ASTRA Toy Times July 2021

J U LY 2021

magazine

Marketplace & Academy comes to

Minneapolis

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SPECIALTY TOY RETAILING ASSOCIATION astratoy.org • July 2021

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July 2021 • astratoy.org

features money matters

marketplace & academy

12 ASTRA Camps: S’more Than a Virtual Trade Show

30

16 In Retail Cash is King

Educational Sessions

31 Schedule-at-a-Glance 32

16

Thank You to Our Partners

toy stories

trending now

21

Expansion in the Wake of COVID

37

22

Summer School is Now in Session

34 Clubhouse and Toy Industry

25

Behind the Storefront

40 Trends: Fidget Toys are Hot

26

Best Toys for Kids

28

Supporting Local Restaurants

The Resurgence of the Backyard

37

departments 4

President’s Report

42

New Members

8

Message from the Chair

43

New Manufacturers Listing

10

Ready, Set, Play

46

Index of Advertisers

40 ASTRA Toy Times Magazine Mission Statement Our mission is to act as a channel of communication for the general membership of ASTRA and to provide information about current happenings and future goals as decided upon by the board of directors, various committees, and ASTRA Staff. We Strive to provide useful and timely information and support for and about ASTRA members in accordance with the ASTRA mission Statement.

We are always looking for good articles and input for the magazine. Letters to the editor are welcome.

Please forward letters, comments, ideas, etc., to the ASTRA office at dmarsden@astratoy.org astratoy.org • July 2021

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Board of Directors

chair Amy Saldanha past chair Christine Blumberg chair-elect Kevin McGrath treasurer Dee Farrell (2020) secretary Nick Tarzia (2021) directors Melissa Beese (2021) Betty Skoke Burns (2021), Jeanie Crone (2022) Corey Funkey (2022), Jacqueline Killian (2021) Lisa Orman (2022), Brad Ruoho (2022) Tom Rushton (2022), Ron Solomon (2023)

Magazine

editor Tom Savage assistant editor Dee Marsden graphic artist Maia VanOrman

Editorial Advisory Committee

chair Tom Savage Jean Bailey, Consultant Theresa Duncan, Villa Villekulla Toy Store Tami Murphy, Grand Prix International Lisa Orman, KidStuff PR Kemi Tignor, Little Likes Kids LLC Allison White, Sugar B Sales Phil Wrzesinski, HABA USA

ASTRA Staff

president Sue Warfield marketing and communications manager Dee Marsden membership specialist Jenna Stirling special events and project manager Michael Foldeak Toy Times Magazine is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 312-222-0984, info@astratoy.org, www.astratoy.org.

Copyright © 2021 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. All rights reserved.

Advertisements are accepted. For more information, contact Rick Kauder, Fahy-Williams Publishing, rkauder@fwpi.com 315-789-0473.

All articles for Toy Times are supplied by ASTRA and its members, with Fahy-Williams assembling and editing the magazine, and managing the advertising sales function.

ASTRA reserves the right to accept, reject, or alter all editorial and advertising material submitted for publication.

president’s report

We Are On! M

ark your calendars for August 5-8, 2021 because yes – Marketplace & Academy 2021 is happening!

We will be able to see each Sue Warfield other in person, look at and touch products, ask questions, play, socialize, learn and connect in real life. No worries of our internet connection fading out, the dog barking, the kids running in the background or someone shouting a question at us from another room. We will enjoy the opportunity to focus on our business and our toy industry community.

Oh, how I have missed this in-person interaction!

ASTRA will have so much to offer at this year’s Marketplace & Academy in Minneapolis. With grit, determination, creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit of our members, we are heading into the coming 4th quarter with an entirely new appreciation for our ASTRA community.

This is what we will be celebrating as we gather together in Minneapolis. We have learned so much over the past 18 months, and our educational offerings will be focused on sharing what we’ve learned and what we can use to keep us strong in the future – whatever that may bring.

Our show floor is sold out with exhibitors excited to showcase their newest products and they, along with sales reps, will be ready to work with each and every retailer on inventory availability, promotional materials and in-store interactive opportunities to ensure that this coming holiday season will be the best ever.

If safety is a concern, I can assure you

that we would not be having our event if we were not completely on top of all safety measures. We continue to monitor all health and safety recommendations with our city partners, and we will keep you informed with any new updates and changes as we get closer to the event dates.

I hope you will join in on the in-person experience of seeing and touching new products, meeting with the manufacturers, learning from one another and simply taking time to have fun. Bookmark www.marketplaceandacademy.org to learn more about all of the fun that this year’s Marketplace & Academy will hold.

Advertising in ASTRA does not imply endorsement of products and services. Opinions expressed in articles contained herein are those of the authors, not necessarily of ASTRA or its individual members. The information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable.

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THE 100% ORIGINAL & AUTHENTIC FOXMIND PRODUCT SINCE 2013!!

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The original “Last One Lost’’ game!

Soothing, tactile, fidget toy!

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message from the chair

Minneapolis, Here We Come!

A s I write this, on May 18, I have just returned from touring the Minneapolis Convention Center with Sue Warfield and her team.

I walked the spacious meeting rooms and imagined it packed with all of us greeting each other for the first time since COVID began. I stood on what will be our exhibit floor and pictured the booths set Amy Saldanha up, with retailers running from booth to booth to place orders and hatch marketing and social media campaigns. I stood in the empty rooms and thought about us gathering here for education sessions – learning, growing, and taking our businesses to the next level together.

This show will be unlike any other show in the history of our organization.

The excitement amongst our members is palpable – each day I speak with retailers, reps and manufacturers booking their reservations and planning their trips. This will be the show to celebrate what we’ve come through together and to boldly plan our futures.

Attend to Connect with Friends Old and New! I know I am not alone when I reflect on how my ASTRA connections helped me stay in business over the past 18 months.

Together we brainstormed, commiserated, vented and problem-solved. We leaned on each other and leveraged our personal relationships to reinvent ourselves and serve our customers in new ways. Every single day I speak with members who are positively giddy at the thought of being

together again – to celebrate, bond, share a laugh (and a drink) and to marvel that we are still here together, stronger than ever.

Attend for the First Time!

If you’ve never attended M&A and are wondering whether you should attend, let me be crystal clear: you need to be here. Whether you’re just starting out in our industry or you’ve been toy retailing for some time – M&A is the time to “supercharge” your business. From creative ideas to new toys to education sessions on how to run a more profitable business, you’ll find your time with us well worth the investment. ASTRA members are a welcoming group and we can’t wait to get to know you!

Attend and Buy All the Toys!

As independent toy retailers, we have spent the past 18 months helping our customers and their families navigate COVID. From curbside pickup to local delivery, shopping through social media and ecommerce – we morphed our businesses to serve our customers. We changed what and how we sold and our customers responded positively, voting with their pocketbooks and reaffirming, strongly, how much they value us. As our stores come back with our customer relationships stronger than ever before, we will need to bring the holiday fun this year like never before – and that means we need all the toys. With shipping delays and uncertainties, retailers will arrive at M&A with their checkbooks open, ready to buy.

We’ll be looking for new items, shoring up our Q4 orders to make sure customer favorites will be delivered in time – and manufacturers who exhibit at M&A with inventory ready to ship quickly will win the show.

Attend to Leverage the ASTRA Brain Trust to Grow Your Business!

We’ve all been in survival mode over the past 18 months – from complete business shutdowns to restricted capacity and everything in between – ASTRA retailers were “human pretzels” as we weaved and repositioned ourselves. These past 18 months have also been a time of incredible innovation and creativity. As we take a deep breath and plan for our stores’ futures, how do we capitalize on the learnings of the past year while keeping the innovative spirit alive? How can we continue to grow and improve our businesses every single day? Our education sessions will take on these themes – bring your business challenges and prepare to take your business to the next level!

Attend to Enjoy the Twin Cities!

From a vibrant indie retail community to restaurants for every taste to the MOA, Children’s Museum and First Avenue – you’ll find all the fun and entertainment you and your family can soak up!

As an aside, I am local to the Twin Cities and am happy to help you plan your trip – please feel free to email me anytime at amy@kiddywampus.com.

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Atlanta • Dallas • Las Vegas • ASTRA • Seattle • Toronto • Minneapolis

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ready set play

Rolling Through History

by Jean Bailey, Toy Industry Consultant

A

t first glance, balls appear to be just an easy-to-understand toy that kids innately love to engage with.

But children are not the only ones exploring the magic and mysteries of balls. Recently, a team of international scientists revealed they had discovered some of the oldest game balls ever found. This was reported in an October 21, 2020 article in Smithsonian Magazine entitled, “These Hair-Filled Leather Pouches Are the Oldest Balls Found in Eurasia.”

With new evidence of ball games being played as early as 3,000 years ago, one could argue that these little spheres of fun might just be the oldest play product in the history of humanity. Today we are still enthralled with balls and continue to innovate how we produce and play with them.

We have balls that float and bounce off water, balls that glow in the dark and balls that seem to move with a mind of their own. Kids, and those young-at-heart, throw them, bounce them, hit them with

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a club and continue throughout their lifetimes to creatively engage with these circular play products.

Let’s just say the fun factor of balls has been proven by their enduring popularity throughout history.

But what about their educational prowess?

