Monopoly: Then and Now

In 1903, Elizabeth Magie, a supporter of Henry George's single land value tax argument, patented a board game entitled, The Landlord's Game, to illustrate "how the landlord has an advantage over other enterprisers, and also how the single tax would discourage speculation." The Landlord's Game grew in popularity, particularly among business students and Quakers, who drew up their own versions on oilcloths and "considered it a point of honor" not to commercialize the game and succumb to the capitalist system. How ironic that this same game became today's Monopoly, a cutthroat game that determines its winner by his ability to shrewdly monopolize property and bankrupt the other players.

Melissa Doug

"The Landlord's Game" passed from parlor table to table, evolving into "Monopoly" then "Auction Monopoly" and even into a game called "Finance" that was marketed by student, Dan Layman, and manufactured by Electronic Laboratories, Inc. In the 1930's, Ruth Hoskins, an Atlantic City resident, renamed all of Monopoly's now-famous properties by using the street names of friends who also lived in the area (although, such properties as B & O Railroad and Shortline were inventions of her imagination). It was this version of Monopoly that was introduced by Hoskins' friends, Eugene and Ruth Raiford, to Charles Darrow.

Melissa Doug

Broke, unemployed and expecting a child during the height of the Great Depression, Darrow marketed the game as his own invention, selling Monopoly to several stores in Philadelphia before he brought it to Parker Brothers in 1934. The game manufacturer was fighting off bankruptcy when Darrow approached them. By the end of the first year, Parker Brothers had sold over 1 million Monopoly games. With such a vested interested in the game, Parker Brothers, upon discovering that Darrow did not own complete rights to Monopoly, bought out all other versions, including "The Landlord's Game," from Magie, "Finance" that ended up belonging to David W. Knapp, and "Inflation" owned by a Rudy Copeland in Texas.

Parker Brothers has since been bought out by General Mills, then subsequently sold to Hasbro in 1991. Monopoly continues to evolve now with hometown editions developed by USAopoly and brand new Monopoly U-Build and Monopoly: Revolution Edition expected to release in time for the holiday season. More than 275 million copies of Monopoly have been sold in 111 countries and 43 different languages, and more than 1 billion people have played the game since 1935.

Monopoly: Then and Now

Melissa Doug

Christmas Sales Melissa and Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Butterfly Chest Kit 201

Dec 09, 2011 11:26:27

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Christmas Sales Melissa and Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Butterfly Chest Kit Feature

Includes a Wooden Treasure Chest, Glitter Glue, Sparkling Plastic Jewels, 4 Pots of Paint, and a Paintbrush
Latching Wooden Chest Features a Raised Butterfly on the Lid
Box is Perfect for Jewelry and Other Small Treasures
Makes a Great Party or Rainy Day Activity
Safety Information: Recommended for Children Ages 4 and Up / Contains Small Parts / Conforms to ASTM-4236

Christmas Sales Melissa and Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Butterfly Chest Kit Overview

Inspire your little designer with the Melissa and Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Butterfly Chest Kit! This fun craft kit includes a wooden treasure chest, glitter glue, sparkling plastic jewels, 4 pots of paint, and a paintbrush. The latching wooden chest features a beautiful raised butterfly on the lid. Its perfect for jewelry and other small treasures! The Decorate-Your-Own Kit makes a great party or rainy day activity!

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Developing Your Child's Potentials - Parental Guidance is Advised

It is every parent's dream to see one's child become successful in one way or another. That is why while still young, children's skills should already be discovered and developed. Some think that this can only be done by enrolling their children in centers that promise to mold the talents of their kids, but is there an easier and cheaper way?

Melissa Doug

Developing your child's talents can be done somewhere familiar wherein your child will totally feel comfortable and at ease - where else, but your own home! It is easier for children to be themselves when around the people whom they are familiar with, like their parents. The presence and support of parents play a big role in the development of a child's skills. Perhaps you're thinking - Who says that I'm going to enroll my child in some center? I might as well just pay for those lessons which can be held at home, that way we would still be there to watch and support our child. Well, another thing is, you are probably just going to waste your money on classes that will not even be remembered clearly by your young children when they grow up. So, why bother taking them to professionals when you can help and teach them, yourselves?

