InspiredPlay by edPlay, February 2021

from

Dedicated to the Specialty Toy Industry February 2021

Stock up on these

FAVORITES! www.playmonster.com • 1.800.524.4263 ©2021 PlayMonster LLC

Break In: A Breakthrough in Board Games PlayMonster’s unique game series is poised for success as consumers seek out collaborative activities they can enjoy at home.

The only successful escape from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary was made during the night of June 11, 1962. Three prisoners carried out an intricate plan and were never seen again. No one has figured out how they did it, but PlayMonster has a theory. Perhaps there was an outside man?

Break In: Alcatraz is an immersive, collaborative board-game experience that makes players the “outside man.”

Their mission is to get inside to free their man.

To get started, they lift off the lid of the game box, but they don’t open the rest of it. Working together as a team, they read the instructions and move from clue to clue. Each clue that’s solved opens another layer of the box.

Along the way, players do amazing things and encounter wonderful sites and interesting characters. Solving the final puzzle leads to the big escape.

It’s unique in the board-game category because it brings the popular escape room concept to the comfort and safety of home. There’s no timer – players can enjoy the game at their own pace (although the suggested limit is two hours). Break In can be played in multiple sittings during the holidays or on a weekend getaway.

The rich storyline presents an interesting challenge for adult players.

It allows them to peel back the layers and immerse themselves in a one-of-akind setting. It’s one-time game play, so Break In: Alcatraz can be repackaged and passed along to a new team of players.

Outta This World Expansion

Building on Break In: Alcatraz, PlayMonster launched Break In: Area 51 in January. Players of this version are an alien breaking into the highly classified Air Force facility to retrieve a captured ship that is being dismantled.

Toy engineer David Yakos, along with husband-and-wife game designers Nick Cravotta and Rebecca Bleau, collaborated on the game series. Yakos wanted to recreate the escape room concept for home use, but how could someone escape from a small game-board box? Then a light bulb went on. Players could break into the box.

For Break in, Yakos constructed a three-dimensional layered-escape concept box and shared it with Cravotta and Bleau. It inspired them to craft the story using Alcatraz as the backdrop. DC Comics artist Steve Downer, who has worked on Superman and Wonder Woman, created the intricate art and details.

For more information on how you can Break In to this line and capitalize on the sales trend, contact your PlayMonster sales representative.

February 2021 — edplay.com 3

February 2021

Dedicated to the Specialty Toy Industry

Inspiredplay gives specialty toy retailers the stories behind today’s innovative and creative products for children. In this issue, traditional display ads combine with insightful narratives to provide valuable nuggets you can use today to sell products and promote play.

Inspiredplay stories

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Break In: A Breakthrough in Board Games by PlayMonster Just Like the Real Thing

by Bruder What do Anne Frank, Guess Who?, TikTok and Breast Cancer Have in Common?

by Foxmind Games

11 Building a Better Bubble

by American Bubble

in 2021!

13 Ride with The Toy Network 15 A Lighthearted Game on an

from

Important Subject by Little Bean’s Toy Chest

16 The Ukulele for Everyone!

by Kala

by Ukidz

Classic Play by Game Parts

19 STEM-based Supermodels 21 The Best-Loved Tools for 23 Space is Trending!

by Celestial Buddies

25 In 2021, FUN is in the AIR

by Plus-Plus

27 Meet Rogue and the Musical

Kids’ Toy She Inspired

by Trophy Music Co

29 New Clock Tower Completes

Hogwarts by Wrebbit 3D Puzzles

Every Kid will Find a Friend in

the Kindness Club

by Madame Alexander

31

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33

At home….indoors….still…. again by Wikki Stix

35 If Apple Made Toys,

They’d Make Marmals

by The Office of Design and Development

Books to Your Mix by Kane Miller EDC Publishing

by Fat Brain Toy Co.

37 Scuttle Quickly to Add These

47 Brain Games for the Entire Family Features

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Wordplay The Tide is High

by Kevin Fahy

12 2021: What Retail Will Look Like 20 Adults, Their Toys and What

They’re Collecting

34 Time for the Great Personal Reset 38 A Roundup of Product

Recommendations from Reps and Retailers

46 Good Things Happen if You Play

Your Cards Right An ingenious idea helped two toy stores boost business in their communities

Departments

24 30 42 45

Industry News For Your Business Information New & True

Index of Advertisers

edplay welcomes 9 New Advertisers!

word play

by Kevin Fahy

The Tide is High Shopping online seems deceptively simple. All you need is one finger, applied to the computer that is already sitting in your lap or in your pocket.

You can do it in your pajamas, you can do it in the middle of the night, and you can do it during a pandemic. A couple days later, someone rings your doorbell and hands you a package.

Then there’s the other side of the coin, the side you don’t see. There are massive warehouses and distribution centers, cargo planes and tractor trailers, box trucks and step vans by the thousands. It’s like our shoes are being mended by elves while we sleep.

This past December, though, there simply weren’t enough elves.

UPS added 100,000 seasonal workers to the 100,000 permanent employees it had already hired during 2020. It built 20 new facilities, and bought 14 aircraft to bolster its fleet of 500.

FedEx hired more than 70,000 seasonal workers, and expanded to seven-day delivery. The U.S. Postal Service added 50,000 seasonal employees. In spite of all those people, and the fact that everyone in America knew that there was a tsunami of packages coming, the system was totally overwhelmed.

In a sense, it was the perfect storm. The first element of the storm was the underlying trend toward e-commerce, which has been going on for a decade. In recent years, it has been growing at 14 percent per year, pushing it above 10 percent of total retail for the first time just two years ago.

Second was the pandemic, which caused people to shop more from home, partly because that’s where

more people were, and partly because it was simpler and safer than going out. Online retail grew last year by about 33 percent.

Third was also the pandemic, but in a slightly different way. Since fewer people gather for Christmas, and fewer traveled, the very act of presenting gifts in person was curtailed. All those delivery drivers became surrogate gift givers.

Fourth was, again, the pandemic.

It may seem like stating the obvious but a lot of people were out sick.

Due to the asymptomatic spread of COVID, a lot of people were also out because there was a possibility that they might get sick over the next 14 days, or seven or 10 or whatever.

The end result was that a lot of packages arrived late over the holidays, if they arrived at all.

Everyone, including me, has horror stories about the week they were trapped in package delivery hell, arguing on the phone with customer service representatives who were probably sitting in their cubicles in Mumbai wondering what all the fuss was about.

My wife is the Christmas shopper at our house, and I don’t even want to know how many gifts she buys for how many people. I do know she spent many an evening trying to figure out where they all went.

Although I managed to avoid most of the stress caused by Christmas shopping, there is one small task that I accept. I generally take one annual trip to the mall to buy something for my wife, no matter how distasteful that shopping experience may be.

This year, though, the prospect (continued on page 18) February 2021 — edplay.com 5

Just Like the Real Thing Maybe you’ve heard the name BRUDER. You think to yourself, “Aren’t those the toy truck people?” Yes we are. But there’s a little more to it than that.

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane. BRUDER was started humbly in 1926 by Paul Bruder. Working in painstaking detail using a small hand press, Paul produced brass reeds that he delivered to a local toy company.

Today, BRUDER Toys are represented in 60 countries.

We also happen to be the largest family-owned 1:16th scale plastic toy vehicle manufacturer in the world. The way it happened is simple: the playing child is at the center of every single product made by BRUDER. Playing is not an end in itself, but lets children have experiences in the adult world, engaging in development and healthy imaginative play. Special attention is paid to the well-balanced interaction of easy-to-handle play functions and models that are true to life and offer the greatest possible level of durability. Or as BRUDER likes to say, “Just like the real thing!”

In 1998, BRUDER America Inc. was formed by Beate Caso, the granddaughter of Paul Bruder. Beate and her husband Mark worked tirelessly. The pair had the foresight to see where toy vehicles were heading. They knew BRUDER was a better, safer, more engaging toy than anything else.

With the U.S. market support of specialty toy stores, BRUDER is moving closer to its goal.

BRUDER Toys stand out.

Taka Andrews of Miller’s in Mamaroneck, New York, says, “Bruder trucks really do what the real things do. And that’s how we sell them. It makes it very easy. Once kids get their very first

6 February 2021 — edplay.com

Bruder truck, it’s kinda over at that point. They know it, they get it, and soon they have an entire fleet. For us, showing people that they do the same thing as the real thing gives us a value that we do not get from many other companies.”

Striving for “WOW” isn’t enough.

Being the recipient of 84 awards, BRUDER does not rest on its laurels when deciding to make a vehicle. Making a BRUDER means taking a full staff of designers and engineers to go over every meticulous detail, function, color, and feature our customers expect of us. We constantly strive to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction that is rooted in our innovation, expertise in plastic technology, and concern for the environment, using our resources based on the principal of sustainability.

Today, our toys are still manufactured in Germany and the European Union. Every toy carries the name of Paul and the humble beginnings with a hand press and a dream. In 2019, BRUDER was honored as a “Traditional German Brand” for the first time. Our Bruder dealers are key in making our dream into a reality. Our specialty toy stores remain a paramount pillar and we are adamant that this cannot and will not change.

Bruder Toys America. Family owned, family operated. Just like the real thing.

What do Anne Frank, Guess Who?, TikTok and Breast Cancer Have in Common?

A brief history of GoPop!’s unexpected rise to pop-culture fame

by David Capon, President, FoxMind Games If you’ve spent any time at all on TikTok recently, you might have noticed some of the thousands of videos in which content creators press down on silicone bubbles and ask viewers to guess which one contains a hidden surprise.

The game at the heart of this rising trend is GoPop!. We at FoxMind are proud to be its true originator and only legal distributor since its 2013 launch. But we are only stewards of GoPop!’s fascinating history.

The saga begins in WWII in the Netherlands with Theo Coster. Like his more famous classmate, Anne Frank, Theo was sheltered by a Dutch family during the war. He survived the experience and moved to Israel in 1955. He met his wife Ora, and together they founded Theora Design.

Over the next 60 years, they invented more than 150 games including bestsellers like Guess Who? and Zingo.

The couple had a unique creative relationship. Often, Ora had outrageous or even scandalous ideas that Theo would mold into something marketable. The birth story of GoPop! is no exception. Following the death of her sister from breast cancer in 1974, Ora awoke one night and told Theo she’d had a dream about a field of breasts. This inspired Theo to create a triangular prototype featuring rows of rubberized bubbles which eventually found its way to my desk.