Equally amazing is the fact that these round recreational playthings have an almost unlimited amount they can teach. Starting almost at birth, children can learn so much from playing with balls, including hand grasping. Gripping these little spherical shapes requires small motor skills that later transfer to valuable life skills.

Balls, in all their sizes and colorful forms, are perfect tutors for eyehand coordination. Tracking an object with their eyes as kids watch balls bounce, roll and swirl is one of the most valuable lessons and is a precursor to learning how to read.

Developing a child’s finger muscles and the ability to transfer an object from one hand to another is an essential early skill all

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children need to conquer. Balls are also master teachers of physical abilities and gross-motor skills like throwing, catching, aiming, rolling, bouncing, and kicking.

Let’s not forget all the applied physics lessons these little round wonders teach. Playing ball is full of real-life experiments with projectile motion, collision, energy, momentum, and gravity. These are scientific subjects that some of the most brilliant thought leaders in history explored in their time including Archimedes, Newton, and Galileo.

Playing ball with a young child is the perfect vehicle to practice what child development experts refer to as “serve and return.” Simply stated, serve and return refers to any responsive and interactive engagement between a caregiver and a child in which the adult and child take turns responding to each other, like rolling or throwing a ball back and forth. One champion of serve and return is the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child. They credit this type of interaction with building a child’s brain architecture.

“Serve and return interactions make everyday moments fun and become second nature with practice,” the Center said. “By taking small moments during the day to do serve and return, you build up the foundation for children’s lifelong learning, behavior, and health—

and their skills for facing life’s challenges. There is a large amount of evidence from developmental psychology about the importance of contingent, reciprocal interaction (“serve and return”) for many aspects of early childhood development.”

Having sponsored extensive research into child development, it makes sense that the Harvard Center for the Developing Child is a leader in play advocacy.

“By engaging in playful serve and return with a child, you can literally help build stronger connections in the brain,” the Center said. “Strong neural connections are the foundation for all of a child’s future learning, behavior, and health.”

One of my favorite shower gifts to give new mothers (and dads, too!) is an assortment of balls that may include bouncing balls, sports balls, beach balls, throwing balls, kicking balls and any others that I might find in the marketplace. This collection is meant to encourage all the skills touched on in this article and more. I smile when my gift is opened knowing that perhaps I have encouraged this yet to be born child to play a sport they might learn to love, or simply develop the brain architecture necessary to graduate from Harvard if they so choose.

As we continue to discover, balls have been a part of our social fabric for thousands of years for good reasons. So, let’s do our best to ASTRA keep them rolling on!

astratoy.org • July 2021

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moneymatters

ASTRA Camps S’more Than a Virtual Trade Show

by Theresa Duncan, Villa Villekilla Neighborhood Toy Store

I

n 2019 when we were gathered in Pittsburgh, it would have been hard to believe that the very next year ASTRA would have to cancel Marketplace & Academy.

It may have been even harder to believe that ASTRA would create a virtual experience with the same spirit and camaraderie as an inperson event.

Trade shows may serve very different business objectives for brands, inventors, sales representatives and retailers, but from every aspect of the industry, the sentiment is the same - ASTRA Summer and Winter Camps had the same supportive, fun and connective environment that attendees have come to expect from Marketplace & Academy.

Just as ASTRA had to get creative as an organization to deliver a virtual trade show experience, vendors, sales representatives and exhibitors all had to make changes to their typical trade show

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process. For Philadelphiabased Tildie’s Toy Box, the quick huddles and large number of vendors and activities meant they had to get more organized before the show.

“I tried my best to view each vendor’s page ahead of time and watch their videos so when I attended a Huddle (a live, 15-minute presentation by exhibitors) I felt like I had all of the information I needed for placing orders,” said Michelle Gillen-Doobrajh, owner at Tildie’s. I also took a lot of notes, which was really helpful looking back. At an in-person trade show, I just wouldn’t have the bandwidth to do all of that, but I forced myself to set aside the time to really make ASTRA Camp valuable in place of the in-person experience.

I really had to be more organized because I wasn’t able to ‘visit’ a booth again like I normally would in a trade show.”

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moneymatters

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Sales representatives didn’t have the early access to as many of the new products, so they experienced new launches at the same time as retailers.

“Typically, I’ve already met with the vendors and I take appointments around,” said Alison Cassler of Alison Cassler Toys and Gifts LLC. “With ASTRA Camp, I was seeing (products) at the same time my customers were.”

Exhibitors had to learn new technology and figure out how to talk about their products in a pre-defined time frame.

“The preparation was very different from our typical trade show process because we didn’t have the luxury of building a beautiful booth where we would have three days to put product in retailers hands and enjoy conversation,” said DJECO’s National Sales Manager Emily Nocton. “We put a lot of thought and planning into our Huddle because this was our moment to shine.”

Nocton said she and her team had to figure out which products were the most demonstrative and effective when experienced virtually. What camera angles provided their audience the best view? What retailers wanted to see and hear, and what was just fluff that could be cut from their Huddle script?

“We had a finite time to present, and instead of individual meetings, it was everyone at once,” she said.

ASTRA Summer and Winter Camps were more than just a place to take and place orders; it was also a source of support through a challenging time.

“After ASTRA Summer Camp, I felt re-invigorated to really push through to the year end when I had previously considered throwing in the towel,” said Gillen-Doobrajh.

“Without getting too sappy, the vibe was open and honest and friendly and inviting,” said Ali Osborne, National Sales Manager for Never Wrong Toys and Games. “It didn’t feel like work. (It was) just getting together and having a great time.”

Even for new ASTRA members, the virtual experience gave an opportunity to listen and connect. This was the first trade show experience for Bunny Hopkins, which started their toy business in March 2020.

“ASTRA Winter Camp was enriching, encouraging and educational,” said Bunny Hopkins founder Shamik Dasgupta. “People were very approachable, and we felt welcome.”

ASTRA Camp, with its live nightly entertainment and opportunities to connect, embodied much of the spirit of Marketplace & Academy.

But, as Dasugupta said, “Toys are an experience-driven thing. You really have to touch and feel in person to experience them.”

Like many others, Bunny Hopkins is looking forward to exhibiting at Marketplace & Academy in Minneapolis this summer.

“It will be our only trade show this year,” Dasugupta said. “We are sticking to the leader.”

“We {Never Wrong Games} are going all out with a huge new booth,” Osborne said. “ASTRA is on a whole other playing field.”

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visit our ASTRA booth #612!

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moneymatters

In Retail, Cash is King: Here’s How To Plan For Positive Cash Flow

by Jennifer Abraham Rust, Creative Profit Planning

W

hile we all want to think that the most important part of our toy business is the products we sell, the fact is that having the best toys to offer is just the beginning.

Regardless of the type of retail business that you are running, cash flow is a critically important aspect of business success.

Without an understanding of how to make your business cash flow positive, the viability of your business is in jeopardy no matter how fabulous your products are.

Although we don’t have a functioning crystal ball that can fully forecast cash flow (Magic 8 Balls don’t count!), by understanding

the variables involved, we certainly can forecast cash flow at least 3 months at a time. There are plenty of ways to take cash flow variables into account and properly prepare your business for fluctuations in your cash flow. By analyzing these variables, you can identify patterns and turn those patterns into a strategy to for keeping your business cash flow positive.

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Understanding the Variables

There are four primary variables that affect cash flow in a retail business. Let’s take a deeper dive into each.

1. Sales: For purposes of cash flow planning, sales would be the amount of actual sales dollars (net of any discounts) you expect to flow into your bank account in the month. And although the world may still feel uncertain, we can set sales goals based on prior years (same month) sales, and how sales have been trending in recent months (is business up or down?)

2. Expenses: Use your profit and loss statement or work with your accountant to determine what your forecasted monthly expenses are going to be. There are fixed monthly expenses that will be the same each month, for example, rent, certain utility payments, a manager’s salary, etc. In addition, you have some expenses that should vary greatly depending on expected sales volume, for example, credit card fees and selling payroll. Keep this in mind when forecasting monthly expenses.

3. Debt Payments: I find that this is something most miss when attempting to put together a cash flow forecast because principal debt payments never appear on your profit and loss statement. These payments would include the principal payments you make on any loans or lines of credit whether to an individual or a financial institution. In addition, be sure to include any principal payments you plan to make on old credit card debt.

4. Inventory Purchases: This is by far your single largest variable. Once you have forecasted your sales, use that flow to forecast your inventory purchases. (hint: expect your inventory to peak slightly ahead of your sales. For example, if December is expected to be your largest volume sales month, your inventory should peak in November before declining as sales rise.). This number should represent the payments you will make for inventory purchases to vendors in that month.

Remember to include purchases made on credit cards as well.

All four variables need to be forecasted and controlled in order to strategically manage your cash flow. To do that, you must keep your books and records up to date and meticulously accurate.

Whether you use Quickbooks or some other bookkeeping software, current and proper tracking of sales, expenses, and invoice due dates are critically important when trying to properly forecast cash flow. This becomes even more important in the toy

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moneymatters

business where extended dating on vendor invoices can come into play often.

but it’s easy to see the cost of goods purchased simply as the cost of doing business rather than a controllable number.

Profitability vs. Cash Flow

The Benefits of Cash Flow Forecasting

I hear it often… “My accountant told me my business was profitable last year, yet I have no money in the bank to show for it.

