Global Toy News

Part 2: To the Toy Aisle,…and Beyond!

In yesterday's post I talked about the usefulness of toys and games beyond traditional markets and play patterns.  The examples highlighted how toys are being used to create portable energy sources and medical devices for developing countries, and to teach kids the basics of science, technology, and invention.

The two stories I’ll share with you today give examples of how play products are being used for physical therapy and even to save lives.  But first,...I wanted to include an interesting story I spotted yesterday. An article and video by Huffington Post illustrates how Slinkys are being used in the study of physics. Through experimentation, scientists have found Slinkys useful for explaining unusual principles of physics. They’ve discovered that the bottom section of a Slinky remains completely suspended in midair until the top section collapses onto it.  This is not visible to the naked eye, so you’ll want to take a look at this remarkable video to see how cool this really is! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/19/slinky-science-video-physics-springs_n_2325474.html 

The Study of Physics

And now, on to our regulary scheduled articles....

Remote-Controlled Life Savers

Last year, Ernie Fessenden from Minnesota sent his enlisted brother a uniquely modified remote-controlled truck as a way to help keep him safe while serving in Iraq.  He never imagined it would save the lives of six soldiers.

Ernie, along with the help of Kevin Guy, the owner of a hobby shop in Rochester, Minnesota, decided to transform an RC truck by mounting a wireless camera to it.  The camera would then display images back to a small device giving soldiers an idea of the potential threats that lay ahead.

Upon receiving the truck, Chris loaned it to another patrol searching for roadside bombs. After sending the truck out on a routine search, it hit a trip wire that was rigged to 500 lbs. of explosives.  Although the RC truck was completely destroyed in the explosion, the six soldiers in the Humvee were unharmed.

According to Chris, one of the great things about the RC truck is that it is able to keep up with the Humvees and can actually go ahead of the patrol and scout things out.  So far, the truck has been successful in finding four improvised explosive devices (IED).

With the goal of getting these modified remote control trucks to as many soldiers as possible, an organization has been set up to help make this a reality. Trucks To Troops now sends modified remote-controlled trucks to soldiers in the field to help make their jobs easier and safer.  (www.truckstotroops.com)

 

Virtual Reality Pain Therapy

Another soldier in Afghanistan, Lieutenant Sam Brown, was not as fortunate as the aforementioned soldiers.  When Lt. Brown’s Humvee was attacked and he was struck by an improvised explosive device he sustained third degree burns over 30% of his body. 

After being transported back to the US, Brown endured more than two dozen surgeries and underwent daily wound care and physical therapy which proved to be quite painful.  Because the treatments were unbearable at times and Brown was concerned about the addictive nature of the painkillers, his doctor suggested an unconventional type of treatment – a video game.  The virtual reality video game, SnowWorld, created at the University of Washington by two psychologists, Dr. David Patterson and Dr. Hunter Hoffman, was specifically designed for the experimental treatment of burn victims just like Lt Brown.

Dr. Patterson found that the treatment of pain worked by putting an individual into a virtual or alternate world and would continue to work as long as the patient’s focus remained in the virtual experience.  Dr. Hoffman focused on using “virtual reality distraction” to help patients confront their fears; however, he took the opposite approach when it came to pain management.  He hypothesized that the icy, calming environment of SnowWorld would help patients forget about their burn wounds. 

In the game, players throw snowballs at penguins while listening to a Paul Simon song. By distracting the patient and keeping their thoughts off of their bodily condition the injured become so engaged with the game that it diverted the brain’s attention away from the pain signals.  Patients were able to undergo physical therapy with 35-50% less pain and some did not even notice they had undergone therapy.  A small study conducted by the military in 2011 concluded that, for soldiers in the worst pain, SnowWorld actually worked better than morphine.

The traditional benefits of play provided by toys and games are seen in physical activity, the promotion of mental health, social interaction and development, as well as increased learning.  These traditional value boundaries are shifting, even enlarging.  The toys and games of today and tomorrow are breaking through past limitations, broadening their purpose and surpassing many of our preconceived notions.  Where will the toys of tomorrow take us?  No one can know for certain, but one thing is for certain -you’ll need to be looking beyond the toy aisle.  

Happy Holidays!

To the Toy Aisle,…and Beyond!

Holiday wish lists line the pockets of shoppers and fill the email boxes of many at this time of year. The toy industry has created so many wonderful products that have benefited society in countless ways, yet I still feel blessed to have our work considered a ‘gift’.

Today, many of these gifts - or toys and games, are making a vital difference in the lives of children and adults beyond social interaction, education, and skills development. Today’s play products have the power to actually change lives. Extending far beyond the traditional toy aisles and stores, migrating into new categories and unexpected markets, these playthings are impacting science and engineering, the military, fashion, and furniture to name a few. Multiple industries are experiencing the economic, research, and category broadening benefits from toys. On a larger scale, toys are enhancing the lives of villagers in developing countries; teaching kids to innovate; providing therapeutic benefits, and yes, even saving lives.

