Light It Up!
Last Minute gift Suggestions
eebee’s adventure play mat and activity playhouse
eebee’s Bowl me Over set
eebee doll

View at http://www.newsweek.com/id/74189

I’m what Stephen Gass (pictured in black t-shirt), co-creator of eebee adventures, calls a “no-TV-mom.” Essentially, I follow the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics to not allow my child to watch any television before age two. My daughter is fifteen months and she has never watched TV – no Baby Einstein, no Sesame Street, no Dora the Explorer. Nor has she been exposed to “background TV” because my husband and I don’t watch much TV (exceptions: Psych and Lost on DVD after baby’s bedtime).

Our decision came about partly because of the AAP guideline, partly because some research indicates that television isn’t the healthiest option for little ones, and partly because it doesn’t fit well in our family “culture.” My husband and I are much more likely to go for a run, to be outside, to read books, or to eat meals together than to watch TV together (pre-baby and post-baby).

That said, I agree with Gass’ presupposition that “To make a sweeping statement that every media is bad…” is illogical.

Gass and co-founder Don Burton are creators of eebee adventures, DVDs that are “designed to help you and your baby transform everyday play, observation and exploration into learning that lasts.”

Gass said, “Our goal is to help people to play. A whole lot of what we’re doing is common sense. We’re here to help parents who say, ‘I’ve exhausted my peek-a-bee repertoire. Now, what do I do?’ Our episodes feature on-the-floor, behavior-based conversations with regular objects.”

Gass explained why he and Burton decided to produce their adventures for the six month and up population despite AAP’s recommendation, “The reality is that when the AAP made their recommendation back in 99 it was based on a lack of evidence. It was more cautionary. If the content and format [of a television program] is designed in an appropriate way then, in fact, there are positive impacts.”

Gass’ credentials are none too shabby when it comes to his education and work experience, “I’m trained as a developmental psychologist. I was the president of sesame street online. I take the research very seriously. We have looked at as much evidence as is available. We’re comfortable about the choices we’re making. We’re talking about kids – about babies – we have to be responsible.”

I have to admit that Gass’ arguments are convincing. Using television as a communication tool and an opportunity to interact with your baby seems reasonable (which is how the adventures are designed to be used). Plopping your baby down in front of the screen all by his lonesome is an entirely different matter…

For more information about Gass’ stance and the research behind it, check out “Baby TV: Not so Black and White,” an article he wrote that was featured on the Hot Moms Club website this past fall.

Metropolitan Mama

WABC Sunday Morning – Toys That Teach

View video at http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news&id=5808116

A lot of parents are looking for toys that are not only fun, but also teach this holiday season. Eebees Adventures might be just what you are looking for — the founder and president of “Every Baby Company,” Stephen Gass joins us now with more.

What is eebee’s adventures?
Eebee’s adventures is an award-winning series that engages babies with playful ideas and parents with ideas about play and development.

What is the every baby company?
The Every Baby Company is an infant/toddler play and development company whose simple, yet essential mission to be a catalyst for rich play experiences that:

• use the latest developmental research to provide insight into how the world works for babies and babies work in that world.
• engage the very youngest learners, enhance and encourage meaningful communication, and interactions between children and parents, caregivers, and play partners of all ages,

How is eebee’s adventures different?
The adventures, whether on a screen or on the floor, are all about play and exploration. The one thing that the research is clear about is that babies learn through play and interaction with people and the objects in their world — we call it “relationship play.” The baby is building knowledge through building relationships with people, things and ideas. That’s the way we all learn. It’s a natural process.

How does the eebee approach translate into a play products?
Play is the way in which kids learn so much about how the world works and they work in that world. Often, the more open-ended the materials, the more opportunities there are for experimentation and discovery.

HAVE A BALL set – $30
For example, in the HAVE A BALL set, there are three different types of “rolling” toys — a ball, but this one has a cylindrical center that also “rolls” — depending on how it’s placed in the ball, this ball can also “wobble.” One ball has eebee-like handles for easy grasping and catching, but it rolls differently than the big ball; and this wheel, it rolls, but takes a little more motor skill to get it going — on its side, it could slide. The more variation, the greater the likelihood of a new idea, play pattern, and there’s also more to talk about — talking with your baby about what’s going on is the best way to promote language development-just describe what you see.

BOWL ME OVER set – $38
While bowling is a traditional game, this one comes with 2 different bowling balls that set the stage for comparisons, turn-taking, or parent and child playing together. The different expressions on eebee’s face are designed to encourage simple, playful and silly communication and language games. A game of bowling also gives baby practice with hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and cause and effect thinking if I do this eebee does that.

ADVENTURE PLAYMAT and ACTIVITY PLAYHOUSE – $98
This play mat when laid out flat offers very young babies with a soft, safe and stimulating environment filled with a range of activities from eebee’s graspable hair to a peek-a-boo panel and a range of textures to explore. The real excitement of this mat is that parents can easily transform it into an array of different play environments that will support their baby’s growing curiosity and independence. For example, it could become a tunnel, a series of bases or steps to encourage crawling and reaching a goal; a playhouse for imaginative play; a place to explore open, shut, in and out. With each different configuration, there’s a new game, activity or idea to explore and learn.

How are eebee’s adventures products created and developed?
Each eebee’s adventures product is inspired by “best practices” in early childhood education and informed by the latest research in how babies learn and grow. every baby company co-founders, Stephen Gass and Don Burton, have academic backgrounds in child development and cognition in addition to experience creating and managing innovative learning businesses at Sesame Street, Noggin and Disney. In addition, every baby company works closely with an esteemed council of academic advisors and experts in the fields of child development and early learning.

All toys available at FAO Schwarz, FAO.com and eebee.com