26-27_30-31_Kids.qxp_Grid 01/12/2024 14:41 Page 1
Focus on…Children’s Cards
Kidding Around Children are rarely serious unless it’s about having fun and that’s what kids’ card designs reflect with their bright colours, imaginative characters and artwork. PG takes a look at what’s currently capturing youngsters’ hearts on the greeting card front. A sense of fun is the theme linking most kids’ card designs as publishers aim to appeal to youngsters’ imagination and sense of adventure. At IC&G, this year’s popular children’s cards have been “those full of fun, joy and colour with quirky animals like the llama and panda in our Funhouse range,” sums up design team member Kathryn Coyle. “For younger children, bright and playful designs take centre stage. Age cards featuring robots and aliens are a big hit, appealing to their sense of imagination and adventure. Meanwhile, our cuddly and adorable Barley Bear steals the show for the youngest recipients.” It’s all about animals at Stormy Knight where owner Sarah Jackson said: “Personally, we've had a flurry Above right: Quirky animals work for IC&G. Right: Animals magic at Stormy Knight.
of third birthday parties in the last few months. Most kids that age love tigers/lions/cats, etc, and they don't feel like they’re pandering to the gender stereotypes that can be a bit divisive at this age.” But Sarah admitted that, despite preferring to design gender-neutral cards and ones that break from traditional boy-girl likes, her daughter Phoebe “has hit Right: Scary favourites at Redback. Below: Space is timeless for Wendy Jones-Blackett. Below right: Ricicle has taken a gender neutral approach.
Out of the mouths of babes Above: The Caroline Gardner youngsters include Brae, aged five, who said: “I like this Bumblebee card as I’m in Bumblebee class at school so I like giving it to my friends.” Three-year-old Penny said: “I love unicorns and like this one’s hair. My favourite colour is pink,” and five-year-old Raffy added: “I like the lion, grrrr!” 26 PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
that age where her brain is filled with hearts, rainbows, unicorns and ballet dancers and I've witnessed firsthand just how much most girls gravitate towards these things so can understand why there’s a demand for these subject matters on cards!” For Kali Stileman, dancers and dinosaurs are always popular themes, and director of operations Jemima Stileman said: “These can often be categorised as girl and boy themes, but one of our most popular designs is our girl on a dinosaur card – both girls and boys just love dinosaurs! From our Multicultural range, it features lots children of different ethnicities and hobbies, including a spaceman, superwoman and mermaid.”