Blogs

Cheap Thrills By Nancy Zwiers In my first year in the toy industry—over 30 years ago(!)—I marveled to a friend: “Making a great toy is easy.  Making a great toy at the right p...

As long time optical design consultants,  Optics For Hire has designed products for hundreds of applications from LIDAR for self-driving cards to ophthalmoscopes to street lights, spectrometers a...

Technology has been rapidly transforming various industries over the past few decades, and the toy and tabletop game industry is no exception. With the increasing popularity of digital devices, it\'s n...

Thinkfun turns their focus to the global youth mental health crisis and how play can make all the difference in protecting and strengthening children and teens.  The company’s new init...

Hi Rachele! Thank you for taking time for this interview, I know you have a lot on your plate with heading up both ThinkFun and M.E.S.H. To date, what has been your biggest achievement? H...

It\'s no secret that toys and games are not just for kids anymore. Over the past few years, there has been a surge in the Kidult industry, with adults indulging in toys, games, and other forms of play....

The world of video games has exploded in popularity over the past few decades, with millions of people around the world spending countless hours immersed in their favorite games. But have you ever won...

      (Mary) Hi Edoardo! Every time I visit our local italian restaurant, I remember running into you there last fall - the world is a small place! Please share with our readers yo...

A Case History: How We Drove Explosive Growth in the Barbie Adult Collector Business   By Nancy Zwiers   When I joined the Barbie brand in 1992, I was responsible for the doll business.&...

“Fish swim, birds fly, children play.”   – Dr. Garry Landreth Play is as natural to children as flight is to birds. It’s their purpose. Play is how children learn ab...