Slacklines are here!

We are so excited about this latest edition to Escapade Direct! Slacklines are a blast for kids AND adults! They are also a great way to stay active outdoors, as well as improve your balance and coordination.

Slacklining is the act of balancing along a narrow, flexible piece of webbing – whether low to the ground or anchored higher up.

Because a slackline has “slack” in it, it allows you to bounce and do tricks, as well as walk across it like a “tight” rope. It’s SO much fun – every backyard should have one!

The Funline Slackline contains everything you need to easily set up a slackline virtually anywhere – no additional tools or rigging are needed. Attach your slackline to two trees, a fence, or deck posts and you are up and running (or walking, or bouncing, or doing tricks!)

Click Funline Slackline Set for more information, and to watch a video of kids using this slackline.

Get yours today!

Click New Arrivals to see all the new things we have in store for you!

Four Square is a game that has been played by generations, all over the world. It’s one of those childhood staple games that every kid should know how to play!

This Four Square Play Set contains everything you need to get a game going in your neighborhood.

Use the chalk to draw four squares on your driveway and gather your friends. The object of four square is to eliminate players in higher squares so you can advance to the highest square yourself.

Click Four Square Play Set for more information, and make sure to click the link at the bottom of the Four Square page for the official rules to this game.

Head outside, get active, and play Four Square! Buy your set today!

Click New Arrivals to see all the new things we have in store for you!

Still need a few fun ideas for Easter decorations? Here’s an easy project that kids of all ages can do. It’s also a great way to recycle for Earth Day tomorrow!

Make a dozen or more stuffed paper eggs, hang them from your windows or from tree branches, and have a Happy Easter!

Stuffed Paper Eggs

What You Will Need:

• 2 Sheets of Paper, any kind (we like to use old music sheets, old maps, wrapping paper, magazine pages, or Natural Kozo Paper)


• Egg Template (click this link to download and print)


• Scissors


• Pencil


• Ribbon (optional)


• Glue Stick


• Scrap Paper (for stuffing)

What You Do:

• Print the egg template and cut it out to use as a pattern.


• Place the egg template onto two sheets of paper and trace around the egg.


• Use a scissors to cut out both sheets of paper (you can either cut both at the same time, or cut them out separately – whichever is easiest for you). See pictures below.


• Save the scraps of paper that you cut away – you can use this paper as stuffing for your egg.


• Use a glue stick to apply glue around the edges of one egg cut-out – leaving about 3″ to 4″ open at the top of the egg (you will need this open in order to stuff the egg).


• Place the second egg cut-out on top of the cut-out with the glue applied and press into place.


• Allow the glue to dry completely before stuffing the egg.


• When the glue is dry, crumple up small pieces of scrap paper and stuff the crumples into the egg. Make sure to be careful not to rip the egg.


• When the egg is stuffed as full as you like, place a loop of ribbon at the top of the egg, then use a glue stick to glue the egg shut with the ribbon between the two egg halves.


• Hang your stuffed egg for a fun decoration!

Variations:

• If you prefer, use a sewing machine with a zig-zag stick to seal your egg instead of a glue stick. The look is great!


• Use plain white paper for your eggs, then let your kids decorate the paper eggs with markers, colored pencils, stickers, or paints. A nice custom variation for this project!


• Why stop at paper! Use fabric scraps to create the “shell” of your egg! Either hand-stitch the egg shut, or use a sewing machine or fabric glue.


• Add a small gift tag to the egg, and give it as a gift!


• There are so many ways you can embellish your eggs! Glue or sew ribbon around the edges of the egg, add beads, sequins, or glitter. Be creative and let your egg show your personality!

You May Also Like:

• Lime Green Play Silk – This large natural silk square isn’t just for playing with! Use it to wrap your Easter gifts or to line an Easter basket!


• Scramble Squares Bunnies – Challenge your brain and see if you can put the bunnies together again!


• The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit – Share this timeless classic with your kids this Easter! A fun read-aloud book!

Copyright © 2007-2011 Escapade Direct LLC. All rights reserved. All content on this site is property of Escapade Direct LLC and may not be used without our written permission.

We’re giving away a Fischertechnik Building Kit to one lucky winner!

The Fischertechnik Junior Starter Jumbo Pack building kit ensures quick, playful construction success. It helps children learn simple functions, such as how to use a winch or a dumper truck with moving dump skid. With this jumbo pack, children can build all four Junior Starter models at the same time. The instruction leaflet also contains suggestions for making up to six more advanced models.

Young design engineers can learn about everyday technology while playing. The wordless diagrams let even pre-readers learn and have fun!

