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HeroMe Girl is LIVE on Kickstarter!

We are so excited to be launching HeroMe Girl!  Check out our campaign on Kickstarter here.  Since we made our big announcement, we’ve received TONS of great feedback, answered lots of questions, and felt your enthusiasm for the idea.  In an effort to answer as many questions as possible and keep you all informed about the process, we thought this list of FAQs might be helpful . . .

What is HeroMe Girl?  HeroMe Girl is a line of customizable female action figures.  With HeroMe Girl, we will introduce new female heads and a new female torso to fit with our existing line of superpower arms, legs, and accessories.

Will HeroMe Girl be different than “regular” HeroMe?  No!  In fact, the term HeroMe Girl will go away as soon as we secure the funding we need to design and manufacture our female heads and torso.  In our minds, all the HeroMes - male or female - are on the same team, the HeroMe team.  We wont be making distinctions between HeroMe boys and girls, and all of the figures will have access to the same superpower arms, legs, red uniform, and accessories.  At HeroMe, we are about encouraging ALL kids to be creative - not distinguishing girls from boys or designing toys specifically for different genders.

Why didn’t you start with HeroMe Girl?  We launched with our male HeroMes in November 2014 because we had a product we were proud of and we needed to start selling product in order to survive as a company.  At the time of our launch, we didn’t have female designs that we felt were empowering to any child - female or male.  Since November, we’ve worked with lots of designers to create new looks and a torso that are a little bit different that the stereotypical female superhero.  Take one look and you’ll notice a lack of outrageous measurements, skin barring costumes, and overly made up looks.  Instead, you’ll see strong, confident, and happy female superheroes - the kinds of figures that are empowering and inspiring to all children regardless of their gender.  

Will you make all of the HeroMe Girl looks? Right now, we are shooting to create 3-5 female looks and one female torso.  Our ultimate goal is to provide as much choice as possible for kids when they are creating their HeroMe, and we’re committed to growing and expanding with new parts and looks as funding becomes available.  

When will HeroMe Girl be available?  Once we secure funding, HeroMe Girl will be available within 9 - 12 months.  Our goal is to have female looks and a torso ready for sale by late Spring/early Summer 2016.

What will it cost to make HeroMe Girl?  $150,000.  This amount will cover the cost of design, manufacturing, painting, testing, and shipping our HeroMe Girl pieces.  We’ve secured funding recently for a portion of the cost, but we need your help to close the remaining gap and begin production.  

How can I help make HeroMe Girl happen?  You can help in two ways:

1. You can donate to our Kickstarter campaign here.   We hope you’ll consider a contribution to help us bring HeroMe Girl to life.

2. You can help by spreading the word about our HeroMe Girl Kickstarter campaign.  Post a link to the campaign on facebook, email your friends, and call your neighbors about the campaign.  A specific request from you to check us out and contribute will go a LONG way towards helping us reach our goal.  

Thank you for your interest in HeroMe and HeroMe Girl!  Do you still have questions, comments, or concerns?  Email us info@heromelab.com - it will come straight to our inbox and we promise to read it and answer right away.  

For more information about HeroMe Girl, check out some of these recent stories and news clips:

Florida Times Union

Jacksonville Business Journal

The Chat

WJXT News for Jax

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We all know the importance of helping kids develop their literacy skills from an early age.  BUT, do you know how to develop these skills?  Do you know how to tell if your child is on track for preschool with his or her reading skills?  

Nemours recently launched a new website, readingbrightstart.org, that provides the tools and resources you need as a parent to help your child with his or her reading skills.  The best part?  The tools and tests are completely FREE!  Check out articles for parents, activities you can do at home, and recommended books all on one easy website.  Don't miss the preschool reading screener either.  It's a quick question and answer form that will help you determine if your child is on track for preschool.  Not only that, it will generate a reading skill development plan that is customized for your child.  Try it today, use your custom plan, then fill it out again in a few months - the plan will update and evolve as your child develops his or her reading, writing, and literacy skills.  

At HeroMe, we've designed our toys to encourage children to develop a love for reading, writing, and storytelling.  We've created a HeroMe Handbook that incorporates many of the strategies suggested by Nemours through our games and activities.  Whether it's reading our half-written adventure, drawing pictures throughout the Handbook, or brainstorming story-ideas and adventures for a HeroMe, playing with a HeroMe Action Figure can be both fun and developmentally beneficial to a child.  To learn more, visit www.HeroMeLab.com.

Do Good, Dr. Socs

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Dr. Soc's View: The Value of Play

A recent article out of Colorado chronicled the benefits of play for children. While many of us think of play time for children as a reward or a way to direct extra energy, the benefits of play may be much deeper.  In fact, the article starts with the assertion that "play time is more than playtime for young children."  The author goes on to say that many people say play is "the most important piece of a child's mental, physical, social and emotional health."  

