BAG YOURSELF A GOLDEN BARGAIN

Sadly Murray did not win the Wimbledon Mens Tennis final. Bradley Wiggins did however excel in the Tour de France and won, fantastic! This week will see the final countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games. Friday will be the opening ceremony and all the speculation as to who is going to be the last torch bearer will be revealed. A bit like the Olympics, we are getting our heads slowly but surely around the TP spares. Last week we had two willing volanteers from TP to help us identify some of the random pieces. We are still waiting for the slow boat from China to arrive with the nets. We have been assured it is on its way.

The weather has finally dried up long enough for us to cut some grass and make some hay. As always we are eternally optimistic that the bails will be light, otherwise there may be some grunting and groaning!!

The Summer holidays are now upon us and we have a large range of returned items to sell bad box or through the shop. Ideal for keeping your little ones entertained. The sand and water tables are proving popular so keep an eye out for a bargain or two. Better still if you can pop down to the shop you may find it even cheaper.

"FIRSTS"

I have dragged myself away from the tennis final in the hope that the black cloud that is threatening may just give me a chance to write this. It may also safeguard my fingers that are being chewed to the bone. Marray managed to be the wild card that was the first Britain to win the men's doubles all be it with a Dane for a hell of along time. Hopefully Murray will continue to fight his way and do the same. It seems to be a week for firsts, Bradley Wiggins has the yellow jersey in the Tour de France and we this week will have been Blogging and Face booking for a whole year!

When we started I could not envisage a year down the line. If anyone asked me what would alter in that year I would probably say we would consolidate what we were doing. No way in our wildest dreams did we see us taking on TP and a host of new staff to go with it. This week we have a chap coming from TP to identify those crates that have an array of bits that were created in the Dark Ages. We are hopeful that some may be found an alternative home, as harvest is rapidly arriving and corn will be taking over the shed. It could resemble one of those treasure hunts on a giant scale!

Thank you to all of you who have read, supported and inspired us during this year. It has been appreciated and I shan't guess what this next year may bring. I shall head back to see if Andy is winning, there is nothing wrong with positive thought. Till next time, Julie.

FAMILIES!

I hope you all enjoyed the Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebrations. I found myself supping sherry with scrummy cheese scones and cake! It was good to catch up with people I had not seen in a while.

It got me thinking about families and how we remember events in our lives. Having children provides a time line for us that enables us to remember events by, Births, Christenings, First Birthdays, starting School, sitting exams significant Birthdays and Graduations to name but a few of the landmarks. I can always work out how old Phillip is because my daughter insisted on cutting his Christening cake and she was a headstrong two and I just wanted to crawl under the table! Why do they say its parents that embarrass their children?

One of the really nice parts of being involved with a toy shop is that you get to see families grow over the years. New mums coming in with babe in arms, back for their first Birthday present, and then there is Christmas. You get to know them, to see them develop, to hear about their achievements. The best part is when the little one comes back as a proud parent!

Time never stands still, so I'd better get moving. Till next time. Julie

BRING ME SUNSHINE

What beautiful weather!  How nice it is to feel warm again. After the rain, everything is looking vibrant and refreshed. The fields look like a giant patchwork quilt in a myriad of greens and yellows with tractors trundling up an down like toys on a mat. Each has a role to play in creating this hive of industry.

That's what we must look like from above. We have had a very busy week and have seen some old faces return to work with us as well as some new ones. Everyone seems to be in a perpetual state of motion, and no its not just going round in circles. We are getting to grips with TP and are more able to conclude what the customer wants. A TP trampoline that is 14 foot is a good place to start, but that is where the detective work begins. How long the customer has had it? How many springs does it have? These are all questions that help us determine the right one. That is before we work out which part is actually needed. In some cases it is quite straight forward, as in the case of a bed or a net. Other times when it is a nut and bolt it can be quite tricky. Sometimes the customer knows exactly what they have and what they need which is fantastic and a sigh of relief flutters through the office.We are all on a steep learning curve. One thing I can say with certainty is the whole team is doing there very best to get the right item out as quickly as possible. The only team member who is completely unfazed by the whole procedure is Bruce, he's usually found asleep soaking up the sunshine after a night on the tiles!

I hope you all enjoy the sunshine and that it lasts a little bit longer. Till next time, Julie

SAVE OUR MATERNITY SERVICES.

We are still sorting through the TP spares, but are finally sensing there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is  not a bright yellow ball, more a flickering candle.