Following, are just a few examples of some play products that are revolutionizing industries and providing vast benefits to society:

 

A Real Power Ball

Tossing or kicking a ball around is one of the most fundamental play activities a child can engage in, but how can a simple ball make a difference to humanity?  Two women from Harvard, Jessica Matthews and Julia Silverman, answered that question after they were inspired to take an engineering course and ended up creating a soccer ball that would help change the lives of thousands around the world.

The ball or sOccket, doubles as an eco-friendly portable generator and when tossed, thrown, or kicked around, an internal mechanism rolls with it. The mechanism turns a motor which then powers a battery. By plugging an adaptor into the soccer ball you access the stored energy which can then be used to power an LED light, charge a cell phone, sterilize water, run a fan, and or heat a hot plate.  A major benefit of the sOccket is that it provides an immediate, portable energy source for those living in developing countries.

The two women combined their observations of children at play, the universal appeal of soccer, and the need to provide developing countries with safe, sustainable energy sources into a play product that’s making a tangible difference. The energy stored from playing with a sOccket ball for 30 minutes is enough to power a light for three hours. This has helped to reduce dependency on kerosene which gives off harmful fumes.  The safe energy source provided by a sOccket not only provides power but also protects the environment and people.

Soccket has already won numerous innovation awards and has been praised by the Clinton Global Initiative.  There are future plans to offer a high-end version of the ball in the US and UK.  (http://us.soccket.org/)

 

Do-It-Yourself Medical Kits

If creating a clean energy source is not impressive enough, toys, or rather toy 'parts' are also being used to create affordable medical devices in developing countries and the United States.

Jose Gomez-Marquez is Program Director for the Innovations for International Health Group at MIT and works with the Little Devices Lab where he conducts experimentation for creating affordable medical devices…using toy parts. Marquez has created Do-It-Yourself medical kits called Medikits which look very much like a briefcase full of gadgety Legos and are used by doctors and nurses in developing countries to help save lives.

These erector sets of inexpensive medical technologies consist of construction block-like pieces, each with a different feature.  By connecting the pieces in different configurations one is able to create whatever medical device is needed.  By hacking toys and using the various parts, Marquez has created alarms that alert nurses when an IV is empty, foot-powered nebulizers, blood and cholesterol testing devices and more.

Marquez enthusiastically frequents toy stores where he says he hunts for low-cost, well-engineered “mechanical bits and pieces.” If there is no immediate need for a toy part, he keeps it as inspiration for future projects.  He also teaches nurses and doctors in the field how to harvest toy components so they can create their own life-saving devices.  One team of nurses visited a toy store and ended up using the parts of a toy gun as a way to create a medicine dispensing device with an attached toy alarm.

He admits, “It’s a little renegade.  But we’ve learned that if you don’t make someone uncomfortable in what you’re doing, it’s probably not that innovative to begin with.”   (http://littledevices.org/)

 

 

Teaching Science & Technology

With a desire to bring the fundamentals of science and technology to everyone, Ayah Bdeir an engineer, embarked on a journey to create an electronic module construction toy building system.  What Bdeir created was littleBits; an elegant, creative blending of art, science, and technology designed to provide individuals with the tools to experiment, create, and invent their own toys.

The innovative building pieces are preassembled electronic modules each designed with a specific pre-engineered function: light, sound, sensors, and motors.  Each piece is color coded to represent the specific functions (green= output, blue= power, pink= input, orange= wire) and each has a magnetic connection on the right side of the piece.  The idea is to connect the pieces in different combinations to produce different results.  For example, connecting two components may produce a light-up effect.  When another piece is added or tweaked, a blinking light is activated. Through further experimentation the light can blink faster or slower, sound can be added or even motion.

LittleBits was originally intended for adults, but after a few demonstrations Bdeir discovered that children were fascinated by bringing their imaginations to life through this creative building system.  (http://littlebits.cc/) 

In tomorrow's post, I'll share some examples of how toys and games are providing physical comfort and actually saving lives.

Invented in the U.S.A.

The NY Times ran interesting story today titled:  Google Tries Something Retro: Made in the U.S.A. The opening paragraph reads:  Etched into the base of Google’s new wireless home media player that was introduced on Wednesday is its most intriguing feature. On the underside of the Nexus Q is a simple inscription: “Designed and Manufactured in the U.S.A.”

I’ve often wondered why if we have a label that states the product was manufactured in the U.S.A. or wherever, why not add where it was invented. It could be as Google has it labeled or you could have, as an example, “Designed in the U.S.A. and Manufactured in China.”

I also think it is important to have the name(s( of the inventor(s) of the box as a face or a story helps sell product, a topic I have written about many times.

