The Office Playground Blog

April is National Autism Awareness Month

April is National Autism Awareness Month. Autism is a complex spectrum disorder that affects kids and adults. To learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) visit The Autism Society Web Site.

Office Playground has a wide variety of toys that can help people facing the unique challenges of autism find some relaxation and fun. Fidget toys provide a unique tactile experience with different textures. Some toys with sound or repetitive actions are relaxing and comforting. There are also toys for developing large motor skills, fine motor skills, and coordination.

See Autism Toys from Office Playground here.

Image courtesy of Beverly.

Drink More Coffee and be Healthier

Coffee can be good for you! That's super news because if you're among the 108 million Americans that partake in coffee daily, you're going to drink it anyway, right? Now you can say it's for your health and not because you just...NEED IT! Since coffee is such a huge part of office culture, we wanted to give you some bullet points on the health benefits from coffee. (Remember, I'm not a doctor nor am I an expert; I just really love my coffee.)

Reduced Diabetes Risk – After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculate that compared with not partaking in America's favorite morning drink, downing one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by single digits. But having six cups or more each day slashed men's risk by 54% and women's by 30% over java avoiders. (Source: Web MD)

Other diseases and health problem reduction – At least six studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's, with three showing the more they drink, the lower the risk. Other research shows that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups daily can translate to a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in liver cirrhosis risk, and nearly half the risk of gallstones. (Source: Web MD)

And even more healthy benefits – There's also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities. (Source: Web MD)

Just a little side note folks: Of course, I recommend talking to your doctor about your own situation and whether or not coffee is right for you.

With all the benefits of coffee, there are bound to be some downsides. But, with my simple-to-follow guide, they're easy to overcome:

1. Bad Breath – eat a mint
2. Brown Teeth – brush them more often
3. Coffee Stains – don't spill it
4. Expensive – make your own and bring it to work

If you're a coffee fanatic, consider the Coffee To-Go Cup Stress Reliever. When you get your new foam coffee cup, put it on your desk to remind yourself and others that you are such a health nut, squeeze it to relieve stress throughout the day, and admire it because it's cute.

 

Cheers!

Bill Ross
The Office Toy Guy
OfficeToyGuy@OfficePlayground.com

www.OfficePlayground.com
We help you play on company time.

Top image courtesy of Brianna Privett.

Top 10 Toys that Promote Creativity

How important is creativity in your job? Being "creative" and thinking "outside of the box" are huge business buzzwords these days. We don't claim to be business consultants who can help you creatively "re-engineer, re-organize or re-invent" your business model. We do claim to be experts at playing with creative toys at work. We believe that if you can express creativity with desk toys daily, the bigger picture stuff will fall into place naturally. To make sure you have the right creativity toys on your desk or meeting room table, we have compiled a list of our Top 10 Toys that Promote Creativity.

Often, it's hard to have a breakthrough moment when you are focusing too hard on finding a solution. By playing with toys, you actively work your brain while giving your subconscious a chance to come up with the answer. With these fun office toys, you can maintain a clever and productive mind while creating sculptures, shapes or designs from putty, magnetic art, or buildable puzzles. Have a pumped up brainstorming session with a fun shaped wipe-off board. Take your drawings and doodles to the next level with a pin art board, magnetic drawing board, or Wikki Stix.

Check out our Top 10 Toys that Promote Creativity. What will you create?

		Magnetic Cubism
		Human Pyramid - Color
		Thinking Putty - Chameleon
		Wikki Stix
		Ball of Whacks - Red
		Incrediwall - Talk Bubble 24x18
		Executive Sandbox - Day at the Beach
		Finger Drums
		Etch A Sketch Keychain
		Pin Art - Metal 5x7"

Are you inspired? Send us a photo of your creation using a product from Office Playground for the chance to win a free surprise gift. Send entries to officetoyguy@officeplayground.com by 2/28/2010. Click here for more details.

Playfully,

Bill Ross
The Office Toy Guy
OfficeToyGuy@OfficePlayground.com

www.OfficePlayground.com
We help you play on company time.

Get Smart! - The Benefits of Puzzles

At OfficePlayground.com, we often mention that one of the main benefits of playing with office toys at work is to help reduce stress. But, did you know that playing at work can make you smarter?

Well, your IQ probably won't increase and you still might think the capital of Oregon is Portland, but you can boost your brain power with a mini-workout each day.

According to the September 2009 issue of Redbook Magazine, "research has shown that doing puzzles—from crosswords and Sudoku to Rubik’s Cube—might help ward off diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia." Further, the recommendation is to spend 10 minutes a day exercising your brain muscle.

We've always loved the Office Playground Puzzle Category because of classics like Rubik’s Cube and the Fifteen Puzzle. And as always, these old standbys don't disappoint. But, more recent products like the Find It games and the Hoberman Brain Twist give a fun flair to puzzling.

Visit our puzzles category to pick out your next piece of exercise equipment so you can start to get smarter just by sitting at your desk and playing. No pain, a lot of gain. It doesn't get easier than that!