The swallows have arrived and it is always a delight to see them and a relief that they have made it back in one piece.

Our local Hospital is the Friarage. Most of us had our children there or were born ourselves at its predecessor the Mount. Those were the days when maternity services were kept out of sight and Dads were only allowed to visit once the deed had been done! Now we are having to fight to keep the service from being transferred to James Cook in Middlesborough. Once the concern was whether you would be delayed by the level crossing now its whether you will make it.

Next Saturday the Save the Friarage Service Committee along with the Hambleton branch of the NCT (National Childbirth Trust) are holding a march to protest against the proposed closure. They have been asked by William Hague, Councillor John Blackie and Northallerton Town Council to arrange family events/activities on the Bullamoor Playing Fields.These activities will start some time around 3/3.30pm (there will be a march  from County Hall to Bullamoor Fields at 2pm, at an unpredictable toddler-speed...) until no later than 6.00pm. Anyone who would care to join them will be more than welcome. There will be cakes, activities, a tombola, stalls and much more.

It is easy to take things for granted, but I hope they have a fantastic day and get lots of support. This is a cause that is close to many of our hearts. Till next week, Julie

REVIEW BY MUMS BABY MAGAZINE

I hope you are enjoying your bank holiday. I am keeping you on your toes, at the moment there is no guessing when the blog will be written. This may not be a good thing, but we cannot be accused of being predictable. Don't get me wrong, predictable can be very good, for instance when you go to look for a toy for a customer and you know exactly where it is.

No two weeks are ever the same at Adventure Toys and sometimes they are sprinkled with lovely surprises. This week we were featured in Mums Baby Magazine.

Outdoor play is crucial for children of all ages. Being outside enables children to access sunlight and fresh air. Recent studies show that children in the UK are significantly lacking in vitamin D, an essential vitamin sourced from the sunlight which is hugely beneficial to our health. Therefore it is vital that parents and carers promote outdoor play and activities to children.

Mums Baby Magazine also reviewed the Little Tikes 30th Anniversary Turtle Sandbox, Here is a small sample of what they had to say.

Mums Baby Magazine put the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox 30th Anniversary Edition to the test with one of our little sunshine’s. We placed the sandpit outdoors and found that it took roughly two bags of play sand to fill the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox (30th Anniversary Edition), we then added luke warm water (with added glitter) into the mote along with the squirty turtles and some general sand toys such as buckets, spades, rakes and such like. We ensured that the lid was securely attached to the main sand pit with the provided string. This however took up extra space and we found that removing the lid was actually better as it could then be stored upright out of the way during play to make full use of outdoor space. The Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox (30th Anniversary Edition) is an ideal sand box for small gardens or back yards and accommodates two to three small children during play.

We give the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox 30th Anniversary Edition 9/10.

If you want to read the whole article, use this link. Mums Baby Magazine. Till next time have a good week, Julie

IS THE END IN SIGHT?

I am sorry this weeks blog is late, blame the weather!!

We have finally finished lambing! The sheep have been replaced by TP spares, they are quieter and don't need food and water, but still take up as much space and time. The definite plus is we don't have to get up to them in the middle of the night. Now we just wake up thinking was that a so and so part? We no sooner feel we are beginning to get the crates identified to put away and guess what? Another waggon is booked in. It's that wonderful scenario of climbing a mountain and you think when you get to the next rise you are there, but the top is still not in sight.

On Thursday we had a torrential downpour. Water levels rose quickly and there was too much for the drains to deal with. Water was flowing where it wasn't meant to. It was coming in the back of the shed as quickly as we were desperately trying to sweep it out the front. Thank goodness a lot of the stock was on pallets, so if we could keep the water moving we could stop it reaching the stock. After what seemed like hours we were down to a trickle. The relief was palpable. By night there were some tired aching bodies.

Till next time, have a good week, Julie.

A UNIQUE REQUEST!

Our first day of TP spares and so far so good. We have finished building shelves and are about to start filling them with the various parts. Bobby is rapidly coming to terms with the many trampolines as he puts them away, but he can't believe there have been so many!!

I thought I would share with you one of our more unusual requests for Little Tikes spare parts.

Please can you help with my despair

before I pull out ALL my hair.

The doorbell on my Grandson's 'house'

has gone as quiet as a mouse.