How can that be??”

To understand the answer to this question, one needs to understand the difference between Cash Flow and Profitability.

Cash flow is defined as the dollars flowing in and out of your business, while profitability is the net financial gain that your business experiences over time. The fact is that you can have a negative cash flow but still be profitable… but that’s not the best way to run your business, and long term will end in depletion of cash reserves or an increase in debt. At the end of the day, cash flow is the pinnacle of your business’s success.

To determine profitability, your accountant will take net sales, subtract “cost of goods sold” and all expenses which will not include debt and credit card payments discussed above. The result will be your profit for the period. However, cost of goods sold is one of the most misleading metrics in retail! Cost of Goods Sold is the actual cost of the goods you sold in your store during that period. It does not take into account what you actually purchased, and how much of what you purchased is still sitting unsold in your store.

When forecasting cash flow, you will take net sales and subtract “cost of goods purchased” and then all cash expenses including the debt and credit card payments discussed above. The cost of goods purchased is the actual amount of money you spent on acquiring new merchandise in that period. That means the money you took out of your bank account or charged to a credit card to buy merchandise for your store in that period, regardless of whether it sold or not.

The difference between “Cost of Goods Sold” and “Cost of Goods Purchased” will most likely be the primary cause of a “profitable” business having negative cash flow. Cost of Goods Purchased is your largest variable. Of course, you need to keep your shelves stocked and merchandise moving in order to do good business,

Month

January

In my own experience, I’ve found that the most successful business owners plan their cash flow for 12 months at a time. This gives them a clear picture of their cash flow peaks and valleys over the course of the year which can suggest different times of the year when negative cash flow may be expected, giving the business owner time to prepare or adjust for that. Each month the plan can be updated for actual sales, cost of purchases, expenses, and debt payments.

If forecasting 12 months feels daunting in a world of uncertainty, try it for just 3 months at a time to get started.

Cash flow forecasting is particularly useful for toy store owners, as you build up your inventory for the holiday season. Planning your cash flow including sales, purchases, expenses, and debt will help to guide you as to how much to buy at market for your holiday season. You also want to prepare for shortfalls in cash flow that can be particularly difficult to manage while you are building inventory ahead of your busy holiday season.

Once you can see where your cash shortfalls may exist, you can better prepare by requesting extended dating from vendors or arranging for short-term borrowing on your line of credit.

The forecasting process will allow you to proactively adjust and prepare for a shortfall, rather than being caught off guard.

How to Forecast Cash Flow To forecast your cash flow, you will want to start off with a spreadsheet that incorporates the following: 1. Forecasted Sales 2. Forecasted Purchases (open to buy) 3. Forecasted expenses 4. Forecasted debt payments Here is an example of how to set it up.

February

March

Beginning Cash Balance Plus: Forecasted Sales Less: Forecasted Inventory Purchases Less: Forecasted Expenses Less: Forecasted Debt Payments Equals: Ending Cash Balance continued on page 20

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moneymatters In the current retail climate, due to pent up demand for product coupled with supply chain shortages, stores can do the same amount of business with less inventory right now. In general, consumers need less selection in order to make a purchase. By rotating new, fresh, and different products onto their shelves, store owners can keep consumers interested, excited and buying. This means investing less dollars in inventory and turning it quicker which improves cash flow and gives you a higher return on your investment.

Forecasting and planning your sales, inventory, expenses, and debt payments if done on a monthly basis to help control and manage your business can transform your business from one that is struggling to meet financial obligations into one that is thriving and building its bank balance.

To hear more about how you can maximize the cash flow in your business, visit Jennifer’s presentation on August 5th at the ASTRA Academy in Minneapolis. For a 12-month cash flow

template, email Jennifer at Jennifer@ creativeprofitplanning.com.

Jennifer Abraham Rust is the CEO of Creative Profit Planning, a management consulting and inventory planning firm helping Toy and Baby store owners maximize their profit and cash flow. As a former retail store owner and CPA, Jennifer has lived and breathed what store owners experience every day. In her consulting and inventory planning practice, Jennifer guides store owners to positive cash flow in their businesses. Her signature course Retail Roadmap to Financial Success has helped many toy store owners understand what steps to take to find more cash in their businesses. Jennifer is a frequent speaker at ASTRA and other Toy and Baby industry events and a proud affiliate of Management One. To reach Jennifer, email her at jennifer@creativeprofitplanning.com. To learn more, visit creativeprofitplanning.com or join her group for toy store owners on Facebook at http://facebook.com/groups/kidsandtoystorechiefs.

ASTRA

#3320

2019 Ford Mustang Tuning Set - 3314

#3318

#3319

Service station with 2019 Ford Mustang - 3313

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Set, 3 in 1 - 3312

100 cm 39.4 inch

with 2 cars

55 cm 21.7 inch

#3316

Ford Car Park 6 levels with looping and ramp - 3310

68 cm 26.8 inch

#3315

Ford Car Park 4 levels - 3305

55 cm 21.7 inch

THEO KLEIN (U.S.), Inc. | 100 Church Street, Millersburg, PA 17061, USA |

20

Ford Motor Company trademarks and trade dress used under license to Theo Klein (H.K.) Ltd.

a.anslinger@klein-toys.com |

Klein Toys |

/kleintoys |

theo_klein_gmbh |

theo_klein_gmbh

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toystories

Growth and Expansion in the Wake of COVID

by Allison White, Sugar B Sales

A

nyone in the toy and retail industry knows how challenging business was in 2020, but not everyone could see the growth and opportunities that would come in the first half of 2021.

In the wake of such a challenging year, the businesses that were quick to adapt have been the best equipped to expand. One long-time ASTRA member, Rob Pickering of Snapdoodle Toys in Washington state, was able to transition his business in the face of uncertainty.

“We had a little head start,” he said, recalling how the city of Kirkland, Wash., was the first to document COVID-19 cases at the Life Care Center. He said he could see the coming impact.

“People were freaked out, and we knew we’d have to stay home, he said.”

Then the local school district closed, and Pickering knew that stay-at-home activities would start trending.

“I was on an ASTRA call,” he said. “Stephanie Sala from Five Little Monkeys remembers me saying that puzzles were going to be big.”

His foresight for trends and the coming challenges allowed him to adapt. Within weeks his stores went from having zero website presence, to a full ecommerce site.

“COVID pushed our industry ahead maybe five years,” he said.

“You had to do something - try new tech or offer curbside or touchless. We had to always be learning.”

The learning curve carried into 2021 and when a local kids’ salon closed, Pickering saw the opportunity to expand his Seattle business. After 30 days of permitting and construction, part of their existing Seattle store was transformed.

“We opened an eight-chair salon to use four chairs,” he said. “And we hired those employees because during the craziness of COVID, employees were our most important asset.”

But Pickering wasn’t done expanding. In May, he opened a fifth store, located in Kirkland. He said shopping centers are eager to fill their retail spaces.

“We were able to open the Totem Lake store for a more affordable lease,” he said. “Everything we think and do comes from ASTRA. How we can help each other and share what’s working right now. The toy business is really resilient.”

That resilience can be seen not only with retailers, but vendors and sales reps too.

“Having to respond to a challenge like this has been fun in a way,” said Damien Crocker, the sales manager for Juratoys US. “It

forces you to get back to basics.”

Juratoys experienced growth and demand in 2020 when many customers came to them looking to fill certain basic categories where other vendors had fallen short.

“So many customers rely on vendors for freight deals and dating terms, and we were happy to provide that,” he said. “The spirit has really been: what can we do? Then, what else can we do?”

Juratoys used the opportunity of 2020 to upgrade their systems, establish their online presence, and expand their package of brands.

Now in addition to Janod, Kaloo, and Lalaboom, they have added Lilliputiens, and WWF (World Wildlife Fund). The acquisition of Lilliputiens was another exciting addition.

“It feels really special and high-quality,” Crocker said. “It encapsulates specialty business. We’re ready to get this really nice product on the market.”

Both the new Lilliputiens and WWF collections will be in the Juratoys booth during ASTRA Marketplace & Academy.

“We’re definitely going to the show,” he said. “A lot of the skills we have now are from ASTRA. The networking and seeing what’s working for other owners and just sharing our experience.”

Past experience certainly played a role for Betsy Harney, principal of Sugar B Sales, in the decision to expand her showroom in Seattle Mart. She’s been in the children’s industry for 35 years and said she’s survived downturns in the past, such as the dotcom bust in California, and 9/11. But, she said, this time if felt different.

“Our community rallied around their local businesses,” she said, noting that things seemed different within the industry. “During the pandemic, many non-children’s stores wanted to buy games and puzzles, and we really expanded our business.”

When a bigger showroom space opened in the Seattle Mart, Harney took the opportunity to grow and better service their customers.

“I wanted to be optimistic about my business and the goods and brands that we market to our retailers,” she said. “Expanding our showroom would assist with that.”

Optimism certainly endures in the toy industry, and as things continue to reopen across the country, retail shows no signs of slowing.

For Snapdoodle, their average sales transactions are still up.

