Play on Words Game

I really liked the look of this game, and it was surprising how many words I could come up with in just one minute. But I often end up modifying game rules to suit myself, and Play on Words by Winning Moves was no exception. It's easily modified to fit a wide variety of players and situations.

There's a special offer on this item at PlayFair Toys through April 18, 2010, so if you're watching before that, head over to the Clever Clubhouse page to see what that's about. Otherwise check out Play on Words at www.playfairtoys.com.

Patchwork and Patchword Games hit just the right combination of strategy and luck

Dan Weaver, CEO and game creator of KnightWeaver Games, has hit a sweet spot in the world of gaming with two related card games - Patchwork and Patchword. It's that combination of luck, skill, and purely random events that happen when there are enough people playing to make the future unpredictable.

Both games are played with cards that have different fronts and backs - letters in the case of Patchword, and designs in the case of Patchwork. In both games, players make sets (or spell words) by swapping, flipping, and trading cards. The following videos feature an interview with Dan about how the games were developed, and then how to play each game.

You can purchase Patchwork and Patchword at PlayFair Toys.

Here's the video of Dan talking about how he came up with the game ideas:

Here's how to play Patchwork:

And here's how to play its cousin PatchWord:

So if you're looking for something new and different, these games are both very addicting and loads of fun.

I want to know - what do you like to do with your time?

Online Surveys & Market Research

And the winner is...

Our GREAT QUESTION CONTEST generated lots of fun questions. Judging was definitely a challenge! I give the nod to Diane Scott for her son's question:

Mom, if there were dinosaurs, and now there are people, what will come next?

What, indeed?! It made me laugh, it made me think, and it made me really glad that we have children in this world. We need fresh thinking.

Here are the other entries:

What if there were no more rhetorical questions?

Why do doctors call what they do 'practice'?

Mommy, how far is infinity? (I used to hear this one a lot!)

What were they doing standing by that tree in the first place? (in reference to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden)

What's in your fridge? (at a job interview)

Are dogs ticklish?

Is Darth Vader ticklish?

Who decided to have a National Question Day, and why?

Why is it when a nurse is about to draw blood or insert an IV they say "a little poke" ??

Why spoil such a great question with an answer?

Thanks to everyone who participated. And now for my next question - what contest will I think up next?

Be sure to stay a fan of PlayFair Toys on Facebook, and you might be the next winner.

What do existentialism, dinosaurs, The Bible, and job interviews have in common?

What do existentialism, dinosaurs, The Bible, and job interviews have in common?

Hmm... Good question?

They are all entries in our GREAT QUESTION CONTEST, ending at Midnight, March 14th, 2010.

It's super easy to enter, not to mention fun:

1. Go to www.facebook.com/playfairtoys
2. If you are not already, become our fan
3. Post your idea of a great/interesting question to our wall.
4. We'll select the best of the best as the winner after the contest ends, in our sole discretion.

The prize will be a gift card to PlayFair Toys/www.playfairtoys.com, equal to the number of contest entries.

So be sure to pass this along to your friends - the more who enter, the bigger the prize.

How hard can it be? Don't you just love questions?

Why don't you head on over to www.facebook.com/playfairtoys right now and post a question?

What makes a great question?

Although occasionally great discoveries come from pure serendipity or luck, usually they start with great questions. It is through asking questions and questioning "just the way it is" that we move forward, as individuals and as a society. I recently saw something indicating that Sunday, March 14 is National Question Day. Knowing that it is also the birthday of one of the greatest questioners ever - Albert Einstein - I decided to hold "The Great Question Contest" of 2010.

I'll tell you more about the contest at the end of this post. But first - here's a question - "What makes a great question?" I'm not sure I can tell you. I know only that we know it when we hear it. I have a personal "favorite great question". It came from my son.

When he was 4 years old, my son, now 17, announced one day, in no uncertain terms, "God holds buildings together." Not wanting to take the wind out of his sails or question his clear authority in the matter, I asked where he'd learned that - from someone at preschool. I then told him that, at least in my experience, that nails and glue had a lot to do with it.

For the next several days, he carefully examined many buildings. "You're right!" he stated, with apparent surprise, after making one particularly careful inspection. Satisfied that the matter had ended, I heard nothing more for several days.

Then a few days later, driving along, a high voice piped up from the back seat, "So what holds the nails together?"

In this proud mama's opinion, that is definitely a great question.

I'm inviting all of PlayFair Toys' Facebook Fans to post their own favorite "great questions" to our Facebook wall, from now through Midnight on Sunday, March 14 - National Question Day.

Here's all you have to do:

1. Head on over to PlayFair Toys' Facebook Page.
2. If you're not already a fan, become one.
3. Post your "most interesting question" to our wall.
4. Whoever posts the most interesting question by midnight, March 14th will win a PlayFair Toys gift certificate equal in value to the number of entrants (50 questions posted = $50 GC, 100 questions = $100 GC etc).

So post away! Question. Share. Maybe you'll even get an answer! You can access our Facebook Fan page at www.facebook.com/playfairtoys.

Think a lot - it's good for you!

Eat your vegetables, wear sunscreen, look both ways before crossing the street, and ... you should probably also use your brain as often as possible. That one act alone could save your life and do the most possible to insure a great future.

A Boulder-based game company, Think-a-Lot Toys, was founded on this very premise. Their signature game, Think-Ets, is an open-ended storytelling game that truly has no end to the creative ways in which it can be used.

I like it so much that I have decided to offer the travel version as PlayFair Toys' FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE for March 2010. This video explains how the game works and as well as how to participate in the free gift program:

PlayFair Toys is committed to bringing you toys that bring out the genius in you. I want to share this very kind video testimonial by Randy Compton, CEO of Think-a-Lot Toys and creator of Think-Ets:

I feel sure that once you try this Travel Edition of Think-Ets that you'll want different pouches or another version to give to your friends as a gift. Think-Ets embodies the spirit of magical, educational fun that underlies everything that we do for your talented, creative children at PlayFair Toys!