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Testimonial by: Tyler of New York
Date added: 03/28/2009

Title: Best Magic on the Internet!

Fast delivery, low prices, huge selection, free magic and a lifetime 10% discount. What more can you ask for? Thanks for the great service, I'm definitely coming back.


Date added: 03/23/2009
Title: Great Service & Site!

Wow I've bought magic from other magic stores and your Magic is by far the best! Great customer service & Great deals!!!!!! You won't regret it buying from Magic Trick Store. Top notch stuff.

More Like This At The Magic Trick Store Site!

What Toys Did Caveman Kids Play With To Pass The Time
by: Peter Legrove

Back in the days, when home was a cave stuck on the face of a cliff.

Kids, babies, cubs, kittens or whatever you like to call the offspring, all have one thing in common. They love to play. So I think we can safely assume that caveman kids played. But with what did they play with.

What amused the minds of our ancestor's kids. When they were lying around the fire after a hard day learning about staying alive. We are still trying to work out the minor details of the past lives of children of prehistory, but we can dream.

Anyway, were the first jigsaw puzzles just leaves that had been ripped up into little pieces so the little ones could put them back together. Was this a teaching aid so the kids could learn which plants were safe to eat. We will possible never know but it is good to ponder.

Back in prehistory, before houses and cars and TVs, video games and all the modern gadgets that we have nowadays. What toys did caveman kids play with, when daddy was out hunting the mighty mammoth or giant sloth. And mommy was gathering vegetables and herbs and grasses and what
ever else they ate back then.

Anyway many artifacts have been dug up, mostly bone and rock carving of people and wild animals. Beautiful carvings, something to be really proud of. Don't you think that maybe, just maybe, it might have been made by a dotting daddy for his little son.
In the future when future man digs up what we leave behind, what conclusions will they come to. Looking at some of the dinosaur toys available, would they conclude that these beasts actually walked among the skyscrapers.

In the 25th century if you dug up an old car toy that hadn't rusted away, how would you explain it.
Would you say it was some sort of God that we worshiped, or was it a decorative item we used to show power. It could have been a model of the king's chariot.

But do we stop to think, that it may have been something for our kids to play with. While we were out making more money to buy even more things for our kids to play with.
We have war games with tiny toy soldiers and cowboy and Indian sets. What is to stop the tiny carved human figures from prehistory being toys to teach the kids the best way to hunt down a mammoth or rhino or deer.

If we made some replica models of some of the artifacts, and gave them to our kids to play with in the sand pit. We might see them reenacting a mammoth hunt or chasing a wild deer into the ground.

Some of the most valuable artifacts would suddenly be delegated from God status to kid status.

I like to look at what we do now and then dream about what could have happened in the caveman days.
Nowadays in any toyshop there is a shelf of toy plastic animals. Anything we see in the wild or on the farm or in the home is there in little packets.

Did the caveman kids also have collections of toys. Now, our kids even have toy cavemen to play with, so what did caveman kids play with.

I can remember "Fred Flintstone" on TV but did Pebbles and BamBam have any toys. All I can remember is BamBam running around with this big club. Now you can buy big air-filled clubs and hammers that don't hurt when they hit you on the head.

But back to reality, kids love to play and caveman kids would also have played, but with what.

Toy bows and arrows and toy spears. Like kids today who love anything to do with war. Would all the spear points belong to daddy's toolbox or would the smaller ones belong to the son.

They must have had something to play with, but with what.

Maybe in the future someone scratching around in a long forgotten cave will unearth the Barbie prototype. Or the lovely bird carved from a long dead mammoth tusk just might have been from mummy to daughter.

And not some elegantly carved offering to an unknown God.

About The Author
Peter Legrove:
Toyman, Peter Puzzler, I love toys and puzzles and animals and dinosaurs and bugs. I have kids of my own so I am always on the lookout for the latest and greatest in toys
This article is copyright © Peter Legrove at http://www.animalsdinosaursandbugs.com
Our website specializes in toys, puzzles and games that have an animal, dinosaur or insect theme.
plegrove@gmail.com

Choosing The Best Educational Learning Toys

Electronic learning games have always been a great way for parents and grandparents, who prefer their gifts have some obvious long-term benefits, to buy the children in their life electronic products to entertain and engage them.

