GeoToys Makes Learning Geography Fun

Quick – in what continent can you find Rwanda? Given a map of the Middle East, can you point to Saudi Arabia? Sadly, according to a recent poll by National Geographic, most Americans 18-24 do not know that Sudan and Rwanda are in Africa, and 63% cannot find Iraq or Saudi Arabia on a map of the Middle East.

“Lack of geographical knowledge is a big hole in our educational system,” says Bob Galinsky, a former international aid worker and father of three. “And in the case of Africa, the hole is the size of the Grand Canyon. Clearly, we can do a better job in this country of teaching our kids about the world, and the first thing we need to do is to make geography fun.”

A couple of years ago Bob tried to purchase geography puzzles for his son, but there was nothing really good out there, so he founded GeoToys and invented GeoPuzzles. GeoPuzzles are jigsaw puzzles with pieces shaped like individual countries, so children learn and build fine motor, cognitive, language, and problem-solving skills as they put the puzzle together. Currently, GeoPuzzles are available for Europe, Asia and Africa, with more continents coming soon.

“GeoPuzzles are durable and come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee,” says Bob. “They are made from recycled material, because we wouldn’t want to tear up the earth to teach kids about it.”

Clever Parents caught up with Bob to talk about international aid work, the leap from aid worker to toy company founder, and things that parents can do to help their children think globally.

Clever Parents: How did you decide to do international aid work?
Bob Galinsky: I studied in France my senior year in college, travelled around, and got the travel bug. I wanted to do aid work because I wanted to do something rewarding and see the world.

Clever Parents: Tell us about being an international aid worker.
Bob Galinsky: I worked for a small company called Fintrac, working on agricultural development projects in a number of countries, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Mali. This was when I was 23 until I was 28, pre-kids.

Clever Parents: Have you always been interested in geography?
Bob Galinsky: Yes, my father is from Germany and I used to travel there as a child. He is a history professor and he acts as a tour guide on educational cruises, so we used to accompany him. Because of him I guess, I developed a keen interest in travel and all kinds of things international.

Clever Parents: Aid worker to toy company founder is a pretty big leap – how did that come to be?
Bob Galinsky: In the middle there was business school, and stints working for big companies (I still work full-time as a marketer at Kimberly-Clark). Then a couple of years ago I tried to purchase geography puzzles for my son, but there was nothing really good out there, so I decided to invent the GeoPuzzles.

Clever Parents: What’s next for GeoToys?
Bob Galinsky: We’re still in start-up mode, really. Right now we’re focused on expanding distribution in toy stores, teacher stores, and museum shops. I do have some ideas for a number of other geography toys, but that will have to wait until we establish a good base business.

Clever Parents: What are some ways that parents can help their children to think globally?
Bob Galinsky: Travel is probably the best way to get kids to realize that there is a big world out there. I was fortunate to be able to travel as a child, and I think it definitely had a big impact on me. But even if you don’t travel internationally, if you are interested in other countries, you can share that interest with your children. There are tons of books for kids about different continents and different countries, and you can read those together. You can take them out for Chinese, Italian, Thai, French, or Mexican food. You can take a language class together. And it doesn’t even have to be anything special– I’m finding that my son is learning a lot about geography by watching the World Cup! The main thing is, if you are interested in the world outside the U.S., share that interest with your kids!

Clever Parents: Anything else you’d like to share?
Bob Galinsky: I’m sure you can tell I feel passionately about helping kids learn about the world. I think it makes them more open-minded, and open to more possibilities, than otherwise. And our kids really need help– as National Geographic’s latest poll shows, young Americans have a long way to go before they are geographically literate.

“We also believe that the more children learn about the Earth, the more they will do to protect it when they grow up. And we think that’s important. That’s why, in addition to making geography fun, we donate a portion of our profits to geography education.”

Learn more and buy GeoPuzzles online (for $14.99) on the GeoToys website, www.GeoToyStore.com.