Melissa Doug

So, here are simple steps to help you discover and develop your child's skills:

o Experiment - Think of the different fields of expertise as a set of different TV shows. At first, you would let your child watch all the TV shows you can think of, and after being exposed to these TV shows for quite some time, your child would probably end up choosing one or two over the others. Nevertheless, the point is that you will not be able to discover that thing your child is especially good at without exposing him to most, if not all, of the possible options. You can buy your child a number of educational toys or instruments especially for kids at very low prices. Melissa and Doug offers a wide range of toys that can help your child discover the thing he enjoys doing the most.
o Nurture. - Now that you have figured out your child's expertise, you must now develop it. You can nurture your child's talent by joining him while he is playing. Let's say for instance, your child's field of expertise is playing the piano; you can just sit beside him and teach him the basic songs that you know, and then you can sing along with him. Or perhaps he enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles; you can help him find the missing pieces. There are endless possibilities!

See, you don't need to spend a lot of money in order to discover and develop your child's skills. Your child just needs useful yet uncostly toys to aid him, a peaceful and comfortable environment, and of course, his parents' guidance and support. Cheers!

Developing Your Child's Potentials - Parental Guidance is Advised

Melissa Doug

Christmas Sales Melissa & Doug Jewelry Box - DYO 201

Dec 08, 2011 12:39:15

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Christmas Sales Melissa & Doug Jewelry Box - DYO Feature

All-inclusive kit includes craft glue, glitter glue, sparkling gems, and glitter stickers
Add your creative touch to the decoration of this divine wooden jewelry box
The latching chest has a velvet lined base and a safety mirror inside the lid
Exceptional quality and value

Christmas Sales Melissa & Doug Jewelry Box - DYO Overview

Make a jewelry box that is all your own with the Melissa and Doug Decorate-Your-Own Wooden Jewelry Box Kit! This fun craft kit includes craft glue, glitter glue, sparkling gems, and glitter stickers to personalize and decorate to your hearts content! This pink and purple latching jewelry box features a velvet lined base and a safety mirror inside the lid. Its perfect for storing jewelry and personal treasures!

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Kids Develop Skills by Playing With Wooden Building Blocks

Wooden building blocks can promote learning and develop physical skills in young children. They are one of the oldest and simplest of all toys; carved from wood, in various shapes and painted different colors. Most of us remember these from our own childhood. Our parents, grandparents and many generations before that would also remember, fondly, the hours spent building with these toys.

Melissa Doug

Though wooden blocks toys are so simple, they are effective developmental tools for kids, even more effective than many of the high-tech electronic toys that seem to come and year after year. There are many ways these simple building blocks can shape and develop our children.

Melissa Doug

Building blocks challenge kids to build bigger, stronger structures and to be more creative. Kids can build great fortresses and bridges. These simple toys help kids to open their imaginations, where they travel to distant lands and we battled evil empires. Kids will build structures then tear them down, only to build them again. These toys help kids take ideas from our imagination and bring them into physical realities.

A child learns logic and reasoning. From simple activities of learning how to pile wooden blocks so they will not topple over to building color patterns a child is learning that they can manipulate the blocks. They use them as their tools and can make patterns and structures. A child can learn through trial and error what works. A child will sit for hours figuring out how to best build a fortress out of building blocks. While one piece may not work, they will keep trying until they have it as they want it. Only then, to tear it all down and begin again.

Kids can even learn negotiation playing with blocks. Many childcare centers and pre-schools and schools keep building blocks available for their students. As kids gather around to play with these blocks, they learn social skills and interaction. If a child wants blocks of a certain size or color, they learn to work with other children to get these. They also learn to work as a team and build things together. These are important learning skills for young children.

While we as adults may see wooden building blocks as simple toys, our children see them as tools of play. We may assume that they only teach them colors, shapes and the simple concept of gravity. In reality wooden blocks stretch the minds, reasoning skills, math skills and many other abilities.

