Nearly There

You've heard it said so many times...."Are we there yet?" We'll it is bit like that now.... "Is it time yet?" We want to push the button and start the celebrations, but we can't, not yet at least!

Thinking about the long trip, children so easily get bored stuck in the back seat of the car. Evidently it is not as interesting as sitting in the front seat. After all how many front seat passengers do you see leaning to the back and asking, "Are we there yet?" Not many, I guess!!!!

So what is it about the back seat that is so boring? Firstly, the view is limited by what is in front and not everyone wants to sit with their head turned sideways, looking out the window, which is a shame because there are some very beautiful things to see as you drive by in New Zealand. Then there is the atmosphere in the back... often it tends to get stuffy as children tend not to control their environment well, so it gets too hot and the air gets stale. Lastly, it may be the company and it is evident why there are so many fights in the back seat of the car, no-one told car manufacturers that "two is company and three's a crowd." Three seats in the back of the car is going to cause some contention. Often the middle seat is the most uncomfortable and with that stems irritability and the all out war! Is there any way to control this?

Carnage in the car and that droning question, "Are we there yet?" can be addressed by providing the back seat passengers with activities that engage their intellect, keeping them thinking, so that time appears to pass quickly and they become engrossed in their activity. Often people choose travel games. These can be great until Freddy cheats and all of a sudden there are great eruptions occurring. Other travel games can become tedious and children tire of them quickly. The best way to engage the child is to provide some non-reading activity (some children get violently ill when reading or focussing on details while travelling). Have the children make something in the back of the car, or give them a non-noisy toy to play with. Alternatively, introduce them to Ozobot. Ozobot is a cool new miniature robot that children can learn to programme, without the need for a computer. All the need is a flat surface, paper, and a red, blue, black and green marker. With these tools they can make Ozobot change colour and programme him to do many different things. All the time that they are doing this, they are learning about programming and you can travel the road in peace. And look at that, we're now there!

The Crafti Bug's Birthday Bash

We're on the countdown. 

It's The Crafti Bug's Birthday

Wednesday 22 July.... 

The Crafti Bug will be turning 5, and we will be having a major Birthday blowout! 

Turning five is a really special time for children as normally it means a change in their life, signifying growing up, as they make their way off to school. For business it is a sign of maturation.

We are so excited about The Crafti Bug turning five, that we are throwing everything up into the air and having a Massive Birthday Bash! There are bargains galore, to be had, but only while stocks last. If that wasn't enough, we are making it freight free for all orders over $50! But you'll have to be very quick; this sale will only last 24 hours and we won't be repeating this any time soon.  So what are you waiting for.....?  Wednesday, July 22, 2015.

Originally founded by Nina Billington in Auckland, 22 July, 2010, Nina saw the need for an on-line web-store specialising in art and craft kits for children; she called it 'The Crafti Bug.' Unfortunately circumstances changed for Nina and she was unable to continue the business, selling it to Richard and Rachel Ireland in 2012, who moved it south, all the way to Darfield.  A few changes later with a new store front, the inclusion of educational, and some technological lines, The Crafti Bug has become the place of choice for a number of customers. With new options available and new products from our increasing number of suppliers, coming through to the store front, The Crafti Bug is the go to place for people of all ages; young mums, with babies, dad's looking for things to do with their children, grandparents looking for gifts, or educators and group leaders looking for bulk supplies for their programme. So if you are new to The Crafti Bug, welcome aboard, and remember if you can't find it, ask. We do what we can to find it for you.

For all those who have been loyal supporters of The Crafti Bug, THANK YOU for all of your support. Without you, we wouldn't be on this road. And Nina, thank you for having such a wonderful idea!

Happy Birthday to

The Crafti Bug

To Blog, or Not to Blog?

The age old question has been; "To be, or not to be?" However today the question seems to be; "To blog, or not to blog?" In reality it is easier not to blog, as it seems some blogs are full of irrelevant information. Others are full of really valuable gems but are written in a way that has no appeal to their intended audience... possibly as I'm doing now!

Value is derived from the content and each person may respond very differently to the content. We do not always interpret what we read the same way and subtle nuances may lead to quite a different understanding. For example, I laugh when I drive down the road and see a road sign saying " Seal Repairs." The context of the situation tells me that the road surface (the seal) is in need of maintenance (repair). However, if I lived near Kaikoura, (New Zealand) where seals have been venturing onto the road, someone may think that their had been a terrible accident and that the aquatic creature was requiring some medical treatment. It is a bit far fetched, but our English language has so many quirks that if the context isn't well defined the meaning can be misconstrued.

Example 2.

He said with a cheesy grin, "Take the old bag out."

Without any context, we have no meaning from this statement. The old bag... what is it?

Saying that in a room with your land-lord's wife present, may land you in a spot of trouble. She may think you were insulting her. Your cheesy grin may also mean that you took delight in it, and so adding further insult to injury. But what if you were eating your lunch and the melted cheese was dribbling down your chin and you asked a colleague to take out an old bag of tools? The meaning is considerably different and there is no insult.

So does blogging add value to the reader? Only when the context is right!