Great List of Kid's Toys-No Batteries Needed!

Metroland, an interesting and well written blog from Albany NY's alternative newsweekly has included Thumball by Answers In Motion on their list of cool Kid's Stuff. They summed up Thumball's staggering reach with the line, "Thumball is quickly becoming a hit from cribs to corporate retreats." It is true you may find a Thumball at a top corporate office or in a child's playroom in Indiana and that is part of the fun. A fun tool that encourages positive social interaction and increased opportunities for learning really is great for everyone at any age!

Thumball is showing up on Christmas lists, referenced in blogs and winning toy awards. Be on the look out this holiday season for Thumball to add to the magic that happens when loved ones get together and get to know each other even more, no batteries needed!

NJEA and Thumball: Perfect Together

The NJEA convention in Atlantic City was a huge success. Educators from all over NJ gathered together to share and expand their fund of knowledge. Answers In Motion exhibited with 18 Thumball designs available for purchase and the attendees were exuberant about bringing Thumballs back to their schools.

Thumball earned excellent feedback from caring and dedicated teachers, counselors, SLPs, ESL experts, presenotrs and parents happy to find a simple yet effective learning tool. One teacher reported that Thumball "saved my morning meeting time" explaining that her opening lesson each day is now filled with language expansion and focused attention as students particiapte eagerly and appropriately with Thumball.

We want to share the good vibrations from this event with a gift. Twenty percent off your entire order at http://www.prestostore.com/catalog.php/catch32ball Enter NJEA in the discount code box in your shopping cart.

Fat Brain Toys Chooses Thumball as A Winner!

4 inch Thumball has been chosen as a winner in the 2010 Fat Brain Toy Awards which means that visitors to Fat Brain Toys have chosen it as the best-of-the-best in specialty toys, games, and gifts. It is a honor to be recognized by a top notch educational toy retailer like Fat Brain. They offer the best toys for learning and family fun and we at Answers In Motion are thrilled to be part of their family of products. Using smart toys like Thumball at home and in school help students to develop focused attention, problem solving, social skills and healthy life styles. Thanks Fat Brain and thanks to all our customers and friends.

The Real Vegas

A trip to Vegas is often a trip to "The Strip" where you can find amazing hotels, quality restaurants, world class entertainment, night clubs and of course casinos. It is a sight to see and many different kinds of experiences can be had in "Sin city".


We only go to Vegas on business trips for our company Answers In Motion (2010 ASD trade show) but we try to fit in at least one fun and interesting thing to do. Last year it was the amazing production called LOVE, a Beatles tribute by Cirque du Soleil...in a word, FANtastic!! This year we got to see the real Vegas, not the strip or the town or the shows or the buildings but rather the Vegas of millions of years ago.

A short drive out of town and you will find desert with Joshua trees(a plant actually, in the lily family!). With a well educated native at your side(thank you Robert!!) you can learn to recognize the layers of rock and landmarks of days gone by when mammoths roamed the land or ocean covered the desert floor. Now drive up to higher elevation and see first the scrubby pinions and junipers.

A very short scenic drive and you will be enfolded into cooler temperatures, tall pines and stunning vistas in the Spring mountains of NV. Did you know skiing is available from Oct to April? Picnic groves are easily found and hikes from simple to expert can be had. The air is so clean and fresh and the pace is lesuirely, as far from the lights and sounds of the strip as you can get but only 45 minutes away!

We are fortunate to know Robert, a lifelong NV native turned tour guide and all around great person. He has taken us to Red Rock Canyon and Mt Charleston one of the tallest peaks in NV and generously shares his vast knowledge of history, the flora and the fauna of the area. It leaves you with a new connection to the place called Vegas beyond the famous man made playground.

When you venture out West to try your luck for fun or business, do yourself a favor and contact Guided Vegas Tours...ask for Robert. http://www.guidedvegastours.com/index.html A simple walking tour of the Strip or a day or night adventure into the real Vegas of desert, high desert or mountain landscapes and you will be a winner every time.

Thumball™ Rockin NY Toy Fair 2010

The best time of year is here again, February, when it is cold and snowy and time to share hearts, flowers and TOYS. The biggest and best toy expo in the world is held each year at the Javitz Center in New York City and classic, innovative and new toys are presented for all to see.

Thumball is now being exhibited by Talicor Inc, http://talicor.com/products?search[name_like]=thumball&x=14&y=14 a top quality toy distributor of educational, communication, Christian and family games. They will be in Booth #313this year displaying the Thumball line of products and introducing new designs. A chance for more retailers to learn about Thumball, the simple game that gets great results. Over and over in the news are discussions about the fading art of verbal communication and social skills. A simple game of Thumball gets people talking, interacting and behaving at their best.

"The Ball" was recently admitted into the Toy Hall of Fame http://www.museumofplay.org/NTHoF/index.php because it is a universally understood object of fun and recreation. Thumball improved on that concept by adding key words, phrases and questions to the ball which stimulate conversation and promote learning in a playful way. Parents, teachers and leaders in every field are excited by a simple toy that does so much more than just encourage toss and catch.


It may be cold every February and Toy Fair attendees rarely get to be home with their loved ones on Valentine's Day but the love of new business and dynamic products like Thumball keep them coming back every year for the fun and opportunities that abound.