“Customers who are out shopping are there to buy,” ASTRA Pickering said. astratoy.org • July 2021

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toystories

Summer School is Now in Session

Marky Sparky Stomp Rocket

by Phil Wrzesinski, HABA USA

A

lost year. A step back. Falling behind. Many parents have used those words to describe the last year of school, frustrated and worried their child is falling behind. Those with the resources may resort to sending their child to summer school or finding a camp to help push academics this summer.

For everyone else, there is you.

We could pull out the tired old cliché that all play is educational.

“All of us are jamming on that theme anyway,” said Sean O’Neal from Science Safari.

But the truth is, with the right hand (yours) to guide

Thin Air Brand Brands Bug Hunter

22

them, parents can find all the tools in your store to run the most educational summer school ever without their children even knowing they enrolled.

The Sciency Toys Some toys are blatantly educational. Bug viewers, field microscopes, and insect houses lead the list.

O’Neal said he has found the microscopes with around 20x magnification are best for outdoor use because you don’t have to make a slide just to see something cool. Even at a lower power, you Sean O’Neal can see structure and features on leaves, branches, nuts, and blades of grass not visible to the naked eye.

Insect and bird houses also make great parent/child projects between the building and populating of the house. This time together offers plenty of opportunity for parents to ask questions that make children think or look up more info.

The Trajectory Toys Gravity is a big part of outdoor fun. Toys like stomp rockets, frisbees, and anything that gets thrown or launched has a learning element already built in.

“Newtonian Physics lends itself to outdoor play,” O’Neal said.

Stomp rockets include lessons on pressure, force, and trajectory. Frisbees and other flying objects teach aerodynamics.

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MAKE LEARNING FUN!

CROSSMATH

12 DAYS OF SCIENCE

www.mwwholesale.biz info@mwwholesale.biz 800.296.9485 2140 West County Rd C Roseville, MN 55113

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toystories Mindware Aquamaze

Even kites have learning elements because of windspeed, wind direction, and the shifting winds.

A parent can, with a simple nudge, turn a day of launching into a day of learning.

The Big Splash Toys O’Neal said he often encourages parents to “think outside the tub” during the summer. Bath toys quickly become beach and pool toys.

Floating numbers are just as much fun to count outside as inside. And water toys like the Mindware Aquamaze teaches cause and effect wherever the water is.

The Sand and Beach Traditional outdoor toys like sand pails and funnels have an educational element hiding within them. Children can test things like density, weight, and volume with a couple sand pails.

O’Neal has been using the Spilling Funnel from HABA USA to talk about things like structural engineering.

“The sand from the funnel forms like stalagmites which is something cool for kids to see,” O’Neal said.

“Plus children are learning how to mix the sand and water for different effects.” continued on page 46

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toystories

Behind the Storefront Get to know Megan Wyatt, owner of Wit and Whimsy Toys in Granite Bay, CA

H

ow long you’ve been in business: Just over 6 months

First thing you do when you get to the store: After I turn on all the lights and open the till, I take a look around the store and make sure everything is in its place.

Favorite productivity or business tool: I probably haven›t discovered most of them yet, lol. But I love using Lightspeed for my POS and website - it really streamlines everything. And social media has been our greatest advertising tool.

Currently reading: Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead has been on my nightstand for months, although I’m usually too wiped out by the time I get home to pick it up.

Three things on your desk or counter right now: My water

bottle, my cell phone, and a notepad.

One thing keeping you up at night or business challenge you’re facing: Trying to decide when we’re ready to bring on staff. I’m very much looking forward to the extra help, but nervous about payroll and finding someone who is a good fit.

Best piece of advice you’ve received: Location, Location, Location - and I’m very fortunate to be in a good one Most recent thing you did for your business (followed up with an order, came out of a design meeting, helped a customer pick out the perfect gift, etc.): Honestly, at this juncture everything I do is for the store. I am pretty much a onewoman operation, so I help every customer, wrap every present, ASTRA place every order, merchandise every shelf.

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toystories

ASTRA Announces

2021 Best Toys for Kids Award Finalists 52 Specialty Toys Representing 10 Categories In The Running To Be Named One Of The Best Toys For Kids

T

he American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) unveiled the finalists for its annual Best Toys for Kids award today. The finalists include 52 products representing 10 categories.

“ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids award program is different from other top toy lists because it reflects the collective expertise of hundreds of toy retailers who know toys inside out,” said Sue Warfield, president of ASTRA. “We are excited to announce the list of finalists which will be voted on by hundreds of independent toy store owners to determine the winners of this year’s award.”

The Best Toys for Kids program was created by ASTRA to help its retailer members attract media coverage and customers to their stores during the allimportant fourth quarter.

The 2021 Best Toys for Kids finalists are: BUILD & PLAY

IMPULSE/FIDGET

Boks Desktop Windmill Plus-Plus USA

Dohjees Schylling

Incredible Aero Dancer Thames & Kosmos

Fingears Blue Orange Games

LEGO Super Mario Starter Course LEGO

Hide Inside Putty – Flower Finds Crazy Aaron’s

Unit Brick mini Unit Beams Eiffel Tower Set Ukidz

Loopy Looper Blue Orange Games

Zig & Go Music DJECO

CRAFT Create Your Own Light Box Avenir Hat Not Hate Creativity for Kids by FaberCastell USA Soapstone Carving Kit – Bear Studiostone Creative

Winners

were announced at the ASTRA

Awards Night

July 2021 • astratoy.org

OUTDOOR/ACTIVE

My Forest Floor Tender Leaf Toys Pearl Dragon Wristlet Folkmanis, Inc. Playdate Dolls Harper Manhattan Toys

PUZZLE Caeser’s Codex Project Genius Escape Puzzle Kids 368 Pieces, Amusement Park Ravensburger Musical Crossroads 72 Piece Puzzle Little Likes Kids

Drop Shot Fat Brain

SmartGames IQ Circuit Smart Toys and Games

GAMES

Rainbow Wobble Board – Regular Size Bunny Hopkins

SCIENCE

Kaboom Blocks Roo Games

Ride-on & Foldable Engine Table Hape Skimbe Waterline Toys Surge Gel Blaster

Mind the Gap Solid Roots

PRESCHOOL

Pancake Monster Blue Orange Games

Magna-Tiles Structures Interactive Story Time – The Monster at the End of ThisStory CreateOn

Story Time Chess Story Time Chess

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Spatial Rocket Plan Toys

Galaxy Cape Creative Ed

Spirograph Animator Playmonster

Dragon Inferno Smart Toys & Games

ASTRA

Push & Pull Puppy Plan Toys

PRETEND

2 Liter Refillable Bubble Solution System Bubble Tree

Magic Mountain AMIGO Games

Check www.astratoy.org for more information.

Dizzy Bees Fat Brain

Toniebox Starter Set tonies, US

Space Immersion DIY Kaleidoscope DJECO

Clack! Thwack!

AMIGO Games

on June 30.

INFANT/TODDLER Dimpl Stack Fat Brain

Sensory Bin Dinosaur Dig Creativity for Kids by FaberCastell USA

The Crew: Mission Deep Sea Thames & Kosmos

Musical Whale Fountain Hape Rocket Ball Air Stacker Hape continued next column

Bio Chem Creatures Klutz Gravity Bugs Thames & Kosmos Magical Unicorn Science Klutz Smartivity Pinball Machine Smartivity Labs (Elenco Electronics, Inc) Teach Tech Dizzy, The 6-in-1 Gyroscope Elenco Trigmate Mindwatts LLC Wild Environmental Science – Mars Landing Survival Kit Learning Advantage/Wild Science

ASTRA-2 2021_ASTRA_ToyTimes_02_July.indd 26

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INTRODUCING OUR NEW

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Local Supporting Local

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ccording to the National Restaurant Association, more than 110,000 eating and drinking establishments closed in 2020. That number is set to increase in 2021.

In the spirit of shopping local and supporting local businesses, Sandy Ruben & Associates wanted to find a way to help local restaurants and thank their customers. They came up with the “Support Local Restaurants Initiative” and, this past January during the Atlanta Gift Show, offered customers gift cards to any local restaurant they chose.

More than $6,000 were purchased at more than 170 locally-owned and operated restaurants including Iron Paffle in Charlottesville, Virginia; Luella’s BBQ in Ashville, North Carolina; Kudzu Seafood in Macon, Georgia, and more.

Sandy Ruben & Associates plans to continue this initiative by offering customers gift cards during the July Atlanta Gift Show to support local, independent food venues.

Thank you to Sandy Ruben for sharing this story with ASTRA. ASTRA

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M

marketplace and academy

Education Sessions Thursday, August 5 | 10:15 – 11am Retail Store Management - Hiring and Retaining Staff It is getting harder to not only find good staff but also to keep them! Hear from a panel of peers on what they are doing to tackle this issue.

Speakers/Panelists: Nick Guffey, The Toy Store of Lawrence; Nick Tarzia, Awesome Toys Online Web Management: Where Do I Start?

An online presence is a must, but it can feel like a daunting task. Learn how to get started on building your online presence, whether it’s simply showing your top sellers or building out a full online ordering platform.

Speakers/Panelists: Emily Guffey, The Toy Store of Lawrence; Kas Sharma, Henry Bear’s Park Merchandising from the Inside Out Catching the eye of the consumer and making a lasting impression are vital to sales. Your store windows, how items are displayed, the overall ambiance of your store and even the packages that go out the door are all a part of your brand identity. Hear from ASTRA retailers on what they do and how they do it!

