof Classroom Pets

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:13:00 -0400

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we’d like to suggest a fun, educational alternative to the traditional classroom pet: a scale-model, detailed replica from Safari Ltd®.

Keeping furry, slimy, or feathered critters in the classroom allows children to see animals up close and gives kids experience with caring for critters. But many classrooms and schools have discovered problems with keeping animals in the classroom, namely cost, allergies, and long-term care. But with our scale model Incredible Creatures® animal toys, teachers can still give students an up-close look at some unique animals, without the issues that arise with a classroom pet.

Buying a live animal is an expensive commitment, and we know classroom budgets are often stretched these days. In fact, many teachers have to spend their own money on a classroom pet or ask parents for donations. When food and veterinarian bills come due, the cost can be prohibitive. An animal replica usually costs less than $10, saving classroom money for other needs.

Allergy issues prevent many classrooms from having a pet at all. Even cute, furry friends can carry allergens that cause reactions in sensitive students, and some schools have banned classroom pets altogether for this reason. With a toy animal pet, allergy issues are no longer a concern, and even the most sensitive students can pet and play with the class animal.

Finally, what is to be done with a friendly classroom pet over extended breaks or during the summer? Many classrooms send the pet home with a caring student, but the Humane Society recommends against this. A model pet doesn’t need watering or feeding over extended breaks, and you can still send it home with a student if you’d like!

Safari Ltd® replicas are lifelike and detailed in color and texture, so children can still get a great idea of what an animal is like. The class can work to create a realistic replica for the creature, just as they would for a living animal. And with dozens of scale model animals to choose from, you can switch between rabbits, fish, frogs, and anything else as often as you wish.

Raising Kids Who Care About the Earth

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:32:22 -0400

How do you teach children to appreciate the world around them? Does it even have to be taught, or are children naturally in awe of it? Maria Montessori, creator of the Montessori Method of education, once said, “The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.”

We agree. A child doesn’t have to be taught that a lion is majestic, but he does have to be taught that lions are in peril, and that we can do a better job of living in harmony with them and with the rest of our planet.

But what’s the best approach for helping kids be more aware of how fragile some of our planet’s ecosystems are? And how do you guide children into an understanding of the positive role they can play in protecting the more vulnerable species of our planet?

We believe one key is to expose young children to animals, so they begin to know and love them. From the massive elephant to the tiny bumblebee, animals are unique and amazing, and children naturally connect with this because of their curiosity. As parents, teachers, caregivers, and community members, we can educate children about the creatures that share their world and inspire them to admire and appreciate those creatures. Adding some of these activities into your day can help:

Enjoy animal coloring pages
Read kid-friendly animal books
Play with animal toys
Pretend to be animals
Go to the zoo
Take a hike in the woods
Make animal noises
Study a new animal

Children who grow up understanding and enjoying animals are more likely to grow into people who are aware of the challenges facing animals around the world. Again, quoting Maria Montessori: “The unknown energy that can help humanity is that which lies hidden in the child.”

What do you think? What role can children play in saving the world?

DIY Recycled Magnets

Thu, 02 May 2013 09:30:57 -0400

Guest blogger Joyce from Childhood Beckons shares a DIY Recycled Magnets activity!

One of my son’s all time favorite books to look through is his Safari Ltd. catalog. And who could blame him? The book is awesome! So when we received the newest version, I immediately began to brainstorm ways to creatively recycle last year’s catalog and extend the fun. One of our favorite ways is to create our own magnets!

Homemade Magnets:

Old Catalog

Scissors

Lamination

Magnetic tape

Go through your catalog and cut out images that would make great magnets. You can do this as a surprise for your child or you could let them take the lead and pick out their favorites. Next, you’ll want to laminate the cutouts for strength and durability. I used my laminating machine, but you could also use self-seal laminating pouches or contact paper. Trim the excess and all that’s left is adding the magnets! I love magnetic tape for this project because you really don’t need a big thick magnet for these and you can customize the size of the magnet for each cut-out. Plus, it’s cheap and easy! You just cut the tape to the size you need, peel off the paper backing, and stick it to your picture.

Now you have your own Safari Ltd. magnets! The process is so simple and the finished product is a lot of fun.

