She is 12 years old, adventurous, curious, stylish, brave, and she’s a bear! Zylie the Bear is like the American Girl of bears. Mary Beth Minton and her son, Matt, created Zylie to give children a play experience that is not only fantastic but educational. In a world where toys are plastic and steal the imaginations of children with fixed ideas, Zylie and her friend Shen the Panda are a breath of fresh air. Quality toys that inspire imagination, spark curiosity about the world around the child, and will forever live in a child’s mind and heart is rare thing. That rare thing is Zylie the Bear.
Down to brass tacks, Zylie the Bear is an 18 inch jointed bear which you can dress up in the fashionable clothing. A Zylie the Bear Kit comes with Zylie, her signature outfit, purse, map, diary, and the first book in the Zylie adventures series. Her friend Shen the panda, is also an 18 inch jointed bear which you can also dress up in fashionable clothing. A Shen the bear kit comes with Shen, backpack, passport, drumsticks, and the second book in the adventure series.
I must disclose that small business, especially those started by moms and run by families, which focus on uncompromising quality and center on education are close to my heart. Zylie the Bear captures the heart and then takes your child on a global world tour. As a homeschooling mom, I have learned to make a lesson out of everything. I also appreciate items with staying power and that enhance my child’s education. Not solely for noble reasons as a small pocketbook deems it necessary to buy only quality.
I fell in love with this idea and could not wait to present the bear to my 5 year old. I have a very curious five year old, and she was excited to play with Zylie and join her on her adventures. I suppose my only complaint could be that now she is so interested in world traveling that she talks nonstop about geography and where she would like to visit and what she would do. My 2 year old, having no real concept of the world, is not able to point at the globe and in toddler talk say the name of a country. She is always pointing to the wrong country, mind you. However, the true gold in Zylie in my home is the interaction between my normally combative 5 and 12 year old. My 12 year old is a geography junkie so now she can share this with her sister who normally preferred pink sparkly ponies over a globe. I would love to say my 10 year old boy thought these bears were supreme. Objectively, he thought the bears were a nice idea for his sisters and if he can torture them by refusing to stamp Zylie and Shen’s passport then they are a welcome addition to the family.
So why tell you all about this? In the words of Dr. Seuss, “This is important and that is why I am bothering telling you so!” The connection of Zylie to education and being a positive role model is worth the trip to the Zylie website. Not all educational tools have to be flash cards, light up toys, or computer educational games. There are times that learning is expressed best through playful interaction between a child and her imagination. Ideas are all too often spoon fed to children through rigid educational tools which demand a cut and dry answer or seek an answer in particular. If you read my article on Charlotte Mason’s Masterly Inactivity, you understand that I feel quiet free playtime is essential to a child’s development. Zylie brings not only this to the table but lasting warm memories of a child and her best bear.
Disclosure: Writer shamelessly sought out Zylie owners to do a review on this product after visiting the website. Opinions expressed are my own and may or may be those of Zylie the Bear and her creators.
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