 Inventors themselves aside, isn’t it just as important where the idea was developed? People are employed designing just as they are manufacturing. Aren’t we proud of our innovative spirit? Perhaps the toy and game industry should lead the way and include such verbiage on our packaging. 

 

ChiTAG's Toy Mashup - An Invitation to Play!

What do G.I. Joe and broccoli have in common?  They both wear green.  Their heads look similar (at least the flocked hair version of Joe does).  And, they both ‘stalk’ their enemy.   

Like thousands of unexpected combinations, the elements of this remix or ‘mashup’ could morph into almost anything; based entirely on an individual’s imagination, interpretation and spin.  Countless mashup genres exist today ranging from music artists, to videos, TV shows and advertising, to literature and food, just to name a few.  Several Toy Story video mashups exist, but are there any sites entirely dedicated to toy mashups?  Have you seen any?

With the 10^th anniversary of the Chicago Toy & Game Fair happening this November, we have decided to start the celebration a little early and create a fun opportunity for toy and game designers as well as the general public.  This is a unique outlet for EVERYONE to express and display their inventiveness and playful thinking.  This is an opportunity to unleash your wildest, craziest ideas without the worry of manufacturing, marketing or distributing anything!  How often does that combination happen?

So start creating the wildest toy concoctions you can dream of using all sorts of subject matter:  food, tools, nature, household items, you name it.  The possibilities are endless and the sky’s the limit.  After you’ve created your mashup(s), show us what you’ve got each Friday by posting to The Chicago Toy and Game Fair Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ChicagoToyAndGameFair.  Or, stop in and "like" creations posted by others.  

And, if having fun is not reward enough, we will be giving prizes to the winning entries (details to follow on the ChiTAG Facebook page). Prizes will be awarded to toy industry professionals as well as those from the community who participate.

So what do G.I. Joe and broccoli have in common?  Well,…they may both end up on the Chicago Toy and Game Fair Facebook page at some point.  How they are ‘mashed' is entirely up to all of you! 

 

Toys - providing Comfort & Joy

The holidays have a way of encouraging us to turn our thoughts to kinder, gentler, more comforting things.  But those things that bring us peace and calm and joy are not just needed at holiday time.  From our early childhood and throughout our lives, we crave tangibles that provide comfort and security. Our favorite toys play an important role in meeting this emotional and physical need.  A familiar toy to hold or cuddle when scared, lonely, or uncertain, can provide reassurance through even the darkest moments. 

Toys have been used to console individuals during the toughest emotional and physical situations:  when traumatized by natural disasters, frightened, distressed or sad, for a sense of security, to alleviate separation anxiety, during sickness and transitional situations. Toys have also been helpful in reducing agitation or distress and improving communication problems in the elderly suffering with Alzheimer’s. Autistic children benefit immensely from interaction with toys.  A couple of years ago, my team developed a toy with a sound-activated, interactive light-up feature.  Shortly after the toy was released, we received a letter from an autistic child’s physician.  He wrote that the child had just spoken his first full sentence as a result of playing with our toy. 

An article posted on Chopsy Baby Parenting News, September 26, 2011, says “studies have shown that over 70% of children in the western world become attached to a particular toy or blanket. It is believed that this is more prevalent in the western world because western children tend to sleep separately from their parents from a much earlier age. The toy can carry the smell of their mother and their familiar texture offers almost immediate comfort.”

Scaring up some Fun

The popularity of all things spooky and gross seems to increase each year.  This fascination for engaging in activities which frighten us is fed by numerous horror movies, books, television shows and amusement parks.  Zombies, vampires, and the 'undead' seem to be popping up in greater numbers everywhere; even in toy and play-related categories.

According to a recent article in Time Moneyland, one of the top 12 things we continue to buy in a bad economy is Halloween costumes.  This year, Americans are expected to spend approximately $7 billion on Halloween decorations, candy, and costumes and over $300 million on costumes for pets.  Costumes provide a perfect form of fantasy play for young and old alike giving permission to be creative, take on other personas, and to escape the ordinary.  This key play pattern of children, dress-up and role play, is an important vehicle for a child’s expression and emotional development.  Most of us abandon this important form of self-expression as we get older.  Halloween is the perfect occasion for adults to reconnect with their inner child and for kids and adults to play alongside of each other. 

Creative Spaces

You never know when or where the next big idea will hit you. You may be singing in the shower, driving in your car, or sitting at the office. Wherever you are, the types of ideas you generate are often influenced by your surroundings. Whether it's a bustling urban setting with vibrant sights and sounds or the quiet retreat of a rural farmhouse, your work space plays an important role. Immersing yourself in an inspiring atmosphere, one in which you can comfortably spend long hours dreaming, inventing, and working is crucial to reaching your creative potential and should be carefully considered.