For product details, click Fischertechnik Junior Starter Set.

To Enter:
To enter our Sweepstakes, join our Escapade Direct Facebook Page, then click on the Sweepstakes link on the left-side of our page to enter!

Good Luck!

Prize Eligibility:
Only persons residing in the United States who are at least 18 years of age may enter.

Sweepstakes Starts:
March 25, 2011 @ 7:03 pm (CDT)

Sweepstakes Ends:
April 24, 2011 @ 05:03 pm (CDT)

Click the link above and enter today!

Click Engineering Sets to see our complete collection of Fischertechnik sets.

Anomia – Where Common Knowledge Becomes Uncommonly Fun

Have you ever thought about the fact that our minds are positively brimming with all sorts of random information? Things to eat, pop songs, websites, etc….

Normally, it’s easy to give an example of a frozen food or a dog breed; but can you do it before your opponent has a chance to blurt out their answer? Who knows! Pay attention, it could be your turn at any time!

Anomia will have everyone laughing out loud while they try to beat each other to the punch. Beware! While you may think giving an example for a type of shoe or an ice cream flavor might be easy, you will find that your brain works a little differently under pressure!

Think! Shout! Laugh! Buy Anomia today! Click this link for more information and to preview the game instructions.

Perfect for 3 to 6 players, ages 10 and up (we think younger kids can play, too).

A Mensa Select National Competition Winner

Click New Arrivals to see all the new things we have in store for you!

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” — Robert Frost

Fill your month with poetry!

There are many different types of poems – here are some examples: acrostic poem; ballad; chorus; cinquain; couplet, diamonte; epigram; free verse; haiku; limerick; nursery rhyme; ode; pantoum; rhymed verse; riddle rhyme; sestina; sonnet; tercet; and villanelle.

Try to read and write one of these types of poems every day in April! It’s a fun activity for the entire family!

Here are a couple activities to do with your family:

• Write a Diamonte – A “diamonte” is a seven-line poem that gradually changes from one idea to a direct opposite, and does not rhyme. When the poem is completed, it is in the shape of a diamond. This is a fun poem for kids to write! Click this link for instructions and for a template you can download and use.


• Memorize a Poem – Choose your favorite poem and encourage your kids to memorize it. Read the poem aloud several times, then have your kids read the poem aloud. Repeat this process at least once a day until the poem is memorized.


• Discuss the Meaning of the Poem – While reading a poem, ask your kids to express their interpretation of what they think the poem means. Talk about the words used in the poem, as well as the feelings the poem makes you feel when you read or hear the poem.

Here is a list of some excellent poetry books to check out:

• A Child’s Introduction to Poetry – Listen While You Learn – This book and CD set explores poetry and has examples of every style. It encourages kids to listen, read, and learn poetry.
• Writing Poetry with Children – This reproducible resource book provides practice writing six types of poetry using engaging learning experiences and lessons.
• Joyful Noise – Poems for Two Voices – The poems in this book are written to be read aloud by two voices – sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous. This is really one of our favorite books!
• The Humorous Verse of Lewis Carroll – This is the largest collection of Lewis Carroll’s verse every compiled! It’s a must-have for every home library.
• Poetry for Young People – All the books in this series are full of interesting poems and beautiful illustrations. We highly recommend the entire series!
• A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson – The poems in this book perfectly capture a child’s wonder, imagination, and fascination with everyday things.
• The Barefoot Book of Classic Poems – 74 poems trace our journey through life from birth to old age in this classic treasury. Click this link to preview the book online.
• Wishes, Lies, and Dreams – Teaching Children to Write Poetry – The classic, inspiring account of a poet’s experience teaching school children to write poetry.

Celebrate Earth Day this month! Recycle used paper around your house and turn it into something new!

Kids love to take things apart to see how they work. Sometimes taking a closer look at something makes an ordinary object seem extraordinary. Take an ordinary envelope for example – once you take it apart and open it up, you can see how it was made and discover a new shape. And, you can also use the autopsied envelope to create more envelopes!

This is a fun activity for kids, and a great way to teach recycling and repurposing – perfect for Earth Day this month!

What You Will Need:

• Several different-sized Envelopes (new or used)


• Brown Paper Bag


• Pencil


• Marker


• Scissors


• Tape or Glue Stick


• Newspaper, optional


• Wrapping Paper, optional


• Old Calendar Pages, optional

What You Do:

• Have your child look at an envelope and guess what shape it will be when it is unfolded.


• Carefully slide your finger under the flaps that are glued together and pull them apart.