Speakers/Panelists: Ann Kienzle, play; Megan Walsh, Goodthings Staying Connected to Your Local Community The pandemic brought communities closer and shopping local became more important to the consumer. Hear from ASTRA retailers as they share how they worked with their communities to provide needed resources and how they are keeping the momentum going.

Speakers/Panelists: Brice Elvington, Toy Shop of Florence; Hilary Key, The Toy Chest Competing with Online Giants How can you keep compete with online giants and their websites, including manufacturers selling direct? Hear from your peers on what they’ve done to compete – and win!

Speakers/Panelists: Christine Osborne, Wonder Works; Kate Tanner, Kidstop Toys and Books Doing Business in a New World The ways of doing business have changed. From websites to social media to new delivery options, many retailers implemented new business strategies and ended up coming out of 2020 with one of their best years ever. Hear how they did it and what they plan to do to keep the momentum going.

Speakers/Panelists: Amy Saldanha, kiddywampus; Gene Dydell, The Toy Store of Lawrence Lessons Learned from 2020 As we look back on the last year, retailers will share what they have learned and what they are taking into 2021 and beyond.

Speakers/Panelists: Roger Bildsten

30

arketplace & Academy is heading to Minneapolis, August 5-8, 2021! Connect with your toy family, gain new insights and perspectives, and discover the newest products on the trade show floor. Here’s a look at the fun ASTRA is bringing to Minneapolis – visit www.marketplaceandacademy.org to learn more.

Juggling Multiple Locations Having more than one location brings new operational challenges and benefits. A panel of retailers will share their experiences and open it up for round table discussion.

Speakers/Panelists: Stephanie Sala, Five Little Monkeys Thursday, August 5 | 1:30 – 2:15pm Financial Planning Through Thick & Thin Keeping your business financially sound includes making a plan that takes contingencies into consideration. Jennifer Abraham Rust of Creative Profit Planning will guide you through making a plan that will help you navigate any situation that may come your way.

Speakers/Panelists: Jennifer Abraham Rust, Creative Profit Planning “They’re Selling My Product for How Much?!”: Maintaining Brand Integrity Online Ron Solomon of MAPP Trap will share real examples of ASTRA members to discuss various strategies manufacturers across multiple industries use to protect their brand image online. Learn about pricing strategies, authorized reseller and distribution policies, implementing and managing a MAP policy, how to figure out who the sellers really are, how to get sellers removed, and more.

Speakers/Panelists: Ron Solomon, MAPP Trap Thursday, August 5 | 2:30pm – 3:15pm Best Practices for Working with Sales Reps: Tips for New Manufacturers New to the industry? Tami Murphy of Grand Prix International will guide you through how to get the most from working with independent sales reps.

Speakers/Panelists: Tami Murphy, Grand Prix International Thursday, August 5 | 3:30pm – 4:15pm Packaging: The Manufacturer’s Merchandising Key to Success What elements are the most important to include in packaging? From shelf placement to key information, this panel things packaging including colors, graphics and text, so that you can make the best impression on both retailers and consumers.

Speakers/Panelists: Michelle Smith, Piccolo Mondo Toys; Ryan Noonan, Grand Prix International Lessons Learned in 2020: Manufacturers and Sales Reps As we look back on the last year, manufacturers and sales reps will share what they have learned and what they are taking into 2021 and beyond.

Speakers/Panelists: Roger Bildsten

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Booth #340

ASTRA’S MARKETPLACE & ACADEMY SCHEDULE-AT-A-GLANCE All events will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center unless noted otherwise.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Meet & Greet / Hilton Hotel The Gallery – Lobby Level Join fellow attendees at the official pre-conference gathering of Marketplace & Academy. No RSVP required. Simply show up ready to sip, mix and mingle with your ASTRA friends.

LET'S PLAY

THURSDAY, AUGUST 5

9:00am – 10:00am Opening Welcome and ASTRA Update 11:00am – 12:00pm Education Sessions (Full Conference Only) 12:00pm – 1:00pm Lunch & ASTRA Town Hall (Full Conference Only)

Wondering what ASTRA is doing and planning for 2021 and beyond? Grab your lunch and hear from the ASTRA Board of Directors. Q&A session to follow.

1:15pm - 5:00pm Bus Tour of Local ASTRA Stores (Full Conference Only) This tour will take us to local ASTRA stores including SC Toys, Mischief, Hub Hobby, Something Safari, kiddywampus, Legacy Toys and Good Things. If you want this afternoon option as a full conference attendee, email jstirling@astratoy.org to sign up before July 15.

1:30pm – 5:00pm Breakout Sessions (Full Conference Only) 7:00pm – 10:00pm Opening Reception (Full Conference Only)

Join your friends and colleagues for a party sponsored by Fat Brain!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 6 9:30am – 10:30am 10:30am – 7:00pm 8:00pm – 11:00pm

VIP Trade Show Hour (Full Conference Only) Trade Show Open Lip Sync Battle (Full Conference Only) *Tickets may be purchased by Trade Show Only attendees in advance. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 7 8:00am – 9:00am 9:00am – 10:00am 10:00am – 6:00pm 6:30pm onward

Share the Fair (Full Conference Retailers Only) VIP Trade Show Hour (Full Conference Only) Trade Show Open Pub Gathering hosted by Mindware Non-ASTRA event; contact Mindware for details.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 8

8:30am – 9:30am Breakfast (Full Conference Only) 9:30am – 12:00pm Game/Kit (Full Conference Only)

*Chairs at the tables are for Retailers only. Exhibitors and sales reps with Full Conference badges are welcome to attend.

12:00pm – 12:15pm Closing Session (Full Conference Only) To register for ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy visit www.marketplaceandacademy.org ASTRA

astratoy.org • July 2021

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H# T O O

845

U

SI N

B

Soaring Into The Future

E SE E M CO

marketplace and academy

Thank You To Our Partners

While Digging Up The Past Booth # 914

Booth # 1051

Booth # 644

Booth # 700

Booth # 505

Booth # 544

www.aeromaxtoys.com

Buying Group & Marketing Partner for Independent Toy Stores

What’s new? (besides seeing you all again!)

We’re working on 2022.

The Good Toy Group is your source, resource and force for good toys in the world.

Booth # 322

We offer print, digital, social media, product expertise, buying programs, and a whole lot of “MORE”!

Booth # 644

Booth # 210

Email or call us soon!!

Booth # 642

Booth # 122

Stop by our booth #722 for a quick hello and information about 2022.

Office: 401-284-0610 • GoodToyGroup.com New Member Contact: Heather@TheGoodToyGroup.net

32

Booth # 501

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Micro Series Genius Series

NEW

ASTRA Booth 940

2021_ASTRA_ToyTimes_02_July.indd 33

NEW

6/29/21 2:44 PM

trending now

Exploring Social Media App

Clubhouse

A Resource to Help the Toy Industry Communicate, Innovate, and Grow

by Kemi Tignor, Little Likes Kids

What is Clubhouse?

How Does Clubhouse Work?

Clubhouse is a unique social media platform that is emerging as a top player among both millennials and Gen Z. Although it is currently exclusive to Apple users and has only been in existence for one year, Clubhouse is already making waves in various communities, including the toy industry.

Since its April 2020 beta testing, it’s estimated that Clubhouse already has over 10 million users worldwide.

I’ve been on it, and I think it’s an awesome platform for sharing ideas and gaining valuable industry knowledge and leads in real time. As a small manufacturer, I am moving a mile-a-minute. It has been fabulous having weekly calls with other industry leaders full of experience.

As an app with a serious focus on doing right by its users, ensuring diversity and inclusion, and promoting safe spaces for conversation, Clubhouse offers a promising opportunity for many people in the toy market, from designers to manufacturers to consumers, to learn, grow, and connect.

I’m not the only one who’s seen the benefits of Clubhouse. Leah Pickering, owner of Kazoodles Toys in Vancouver, Washington, is a frequent user.

“It’s an interesting alternative networking option that’s highly topical and very specific,” she said. “There is a lot of different voices that you don’t always here. I would definitely recommend it to other ASTRA members. There is a lot of things you can learn during a session.”

Clubhouse is a voice-only platform with no option to chat or upload media. Similar to chatroom servers on Discord, Clubhouse offers ‘rooms’ for people to jump into - or out of - as they please.

As a user, you join a room as an audience member who can merely listen to the conversations being held. If you’d like to talk, you can raise your virtual hand, giving the speakers the option to invite you to speak. You can always create your own room, too.

Unlimited topics are covered in the Clubhouse rooms, and some of the popular ones include:

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• self-development • dating and romance • nutrition and diet • politics and news • marketing and law • empowerment • hobbies

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There are no limits to the number of rooms available or the types of topics that can be covered. However, there are community guidelines to keep everyone safe.

What Makes Clubhouse Different from Other Social Media Apps?

As a live audio-only platform, Clubhouse is extremely distinct from other social media apps.

With limited chat and no option to save or upload media, the only way to experience Clubhouse is with active listening in the present moment. Eliminating video and opting for audio-only adds layers of convenience for users. The removal of any visuals takes out the need to look presentable, thus making the process of ‘posting’ much easier.

