Franklin Goose

Alphabet Blocks

Wood alphabet blocks are a beautiful toy for children of all ages. Because they are made with wood, they are safe for children to chew on, and children can learn not just their alphabet and colors, but also how to stack and build.

Alphabet blocks are a traditional toy for children. They are also heirloom toys: they can be passed down to other children for generations to come. 

Employee Review

“When my sister decided to dedicate her daughter at church, I knew exactly what I wanted to get my niece: a wooden alphabet block set by Uncle Goose. They were so bright and cheerful. Plus, Uncle Goose has alphabet block sets in different languages, not just English. My niece is growing up in an English-Russian language home, and I wanted her gift to be unique.

The Russian Alphabet Blocks were a hit! My niece immediately began chewing on them, and we have since progressed to building towers to knock over. The blocks have different letters on their sides, so we can’t run out of letters when it’s time to spell. I also liked that the blocks came with a small card that allowed me to write who the blocks were from and who they were for. Plus, there were spaces for future owners, too.”

Emily, Social Media Manager

Available at FranklinGoose.com

Uncle Goose Classic Alphabet Blocks

Uncle Goose Classic Alphabet Blocks with Canvas Tote

Uncle Goose Classic Alphabet Blocks with Pull Wagon

Uncle Goose Classic Lowercase Blocks

Uncle Goose Upper/Lowercase ABC Set

Uncle Goose’s Count & Stack Blocks

Uncle Goose Portuguese ABC Blocks

Uncle Goose Russian ABC Blocks

Uncle Goose Spanish ABC Blocks

Uncle Goose Braille ABC Blocks with Sign Language

Uncle Goose Nursery Rhyme Blocks

Uncle Goose Groovie Block Set

 

Don't see the language you're looking for? Call Franklin Goose at 804-355-0595 or email us at [email protected]. 

Wood Peg Puzzles

Wood peg puzzles are a traditional toy for young children ages 12-24 months. They usually consist of a large board in which the puzzle pieces fit. Each puzzle piece is a picture

Wood peg puzzles encourage motor skills so that children develop dexterity, hand/eye coordination, and manipulation. They also introduce children to problem solving skills. They learn matching and logic, as well as spatial relationships, critical thinking, and an understanding of cause and effect.  

Plus, they’re fun and have bright and beautiful pictures.

Staff Review

I love wood peg puzzles not only for the tradition but for the learning opportunities. Peg puzzles are a great toy for younger children, ages 12 months and up. They offer a child a simple way to start to learn shapes, sizes, colors, objects and things. The peg piece gives them the ability to start achieving things on their own, without continuous help from an adult or older child.  When you choose wood puzzles you also choose durability. They can be chewed on, stepped on, left in the car, or thrown in a bag and still look great.

For me wood toys always represent something you can pass down to the next generation. My favorite thing, still to this day, about visiting my Grandmother's house is when she opens her toy closet and pulls out the toys her children, grandchildren and now great grandchildren have played with. It is never plastic, it is always well loved, and full of stories, history and connection. For her, it is full of memories. She pulls out old puzzles her children did as babies and she is full of memories and warmth.

The wood puzzles and wood peg puzzles we sell are great to travel with, play with and teach with!

 

 

Available At FranklinGoose.com

Educo Construction Site Peg Puzzle

Educo Farm Animals Peg Puzzle

Goki Peg Puzzle Sun and Moon

Hape Zoo Puzzle

[OTHER HAPE PUZZLES]

Happy Earth Day!

(emily)

At Franklin Goose, our mission is to ensure that parents and families can be responsible environmentally. We strive to sell products that are natural and organic or that are made of recycled materials.

So Earth Day is a pretty big deal for us.

We believe that every person should not just be environmentally aware but take responsibility for the earth. We’ve seen the effects of living without concern for the planet, and we know that it’s going to take more than just people turning off the lights when leaving a room. It’s going to have to be a lifestyle change.

So how do you start talking to your kids about this? Do you sit down and have a talk about recycling and leave it at that? You could, but kids (and adults) learn more by experiencing than just listening.

Earlier this month we discussed how toys are not just sources of entertainment for children but also viable teaching tools. Through playing children learn lifelong skills. They are also able to use their imagination and role play, allowing them a safe place to learn about life and their world.

If you’re looking for toys that could help your children gain perspective and understanding of environmentally responsible living, there are a few items we’d like to suggest.

 

Green Toys

We love Green Toys. All of their products are made with 100% recycled milk jugs, which saves energy and reduces greenhouse emissions. That’s awesome in itself, but Green Toys also makes several toys that are great for teaching children about living green.

 

Planting Kit

These planting kits are great for spring. Children can grow their very own organic sunflower, allowing for parents to teach about gardening and responsibility.

 

Recycling Truck

Green Toys makes a lot of different cars and other vehicles, but one of our favorites is the Recycling Truck. It comes with cards depicting bottles, cans, and paper that your child can sort into the truck before lifting the bed and dumping them out through the rear door. Recently one of our customers told us how her son loves his recycling truck and can now identify the ones on the street, which allows him and his parents to discuss recycling and why it’s important.

