july2017

86 87 mental skills. That’s the direction we’re taking.” The Safari Ltd. team has done much research in the field of play therapy, which has been shown to be an effective method for allowing children to express themselves and their feel- ings naturally, in a comfortable setting. Play is important for early childhood development from a neurological standpoint as well as a therapeutic perspective, and can also help children resolve a range of challenging issues that may arise during their development. Safa- ri’s customers include licensed play therapists who utilize their figures for an exercise known as “sandplay therapy,” in which a client is tasked with creating a contained environment to reflect their imaginary world using sand and miniature objects. “When children play, they learn,” says Christina Pariente, Alexandre’s wife and Safari Ltd.’s President. “They must have time for imaginative play to develop correctly. Imag- inative play teaches children creativity, coping mechanisms, independence, problem-solving skills, and much more.We make sure our twelve month old has imaginative play time every day. It is that important and should start right away.” All Safari Ltd. toys are non-toxic and free of lead, phthalates, and BPAs. For over 35 years, their products have been laboratory tested to meet all lead safety requirements, and are in compliance with worldwide safety standards. Quality control is a major focus at Safari Ltd. Throughout the year, Alexandre and Christina Warehouse Solutions for Your Business PREFERRED VENDOR n Supply Soft www.supplysoftllc.com SAFARI LTD. visit their Asian partners to stay close to the manufacturing process. Ongoing, open com- munication between the manufacturers and the Safari product development team is key to achieving their strict quality standards. “Staying true to our mission, Safari also supports conservational and environmental initiatives. This year alone, we partnered with the Humane Society of Broward Coun- ty, the Nature Conservatory, and several Na- tional and State Parks to provide donations to help preserve our environment. Overall, our company culture, and what we believe in, is making sure we conserve the environ- ment so our children’s children can experi- ence it in the way we did,” notes Beavers. With caring, intelligent companies like Safari Ltd. working hard to bring interaction back to a tangible toy experience, our next generations have a great chance of learn- ing, reviving, and enjoying the basics of ‘unplugged’ play.