An audio-only platform is also more suitable for listening while multitasking. Millennials and Gen Z enjoy listening to podcasts because you can do it while exercising, cooking, working, or traveling. Clubhouse is like an app for live podcasts, where audience members can engage with experts who want to share

their knowledge.

Clubhouse’s mission is to promote spaces where people can communicate in order to learn and grow while being mindful of diversity and inclusion. So, audience members’ focus is on education, inspiration, and connection—not mindless scrolling. And generally, audience members are positive, helpful, and supportive of one another.

How Clubhouse Can Help Transform the Toy Industry Similar to the way TikTok has different sides, from millennial parenting styles to Gen Z dance trends, Clubhouse hosts different houses with many rooms that explore various topics. It is intended for casual conversations and genuine human connection as much as it is for processing difficult realities and educating our communities on complex subjects.

For the toy industry, Clubhouse presents a unique approach to connecting members with an emphasis on sharing inspiration, provoking thought, and promoting innovation.

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M A P P T R A P.C O M / 303.670.5111

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trending now

Although Clubhouse is friendly towards both millennials and Gen Z, the social media app’s target audience is generally older. Think professionals, entrepreneurs, self-employed workers, and mature, intelligent human beings.

This gives the toy industry an outlet where professionals can share ideas, form connections to promote business and grow the toy industry by attracting new customers. With Clubhouse, toy market professionals can increase the market’s size by educating and connecting with parents, receiving feedback from consumers, and discovering new talent.

Clubhouse can essentially function as a networking app for the toy industry, allowing businesses to form partnerships with each other and relationships with their customers.

Any industry’s future lies in its ability to adapt and grow through collaboration and

connection—and Clubhouse will make innovation easier than ever before.

Join Clubhouse Now (Psst We Have Private Link Just for Toy Industry Insiders Like You!) Since Clubhouse is a relatively new app run by a small handful of programmers, they have locked the app by creating a waitlist. Users can also join by receiving an invite from a friend, so the app is currently operating on a model of exclusivity.

Clubhouse put these measures in place to ensure that their app can function and is not overwhelmed by an influx of new members. It also helps to promote a healthy community in the app by avoiding a flood of new voices. Clubhouse

is now fully open to all users iPhone holders and Android devices included.

The creators of Clubhouse are working diligently to scale up the app to allow more users to join, but in the meantime, you can use this exclusive link and join the growing group of toy industry professionals gathering on the app.

Join Toyland: A Space for Toy Industry Professionals on Clubhouse https://www.joinclubhouse.com/join/ toyland-kids-toy-industry/dAyS0qBq/ mJzNoVbm This link is limited to 100 new accounts.

After that you’ll be added to the waitlist. Or seek out an invitation from a friend!

Visit https://www.joinclubhouse.com to learn more about this unique and innovative social media app.

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The Resurgence of the Backyard

D

uring the quarantine when activities were canceled and families stayed home, the backyard became one of the most popular spots.

It isn’t a surprise then that sales of backyard play items experienced tremendous growth in the spring and summer of 2020, and all indications appear that families will continue to invest in backyard play in 2021.

“Growth in the outdoor and sports toys super category was driven by a number of categories that experienced strong dollar gains during April,” noted Washington D.C.-based research group NPD in April of this year. “(That growth) included Playground Equipment (+81%), Skate/Skateboards/Scooters (+107%), Ride-Ons (+78%), Water/Sand Toys & Accessories (+47%), Pools (+161%), and Sports Activities & Games (+25%).”

Maria Bailey, CEO of Florida-based BSM Media, a marketing-to-moms agency that specializes in connecting brands with mom consumers, said the quarantine offered a time for discovery and learning.

“Many families took up new hobbies and tried to learn new skills. Many of them

by Tami Murphy, Grand Prix International

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Playing in the Backyard Products Lifetime DOME Climber

Two Bros Bows, LLC

Bunny Hopkins™ Rainbow Wobble Board

Hapinest Find & Seek Scavenger Hunt Cards

Griddly Games’ JUST ADD SUN Science + Activity Kit

Blue Orange Games CLYDO

Build Your Own Bubble Making Machine, E-Blox

Endless Games Obstacle Course in a Box

Tikiri Toys

Mukikim Wicked Mega Bounce XL

iPlay, I Learn 2 in 1 RC Baseball & Tennis Play Set

Texas Toy Distribution Drop n Hop Poppers

Kidoozie B*Active Duel Stomp Rockets, My First Gardening Set

TOYosity® LLC, Surfer Dudes

Brainstorm Products WindNSun

HABA Terra Kids Maxi Glider

Original Glider Plane with LED Lights from The Original Toy Company PlaySTEAM, Robotic Fish

Just Blocks the original since 2015

BOOTH 1146 Wobbel, Lubulona, Just Blocks, Abel, & other fine European wooden toys See all our brands at tww-wholesale.com

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happened in the backyard,” Bailey said. “We have heard from moms that they want to continue to do things in their backyards. They told us in a recent survey that they intend to continue grilling dinners, having outdoor picnics in the warmer weather and using the spaces they have created during the quarantine.”

Bailey also said that moms discovered that their yard can be an extension to the house, and now that they have discovered it, they intend to continue using it. Many also noted that their backyard is now so much nicer that they feel at home in the yard.

Cindy Simmons is a nationally recognized mom influencer who features several social media platforms. She’s the mother to two girls, ages 8 and 15.

“We are already an outdoor kind of family but for sure, and we were out in our backyard much more often,” she said of the quarantine. “We added more balls and backyard games into the mix. We even found a blow-up sprinkler unicorn that our girls and neighbors fell in love with for relief from the heat!”

She said the time being forced to stay home during the pandemic opened her family’s eyes as to “how we need to improve our outdoor space to serve us better.”

A recent survey of 570 moms by BSM Media showed that 73%

of the moms said the habit of being outside more is one they intend to keep post-pandemic. Backyard celebrations are being planned by 59.8% of moms, and 37.8% of them have intentions to stock up on more outdoor toys. Another important statistic included in the survey said that 63.4% of those moms want to continue curbside pick-ups from those retailers.

Susan Pazera, a New York mom and family travel expert, said she too used her backyard during the quarantine.

“My kids are in their teens and we found ourselves playing in the yard like we used to when they were younger,” she said.

“Kickball, volleyball, frisbee - it was great to interact with them this way again and get a little piece of their childhood back.”

Retailers may also want to keep stock of outdoor toys-to-go as well as traditional travel toys and games. In the BSM survey, 63.8% of the moms intend to go on vacation with road trips (65%), enjoying local long weekends (44.9%), and visiting national parks (25.5%).

“We have always been a family that enjoyed the backyard but realized we didn’t always spend much time there together,” Pazera said. “It was always the kids and their friends more so than us together as a family. The yard became an escape for us even ASTRA though we were all stuck at home.”

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trending now Learn STEM while playing!

Fidget

Toys

C I R C U I TC U B E S .CO M

I

f you haven’t noticed - and guessing by the overwhelming popularity in recent months - you definitely have, fidget toys are hot, hot, hot.

Don’t expect that trend to slow.

Fidget popper toys have been the rage for several months, and Scott Van Reeth of Streamline said he’s forecasting the trend to continue.

“It’s one of those things that you just don’t know the answer to,” Van Reeth said when asked if he thinks the trend will continue. “We’re ordering them as if it’s not going to (drop off ) and then you pray that it doesn’t. I’m bringing them in like they’ll be hot for the rest of the year and I’m anticipating they’ll be hot through Christmas.”

In recent years, the fidget spinner was the rage, and the current popper craze looks to have similar results.

Several stores around the country have seen a steady stream of high schoolers and younger making frequent popper purchases this spring. With kids out of school for the summer, the hot streak may cool for a couple of months, but Van Reeth said he’s confident it will ramp again this fall.

“I can’t keep them in stock. It’s crazy,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the

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same as the spinners. I think it’s a little bit better than that.”

Another toy keeping hands busy is the Tangle. Tangle owner Jan Marie Zawitz said they like to consider Tangle as “the original fidget toy.”

Tangle was first created in 1981 and the fidget masters are celebrating their 40th year in business.

“It’s quite coincidental that the fidget trend has aligned with us very nicely,” she said.

Zawitz said they started to notice the hot trend picking up steam last summer. Despite the length of fidget-toy popularity, Zawitz agrees that things are still trending upwards.

“I still don’t think it’s at its apex yet. I think the holidays are going to be huge,” she said. “It’s hot right now, but we’re just warming up for the playoffs. The holidays are going to be like the Super Bowl for us.”

If the popular term, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” is true, then Tangle is in good company. Over their 40 years in business, Zawitz said there have been several knock offs in the marketplace.

Tangle has a brand security team that works to prevent it.

“Whenever there is opportunity, people will seize it,” she said. “We’ve gotten a few that are out there, and they don’t come close at all in terms of how they move, how they’re built, and most importantly there’s the safety regulations on them.”

ASTRA

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US: The Learning Journey Int’l | 24435 N. 20th Drive | Phoenix, AZ 85085 t. 877.839.3969 | o. 602.787.1115 | f. 623.879.0125 | e. orders@tlji.com | w. tlji.com

Connect with us today:

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ASTRA BOOTH #910

TOY FAIR DALLAS BOOTH #12-2001

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NEW members If any of the information below is incorrect, ASTRA truly apologizes. Please contact us immediately at info@astratoy.org.

