Podcasts about Toy Association

“Christmas is in danger,” according to Toy Association CEO and president Greg Ahearn. In a report by NBC News, Ahearn said U.S. President Donald Trump's increasing tariffs are disrupting manufacturing in China, where the Toy Association estimated 80% of toys sold in the U.S. are sourced.

Christmas may not be so merry according to the Toy Association which says more than 75% of toys destined for the US holiday come from China. The tariffs are putting supply chains and costs into chaos. Caught My Eye, looks at a “captain” that bought a German cruise ship on Craigslist to rehab, and an American YouTuber that may face five years in prison for contacting a remote tribe in India. Our Business Birthday this week celebrates Chuck Feeney, co-founder of Duty Free Shops and secret philanthropist. We're all business. Except when we're not. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/4aza5LW YouTube Music: bit.ly/43T8Y81 Pandora: pdora.co/2pEfctj YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Also follow Tim and John on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/focusgroupradio

“There are no tired brands, just tired marketers.” That quote alone has been living rent-free in my head since this interview. It has challenged me to take a look at my own brand and ask, am I doing everything I can to keep it thriving?In this episode, Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop and Chairwoman of the Toy Association, shares how she turned around a failing classic brand, and ushered it into a new era of profitability and heart. Sharon walked me through her approach to brand transformation, from how she finds hidden profit in the smallest details to how she leads with data, with a focus on building resilience even through the toughest times. Sharon is a master of reframing for a positive mindset. When the pandemic hit, she renamed her daily team meetings from “COVID calls” to “success calls.” And that mindset shift worked wonders. 2021 became Build-A-Bear's most profitable year ever.If you're sitting on a brand that you know has potential but you've been feeling stuck on how to help it gain momentum, this episode will certainly give you a new perspective.Listen For These Important Moments:[04:06] - What do you do when a business is failing, but the brand still has magic? Sharon shares how she approached one of the biggest challenges of her career.[08:04] - Could saving a few pennies really turn a business around? This moment will make you rethink how you look at every product detail.[18:50] - In the middle of a crisis, Sharon made one simple change that completely shifted her team's mindset—and it led to record-breaking results.[24:58] -  “There are no tired brands, just tired marketers.”— This one quote changed how I see branding forever. If your business feels stuck, this is the wake-up call you need.[38:41] -  Think success means climbing a ladder step by step? Sharon has a different take that might just change your entire career outlook.Send The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showPopular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy IdeasYour Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps >> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass

What Makes an Idea Stick? Secrets from Two Creative Powerhouses What if your next big idea wasn't just creative—but also wildly successful? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, I talk with Gavin Lawler and Neal Hoffman, two brilliant minds who have turned their creative visions into real-world wins. From innovative storytelling to building brands that capture hearts and imaginations, they share practical strategies for making creativity work—in business, art, and life. You'll hear how they've navigated challenges, leveraged the power of persuasion, and turned passion projects into thriving ventures. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an artist, or someone with a dream waiting to take shape, this conversation will give you actionable steps and fresh inspiration to move forward with confidence. Tune in and get the creative edge you've been looking for! Gavin Lawler is the founder of Inno8 Creative Academy, the home of Creepy Cute Collectible and winner of the 2025 Collectible Toy of the Year from the Toy Association. Innov8 Creative Academy is a trailblazer in crafting distinctive collectible toys and characters. Renowned for their innovative designs and captivating storytelling, Innov8 ignites the imagination and sparks creativity. With a passion for pushing boundaries, they create more than just toys—they craft worlds. Their mission? To inspire wonder, foster creativity, and bring joy to collectors across the globe.   Neal Hoffman is a Shark Tanker and the CEO of FanRoll Dice. He's also the creator of the Mensch on a Bench, the most publicized brand to ever come out of Shark Tank. FanRoll offers premium dice sets for tabletop RPG fans, collectors, and dice lovers. The Catan Masterpiece Series, fully funded on Kickstarter in just one hour, showcases their commitment to quality. Whether you're playing Catan, D&D, Pathfinder, or other games, FanRoll's dice combine stunning designs with perfect balance. With materials ranging from acrylic and metal to resin, gemstones, and glow-in-the-dark, each set enhances your gaming experience. Trust FanRoll to provide dice that are as beautiful as they are functional. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-lawler-817457b3/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neal-hoffman-8a2306/ https://www.kreepycollectibles.com/ https://www.wellbeingheroes.com/ https://fanrolldice.com/   nnect with Izolda Website: https://IzoldaT.com BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social. Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series One Minute Movies A Close Shave Career Suicide Diz Wit   Flip Your Inner Script to Stop Negative Thoughts From Ruining Your Day.   This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link) URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset It's also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you've been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!** Are you getting anything out of the show? I'd love it if you would buy me a coffee.   Listen on These Channels Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Podbean | MyTuner | iHeart Radio | TuneIn | Deezer | Overcast | PodChaser | Listen Notes | Player FM | Podcast Addict | Podcast Republic |  

