Stories, and storytelling, are such wonderful and even magical components of our lives - and especially the lives of our children. With the pressures to purchase toys to enhance development, we want to use the toys that nature provides us as well as toys that preserve the creativity of the child.  Drew Vernon, Marketing Director of Tonies, joins us to talk about how the stories we fall in love with in the early days and years of our lives transcend simple entertainment - they teach us about the world and about each other.  Join us as we talk about Drew's work with another iconic toy brand, and learn how his recent work at Tonies, with their tactile, screen-free Toniebox, is helping introduce pre-readers and developing readers to the wonders of narrative story telling.  When children can just 'listen' to a story versus 'seeing' it played out in front of them, it sparks the creativity in their brain and challenges them to bring the story to life all on their own, using their imagination.  You can get 15% off certain Tonies products with the code "toniepodcast" - certain restrictions do apply.