At FoxMind, our motto is “Smarter Fun.” This reflects our dedication to publishing fun, clever games that are easy to learn and play, making the Costers’ game a perfect fit. Players take turns pressing any number of bubbles in a single row, and the player that presses the last bubble loses.

8 February 2021 — edplay.com

FoxMind initially released the game in 2013 under the name Last Mouse Lost. In 2019 we changed the name to the more universally appealing Last One Lost. That same year, a distribution agreement with Buffalo Games landed the game on Target shelves nationwide under the exclusive brand name, Pop It!. An instant hit, the game and its derivatives sold more than 500,000 units in 2020 alone.

But perhaps most amazing are the 500 million TikTok views that accumulated last fall.

The attention has brought an onslaught of counterfeiters. And while the business implications of this illegal practice are outraging, I am also saddened that these imitators deprive consumers and buyers of the story surrounding the game’s rich history, and are unscrupulously denying the Coster family their moral and financial dues.

So, beyond deploying legal means to take down the numerous fraudulent listings, and going after importers and retailers who infringe upon our intellectual rights, we are leaning into what has defined this product from the start: gameplay innovation and its fascinating origin story.

We are adding innovative new products to the line, and focusing on proactive marketing efforts unified under the new brand name GoPop!.

Equally important to us is sharing this story of unlikely inspiration and success – all made possible by two game inventor luminaries: a Holocaust survivor and a woman who lost her sister to breast cancer. Amid pop culture in 2021, the story is now more relevant than ever.

For sales info, contact foxmind.com, 514-369-7777, sales@foxmind.com.

THE 100% ORIGINAL & AUTHENTIC FOXMIND PRODUCT SINCE 2013!!

CONTACT US AT:

*

Viral sensation taking 2020/2021 by storm!

The original “Last One Lost’’ game! sales@foxmind.com www.foxmind.com Soothing, tactile, fidget toy!

To learn more about our Go PoP! story visit us at: https://foxmind.com/games/last-one-lost/

Building a Better Bubble American Bubble Company, established in 2020, is proud to launch Bubble Tree, a new brand dedicated to changing the way we play with bubbles, forever.

In 70 years, bubbles have not changed. Until now.

Bubble Tree is the very first patentpending, eco-friendly, and sustainable bubble system made in the USA. It has three innovative and easy-to-use parts.

1. Aluminum bubble bottles that can be refilled, reused and recycled.

Ergonomically designed to fit into a child’s hand, the bottles feature a proprietary soft-coated texture that helps provide a non-slip grip.

2. A convenient bubble-in-a-box system with a storage area that allows you to dispense bubble solution. It’s available in four sizes, and durable enough to last all season long.

3. Our safe and high-quality bubble solution. It produces the best performing and most vibrant bubbles you will ever see.

Using our decades of experience, we also perfected the bubble wand. Our multi-ring device allows for maximum output of bubbles without having to use a lot of solution. Everything is contained in colorful, contemporary packaging that displays great on store shelves. Our systems feature simple step-by-step instructions that help Bubble Tree sell itself.

Each year, more than 300 million one-time-use plastic bubble bottles are imported to the United States.

Many will contain bubble solution from foreign countries with formulas and ingredients that often fall below the levels of safety, sustainability, and quality that modern American consumers demand.

We felt that the problem presented an opportunity – to build a company focused on delivering products with the highest quality standards and do it in a sustainable way.

Today’s parents want an ecofriendly product with reliable ingredients from accountable sources.

Our goal is to fulfill that request by delivering high-quality American-made products that are not only sustainable and environmentally friendly, but also eliminate one-time-use plastic bubble bottles. American Bubble Company is here to deliver. Come join our family and be part of the solution.

February 2021 — edplay.com 11

e k i L k o o L l l i W l i a t e R What

by Tina Manzer

“The pandemic is a thread weaving through almost every trend the industry faces in 2021,” notes Retail Dive.

“Indeed, the ability of the crisis to cause more problems, or abate them, depending on how the world recovers will perhaps have the largest effect on the industry this year.”

Despite the effects of the lingering virus, the writers at Retail Dive – like most industry experts – believe that the retail changes 2020 wrought will serve stores well going forward. Here is their insight.

Analysts feel positive about the health of neighborhood shopping districts in 2021 as people continue to work from home and shop within their communities. On the other hand, the continuing working-at-home phenomenon may slow down the recovery of downtown shopping corridors.

Speaking of downtown, the rumor that residents are fleeing big cities is “largely an urban myth,” reports Knowledge@Wharton, the school’s online business journal.

While Manhattan and San Francisco have experienced small population losses since the pandemic began, “there isn’t much science to support the notion that metropolitan centers will shrink after decades of growth spurred by young people seeking big-city life.”

In 2021, retailers may have more flexibility in choosing their ideal location, wherever it might be. Tumbling rents and unprecedented flexibility from landlords could lead to more stores opening, sometimes in unexpected places, reports Retail Dive.

An innovative, two-in-one solution!

Keeps play areas organized and serves as a play-mat for children to build.

magnatiles.com 708-246-7209

12 February 2021 — edplay.com

Store closures, which began in the years prior to the pandemic, will remain on pace. Stores that today lack cash, are heavily indebted, are experiencing persistent sales declines, or some combination of those factors are vulnerable. Retailers able to ride out the COVID disruption until everyone gets vaccinated will have the opportunity to grow again, says RetailWire. (continued on page 14)

Ride With The Toy Network in 2021!

Die-cast vehicles are collected and cherished by adults and children. The category has been around since the early 1900s, and has never gone out of style.

The Toy Network is making a major commitment to diecast vehicles this year. It offers more than 175 exciting options including airplanes, buses, classic cars, construction vehicles, farm tractors, food trucks, helicopters, military vehicles, first responders (police/fire/rescue), recreational vehicles, space shuttles, exotic cars, trains, trucks and more. They’re all pullbacks with great prices, and can be found at thetoynetwork.com.

To help retailers sell this wide assortment, The Toy Network provides a display unit with eight acrylic shelves that hold, roughly, 216 die-cast vehicles, depending on their size. A base cabinet provides storage for additional vehicles. It’s available bundled with an assortment of The Toy Network’s bestselling vehicles, or it can be purchased separately.

Fans of all ages collect die-cast vehicles – a practice that grew in the 1950s and ’60s when companies used them as promotional pieces. Today, they comprise a classic category that should be available in every specialty toy store. Why not ride with us?

www.thetoynetwork.com

February 2021 — edplay.com 13

What Retail Will Look Like (continued from page 12)

It’s anyone’s guess whether the big generalist retailers that remained open during COVID, selling everything from bread to shoes to baby furniture, will be able to hold onto the customers they gained during the pandemic. The real question is, will smaller specialty stores be able to compete for those shoppers?

The e-commerce boom will continue, but so will its challenges. During the holidays, we saw what could happen when large numbers of orders coupled with a pandemic-driven employee shortage left retailers and postal services struggling under the demand. “Site crashes, late deliveries and faulty discount codes reflected badly on retailers, leaving customers unsatisfied,” noted Retail Dive.

Retailers who quickly pivoted last year to offer “luxury” services like personal shopping, contactless payment, BOPIS, and curbside pickup did so to survive.

In 2021, they should take the time to make those conveniences sustainable because pandemic or not, shoppers will find them difficult to give up. “2021 will be the year when omnichannel stops being an afterthought,” says Alexa Driansky, senior vice president of global management consultancy AlixPartners. “For any retailer expecting to succeed in 2021, curbside pickup, BOPIS and ship-from-store are absolute table stakes. Retailers must think through how these options will work in the long run, as the time for putting a Band-Aid on fractures between channels is over.”

Retailers will need to account for customers’ persistent health concerns in the indefinite future. “Safety and security as new loyalty currencies (or drivers of loyalty) are here for a long time and that is a direct result of the 14 February 2021 — edplay.com

virus,” noted Phil Ruben, CEO of loyalty marketing agency rDialogue in a RetailWire article. “Consumers have developed new habits like wearing masks and using hand sanitizer. As long as these actions are maintained, if not required, and given the emotional effect of the pandemic, expectations that merchants act accordingly (and maintain clean surfaces) are not going to abate anytime soon.”

In 2020, the pressures on the middle class will be a problem for the economy as a whole and for retailers in particular. Both depend on consumers with enough disposable income and financial confidence to buy more than they need.

An oft-cited study last year from Coresight Research predicted a retail apocalypse – the closing of 25,000 stores in 2020. On January 10, 2021, the global market research firm said it made a mistake. In discussing the error, Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor, pointed out that more stores closed in 2019 (9,832) than in 2020 (8,721), and that the misinformation resulted in missed opportunities for stores last year.

The data for 2021 is encouraging, Bob adds. “The U.S. GDP is surging forward with an estimated 5 percent GDP growth for calendar year 2021.

This bodes well for brick-and-mortar retailers as we’re starting to see a retail resurgence.

“Only time will tell, but from what I can see, the data is strong and growing stronger every day that shows a true resurgence and evolution in instore shopping. I truly believe – and the data seems to support this claim – that brick-and-mortar retailers may have the last laugh in 2021, and yes, we can celebrate a brighter future, even in the midst of this darkness today.”

A Lighthearted Game on an Important Subject Studies from the American Academy of Pediatrics show that babies as young as 6 months old can observe race-based differences, and children as young as 2 years old can internalize racial bias.

Starting a conversation with children about race and cultural diversity is important, as the founder of Little Bean’s Toy Chest realizes all too well – she’s the Asian mother of two interracial daughters. A maker of many well-loved handmade activity books, the brand is launching a handmade Multicultural Matching Game this year to inspire celebrations of racial and cultural diversity. It gives parents a fun way to talk to their young children about these topics.

The Multicultural Matching Game features joyful and vibrant illustrations of children with different skin tones, hairstyles and outfits, representing people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The “cards” are handcrafted from eco-friendly felt, with fun popping colors and textural layers, making them irresistible to kids of all ages. With many

ways to play (suggested in the accompanying manual), this game promises tons of family fun on the playmat and serves as a lighthearted conversation starter on different races and cultures.

Our new game resonates strongly with socially conscious parents who want to raise kind and compassionate children. This timely and delightful gift is slated to become an essential in a child’s playroom in 2021 and beyond.

With moveable pieces and fine motor activities for hours of fun!

"What a beautiful book!

My LO loves and enjoys it loads educating and

Activity book: I'm a Big Sister (Brother) Celebrating a new sibling

entertaining in such a lovely way!" Customer

Activity book: What will I be?