Despite new batteries and a clean

it makes no sounds, not a bean

And now when friends come to call

they get no answer, none at all.

'Is he out again' they say

and find another place to play.

To save the tears and save the day

the doorbell has been thrown away.

A 'knock' sign hangs above the door

but friends can't read, they're only four!

So I ask with all my heart

can you replace the missing part?

With your help I'm pretty sure

friends will return to the 'Magic Door'

How could we refuse such a fantastic request for a doorbell for the Magic Doorbell Playhouse that made us all smile and brightened up our day?

I hope it made you smile too. Till next week, Julie

TP, READY OR NOT!

I hope you all had a good Easter and chocolate passed your lips in one form or another. Since we are no longer in Lent, fasting has ceased and there are no spare chocolate biscuits. Don't get the wrong idea, we are not totally preoccupied by the brown stuff!

As from the middle of next week we will be sending out spare parts on behalf of TP. It feels like we are receiving deliveries daily from TP as they send us all the nuts, bolts and pieces of timber and metal we will need to fulfill the task. These will have to be clearly identified, as I'm afraid one nut looks very much like another.

The office is being rearranged to cater for the avalanche of paper that will ensue in the form of orders, manuals and labels that will be needed. A new office is being created for the spares team so hopefully by next week they will have electricity. Hey, they won't have time to sit down. At the moment the spares are still coming and we have not got the ones we have sorted and found homes for. It is a good job we are well on with lambing. Will we make it by next week............... but of course, but there may be a national shortage of chocolate!! Keep your fingers crossed for us and I'll let you know what happens!! Julie

MISCHIEF AND MAYHEM

What a week it has been!!!

We have had a fantastic response to our Easter competition, with hundreds of imaginative suggestions. The staff had great fun choosing the winning names. A big thank you and congratulations to Evie Grace.

Meet Mischief and Mayhem two angelic lambs!

The rapid change in the weather on Tuesday night caught us all on the hop. The sheep and lambs bore the brunt of it. Wednesday had us battling the elements. After a night of bitter temperatures, harsh winds and driving snow and rain, we weren't home and dry. The amount of rain saw the rivers rising dramatically to burst their banks and sheep having to be move out of danger. Young lambs were frozen through and had to be thawed. The kitchen became an improvised lamb hospital!! Looking at the sun today you would not believe that the weather could have been as severe as it was, or cause as much havoc.

Maundy Thursday and Easter is just a day or two away. We are open Good Friday from 10.00am till 4.00pm and Saturday as normal. Sunday and Monday we will be closed. Have a good Easter. I hope there will be eggs to be rolled and hot cross buns to be devoured, until next week, Julie.

WE'RE HAVING A HEAT WAVE AND ITS ONLY MARCH

I hope you are all enjoying the glorious weather. The lambs are having a whale of a time skipping and scampering across the fields and running races. The shepherd isn't looking quite as exhausted. I think he must have caught up on some of his sleep, regardless of having an hour less in bed on Sunday

What a week it has been! The sunshine has prompted us to do a spot of spring cleaning, trying to get the stores organised before new products come in. Enabling us to find what we want quicker. At the moment there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Spares orders continue to come in at a rate of knots and we are managing to process them and get them out within two to three days, the rest is in the hands of the Post Office. The rise in stamp prices did make us flinch as it did everyone else.

This week on Facebook we launched our Easter competition. Win a John Crane Tag Along Wagon a fantastic prize. We managed to persuade a couple of lambs to sit in it long enough for us to take a photograph. All you have to do to win is come up with a name for the lambs who are hitching a lift. One of the lambs is a breed you may not recognise, called a Zwartble.

Visit Facebook, you can access it from our home page and have a guess or three, until next week when we will announce our winner, keep enjoying the sunshine. Julie

SPRING

The glorious weather has encouraged us to keep building toys for the display. Bobby has assembled the TP slides and is putting together a challenger frame as I write this. Meanwhile Rob is trying to keep up with the demand for cars. I'm not sure that he is up to the speed of a formula one engineer yet, but he's heading in the right direction, either that or he is going round in circles.

Some spare parts have come in and we are trying to process them as quickly as possible as well as keep up with orders. You have also been caught by the Spring clean bug and are wanting to sort your own toys ready for your little ones to play on, so are keeping us on our toes.

Lambing is in full flow, and some of the pets have taken up residence in a Little Tikes playhouse. Who said toys could not be multi purpose!!! There are a few bleary eyes and weary expressions. Not surprising considering there have been some very late finishes as the sheep continue lambing through the night and going to bed blurs with getting up again.