More Ways to Play:

Chances are, you won’t have to provide any play prompts. Kids love magnets and will surely have their own ways to play. But here’s a few ideas in case you want to change things up or sneak in some guided learning.

Pair with magnetic letters to practice letter sounds and word-building. This could be picking out initial letter sounds for younger kids or word-building and spelling practice for older kids.

Add magnetic numbers for some fun math practice. How many dinosaurs are there? How many penguins? Count, add, and subtract!

Use as storytelling prompts. This is a fun activity to do any time, but it could also make a really great boredom busting activity while you make dinner. Set your kids up at the refrigerator with a few of their magnets and ask them to tell you a story. They’ll love being close to you and you can listen to their imaginations at work as you cook.

Practice sorting and classification. Ask your kids to sort the magnets into groups. You can let them come up with their own ways of grouping the items or ask them to classify the magnets in a specific way. (Example- Mammal or reptile? Herbivore or carnivore?)

Magnets aren’t just for the fridge! Use cookie sheets for portable play.

About Joyce:

Joyce is the mom behind Childhood Beckons, where she encourages parents to focus on their families and the childhood that beckons them. Her motto is “Childhood is calling my son to play and explore. And childhood is calling me to help him on his journey.” She enjoys discovering creative ways to play and learn and passing along her family’s favorites. You can find Joyce on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

T-rex Versus Television

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:59:35 -0400

Screen-Free Week began in 1996. Since then, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has spearheaded the effort to encourage families to spend a week away from televisions and other screens. The campaign is supported by various educational, environmental, and public health organizations. At Safari Ltd®, we wholeheartedly agree that children need more active play and less passive viewing in their lives. In fact, promoting the Joy of Play is one of our guiding ideals.

There are plenty of shows kids could watch about dinosaurs, and some of them are quite educational. But they cannot replace the thrill of a child holding a T-rex in his hands, walking it around the room, and roaring at the top of his lungs. In a contest between T-rex and television, Tyrannosaurus wins.

Thanks to a resurgence in books about magic and mythology, fantasy has made a comeback. And although television offers some engaging fantasy shows, they don’t stand a chance compared to playing with a colorful, lifelike Dragon. Whether it’s flying around the living room or defending treasure, magical stories are created and new scenarios are imagined.

Television has a rare ability to bring history to life. But watching history recreated on a screen pales in comparison to reenacting history in the backyard. On any given day, she might have the Ancient Roman Army marching into a new city, or Civil War troops skirmishing over a bridge. Lifelike replicas respond to her will and inspire endless play long after a 30-minute television show ends.

What is the Joy of Play? It’s colorful Fairies flitting about a bedroom. It’s life-size Fish and Crustaceans sharing a bathtub. It’s majestic Dinosaurs marching through a playroom. It’s Shark toys sharing a swimming pool. It is children being children—imagining, wondering, and creating. And it’s more fun than any screen.

Math Activities to Teach Comparing

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:59:00 -0400

How many of you grew up thinking of the greater-than and less-than symbols as crocodile mouths? Thanks to our Incredible Creatures® Crocodile, the next generation of young math students can have an even more interactive and fun experience learning to compare numbers.

Because the Crocodile is part of the Incredible Creatures® collection, it is larger and softer than other toys. This makes it easier for small hands to hold and manipulate, or even open and close the mouth to pretend it’s chomping numbers.

You might practice math with your children a few different ways with this toy. First, you could place objects (like pennies, cereal pieces, or other toys) in two groups and have the child turn the crocodile towards the group with more. (Make sure she knows the Crocodile wants the biggest bite!) She can even make the mouth “chomp” to choose the group with more. This teaches both counting and comparing numbers.

You might also write numbers on a paper or whiteboard and have your child position the Crocodile to snap up the greater number. This reinforces the concepts of greater-than, less-than in a more abstract way, as she must also be able to identify numbers.

Early math skills lay a foundation for later math success. The Crocodile-like greater-than and less-than symbols play a role in math all the way into Algebra. Why not introduce the idea early in a way that helps children enjoy their math lessons even more?