 

Plan Toys

Another favorite of ours, Plan Toys has a lot of fun and unique toys that are made responsibly.

 

Eco Town

The Plan Toys Eco Town includes an eco home, eco train station, charging station, and street accessories, plus a mat that has grass, trees, rivers, and roads. With it, your child can create whole worlds that are green.

Vegetable Garden

Plan Toys has tons of dolls and dollhouses for children, plus accessories. One of our favorites is the Vegetable Garden, which comes with a wheelbarrow, a watering can, a spade, 4 vegetable beds, and removable carrots, radishes, turnips, and cauliflowers. This a great toy for teaching children about being sustainable.

 

Wonderworld

Wonderworld is big on protecting the environment and insists on only using rubber-wood from replenishable sources and water-based, non-toxic paints and lacquers.

 

Wonderworld Eco House

Speaking of being sustainable, the Wonderworld Eco House from Smart Gear is the perfect dollhouse for girls and boys. It comes with furniture (2 beds, bedding, bathroom shower, toilet, table, chairs, kitchen stove), but it also comes with several green and earth-friendly items. This house is completely sustainable with its rain barrel, solar panel, and wind turbine. The three dolls that are included will love living in this green house and traveling on their scooter.

 

These are just a few of the items we carry at Franklin Goose that are environmentally friendly and teach children awareness. For the green moms and dads, we also sell other items that are made with recycled or organic materials – everything from clothes to plates and bowls. We’re also always interested in learning about other green products, so if you have any you’d like to share with us, please leave us a comment!

What are some ways you encourage your children to live green? (FG)

Frankie's Funky 5

At Franklin Goose, one of our favorite things is when kids can have fun! Here are the top 5 toys kids love to play with when they come to our store:

 

The Balance Bike

A crowd pleaser!

Any given day you can be sure to find a kid gliding through the store on one of these.

 

The Cooking Center

Kids can play with this one for hours!

 

The Shopping Cart

Always a winner!

We often laugh over the various items we find at the end of the day.

 

The Train Set

A main attraction, kids crawl, waddle, and run for the train set as soon as they're in the store.

And the Musical Band!

Kids (and dads!) can't keep their hands off this one.

What's your child's favorite toy at Franklin Goose?

Royally Announced

(emily)

Royal & Modern

Breaking traditions seems to be Britain’s future Royal’s MO: not only will Prince William and Kate Middleton’s child be directly in line to the throne after daddy William, but even the baby’s birth announcement was a modern change.

Like most aspects of royal life, there is a protocol for announcing a baby. Typically, Prince William and Kate Middleton would have first informed the Queen. After 12 weeks, an official announcement would be posted on the gates of Buckingham Palace.

A world with 24/7 news coverage and Twitter, though, made keeping quite about the Duchess of Cambridge’s condition a bit of a headache. When Kate ended up in the hospital for severe morning sickness last year, it was decided that it was better just to confirm the tabloids’ suspicions rather than covering it up. An announcement was made, and it seems like the Queen found out with the rest of us commoners.

It seems a shame that Will and Kate had to break the news early, but as with any new parents’ announcement, we’re sure they were still pretty excited. Most parents do, and while not all parents can announce they’re expecting on the gates of a palace, that hasn’t stopped them from getting creative:

Expiration Date

Sonagram

What's in your belly?

Welcome Home

Aren’t these fantastic? We’ve got a whole bunch more over on Pinterest that we love.

High Praise

After the news broke, several high British officials tweeted their congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Now, we can’t guarantee tweets from world leaders for your baby, but we do have a really cool option from the White House.

How awesome is this? If you send a birth announcement to the White House Greetings Office, you can get a congratulatory note from the President and First Lady! So cool! They also do birthday cards and anniversary cards.

There is a wait – it is Washington, after all – and it can take a few months for your cards to arrive, so be sure to allow yourself plenty of time. (At least 6 weeks.) My sister sent her birth announcement in October after my niece was born, and her card came just this past January.

Nom nom nom! (Photo by V. Khoma)

Just send an announcement to the White House and be sure to include

-       the baby’s name and date of birth,

-       the names of the parents,

-       and the address where you would like the greeting to be sent.

 

Mail it to

 

White House Greetings Office



Room 39



Washington, DC 20500

 

or fax it: 202-456-2461.

And you're all set!

We’re curious, how did you announce your baby to the world? Or what are you thinking about doing? Let us know in the comments, or post it to our Facebook page. You can tag us on Instagram, too! Just use the hashtag #franklingoose.

Gift Guide for Uncles

(sheri)

This Christmas as my neice and nephew opened gifts from their single Uncle it made me think about all the Uncles who come in to our store on a regular basis with a dude in the headlights look. They are looking for a gift but often have no idea what is appropriate for the age they are searching for.

We always have so much fun helping them pick things out so we decided to put together a post just for them...

 

Kushies Clip Clop

This toy is made from all natural finishes. The wood is from the Wrightia Tinctoria tree which is an indigenous tree in India.  These toys are unique, useful and gorgeous. Plus they're great for a girl or a boy! 