Dress-up games about inspiring jobs for girls & boys

ENTERTAIN. EDUCATE. INSPIRE.

www.littlebeanstoychest.com Eco-friendly felt activity books made by Vietnamese social enterprises who employ people from vulnerable communities.

Suitable for children age 0-6. .

Visit our website to explore our full collection.

info@littlebeanstoychest.com

Activity book: My first playbook Simple games promoting fine motor development

We accept small orders.

Contact us to receive a FREE sample!

(360) 672 5882 February 2021 — edplay.com 15

The Ukulele for Everyone!

Kala doesn’t make toy ukuleles. It’s a company that makes real ukuleles for the toy market – and that’s important for your business.

High-quality, entry-level musical instruments provide value for your customers.

In 2016, at Toy Fair in New York City, we recognized a real need for an actual, playable ukulele in the toy market. Our ukuleles are made with real strings and real tuners, and they are made to stay in tune. When someone has a great first experience, they will continue to learn and, at some point, upgrade or buy another ukulele.

To provide even more value, Kala offers learning materials at little or no cost to your customers. They can learn to play right out of the box! With every purchase of a Kala ukulele, they have access to free online lessons and our free app with tuner, with the option to subscribe to learn more than 2,000 popular songs.

Kala is the world’s largest ukulele brand, so selling our instruments benefits your store in two ways.

1. Brand recognition – we are an established, well-known brand in the music industry.

2. Instrument quality – selling a quality ukulele means happier customers and fewer returns.

The ukulele is a hot seller in toy stores – a trend that is here to stay. Many young people pick it up to emulate popular artists from around the world who have made the ukulele their main instrument.

The most effective way to sell ukuleles is to let your customers see it, touch it and hear it. Make sure shoppers can reach them! Get the instruments out from behind the counter and down off the top rack. If you are worried about small children, put the ukuleles on a shelf that tweens, teens, and adults can reach, but also have at least one as a floor model for 16 February 2021 — edplay.com

everyone to touch and play. A kite store in Southern California displays a Kala on a string outside its door. It hangs at waist level so that people walking by can stop and play it.

We are happy to work with you on how-to-sell ideas, and we offer a variety of wonderful, creative display options. When you order from us, we will help you brainstorm display solutions and let you choose from our

selection of POP displays.

Kala ukuleles are for everyone.

They are small, portable, and easy to take anywhere. It is not uncommon to see them being used in preschools and classrooms and with parents and kids together. Children can start learning as young as 3 years old, and teenagers and adults love them, too. They make a great musical, educational and brain-powered gift for anyone on your list!

KALA’S ALL NEW, SOLID COLOR & GRAPHIC TOP, WOOD UKADELIC® UKULELES.

In our quest to always be one step ahead, we are bringing the best affordable ukulele to the market.

KALABRAND.COM

• Window Retail Packaging • Aquila Super Nylgut ® Strings • Black Drawstring Bag w/ Ukadelic Logo • Dealer Exclusive

Wordplay (continued from page 5)

of trudging through the mall had morphed from unpleasant to downright frightening. According to a pre-Christmas survey conducted by The Boston Globe, that sentiment was so widespread that fully three-quarters of all shoppers planned on doing the majority of their gift-buying online.

So I ordered a couple of things online, allowing a couple of weeks for delivery before Christmas.

A day or two later I received the customary emails informing me that my orders had been shipped, both via UPS, but it got to December 23rd and I still hadn’t received anything.

I traced the two shipments, and got the same results for each. The UPS website stated that the U.S. Post Office, not UPS, had made an unsuccessful attempt to deliver the packages. They were currently sitting at our local USPS office, where they would be held for 10 days before being returned to the sender. Huh? I’m sure you already knew this, but I did not. It turns out that UPS and FedEx engage in a practice called “last-mile shipping,” in which they transport packages as far as the nearest post office to their destination, then turn them over to the USPS for delivery.

In my case, I knew perfectly well that nobody had made any attempt to deliver the packages, successful or otherwise. They were addressed to my office, where there are always people during business hours and there is a designated drop-off area as well.

On Christmas Eve I went to the post office, which I thought would resemble Times Square on New Year’s, but it did not. In fact it was eerily quiet, with not a single customer waiting in line. I had a brief vision of my entire town wiped out by COVID. That thought was dispelled by the cheerful presence of the counter workers, over whose shoulders I could see the overflowing profusion of boxes in the warehouse space that they call the package room. Remarkably, someone was able to pluck my two parcels from the heap very quickly.

Ultimately, then, both my packages arrived at my office before Christmas, thanks to a partnership among UPS, the post office, and me. Does that mean that the original carrier, UPS, gets credit for on-time

18 February 2021 — edplay.com

delivery? I don’t know, but my guess is that they’ll claim it.

Delivery rates for UPS and FedEx were only down slightly in December to about 96 percent and 94 percent respectively. The Postal Service was down more sharply, to about 87 percent, but a lot of that decline was caused by the two private carriers. It wasn’t only the last-mile policy, but also the decision by those package services to refuse shipments from major internet merchants in midDecember. The USPS does not refuse service to anyone at any time, so all those shipments were added to the backlog.

Now that all those packages have been delivered (most of them anyway), the more significant question might not be who the shipper was, but rather who the seller was. If you guessed Amazon, you would be correct, sort of.

Amazon accounts for about 39 percent of online retail, and coincidentally its holiday sales were up about 39 percent. That’s a huge growth in dollars, but not biggest in percentage.

Number-two Walmart has an online share below 6 percent, but it grew by 65 percent. The next five merchants were as follows: Home Depot, up 71 percent; Best Buy, up 105 percent; Target, up 103 percent; Kroger, up 79 percent; and Costco, up 60 percent.

There are two things that stand out to me regarding this group. The first is quite obvious, that they are all brick-and-mortar retailers.

The second is less so but of equal importance.

Each of these retailers has a very aggressive plan for growing their online business, and for making it an integral part of their overall business.

These plans vary widely. I won’t get into the details in this space, but I strongly advise you to do so in your own.

Now would be a good time.

You can e-mail Kevin at kfahy@fwpi.com.

STEM-based Supermodels

New apps and study guides enhance STEM LAB kits from UGEARS.

UGEARS’ 3D puzzle kits show kids and adults how science, technology, engineering and math work together to power machines.

Their hands-on, skill-based building process is as entertaining as it is educational. The kits don’t require additional tools or adhesives – there’s no need to cut or glue the high-quality wood parts.

When a model is completed, the mechanism works and rotates as a true machine.

The augmented reality application and downloadable study guide extend the learning experience after the kit

is fully assembled. Just point a tablet or mobile phone at the STEM LAB model, and the app will display various applications of the mechanism – how it is used in machines, buildings and engineering projects. The model can be explored at different angles and in greater detail by zooming in and out.

The PDF study guide covers the history, formulas and uses of each mechanism.

STEM LAB kits by UGEARS cover all the bases for teachers, science students, kids and adults alike, who enjoy fun, learning projects with beautiful results.

February 2021 — edplay.com 19

Adults, Their Toys, and What They’re Collecting

by Tina Manzer

Demand for the zombie-like figures created by the artist KAWS has taken the art-toy market to a whole new level. Because they can be mass produced, his toys blur the line between arttoys and traditional toys. Here, a large-scale sculpture of two KAWS figures guards a building in Brooklyn.

Artist Candie Bolton creates award-winning toys inspired by the monsters, robots and folklore of Japanese culture. “Most collectors ‘play’ with their designer toys by taking photos of them to post on social media,” she said, “but I have also seen people give these sometimes very expensive toys to young children.

There are no rules!”

Sales of art toys, also called designer toys or urban vinyl, are booming right now.

In an era when nontraditional items – rare whiskey, for example – are being bought and sold for ever-increasing amounts, acquiring designer toys gives their collectors something to brag about.

Art toys are, in fact, a strange combination of sculpture and painting. The artists who create them constitute a small, independent and tightknit global community, reports writer and researcher Shanti Escalante-De Mattei in ARTnews. Boutique factories produce the toys in a variety of materials and colorways in limited supply, and therein lies their appeal as a collectible.

Many of today’s designers began as art-toy collectors themselves, including Mark Nagata, an artist, illustrator, and founder of Max Toy Company (maxtoyco.com). According to ARTnews, Mark was a fan of Disneyland, comic books, and classic Japanese television shows and movies as a kid growing up in California.

He started collecting vintage Japanese toys in the 1980s, and founded his toy company in 2005.

Today he works with some of the same soft-vinyl toy factories that created his childhood favorites.

“When I say ‘factory,’ it’s usually one guy,” he told ARTnews. His Japanese monster characters, or kaiju, sell for $45 to $200.

Designer Candie Bolton has collected Hello Kitty merchandise since she was a child, so when she was approached to create a Hello Kitty art toy, she was (continued on page 22)

20 February 2021 — edplay.com

The Best-Loved Tools for Classic Play To create an endless variety of meaningful play experiences, all you need are the basics.

Children learn best in an environment that encourages exploration, discovery and play.

During a pandemic that has disrupted our environment by limiting social interactions and school attendance, classic play has become more important than ever. It gives kids a break from screen time and a rest from electronics overload.

Dominoes, for instance, provide hours of fun while they teach math through play, promote creativity, and challenge aspiring engineers to build simple/complex Rube Goldberg

machines. “Who first set up a row of domino tiles and then gave one a push?” asks the National Toy Hall of Fame, which inducted dominoes in 2012. No one knows, but the thrilling practice, called “toppling,” never grows old.

Dice, especially in larger sizes, make rolling for math equations fun.

Similarly, playing cards provides hours of skill-building entertainment, whether you’re playing standard card games, building houses of cards, teaching math skills, matching suits, or working on fine motor skills by shuffling.

Putting classic play tools to good use today helps create the enriching environment kids need right now. Playing together promotes collaboration, competition, group bonding and cognitive skill development in simple, basic and delightful ways.

GameParts offers custom imprinted kits and fulfillment services in addition to providing dominoes, pawns, playing cards and more, in bulk. Kids stay engaged and play safely when they have their own kit.

We have products to fit every budget.

Call 631-298-0005 to find out more.

February 2021 — edplay.com 21

Adults, Their Toys, Their Collecting

(continued from page 20)

thrilled. Art toy and Sanrio collectors have something in common, she believes. “They like the things that they liked from their childhood and they don’t want to let go of those things,” she told ARTnews.

The teen-aged Hello Kitty figure she created became a limited-edition released by Kidrobot, the premier creator and dealer of designer art toys. A 20-inch version available on kidrobot.com sells for $500. Candie’s own art-toy creations cost between $90 and $400. They sell out quickly.

