In a tight economy, baby shower games shift the focus from gift-centric to fun-centric

SPOKANE, WA., February 19, 2010 - Since many party hosts have had to tighten their budgetary belts, second and third time moms are being showered differently than in recent, more prosperous years, reports Creative Spark Media, (www.creativesparkmedia.com) the world’s most prolific party game developer. The nature of baby showers for experienced parents has shifted from gift-centric to an experience-focused event that better celebrates the delights of parenthood and the miracle of having a new baby. The company also has found when celebrating subsequent babies, there been a recent rise in the popularity of involving the father-to-be. As a result, baby shower games have become an essential part of these parties.

“Rather than a full-blown shower that is intended for first babies, today’s trend is to throw repeat parents ’sprinkles,’ smaller, more intimate gatherings with close friends and family, where gifts are minimal, but the event is full of games and focused on the celebration of the upcoming new baby,” said Heather Pieczonka, president and chief strategist of Creative Spark Media. “Printable baby shower games give men and women at these parties a common platform for fun—and help keep the men’s attention on the party and away from a football game that they otherwise would have playing in the next room.”

Most families have baby gear from their previous children and are delighted to celebrate in a smaller, more connected way. “I am going to have my fourth child late this spring. I really didn’t expect anything, but it warmed my heart when four of my friends got together to throw my husband and I a small party to celebrate this wonderful blessing,” said Yasmine Oiknine, an Oakland, California-based mom-to-be. “We don’t need much in terms of gifts, but I can’t wait to see which baby shower games we play—we’ve been discussing a fast-action co-ed icebreaker, a word-scramble, and possibly a couple’s trivia game to keep everyone having fun.”

www.Babyshowergamesatoz.com lists that among their more than 100 baby shower games, some of the most popular this year include: Baby Bingo, Baby Trivia, and a Nursery Rhyme Quiz. For $6.99 per game, printable baby shower games make hosting easy - hosts purchase the game online and print as many copies of the game as they need for the next 60 days.

About Creative Spark Media

Creative Spark Media, the world’s most prolific printable game developer, was founded with a goal of making parties more fun and less stressful by giving customers quick, easy, and fast access to games they print right from home or anywhere with an Internet connection. With approximately 500 unique games dedicated to all holidays and party themes, the company has sold more than 10 million games to over 300,000 party planners in over 100 countries.

A complete game subscription gives teachers the tools they need to encourage connection and positive social interaction

SPOKANE, WA., February 11, 2009 - With budgets getting tighter and class sizes getting larger, classroom management has become more challenging for elementary school teachers. It is compounded because many elementary school-aged children have not yet developed strong social skills, impulse-control, and a connection with and respect for their peer group. According to Creative Spark Media (www.creativesparkmedia.com), the world’s most prolific party game developer, teachers are incorporating more games to complement their academic curriculum, which helps foster collaboration between students and successfully creates a more cohesive and thriving classroom culture.

Teachers have discovered that children–including those who are often the most disruptive in the classroom—respond well to printable games and are delighted to work in groups with their peers in order to solve problems. “Without an overt lesson, game-playing lets students practice the subtleties of social interaction like playing by rules, listening, taking turns, practicing self-control, sharing, and negotiating,” said Heather Pieczonka, president and chief strategist of Creative Spark Media. “If paired up with different peers, game-playing can also help children learn to interact with a variety of personalities and break through classroom cliques. This can have a positive effect on children’s self-esteem and ultimately, classroom performance.”

“I work with many children who have difficulty in class and sometimes struggle to make proper social connections,” said Cindy Grigory, an elementary school teacher in Livermore, California. “Studies have shown that kids learn best when teachers pay attention to developing both their academic and social-emotional learning skills. Incorporating games into teaching makes learning more fun for the students and can enhance their performance and help improve negative conduct. It’s helpful when parents contribute these kinds of tools to the classroom.”

To maximize budgets, teachers and/or class parents usually invest in an annual subscription for the classroom that lets teachers access a complete game collection of more than 175 professionally developed games that they can use for class parties. The annual fee of $39.95 lets subscribers make unlimited printouts from their computer of each of the games—including personalized games—for 12 months. The games (that each sell for $6.99 per game) encompass key holidays such as New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Christmas and seasons including spring, winter and autumn.

About Creative Spark Media

Creative Spark Media, the world’s most prolific printable game developer, was founded with a goal of making parties more fun and less stressful by giving customers quick, easy, and fast access to games they print right from home or anywhere with an Internet connection. With approximately 500 unique games dedicated to all holidays and party themes, the company has sold more than 10 million games to over 300,000 party planners in over 100 countries.