For the first time since 2023, the Toy Association put together their usually annual Toy Fair! For 2025, the show is back in its native slot of February, and Kris and Ian attended to share their thoughts on the show. Companies discussed include Mattel, Spin Masters, LEGO, Hasbro, Playmates, Bandai Namco, Funko, Super7, and tons … Continue reading Comic Timing Episode 244 – Toy Fair 2025 in Review →

Chris talks with Greg Ahearn president and CEO of the Toy Association on the last day of the recent NY Toy Fair from the show floor.They talk about the almost universally positive response to the show, the future of the NY show, what's going on in LA, the exceptional work being done by the Association in DC, and the important work of The Toy Foundation.It's a somewhat wide-ranging conversation, but it's important listening for those who want to stay in the know about the work the Association is doing on behalf of the entire toy industry.

I really enjoyed our conversation about the collaboration between Tonies Education and TinkerClass and TinkerCast. Hope you enjoy!! About Drew Drew Vernon is a former child and current Education Director for Tonies, an interactive audio system for children. In this role, Drew researches and shares the educational benefits of Toniebox listening and play. Drew's work has led to Tonies becoming one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Education companies, as well as a nominee for the Toy Association's Creative Toy of the Year. Prior to tonies, Drew led the U.S. preschool division of LEGO, where he issued a "Prescription for Play" to half a million children.  As an entrepreneur, Drew started a licensed drop-in childcare center in Connecticut. He earned an MBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and started his career in Marketing at Procter & Gamble. Drew lives in the mountains of Utah with his wife and three children (15, 12, 9). In his spare time, he enjoys running, making mediocre pottery, and co-hosting the "Childhood" podcast with his youngest daughter. About Tonies Join the Facebook group Contact: ⁠https://education.us@tonies.com⁠  About Carole Carole Paterson holds an undergraduate degree in Biology from St. Lawrence University and a Master's in Independent School Leadership from Vanderbilt University. She began her career as an environmental educator and summer camp director in the Catskills of New York, igniting her passion for experiential-based learning and science education. After relocating to Pennsylvania, Carole focused on land and water conservation, working as a project coordinator with local and regional organizations to tackle environmental challenges and increase public engagement on critical environmental issues. In 2004, she earned her teaching certification from Saint Vincent College and spent seven years teaching high school environmental science. Carole's career took a new turn when she joined an independent school faculty, transitioning to teach science to students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Today, she serves in multiple roles at Valley School of Ligonier, including Science Teacher, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Coordinator, Summer Camp Director, Advisor, and student support team member.In addition to her classroom responsibilities, Carole is a TinkerClass Community Tinkerer, where she shares her expertise on Podject-Based Learning tools to inspire and support fellow educators. Passionate about both environmental education and holistic student development, Carole continues to engage and motivate her students in meaningful, hands-on learning experiences. About TinkerClass "TinkerClass is the first interactive, K-5 educational podcast program that provides free tools and resources for teachers to deliver jaw-dropping instruction to students of all learning levels. TinkerClass projects [or podcasts + projects] combine project-based learning with the use of our educational, fun podcasts and invite students to listen, wonder, tinker, and make like scientists, engineers, and detectives!  For more information, go to TinkerClass.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/1254237428897763 About Rachelle Subscribe to the podcast and my ⁠newsletter⁠. Also, check out my ⁠blog⁠ and submit a guest blog. Contact me for speaking and training related to AI, AI and the law, SEL, STEM, and World Language Educator training for each of these topics as well! ⁠bit.ly/thriveineduPD⁠

