Fond farewell to Charlie’s Playhouse. Big hello to “Evolution for Kids!”

Yes, friends, it’s true: Charlie needs to retire.

“But Kate, why?” I hear you cry, rending your garments.  

So many reasons. I have neglected this business dreadfully, and while I would like to blame that on my day job, the real reason is that my heart just isn’t in it anymore. There are so many boring bits to running a business, and I am so very bad at marketing. I just want the interesting bits: talking with kids about evolution, designing fun things, and being outraged politically.

So change is called for. Here’s the new plan.

First, license my evolution products to other manufacturers: people who actually know what they’re doing, people who have whole marketing departments. A company in Connecticut is nibbling, and you, my friends, can help move that deal forward. More on that in the next post.

Second, evolve a new animal called Evolution for Kids, an online community of grownups who love kids, science, and putting the two together. 

Here’s what I'd like Evolution for Kids to offer:

• Fun ways to introduce kids to evolution
• Reviews of children’s books on evolution
• Links to kid-friendly evolution resources
• A smidgeon of science blogging on new research
• Color commentary on the politics of evolution education
• Why all this matters

Here are some cesspools I'd like to avoid:

• "Debates" about whether evolution is "controversial"
• Polarizing "religion vs. evolution" diatribes
• Personal attacks, nastiness, bad karma
• Spinach between the teeth, parking tickets, Murphy's Law

Welcome. This is going to be fun!