AFFILIATES Opto International 1325 N Mittel Blvd Wood Dale, IL 60191-1024 tadams@optosystem.com

MANUFACTURERS Alisa Toys 630 Turnpike St North Andover, MA 01845-6000 jfrench@alisatoys.com

Atlas Games 230 Leighton Dr., Apt 1 Big Lake, MN 55309-8714 travis@atlas-games.com Baby Jack & Company 5300 S 108th St. Ste 15 # 183 Hales Corners, WI 53130-1368 info@babyjackblankests.com www.babyjackandcompany.com Bunny Hopkins Toys 1205 Johnson Ferry Rd Ste 136 # 364 Marietta, GA 30068-5401 shamik@bunnyhopkinstoys.com Craftie Fox/Storypod 2980 McFarlane Rd Miami, FL 33133-6030 office@storypod.com GloPlay 325 W 38th St, Rm 1405 New York, NY 10018-9583 susan@mirajapan.com Goki America 227W 4th St, Ste 108 Charlotte, NC 28202 marcel.martel@goki-toys.com Gray Matters Games 432 Stagecoach Run Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 joe@graymattersgames.com www.graymattersgames.com Heebie Jeebies 8605 Santa Monica Blvd, #73405 West Hollywood, CA 90069-4109 adam@heebiejeebies.com.au Komarc Games 200 N 700 W, Ste 260 Logan, UT 84321 jneedham@komarc.com Learning Advantage 2400 Midpoint DR, Ste 130 Fort Collins, CO 80524 angie@learningadvantage.com www.learningadvantagedealer.com Lucky Little Leprechaun 13306 Withers Cove Rd LLL Brand LLC Charlotte, NC 28278-6832 lllbrandllc@gmail.com www.luckylittleleprechaun.com

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Marmals 2240 SE 31St Ave Portland, OR 97214-5625 jlawber@gmail.com

Barnaby’s Toy and Art Shack 12 Oak St, Shop C Nantucket, MA 02554-3577 leslie.riedel@gmail.com

Pele Trade 465 Mola Blvd, Ste 3 Elmwood Park, NJ 07407-2092 vlad@pelecommerce.com

Mchezo 250 American Greeting Card Rd Corbin, KY 40701-4801 staff@mchezo.com

Fairway Seed PO Box 580 , 802 Depot St Armour, SD 57313-0580 fairwayseed@goldenwest.net

Pigtails & Crewcuts 1653 Conway Isle CIR Belle Isle, FL 32809-3301 floridapigtails@gmail.com

Music City Merchandising/ Ruby Red Fashion Friends 901 Broadway , Unit 24271 Nashville, TN 37202-3992 john@musiccitymerchandising.com

Formidable Toys 6281 N Oracle Rd , # 35961 Tucson, AZ 85704-5516 trichins@formidabletoys.com www.formidabletoys.com

Steve’s Toy Box 300 West Boston Post Rd Mamaroneck, NY 10543 stevestoybox26@gmail.com

MWThings 4737 County Rd 101, #161 Minnetonka, MN 55345-2634 mindwatts@gmail.com

Gifts for You 10305 Argonne DR Woodridge, IL 60517-4909 jtuchler@giftsforyounow.com

Octacog 539 W Commerce St., Ste 2992 Dallas, TX 75208-1953 bill@octacog.com www.cogtoycompany.com

Gigglemugs 1461 Burlingame Ave Burlingame, CA 94010-4110 kat@shopgigglemugs.com

The Gifted Child 72 Church St Lenox, ME 01240 reagifted@aol.com www.thegiftedchild.net

Hopkins Apothecary 246 Highway 641 N Camden, TN 38320-1330 Bhopkins1973@gmail.com

Thingamabaubles 401 E Market St Nappanee, IN 46550-1439 info@thingamabaubles.com

Jellybeans 2632 S Glenstone Ave Springfield, MO 65804 shopjellybeans@gmail.com

Towne Center Books 555 Main St Pleasanton, CA 94566 judy@townecenterbooks.com www.townecenterbooks.com

PixBrix 1716 W Broadway Rd, Ste 111 Mesa, AZ 85202-1174 sdumphy@pix-brix.com www.pix-brix.com Twinkle Toy 11 Mosier Ct Monsey, NY 10952-2319 eli@twinkletoy.com Waman Books Publishing 35 Emerald Rd Robbinsville, NJ 08691-3166 wamanbooks@gmail.com www.wamanbooks.com Waterline Toys 1278 Glenneyre St , #429 Laguna Beach, CA 92651-3103 sheri@waterlinetoys.com Wordy 325 W 38th St, Rm 1405 New York, NY 10018-9583 susan@wordytoys.com WSLicensing 2059 Hoefner Ave Commerce, CA 90040-1582 info@wslicensing.com Yo Ring 102 E Boynton Rd Kaysville, UT 84037-1210 yoringitup@gmail.com

RETAILERS ANB Baby 5409 18th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11204-1928 anbbaby@gmail.com www.anbbaby.com

Joyful Tantrum 213 E Main St Midland, MI 48640-5113 shop@serendipityroad.net Kat Books Online 6 W School LN Yardley, PA 19067-3129 katbooksonline@gmail.com KidSport 122 E. Meadow Dr, Ste D2 Vail, CO 81657 michelleb@kidsportvail.com www.kidsvail.com Light Junction 400 Innovation Ave, Ste 150 Morrisville, NC 27560-8557 justina@lightjunction.com Maynard Brothers 71 Hilliard St Manchester, CT 06042-3001 accounting@timemachinehobby.com Miller’s Toys 335 Mamaroneck Ave Mamaroneck, NY 10543 chris@millerstoys.com www.millerstoys.com Nerd Herd 10 York St Gettysburg, PA 17325-2301 shop@nerdherdgettysburg.com

Sydekick Products 220 S Beechtree St Grand HAven, MI 49417-2002 greg@sydekicktoys.com

Toys & More 11732 Galloway LOOP Eagle River, AK 99577-7315 larsoncathy@gci.net Toys4Kids 2416 Grand Cypress Dr, Ste 312 Lutz, FL 33559-6833 toys4kidsllc@gmail.com Whiz Kids 3979 S Higuera St San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 lecsm@aol.com Wood Wood Toys 571 gladstone Ave. Unit 1 Toronto, ON m6h3j3 CANADA info@woodwoodtoys.ca

SALES REP GROUPS Powerup 2201 Acacia Park Dr, Ste 619 Lyndhurst, OH 44124 sales@poweruptoys.com Classic & Associates 10301 Bren Rd West, Ste B-169 Minnetonka, MN 55343 US sales@classic-toys.net

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ASTRA welcomes its newest manufacturer members

Alisa Toys Alisa Toys www.alisatoys.com

Atlas Games www.atlas-games.com

Baby Jack & Company www.babyjackandcompany.com

With over 20 years of success in Europe, Alisa Toys is excited to introduce their bestselling product lines in North America. Check out the trendy LUKKYTM cosmetics line to create a dazzling style, or collect all of the BlockformersTM, the unique transforming building blocks with a twist!

Atlas Games believes in creative curiosity and sensible operations. We love new, interesting ideas and strive to create those games when we find them - whether it be a board game, a card game or a role-playing game. We also believe that being environmentally conscious is the right thing to do and design our games accordingly.

Baby Jack & Co. creates look & find crinkle tag toys and loveys with fabrics designed by two kids! A fun comfort object that can help with developing milestones by stimulating a baby’s five senses, Loveys can provide a positive interaction with a child, teach, comfort and entertain - all while encouraging self-soothing and sleep training.

Bunny Hopkins Toys www.bunnyhopkinstoys.com

Craftie Fox/Storypod www.storypod.com

Bunny Hopkins designs and makes natural open-ended toys for active play. We are a 100% specialty-focused, family-owned business with no Amazon/mass market presence. Inspired by age-old wisdom and the sheer joy of free play, our purposefully minimalist toys are Made in the USA, using responsibly sourced, all-natural materials, which are both safe for children and for the environment. Our bestseller product, Rainbow Wobble Board, has been selected as a finalist in the Outdoor/Active category of ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids Awards.

Storypod is a magical 360° sound speaker that leads children on adventures and ignites their imaginations and creativity. Kids ages 3+ playfully listen and learn from original and classical stories, songs and rhymes enabled by a charming cast of “Craftie” yarn companions, books and trivia cards.

GloPlay www.letsgloplay.com

Goki America www.goki-toys.com

Gray Matters Games www.graymattersgames.com

GloPlay is re-attachable, removable, reusable and waterproof wall stickers that glow-in-thedark and come in many shapes and sizes! With unique and magical designs, it is loved by all!

When fully charged, GloPlay stickers will glow for up to 5+ hours.

Goki America offers a wide range of European wooden toys from our German parent company Gollnest & Kiesel. Our own brands are goki, HOLZTIGER and Heimess which stand for high-quality, sustainable and eco-friendly.

We design, develop and manufacture awardwinning toys and are happy to provide them here in the US.

Gray Matters Games designs and publishes award-winning family and adult party games that are sure to Brighten Your Play! Stop by their ASTRA booth #149 and check out their new hit family party game, The Root Beer Float Challenge!

