The Munce Group held a national “Kids Day” on Saturday, with more than 100 retailers participating. Advertised on the back of the Munce Group's Easter catalog, Kids Day offered retailers an “event in a box,” featuring special signage and promotional materials designed to draw parents and children to the store for a day of crafts, games, story time and a drawing for one of 20 3-foot plush Boz bears.

Member retailers took part in one of three levels of participation, with some customizing their Kids Day with additional activities. Margaret Umble of J.O.Y. Bookstore in Sinking Spring, Pa., held a Christian magic show, while Mike Curry of Great Expectations in Joplin, Mo., had a Kids Day singing contest with a grand prize package including a $75 bookstore gift card, appearance on a local ABC morning show and one hour of recording time at a local recording studio.

Retailers reported estimates of up to 100 children attending, ranging from infants to 10-year-olds. “We had about 40 children,” said Teresa Nardozzi, manager of Charis Christian Bookstore in Largo, Fla. “There were a lot of other egg hunts going on in the surrounding areas, so we felt blessed to have the turnout we did. We are trying to build a reputation with the parents so that they won't want to miss our kids events.”

Kids Day merchandising kits included posters, bag stuffers, contest entry forms, a step-by-step planning guide and vendor-supplied giveaway product such as crayons, books, Bibles and coloring pages from Tyndale, Standard, Barbour, Cook and Exclaim Entertainment.

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