It is easy to buy presents that are immediately interesting and provide a welcome distraction and electronic games certainly fulfill that role. But, rather than offering straight forward entertainment for toddlers and young children, who are in the prime learning years of their lives, take advantage of their natural enthusiasm to learn by offering a gift that is both engaging and educational at the same time.

Educational toys for children offer a compromise for parents who want their children to be technologically savy but without the potential for pure mind-numbing escapism and distraction. Electronic learning games such as the Leapster or Tag Reader are designed to be highly entertaining but are also dedicated to making sure they have a significant educational component as well. By applying simple game structures to essential learning principles these educational devices can impart knowledge with no overt "education", just play.

Playing has always been a way to teach younger children essential life skills and basic literacy and numeracy ideas. Many children's games teach a variety of specific skills without being explicit about it. Think of hopscotch for example, how many things does a child pick up when they learn to play and repeatedly play this game of hopping on numbered squares? A Lot!

Board games take this play learning to another level and give it more structure. Monopoly and Scrabble are two of the most obvious examples of games where children have fun learning about reading and math without realizing they are being educated while they play. Interactive educational toys take this concept top the next level by engaging kids with sounds and moving images and asking them to respond to specific commands.

Kids love interactive toys, so make sure you offer them one with long-term benefits.

Find out more about the best interactive learning toys for kids at http://www.interactivelearningtoys.com.
A site maintained by a homeschooling mother and dedicated to Interactive Learning Toys for kids.

This Abacus Puzzle is Totally
Mind Boggling!

You're challenged to remove the light colored ball from this devious device. Calculate its escape to solve this daring puzzle. Solutions included.
Click Here for Puzzle Master

What do you get the person of any age on your list who finds the usual gifts boring?
Puzzle Master has one of the most unique lines of brain teasers, puzzles, specialty jigsaws, mechanical banks, puzzle books, and chess items. These puzzles make great gifts for men of all ages. CLICK Above to solve that problem now.
These are also great gifts for anyone who needs a little more challenge in her life.
*The Abacus Puzzle is for the most advanced puzzle solver, it is almost impossible to solve without the printed solutions.

Try Out Lots of Cool Kids Games
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Kids

Introduce Your Kids to Your Favorite Classic Toys
by: Aldene Fredenburg

Remember toys without batteries? Without buttons and video screens, that involved physical activity? Toys that engaged the child's imagination? This holiday season, think about introducing your children or grandchildren to the toys, games, and books that excited you when you were a kid.

For young children, toys that they can manipulate will entertain them while they develop essential dexterity skills. Slinky toys, pull toys, spinning tops, and toy vehicles like trains, tractors and cars stimulate those neurons as they learn how things work. Dolls, puppets, and stuffed animals, like the ever-popular Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, the Lamb Chop puppet that was a favorite in the fifties and sixties, and all kinds of bears, give kids something to cuddle while they practice their communication skills on their little friends.

For older children, board games are a great way to connect with friends and family. "Chutes and Ladders" is an engaging, unpredictable game that inspires lots of laughter as players progress through the ladders, and then suddenly end up at the bottom of the board as they unexpectedly encounter a chute. Another vintage game still played today, "Clue" challenges children's (and adults') logical prowess as they try to figure out "whodunit."

Don't forget to introduce your children or grandchildren to the books you enjoyed as a child. "Heidi," "Treasure Island," the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder - the reason you remember them is that they're classics, well written and as exciting for today's generation of young people as they were when you were growing up. Children love to be read to, so consider these wonderful classics as a chance to snuggle up with the kids or grandkids as you read to them. Don't forget to reminisce about your childhood while you're interacting with them, reading, playing games, or watching them play; this times are a great opportunity to begin to pass along the family stories that are so much a part of daily life.

Unplugging your children or grandchildren from the TV, the DVD player, and the Game Boy will be doing them a big favor. Getting them involved with toys, games and books that will stimulate their minds and their hearts will pay off for them for years to come.

About The Author
Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and Topics. She has published numerous articles in local and regional publications on a wide range of topics, including business, education, the arts, and local events. Her feature articles include an interview with independent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and a feature on prisoners at the New Hampshire State Prison in Concord. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com. or articles@tipsandtopics.com

PLAY ANY OF THESE GAMES FREE!
PLAY HERE - PLAY NOW!

Magic Balls Group two or more balls of the same color to remove them.

Play this free game now!!

Save the Sheriff Collect the stolen loot dropped by the burglars.

Play this free game now!!

Detonator Help Walter defuse all the bombs.