Too often, corporations design employee workspaces with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. If you run a creative-based business and you haven’t placed special emphasis on the environment in which your creative team works, this can prove detrimental to your business. A few years ago I paid a visit to a local creative company and was escorted through tight hallways, across dingy carpeting and back into an office worthy of being a broom closet. The battered furniture and atrocious fluorescent lighting were the worst setting for any type of work, let alone an incubator for inspiration and creativity. This uninspired office setting was a slow death to the creativity that could have made this company successful – the company is now out of business. A little paint and some clean, inexpensive furniture might have made a difference and provided inspiration, motivation, and a sense of pride for the employees working there. When an employer shows little or no regard for the environment in which its employees work, they'll feel it, and their response will be manifested in their work.

Destination Play!

You’ve packed up the car or headed out by plane, train, or boat to embark on a fun-filled family vacation.  If you have children traveling with you, no doubt some suitcases are chock-full of toys to help keep the little ones occupied during the journey.  Toys, books, and games are a wonderful way to pass the time while traveling and they aid in continuing a child’s education during those vacation months while they’re out of school. 

Vacations are a great time for some unstructured play and the perfect opportunity for fun, creative activities that also provide educational benefits. Playing random word or memory games in the car, sculpting sand castles at the beach, and exploring nature are all effortless ways for kids to learn something while having lots of fun.

As a retailer, designer, or manufacturer of toys, have you given thought to how your product could play a more significant role in a family’s vacation?  When your customers reach their destination, do you know if they leave their toys in the car or suitcase or make them part of their vacation adventure?  This is an ideal time to encourage an expanded play experience by inviting your customers to discover new, or unimagined ways of playing with toys and games.     

Suggest taking a favorite doll or action figure on a family camping trip and taking photos together; building a sand fort or palace at the beach with the coolest construction vehicles and recording the building process; or, carrying King Kong and Barbie to the top of the Empire State building and reenacting the story with a video camera running.  

Green Toys, a US toy manufacturer, recently took one of their American-made toy cars to China and photographed the car on the Great Wall.  A couple of my colleagues headed out on a trip down Route 66 earlier this year and found lots of fun ways to play along the way.  A stop at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas was the perfect attraction for them to mimic with their own toy car version.

Promote unusual play destinations and experiences by holding an in-store or on-line photo contest for the most outrageous toy vacation, most unique, funniest toy vacation, etc.  Post photos in your store of Barbie on location in Paris, Star Wars action figures visiting Cape Canaveral, Pirates learning how to swim in the Great Barrier Reef (with parental supervision of course), Karito Kids in front of the United Nations building and other unexpected play adventures.  Sharing unique family vacation experiences in your store will certainly create some fun and buzz.

No matter if your destination is half way around the world or in your own backyard, there will always be opportunities for imaginative play to enhance a child’s vacation experience.  And, hopefully these experiences will be remembered long after the vacation is over, providing cherished memories and ample material for ‘show & tell’ day at school. What better way to show up for the first day of class then with the most imaginative “what I did over summer vacation” report?

 

Play 'n Purchase Experiences

 

 

 

                                                A few weeks have passed and I have had some time to reflect on this year's New York Toy Fair.  In doing so, I have noticed some contrasts with toy stores.  All business, part entertainment, Toy Fair exhibitors demonstrated product and invited buyers to play, and most importantly, have fun.  If they could not get you to laugh, smile, or enjoy yourself in the process of selling, they did not do their job successfully.  One might ask why we do not see this degree of excitement and enthusiasm at the consumer level.  Certainly, the same types of products are being sold.  Providing an exciting atmosphere for Toy Fair buyers was crucial to creating buzz and selling product.  What can be done at the store level to promote product with this more hands-on, in-your-face approach and keep customers coming back for more?

To draw a rough comparison, I recently visited Universal Studios, Orlando and had the opportunity to see kids and adults interacting in playful settings.  I observed firsthand how fantastical, larger-than-life environments provided mood altering, memory-making experiences that turned park goers into product purchasers.

The thrill of flying through Harry Potter's world, the whimsy of Seuss Landing and Toon Town, the exaggerated scale of the Simpsons, and the sensation of encountering a ‘disaster’ - these participatory venues created tangible experiences that literally had park goers craving mementos of their experience.  Interestingly, some of the best-selling, most desirable product was not cheap.  A Harry Potter wand, (a basic stick in a simple box) was $30; capes were $100.  The lines to purchase these items were outrageously long, yet consumers were willing to endure them for the opportunity to buy their favorites.  

While standing in line for the Spiderman ride, I noticed a young boy playing on the floor.  A variety of dinosaur and robot-like characters had been strategically placed on the ground and he was 'circling' them.  After several revolutions, he would scoop down and swipe or smash them.  When asked what he was doing, he exclaimed that he was bigger, like the dinosaurs in the park, and would destroy THEM!  He was playing in an environment with larger-than-life props, mechanisms, visuals and sounds; an environment larger than a product purchase.