In the last five years, former street artist KAWS (Brian Donnelly) took art toys to a whole new level. “His zombified Mickey-Mouse-esque figures are enticing fare for the millennial art collector,” notes ARTnews, “but the ability to mass produce his pieces blurs the line between art and toy.”

In 2017, the demand for KAWS toys famously crashed the MoMA Design Store website, after the museum promoted his “Companion” action figures it was selling for $200 each. Since then, Kaws has released several limited-edition lines of Companion, including a 4-foot-tall version that sells for tens of thousands of dollars. Other KAWS art sells for millions.

So while some in the independent art-toy world are chasing high-rolling collectors with KAWs-like characters, others continue to create their own toys inspired by a variety of genres, ranging from Japanese “Godzilla” films to 1990’s cartoons.

Examples of Candie Bolton’s hand-painted, one-off art toys like this “Giant Mugaro” can be found at candiebolton.com.

22 February 2021 — edplay.com

During the lockdown, artist and avowed feminist Mardie Rhodes from Sammamish, Washington, created a world in that revolves around her collection of Barbies.

Play Creates Delight in Life at Every Age

What Mardie Rhodes, an artist and museum docent, began as “just an art gallery, a Barbie’s art gallery,” turned into “Barbieville,” a community with characters and creations beyond anything sold in stores, reports NBC affiliate KINGTV in Seattle. It has a dog park, a community kitchen, and two art galleries (one is Asian art only) with superhero security.

“I started to think about what it would be like to create a whole Barbie world, and then the pandemic hit,” she explained.

Mardie received her first doll when she was 9. Today her collection includes more than 60. Based on Barbieville’s most recent census, there are 38 MTM Barbies, five retirees, six GI Joes, 14 Kens and four unisex Creatible World dolls. She’s created a story for each one. Joey the social worker has poor taste in men. Yuri the museum director is pompous, especially when he’s mansplaining art to a Frido Kahlo docent Barbie. Rosa Parks is there, too. She’s a time-travelling lady who loves to incorporate roses into her fashions.

“We are female-led, gender fluid, where all are welcomed. Except fascists,” Mardie explains. “That’s in our mission statement. (continued on page 45)

Space is Trending!

Join the launch and meet Little Earth … the toy that flew to the International Space Station!

On March 2, 2019, TV viewers were treated to the sight of a plush toy floating on board the Crew Dragon Demo 1 as what SpaceX founder Elon Musk called a “super hi-tech zero gravity indicator.” Within a few hours, Little Earth became the most famous toy in the universe when it was welcomed to the International Space Station by Astronaut Anne McClain. It remained there for the next 519 days before returning home on the Crew Dragon Demo 2.

Unbelievably cute and huggable, with a face that expresses childlike joy at the wonders of the universe, Little Earth is one of Celestial Buddies’ 15 Plush Planetary Pals and Cuddly

Cosmic Companions that both delight and enlighten children and their parents.

Educational hang tags provide vital statistics and fun facts about the celestial bodies they represent. Little Earth’s tag, for example, in addition to mentioning its age (4.53 billion years!), notes that it is “home to millions of different forms of life including bacteria, animals, plants and you humans. About 71% of my surface is covered with water, giving me my characteristic blue appearance from space. This presence and abundance of liquid water makes me unique compared to my planetary neighbors.”

The Celestial Buddies collection includes the Sun, Moon, all the planets, a Comet and even a Black Hole!

Contact sales@celestialbuddies.com or call Jon at 203-415-0313 for more information.

February 2021 — edplay.com 23

industry news KidStuff Public Relations, a boutique PR firm focused on helping toy and game manufacturers and retailers grow, has been named public relations agency of record for Hess Toy Truck, one of the best-selling and longest running toy brands in America.

“We look forward to promoting this highly recognizable toy,” says Lisa Orman, who founded KidStuff Public Relations in 1994.

Over the years, Lisa has received many awards in her field and in the toy industry, including two Women In Toys awards for Best Consultant and for Online Social Networker. She is the only PR professional to serve as a board member of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association.

KidStuff PR, headquartered near Madison, Wisconsin, is also a member of The Toy Association and The International Trade Council.

“The Hess Truck’s back and it’s better than ever!” is a jingle families have heard for more than 30 years.

With an unmatched reputation for outstanding quality at affordable pricing, the new Hess Toy Truck each

year is a beloved holiday gift-giving tradition. A new Hess Mini Collection is released each summer featuring small-scale replicas of previously released holiday toys.

In 2020, the soft and cuddly My Plush Toy Truck series was introduced for the brand’s youngest fans.

To contact KidStuff Public Relations, call 608-767-1102 or visit kidstuffpr.com.

More than 4,000 products from 300plus companies went on digital display when Spielwarenmesse BrandNew launched on January 25. The online industry overview gives manufacturers the opportunity to present their innovations on the Spielwarenmesse website (spielwarenmesse.de/en/ brandnew), on its social media channels and in its newsletter at the time each year when retailers are looking for new products to stock their shelves.

Buyers and retailers can use the service free of charge and without having to register. It is available in both English and German.

“We stay connected to our customers all year round by offering them an extensive range of services,” explains Ernst Kick, CEO of Spielwarenmesse eG. “Spielwarenmesse BrandNew adds to this spectrum.”

From January 25th to 29th, suppliers unveiled their new products in live video appearances on the Spielwarenmesse Facebook and Instagram channels.

Their presentations ranged from tours of their showrooms to Q&A sessions.

An in-person Spielwarenmesse Summer Edition is scheduled for July 20th through 24th.

The Toy Association released its STEAM Toy Assessment Framework in January. Designed to help toymakers create toys in the STEAM category, the new framework provides a three-step model and a clearly defined rating criteria with learning goals for five distinct age groups. (continued on page 26) 24 February 2021 — edplay.com

In 2021, FUN is in the AIR As of this year, all Plus-Plus toys are being produced in Denmark using 100-percent wind energy!

We are proud of this giant step forward in sustainability, and we know our retailer partners (and their customers) will appreciate this move, too. To celebrate, we have introduced BOKS – Danish for “box” – a 220 piece set of Plus-Plus with a wheel and instructions for building a windmill. Many children continue to spend a great deal of time playing and studying at home, and BOKS is the perfect project for their desk, kitchen table, or in-home art or maker space. The set includes an attractive wooden storage box and baseplate lid ($24.99 MSRP).

Travel will continue to evolve this year and Plus-Plus is ready to go wherever you go, whether it’s a short trip or a lengthy journey. Our new Travel Case will be your portable companion and a perfect alternative to screen time. Available in both Plus-Plus and BIG (preschool) versions, each set comes with starter pieces for immediate play and plenty of room for more as the collection grows ($19.99 MSRP).

Please visit the Plus-Plus Retailer Resource Site to view these and many other new items, including additional storage solutions and other new sets in both the awardwinning Learn to Build and Plus-Plus GO! collections.

TRAVEL CASE

WEB RETAILER.PLUS-PLUS.US CALL 1.888.830.4212

BOKS - WINDMILL

EMAIL INFO@PLUS-PLUS.US

February 2021 — edplay.com 25

industry news (continued from page 24)

Developed in collaboration with Dr. Amanda Gummer, PhD, founder and CEO of Dr. Gummer’s Good Play Guide, the framework is part of the association’s multiyear initiative to provide a singular, consistent definition of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) toys.

According to the framework, STEAM toys should include six attributes: active involvement, real-world relevance, logical thinking, arts, free exploration, and support of step-by-step learning. It should also support one or more learning goals in at least two key subject areas, such as science and technology.

The framework is available at toyassociation.org.

Tom Keoughan, founder of toy industry job recruitment firm Toyjobs, reports that his company has been very busy since Labor Day, and “crazy busy” since January 1. “In most businesses the new year brings new budgets and new hiring,” he explains. “In the toy industry, however, the new year typically brings two months of travel to too many trade shows. Search starts generally begin in March, which results in new hiring

Iamabeautifulblessing.com 26 February 2021 — edplay.com

between April and June. Well, nobody is traveling this year and Toyjobs is off to the races.”

In his Toyjobs Executive Monthly enewsletter dated January 27, Tom pointed to a 2020 bright spot – the 16-percent increase in toy sales, announced by NPD Group. He also offered a toy-trend forecast for 2021.

“Anything on a screen should continue to shine,” he wrote. “If any company can crack the code to make screen learning fun, they should hit it right out of the park.

“Big backyard products had a banner year in 2020, but I don’t know about 2021,” he continued. “How many big inflatable swimming pools does one family really need?”

When COVID finally fades, Tom imagines that consumer spending may shift to experiences “as cabin fevered families abandon their burrows and rush to restaurants, movie theaters, parks, vacations and bowling alleys. Little League, youth soccer and all team sports and group activities will burst forth anew!” said his editorial.

While sales may initially decline as a result, the positive feeling of having the pandemic behind them might propel consumer buying during the holiday shopping season. “Never bet against the public’s propensity to spend big during the holidays,” he wrote.

To sign up for Toyjobs Executive Monthly, visit toyjobs.com.

Toronto-based Stortz, a leading Canadian distributor that offers curated lines of high-quality toys and gifts, has become the exclusive Canadian distribution partner of Toysmith. The alliance creates commercial efficiencies and the power to ideate, innovate, and deliver customer value in the Canadian toy and gift space on a national scale, noted Toysmith.

“Stortz is well-known and respected in the Canadian toy and gift market,” said Max Wunderle, chief commercial officer of Toysmith. “We are overjoyed to partner with them to deliver a highly streamlined and efficient distribution model to serve the Canadian market.”

Josh Diament, Stortz president, noted, “Our shared values of customer service, and our efforts to make it as easy as possible for independent retailers to achieve success, makes this partnership especially meaningful and exciting.” (continued on page 28)

Meet Rogue and the Musical Kids’ Toy She Inspired Mel-O-Dee Balls are a fun and easy way to introduce children to music, at home and in the classroom.

by Cory Berger, Grover/Trophy Musical Products

It was a typical day at work.

We were in the conference room, brainstorming ideas for new products.

Unfortunately, our session seemed to be going nowhere. Part of the problem was Rogue, our in-office pet dog who was running around to coax someone to play with her. While we tried to concentrate and discuss new concepts, Rogue and her toy squeaked away.

That’s when lightning struck: what if that dog toy was tuned to a specific note? And what if we created a set of toys that a child could squeeze

to play an entire song? After some initial trial and error, the Mel-O-Dee Balls you see today were perfected.

