Conference moira::parenting

    
    Pogs are small cardboard disks with pictures on them.  Slammers
    are similar sized disks made of another substance, heavy plastic
    or metal that is thicker than the pogs.
    
    To play the game, the agreed upon amount of pogs are placed
    on a flat surface or playing board.  The players take turned
    throwing the slammer on top of the pogs.  The pogs that are
    turned over by the impact of the slammer then belong to the
    player that turned them over.
    
    Kids need so many because they do not play well and lose a lot 8*)
    Just kidding, my son does not actually play with his, he just
    collects them like baseball cards.
    
    The rules have been changed in many areas because the game is 
    considered gambling.  The new rules say that whoever turns over
    the most pogs wins and the players can still keep their own pogs.
    
    Also, I check the pictures on my son's pogs because many of them
    I have deemed unsuitable.
    
    Hope this helps,
    Pam

    Pam,
    
    Thanks for the summary.  It seems like these things suddenly became
    REALLY popular, and I had no clue what they were used for...

    POG was a juice flavor sold in Hawaii...Pineapple,Orage,Guava

    The juice was sold in bottles with round tops, and kids started
    collecting the tops and playing with them.  The game became
    popular, and someone said 'Hey, I could make a buck off that'.

Discussed at length in CDSRV::ASKENET_V5 note 844.

    Some of the POGs also have other meanings .... at least watching my
    kids play ... there's "Poison" pogs, which I think mean ... if you toss
    the slammer, and turn over a POISON pog, the OTHER person gets to keep
    the pogs.  And 8-balls, which, if you flip one, you get to "take" all
    the pogs that the other person has flipped over thus far.
    
    In the interest of having the kids not want to kill each other, we've
    marked initials on ALL of the pogs, and they're not allowed to play for
    keeps.  
    
    Gee, so many??  Jason just told me yesterday he has 1,100 of them!!  I
    guess it's out of control, huh??
    
    

I found one store that carries pogs with educational pictures and
information on them (planets, animals/endangered species, and the
like).  They also carry ones with fairly inocuous creature pictures. 
I, too, was concerned about the nature of what was depicted on many
of them.  I wish toy companies would finally get the message that
violent, gruesome, and horrific graphics are completely inappropriate
for young children.

The store that carries these "better" pogs is Learn 'n Play at
the Pheasant Lane Mall.


--Merle

   fwiw,
   
   I've also found a place locally - Pioneer Collectibles in the Star
   Market shopping plaza in Stow, MA - that carries a whole lot of pogs
   with Disney stills on them.  My kids have a bunch, and we're very
   careful about the pix - but then they are Disney fanatics anyway, so
   its not so hard to encourage them to stick with the better pix.
   
   Another reason they may be so popular is the price - they are fairly
   inexpensive as far as collections go...
   
   - Tom

    Our school system sent home a notice last spring with a clear note of
    NO POG are allowed at school.  This was my first exposure to this, AJ
    didn't know much about POGs, still isn't interested, no loss here.  I
    went into the new Party Place at White City Shrewsbury a few months ago
    and asked the basic question of "show me what a POG is please". They
    remind me of the old fashion bottle caps that used to come on the home
    delivery milk bottles (gosh, am I admitting my age or what here?)
    
    No interest...no great loss!
    Lyn

    I'm planning a party for some kids in the age
    range of 3-5 years.
    Besides hot dogs, juice and cake, what games
    do you like and recommend.
    I expect about 10 kids to come.
    
    Unless it is pouring rain we hope to be outside.
    Looking for some ideas for activities in which
    all can take part and enjoy.
    
    /Malin
    

	I hope this isn't too late for you - I don't get in here very 
	often.  At this age my kids *LOVED* a peanut hunt.  We would get 
	a bag or two of peanuts in the shell, give each kid a paper bag
	and let them have at it.

	Before you do the hunt, you can have a little craft time of 
	decorating the bags with markers and stickers.  I would usually 
	have this set up to go for the kids to go to first thing so they
	could start as they arrived, rather than having some kids 	
	hanging around waiting for the last ones to get there.

	Edible necklaces is good too - Fruit Loops or Cherrios strung on
	licorice (black or red) whips.

	Kids also enjoy "make-your-own-sundaes".

	Oh, and how about donuts on a string.  Hand powdered sugar 
	donuts on a sting from a broom handle or dowel.  The kids have 
	to keep their hand behind their backs while trying to get a bite.  
	Great photo op with the sugary faces.    

	Mine are now 9 and almost 13.  I miss this kind of party....

	Have fun,
	Norma