We are Santa's Elves!

Each year at this time, there is an irrepressible urge to hum or sing holiday songs.  It is useless to resist.  This year, one song in particular has looped over and over again in my head, "We are Santa's elves!"  Hmmm, I thought,...we are!  Our jobs are magical, inspiring, fun, and rewarding.  Whether you concept, design, manufacture, or sell toys you are contributing to filling "Santa's shelves".  And, this is the time of year we elves have the privilege of observing, on a mass scale, the joy and smiles our hard work brings to children around the world.

As the song continued to loop in my head, I reflected on my motivation for pursuing a career in toys.  I discovered I had actually been a toy and game designer since the first grade; toy design had chosen me.  I recall my first grade teacher challenging the entire class to "be good".  If we were "good" and did our best in school, she explained, she would give the winner of the challenge a special toy.  I remember working diligently to do everything just right.  Listening intently in class, helping my teacher whenever possible, and being really, really good.

Well, the big day came and my teacher announced the winner.  I was certain it would be me.  I had done everything just right.  But, I was not chosen.  I was heartbroken, devastated.  My teacher had awarded the special toy to another child in the class, one whose family was less fortunate.  Of course I understood her reasons, but all I could remember feeling was utter disappointment.  I loved toys and I had worked so hard to win.

I now realize how much that disappointment motivated me and helped me on the path to doing what I love.  Throughout my early childhood I began to experiment with making and modifying toys and games as well as writing.  I submitted my ideas to companies and each time I received a rejection letter, the company was good about encouraging me to continue "trying".  As a preteen, I received a rejection letter from writer/producer Larry Gelbart after sending him a television script I had written.  He commended me on my writing efforts, encouraged me to continue, and then followed up with a second, hand-written letter.  Product companies thanked me for my submissions and said they would be happy to review more ideas in the future.  I remember feeling a sense of hope and encouragement. 

Whether my ideas were accepted or rejected during my childhood was not really the point, in retrospect.  Having someone within the industry encourage me to "keep trying" is what mattered most.  It is our responsibility as members of the toy industry to do the same.  Mary Couzin, Bruce Lund, and Richard Gottleib have all written articles recently on the importance of encouraging young inventors.

So, this holiday season, while you are enjoying the company of children, share some words of encouragement.  Encourage kids to tinker, to create, to think, and to pursue their interests.  Who knows, maybe someday they will become one of Santa's elves.  And why not?  It is one of the best jobs this side of the North Pole!

 

Highlighting the Value of Play in Toys

 

Those who work within the toy industry have an awareness of play patterns and recognize the value they provide in developing an individual’s creativity, imagination, knowledge, and physical skills.  But, has the toy industry done an adequate job of educating consumers on specific play patterns and the value they provide?  Are consumers able to distinguish between a good toy and a toy with great play value?

Most toys on the market are age-graded, providing consumers with general play and safety information relevant to a particular age group.  When it comes to understanding the play value or play pattern of an item though, there tends to be little or no information available.  Play-grading toys may be one solution.  Many pet toys already provide specific play information for owners, indicating the targeted area of development for the pet.  Some baby toys also provide this type of developmental information.  Play-graded toys could provide consumers with play information and developmental benefits much like the nutritional labels found on food.

As consumers head out to the stores or log onto their favorite websites this holiday season, there may still be an opportunity to provide tips on purchasing toys and games with specific play patterns.  A few stores I’ve visited have play category signs for their toy product.  Mattel’s website also does a nice job of categorizing toys under specific play patterns.  Below, are some common play patterns and their values; multiple play patterns within a toy generally make it more appealing and provide greater longevity of play to the user.

Toys and games that encourage physical activity, interactivity, or utilize the five physical senses aid in the development of gross and fine motor skills as well as sensory attributes.  Some popular toys that get people fully active and use gross motor skills are Nerf, Frisbee, Hula Hoop, and Twister.  Wii games also develop gross motor skills. 

More sedentary physical activities like building model ships, jewelry making, or playing a game of Operation are opportunities to use fine motor skills.  These activities help individuals exercise patience, and improve their skills and precision.  Hand held video games use fine motor skills.

Another physical play pattern that engages the five physical senses is 'sensory'.  This includes touch, smell, taste, sight and sound within a toy or game.  Play-Doh, Strawberry Shortcake, and Slime, as well as toys with lights, music, sound effects, or vibration all provide a sensory play experience.  Many of the toys we remember from our childhood are often linked to some type of sensory play experience.