Favorite childhood toys. Unexpected hazards. The future of the toy industry. Learn about ASTM's premier toy safety standard (F963) and the people who build safety into the toys we love.Join ASTM's editorial director Dave Walsh and his guests Joan Lawrence, senior vice president of Standards and Regulatory Affairs with the Toy Association, and Heather Bramble, vice president of Product Safety and Regulatory Compliance with Mattel, for a lively discussion about standards and toy safety.Follow Us Twitter @ASTMIntl Facebook @ASTMInternational Instagram @astmintl YouTube @ASTMIntl LinkedIn @ASTM International Presented by ASTM International www.astm.org

Innovation World Young Collaborators Podcast Series was honored to interview Greg Ahearn, President of The Toy Association and YIC judge at People of Play's Young Inventor Challenge on November 9, 2024. The mission of the Young Inventor Challenge® (YIC) is to inspire the next generation to use creativity, critical thinking, and STEAM skills in the invention and innovation process and to connect professionals within the toy and game industry to mentor these young innovators in their design process.​The annual Young Inventor Challenge® provides an opportunity for children ages 6 to 18 to develop and pitch their original inventions to major toy and game companies, industry professionals, members of the media and general public. This unique and educational experience ignites imagination, creativity and presentation skills like no other, providing a means of taking these inventions to greater heights, with professional critiques from People of Play industry experts.Many of the winning inventions have been licensed by these global companies and can be found on store shelves today!For more information about the Young Innovator Challenge visit: https://www.chitag.com/yic Listen to more young innovator podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1589629 Learn more about Innovation World: https://innovationworld.org/

Curious about what happens when major toy industry players team up?In this episode of Making It In The Toy Industry, host Azhelle Wade cracks open the toy box on the epic merger between The Toy Association and People of Play. You'll hear straight from the toy legends — Mary Couzin and Greg Ahearn—as they give us backstage passes on their big plans for events like POP Week and ChiTAG, and how this merger is shaking things up for the toy industry. The guests shared what sparked this merger and the opportunities that await toy creators, inventors, and enthusiasts in the long run.You'll also get to hear solid tips on how to make the most of toy fairs and events like pitching, networking, and thriving in an industry that's always leveling up. Whether you're a toy biz vet or just starting to dip your toes in the toy industry, LISTEN to this episode because it is packed with everything you need to level up your toy game!Listen For These Important Moments01:36 The Major Merger: The Toy Association and People of Play08:27 Maintaining the Spirit of POP13:11 Immediate Changes and Future Plans20:00 Nostalgic Toys and Their Comebacks21:35 ChiTAG and POP Week: Coming this November 2024!24:15 Young Inventor Challenge and Industry Opportunities25:57 Networking Tips for New Inventors29:52 How to Make the Most of ChiTAG and POP Week32:55 Encouraging New Toy InventorsSend The Toy Coach Fan Mail!Support the showPopular Masterclass! How To Make & Sell Your Toy IdeasYour Low-Stress, Start-To-Finish Playful Product Launch In 5 Steps >> https://learn.thetoycoach.com/masterclass

In this episode, we talk to Greg Ahearn, the new president and CEO of The Toy Association. Greg takes the reins in a dynamic time for the 108-year-old organization, and talks about its vital role in the industry today and where it's going in the future. Listen in and get a new appreciation for all the association does, and much more. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-playground-podcast/support

There are big changes ahead for the Toy Association. After months of work and listening, there's news about LA in the Fall (and Spring), New York, ongoing advocacy and much more. Andy Keimach, interim president and CEO of the Toy Association gives us the scoop on what's happening...and it's good news. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-playground-podcast/support