Play this free game now!!

Fowl Words Play this fun game between you and 7 hens.

Play this free game now!!

Panik in Chocoland Guide Panik through the factory collecting all the bombs.

Play this free game now!!

Food Magic Kit
by Scholastic Ultimate Magic Club

Combine a first-class children’s publishing company with top-notch magic consultants and what do you get? The highest quality series of magic sets ever produced. These magic sets have not been available in stores until now. Thanks to a special arrangement with the sets’ creators, magicians Danny Orleans and John Railing, we are making them available to the magic community.

The Ultimate Magic Club Magic Sets were designed for children aged 7 - 12 years. Youngsters can master the magic in each set themselves by following the step-by-step instructions in the color photo-filled book and watching kid-magicians perform on the DVD. Ten titles with great kid appeal make up the series.

YouTube of Unique Cat Inspires Children's Book
by News & Experts

Watching her cat Floppy simply try to cross the farmyard inspired Kari Kay.

"He was born with very little balance control which made his daily life very difficult," she said. "He had two other siblings that were born with the same challenges. They laid around most of the day letting their challenges get the best of them, while Floppy reacted differently. He spent his days taking on one adventure after another. Rarely did you see Floppy in one place for very long. Floppy enjoyed his life. Never letting his challenges stand in his way of having fun."

It was his determination that inspired Kay, a fitness trainer and wellness consultant, to film a video of her cat and post it on YouTube. Almost instantly she received an outpouring of good wishes from other pet owners, and felt that Floppy's spirit could inspire children the same way.

The result was a children's book and music CD titled Floppy Cat, from the Floppy Cat Company (www.floppycat.com), based on her cat's real life.

"Children face challenges in their lives every day, and I wanted to teach them that the power of positive thinking can help them overcome anything," she said. "I want kids to know that if you want to live life to the fullest, you just need to stay focused on what you want. Look for the good, and never, never let challenges stand in your way as obstacles, but rather use them as opportunities to grow and become all that you are meant to."

The lessons she wants her book to impart include:

• Keep your head help high at all times - No matter your situation, always have faith that being yourself is more than enough to making the most out of life.

• Don't let challenges hold you back from doing or getting what you want - Life isn't always going to be easy, but that doesn't mean you should let its challenges hold you back. Facing them with a smile can be your strength!

• Figure out what you want and go for it and be willing to learn new things - It's sometimes easier knowing what you don't want than what you do want, but once you've figured it out, you should be more like Floppy, who didn't let anything stand in his way.

• Believe in yourself! Use your uniqueness to move forward in life - Being different isn't a burden, but rather, it's a gift. Use it to your advantage instead of letting it hold you back. Your ability to overcome adversity will inspire everyone around you.

• Stay positive! Look for the good in every situation - Even at its worst, life can still have its good points, if we only look for them. Floppy wouldn't have had to look far to find doom and gloom, but instead - no matter what - he could always see the good in every situation.

"Despite his disability, Floppy lived a full and happy life," Kay said. "We can all take a lesson from that."

About the Author
Having experienced many great adventures on her South Dakota farm with her two sons and many pets (including the real Floppy Cat), Kari Kay created the Floppy Cat series as a way of sharing the inspiration of the real Floppy's life with children everywhere. She is creatively working to share her knowledge through more books, songs, and an interactive web site that will continually bring joy and happiness to parents and their children. http://www.articletrader.com/

I Love my Teddy Bear!
By Paul Lakeman of Funkybears

Everyone loves a Teddy Bear. Most of us grew up with the adorable stuffed animal. Have you ever wondered about the history of the cuddly Teddy Bear?

A little more than a century ago, the story goes that President Theodore Roosevelt was in Mississippi to settle a border dispute. Roosevelt loved to bear hunt and was attempting to do so while settling the dispute. When no bears could be found, the President's host found a baby bear but Roosevelt refused to shoot the animal. Of course, President Roosevelt could not hurt such a loveable, helpless captive target.

Newspapers got a hold of the story and printed a cartoon depicting the President with a baby bear. The caption read, Teddy's Bear.

The cartoon was reprinted across the nation and the Teddy Bear was born.

When we were little, most of us have gotten some form of a teddy bear that we would hold when we went to sleep. Teddy Bears are so cute and cuddly and provide comfort. Best of all they are given as a gift of love. As we have grown up, the Teddy Bear remains a strong sentimental part of our childhood.

