DR TOY KEYNOTES 1st CONFERENCE ON CONSTRUCTION TOYS Coordinates Toy Companies for Construction Toy Exhibit
Released on: September 5, 2007, 9:33 am
Press Release Author: Walsh Public Relations
Industry: Education
Press Release Summary: Stevanne Auerbach, PhD, "Dr. Toy" will be a keynote speaker for the first-ever Conference on Construction Toys. She also helped to arrange the First International Construction Products Exhibition, an interactive area and display of many of the world's top construction toys.
Press Release Body: Nicosia, CYPUS - (September 5, 2007) - Stevanne Auerbach, PhD, "Dr. Toy" will be a keynote speaker for the first-ever Conference on Construction Toys, which will take place on Saturday, September 15th at the University of Cyprus, an event spearheaded and sponsored by Engino Toy Systems and the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation in association with The Teacher's Associations. In addition to addressing the attendees at the international conference, Dr. Toy is leading the arrangement of the First International Construction Products Exhibition, an interactive area and display of many of the world's top construction toys, as examples of the tremendous benefits that construction toys offer to children as they learn and grow in the classroom and at home. Costas Sisamos, Chief Executive Officer of ENGINO and lead coordinator of the conference project commented, "This is the first time that all construction toy systems will be displayed under one roof, giving the opportunity to both educators and parents, as well as students learning this important discipline are witness to a demonstration of how quality construction play can inspire innovation and creativity." The Official Conference\'s title is \"Towards intergrading construction kits in Design and Technology\". The Event is co-funded by the Research Promotion Foundation, a Government independent organization that partially funds research projects of innovative character. The funds come from both Government and European Union and are awarded through competitions. ENGINO.NET LTD has been awarded one such project, which involved the design and development of plastic connectors for creating three dimensional frames in the Design and Technology classroom. The University of Cyprus and the Teacher\'s Association -as research partners are developing the educational support material. The whole project was based on the patents of Engineer and Educator Sisamos.
As the subject of Design and Technology is taught in all levels of education in Cyprus, all parties involved in the establishment of the conference agreed that there are great advantages when incorporating construction sets in the classroom, regardless of the toy brand or ethnicity. "Quality construction play inspires innovation and creativity," Sisamos said.
The conference is now addressing several topics including the need to communicate effective solutions with teachers in questioning traditional teaching methods and introducing innovative construction sets that are widely available, many of which will be on display as part of the conference's exhibit. Among the product companyies that are participating in the exhibit all have product that have been recommended by Dr.Toy, including: 1. Astro-logix Design www.astro-logix.com 2. b. dazzle, Inc. - www.b-dazzle.com 3. Blue Orange Games www.blueorangegames.com 4. Bridge Street Toys -www.bridgestreettoys.com 5. BRIO - www.brio.com 6. Dr. Drew\'s Toys www.drdrewsblocks.com 7. Engino Toy System - www.engino.net 8. Fat Brain Toys - www.fatbraintoys.com 9. AirBlox - www.airblox.com 10. HABA - www.HABAusa.com 11. Hands On Toys - www.handsontoys.com 12. Hape International - www.hapetoys.com 13. Hexabits - www.hexabits.com 14. ImagAbili - www.wedgits.com 15. Infinitoy - www.infinitoy.com 16. Jonic Distribution - www.geomag.com 17. Kapla - www.kaplatoys.com 18. KNEX - www.knex.com 19. Learning Materials Workshop - Arcobaleno - www.learningmaterialswork.com 20. Learning Resources - www.learningresources.com 21. LEGO Systems - www.mindstorms.com, www.lego.com 22. Little Tikes/MGA Entertainment - www.litletikes.com 23. Lockmade - www.konstruktubes.com 24. Maple Landmark - www.maplelandmark.com 25. Meccano - www.meccano.com 26. MEGA Brands - www.megabrandsinc.com 27. Mic-O-Mic