Each ball in the eight-piece set is accurately tuned, C to C. They’re also individually colored and note marked so that virtually anyone can learn to play them. When kids squeeze MelO-Dee Balls, it not only produces musical tones, the motion helps build strength and dexterity.

Mel-O-Dee Balls come packaged in a colorful display box with a handle for easy carrying. It can be hung or placed on a shelf for easy display.

For more than 95 years, Trophy Music has been making high-quality musical products, from educational items to instrument accessories and novelties. We supply the world with a variety of items for musicians young and old.

February 2021 — edplay.com 27

industry news (continued from page 26)

Stortz and its reps have been actively selling a vast portfolio of Toysmith toy and gift products since December 14, in all types of sales channels including toy, gift, pharmacy, aquarium/zoo, art, book, craft, hobby, educational, hospital, resort, destination, parks and more.

To place an order in Canada with Stortz, call 1-866-747-4191 or email orders@stortz.ca.

Adrienne Appell has been promoted to senior vice president of marketing communications at the Toy Association. As a leading toy trends specialist and Toy Association spokesperson, Adrienne is often called upon to speak at industry events, trade shows and conferences on a variety of toy-related topics.

She is frequently interviewed by national and local consumer and business media, including “Good Morning America,” “Fox and Friends,” “Good Day New York,” Reuters, the Chicago Tribune, and The New York Times, among many others.

In her new role, Adrienne will be responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of the organization’s communications strategies along with its active digital footprint, key messaging, and value-of-play and brand-integrity programs.

She has nearly two decades of experience in the toy and youth-entertainment industry, having joined The Toy Association’s communications department in 2004. Most recently, she served as senior director of strategic communications.

Prior to joining The Toy Association, Adrienne worked in the corporate communications division of Scholastic, Inc. She began her career at the global public relations agency Weber Shandwick, where she worked on client accounts for Kodak, Disney, and Compaq computers.

edplay recently learned about the death last September of children’s music producer and songwriter Bobby Susser. His New Hope Records collection, a dozen albums of songs focused on children, were originally released between 1994 and 2012. In 2016, they were acquired by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the national museum’s nonprofit label, where the collection remains publicly available.

Bobby started writing R&B and rock and roll songs in the 1960s before he turned toward children’s 28 February 2021 — edplay.com

music. To hone his songwriting craft, he earned a master’s degree in early childhood education from Columbia University. “Most children’s music artists seem to approach it as entertainment, but it also has a teaching component,” he explained. “My goal with children’s music was to create a union between the joy of music and the wonderful experience of learning new things.”

He grew up in Queens, New York, with his best friend Paul Simon. They met on the school playground in Kew Gardens Hills in 1952 when they were both 10 years old. They played baseball together and in 1957, Bobby was honored as Most Valuable Player in the New York City Baseball Federation League.

“I’ve known Bobby Susser most of my life,” noted the world-renowned musician. “It turns out he was not only a gold glove shortstop, but also a masterful creator of children’s songs.”

Interplay, a UK-based subsidiary of PlayMonster, was rebranded as PlayMonster in January. The strategy strengthens PlayMonster’s global position without impacting Interplay’s team or headquarters in High Wycombe, northwest of London. There are no changes to staff roles or responsibilities, and it will continue to be led by Adrian Whyles, managing director.

PlayMonster and Interplay began their partnership in 2016 when PlayMonster acquired a North American license for Interplay’s My Fairy Garden brand.

PlayMonster LLC will continue to operate out of its Beloit, Wisconsin headquarters and report to CEO Bob Wann. The company reports growth in 2020 with new brands, new hires, and the launch of Snap Ships and Drone Home.

Enchanted Moments has been appointed the independent sales representative on the East Coast for ONE FUN Company. Under their agreement, Enchanted Moments will act as the official sales representative for SPLATZ Naturally Fun Hand Soap with a focus on the toy and gift industries.

SPLATZ produces eco-friendly bubbles of pure hand soap that “splat” when kids squeeze them between their hands. Its patent-pending formula features allnatural ingredients and the packaging is eco-friendly.

The idea that became SPLATZ was conceived before the pandemic, but its launch during a time when washing our hands was promoted around the world could not have been more timely, notes cofounder Alli DiVincenzo.

New Clock Tower Completes Hogwarts Combine three stand-alone Wrebbit 3D Puzzles to build the entire castle!

The new 420-piece Hogwarts Clock Tower is a great standalone 3D puzzle. It’s a fun and accessible project for all Harry Potter fans age 14 years and older to complete with their family and friends.

The Clock Tower is also an addition to Wrebbit’s 3D jigsaw puzzles Hogwarts Great Hall and Hogwarts Astronomy Tower.

The three puzzles, a total of 2,145 pieces combined, can be used to construct the complete School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!

WREBBIT is the inventor of the World’s First and Only Original 3D Jigsaw Puzzle introduced 30 years ago. Since then, more than 30 million units of Wrebbit3D Jigsaw Puzzles have been sold around the world. Today, they continue to capture the hearts and imaginations of millions of people everywhere, especially kidult, kid and adult puzzle fans looking for hours of fun and entertainment.

Designed and made in Canada in their just-in-time facility, Wrebbit3D Jigsaw Puzzles use a unique foam backing technology that provides snug, tight-fitting pieces and sturdier 3D-assembled puzzles. They are easy to handle and offer the highest quality design and illustration.

February 2021 — edplay.com 29

for your business information Supplier Diversification Programs Boost Business

Giant Supermarkets, based in the Washington, D.C. area, has introduced new shelf labels this year for some 3,100 products in its stores that come from minorityowned businesses. The new labels will be utilized in all 164 stores to identify products from 218 businesses across its network – all women, Black, Asian-Indian, Asian-Pacific, Hispanic, LGBT, or veteran owned, reports Washington Business Journal.

“We’re committed to making it easier for customers to identify product attributes that are important to them,” says Ira Kress, Giant Food president. “To do that, we’re fostering a diverse and inclusive network of suppliers that reflects the unique backgrounds and experiences of our Giant family, our customers and our communities.”

The labels will also be featured on the Giant website and its mobile app for customers who shop online. The company also plans to highlight its diverse vendors “through storytelling and product spotlights” on its website, giantfoodstores.com.

Giant joins a host of companies who are making an effort to support minority-owned businesses. Last June, Target introduced a new badge that identifies Black-owned or Black-founded businesses for its online

shoppers. Target explained in an Instagram post that showcasing those brands was just the beginning of their efforts to include more Black brands, founders, creatives, artists, guests, and team members in their social content. The post garnered more than 42,000 likes, reports Bustle.

As CGT Magazine points out, supplier diversity is good for business. “Over the last decade, retail has seen an upswing in the number of products lining store shelves that hail not from the big name consumer packaged goods players, but instead, smaller, independent suppliers that have carved out a niche. As more and more consumers are demanding new and innovative products – and want them on the shelf yesterday – retailers are responding. Many have implemented supplier diversity programs into their overall strategy, and they’ve seen a growth trajectory because of it.”

Among the benefits of supplier diversity for stores, says the article, are these: it recruits a new generation of shoppers, makes retailers more interesting, brings in new customers, creates store sustainability, and fosters friends.

Work Remotely in the Spanish Countryside Now there’s a solution for city dwellers tired of working remotely in cramped but expensive apartments.

Vente a vivir a un pueblo, a platform created by a Spanish creative collective, connects city dwellers with small towns and villages around the country that are eager to welcome new residents.

The “Come to live in a town” website was launched in the fourth quarter last year. It features 42 rural towns and villages that offer cheaper housing and a slower pace compared to living in a city. Each village or town is presented in a video, which highlights its surroundings, facilities, employment opportunities and housing prices.

They are all eager to welcome new residents.

Users can filter pueblos by the type of internet connection they offer, population, available healthcare, distance from a city, etc.

Over the past 50 years, Spain’s rural regions have lost 28 percent of their population, and there’s a real danger of towns and villages dying out, reports Trendwatching. “When populations thin out as drastically as they have, remaining residents face limited access to services and infrastructure.”

At the same time, anecdotal evidence suggests that interest in moving to the suburbs and country is growing among urbanites everywhere, especially since working remotely has proven to be not only possible, but productive.

(continued on page 32) 30 February 2021 — edplay.com

Meet the Kindness Club ! ®

They’re girls with big hearts and big dreams to make the world a better place, teaching caring and respect for all people. These beautiful 14” poseable dolls are available in seven styles and four diverse skin tones.

Love is in the Details.

®

www.madamealexander.com • 833-MADAME A (833-623-2632) Edplay Jan Feb 21.indd 1

Every Child will Find a Friend in the Kindness Club

12/21/20 7:04 PM

With big dreams of making the world a better place, these Madame Alexander dolls teach caring and respect.

Available in seven different styles and four diverse skin tones, the 14-inch Kindness Club dolls have molded and poseable bodies, realistic fixed eyes, engaging outfits, and beautiful rooted hair that features a colorful highlight. The dolls help kids age 3 and up develop fine motor skills, and provide opportunities to engage in parallel, associative and social play to teach positive interaction with others.

They come in a beautiful arch-front window box with a carrying handle. They’re easy to merchandise in any retail environment, and are perfect for gifting.

Like all Madame Alexander dolls, Kindness Club dolls inspire nurturing and imaginative play to fuel the growth of young minds.

Madame Alexander dolls have helped parents make kind kids for generations!

Founded in 1923, Madame Alexander Doll Company has a nearly 100-year history of teaching, nurturing, and encouraging young imaginations through doll play. They’re also made to last with “Love in the Details,” creating long, happy relationships and a family tradition of play.

February 2021 — edplay.com 31

for your business information

Doll Clothes Give New Life to Excess Textiles

I’m a Girly, a company that creates innovative and highly coveted fashion dolls worldwide, is collaborating with upcycling fashion brand The R Collective to create the world’s first sustainable and upcycled clothing collection for dolls. The program will use excess fabric from the fast-fashion industry to draw attention to waste in both the fashion and toy industries, furthering I’m a Girly’s mission to create “sustainability with style.”

I’m A Girly is a Swiss brand. Its fashion dolls successfully entered the North American and Chinese markets last fall.

Sustainability is a growing concern within the fashion industry.

According to the World Economic Forum, it accounts for 10 percent of the world’s CO2 emissions. Out of the 100 billion new garments produced each year, around 73 percent will be land-filled within 12 months. What’s more, brands are sitting on reams of unsold fabric inventories that will have to be discarded somehow.

