PlayMonster is taking the reins for Playskool | Source: PlayMonster/The Toy Book

The Weebles are about to wobble back to retail.

Wisconsin-based PlayMonster expanded its pact with Hasbro in a new deal to “reimagine” some classic preschool toys under the Playskool brand. Beginning next year, PlayMonster will grow its presence in the preschool aisles with Playskool Weebles, Playskool Glo Friends, Playskool Little Wonders, and The Original MagnaTab. The new deal is the third relaunch from PlayMonster and Hasbro following Spirograph and Koosh.

“I could not be more pleased about the continued and successful expansion of our partnership with Hasbro,” says PlayMonster CEO and Chief Play Monster Bob Wann. “Preschool is a natural and strategic area of expansion for the company following our proven success in both the games and activities categories, and Playskool is a perfect brand to show off what we do best, bringing a fresh approach to universal, classic play.”

Related: PlayMonster Introduces Spirograph Animator

Glo Friends is “a community of adorable, tiny, glow-in-the-dark bugs” inspired by the classic Glo Worm brand. Little Wonders are sensory playsets made from sustainable wood that feature pops of color, lights, sounds, and music. The Original MagnaTab is a Montessori-learning, sensory-based drawing tablet that uses magnets and a stylus to teach letters, shapes, and numbers in addition to engaging kids’ freedom of expression for open-ended freestyle drawing. Finally, the Weebles are the classic, roly-poly brand with the iconic tagline of “Weebles wobble but they won’t fall down” — character figures with kinetic action that have been around since the 1970s.

“We’re beyond pleased to expand our work with PlayMonster and to introduce a stellar new line of Playskool toys that will delight both kids and parents,” says Casey Collins, general manager and senior vice president of global consumer products at Hasbro. “The talented team at PlayMonster has demonstrated great skill and creativity in working with nostalgic brands, and we are looking forward to what we see ahead for the line.”

PlayMonster says that it plans to grow the preschool brand through the reintroduction of key sub-brands and new products in the years ahead.

In recent years, Hasbro has seen much success with growing its legacy brands through relaunches via strategic partners, such as Micro Machines with Jazwares and Tonka with Basic Fun!

2021 has already been a big year for PlayMonster, highlighted by its recent acquisition of Ann Williams Group and rebranding of Interplay as PlayMonster UK. Additionally, Wann is currently in the running for a spot in the Toy Industry Hall of Fame.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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