Americas - www.micamericas.com 28. Mr. McGroovy\'s - www.mrmcgroovys.com 29. Museum Tour Catalog - www.museumtour.com 30. Origin Toys & Games - askewgames@aol.com 31. OWI - www.owirobot.com 32. ParentsŪ by Battat - www.parents.com 33. Plastic Play - www.i-gami.com 34. Plasticant-Mobilo - www.mobilo.net 35. Plastwood Industries -www.plastwood.com 36. Playmobil - Zoo - www.playmobil.com 37. Playskool/Hasbro Tinker Toy- www.playskool.com 38. Polydron - www.polydron.com 39. Poly-M - Starter - www.polym.com 40. Quadro/Phunzone - www.quadro.com www.phunzone.com 41. Quercetti - www.quercetti.com 42. Rokenbok Toy Company - www.rokenbok.com 43. Tangle Toys - www.tangletoys.com 44. Tinker Minds - www.aerobloks.com 45. Tree Blocks - www.treeblocks.com 46. Uncle Goose Toys - www.unclegoose.com 47. WABA Fun - www.wabafun.com 48. Zometool - www.zometool.com Dr. Toy\'s complete Construction Toys Report is available for reference and download at www.drtoy.com. The listing report includes every company, product, customer service number, web site link, a full product description of each product with photo, and appropriate age range and MSRP. In addition, Dr. Toy award-winning, on-line magazine, Dr. Toy's Guide (www.drtoy.com) features interviews and articles by Dr. Toy, plus hundreds of other Best Products including high to low tech and products for all reasons and seasons. At this time over 4000 products are included on the site with direct links to companies, stores, toy history, parent resources, and much more. A FREE copy of any report is available at www.drtoy.com or by sending a SASE envelope to Dr. Toy.
About DR. TOY As a childhood specialist for over 37 years, Dr. Toy, Director of the Institute for Childhood Resources, founded in San Francisco in 1975, has been a top proponent for the fact that, "Children learn best through play and certain products can encourage children to maximize their potentials and to make the most of 'Smart Play'." Dr. Auerbach, while working for the Department of Education, approved the first proposal for "Sesame Street" and established the first day care center for children of federal employees. In San Francisco she established the San Francisco International Toy Museum, the world's first "hands-on" toy museum visited by over 50,000 children. Dr. Toy, author of 15 books and hundreds of articles on toys and play, is the only Ph.D. in Child Development evaluating the best developmentally appropriate toys and children's products as a resource for parents, teachers, children, and toy enthusiasts. Her best-selling book, Smart Play/Smart Toys, provides tools to enhance the child\'s "PQ" (Play Quotient). It is published in several languages and is internationally available in China, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Korea, Russia, Spain and Thailand. Dr. Auerbach is trained in child development, education, child psychology and special education. She is a parent educator, consultant, parent and playful grandparent. About ENGINO ENGINO.NET LTD was established in 2004 in order to commercialize the patented ideas of Costas Sisamos, the designer of ENGINO TOY SYSTEM. After three years of R&D in the field of pedagogical construction play, the basic System was made available in late 2006. The Technology System followed up soon, which incorporates axles, gears, pulleys and other mechanical components. The company is based in Cyprus but it has also set up a UK branch for handling the large UK market directly. Although the product was just recently launched, it already received prestigious awards such as Dr.Toy\'s 10 BEST and 100 BEST, and is now exported to USA, France, Korea, Norway, UK, Greece and Czech very successfully. The innovation of ENGINO lies in the ability to snap lock at many different positions simultaneously while being able to tackle all dimensions of the 3D space, not being restricted by any angle or length. The System is also fully compatible with wooden dowels of 10x10 mm and is perhaps the first hybrid toy in the world. The patented design of the components leads to very large builds using a very low number of different components and a small quantity of parts.
For additional information about the Conference on Construction Toys, please visit http://www.ucy.ac.cy/
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