THREE SCRAMBLE SQUARES® PUZZLES HONORED AS DR. TOY’S BEST PRODUCT PICKS 2009
REDONDO BEACH, CA…November 6, 2009… b. dazzle, inc. of Redondo Beach, California, has announced that three of its newest Salmon Scramble Squares® 9-piece educational brain teaser puzzles have been honored as among Dr. Toy’s Best Product Picks 2009 by The Institute for Childhood Resources in San Francisco.The new “Buffalos,” “Cowboys & Cowgirls” and “Roosters” Scramble Squares® puzzlesall received this high honor from America’s leading authority on play.
The report, “Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Picks Children’s Products for 2009”, is being released, according to Dr. Toy, to “encourage parents and teachers to focus on the value of play as essential to the learning process.” She adds, “Smart play products selected from excellent companies across the U.S.A., Canada and other countries provide children with exciting new developmentally appropriate tools to help them do better in school, and also provide more constructive activities after school.”
Dr. Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D., aka, “Dr. Toy,” Director of the Institute for Childhood Resources, founded in San Francisco in 1975, is the only Ph.D. with extensive training, background and over 41 years of experience evaluating, writing and speaking about toys and children’s products. Dr. Auerbach is trained in education, child psychology, child development, and special education. She is an educator, consultant, parent and grandparent. Dr. Auerbach believes “parents and grandparents need help to gain a head start locating new, diversified products that children will enjoy while increasing skills, enhance instruction and expand imagination.” The products, balanced among large and small companies, range from low to high tech for “hours of active, creative, educational, and stimulating fun.” Dr. Toy reports that in the years that the innovative on-line magazine Dr.Toy’s Guide has been available, “thousands of visitors from around the world have accessed information daily.” The site was the first on-line resource to evaluate toys and children’s products.
“Children learn best through play,” says Dr. Auerbach, “and these smart new toys and products encourage children to maximize their potentials. This is a good time to ‘take stock’ and do an inventory of what your child is playing with, what is not used and what they need next in their development.” adds Dr.Auerbach. “Dr. Toy’s Guide offers excellent ideas for choosing new products for use in learning, after school play and the holidays ahead.”
“Dr. Toy’s Best Picks ” were carefully chosen from among thousands that she has reviewed at toy fairs, catalogs, and through many other sources, and by using extensive criteria she has developed over many years. Among the criteria used are: safety, age-appropriateness, design, durability, lasting play value, cultural and ethnic diversity, good transition from home to school, educational value, learning skills, creativity, improvement in the understanding of the community and the world, good value for price, and, naturally, fun. Winning products are manufactured by new, small and large companies from around the world. Complete information about these smart toys and products are included in the full report www.drtoy.com).
The object of the Scramble Squares® puzzle game is to arrange the nine colorfully illustrated 4” x 4” square pieces into a 12” square so that the realistic graphics on the pieces’ edges match perfectly to form completed pictures in every direction. They make inexpensive, but highly valued gifts for all ages.
Adults and seniors love made in America Scramble Squares® puzzles as much as do children, teenagers and college students. Although each Scramble Squares® puzzle has only nine 4″ x 4″ square pieces, exquisite Scramble Squares® puzzles are Perhaps the World’s Most Challenging Puzzle®! At under $10.00 each suggested retail, Scramble Squares® puzzles make inexpensive, but highly valued gifts for both men and women alike. Over 135 exquisite styles of colorful original art are available on nature, sports, history, culture, geography, science, technology, gourmet, occupations, fantasy, hobbies and activities, and more new styles are added throughout each year. Scramble Squares® puzzles teach critical thinking skills, fine motor skills, patience, perseverance, and they help maintain mental agility in older persons, while providing stimulating entertainment as either a solitaire game or as a cooperative activity. Each puzzle package includes a panel of fascinating facts on the subject of the puzzle, as well as a trivia question and hidden answer, all packaged in a unique and handy resealable heavy duty 101/2” long x 53/4” wide x 3/8” deep vinyl travel pouch which can be collected and stored easily in a standard 3-ring binder.