Toys and games with a creative aspect, building/construction, or customization element provide a means for developing and manifesting one’s personality, imagination, and creativity.  Arts and crafts kits, music-based toys like Guitar Hero, Paper Jamz, or Sing-A-Ma-Jigs, building and construction sets such as Legos or Lincoln Logs, and games like Pictionary all engage the participant in some form of creative play.

Acting out real life or pretend life situations can include play with child-sized appliances like vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, or ride-on vehicles.  Baby doll play, tea parties and playing war also fall under pretend scenarios.  Teens and adults will find this type of play pattern in video games, Halloween costumes, and reenactment wearables.  Barbie, Liv, and American Girl dolls as well as action figures like GI Joe, Action Man, and Ben 10 all fall under the definition of fantasy play.  Pretend and fantasy play experiences are great opportunities for developing imagination, creativity, and aspiring to be something beyond one’s current situation.

Memory, word, strategic, and knowledge-based games are all examples of a cognitive play pattern.  Puzzles, mazes, mix and match games, crossword puzzles, or games like Mad Libs, Apples to Apples, or Scrabble are perfect examples of cognitive play.  This play pattern challenges and develops the mental skills of young and old alike.

Collecting and displaying a selection or group of toys is another strong play pattern, especially for older children and adults.  Collecting cards, stamps, or coins may appeal to older children while younger children may take an interest in collecting and displaying characters like Littlest Pet Shop, TY Beanie Babies, dolls like Madame Alexander, or Hot Wheels cars.  Building and displaying a collection provides one with a sense of accomplishment and can be shared with friends and family. 

The play value found in toys and games can be as important to an individual’s emotional, social, and creative well being as food is to one's nutritional needs. If consumers are to make intelligent choices on play, perhaps the toy industry could do a better job of providing information on products that highlight the specific types, values, and benefits of play. 

 

Can Toys Help Prepare Children for Real Life Experiences?

 

Several of my early life experiences were made easier because I have an older brother who helped pave the way for me and told me what to expect through many of life's "firsts".  On my first day of Kindergarten he walked me to school, when I was older he talked to me about driving, voting for the first time, and later on he provided guidance by helping me run my first business.  In short, he gave me a sense of confidence, at a sibling's level, by guiding me through some of life's uncharted waters.  Having someone my age that understood my perspective and provided advice was invaluable.

While I was reflecting on some of those moments, I thought about toys and games and how they could potentially aid in preparing children for many of life's early interactions and experiences.  Offering specific situational guidance could help increase self-confidence and empower children who are introverted, don't have older siblings, same gender siblings, or any siblings.

Toys and games are significantly more "real" than when I was a child but are there yet additional layers of education and reality that could be added to serve as training wheels for children and better prepare them for the future?  Additional elements that could be added to toys and games to help coach them, build their social skills, increase their awareness and strengthen their confidence.

Numerous retail toys already encourage themed role and fantasy play such as construction, shopping, cooking, cleaning, camping, driving, insects, baby care, gardening, nurturing pets, and exploration to name a few.  By thinking beyond typical role play experiences, could a first-day-of-school doll, game, or activity potentially help young children navigate through awkward "firsts" of the school year by providing them with guidance on how to make friends, things to talk about with other kids, and the types of classes to expect?  By including even more realism, a life-sized toy pet could help train children for a "first" live pet by including hunger, potty, and walk alarms set to go off at specific intervals with instructions on how to care for their pet's needs.  Dance-themed games prepping girls for school or social dances could include music, dance steps, dress and hairstyles, flowers, things to talk about, photo tips, and other dance-related fine points.

Danny First Toys, a Chicago-based educational toy manufacturer, creates pretend play toys that help build a child's interpersonal intelligence.  They offer some fun situational plush toys like farms, fruit and vegetable markets, and camping scenarios.  Although a plush outhouse may be a bit too much realism, at least it gives kids an idea of what an outhouse is.  Another scary "first" for sure!

Kids are growing up faster than ever and they need guidance and support from a variety of sources to successfully adapt to this rapidly changing world.  Toys and games are created to be fun and educational, but the added benefit of helping children acclimate to early life experiences may provide parents, care givers, and teachers with another resource for this developmental opportunity.  The toy industry may be able to play an important role by providing some of the tools needed to help prepare and ease children through some of life's transitional unknowns and "firsts".

Licensed Toys; Do They Stifle a Child's Creativity?

Ruth Synowic

Much has been written about children’s play with toys and how it affects their adult choices, and often their professions.  When you were growing up, was there a licensed character toy you identified with so much that you wanted to become that character and escape to its world?  Barbie? G.I. Joe? Six-Million-Dollar Man? One of Charlies’s Angels? Much like the feeling you might experience when watching an action-packed blockbuster movie, did you want to become the hero or a villain?