Gumby vs. Mr. Bill

Who would win a battle between Gumby and Mr. Bill? Both are animated clay figures that made their debut to the public on popular TV shows, both have made their way into feature length films, and both are immortalized as bendable figurines. We decided to collect the facts to predict the winner of this potentially famous battle.

Name: Gumby
Debuted: August 1956
Creator: Art Clokey
Best Friend: Pokey
Nemeses: Blockheads
Claim to Fame: Gumby starred in his own television series, The Gumby Show, that aired from 1957 to 1967 and in 1988
Best Characteristic: Flexibility
Accomplishments: cameo appearance in 1987 film The Puppetoon Movie; 1995 feature length film Gumby I (aka Gumby: The Movie); 8 DVD collections (2000s); video game Gumby vs. the Astrobots (2005); appeared in campaign ads for Library of Congress (1994-1995) and Cheerios (late 1990s)

Name: Mr. Bill
Debuted: February 28, 1976
Creator: Walter Williams
Best Friend: Spot (his dog)
Nemesis: Mr. Sluggo
Claim to Fame: Mr. Bill starred in several short sketches on the television show, Saturday Night Live from 1976 to 1980
Memorable Quotes: "Ohhhh noooooooooooooo...", "Perfectly awful!", "Stunningly bad!"
Accomplishments: 1986 live-action movie Mr. Bill's Real Life Adventures; 1998 television show Ohh No!!! Mr. Bill Presents; appeared in television ads for Pringles (1980s), an anti-drug campaign (1988), Pizza Hut (1990s), Subway (2008), and MasterCard (2008)

Based on the character's personality, history and popularity, Gumby wins the battle hands down. However, we believe it's all up to the circumstance and personal preference. Take the battle into your own hands to determine who you think is the real winner.

Relieve Work Related Stress with Office Toys!

Work is often accompanied by a fair amount of stress. We still have a job to do, so it is important to manage some of this workplace stress and remain focused on our tasks.

Office toys can help you cope and keep you calm. The products available at www.OfficePlayground.com are intended to make you feel good. Silly stress balls, such as Sir-Squeeze A Lot and Monkey Groan Ball make you laugh. Mr. Bill, Magic 8 Ball and Slinky are cool vintage stress relievers that remind you of happy childhood memories. Raking the sand of a Zen Garden or listening to the click-clack of a Newton's Cradle can send you into a mini-meditation. Icky stress relief balls like the Blob Brain or Gurgling Gutz will give you a good gross out. While Tangle Relax Therapy and IsoFlex are therapeutic toys designed to help you release tension. So, don't forget to take a break from all the chaos around you to refocus your mind and do something that makes you smile.

Why is smiling so important? Because a smile can go a long way towards making you optimistic. A smile relieves stress, helps you stay positive, causes other people to smile and makes you feel better. When you start smiling on the outside, pretty soon you will start smiling on the inside.

You don't have to spend a lot to put a smile on your face. Stress toys pack a big punch for a small price. Our office toys have a positive effect on people because they are fun distractions full of stress relieving power.

The folks here at Office Playground, Inc. aren't scientists or psychologists; we just know what makes us happy. We are people like you with every day challenges and pressures. But, we still want to have fun and keep a positive attitude and we believe that a little bit of play can go a long way in helping you make it through the workday.

Office Playground, Inc. was founded in 1999. Since then, we have been focused on bringing you fun new desk toys and stress relievers at affordable prices. We value your business and our Customer Service team is waiting to answer any of your questions. As we head into our 10th year of business, our goal is to get to know you better so we can continue to bring you the best office toys the market has to offer. (TAKE A QUICK SURVEY!)

Ten Reasons Why Office Toys Make Great Gifts

• 1) Affordable - Many of our office toys are reasonably priced under $10.
• 2) Enjoyable - Playing with office toys is a fun lighthearted distraction from the daily grind.
• 3) Impressive - A memorable office toy will remind the recipient how terrific you are for giving it to them.
• 4) Humorous - Office toys provide much needed comic relief around the workplace and at home.
• 5) Stress Relieving - It is very soothing to release tension with a tactile office toy.
• 6) Practical - Many office toys are quite handy to have on your desk and serve a useful purpose.
• 7) Colorful - You can brighten up any workspace at home or the office with cheerful and lively office toys.
• 8) Cute - Lots of people love appealing things and we have many adorable and charming office toys.
• 9) Informal - The casual nature of office toys makes them simple and easy gifts for business associates.
• 10) Popular - Office toys are well-liked and folks love to spruce up their desks with these hip and cool items.

Office toys are the ideal gifts for all kinds of people and you'll find a large selection of office toys at www.OfficePlayground.com. For nearly 10 years, Office Playground has been committed to providing you with the best office toys available. We are trustworthy, competent, friendly and passionate.

If you're interested in getting some really awesome gifts at extremely affordable prices and receiving them quickly, please explore our web site or contact us for suggestions or with any questions. We're standing by to help.