Ep. 48 – In Play: Toy Association EVP Global Market Events Kimberly Carcone   The Toy Association EVP Global Market Events Kimberly Carcone joined Trade Show Talk to share her experience overseeing the association's flagship event, Toy Fair. In 2023, the 118th Toy Fair returned last fall to New York City for the first time since 2020. Held at Javits Center, Toy Fair 2023 attracted about 20,000 attendees to see tens of thousands of products on display by 1,021 exhibiting companies, including nearly 400 first-time exhibitors. The trade show brought buyers from nearly 100 countries together to shop, explore, and see the latest trends and innovations in toys and play across the equivalent of nearly eight football fields filled with toys and games.  Carcone shared insight into why the association's leaders looked to move to New Orleans but then ultimately decided to remain in New York after the announcement of the move was met with strong feelings of tradition and enduring memories of toy business conducted in New York.  Find out how she and her team worked closely with Javits to confirm the first available opening in 2025. The next Toy Fair will be held March 1-4, 2025 at Javits Center. The show has confirmed dates in February in both 2026 and 2027.   Our guest Kimberly Carcone, Executive Vice President, Global Market Events joined the Toy Association in September of 2007.   She has more than 30 years of experience in non-profit and corporate management, event development and execution, sales, marketing, and publishing, in both New York City and Washington, DC.  Carcone is a seasoned professional who has succeeded in numerous industries including performing arts & cultural affairs, interior design & architecture, hospitality, travel, pharmaceutical, the legal arena and for the past 17 years, the toy industry.  Prior to joining the Toy Association, Carcone served in various leadership positions at ALM Events, a division of American Lawyer Media, E.W. Williams Publications, Miller Freeman, Inc., VNU Business Media, The American Society of Interior Designers and the NYS Council on the Arts for the City of Long Beach.   She is a founding member of the Women in Exhibitions North America Chapter, has served on the NYIAEE Board of Directors and was recently named Vice Chair of the newly created UFI North America Chapter. Kimberly currently serves on the Jacob K Javits Customer Advisory Board, the NYC&Co. Tradeshow & Events Committee, UFI Global Congress Advisory Board, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment Advisory Board, and United Inventors Association Advisory Board.  She studied Association Management at the George Washington University in Washington DC and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Buffalo State University. In addition to her professional pursuits, Carcone has been a producer of anindependent film, a breeder of thoroughbred racehorses, is a strong supporter of the Arts and remains an avid beach lover. Her LinkedIn bio can be found here.  

Happy New Year! To ring in the 2024 New Year, the Ryans bring on Charlotte Hickcox from the Toy Association to talk all things toys. They discuss Charlotte's background, what the Toy Association does, and reminisce over their favorite childhood toys!About the Toy Association:Founded on June 9, 1916 as Toy Manufacturers of America, Inc., The Toy Association®, Inc. is the business trade association representing hundreds of companies including manufacturers, retailers, licensors and others who are involved in the youth entertainment industry. Their manufacturing members account for 93% of US toy and game sales, which were approximately $40 billion in 2022. Learn more: https://www.toyassociation.org/