3 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day with Children

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:10:32 -0400

Many children today are disconnected from nature. Although they likely learn more about saving the Earth than previous generations, they tend to spend more time inside, disconnected from the great outdoors they are being taught to save. These three activities help children connect with the Earth and internalize the importance of protecting it.

Plant a Flower

It’s an ideal time of year to plant flowers. You might find a perfect spot outside, or even start flowers in pots inside. Flowers remind children of the beauty of their world. At the same time, flowers produce oxygen and attract bumblebees, two things our planet could use more of!

Take a Hike

A walk through a park, woods, or nature preserve is a wonderful way to help children understand their beautiful planet. They are far more likely to appreciate a huge oak tree when they can see it and touch it and watch squirrels chase each other through the branches. And watching animals in their natural habitats reinforces lessons about conserving resources and saving natural areas.

Adopt an Endangered Animal

Although you can actually sponsor endangered animals through sanctuaries and rescue organizations, this is not feasible for every family. But anyone can choose a favorite endangered animal to study. Teachers and parents can encourage children to pick an endangered animal to learn about, draw pictures of, and generally fall in love with. Focusing on a single animal makes conservation more real for children.

Earth Day lasts only a day, but appreciating and protecting the amazing creation around us can be part of life year round. By encouraging children to become active participants in nature, you can help them understand the importance of the small steps they take to keep the Earth beautiful.

Sorting and Classifying with Safari Ltd® Knights

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:51:00 -0400

Sorting and classifying are important math skills for young children. Even the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics lists it as a standard for children in preschool and early elementary. You can help kids learn to sort with buttons and pictures, or you can really engage them by using their favorite Toobs®.

Children love toys, and when their toys are connected to learning, they find learning even more enjoyable. But how do you teach sorting with a Toob®? Most any set would work, but we tried it with the Knights and Dragons Toob®.

You can start by setting the toys out together and having your child sort them into two groups. This is pretty simple with the Knights, as there are 4 each of the red and blue warriors.

Then you can make it more challenging by having your young learner sort them into different groups. Given some time, a child can work his way through several different ways of classifying all the knight toys. If he gets stuck, give him hints like these:

Look at what the knights are holding.

Look at what the knights have on their heads.

The goal is for your child to sort the toys as many ways as he can and to explain his reasoning for each group.

Our Toobs® are ideal for this educational activity because they contain around 12 toys and they have lots of variety, so your child can work on sorting and classifying with objects that he is naturally interested in. Then math time transitions into play time!

Early Math Activities: Comparing Sizes with Toobs®

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 09:18:00 -0400

Did you know comparing is an early math skill? For preschoolers and early elementary learners, determining whether an object is longer, shorter, heavier, or lighter than another object lays a foundation of math vocabulary that is critical for teaching measurement. Here’s a great way to help young children learn this basic math skill using our Ocean Toob®.

Many Toobs® would work for this because of their variety, but the Ocean collection is especially helpful because it contains such diversity of sizes in the animals represented by the replicas. Including models of creatures as small as a Sea Star and as large as a Sperm Whale, this set of ocean toys is ideal for teaching measurement.

Start by checking that your child understands the meanings of light, heavy, long, and short. Many young children are more familiar with light in terms of illumination, rather than weight.

Then, grab a few figures from the Ocean Toob® and ask her which one is heavier. The goal is to answer the questions based on the real creatures, not the toys, so she has to think of which animal is bigger and apply the vocabulary to the replicas.

There are numerous additional activities once you’ve compared long and short and light and heavy with all the ocean creatures. Try having your child compare three animals at a time. She might even attempt to arrange all 14 toys by weight or length. If you need a little background on the sizes of the creatures, visit the educational information on our website.

With a basic understanding of the vocabulary of measurement, children will be able to transition more easily to more advanced skills such as standard and metric measurement, comparing geometric shapes, and using measuring tools. All because of a Toob®!

Stages of a Butterfly

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:26:00 -0400

The transformation a butterfly goes through is one of the most amazing miracles of nature. From tiny eggs on a leaf emerges a hungry caterpillar, which spends about two weeks munching on milkweed.

When it’s had its fill, the caterpillar makes a chrysalis, where it again spends about two weeks. Here it makes the awesome transition into a Monarch butterfly.

