Do You Remember Your First Bike?

They say you never forget how to ride a bike. But have you forgotten the first time you rode one? How old were you? If it was typical it probably had training wheels to get you used to it before they were eventually taken off. I don’t even remember ever having training wheels, but I do remember falling an awful lot.

Your first bike

It’s better if a kid can start out with a balance bike. Manufacturers of balance bikes say that kids learn faster on them than regular bikes with training wheels. A balance bike has to be small enough so that the rider can walk it while sitting on it with both feet flat on the ground. The idea is that eventually they will be able to run with the bike and lift their feet off the ground while coasting. This is how they learn to balance.

Balance bikes

Learning how to pedal and balance is a bit tricky. Training wheels only teach kids how to pedal, not how to balance, which is much harder. Kids who learn on a balance bike learn how to balance first and then learn how to combine it with pedaling. Balance bikes are safer because kids are less likely to fall off and skin their knees if they are already used to balancing on a small bike without pedals.

Balance bikes have actually been around since the late 1800s, but the new versions are sleek, lightweight and durable.

According to the National Sporting Goods Association, the number of women bike riders is up slightly, while the number of kids riding bikes is down slightly. Maybe that is because more kids are sitting at home playing computer games. But parents should be encouraging their kids to get out and get some exercise and fresh air, hopefully taking rides together.

swiggies, Wrist Water Bottles Named Creative Child Magazine Best Product

Swiggies, wrist water bottles for kids were recently added to another list of top products. Over 1500 entries were submitted to Creative Child magazine for their top products award, and swiggies made the cut once it was narrowed down.

“As a corporate creativity trainer, I know how important creativity is and why it should be instilled in kids from an early age. That’s what Creative Child Magazine does. The swiggies brand is synonymous with creativity and innovation and supports creativity education for children of all ages.

swiggies was also the winner of the Toyman Award for innovation and quality as voted on by the consumer. HydroSport, the parent company of swiggies, prides itself in creativity and innovation. HydroSport strives to reach new heights in the innovation of future products.

Swiggies come in 6 bright kids colors and can also be imprinted with a corporate logo as a unique promotional product for a kids fun run or corporate sponsored event.

 

 

Marathons Going Green

Yesterday was the annual L.A. Marathon, which was perfectly timed on festive St. Patrick’s day and the weather was perfect. Approximately 24,000 runners went the 26.2 miles from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. It’s one of the largest marathons in the country and brings in runners from all parts of the world. So, on a day synonymous with green, I was surprised to see one of the biggest marathons in the country didn’t seem to be going green.

6,000 volunteers hand out oranges, bananas, and over 70,000 gallons of water to runners as they pass by. Then they kept the streets clean by raking the trash continuously. 1, 220,000 paper cups. I could help but think at least some of that waste could be kept to a minimum if they’d only used swiggies, wrist water bottles, instead. At least a little of the marathon could be greener with eco-friendly wrist water bottles. I would think you could save on time by not having to slow down at the water stations so often. You could just fill them up quickly on the go. And they can also be frozen to lower your body temperature in the heat.

With all the talk of going green, you would think marathons would be more conscious of the enormous amount of paper cups that are being used and find an alternative.

So, race directors, give me a call. swiggies are a great solution to that problem. And they’re BPA-free. Put your logo on them and participants will keep them for a long time, showing off your logo over and over again. And showing that you care about the planet at the same time by going green. It’s the best advertising money can buy.

 

 

 

Don’t Buy Counterfeit Products

A couple of months ago I went to the Trademark Expo in Washington, D.C. at the Patent and Trademark Office. Among the cartoon characters and licensed products there were booths full of seized counterfeit products that could have fooled any buyer.

Most people think of counterfeit goods as the luxury products sold on a street corner, like fake Rolexes and Gucci purses. It seems harmless until you see the counterfeit pharmaceuticals and engine parts. And no one can forget the tainted counterfeit dog food from China. I had a very hard time distinguishing the real toothpaste from the counterfeit. Or the real Jack Daniels from the fake. Just about anything and everything that’s made has been counterfeited and many of those counterfeit products were on display at the expo.

Over 750 billion dollars in counterfeit goods are sold every year worldwide, costing the U.S. hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions taken out of our economy. My patent examiner told me that the government is doing everything they can to stop it, but the problem is overwhelming. The lure of easy money from counterfeiting is great and the jail time too lenient.

So what can you do to avoid buying these products and contributing to the problem? Buy from reputable brick and mortar or online retailers. Especially in a bad economy it can be tempting to want to save money. But make sure you are buying from the source or from a reputable retailer.

I’ve fought hard to stop counterfeiters of my own swiggies brand and monitor all activity at the ports and online. I deal with a well known family factory who manufacturers toys for the largest companies in the world. Their quality is always monitored and tested for safety.

So, the next time you see a deal that looks too good to be true, it probably is. And to help combat this problem, if you spot counterfeit products, please contact The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center at www.iprcenter.gov.

Marathons Raise Money for Charity This Thanksgiving

As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, runners across the country are raising money for those less fortunate so they can enjoy a good Thanksgiving meal. These traditional marathons are often called “turkey trots” and are held on Thanksgiving Day or Thanksgiving weekend.

Sometimes the events are a fundraising marathon for a local food bank or charity, or sometimes they are a fundraiser for a particular person or group of people. The entry fees go to the fundraising cause, and that can really add up. A church marathon team recently raised $500,000 for 2 villages in Zambia so they could have clean water.

If you can’t pay the entry fee for a marathon, or you’re not a runner, volunteer your time. Races always need volunteers to give out water at the water stations or other tasks on race day.

And if you can’t volunteer at the race, at least volunteer your time in other easy this holiday season. Visit a patient in the hospital. Bring something they would appreciate, like books, toys for kids, or special treats. Visit someone in a nursing home.

If you’re a runner, are you going to be entering any marathons that give to charity this year?