Pendant les confinements, si certains se sont mis à faire du pain ou à bricoler, bon nombre d'adultes ont renoué avec les loisirs de leur enfance : jeux vidéos, dessin animés, … D'ailleurs, dans une étude de la Toy Association, on apprend que 58% des adultes américains interrogés qui ont acheté des jouets en 2021 les ont achetés pour eux et pas pour des enfants. Entre le Happy Meal pour adultes vendu aux Etats-Unis l'an dernier et les restaurants au concept régressif style coquillettes jambons qui voient le jour dans la capitale, la tendance est au retour en enfance. Il y a même un mot pour ça : le “kidulting”.  Est-ce comme le syndrome Peter Pan ? Et est-ce bon de retomber en enfance ? Écoutez la suite de cet épisode de "Maintenant vous savez". Un podcast Bababam Originals, écrit et réalisé par Maële Diallo.  À écouter aussi : Comment la santé mentale influence-t-elle nos comportements sur la route ? Que révèle le mystère du noyau de Mars ? Le loto devient-il écolo ? Retrouvez tous les épisodes de "Maintenant vous savez". Suivez Bababam sur Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an exclusive interview, we had the opportunity to talk with UFI President Michael Duck, who serves as executive vice president, commercial development of Informa Markets, and UFI CEO Kai Hattendorf, to get the inside scoop on the breaking news that UFI kicked off its first Global Congress in U.S. with the launch of a North America Regional Chapter.  We talked about: Why the regional chapter was formed in North America and why now What UFI regional chapters do and how they support members Who will lead the North America Chapter (volunteer and staffing) What benefits members will receive from the chapter Why is UFI different from the U.S. based associations When and where the chapter will meet next On Nov. 1, UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, kicked off its 90th UFI Global Congress in Las Vegas — the first time for the global gathering to meet in the U.S. — with a member vote during its annual General Assembly to approve the launch of a North America chapter.  Exhibition Place Toronto General Manager Laura Purdy will chair the new chapter together with vice chairs Kim Carcone, executive vice president, global market events for the Toy Association, and Pepe Navarro, director general for Tarsus/Informa. UFI will work with MAD Event Management, a trade show management company led by President Martha Donato and CEO Marty Glynn, to manage the activities for the new North America chapter.  Back story As an integrated part of the industry association ecosystem, UFI has long been active across North America. More than 65 national and international exhibition end events industry associations — including the Society of Independent Show Organizers and the Exhibition Services and Contractors Association in the U.S., AMPROFEC and AMEREF in Mexico and Canadian Association of Exposition Management in Canada — are UFI members.  “UFI is a trailblazer for collaboration among industry associations – and has been for more than 20 years, with great success around the world,” Hattendorf said.  “Having seen multi-year stable growth in membership from across North America, UFI opens a North America chapter to ensure these members are well represented in the organization,” said Duck, who helped UFI open its first regional chapter more than 20 years ago. At the time, that regional chapter covered Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa.  As of today, UFI will have five regional chapters, including North America, Europe, Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Latin America. At least 5% of its global membership is based in each of these regions, Hattendorf said. “We have seen our membership numbers rise constantly across North America,” Duck said. “North America represents a vital and growing share of UFI membership, with 7% of UFI's 830 member companies based in the region and more than 25% of UFI members with active business in the region.” Major trade show companies, like Informa, RX and Clarion, are part of the European chapter, as their headquarters are located in Europe. “Through the chapter, we make sure that the voices and needs of UFI members from Canada, U.S. and Mexico are well represented in UFI's governing bodies, including the Executive Committee and the Board, as well as through the Chapter leadership,” Duck said. Hattendorf added, “We can also serve our members and the industry in the region better through the chapter structure and its corresponding regional office.” Podcast host Danica Tormohlen also shared the top five new stories from Trade Show News Network, Exhibit News Now and Corporate Event News as November begins. Our guests   UFI President Michael Duck is Executive Vice President – Commercial Development of Informa Markets and Informa Plc.  He joined the business in 1994 in Hong Kong and has worked in various leadership roles, focused on building up the company's presence in the Asia region, especially in China and India, and expanding events into the Middle East and Africa.  He founded and chaired the regional chapter Asia, Middle East and Africa, as well as the Sustainability chapter for UFI. At Informa, he is working across the global markets business, which spans 30+ international markets, acting as a main point of contact for building relationships and a pipeline of growth activity particularly in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and beyond, through M&A and the internationalization of products and brands. He also supports the wider Informa Group divisions, with commercial activity in Asia. Michael has volunteered with UFI for 20 years, and he has also been an Executive Committee member of the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Industry Association (HKECIA) for over twenty-five years and was Chairman from 1998-2000.  Connect with him on LinkedIn here.   Kai Hattendorf is Managing Director / CEO of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. He is responsible for UFI activities and events globally, as well as the operation of its Paris headquarters and the offices and presences in Bogota, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. From 2019 to 2021, Kai served as Honorary President of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), a global Council of international and global associations serving the Business Events Industry, where he remains on the Board. Prior to his current role, Kai worked in the exhibition industry for numerous years in senior management positions at Messe Frankfurt's global headquarters, focusing on transformational issues ranging from digitisation to marketing and communications. Kai's work in the events industry has been recognized through various awards and recognitions around the world. Most recently he was named “Business Events Strategist of the Year” by PCMA. His previous career also includes leadership positions in marketing/strategic communications as well as in strategy and product development in the ITC and Media Industry for the Deutsche Telekom Group, the dpa Group (the German Press Agency), and a fintech start-up. A journalist by education, Kai has internationally reported and worked for the WDR and Radio Bremen broadcasters in Germany, at Euronews in France, the BBC in the UK, and the Voice of America. He holds a Master's degree from the American University, Washington, DC. He also studied in Dortmund and Edinburgh.  Connect with him on LinkedIn here. Podcast Host: Danica Tormohlen An award-winning journalist who has covered the trade show industry since 1994, Danica Tormohlen is VP of Content forTarsus Group, which was recently acquired by Informa for $940 million. In her role, she oversees content for Trade Show News Network, Corporate Event News and Exhibit News Now. These leading media brands publish websites, newsletters, social media channels, video, podcasts and online and in-person programming for the trade show, corporate event and exhibition industries. Tormohlen currently serves as a board member for Women in Exhibitions Network North America chapter. She has been a speaker and moderator at major industry events, including the TSNN Awards, IMEX, IAEE, SISO, UFI, ESCA and Large Show Roundtable — to name a few. Thank you to our sponsor! Zenus What if you could prove your event is working with hard facts and learn how to make it even better? With Zenus's Ethical Vision AI, you can protect your budget and have detailed reporting. Learn how that's all possible at Zenus.AI 

