Sep 12, 2011

Toys at the Intersection of Faith and Fun

Keeping kids entertained and quiet in church is no easy task. A 4-year-old just doesn’t have the attention span to sit still and listen quietly for 45 minutes. Instead of reaching for dress-up dolls or racecars to occupy little ones, why not give them faith-based toys that complement rather than diverge from the message of the service? The latest church-friendly products from Wee Believers® prove that faith can be fun, and quiet! Parents will welcome toys whose play value enforces the goodness in life for on-the-go and home play, as well.

Started by parents Joni and Steve Abdalla, Wee Believers® designs toys that reflect the joy, excitement and goodness of the Christian faith. The parents of four (with another on the way) wanted to give their children relevant and wholesome toys to play with before, during and after church. After one too many Sundays seeing kids run their racecars up and down the pew, they decided to create a solution. They were surprised to discover that there was plenty of room in the market for professionally designed, high-quality faith-based toys.

Many of the Wee Believers® products have the Certified Quiet™ seal, meaning they won’t irritate or distract anyone sitting around you. Plush dolls, coloring activities and pretend play toys will entertain, teach and inspire little ones to engage more deeply in their faith, all while keeping them quietly happy so parents can take in the service without disruption.

But, you don’t necessarily have to don your Sunday best to enjoy Wee Believers products. The company’s products are intended for year-round inspirational play and work equally well at church, at home, at school or on-the-go.

Here’s a look at the company’s latest products, launching at stores this fall:

My Mass Kit™ • Ages 3-8 • $69.99 • Certified Quiet™

Kids love to imitate what they see and this kit provides everything needed to recreate the Catholic Mass. The award-winning My Mass Kit™ comes with 12 child-friendly soft sculpture replicas used by the celebrant during Mass including a chalice, candles, finger bowl and play Hosts. Packaged in a convenient and sturdy zip-up carry case, My Mass Kit™ can go anywhere. The included 24-page booklet is an excellent teaching tool and can be used at home or in a religious education class.

Nativity 2-in-1 Floor Puzzle • Ages 3+ • $14.99

Celebrate the Christmas season with this oversized, double-sided puzzle. This sturdy and glossy puzzle features the nativity scene with Jesus, Mary and Joseph on one side and a snowy landscape on the other side. A challenging individual, classroom or team activity. The puzzle has 54 pieces and the completed puzzle measures 2′ x 3′.

Wee Artist Color & Hugs™ St. Francis • Ages 3+ • $7.99 • Certified Quiet™

Faith-themed fun with a creative twist! Are those bluebirds or redbirds on St Francis’s arm? You choose! This colorable 10″ black-and-white soft and cuddly plush comes with six washable markers. Plush is double-sided depicting St. Francis on one side and a wooded stream setting on the other side. Marker color goes on bright and saturates the fabric but also easily washes out with water so you can color, rinse and repeat!

Wee Artist Color & Hugs™ • Ages 3+ • $6.99 (six styles, sold individually) • Certified Quiet™

Just like the St. Francis plush above, these double-sided color-on plush come with six high-quality markers. Each plush is 6″. Choose from Cross, Angel, Church Mouse , Nativity, St. Nick or Jesus. Each one has a ribbon loop at the top so you can display your masterpiece . Marker color goes on bright and saturates the fabric but also easily washes out with water so you can color, rinse and repeat!

Wee Artist Color & Hugs™ Coloring Mats • Ages 3+ • $7.99 each • Certified Quiet™

Each double-sided 9″x 13″ mat offers plenty of space for creativity. Each mat comes with 6 markers. Choose from St Francis, Fruit of the Spirit or Fruit of the Spirit Catechism Edition. Marker color goes on bright and saturates the fabric but also easily washes out with water so you can color, rinse and repeat!

Nativity Fridge Magnets • Ages 3+ • $9.99

Tell the story of Christmas on your own refrigerator. This 11-piece set is sized perfectly for little hands. Set includes Jesus, a manger, Mary, Joseph, angels, stable, furry animals and a banner.  

Wood Lacing Toys • Ages 3+ • $14.99

Keep little hands busy and focused with this lacing set, which comes with seven pieces plus matching laces. Weave matching shoelaces around and through the holes on the chunky pieces. Kids practice fine motor, dexterity and matching skills. Each shape has a Wee Believers® image on one side and a companion memory Bible verse on the other side. Designed for durability and repeated use. Makes a great stocking or Easter basket stuffer!

Faith Mats™ • Ages 2+ • $4.99 (Advent mat is 5.99 and includes 2 wipe-off markers)

Colorful heavy-duty wipe-off placemats inspire meaningful faith conversations all year long! Available in six different styles: Advent, Fruit of the Spirit, Fruit of the Spirit Catechism, Nativity, Easter and St. Francis. Made of food-grade polypropylene.

Vocation Dolls™ • Ages 3-8 • $29.99 each • Certified Quiet™

Father Juan Pablo and Sister Mary Clara serve God throughout the world. Learn about true vocation stories while playing with the soft 13″ plush dolls. Each doll comes with its own 26-page vocation story booklet that highlights respect, perseverance, hard work and other virtues. Each doll is dressed in traditional attire, and Father Juan Pablo comes with a mini Mass Kit. Each doll and accompanying booklet sold separately.

Wee Believers® faith-based products are intended to celebrate the Christian faith. While a few products are Catholic-specific—the company’s founders are life-long Catholics—the goal is to offer fun, wholesome and well-made toys for all Christian children.

All Wee Believers® products are made using high-quality materials with an extreme eye on detail. When possible, they are packaged using 80 percent post-consumer recycled paper. Products are available nationwide at Christian stores like Catholic Child, Leaflet Missal, Trinity Road, Gloria Deo, Our Sunday Visitor, Adoremus Books, Prospect Hill, Aquinas & More, National Shrine Shops in Washington, DC, and online atwww.WeeBelievers.com. Also available at select Canadian and United Kingdom locations.

ABOUT WEE BELIEVERS

Wee Believers was founded by parents Joni and Steve Abdalla when they had the idea for quiet, faith-based and fun toys as an alternative to kids playing with cars and dress-up dolls. . The company believes in celebrating faith through play and its products are designed to reflect the joy, excitement and goodness of the Christian faith. Visit the company online at www.WeeBelievers.com.

Lisa Orman

KidStuff Public Relations

(608) 767-1102

Lisa@KidStuffPR.com

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