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Business & Tech

Creative Mom Toys Makes Education Fun

New addition to The Landing offers puzzles, games, books and more to help your little one's mind and body develop.

Are you a parent or grandparent that is always on the look-out for creative, fun, educational toys to spoil your little ones?

With the opening of Creative Mom Toys at the Landing, you have more selection locally than you have had before. 

They aren't Toys"R"Us. Certainly, they have toys, but it is the kind of toys they have that are impressive. Thinking toys! Mind-engaging toys! And, back-to-basic toys that a child can manipulate to work on their physical and mental dexterity.

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Creative Mom Toys carries wooden floor puzzles — a solar system puzzle was really cool — and games such as BrainQuest and old-fashioned Chinese checkers. They even have kid's yoga mats. (Who knew?)

Owner Cheri Saburi is a former school teacher, who taught fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. She came up with the idea of the store while living in Japan for six years. She then imported many of the products she sells from that country. As a teacher, it should be no surprise to learn she carries a wide range of books.

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"I tried to find books that were engaging as well as stimulating to kids and adults alike," Saburi said. 

Saburi, a Newcastle resident, and mom of three, ages 9, 7, and 6, opened the shop because "I knew that eventually I wanted to open a storefront," Saburi said. She came to The Landing's tree lighting one year ago, and as she looked at Poggi Bonsi, she said: "I thought if they can do it, maybe I can do it too."

Owning a store is not easy, Saburi is finding. Her husband teased her the other day about having time off for Christmas only to find his wife heading into work.

"I have asked him to be patient with me," she said. "We have to find time to make this grow. It's going to take time.''

You'll find educational books, such as "Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child," as well as the "How Come?" series, which offer help with inquisitive toddlers. You might find the right answers to all of those tricky questions little ones ask — "How come the grass is green?" "How come the stars twinkle?"

Council member Marcie Palmer is a big fan of the store, and has bought several gifts there.  "I am particularly fond of the Brainquest toys," Palmer said.  She found one that had to do with geography and history. "I hadn't seen that one before." 

Palmer and her son David went shopping with his girlfriend. "David was so impressed with Cheri's customer service that he and his girlfriend went back again for another gift, a unique coin purse,  for a friend in the hospital," said Palmer.

"I am particularly impressed that Cheri has taken a chance on opening her store during a tough economy," Palmer said. They also carry creative/fantasy play toys (the dollhouses are beautiful), and loads of accessories and decorations for children's birthday parties and bedrooms. For  parties, Creative Mom Toys has a selection of what they call "groovy bags," which can be used as a gift inside a gift.

If you have little ones in your life, you'll want to check out Creative Mom Toys at the Landing. 

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