Heebie Jeebies www.heebiejeebies.com.au

Komarc Games komarcgames.com

Heebie Jeebies is an Australian wholesale company that loves to create fun things for both big and little inquisitive minds. Our vision is to have a unique range of market leading products that are not only distinctive in style and design, but also inspire discovery and learning through play.

At Komarc Games, we love making games and toys that promote social interaction, stimulate motor skills, and encourage creativity and strategic thinking. We strive to design products that are highly unique and challenging for kids, teens and adults, and most importantly will fly off your retail shelves. At a party, at home, with friends, or in the classroom, Komarc’s expanding product line is sure to entertain. Let’s Play! astratoy.org • July 2021

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ASTRA welcomes its newest manufacturer members

Learning Advantage www.learningadvantagedealer.com

Lucky Little Leprechaun www.luckylittleleprechaun.com

Marmals www.marmals.com

Learning Advantage exclusively distributes a collection of brands of children’s products.

Products are carefully curated to ensure they are high-quality, unique and facilitate the greatest learning experience for ages 0-12. The product range includes arts and crafts supplies, early math toys, math and literacy resources for school-aged children, science kits, board games and open-ended and sensory play toys.

The Lucky Little Leprechaun Deluxe Collection contains one of St Patrick’s Lucky Little Leprechauns, a pot with 3 clover-leaf gold coins, and an illustrated storybook in a keepsake boxed set. The book tells the history of Saint Patrick’s Day and explains how children can “catch” their own Lucky Little Leprechaun! Children are encouraged create their own leprechaun traps at home and school.

Marmals are a brand new, award-winning line of modular toys designed to be a sensory launchpad for creativity and storytelling.

Mchezo www.mchezo.com

MWThings www.mindwatts.com

Mchezo strives to make puzzles as unique as its name. The collection of brands at Mchezo has a puzzle for just about any taste. Our puzzles are designed in Kentucky, frequently using local artists, and produced with superb quality from trusted manufacturer partners. They feature extra-thick pieces, vibrant box art, and reference sheets in each box.

Trigmate, the best hands-on math toy, and its parent company Mindwatts LLC exist to help our next generation do better than us. At Mindwatts, we make simple things to change the world with a focus on education and health.

Music City Merchandising/ Ruby Red Fashion Friends www.musiccitymerchandising.com

Octacog www.cogtoycompany.com

PixBrix www.pix-brix.com

Twinkle Toy www.twinkletoy.com

Octacog is a STEM construction toy and game that’s all about the physics of balance.

Design and build countless contraptions. Many will balance, many will not.

Pix Brix are a multi-award-winning pixel puzzle brick that utilizes a unique patented connection system. This simple one-piece slide + stack system allows the user to create 2D pixel art and 3D builds by connecting vertically, horizontally and diagonally. Pix Brix are a certified STEM/STEAM open ended building toy that fosters play, creativity, and imagination.

Twinkle Toy offers a unique range of toys across multiple categories including Infant & Toddler, Arts & Crafts, and Pretend Play. Each of our products has been thoughtfully selected to meet the highest standards of quality and educational play value. We are the exclusive distributor of the Tolo, Blopens, Pixelo, and Mini Delices brands in the USA.

Ruby Red Fashion Friends are the most beautiful and fashionable collector dolls in the world.

These totally poseable fashion dolls can stand on their own. They are 14.5” tall and feature articulated joints at the head, elbow, knee, and hip. Each Fashion Friend is made of collector quality materials. They have the most amazing luxurious hair that can be styled over and over!

Waman Books Publishing www.wamanbooks.com

Waterline Toys www.waterlinetoys.com

Waman Books Publishing, LLC is home of The Rambee Boo Series, a picture book series for children ages 2-7. The series resonates well with young children as it focuses on early social and developmental behaviors such as patience, responsibility, problem solving, teamwork and anxiety associated with new experiences. Through rhyming and repetition, the series encourages early reading skills with fun and easy to follow stories.

Waterline Toys is home to the Award-Winning SkimBe®, a 10 oz., polyurethane disc that, with a flick of the wrist, skips, skims, slides and jumps across your favorite water playground. Waterline Toys is a womenowned manufacturer of pool and outdoor toys that leverages SkimBe® in creating engaging, year-round toys for families and friends of all ages.

The company is run by a husband-and-wife team that has over 30+ years of manufacturing and product development experience and 23 years’ experience raising four kids, giving them first-hand experience in the need for family-friendly, multigenerational toys.

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toytimes

Hello, fun!

Meet us at Booth #649

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index of advertisers

Summer School is Now in Session continued from page 24

ASTRA Toy Times Magazine, July 2021 Aeromax, Inc......................................aeromaxtoys.com.................................................. 32 Amahi Ukuleles.................................amahiukuleles.com............................................... 12

Spielstabil Sand Pail

American Bubble Company.........americanbubble.com..........................................6-7 Circuit Cubes/Tenka Inc.................circuitcubes.com.................................................... 40 DJECO US.............................................djeco.com................................................................. 31 Douglas................................................douglastoys.com.......................................................9 Fat Brain Toy Co.................................FatBrainToyCo.com.................Inside Front Cover FoxMind...............................................foxmind.com...............................................................5 The Good Toy Group.......................goodtoygroup.com............................................... 32 Harrisville Designs............................friendlyloom.com.................................................. 28 Kala Brand Music Co........................kalabrand.com........................................................ 27 KidStuff Public Relations................kidstuffpr.com......................................................... 40 The Learning Journey Intl..............tlji.com....................................................................... 41 Madame Alexander ........................madamealexander.com....................................... 36 Mapp Trap...........................................mapptrap.com........................................................ 35 Micro Kickboard................................microkickboard.com............................................. 29 MukikiM LLC.......................................mukikim.com........................................................... 33 MW Wholesale...................................mwwholesale.biz................................................... 23 Pix Brix LLC..........................................pix-brix.com............................................................. 19

Any Outdoor Toy Will Do A creative mind can find a lesson in any outdoor toy. For instance, O’Neal said he likes to point out that bubbles do better in the southeast than the northern or desert climates.

“Bubbles last longer in humidity,” he said. “A parent could easily help a child set up an experiment to prove it.”

Fairy gardens are another favorite for O’Neal. “It is a way for young girls to get their hands dirty and see that digging in the dirt is okay,” he said.

Most sports have mathematical elements. Parents can have their children calculate their own batting averages, free throw percentages, or distances per golf club.

Roberts Blumberg Giacobbe........rbgsales.com............................................................ 28 Theo Klein U.S....................................klein-toys.com......................................................... 20 tonies....................................................us.tonies.com............................ Inside Back Cover Top Trumps USA................................toptrumps.us........................................................... 11 Toy Collection....................................toycollectionretailer.com.................................... 14 The Toy Network...............................thetoynetwork.com.............................................. 39 Toysmith..............................................toysmith.com.......................................................... 15 TREND Enterprises...........................trendenterprises.com........................................... 45 Trophy Music Co...............................grotro.com................................................................ 25 TWW Wholesale................................tww-wholesale.com.............................................. 38 Ultra Pro Intl./Playroom..................upe-catalog.com.................................................... 24 Waterline Toys....................................waterlinetoys.com................................................. 10 Wikki Stix.............................................wikkistix.com........................................................... 17

Playmonster Fairy Garden Nature Cottage

Winning Moves Games..................winning-moves.com..................... 13, Back Cover

To reserve your ad in the next issue, contact Rick Kauder (315) 789-0458 • rkauder@fwpi.com 46

The key part in all of this is you. Make it a priority over the next few days to talk with your team about all the ways your outdoor toys can be teaching tools. Then share that info with the parents walking through your door.

Not only will you make parents feel better about their child’s ASTRA education, you’ll be doing their children a service, too.

July 2021 • astratoy.org

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New From Winning Moves Games!

Q: How do you like your words?

A: Over easy of course!

Learn how to play Words Over Easy! https://youtu.be/PfcOvx_XfMU

In the WORDS OVER EASY game, players scramble to come up with words using all the letters, face-up, from the “good eggs” and none of the letters from the “rotten eggs”. When time’s up, players compare their word lists and score for their original words.

Learn how to play Trashed! https://youtu.be/NOr0EoFPo_I

The TRASHED card game was inspired by the old-time favorite card game Garbage. With custom cards and unique twists to gameplay, Trashed takes the classic game to a whole new level.

Trashed is a simple-to-learn,delightful card game that’s great fun for 2, 3 or 4 players!

800.664.7788 x101 or x103 wmsales@winning-moves.com

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WORDS OVER EASY and TRASHED are trademarks of Winning Moves. © 2021 Winning Moves Inc. All Rights Reserved. Words Over Easy is a creation of Shenanigans Toys & Games and Ken Gruhl. TRASHED is a creation of Roger Munyon and Random Games & Toys. WINNING MOVES, WINNING MOVES GAMES, and CLASSIC, RETRO, COOL, & FUN, and Logos thereof, are registered trademarks of Winning Moves Inc. © 2021 Winning Moves Inc., 75 Sylvan Street, Suite C-104, Danvers, MA 01923 USA. All Rights Reserved. Manufactured by Winning Moves Inc., 75 Sylvan Street, Suite C-104, Danvers, MA 01923 USA. Colors and parts may vary. MADE IN CHINA.

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