But how can kids get up close and explore this incredible life cycle? Caterpillars should not be touched because excessive handling can damage them. A chrysalis should certainly be left alone, as they are incredibly soft and fragile at first. That’s where Safari Ltd® Life Cycles can help.

As you can see, the realism is evident, even down to the size of the toys. Not only can teachers and parents use the toys as visuals when there’s no milkweed handy, but kids can explore them fully; touching, rubbing, and even dropping, with no creatures harmed in the process.

With this collection, it doesn’t matter where you live or what season it is; the awe-inspiring life stages of the monarch butterfly are always available for close exploration.

Teach History with Toobs

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:29:00 -0400

You already know that Safari Ltd® toys are great for learning about animals, but did you know they can help you teach kids about history too? The Space Toob® is an educational toy featuring replicas from throughout the history of space exploration; plus it’s perfect for 3-D timelines.

Timelines are ideal for teaching history because they give a visual representation of events in the order they happened. This helps learners understand the scope of history, and with a topic like space exploration, a timeline shows how technology advanced and led to greater possibilities.

That sounds great, and it is. But now imagine a 3-D History of Space Exploration timeline where children can actually fly the rockets and land the astronauts on the moon.

The beauty of these Space toys is the range of history they cover. From Private Ham, the Astrochimp who made a trip to space in 1961, to the Space Shuttle, which made its first mission in 1981, to the International Space Station, which was launched into orbit in 1998, the 12 figures in the Space Toob® take children through over 50 years of space exploration history.

Using construction paper, newsprint, or even plain copy paper, kids can draw a horizontal line to represent the period in history they wish to cover. Dates and labels may be added to complete the project, with the Space models replacing the pictures on a traditional timeline.

Because children sometimes have a hard time connecting with events that seem to be in the distant past, add a few events to the timeline to give them some context. They might add the year they were born or the year a parent or grandparent was born, for example.

When finished, you have a 3-D timeline, but the fun’s not over yet. Children may remove and replace the toys from the Space Toob®, practicing identifying figures. Or you can shuffle them and have children try to put them in the right order.

History just got a lot more real and a lot more fun. What other lessons can you teach with the Safari Ltd® Space Toob®?

Old MacDonald Had a Fluent Reader

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:15:00 -0400

Did you know there’s a connection between Farm toys and early reading skills? Two of the five critical skills for developing reading are phonemic awareness and phonics, both of which you can help kids learn with Farm animals like the ones in our Farm Toob.

Here’s how it works. Say, or have your child say, the name of an animal. Then have him identify the sound and letter that the animal’s name starts with. For example, you might pick up a Pig, and have the child make the p sound, and then name the associated letter.

For more of a challenge, he can identify the sound and letter at the end of the animal’s name. This is more difficult because the sound has to be distinguished from the sounds that come before it.

And here’s how it helps. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and identify sounds. Research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development has overwhelmingly shown that phonemic awareness spurs initial reading and continued development of reading skills.

Phonics is the relationship between sounds and letters, which is also strengthened with this fun activity.

While this reading game could work with any toys, Animals like the ones in our Farm Toob are immediately recognizable and beloved by young children. Visual and Tactile learners especially benefit from being able to see and hold an object while discussing it.

Happy Reading!

Storytelling with Dragons

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:21:00 -0400

Children love stories. And there are no better stories than the ones they make up themselves. Storytelling allows kids to express creativity, while building their vocabularies and teaching plot structure. Plus, they gain confidence when they get positive feedback for the tales.

And what better subject for creative storytelling than dragons? Our Lair of Dragons Designer Toobs® contain six colorful dragons, each one a possible centerpiece for a fantastic tale.

In this fun activity, children make up legends about their favorite dragons, embellishing as they go. No supplies or planning are required, and this can even be done on car trips!

Your little storyteller starts by picking a favorite dragon from the lair. Have him give it a name and decide where it lives before beginning his tale.

Then it’s off to fantasy land. With one child, she can add to the story as she sees fit, with you prompting if she gets stuck. Ask open-ended questions to get her thinking about her dragon and her story. You might try these:

Who does the dragon meet?

