For us, February means International Toy Fair in NYC. We've been going for the past 5 years to see our skill toy vendors, see what new skill toys we might want to add to our programs and kits, and of course to just play. The Javits Center in Manhattan has over 800,000 square feet of exhibit space and I think Toy Fair filled all of it with everything from stuffed animals to action figures to skill toys.

Paul managed to get a ukulele lesson, juggle with a hooper, and get beat (by me) testing out new games being showcased. Our favorite exhibit took us down memory lane. Ebay's display of toys and games through the decades included some of our favorites including Simon, Lite Brite, Spirograph, and the Evel Knievel doll. We also attended a workshop by Amazon about smart packaging for e-commerce. Because e-commerce items aren't sitting on a shelf trying to get a buyers attention (photos on the website do that), packaging can be simpler and take up less space. As a result, packaging waste is reduced and more items can be packed in one truck.

Can't wait to see what will be new next year.