Truth Time: It's About Truth and It's About Time

2010 is starting off well for us at Answers In Motion and our star product Thumball. Customers are coming to us from big business in search of ways to improve the office atmosphere. Administrators and teachers need a way to make parents more comfortable at school events; Educators report that "Our students are crazy about playing Thumball and knowing they will get to play motivates them and improves their classroom behavior." All this from a ball? Yes! Proving again that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Everywhere I look, everywhere I go I see more and more honesty coming through from friends, family and colleagues. Less of trying to get over on someone for a better deal and more about establishing relationships based on trust. The economic conditions still touch our company daily with our buyers needing more time to pay. We talk with them about it and when they are direct and honest and forthright we can't help but say Yes. At times this puts our own business at risk but then the magic happens and a new order arrives or an old unpaid invoice appears and is paid promptly. Fear holds us back from trusting but every time I take the risk it pays off. Sometimes the wait for that return is longer than we like but we stay the course and remain in our own truth.

President Obama stated some difficult truths during the State of The Union address further setting the tone for an outstanding new year, The Year of Truth and the growth from that alone will improve hearts, minds and ultimately the economy. And that's The Truth.

Thumball Featured in The Official Alibaba.com Success Guide

Mary and Gregg Pembleton, founders of Answers In Motion LLC and creators of the educational game, Thumball are honored to have been included in a new book. Written by Brad and Debra Schepp, The Official Alibaba.com Success Guide explains the way to successfully source and sell products through the comprehensive and easy to use web site Alibaba.com.

http://tinyurl.com/y87ddvy

The story of Thumball's beginnings and the road The Pembletons followed to success are described in detail. Quotes through out the book help guide new entrepreneurs, inventors and business owners in safe practices and effective strategies. A great new publication for current information and inspiring stories.

Answers iN Motion ThankTDmonthly Magazine For Thumball Review

Well spoken associate from TDmonthly magazine describes Meet and Greet Thumball by Answers In Motion and it's benefits.
http://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/video/video.asp?clip=20453

TDmonthly magazine associate has some fun with Move Your Body Thumball. http://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/video/video.asp?clip=20007

It never gets old seeing how people respond to Thumball products. One thing always stays the same the smiles, the enthusiasm and the surprise at what a simple ball can do!

Alibaba.com Gives Answers iN Motion Generous Gift!

The Business 2 Business global web site Alibaba.com has been one of our company's most important relationships. Nearly 4 years ago we located the primary suppliers we still use today through Alibaba.com . We have gladly shared our positive experience using their services. It has resulted in Answers In Motion being featured as part of a 4 page adve-torial in INC and Fast Company magazines (June09 issues).

We were interviewed for a new book about Alibaba, their origins and how to best use their services. We even video taped a happy 10th Birthday message to celebrate their anniversary date. Our biggest surprise came last week when they invited us to be apart of their annual ALiFest a Business Summit and trade show.

Alibaba.com offered us this opportunity at no cost to us and then we discovered the event is in China!! So in a month's time we will be flying around the world to participate in AliFest, experience a culture unknown to us and get to meet our suppliers personally. These wonderful people email weekly and call when needed and make top quality Thumball products for us. They are kind and cooperative and it will be a real pleasure to thank them in person.

The world of an entrepreneur is risky, tumultuous, rewarding and at times full of surprises. This is a wonderful surprise and an exciting opportunity and we give thanks to Alibaba and the universe for this experience.

Thumball Origins: How Our Business Began

We often get asked about our company Answers In Motion and our product Thumball and how it all came to be. From speech therapist and home contractor to entrepreneurs and business owners this has been an unexpected adventure for my husband and I. Below is a history of how things developed.

Thumball came to be while I was working as a speech pathologist. I had a challenging class of 14 students with a variety of learning challenges. I found ways to effectively combine games with language development activities but I noticed that when it was not their own turn the student’s didn’t pay attention to the activity or their classmates.

Writing vocabulary words on a small stuffed ball and allowing the students to play ball in class got their undivided attention! First passing the ball, then rolling it then gentle tosses. Finally a student asked, “Why are there words all over the ball?”. I explained the concept that when I say STOP the person holding the ball must lift their thumb and talk about the word. This worked well and best of all the students began learning from each other because they never took their eye off the ball!

After several months of making my own designs and using Thumball effectively I had a dream, a literal dream that woke me from my sleep with the instructions to “Make this product and market it because no one has time to make their own games anymore!” The dream occurred on my deceased father’s birthday and felt to me like he was communicating this idea to me almost like a gift. When I shared my dream with my partner (now husband) Gregg he immediately “got” the concept and saw the limitless potential.

The concept for this game has been used by many educators often utilizing beach balls but it had inherent flaws. I knew the ball had to be safe, easy to control, provide pleasing sensory input and use relevant content for improving communication skills. The real invention was our decision to go forth and actually find a way to get Thumball manufactured and marketed. My husband’s optimism, life experience and tenacity made my dream into a reality. (This will be the subject of another post one day).

Our life has never been the same since. It is rewarding to see therapists, teachers, parents, friends and employees get together and watch how Thumball can enhance the interactions. The only way to really know Thumball is to play it often and new ideas develop and grow. We now create custom Thumballs for companies that want a special way to market their products, supply useful learning tools to schools and effectively convey a message about their business. We look back at our beginnings and smile and encourage all to follow their dreams.