We give the stuffed animal to our girlfriends/boyfriends, husbands/wives, friends, and children. Teddy Bears last longer than flowers and they are so warm and cozy.

One reason we love them is that they remind us of the person that gave them to us. The Teddy Bear reminds us that the giver of the bear wants to hold us and hug us all the time.

Another reason we love them is that they remind us of a pleasant time in our childhood. They bring out the little boy or little girl in all of us. They seem to be one of the few things that have managed to keep their innocence.

Teddy Bears are cheery and so sweet and no matter how old we get we just don’t seem to grow old enough to want to get rid of them. We love that furry feeling against us and they are nice to talk to when we go to sleep. They also make us feel secure and when we need to hold someone, they provide us with that comfort.

There are many reasons we love our Teddy Bears and they are a gift that everyone can love. Not only is the Teddy Bear a gift for all of us regardless of age, it is also a great gift for any occasion. Some deliver a message of love, some friendship, and some wish us to get well soon.

Teddy Bears can be customised to fit any need. You can outfit them in almost any type of clothes and lavish them with all types of accessories. You can have a standard size Teddy Bear, a monkey bear, in fact there’s a Bear for everyone! Teddy Bears are popular gifts for Valentine's Day, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, and so much more. They really are suitable for any age, gender, or occasion. I love my Teddy Bear! Don't be afraid to admit it; I know you do too!
About The Author
The author Paul Lakeman is a director of http://www.funkybears.com and http://www.topteddy.co.uk and he has been Personalising Teddy Bears for over 20years. His daily Blog can be found at http://personalisedteddybears.wordpress.com/personalised-teddy-bears-im-making-today/

Popular American Girl Doll Clothes
Shelby Strong

Little girls love to play with dolls. American Girl dolls are quite expensive, but off brand 18 inch dolls can be more affordable. However, if you can afford them, American Girl dolls have better hair than any other doll on the market and they have amazing doll clothes and accessories for them from doll dresses to beds and carrying cases. If you are on a budget, you can often find off brand American girl doll dresses and accessories from online retailers or sometimes at your local discount store.

The most popular American Girl clothes are princess costumes. What little girl doesn't love to dress up her doll like her favorite princess? Princesses are all the rage right now among kids and adults alike. The best selling princess doll dress is Cinderella. Little girls love her blue dress and headband and choker. The second most popular American Girl princess dress is princess Ariel with her beautiful sparkly fin. Don't forget Belle, Snow White, Jasmine, and Sleeping Beauty or Aurora. Make sure you find doll dresses that are machine washable in case they get a stain on them and need to go in the wash. You can even find girls dress up costumes that match exactly with the doll clothes if your little girl likes to dress up in princess costumes too. Little Adventures is a good brand of doll clothes. They also have girl princess costumes to match.

Other popular clothes for American Girls are period costumes. For example, your little girl would love a fancy ball gown for her Elizabeth doll or special Spanish attire for Kaya. There are several period costumes you can find at the American Girl store or online. They are quite pricey, from $20-$40 each, but you may be able to find slightly used ones, or off brand clothes on ebay or other classifieds sites. Sometimes you can get a whole lot of clothes, get volume discounts, or even get free shipping on already discounted items.

One popular accessory for American Girl dolls is a doll bed. Little girls love to have their American Girl dolls sleep in their room with them in their very own bed. You can find a variety of doll beds at the American Girl store, or you can find them for under $20 at IKEA. They take some assembly, but they are great for kids. Your little girl will love the blanket and pillow that comes with it.

Another popular item for American Girl dolls is shoes and glasses. These are relatively cheap items you can buy for your doll that provide hours of imaginative play and can be used interchangeably between American Girl dolls and other dolls or bears. Many girls use them on their Build a Bear.

Whether you are looking for an American Girl doll clothes, matching princess dresses for your girl and doll, or for doll accessories, try finding off brand items. It will be good for your wallet and good for your little girl as well as she learns how to take care of a nice toy, be imaginative, and some girls even learn how to do their own hair by practicing on their doll. You can find deals out there. Splurge and buy the real American Girl doll, and then find deals on the doll clothes and accessories.

About The Author
Shelby Strong is a stay at home mom of 2 girls and a boy. She is also a small business owner of an at home business called My Cute Dressups. Visit her site at http://www.mycutedressups.com/. She has seen the immense benefits princess dress up costumes and boy costumes has made in the life of her kids.

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