• Unfold the envelope completely and lay it flat. Was it the shape your child thought it would be?


• Unfold a variety of envelopes and see if they are all made the same or different.


• To make your own envelopes, place one of the unfolded envelopes on a sheet of brown paper bag, newspaper, wrapping paper, calendar pages, junk mail, or any other type of paper that would be suitable for an envelope. We especially like to use old maps.


• Use a marker to trace around the unfolded envelope template onto the paper of your choice.


• Use a pencil to draw along the lines of where the envelope folds. Make sure to press hard with the pencil, as this will create the fold lines for your new envelope.


• Cut out the envelope shape along the marker lines.


• Fold your new envelope along the faint dented lines where the pencil was pressing. Fold the bottom in first, then the two sides.


• Use a glue stick or tape to glue the bottom and side flaps together – your envelope is ready to be used! Write a letter, place it into the new envelope, then fold the top flap down and glue it shut. Your envelope is ready to mail!

Variations:

• If you are going to mail your envelope, make sure the address can be clearly seen. You may need to glue a small white square to the front of the envelope to write the address on, especially if you are using colorful paper to make the envelope.


• If you plan on making a lot of envelopes, trace your envelope onto a piece of chipboard to make a new template. The chipboard makes it easier to trace around and will last longer.


• Don’t stop at envelopes! Take apart other packages found in your house to see how they are made, and to use them as templates for new objects. For example, autopsy a cereal box or paper milk carton.

You May Also Like:

• Blank Tags – Use these blank tags to create cards, invitations, gift tags, altered art projects, and so much more!


• Blank White Craft Box – This hinged-lid box is perfect for holding all your new envelopes and letters! It can also be decorated however you like!


• Blank Postcards – Design your own postcards with this blank set!


• 3D Greeting Cards with Envelopes – Personalize this unique assortment of three dimensional greeting cards!

Copyright © 2007-2011 Escapade Direct LLC. All rights reserved. All content on this site is property of Escapade Direct LLC and may not be used without our written permission.

Did you know April 1st through the 8th is National Dark Sky Week? It’s a perfect chance to temporarily reduce light pollution and raise awareness about the effects of artificial light on the night sky. It’s also a great time to explore astronomy.

Turn off your lights, get out the telescope or binoculars, and enjoy the night sky this week!

Here are some ideas to help get you started:

• Night Sky Activity – Count the Stars – Did you know that on an average night, it is possible to view 1,500 stars in the sky? Here’s your chance to count them with this simple night sky viewer!
• Star-Light, Star-Bright – Children of all ages love the anticipation of staying up until dark to watch the stars come out. It’s a magical experience, not soon forgotten.

You May Also Like:

• The Constellations – Stars and Stories – It’s not always easy to find the 88 constellations, but this illustrated guidebook will lead you through the stars and make gazing at them a more meaningful experience.


• Laser Stars – Bring the universe INSIDE with this way-cool laser star projector!


• The Stars – A New Way to See Them – This book provides clear, vivid text with charts and maps showing the positions of the constellations the year round. Click this link to view this book online!


• Pocket Star Finder – Discover the night sky over North America, Europe, and Asia as you explore the stars! All you need is a clear night and this stellar tool to identify all the major constellations and find the visible planets.


• Night Wonders – When you shine a flashlight into the night sky, the light speeds away from you at 186,000 miles per second. If the light escapes the Earth’s atmosphere, it can soar through outer space and on to the stars. How would you like to stow aboard that flight?

Children of all ages love to receive small Spring-time gifts at Easter. Little gifts can be hidden inside plastic eggs, or tucked inside an Easter basket. But there are lots of other creative ways to wrap those special Spring gifts, too!