 

 

Ecoleeko Ball

These balls are great for boys or girls. They are such bright and cheery first toys. They are hand dyed with the purest dyes available. The super soft bamboo fabrics offer texture differences for little ones and the soft bamboo filling is super soft and squishy.

 

 

Momo rocker shoes

Smart Gear Froggy Drum

This drum makes the most beautiful noises, so it is a safe bet as a gift. It is perfect for a boy or girl and with the rubber end parents can feel safe letting their child play with it.

 

Green Toys School Bus

This is such a great toy for Uncles to buy! The flexibility of this toy to go inside or out makes it great for parents and for the child. With the open roof it is great for kids to be able to put things inside and move them around the house.

 

 

Work Bench & Box

This toy is a great for any uncle to give his nephew or niece. It keeps them busy discovering different ways to play and bulid. It is also a perfect toy for uncles to play with when they are visiting.

 

 

 

 

Fort Set

Every kid loves building. What better toy for an Uncle to give, it will be just as fun for him to play as his little neice or nephew! 

 

 

 

Robot necklace

 

This necklace is so much fun for kids! They can chew on it, or just wear it for fun. The breakaway clasp makes it a safe bet, while the adjustable length makes it a perfect fit for any child.

 

Here are a few of our suggestions for Uncles. Feel free to drop in or call us for more ideas. If you have any other suggestions we would love to hear them!

 

Gift Guide for Aunts

  If you were on Facebook last week, you might have noticed that we were asking a lot of questions about what types of gifts you like to receive and give. Your answers were extremely helpful. A lot of you mentioned similar gifts, and we were excited to see what you really enjoy.

 

We serve a lot of customers hoping to purchase gifts for children and parents. Your answers confirmed a lot of items we really love, and you gave us a lot of new ideas, too! Thank you! We’ve decided to take all these great ideas and write a series of posts on appreciated gifts.

Today’s post is for all the aunts.

 

What To Buy When You’re the Aunt:

 

(Emily)

 

I’m a new aunt. I thought I knew alot about pregnancy, babies, and age-appropriate gifts, but when my niece Jolie was born this past October, I realized I needed help.

 

Fortunately, I work at Franklin Goose, which means that I get the opportunity to see the toys and products we sell put to use by my little niece, sister and brother-in-law. So if you’re a brand new aunt, and you have no clue what you should buy for your niece or nephew, here are some things you can try:

 

Sophie the Giraffe – All the cool kids have Sophie. My sister actually requested that I buy this for my niece Jolie for Christmas. She loved it. She enjoys holding it and trying to taste it. (Although her hand-eye coordination still needs a little work, but hey, she’s only 3 months old.) My sister makes sure it’s with Jolie everywhere they go together.

 

 

Muslin Swaddle Blankets – These are great. They’re super soft and light, yet they keep children warm and snuggled up. The Aden + Anais swaddles come as singles or a pack of three. Plus, they can be used as scarves.

 

Art Cards – My sister likes to spread out art cards in front of Jolie during her tummy time. Jolie likes the black and white contrasts, and she loves animals. They also make great art pictures to display in nurseries.

 

 

We get asked a lot about what you can buy for dad, especially for work showers and dad-showers. This past Christmas I wanted to get my brother-in-law something that he could use with Jolie, too. Because he’s a big fan of Apple products, I got him a green Smart Phone jChew by Jellystone Design. It’s a silicone teether designed to look like a smart phone, and it can easily fit into a pocket with a dad’s wallet and keys.

 

(Sheri)

My niece and nephew are one and three years old, so my perspective is now on different ages than Emily, so here is what I love to suggest for an aunt who may not be exactly sure of what to buy:

 

Clothes. After the baby has outgrown the gifts from the shower and most of the baby hand-me-downs, parents often really appreciate a new outfit for their little ones. It helps offset expense for them, and adds something new and special to your niece or nephews wardrobe.

 

Percussion Set. This is my favorite 1 year old gift! Little ones are just starting to master shaking things and love noises. This percussion set is perfectly sized for little ones hands, and with four different sounds it is interesting enough for them to keep playing with, not to mention the great stand so mom can organize.

 

Backpacks.  Kids love putting their stuff into things. A backpack is a great way for them to start showing their independence, and learning responsibility for their belongings. They love it because they can stash their secret treasures, their most beloved books, and even some leaves and sticks in the pockets. Plus, they look adorable carrying them around!

 

 

Rain boots & Rain Coats. Most children I know love getting into puddles. They love being out in the rain and getting wet. So a pair of rain boots and an easy to carry rain coat are perfect gifts for them and mom.

 

Train Set. It is amazing how the kids, both boys and girls love to play with our trains in the store. They love the cars, the trains, the helicopters, the airports, city stations and parking garage. A train or train/car set is a great gift that will keep them occupied and interested for hours! Plan Toys train sets are compatible with almost all of the other train sets out there so they are versatile and easy to build on or add to.

What are some of your favorite gifts to give or get?