While structured and unstructured play are both important for a child's development, Christine Gestal, Director of the Play Therapy Institute of Colorado, believes unstructured play is the most important.  Gestal say, unstructured play is where children learn "who am I in the world, what's important to me and what do I like and want?"  Unstructured play has numerous other benefits as well. From helping children develop creativity, to learning self-control, and cooperation skills, free play (where the child is in control) allows children to explore the world and reap numerous intangible benefits.  Gestal explains, "some of the biggest questions we ask as human beings are first explored by kids at playtime."  

At HeroMe Lab, we put kids in control of play time.  We don't sell "stock" action figures that come with pre-packaged story-lines.  Instead, the child is in charge of every aspect of creation and play with his or her HeroMe.  From choosing the look and powers of the HeroMe, to developing the HeroMe's personality and adventures, the child has the opportunity to explore, create, and play when he or she plays with HeroMe. 

Do Good, 

Dr. Socs

While we can’t claim to be doctors, child psychologists, or developmental specialists, we can look to experts like the ones featured here to provide insights into the world of children.  At HeroMe, we rely on resources like this as we create toys and experiences that ultimately fulfill our mission: “to inspire creativity and do good.”

Original source for information in this article: here.

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The HeroMe Difference

Now that we've made it through our first holiday season, we're taking a few moments to reflect.  While we've only been in business eight short weeks, it's been an incredible time of learning, feedback, and fun.  We've received lots of pictures and plenty of happy reviews of the HeroMes, and we've noticed an emerging trend - or lack thereof.

As we've fulfilled orders these past few weeks, the "HeroMe Difference" has become crystal clear.  The difference is that HeroMe offers kids the chance to be creative.  We've fulfilled hundreds of orders over the past two months, and despite the odds, we've yet to see a HeroMe with the same name, same favorite food, or same back-story.  We've seen plenty of the same combinations of looks and powers, but each HeroMe has been made unique by the creator's imagination.  We love that!

Thanks for helping make the past eight weeks the experience of a lifetime.  We're so grateful for your support, and we're looking forward to seeing more of your pictures and hearing more about your unique adventures with your HeroMe soon.  

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There are a lot of things you and your HeroMe can do together.  Need to shuffle a deck of cards?  Here's how.

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Join us tomorrow as we celebrate Small Business Saturday.  We'll have giveaways, breakfast, and games for the entire family.  Get a jump on your holiday shopping and #shopsmall!  

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Come see us today!  Or follow us on instagram  to see Team HeroMe's attempts at decorating our booth.  Happy Shopping!

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Some of the first HeroMes have reached their new homes!  Share your child's reaction to seeing his or her HeroMe for the first time.  Tag heromelab or #HeroMeLandings.  

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Happy Halloween from HeroMe! There's an adventure here in this picture. We've got a story contest going on here at HeroMe Lab. Submit your kids' story of what this HeroMe is doing to save the day, and we will post the best on our website.

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Calling Kickstarter Backers who selected the poster reward!  Please refer to these images when making your reward survey selections.  For all other reward levels that include a poster and/or a customized HeroMe, you will make your selections through our website with your unique gift code.  Thank you for your support of HeroMe!

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We did it!! Thanks to all of our wonderful supporters and friends, we are thrilled to announce that our #Kickstarter campaign has been successfully funded.  Thank you all for helping us spread the word, for backing us, and for supporting us through this entire process.  We are excited about the future of HeroMe, and we are working hard to get HeroMes to you as quickly as possible.  Stay tuned for updates about production, rewards, and our new website!  

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HeroMe Kickstarter

We are in the final week of our #Kickstarter campaign!  If you have not already backed us, be sure to pre-order your HeroMe before THIS FRIDAY at 5pm.  

To pre-order, visit: http://bit.ly/HeroMeKickstarter  and select "back this project."  

Thank you for the incredible support you've given us thus far.  We are so grateful, and we can't wait to begin fulfilling orders in the coming weeks!

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We're excited to introduce HeroMe Capes this morning!  Get yours today by backing us on #Kickstarter.  Kids AND HeroMes love them!

http://bit.ly/HeroMeKickstarter

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Can you guess what our kickstarter stretch goal reward is going to be?  Check back soon for the big reveal!  

http://bit.ly/HeroMeKickstarter

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Meet Frog Leg.  He's an awesome HeroMe that battles his nemisis, Mr. Fly. It's a great story with a great ending! These HeroMes in our Meet My HeroMe series are 100% created by the kids. 

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Ever met a HeroMe?  Here's your chance.  Meet "Bullet," he likes to fly over tall buildings and eat spaghetti, but we'll let his creator tell you the rest.  

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Just in case you missed it, our Kickstarter campaign is LIVE.  Check us out here: http://bit.ly/HeroMeKickstarter.

We are working hard to spread the word and grow our backer numbers.  Can you help us?  Where can you spread the word?