When children fantasy play with licensed dolls like Barbie, Bratz, and Strawberry Shortcake, or action figures like today’s G.I. Joe, Buzz Lightyear or Transformers, they recreate the voices, personas and scenarios of those characters and oftentimes become them in their imaginations.  But how do they play with non-licensed characters; is there a difference in the play experience they create? Licensed characters provide a rich opportunity for imitation and mimicry, but what about characters without TV or movie support?  How do kids play with characters that have no predetermined or pre-sold personas and scenarios – are they able to tap into their own creativity?

Today's children live in such a license-driven, brand-saturated world, a world in which much is provided for them that oftentimes little is left for them to imagine on their own.  Is there a danger in spoon-feeding kids too many preconceived personalities and not allowing them to express their individuality through more creative play?  Providing children with a variety of non-licensed dolls, action figures and play experiences may be just the answer.  Kids could then spend playtime forming and developing their own ideas.  Imagine the possibilities for children who are not led by brands and licensing, but who actually follow what is intuitive, innate, and original to them.  We have to ask if the next generation will be as innovative and creative as they could be without these more challenging play experiences.

The reality is that toy companies need to distinguish their product from the competition and character promotion is one method of accomplishing this.  Many licensed toys provide kids with opportunities to develop social skills, discover artistic talents, and grow through educational play.  Still, might there be a need for children to have more individual expression, creativity, and personality development through their play?  Are there yet untapped opportunities for toy companies to create product which broadens a child's thinking outside the boundaries and influence of a license?  Stickfas, Urban Vinyl Munny, the timeless Little Green Army Men, and the short-lived What's Her Face? doll are some character-based toys which depend more on a child's own creative abilities. 

Since toys play an integral role in a child's self-expression and development, it's worth asking if heavy character licensing manipulates that development in any way; inhibiting children from exploring and creating their own fantasies.  Children yearn to be more grown up, more in control; more of a hero or a villain, and character-based toys encourage and empower kids to do just that.  But fantasy play with non-licensed character toys may give kids more of an opportunity for pure expression and help them build creative skills to a point where they come naturally.

Many of our best childhood memories are tightly tied to our favorite toys.  Why not give today's kids more opportunity to create these fantastic memories without license-influenced play experiences? Maybe, years from now, kids will then look back on their childhoods and remember imaginative play experiences they created themselves instead of what a TV show, movie, or licensed toy had them repeating.

HAPPY ACCIDENTS IN TOY DESIGN

Ruth Synowic is a Senior Creative Director at The Marketing Store who has created, designed and directed toy and game development for retail, premium, and specialty gift markets.  Ruth has led the design and development of over 200 Happy Meal toy programs for McDonald’s North America, Latin America, Europe, and Global promotions. Her singular life’s focus, to work for the benefit of children, has led her to a career in the Toy Industry which has spanned over 20 years.

Serendipity, luck, and coincidence – whatever you call it, it’s something that is bound to happen during the creative process.  Personally, I don’t believe in accidents or luck so for me to term innovative, yet sometimes unexpected, solutions a fluke seems misrepresentative.   Aren’t innovative, break-through ideas the result of focus, dedication, and the insatiable desire to find the most creative solutions?  Whether ideas seem to appear “out of nowhere” or they are the result of much concentrated thought and effort, one can confidently surmise that innovative ideas are the expected outcome of cumulative knowledge, experience, and personal interpretation.

Several years ago my team was tasked with developing a segment of business on which we had never worked.  The Client wanted more innovation and value than had been given on previous programs.  They had just ended a long-term relationship with a Licensor and wanted something completely fresh that would serve as a six-month, interim solution.  We had a shortened timeline, a team that was unfamiliar with the business, and were no longer applying a long-standing licensed property.

During our brainstorms, we explored several product ideas that would work within the parameters of our Client’s brief. We had been asked to use the company’s iconic character as our licensed imagery on the product.  We were creating preschool product so I asked my team to design a younger, three-year-old version of the character, even though that version didn’t exist.  Everyone quickly sketched his version of the character, but we weren’t quite satisfied after our first pass.  One of the team members took a second try and that was it, we had our new character!

Shortly after the character was created, I met with the Account rep and Engineer on the program to show them the drawings.  They were surprised with the direction we had taken.  Their understanding was that we should use the adult version of the character.  We had interpreted the brief a completely different way and designed a character that was more appropriate for our audience.  Both of them were very excited and a little nervous about this new approach but agreed that it really brought the product to life.

I met with several members of senior management and shared the idea with them.  They loved it too and suggested we show it to our Client as soon as possible, before the formal presentation.  We proceeded and shared the concept with our Client.  The Client loved it too; so much, that within two weeks time it went all the way to the Global CMO and was completely approved!

This was no small accomplishment for my team, or for the company.  Not only had we taken a world renowned character and created a completely new version and for a business segment it’d never appeared in, but we had created it and had it approved within an amazing two weeks time.