Spring is officially here and this weekend sees the clocks go forward, I won't remind them they will get an hour less in bed, they maybe won't notice! Till next week, Julie.

READY STEADY BUILD

It does not seem five minutes since we were preparing for the sale. The outside display has been cleared, baring a few items. We still have a Little Tikes 8 in 1 Adjustable playground if anyone is able to come along for a bargain. The flip side of clearing the field is we are now in the process of building more climbing frames and houses. In a short time we have managed to erect quite a few houses, so the field is no longer bare. It won't be long before we have a street of houses, all shapes and sizes.

When you get your new toy home. First ensure you have all the pieces required, checking them off against your instructions. It does help to spread them out across the floor, the wider the better. Preferably in or near a doorway so no one can get through. Collect all the tools you may need, screwdriver, rubber mallet, chock of wood and a cup of tea. You are now ready to proceed to follow the instructions step by step in the order it recommends. Congratulations in no time at all you will have it built. As you can see that is exactly what we do!!

I hope all you Mums get a cup of tea in bed on Sunday. Enjoy your day, Julie.

OUR FIRST LAMBS!

Meet our new additions.

Yes, we have started lambing, and steady away is probably a good description. So far we have a couple of pet lambs that are on the bottle, little diddy dots.

Last week we were very busy. The outdoor display had to be washed and everything checked. The shop was rearranged to put all the sale items together, and when we all went home on Friday night the prices were worked out for the following morning.

Saturday 9.00am arrived and the car park was full! Sale day was here. Our annual event was a great success, only a few items remain from the display outside. Bargains were enjoyed by one and all. It was a very busy day and the staff were on the go all the time. We had boxes of sale items that had to be got in when it rained so there were some very tired legs by night. This year we are supporting the Friarage Hospital and donations will be given in the form of toys to the value raised.

For the first time we have had an Internet sale, reducing end of lines even further. So if you have not got your little ones a treat, now's the time to have a look.

Till next time, Julie

HOT OFF THE PRESS!!

The days are lengthening and dare I say it getting warmer!! Spring is hopefully round the corner and it will not be long until we have our first lambs. Watch this space, or face book for a picture.

The first Saturday in March is when we historically hold our sale. This year is going to be slightly different. We are having our sale on Saturday 3rd March. The only day in the whole year that we open at 9.00am instead of 10.00am. Those of you who have been before will know that all the display outside will be cleared (hopefully, we are brilliant at packing cars and modest with it!). Tickets are issued as you arrive (deli style!) so items are sold on a first come first served basis, making it as fair as possible. I am afraid you do have to cross our threshold to purchase the display items. Just in case you cannot remember what our display looks like here is a reminder.

There will also be lots of other toys not just the display items to tempt you. Drum roll!! The big difference this year is that we are holding an Internet sale as well, especially for you, our valued Internet customers. This will start a day later on the Sunday. It will not include display items. So all you bargain hunters, be ready on your starting blocks.

Enjoy the heatwave! Julie

INSPIRATION FOR HALF TERM

The snow has nearly gone and rumour has it that the temperature has risen!! We however remain unconvinced. Half term is being enjoyed by many excited children, who were possibly hoping that the snow would have stayed long enough for them to play in. If you are searching for inspiration as to what you can do with your little ones how about looking at some of the products made by SES.

SES has been the specialist in creative toys for more than 35 years. As you, the experts, know play and learning through play is a vital part of your child's development, and each child develops at their own rate. Play increases concentration, hand eye co-ordination, colour, and shape recognition, and promotes imagination and confidence to name but a few. SES believe that as well as developing these, safety and quality are equally important aspects of all their products, and because everything is produced in house they can guarantee this. Their expertise is enjoyed by more than 14 million satisfied consumers in 70 countries.

We have just got in some new lines that will be fun to use. The super dough now comes with glitter and confetti!!! What more could a little girl want than for everything she makes to have that touch of magic? What is even better is that it won't dry out and it is on special offer.

Have a great Half Term, until next week. Julie

TOY FAIR NUMBER 2

The snow arrived, and one big pup had a whale of a time diving into the snow drifts. Black ice meant a new playground skating the full length of the yard.

