First Annual Lego Building Contest coming to an end

Last day of January. Just a few days before the big Super Bowl. While the big contest that concludes the NFL season is fast approaching, we have our own big contest wrapping up this week as well. If you've been by the store, you know what we're talking about - the Lego Building Contest.

For the last few weeks we've had numerous submissions in our contest. This week we expect a late rush of submissions as well. If you're deciding to enter now, you can get a look at your competition by checking out our Facebook page to see those who have submitted so far. (http://www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopetoys)

The contest is pretty straightforward.

RULES
1) Your Lego project needs to be put on display in the Kaleidoscope Toys window with a name and age card sometime between January 7 - February 4. Obviously, the longer in the window, the more votes you may get from the general public.

2) Friends, family, your postman and anyone else may vote for their favorite creation from each category. Votes will be received via facebook post to the Kaleidoscope Toys wall at www.facebook.com/kaleidoscope toys or in the store. However, only one vote per category per person per day. No stuffing the ballot box!

3) Votes received will help the judges determine the winners but will not be the only determining factor in choosing the winners. Why? Because while we want the excitement that "stumping for votes" will generate for the kids, we don't want this to be a popularity contest. Just because you are related to every one in the county does not make you the winner, though it does make finding a job easier. (Information on how to vote is below)

4) If an 8-year-old child is competing in the 8-year-old category, the child should put their creation together without help from anyone else. (Sorry mom & dad) Hey, we do have an adult category for you. And no fair getting your child to help you either.

5) Creations can be a set built according to directions or creative use of loose bricks to make an original structure.

6) When you bring in your entry, you are giving Kaleidoscope Toys the right to post your image on facebook and other store promotional material.

7) All Lego creations will be released to their creators after the judging has taken place and the winners have been announced.

8) Maximum size of entry is 18" x 18".

9) Employees and relatives of employees are not eligible to participate.

CATEGORIES
- Ages 3 to 5
- Ages 6 to 9
- Ages 10 to 14
- Ages 15 to adult


PRIZES
There will be a first place, second place and a third place for each of the age groups. First place will win a $25 gift certificate. Second place will win a $20 gift certificate. Third place will win a $15 gift certificate. All other entries will receive an "honorable mention" award and a $5 gift certificate.

Everything else you need to know...

We will taking entries on Saturday, January 7th thru February 4th. Voting will continue through Feb 4th. We will announce the winners on February 5th.

VOTING
1) Ballots will be available at the store
2) Online at the Kaleidoscope Toys facebook page at www.facebook.com/kaleidoscopetoys. We will post a picture of your entry on our facebook page. A post or a "like" on your entry's picture counts as a vote.
3) Limit one vote per person, per day, per category.

- Votes by email or phone calls will not accepted...Really. (It may also help to "check in" on your facebook account while you're here to remind your friends to vote for your creation.)

- Certainly the votes people receive will be considered, but final judging will be purely arbitrary based on criteria that may vary with the mood of the judges. Remember, it's all in fun, something to keep us all busy with a project in the dead of winter.

Lego Fun Day!

Lego Fun Day

Sunday, Feb 5th

12pm - 4pm

Learning Fun 101, our fabulous local Lego experts, are hosting a day full of Lego fun! Mark your calendars for a day of everything Lego!

"Come and go" activities from 12pm - 4pm:

Help us build a GIANT FIREMAN MINI FIGURE! We only have 4 hours so we'll need all the help we can get.

* Compete in the Lego Battle Tops arena. Be the last man standing!

* Dig into a swimming pool full of lego pieces for "Free Building". It's like a treaure hunt and that one special Lego piece is your treaure. Build anything & everything - just for fun!

* Play Pirates Plank Lego game. We'll be giving some of these games away, so be sure to enter the drawing.

Lego Building Contest

Kaleidoscope Toys First Ever Annual Lego Building Contest! From Saturday, January 07 2012 -  10:00 AM To Saturday, February 11 2012 - 7:00 PM Every day For Rules, Categories & Prizes visit www.kstoy.com/events

A great New Year's resolution

January. It's a new start. It's the time of the year that many of us make resolutions to either a) give up something, or b) start doing something that we feel will make us better. We're going to focus on the latter.

We see it each January, year after year, and it falls directly in line with one of the more commonly suggested resolutions — I will spend more time with the kids this year.

January is really the perfect time to not only suggest you will spend more time with the kiddos, but actually do it. After the Christmas holidays we all return to our "normal" routines of back to school, and for many of us, back to work. We could all afford to open up a window of time in our day for the kids. Whether it's after school, after dinner, before bed, or some other time that is better suited for your schedule, it's really important to make an effort to spend some quality time bonding with your children.

In addition to January being the perfect time to start anew and add a new routine into the mix, in all likelihood, you also have some new things from Christmas including games, puzzles, arts and crafts, or some other type of projects. All of these are great opportunities to spend time with you children and enjoy their company, even for those who might be older and otherwise wouldn't want to just spend time hanging out with you.

Just remember, spending time with the kids comes from the heart. It's not out of obligation. One day not too far down the road, you'll look back and wonder where the time went. You'll be thankful for the time you had with your kids and cling to all those great memories you made. And hopefully, you'll say, "When 2012 started, I remember when we did this..."