Many studies have shown that children who play with blocks have higher reasoning skills. Children that play with blocks have better math skills. Autistic children have been shown to interact social better with building block play.

Help your kids develop skills by playing with wooden building blocks. For best results, get down on the floor and challenge them to use their imagination. Ask them to build different structures. Have them show you how a building or a scene looked in a story you just read. It really works!

Wooden blocks may be simple and low-tech but they have proven themselves to such an extent that they are found in almost every child's toy box. They are a hands on, mind challenging, eye/hand coordination toy that will never be replaced with a battery operated alternative.

Kids Develop Skills by Playing With Wooden Building Blocks

Melissa Doug

Cyber Monday Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Augie Alligator Sleeping Bag 2011 Deals

Dec 07, 2011 13:50:13

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Cyber Monday Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Augie Alligator Sleeping Bag Feature

Six foot long sleeping bag
Featuring Sunny Patch characters
Stuffed with comfy polyester
?Bedtime? may become the most popular word in your house
Exceptional Quality and value

Cyber Monday Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Augie Alligator Sleeping Bag Overview

Bedtime may become the most popular word in your house when Augie Alligator is there Stuffed with comfy polyester, this six foot long sleeping bag is sure to inspire exciting dreams.

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Why a Children's Easel Can Benefit Early Learning

Whether or not a child is home schooled, the way in which they learn plays a major role in their future. Statistics have shown that a children's easel is a very useful tool in teaching young children the very basics. For one, the need for writing is quickly attained and through the use of chalkboards and easels, learning to write becomes easier and faster. Another reason they are beneficial is when dealing with the idea of memorization. It is a proven fact that a person, especially a child, remembers something much better when they are writing it down at the same time. Whether it be an art easel, or a Crayola easel, one basic tool that can be used for teaching children is in fact an easel.

Melissa Doug

So how do they really benefit learning? Well of course, there is the learning how to write aspect. But deeper than that it gives children the confidence they need for success at a very young age. If you are home schooling or simply playing school at home, using a propped up easel at the front of the room can force your child out of their comfort shell. For example, if you suspect your child may end up with a speech impediment or that they'll have problems speaking in front of crowds, this can help. Research has shown that when a child learns young, that going to the front of the class/room, and presenting an idea out loud or by writing will further their developmental skills, and in some cases by pass any social or speaking difficulties.

Melissa Doug

The development of a social phobia or speech impediment can very much limit your child, especially in their schooling. But by increasing their writing and speaking at home with the use of an easel, the chances are slim to none. Partaking in activities such as playing school or bank will automatically increase your young child's comfort zone in the classroom. They will therefore be more apt to going to the chalkboard during demonstrations, and hopefully raising their hands whenever possible. Teaching your child to write at a young age can be extremely beneficial to their cognitive learning. Reading, writing, and examining will quickly become second nature with this tool at hand.

Why a Children's Easel Can Benefit Early Learning

Melissa Doug

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A Child and Wooden Building Blocks

When my kids were small we didn't have much money for toys, but we made sure that the toys they did have would be useful and that would encourage the brain's imagination. Their dad made them some wooden toys and they made toys too, but wooden toy blocks were always a favorite toy no matter what they were doing. What child doesn't delight to see how high he can build his tower of building blocks? Wooden building blocks can be used for so many activities.

Melissa Doug

One game that was played was to see how many wooden blocks could be loaded in a wagon or box. This teaches stacking and learning how to stack correctly. It was interesting to watch to see how they would try to get as many wooden blocks in and then try to improve that count the next time by reorganizing their wooden blocks a different way.

Melissa Doug

Wooden building blocks come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. The ones that I prefer the best are blocks that are in their natural colors. No paints or stains, but a variety of different types of wood. This is another educational lesson for children to see that different types of wood will make different colors.

A child doesn't always want to play alone and who can make better playmates than parents themselves? This type of interactive bonding is so important to a child. Parents will look as heros to their children as they play with wooden toy blocks in making their tall towers. A child can only make a tower about as tall as they are, but when they see how high mom and dad can build a tower they will shout with glee.