The 62nd International Toy Fair has been held. From the 1st to the 6th of February Nuremberg in Germany will have seen approximately 79 000 visitors from 114 countries around the World, making it one of the major events in the toy calender. Everyone wanting to see what the new trend will be. OK, you get the idea it is massive, no way can you do this in a day!!! Not to be left out our Girls were there.

One of the themes for the Toy fair for 2012 was toys for teenagers. Toys4Teens have focused on the interesting target group of 13 to 17 years and their consumer behaviour. Toys4Teens conducted research in Germany speaking directly to their target group and found that teenagers do like to play. Boys probably more than girls!! The favourite being electronic games, and play consoles. Classic games and puzzles came second, with sport, leisure and outdoor toys following in third place. So if you see more emphasis on toys for teenagers over the coming year you know why.

When our girls did eventually make it back, following delays and diversions due to the snow, they were full of enthusiasm and cold. They had seen some beautiful toys, wooden carved animals that looked realistic and very tactile. A kitchen that was unusual because it was made of wood but folded flat for storing under a bed! Just a small taster of the many things that caught their attention and have us all excited. Watch this space, we will be getting some very different, but brilliant toys in that we can't wait to try out.

Sorry perks of working in a toy shop. Keep wrapped up. Julie

WELCOME TO THE TOY FAIR

The girls returned safe and sound having walked their little socks off. Brim full of new ideas and new toys that they had seen. As with the best military manoevers an army marches on its stomach, and our fair maids are no different. Breakfast was bacon butties courtesy of British Rail, while a plan of action was hatched and the troops briefed.


As you can see the Toy Fair at Olympia covers quite an area. There are no short cuts, and a systematic approach works best. You may miss something of vital importance!

TP Toys have been taken over by Mookie Toys, they developed the Swingball. It was nice to meet the team and hear some of their plans. It looks like they are going to continue with most of the lines that TP had, and are progressing with the Castlewood Range which will be arriving in March/April. We are quite excited about these.

A company that caught their eye sold garden games with Shaun The Sheep!! Home from home! When all this became too much there were masseurs on hand to ease away the tension.

A spot of market research was conducted in a top London store. They were very eager to reassure us that our prices were far more competitive by a good ten pounds!! By the end of all this there were four very tired ladies.

Until next week, take care, Julie.

HEADING TO THE SMOKE

The girls have headed south to London for the Toy Fair. We assume they caught the 7.50am train as they did not show up for work. I bet there will be some sore feet by bedtime. Hopefully they will come back with lots of new ideas. Next week will see them jetting off to Nuremberg, so watch this space.

I'm not sure they will be having haggis, neaps and tatties. Burns night will be celebrated in many a home and hostelry. The Scottish National treasure will have his ode to the haggis recalled with great ceremony, no doubt followed by a wee dram, just to keep the cold out you understand.

One of the new toys that Little Tikes are bringing out this Spring are the pillow racers. There will be a ladybird, dinosaur and a turtle. These lovable cushioned characters allow your little one to race around on their new best friend. The caster wheels let them make 360 degree turns in any direction. The soft washable cover is easy to remove for washing, or cuddling up on for a short nap, recharged and ready for the off.

I think this could be great fun, I think my legs may be too long and I'm not sure I would get up again, but may just have to try in the interest of research. Enjoy your Burns Night, Julie

HAPPY NEW YEAR

A Happy and Healthy New Year to you all.

I hope you all had a good Christmas and Santa brought exactly what you wished for. We did have one very worried little one who thought Santa would not come if there was no snow. Hopefully come Christmas morning all fears were allayed. The decorations have been packed away for another year. New Year resolutions have been made, and as yet are still being adhered to. No doubt it will not be long before there are Easter eggs in the shops!

Our spares department has been very busy and we are now clearing the previous days orders. There are some items that we are out of stock of, but we will let you know this when you order. If any of you do need any spare parts for your little Tikes toys give us a ring on 01609 881302 or email us on spares@adventuretoys.co.uk.

The farm is fairly quiet at the moment. The majority of the sheep have been brought inside, and have been sorted into pens depending on how many lambs they are expecting. Hopefully there won't be any surprises before the end of February.

Next week sees the start of the Toy Fairs. The first one we will go to is in London, at Olympia. In the next few weeks I will be able to tell you about some of the new toys that will be available later in the year. What we liked and are looking forward to getting in.

Rumor has it that we may get some snow this weekend. I hope you are all prepared and have your sledges ready!!

Till next week keep warm. Julie