What does the dragon want to do?

When is this story happening?

With two children, dragon stories can be even more fun, as they can take turns adding a sentence to the story. This gives each storyteller a chance to think up his next twist, and it encourages them to work together to create an exciting adventure.

Dragons are perfect for this activity because their unique colors and designs attract and hold attention. Each dragon toy lends itself to different ideas and creative thinking. Making up stories is an enriching activity for children, and it all starts with “Once upon a time there was a dragon…”

Goin' to the Zoo

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:27:00 -0400

Are you planning a trip to the zoo this spring or summer? Zoos inspire children’s imaginations and teach them about animals. We’d like to help make your next zoo trip even more educational. With minimal preparation and a little enthusiasm, this zoo activity may turn your next trip into an expedition, with plenty of learning along the way.

We want our children to be confident and outgoing; we also want them to be curious and seek answers to their questions. You can build all these skills at the zoo!

Prepare your adventurers for this zoo activity by having them think of questions they would like to ask the zookeepers. You might have them brainstorm questions before they arrive, or they could choose an animal once they’re at the zoo and think up a few questions on the spot. Younger children love to learn what their favorite animals like to eat and where they live, while older children could think of questions about the animals’ status in the wild or how many young they have at a time.

Children gain confidence from interacting successfully with adults, and zoo workers are usually more than happy to take questions from curious kids. Speaking and listening skills are strengthened, and your kids learn some new facts about their favorite animals from a very reliable source. As your children get their questions successfully answered, the zoo and the people who work there take on a new meaning.

We hope this activity livens up your next trip to the zoo. How else can you make the trip more educational?

Rainy Day Animal Art Project

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:23:00 -0400

Spring is here, and with it comes new flowers, new life, and mud…lots of mud. So how can you keep your kids engaged and exploring on those days when it’s just too messy to get outside? How about an art activity that promotes learning about animals? We can help!

Start by having your children grab their favorite animal toys. Then help them brainstorm ideas about where the animal lives. Focus on questions that kids connect with, such as, “Where does it sleep?” or “How does it hide?” or “Where does it find food?”

Next it’s time to get out the crayons or markers and design a setting for their favorite animals. They can easily use white printer paper if art paper isn’t handy. Encourage using many colors to create an appealing habitat for their animal.

As they draw, remind your kids about the ideas they came up with earlier regarding where the animals live and sleep. For an extra challenge, older kids can even paint their pictures rather than color.

The project may take anywhere from ten to thirty minutes depending on the age of your kids and the complexity of their artwork. When finished, they may display their pictures and animals proudly.

Have your kids explain why the scene is perfect for their animal, and ask lots of questions about the details. This gets them thinking more about the animal’s needs, and about their artwork.

Your kids have enjoyed an animal art project and learned about their favorite creatures. Hopefully this makes the next rainy day more enjoyable! What is your favorite educational activity for indoor days?

Not your Average Easter Egg

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:38:15 -0400

Easter is fast approaching! While everyone is accustomed to dyeing eggs, eating chocolate bunnies and partaking in an Easter egg hunt, we have a fun idea to mix up the classic pastel colors– dinosaur eggs!

If you aren’t familiar with them, we’re talking about our Wild Safari® Dino Babies in an Egg. These fun figures are a unique edition to your kiddo’s Easter basket. Not only does it conveniently coincide with the basic “egg” concept, but it also adds a cute dino toy into the mix.

What items are you including in this year’s Easter basket?

Tic-Tac-Toe Brought to Life!

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:45:04 -0500

In a previous blog post we shared how to play checkers with our Domestic Cats TOOB® and Dogs TOOB®! For those children who are too young to understand the strategy of checkers, we have another fun game for you to start out with: the classic tic-tac-toe.

Tic-tac-toe doesn’t always have to be a pencil and paper game!

Instead of using x’s and o’s, you can use your child’s toys, such as our Frogs and Turtles TOOB®! In this specific TOOB®, there are six turtles and six frogs. One player can be the frog and the other can be the turtle.

Then, draw a 3x3 grid on a sheet of paper and let the play begin!

What other Safari Ltd® toys can you use for tic-tac-toe?