Here are some ideas to get you started…

Tubtrugs Not only is a Tubtrug a perfect basket to use for Easter, it becomes a durable, useful household item, too! Place green shredded paper into the Tubtrug, then fill with special surprises. Add a colorful bow to the handle, along with a customized gift tag and you have an Easter basket that is sure to put a smile on the recipients face! Available in six bright colors and four sizes – you’re sure to find the perfect one!
Cloth Drawstring Bags A small Cloth Drawstring Bag is a fun way to hold little gifts! Customize the bag by using craft paint, fabric paint, markers, ink pads, or our Iron-On Transfer Paper. We like to use our Iron-On Transfer Paper to transfer vintage Easter images onto the cloth bags – good old-fashioned fun! Regardless of how you decorate the bags, they make a great alternative or addition to using plastic eggs for an Easter Egg Hunt!
Take Out Boxes Customize a White Wire Handle Box to hold your Easter surprises! Use craft paint, permanent markers, or Nature Paper stickers to decorate the outside of the box. Not sure what to put in the box? We like to place a sealed, zippered-top plastic bag full of potting soil into the bottom of the box, followed by a seed package of favored flower seeds. Top this off with a few foil wrapped chocolates and a gift tag, and you have a wonderful Spring gift! When it’s time to plant, the gift box can be used as the seed starter – simply dump the soil right into the box, plant the seeds in the soil, add water, and watch your garden grow!
Glassine Bags These simple Glassine Bags are perfect for holding candy and make a great table decoration, too! Fill a bag with colorful candies (our favorite for Easter is Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds). We also like to include a slip of origami paper inside the bag – either patterned or a bright solid color. Fold over the top of the bag, then use a paper punch to punch two holes into the folded top and tie a colorful ribbon through the holes. Cut an egg shape from white cardstock, decorate the egg with markers or colored pencils, and glue it to the treat bag, or attach it to the ribbon. A simple, yet elegant party treat!
Play Silks Instead of using plastic “grass” to line your Easter baskets, use a Green Play Silk instead! Not only does this look great, but the Play Silk becomes a fun gift, too! The Play Silk gives your basket a unique flair. And when the holiday is over, the Play Silk becomes a great item for creative and imaginative play!
Folding Boxes Make an origami-style box to hold your gifts! Use your favorite art supplies and be creative as you decorate this special box. Once you have the flat shape decorated, simply fold along the creases to form a box. Fill the box with special holiday treats and trinkets. The top snaps down to hold the contents in place. These folding boxes make unique table decorations, too!

Visit our Easter Shop for lots of fun gift ideas! And… we have over 900 fun products that are under $10! That’s a whole lot of fun!

Copyright © 2007-2011 Escapade Direct LLC. All rights reserved. All content on this site is property of Escapade Direct LLC and may not be used without our written permission.

Zolo-Blanko!

Let your imagination guide you as you create crazy creatures and wacky gizmos… build anything you can imagine with the way-cool black and white pieces in this Zolo-Blanko set.

You know what the best part is? Once you build your sculpture, you get to add your own color and designs by drawing or painting directly on the pieces! Is that cool, or what?!

The pieces in this set are specially coated in a way that allows you to use paint, markers, crayons, stickers, beads and more to customize the pieces! Want temporary designs? Just use chalk, tempera paint, gouache, washable markers or repositionable stickers. Want something permanent? Use paper, beads, or permanent markers.

We think this set is a very open-ended set with lots of creative possibilities for play. Here are some of our ideas to get you started:

• Easter Egg Hunt – With Easter less than a month away, use the pieces from this set as prizes for your Easter Egg Hunt! Place one Zolo-Blanko piece inside a plastic Easter egg. When all your eggs are full, hide them around your house for your kids to find. When all the eggs have been found and collected, let your kids open their eggs to reveal these unique pieces. Show them how to assemble the pieces to make cool contraptions and how to decorate the pieces with washable markers. What a fun surprise!


• Turn Zolo-Blanko into a game – Place the pieces on a table where all the players can reach them. Set a timer to begin the game. All players reach for pieces and construct a sculpture as quickly as they can before the time runs out. When time is up, players vote on the most creative sculpture, the largest sculpture, the smallest sculpture, and the most unique sculpture. Everyone is a winner! To extend the game, provide washable markers and let the players further customize their pieces before voting begins.


• Describe the Shape – Place all the Zolo-Blanko pieces in a box or large sack. Encourage young children to reach inside the bag, choose a piece, then describe the shape of the piece while touching it inside the box or sack. Is it round, curvey, square, pointy? What does it feel like – for example, a snake, a porcupine? This activity gets kids thinking in creative ways and allows them to experience a variety of shapes and use descriptive words to describe them to others.


• A Creative Writing Exercise – Encourage your kids to create creatures using the Zolo-Blanko pieces. Arrange the creatures on a table, then write a short story about the creatures. Give them names and personalities. Determine the setting and location for your story, then send your creatures off on an adventure. Perhaps the creatures are aliens from a distant planet, or maybe creatures that live at the bottom of the sea. Be creative and have fun!

Go ahead! Invent, construct, design – be creative!

Click Zolo-Blanko for more information and to get your set today!

Click New Arrivals to see all the new things we have in store for you!

Copyright © 2007-2011 Escapade Direct LLC. All rights reserved. All content on this site is property of Escapade Direct LLC and may not be used without our written permission.