There is a saying "Children will be children" and that is so true. It is amazing that children are so creative and yet they are so much alike. I have visited some Third World countries and the children in those countries are no different than children here in the US. No, they don't have all the toys that so many children have here, and many are made with what materials they have. What I have noticed is that the one toy that they seem to have is wooden blocks. No they aren't high tech beautiful wooden building blocks but they are wood scraps from whatever they can find to stack. It appears that wooden building blocks are a universal toy that all children and even adults can enjoy and have a learning experience.

In closing, if I were raising my children again, there are many things that I would do over. But one thing I am glad that I don't have to regret is that they had a set of unfinished, wooden building blocks that helped them to learn skills that they are actively using today.

A Child and Wooden Building Blocks

Melissa Doug

Cyber Monday Melissa and Doug Bollie Broom 2011 Deals

Dec 05, 2011 16:09:13

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Cyber Monday Melissa and Doug Bollie Broom Feature

Recommended for Ages 3 Years +

Cyber Monday Melissa and Doug Bollie Broom Overview

Melissa and Doug Bollie Broom.

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Melissa and doug Happy Giddy Chair

Cyber Monday Melissa and doug Happy Giddy Chair 2011 Deals

Dec 04, 2011 17:21:07

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Cyber Monday Melissa and doug Happy Giddy Chair Feature

Recommended for Ages 3 Years +

Cyber Monday Melissa and doug Happy Giddy Chair Overview

Bold stripes and big bug eyes provide a unique seat when your busy child needs to take a break. With a handy cup holder and sturdy metal frame, this folding chair provides a relaxing perch!

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Hot Toys Vs Timeless Value: Melissa and Doug Multi Level Wood Dollhouse

Finding it hard to get your Christmas shopping started this holiday season? Finding it difficult to know where all the hot toys area? Knowing what the top toys are can be a lesson in futility. Toy preferences change over the years, however we think there are items that have timeless qualities. These kinds of toys will provide many hours of play time, year after year and will never go out of fashion. If you can find some of these "best toys" with timeless qualities and tremendous replay potential, you will find you are making a much safer purchase than buying the latest trend, which may be out of fashion by next year. In this article we give an example of a great toy that has timeless value. This toy is the Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Folding Princess Castle.

Melissa Doug

The first thing that can be said about this castle from Melissa & Doug, aside from the fact that it is BIG! Is that it is presented in a very tasteful color scheme and design. This castle has pink roofs, cream-colored brickwork, with green painted ivy and pink and black window panes that look very attractive. The castle folds out to maximize the play area too allowing your daughter to use her dolls, horses and other toys and accessories with the folding castle. Some parts of the castle are removable including two turrets. A flying buttress is also included, a working drawbridge and balconies.

Melissa Doug

The castle is sturdy and built to last. The castle itself does not include accessories but proves an amazing platform to use other accessories and toys, for instance, knights, dragons and fairies. The castle comes pre-assembled except for the top part which is easily moved into place. This toy will keep your daughter immersed in play for hours and can easily be combined with other toys, like another castle if you have a son. This promotes collaborative play between children. In terms of timeless toys, this is one. The Folding castle is sturdy and built to last for years. The whole thing can be folded away and is easily stored in a closet. An attractive and versatile toy, definitely one of the hot toys to look out for when you commence your shopping in preparation for Christmas day 2010.

Hot Toys Vs Timeless Value: Melissa and Doug Multi Level Wood Dollhouse

Melissa Doug

Cyber Monday Melissa and doug Happy Giddy Chair 2011 Deals

Dec 03, 2011 18:33:42

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Cyber Monday Melissa and doug Happy Giddy Chair Feature

Recommended for Ages 3 Years +

Cyber Monday Melissa and doug Happy Giddy Chair Overview

Bold stripes and big bug eyes provide a unique seat when your busy child needs to take a break. With a handy cup holder and sturdy metal frame, this folding chair provides a relaxing perch!

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