In 2007, sustainable fashion advocate Christina Dean founded non-profit environmental organization Redress and, with it, the fashion brand The R Collective. The R

Collective collects the enormous textile overstocks of luxury fashion brands and brings them back into circulation through selected partners.

“The collaboration with I’m A Girly brings two worlds together,” she says. “It translates our mission – to create a more sustainable fashion industry – in a creative and collaborative way, while also inspiring the next generation of young fashion consumers.”

The toy industry is stepping up to the challenge of its own environmental problems, points out greenmatters.com. “Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, a number of toy companies have taken a stand against utilizing plastic in the name of climate change, and have ultimately decided to cut back on using it in the production of their products.”

“We are aware of the problems our industry is facing and are working every day to improve the situation,” says Theresia Le Battistini, CEO and founder of I’m a Girly. “Our latest line of dolls is made of recycled materials, for instance. And, to prevent overproduction, we ensure our dolls are relevant to our target group by having them co-designed by our

audience: children.”

This spring, her company will launch a contest to encourage children around the world to create and submit designs for the sustainable doll collection. A mixed jury of The R Collective designers, the I’m A Girly Kids4kids design team, and an international fashion influencer will select the winning designs, which will be included in the collection and launched in stores.

Finfin AG created the brand in 2017 with Kids4Kids, a Hong Kong-based nonprofit that helps children become creative change makers. Redress, also in Hong Kong, employs a team of experienced fashion experts dedicated to design, procurement, production, marketing, business, and sustainability. They share a common goal of reducing the fashion industry’s water, chemical and carbon footprint.

Consumers Want More Maya Angelou Barbies

Just days before poet Amanda Gorman stole the show at the inauguration of President Joe Biden, Mattel debuted its Dr. Maya Angelou Barbie, which includes a miniature replica of her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The latest addition to the Inspiring Women collection quickly sold out online, prompting Barbie buyers to plead for more at the original $29.99 price. (Resellers are offering the doll for as much as $500.)

In 1993, Dr. Angelou became the first Black poet and the first female poet to speak at a U.S. president’s inauguration.

The Inspiring Women collection was launched in 2018. Since then, the lineup has included historical figures such as Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks (see the related story on page 20 ), Ella Fitzgerald, and Sally Ride. Another Barbie line, Shero Dolls, focuses on present-day heroes.

In 2020, Mattel pledged that, going forward, 50 percent of the brand’s role model dolls would be Black, indigenous or women of color.

32 February 2021 — edplay.com

At home.....indoors.....still.....again.

Don’t let the playroom become a prison...make something NEW every day with Wikki Stix! The versatility of Wikki Stix keeps them fresh when other toys and materials have been put aside.

Designed for ages 3-5, the Activity Set includes a small foldout booklet.... the Adventures of Gizzywik and the Morgandoot...two Wikkiland characters... providing fun ideas of things kids can easily make with their Wikkies.

Super Wikki Stix, all 144 feet of them, provide tons of fun for really BIG creations. Green elephants, pink hippos, and smiling, happy frogs! Designed for ages 6 and up, the Super Wikkies are amazingly engaging...for long periods of time.

the samples you want! Once people get Wikkies in their hands, they understand!! It’s their uniqueness that sells them!!!

And yes, Wikki Stix have been around for 30 years...but there’s a new fouryear-old every day...lots, in fact...who would love to engage in the creative, hands-on play Wikki Stix offers. So, let us just say...Wikki Stix can be new to thousands of children every day... starting with your customers!

Wikki Stix take a moment or two to explain to your customers...but you know we’re happy to supply all

February 2021 — edplay.com 33

Time for the Great Personal Reset

2021 is an opportunity to get back to zero and start over the right way, says author Steve Cook

by Tina Manzer

No doubt about it: 2020 got our attention. As the world fell apart around us it revealed the cracks in the façades of our lives. Discovering the fragility and uncertainty of the businesses we own and operate felt like a gut punch. Forced togetherness showed us that we don’t know our kids and we’re not sure how we feel about our spouses.

Steve Cook, author of Lifeonaire: An Uncommon Approach to Wealth, Success, and Prosperity, says 2020 was a wakeup call on the fleeting nature of life itself. It brought us face-to-face with our own mortality. “Our life decisions have been brought into focus and we can clearly see the choices we’ve made: the excesses, the shortfalls, the flaws in judgment,” he says. “More of us are realizing that the old paradigm (the one that built the lives of our parents) is no longer viable. Perhaps for the first time we’re asking ourselves, ‘Are we really happy with the life we’ve established up until now?’”

“Getting back to normal” feels familiar and comfortable from today’s anxiety-driven viewpoint, but Cook believes 2021 presents the perfect time to shake your life down to its foundation and revamp everything with the goal of being happier. Call the opportunity The Great Personal Reset.

Making changes is scary, but isn’t it scarier to live within an old set of rules instead of developing new rules that work better for you? Here are Cook’s reset recommendations.

1

Don’t think in terms of “back to normal” “Don’t spend your energy going back to the place you were hoping to get away from,” he wrote in a blog post.

“Give that same energy to something new.”

That calls for a willingness to call a halt to what’s draining you, even if it (hypothetically) costs every cent you have now. The good news is that once you shift your mindset you can move forward quickly. “When you’re trying to fix a

34 February 2021 — edplay.com

broken system, you have to fight from weakness,” he writes.

“But from zero, you get to fight from strength.”

2

Rethink how you measure prosperity It’s not about having a lot of money, Cook asserts. It’s about the freedom to experience life as you see fit. Too often, what we think of as success comes at the expense of broken marriages, broken families, broken health, and broken peace.

In Lifeonaire, Cook lays out four stages to prosperity.

• Stage 1: Lay the foundation. Come up with a plan rather than living life by default.

• Stage 2: Meet your needs. Start living as simply as possible.

• Stage 3: Generate excess cash.

• Stage 4: Invest in income producing assets.

“When you reframe prosperity this way and start seeing results, you may still work but it’s a choice, not an obligation,” asserts Cook.

3

Forget what you’ve heard about long hours as the key to success

In 2021, find a way to cut your work hours by 10 percent. Cook insists the most successful people work less, often make more, and love their life. Their business complements instead of competes with their personal life.

They experience freedom and independence with their time, finances, and choices.

“Years of conditioning have us believing that hard work means working a lot,” he reflects. “The truth is, short periods of efficient hard work are much more productive than ‘overdrive’ 60-hour work weeks. Maybe you need a new career, or maybe you just need to learn to focus so you can do your best work in a shorter time frame. Regardless, this is the year to make the change.” (continued on page 36)

If Apple Made Toys, They’d Make Marmals.

Marmals are a brand new, award-winning line of modular toys designed to be a sensory launch pad for creative play and storytelling.

Meet Marmals – your new imaginary friends! Marmals are a canvas for your imagination, a blank slate ready to be drawn, painted, decorated, dressed, or simply left as is. Each gender-neutral figure comes with a set of custom washable markers to help spark creativity, and an eraser sponge for easy cleanup.

Marmals are constructed with a patent-pending array of magnets that

not only make a mesmerizing snap as the parts come together, but also offer an engaging fidget toy experience, promoting sensory awareness, tactile and audible stimulation, calmness, and concentration. New characters and planned accessories will utilize this innovative magnetic connection to build upon the ever expanding Marmal universe.

The future of Marmals revolves around its dedicated online community.

Creators are encouraged to share their designs on Instagram with the hashtag #lovemarmals.

Marmals were officially launched three months ago after a successful crowdfunding campaign. Invitations to

both Toy Fair New York and Toy Fair Dallas brought Marmals into exclusive exhibits showcasing innovation in the toy industry. “I wanted to design a toy that would grow with a child,” says Marmals creator Jeff Lawber, “something that ignites imagination and discovery through childhood and beyond.”

Marmals are geared toward ages 5+ and retail for $25.

For more information call 1-503-832-7749 marmals.com info@marmals.com

February 2021 — edplay.com 35

Time for a Great Personal Reset

(continued from page 34)

4

If you don’t love your job, start preparing to quit right now

“I’m not saying quit your job today,” Cook asserts. “I am saying start preparing today. Part of it is about soul searching. The other part is revamping how you think about money.”

Call a family meeting and revamp your finances. Together, set some long-term goals and figure out how you’re going to get from here to there. If everyone isn’t on board and committed, it won’t work.

Talk about what truly brings you joy – it’s okay to spend some of your money on these things! Making a lifestyle change this drastic can’t be all austerity and strict rules.

5

Blow up your budget and start over with a focus on saving

When they’re trying to get a handle on their money, many people start with budgeting. They look at their current bills and figure out how to handle what’s left over. Cook says rather than saving around the edges, recalibrate around the goal of saving.

6

Figure out what you can live without 2020 showed many of us that we can live much more simply. We don’t have to spend a lot of money on restaurants, gym memberships, and fancy vacations. Staying home more allows us to cut extras out of our life. Later, we’ll have excess cash to spend on travel or other experiences that make us happy, but only if we choose to.

“What at first sounds like extreme changes, like downsizing to a smaller house or getting rid of a car, can make a lot of sense,” notes Cook.

“Now that more of us are working virtually, we’re realizing we can live anywhere – like in a less expensive part of the country. Since you’re not travelling to work every day, trade in the pricey car for a no-frills version.”

7

Get intentional about paying down debt

“I don’t say people should never incur debt,” Cook says. “I’m saying there are consequences to all debt and we should carefully weigh this truth against our desire to possess something. When making decisions based on freedom and prosperity it’s always better to own something outright. At the very least, don’t take on any more debt in 2021. Better yet, commit to paying it off.”

36 February 2021 — edplay.com

8

Shift your focus: family now, work later

“This is precisely why we need to keep our needs low,” he says. “The less you need, the less you have to work. If you don’t have a big mortgage and two car payments you will be able to put in a lot fewer hours and spend a lot more time with your children now. Your business can grow slowly and organically over time.”

9

Get rid of relationships that aren’t working

You know who these people are. They’re the toxic “friends” or business partners or family members who drag you down with negativity, controlling behavior, one-upmanship, etc. Over time we end up feeling stuck with people who drain us and sabotage our efforts to build a better life.

We’re not really stuck except in our minds, asserts Cook – and we can make 2021 the year we break up with them for good.

10

Go on an information-and-media diet

Most of us spend too much time surfing the Internet, watching upsetting news stories, and scrolling through social media.

Overconsumption of information makes us anxious and unhappy, and it creeps up on us slowly and insidiously.

“Make this the year you get mindful about the knowledge you want to pursue and purposely cut out the rest,” suggests Cook. “Not only will you be happier and more focused, you may get physically healthier when you stop sitting in front of screens all the time.”

