Turns out, it is easy being green!
Founded in 2009, Adventerra Games has made a name for itself with its eco-friendly games for kids. The brand focuses on hot-button topics like climate change, food waste, renewable energy, and more.
The Toy Book caught up with France Mer, director of marketing for Adventerra Games North America, to chat about the company’s mission statements, how important STEM toys are, and what’s in store for Adventerra Games in 2022.
The Toy Book: Adventerra Games is rooted in helping the Earth! Tell us about Adventerra Games’ mission to save the planet and how it’s reflected in the company’s product.
France Mer: Adventerra combines the words ‘adventure’ and ‘terra,’ the Latin name for our planet. It reflects our mission to create exciting games that help kids care for our world!
Back in 2009, our founder Bryan Mundell — a conservation advocate, professor, and father — realized there were few good tools for introducing environmental issues to children. With his decades of experience teaching, he knew learning had to be fun and realized gameplay was a great way to transmit his passion for the planet to younger generations. He created Adventerra Games as a means to educate kids about the environment with engaging games.
Environmental awareness and sustainability have always been in our brand’s DNA. From the very beginning, even when ‘green toys’ were not a trend yet, we were already using eco-friendly and plastic-free materials with plant-based inks and sustainable wood.
Today, as the only company in the world with a game catalog dedicated to environmental topics, we continue to walk the talk. Not only are all of our games 100% plastic-free, recycled, and recyclable, we also take the utmost care in selecting production partners who adhere to our green standards and ensure a minimal carbon footprint and a positive impact on our planet. So, contrary to 99% of the toy industry, we manufacture in Europe for the European market and in North America for the North American market.
TB: Why is it important for kids to learn about protecting the planet through play?
FM: Research studies show us we’re moving towards a generation who wants to make the world a better place, with more and more parents believing that taking care of the environment is an important value to instill in their kids.
Gameplay is a great way to gently introduce environmental topics to kids and to avoid the anxious reactions provoked by the scary, alarming facts surrounding big issues like pollution and climate change. We specifically design our games and puzzles to show kids they are not helpless — by learning daily habits that really make a difference, they feel empowered!
TB: What kinds of topics can parents expect their kids to learn through your games and how does it help them approach the world around them?
FM: We are experts in eco-education through play. Each of our games and puzzles is dedicated to a specific environmental topic and addresses critical issues such as recycling, energy use, global warming, and more.
For example, toddlers and preschoolers are learning how to take care of their bodies through bathing and good eating habits, so it’s a great time to talk about water and food! Our preschool ecologic line for kids ages two and up introduces key environmental learning concepts. With our Saving Water Ecologic Puzzle, kids learn about the importance of water and how to conserve this precious resource. In our Eating in Season Ecologic Memory game, they discover how to eat healthily and help the environment by choosing seasonal produce.
As kids grow up and explore the larger world, more complex topics can be introduced. Little environmentalists can learn about waste management and recycling with our Hungry Bins memory games, or how to fight climate change with our Polar Adventure: Disappearing Ice 3D game.
Finally, our line for elementary kids, middle-schoolers, and teenagers features board games focused on topics such as energy conservation and global warming.
All our games elicit family conversations about how to protect the planet. We recently created eco-educational guides to help parents and educators further explain eco-friendly concepts to young children in a very simple way. Parents often tell us that after playing one of our games, the whole family makes greener choices!
TB: Adventerra Games’ products are all STEM-authenticated toys. How important are STEM toys for kids and what skills can they develop? What sets Adventerra Games’ games and puzzles apart from other STEM products?
FM: Our puzzles and games spark creativity while helping kids develop science, technology, engineering, math, and logic skills. This is why all of our products have been authenticated by STEM.org. In addition to logical reasoning, problem-solving, and critical thinking, kids also learn how to interact with others and develop critical lifelong skills such as communication and social abilities, thanks to our cooperative games.
Parents looking for STEM products are concerned about preparing their kids for the future. In today’s world, industries as diverse as manufacturing, building design, military, government, and healthcare are looking for people who can find creative solutions to ecological challenges. By building environmental literacy skills, our games give kids a great start!
Adventerra Games has won more than 90 awards to date, including some of the most prestigious Toy Industry recognitions like the Toy Industry of Europe’s Play for Change Silver Award, endorsements from popular media outlets such as the Good Housekeeping’s 2021 Top Toy Award, as well as seals of approval from numerous recognized parenting institutions like the Mom’s Choice Awards, The National Parenting Center, and more.
TB: Adventerra Games started as a family company and has been growing ever since. What is in the works for Adventerra Games as we enter the new year?
FM: Our family company was founded in Switzerland in 2009 and the US subsidiary was opened in 2019 to introduce our educational eco-games to the North American market. We have created a loyal fan base of families looking for fun educational games about the environment to play at home and we look forward to expanding our reach: Our games are now easily available on Amazon. In Q2 2022, we will be launching two new jumbo puzzles for kids ages three and up, myEco School and myEco House. We also plan to refresh our elementary and middle-school board games in Q3. We’re excited to continue empowering the younger generations to save our planet, one family at a time!
