(Article excerpts reprinted below)

Bee-Bots, Pro-Bots

Rhinoceros Toys is an innovative toy store which specializes in toys that inspire creative play. Bee-Bot and Pro-Bot are among the selections that Rhinoceros Toys offers.

In addition to offering Bee-Bot and Pro-Bot for sale, Rhinoceros Toys sponsors Bee-Bot and Pro-Bot Clubs at each location. Clubs are open to children from ages 4 to 12 and offer regular meetings at the store location. The clubs provide an opportunity for students to interact with each other and the robots in a fun environment.
Younger students in the Bee-Bot Club work together to teach Bee-Bot to follow a path and explore simple programming. Older students in the Pro-Bot Club work towards developing the skills to use Pro-Bot to design and draw a picture utilizing contributions from each member of the club.

Rhinoceros Toys is owned and run by former educators and is happy to serve as a resource for area teachers and schools. With locations in Jenkintown, PA and Haddonfield, NJ, Rhinoceros Toys is easily accessible for educators throughout eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. They welcome visits, calls, and emails.

By Kelly Roncace/Gloucester County Times

Saturday, October 29, 2011, 5:00 AM

Excerpt:

Rhinoceros Toy Store in Haddonfield offers Lego, Game and Puzzle clubs for children of all ages.

Bernadette May, manager of the family-owned toy shop, said children who join the Lego club are put into groups of no more than six and grouped by age (within two years of each other.)

“When they come in, we all decide on a theme together,” May said. “The groups decide what they want to build, then they all build.”

She said the children are free to create their own structures from the buckets of Lego blocks provided at the store.

“Sometimes they choose a construction site, sometimes a village. Their ideas are amazing,” May said.

The club meets for three continuous weeks. The creations built in each meeting remain on display in the store until the next meeting.

Members of Rhinoceros’ game and puzzle clubs — the cost is $30 a year — can “come in and take games and puzzles home, then bring them back and get new ones,” May said.

Other clubs include Robot Programming, Glass Fusing and the Gamery.

May said groups can also come in and play games by renting a table for four for $10 an hour.

“You can choose games or we can recommend games. And you can switch games during the hour,” she said.

Rhinoceros, celebrated its ribbon cutting with Mayor Tish Columbi on Saturday, October 15, introducing a unique new place for people to relax and have fun in Haddonfield: the “Gamery.”

“In the gamery,” explains co-owner Bernadette Hennessy May, “we have created a spot where families, couples, friends can come, sit at our tables, bring their favorite beverage, and play a game (that we’ll teach how to play) together.” Rhinoceros Gamery also offers a menu of in-store activities for children and adults alike , everything from the old-fashioned potholders we all made in our youth to complex glass-fused jewelry.
After searching for a home for our second location, May says, “our family-owned business is thrilled to be a part of this vibrant and welcoming community.”

When asked, why they chose the name Rhinoceros, Bernadette explained that when Kate, her co-owner and sister, was young, her class prepared a Thanksgiving day performance for their parents. Everyone picked parts such as pilgrims, Native Americans, or turkeys. When Kate was asked what she wanted to be, Kate exclaimed, “a RHINOCEROS”! After attempts to divert Kate to Thanksgiving-themed characters failed, the teacher allowed Kate to play the rhinoceros. On show day, Kate happily stampeded around the Thanksgiving performance. Bernadette says, “Rhinoceros embodies the creativity, enjoyment, exploration, and enthusiasm we hope to bring out in all of our customers, young and old.”

Rhinoceros invites one and all to a Halloween fundraiser at our Haddonfield store on Sunday, October 30, and Monday October 31. Half the proceeds from all in-store activities will be donated to Susan G. Komen For the Cure Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

It’s always playtime at Rhinoceros Toys!

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