When you think about the changes Cook is suggesting you make in 2021 it may seem overwhelming; maybe even impossible. But Cook says once we get focused and intentional, solutions have a way of presenting themselves to us.

“I’ve seen this truth play out many times,” he says. “Once we reset our values, we become incredibly creative. We see the world in different way. New opportunities rise to the surface.

If you do these things, or even just some of them, by the end of 2021 you’ll look back amazed at the difference a year has made.”

Scuttle Quickly to Add These Books to Your Mix This is Crab is “A highly interactive ocean-floor jaunt,” says Kirkus Reviews (Little fingers drumroll to coax a new friend out of his cave…)

Hooray, there he is! Introducing This is Crab, the third title in Kane Miller’s hugely popular series, joining This is Owl and This is Frog. Beginning readers ages 3 and up can dive in and join Crab for a cl-awesome adventure while they explore the wonders of the ocean. Children will flap, tap, clap, jump, splash, and laugh their way through all three books in this delightfully interactive series.

Audience participation is invited with appealing art, hilarious text, and lots of die-cut overlays and interior page turns. Children will explore emotions, practice counting, and learn about animal habitats as they spot sight words that help improve reading skills.

Great for story times and one-on-one reading, these books engage restless children and foster movement. It’s screen-free

By Libby Walden and Jacqui Lee (Kane Miller)

By Harriet Evans and Jacqui Lee (Kane Miller)

By Harriet Evans and Jacqui Lee (Kane Miller)

fun for the whole family! Educators and librarians will be drawn to the bright covers and compelling characters, making this series perfect for classrooms and libraries, too.

Place a single order for 350 or more Usborne or Kane Miller books to qualify for a free spinner rack to merchandise them!

February 2021 — edplay.com 37

A roundup of product recommendat

The loss of live tradeshows this quarter has created a void in the annual search for specialty toy treasures. Luckily for us, there are reps. “We’ve found that retailers are looking more and more toward reps for help in product selection,” says Sandy Ruben. “They’re calling us to say, ‘Hey, I saw this product. It looks interesting, but I’m not sure if I should buy it. What are your thoughts?’ I think this practice will continue throughout 2021.”

Weighing in with both objective and subjective feedback is something toy reps are particularly good at, “but it’s important for us to have samples so that we can provide informed recommendations,” Sandy notes. The products featured here were among those he and his posse evaluated at the Dallas and the Atlanta gift shows, both in January, and during scores of Zoom meetings with sales managers.

During the evaluation process, the group spotted trends that may give these toy categories a boost.

annwilliamsgroup.com Nail Sticker Express

Toys and games that encourage physical activity The demand among parents for toys and games that get kids up, moving, and away from the screen is stronger than ever.

Kits and other activities that children can put together or do on their own “Parents are more overwhelmed than ever with the demands of work, parenting and life in general,” says Sandy. “The kinds of craft and science kits they’re looking for are the ones kids can figure out by themselves without constant help.

And the longer they’re occupied, the better.”

Fidget toys They’re back because they’re so helpful to kids during long sessions on Zoom.

Over the next few months, Sandy expects we’ll see a burst of new options with tactile experiences for children of all ages.

It makes sense. “Skin Hunger” was recently identified by TrendHunters.com as a key factor in the bigger health & wellness/therapeutics trend for 2021.

The term describes a phenomenon prompted by the lack of physical touch for long periods of time, like the isolation we all feel by social distancing during COVID. As time goes on, the feelings of loneliness and stress due to lack of physical contact intensifies. Product designers are showcasing all sorts of solutions that range from hugging machines to weighted blankets. “These viable alternatives allow people to feel less lonely, and when this need is met, individuals are more comfortable and content,” says TrendHunter.

brightstripes.com Wishcraft Wish Jar

Providing insight for the list were the following toy experts.

Reps Erin Griffin from the Erin Griffin Group, John Giacobe from RBG Sales, and Karen Bortle, Katherine Hodges, Tom Darnell, Melanie Minery, Don Smith and Sandy Ruben from Sandy Ruben & Associates Retailers Emily Scheid from Hollipops, Christine Osborne from Wonder Works, Gwen Ottenberg from Imagine That Toys, and Stephanie Sala from Five Little Monkeys 38 February 2021 — edplay.com

fatbraintoyco.com Dizzy Bees

tions from reps and retailers

blueorangegames.com Clydo Light-Up Football annwilliamsgroup.com Create Your Own Magical Wands b4adventure.com Swing House Set

djeco.com Zig And Go

crocodilecreek.com USA Shaped 200-piece Puzzle

djeco.com Small Dots Painting

funinmotiontoys.com Earth Shashibo

fabercastell.com Ocean and Sand Sensory Bin

foxmind.com Last One Lost scholastic.com Watercolor Wonders from Klutz

hape.com DJ Mix and Spin

(continued on page 40) February 2021 — edplay.com 39

product recommendations Not pictured greentoys.com RV Camper Set watchitude.com Pop’d

hape.com Musical Whale Fountain

juratoysus.com Lalaboom Splash Ball

littlekidsinc.com Fubbles Bubble Mower

meekinscorp.com Gloplay Fairy Tales

license-2-play.com Studio Creator

peterpauper.com Scratch And Sketch Infinity Pad mwwholesale.biz Paint Your Own Stepping Stone Paw Print

thamesandkosmos.com Candy Claw Machine thamesandkosmos.com Gravity Bug Free Climbing Microbot

40 February 2021 — edplay.com

us.waboba.com Gradient Moon Ball

Good Things Happen

(continued from page 46)

needed a win, Brice acted on a big idea he had, in honor of his father. First, he went out and purchased $3,000 in gift cards from 50 Florence-area retailers and restaurants. Then, at the end of each day from December 1 to December 23, he held a drawing in The Toy Shop. Any customer who made a purchase of any size there that day was eligible. The prize was gift cards, other stores’ gift cards.

The other businesses were amazed by Brice’s support, and many found a way to give back to him. Some did their entire holiday toy shopping at his store. Others donated free merchandise to him as raffle prizes, and still others gave him additional gift cards to distribute.

It was a huge leap of faith for Brice to invest in those cards. His store is 1,500 square feet in a town of 37,000. But thanks to record-breaking sales that more than covered the cost of the cards, plus the establishment of an incredible bond with his fellow local businesses, Brice feels that he’s recouped his investment.

Piccolo Mondo followed suit

Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, Michelle Smith of Piccolo Mondo Toys had heard what Brice was up to. A recent graduate of Bob Negen’s Whiz Bang Retail Training Workshop, Michelle had been looking for a unique holiday marketing strategy for her store, a project Negen had deemed “essential.” The seeds were planted.

Michelle identified seven local businesses she wanted to support: a restaurant, a coffee shop, a clothing store, a home store, a gift store, a shoe store and a women’s boutique.

Anyone who spent $100 or more in Piccolo Mondo (excluding coupons or discounts) would receive a $20 gift card to whichever one of the seven stores they chose.

Customers loved it! All in all, Michelle distributed $4,000 in other stores’ gift cards.

The seven businesses were thrilled as well, and why wouldn’t they be? Michelle’s gift card purchases were a huge boost to their bottom lines, and most of the customers who got them were brand new to the stores. When they

shopped, they often spent considerably more than their $20 card.

As an added bonus during the promotion, Michelle live-streamed visits to each of the seven stores on Facebook, and listed everything she loved about shopping there. Thanks to her strong following, all of the stores reported measurable traffic increases as a result.

Michelle was delighted to help, and delighted with the way the community rallied around her and her three retail locations. One restaurant presented a $20 gift card to each of Michelle’s employees, and another business made a donation to Kids In Need in Piccolo Mondo’s name. Best of all, her December 2020 sales exceeded her December 2019 sales, despite the pandemic.

Both Brice and Michelle are making plans to build on the success they had with their wild-card initiatives. They will continue them in some form, and they are looking at ways to take the project beyond just one month a year.

“Be as generous as you can,” recommends Brice. “It comes back to you in multiple ways.

You can’t ever do more for a community than it is going to do for you.”

Like Brice, Michelle at Piccolo Mondo is full of good ideas. When COVID shut down her three Piccolo Mondo locations in April, Michelle and her staff created activity bags filled with engaging and educational items for families that needed “just a little jolt of happiness,” she said. According to KGW8 in Portland, Oregon, the project was driven by donations from the community. Area residents purchased activity bags for $20 each on the Piccolo Mondo website, and then the bags were distributed to Title 1 schools that were already providing food to families in need. The program brought in business the store needed to support its employees, it gave members of the community an easy way to help others, and it allowed kids to just be kids.

February 2021 — edplay.com 41

new & true 2

1

3

4 5

1. Unique PIXIO construction sets, available from Ukidz LLC, contain blocks that connect thanks to their well-thought-out system of magnets. Inside each 8 mm (0.31 inch) plastic cube are six magnets so that the blocks can connect to each other in any sequence from different sides. ukidz.com info@ukidzllc.com 42 February 2021 — edplay.com

2. Test your skills and experience physics in action with Drop Shot from Fat Brain Toy. It takes a steady hand and a keen eye to land three in a row! fatbraintoys.com

and six dress-up costumes for endless pretend-play fun for kids age 3+. littlebeanstoychest.com

4. Celestial Buddies: Polaris, with its two companion stars, is your 3. “What will I be?” from Little children’s Guide in the Night Sky and a night light to help them fall Beans Toy Chest is a handmade asleep. celestialbuddies.com felt activity book that inspires little girls and boys to dream of 5. Trophy Music’s 1stNote Melbold, adventurous future careers: O-Dee Balls are a fun and easy from doctor to construction way to introduce children to music, engineer, from primatologist to at home or in the classroom! astronaut! It features changing grotro.com scenes, moveable pieces, a doll

6. From the makers of Last One Lost, Go Pop! from FoxMind is the original and authentic popping fidget toy and game that started a viral sensation. Now available in multiple colors. sales@foxmind.com 7. The Personal Learning Pak for Educational Activities, NEW from Wikki Stix is safe, clean, hands-on individual learning!

8

6

7 9

11 10

No sharing! No touching! The 36 Wikki Stix come in a small storage tube, perfect for at-home learning or in a classroom. wikkistix.com 8. New for spring 2021!

Bubble Tree from American Bubble Company is the very first patent-pending, eco-friendly sustainable bubble system made in the USA. The portable, refillable bubble system dispenses a superior non-toxic

solution into high quality aluminum bottles that can be refilled, reused and recycled.