Was this luck or just a misinterpretation?  Or, was this innovation brought to life by inspired interpretation?  We saw the same problem everyone else saw and interpreted it in a completely new, fresh, and creative  way.  We found a unique way that ultimately exceeded the Client’s expectations.

The solution we provided was to be a six-month interim program, but it has now been several years and multiple SKU’s later.  This new character was also introduced at the company’s international convention and received applause from hundreds of business owners.

Countless creative discoveries have been made while pursuing solutions for other problems.  Some notable toys are the outcome of other pursuits.  Silly Putty was the result of James Wright’s attempt to create a rubber substitute during World War II.  The Slinky was invented by Richard James, a U.S. Navy engineer, when he accidently knocked a torsion spring off his work table and noticed it had a unique motion.  And, in the 1950’s, Joseph and Noah McVicker were experimenting with substances for wallpaper cleaner and ended up creating the popular play substance, Play Doh.

Whether your innovative ideas are the result of much focus and dedication, or they seem to appear out of nowhere, your experience, knowledge, inspiration, and interpretation will no doubt play a large part in these discoveries. Write us and tell us about some of your happy discoveries while trying to solve other problems.

The perfect storm: Raining concepts and strategy

Ruth Synowic is a Senior Creative Director at The Marketing Store who has created, designed and directed toy and game development for retail, premium, and specialty gift markets.  Ruth has led the design and development of over 200 Happy Meal toy programs for McDonald’s North America, Latin America, Europe, and Global promotions. Her singular life’s focus, to work for the benefit of children, has led her to a career in the Toy Industry which has spanned over 20 years.

Generating great ideas is the goal of any brainstorm, but how do you avoid having your "storm" pass with the net result of "cloudy with no chance of showers"?  How do you run the most engaging brainstorms with the greatest results? There are several basic steps you can take to ensure you have a productive session. Here are a few ideas that have worked for developing hundreds, even thousands, of concepts for Happy Meal toys.

Prep and Research.  Prep the team ahead of time by providing research, background information, and images participants can review prior to the "storm".  Research the competition.  Make everyone aware of what already exists or how similar problems have been resolved before. Share style guide images, video clips, etc.  You'll spend more time generating ideas and solutions in your brainstorm if basic questions have been answered ahead of time.

Setting the stage. Optimize the potential for new ideas by creating or providing an exciting environment.  Go to a park, brainstorm on a rooftop, build a snow fort and hold your meeting there.  Or, have individuals bring in visual and tactile stimuli to generate inspiration. Include stimuli from other market categories to expand thinking beyond the area you're concepting and with which you're comfortable.  Stimuli should appeal to your creative senses, relate to your general topic, and provide a springboard for lively discussion.

Selecting a facilitator. Keeping your brainstorm lively and productive is the responsibility of everyone involved but you'll want to select a facilitator to keep you on track and capture all of the ideas.  Choose an enthusiastic facilitator or, if possible, take turns leading the brainstorm. Sharing the responsibility increases the level of participation and often the creative output.

Stating the objective.  State the objective or purpose of your brainstorm; what are you trying  to accomplish?  In the first few minutes of the meeting jot down the objective on a large easel pad and occasionally refer to it throughout the session.  For example: "We need three electronic active indoor sports ideas for boys.  We need to create a unique girls' dress-up category.  We need to develop a business relationship with Mr. X."  The more concise your objective is, the more focused your brainstorm will be.

Getting the entire team involved.  Keeping team members interested increases the chances you'll have active participants. Use games like charades, toss a ball and have individuals shout an idea, or spin an object and shout an idea when it points to you.  These are all engaging brainstorm methods that keep individuals on their toes and generate a lot of ideas in a short amount of time.  The use of word, image, or object associations can help to combine seemingly unrelated ideas and generate concepts that go beyond the obvious.  Role play in the voice of a cartoon  character, dress up as characters, pretend you're the end consumer and think about their expectations; or, put yourself in the shoes of your Client and ask the questions they'll ask - all exercises that will get you to think outside of your boundaries. Mixing and matching objects and visuals gets the group to merge existing ideas and create new concepts from products that are proven.  If ideas are difficult to articulate or you need to generate thumbnail drawings of the team's concepts, a "sketch storm" is the perfect way to generate ideas and supporting sketches quickly.  Sketches are more dynamic representations of an idea and can quickly spark additional concept generation and solicit builds to others’ concepts.

When you kick off your brainstorm, you may have little or no indication of the unique results that will be generated – you shouldn’t have!  The most exciting part of brainstorming is not knowing which solution you will arrive at, but knowing that you will, and that you will have fun getting there.  Millions of solutions surround you just waiting to be recognized and brought to life.  Every brainstorm can provide its own unique approach to generating and gathering ideas. The real satisfaction comes in being open to and tuning in on inventive new thinking, then turning that thinking into innovative, inspired, relevant answers to the challenge.