Makedo Makes U.S. Debut

Makedo, reusable creative play that transforms everyday and recycled materials into play objects, has landed in the U.S. Makedo is now being carried by specialty retailers, including Fat Brain Toys and MindWare, through Toysmith, Makedo’s exclusive U.S. distributor.

Makedo encourages kids to get on the floor and make stuff with their hands, while facilitating unstructured play. With every person having slightly different packaging materials at their fingertips, each Makedo creation is an individual, one-of-a-kind creative expression. As they transform the stuff around them—primarily found or reclaimed materials, such as cardboard boxes and plastic containers—into play objects, kids let their imaginations and creativity run free.

Each Makedo kit includes a safe-saw for cutting and punching through materials safely, re-clips, and lock-hinges for connecting. Makedo features Find & Make, Freeplay, and Cup Critter ranges.  Find & Make is guided, project-based creativity, with creations such as a make a robot, plane, or car. The Find & Make kits also include themed decorative stickers, illustrated step-by-step instructions and an inspiration poster.  Freeplay is open-ended and leaves the imagination in total control. Makedo’s Cup Critter range is a complete activity for young kids, allowing them to easily transform coffee cup packaging into a cute creature.

This post was originally written by Gigi Rubin and published by ToyBook.com For more news, visit www.toybook.com, follow The Toy Book on Twitter, and like The Toy Book on Facebook. The Toy Book is a bimonthly trade magazine covering the toy industry, published by Adventure Publishing Group.

The Hot New Toy: Rubber Bands?

Learning Express, a franchise of more than 140 independently owned and operated specialty toy stores, has noticed that a simple product is becoming a hot trend for kids: collectible rubber bands. “We have a storeowner in North Carolina who has sold over 25,000 packs of rubber bands since January 1 of this year,” said Rob Kracinovich, the corporate buyer for the novelty category at the company, in a press release.

The rubber bands are a playful version of the wristband trend that was made popular by the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s Livestrong silicon bracelets. The bands (such as Toysmith’s shown above) are shaped as objects such as turtles, elephants, ostriches, cats, and pigs, and when stretched out can be worn as colorful bracelets, anklets, or hair-ties. When they aren’t being worn the rubber bands spring back to their original shapes.

[Read more...]

Toysmith Named Exclusive Distributor for PinToy Line

Effective immediately, Toysmith is now the exclusive distributor of the PinToy brand of products for North America. The PinToy line covers a wide range of products, including toys, baby products, children’s games, and gift items. Toysmith will begin shipping the PinToy products starting this June.

PinToy products are made in Thailand using rubberwood from latex plantations. Popular products in line include: Rainbow Slope, Sorting Basket, the 36-Piece Construction Set, Pull-Along Caterpillar, and the Smile Rattle.