Meet the family – available from 4 ounces to 5 liters. americanbubble.com 9. GameParts provides game pieces, dominoes, pawns, bingo chips, playing cards, dice and more. Perfect for game builders, and for the toy and educational markets. gameparts.net

10. Sweet Smiles is ready to be your baby’s baby! Each 14-inch doll has a soft and cuddly body, beautiful sleep eyes, and delicate hands and feet for tickling. Choose from a kitty dress with leggings or a pink bunny pajama set with cap. Available in three diverse skin tones, the dolls are presented in a gift-worthy window box. Recommended for ages 12 months and up. madamealexander.com

11. MARMALS, the debut product from The Office of Design and Development, mixes creative design, STEAM play, and a canvas to ignite imagination.

Each Marmal comes with a set of washable markers to encourage character discovery and storytelling. marmals.com 1-503-832-7749

February 2021 — edplay.com 43

new & true 12

13 14

16

15

12. Kala’s all-wood Ukadelic ukuleles are available in 12 fun, eye-catching colors. Each one comes with a logo bag and retail packaging.

Pictured here is “Lochness.” kalabrand.com 13. Break In: Area 51 from PlayMonster is more than a game, it’s an experience! Players take on the role of an alien who must break into the classified facility to rescue a spaceship.

By working together to follow clues and solve puzzles they can unfold multiple layers of the game to find it. Along the way, they encounter many obstacles and characters. For 1 to 6 players. playmonster.com

44 February 2021 — edplay.com

14. Tiny Tots: My First Library from EDC Publishing features six simple first-concept books for toddlers. With bold, bright illustrations, each book is printed on tear-proof, waterproof, wipeclean material and sewn to withstand tough handling. edcpub.com 15. With the Plus-Plus Travel Case (MSRP $19.99), fun and creativity go where you go.

It contains 100 Plus-Plus pieces and one white baseplate for a perfect, screen-free travel solution.

The flexible but rugged case features a durable fabric exterior. Plus-Plus is made in Denmark in its own zero-plastic-waste factory powered by renewable energy. retailer.plus-plus.us

16. The Toy Stack from The Toy Network takes up just 2 square feet of floor space and is filled with low-priced, highmargin, quick-turning impulse items. thetoynetwork.com

Adults, Their Toys, Their Collecting

(continued from page 24)

“When someone new arrives, we give them a cupcake and an optional makeover,” she explains during an 18-minute Barbieville tour, available on her website, laughingmamastudio.com. She thinks it should be the global immigration policy and hopes the U.S. congress will consider it.

She considers Barbie the ultimate feminist role model.

After all, she’s run for president seven times, and has had more than 200 careers, ranging from astronaut to ballerina.

“She sends a message you can be whatever you want to be.”

During significant moments in Mardie’s life, Barbie was there for her. “Sure, she spent a decade or so wrapped in tissue paper in my mother’s sewing room closet, but she would not be ignored,” says Mardie. “Like so many women I know from the early 1960s, she threw off her tissue of oppression and came out of the closet. For me, her lessons are right there in black and white, or in Barbie’s case bright pink.”

When her two sons were little, Mardie would play with them and their plastic action figure toys. “They were attractive enough but had two definite shortcomings: you couldn’t change their clothes and they had no accessories (except Batman),” she wrote. One day, she incorporated her old Barbies into their play. They didn’t have capes or cool weapons, “but they could pass as superheroes once Zak fashioned helmets from playdough.”

A docent at the Bellevue Art Museum, Mardie found play again during the abundance of free time caused by the pandemic. “As a retiree, I started reading about staying active and healthy. And one of the things that hasn’t been documented much is the importance of a sense of play. You know we’re told how to eat, how to exercise, how to see the doctor, but not how to have joy and delight in one’s life.”

I think she’s found a way.

ADVERTISER INDEX Company Page Website American Bubble Company

10

americanbubble .com

Beautiful Blessings

26

Iamabeautifulblessing.com

7

brudertoys.com/en/usa/dealer

Celestial Buddies

23

celestialbuddies.com

CSI Connect Marketing

14

csiconnects.com

EDC Publishing/Usborne

37

edcpub.com

Fat Brain Toy Co.

back cover

Foxmind Games

Company Page Website Marmals

inside front cover

playmonster.com

25

retailer.plus-plus.us

5

sentosphereusa.com

The Good Toy Group

24

goodtoygroup.com

The Toy Network

13

thetoynetwork.com

fatbraintoyco.com

Trophy Music Co.

27

grotro.com

9

foxmind.com

Ukidz UGears US

19

Ukidz.com

Kala Brand Music Co.

17

kalabrand.co

Valtech

12 magnatiles.com

Kardwell International

21

gameparts.net

Wikki Stix

33

wikkistix.com

Little Bean’s Toy Chest

15

littlebeanstoychest.com

Wrebbit Puzzles

29

wrebbit3dpuzzle.com

Madame Alexander Doll Company

31

madamealexander.com

Bruder Toys

Playmonster

35 marmals.com

Plus-Plus USA SentoSphere USA

edplay Welcomes Nine New Advertisers American Bubble Company built a state-of-the-art facility in Commerce, California, where all of its BubbleTree products are manufactured. • Fashion dolls from Beautiful Blessings are elegant, classy, and represent positive imagery. • Celestial Buddies President and toy designer Jessie Silbert was a finalist last year for the “Wonder Woman” Award from Women in Toys • Foxmind Games holds a Halloween costume contest each year. The winner receives a copy of The Potion bluffing and deduction game. • GameParts, a division of Kardwell International, is celebrating 115 years in business. • Last year, the founders of Little Bean’s Toy Chest moved from Hong Kong to Greenbank, Washington, where they run their company. • The Plus-Plus GO! Street Racing Super Set is a TOTY Award finalist in the Construction category • Everyone at edplay fell in love with Marmals from The Office of Design & Development • If you want to play the spoons, they’re available from new advertiser Trophy Music Co. February 2021 — edplay.com 45

Good Things Happen if You Play Your Cards Right

by Sandy Ruben

A twist on tradition saved two retailers from getting lost in the shuffle

“How can I help somebody today?”

Asking himself that question was the way Brice Elvington’s late father Leo began each day. Brice, the owner of The Toy Shop Florence in South Carolina, approaches life in a similar way. “I think, ‘What can I do today that helps another business or an individual in need,’ and ‘Is there a way I can give back to my community?’”

Small businesses, especially independent local retail stores, have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Many owners like Brice have discovered strength in numbers. They’ve been banding together during the past year to help their fellow businesses and communities stay afloat.

“One of the things about a crisis is that it brings out creativity and ingenuity and typically, collaboration and incredible generosity,” said Jennifer DaSilva, the founder and director of Start Small Think Big, a New York City-based small-business nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs in disadvantaged communities. “When people work together, they’re able to accomplish more,

In addition to owning the The Toy Shop, Brice and his wife Dr. Kim Elvington (pictured here with their children) operate Florence Pediatric Dentistry. Inset: Brice with his father Leo, who died in December after an extended illness.

so I think this has changed everybody and brought many of us closer together,” she stated in an interview with Time last May. “People have to pivot; they have to think more creatively, they have to think more collaboratively. This is forcing people into that space where things that were nice to do before are now imperative.”

In November, when many independent businesses (continued on page 41)

Around the Table a publication of the Game Manufacturers Association

Dedicated to the Specialty Toy Industry Publisher J. Kevin Fahy kfahy@fwpi.com

Advertising Director Tim Braden tbraden@fwpi.com

Production Manager Mark Stash mstash@fwpi.com

Editorial Director Tina Manzer tmanzer@fwpi.com

Ad Sales Representative Darlene Ryan darlene@fwpi.com

Marketing Director Amy Colburn amy@fwpi.com

Graphic Artist Christopher Cornett Christopher@fwpi.com

Enewsletter & Online Advertising Manager Rick Kauder rkauder@fwpi.com

Subscriptions Yesenia Rangel accounts@fwpi.com

46 February 2021 — edplay.com

Copyright © 2021

About edplay Founded in 1994. edplay is the original trade magazine for the specialty toy industry. With six printed issues and monthly enewsletters, it reports on new play products, features interviews with toy experts, and provides best-practice advice for running an independent toy store.

Art Materials Retailer for People Who Sell Art Supplies Educational Dealer for retailers who sell to teachers, parents and schools ASTRA Toy Times The Magazine of The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association

Brain Games for the Entire Family As families struggle to find productive activities during the long winter months, many are turning to games that fuel their competitive spirit, get the mental gears spinning, or simply instigate a raucous good time. These five games by Fat Brain Toy Co. will entertain multiple generations unlike any other activity.

Outsmart. Out Stack. Out Corner.

Corners Up is a game of strategically stacking game pieces to try to collect the most corners. The game board is ever-changing, building out from a 4-by-4 grid into a perfect pyramid. Planning, timing, and luck combine into one thrilling challenge with the tricky game of Corners Up.

A Battle of Balance

Weight For It is a headspinning mix of strategy and physics! Players take turns placing the weights onto the wheel to try to make it rotate so the correct arrow is aligned with the number on their card.

Line it up just right and you get to keep the card as a point. Get it wrong and you have to wait to try again on your next turn. Logic and reasoning are sure to twist and turn into knots of thrilling confusion with the fascinating game of Weight For It.

A Game of Flipping Madness

In-SAND-ity is the fast-acting game of flipping sand timers to try to keep them flowing the longest. Using one hand, you’ve got to keep the sand flowing by flipping and moving the timers to an empty space one at a time. Stay focused and move fast ... the instant a timer runs out, your opponent gets to hit their button to stop your time and start theirs before jumping right into the sand-flippin’ action. This dynamic game encourages concentration, quick thinking, hand-eye coordination, and fast reflexes.

Block or Be Blocked

GridBlock ... can you block without being blocked? The goal seems simple enough – just get your four pieces on the board. But pieces of the same color MUST touch, and pieces of the same shape MUST NOT touch, creating ample opportunities for blocking ... or being blocked. It encourages strategy skills, planning, critical thinking and logic.

Can you draw a trout with your snout?

Pencil Nose is a hilarious party game where players have to use their nose to try to sketch the prompt and then hope their teammates can correctly guess what they’re drawing.

Can you draw a rose with your nose? Pencil Nose comes complete with specially designed eyeglasses, marker, and a clear, erasable frame. It encourages family bonding, cooperative play, coordination, creativity, quick thinking, and communication skills.

See our ad on the back cover.

February 2021 — edplay.com 47