Anna Yudina: Senior Director, Marketing Initiatives - The Toy Association & Genius of Play. This is episode 609 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Anna Yudina is spearheading The Toy Association's Genius of Play™ initiative to raise awareness of play as a crucial part of child development and encourage families to make time for play in their daily lives. Since its launch in 2015, The Genius of Play has reached millions of parents, caregivers and educators, providing research-based facts, expert advice, and a host of play activities through its website, social media channels, live events and various media. Anna has also been leading The Toy Association's strategic STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) initiative, which culminated in the development of the comprehensive “STEAM Toy Assessment Framework” and the launch of industry's first official STEAM Toy Accreditation program. Lots to learn. Great conversation! Before you go... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.stevenmiletto.com/reviews/ or open the podcast app that you are listening to me on, and would you rate and review the podcast? That would be so cool. Thanks! If you are listening on Apple Podcasts on your phone, go to the logo - click so that you are on the main page with a listing of the episodes for my podcast and scroll to the bottom. There you will see a place to rate and review. Could you review me? That would be so cool. Thank you! Hey, I've got another favor...could you share the podcast with one of your friends, colleagues, and family members? Hmmm? What do you think? Thank you! Thanks for sharing! Thanks for listening! Connect & Learn More: https://www.thegeniusofplay.org/ https://www.facebook.com/GeniusofPlay/ https://www.youtube.com/@TIAssociation https://www.instagram.com/geniusofplay/ Length - 42:56

I love to learn and share about human flourishing and today on the podcast, I'm talking toys, creativity and the genius of play with my guest Anna Yudina, the Senior Director of Marketing Initiatives for The Toy Association. Anna is amazingly energetic, smart and generous and I know you'll enjoy our conversation. Listen to learn more about … The Toy Association, its history and role in researching and providing for the needs of manufacturers, retailers and consumers of toys and entertainment. How toys help meet the needs of trending demographics, like kidults and tweens/teens. An interaction I had with my 3 year old granddaughter, Audrey that illustrates the role of imagination in healthy development. The Genius of Play, a robust initiative to promote the benefits of play for all people. I hope you'll visit The Genius of Play and take advantage of the resources curated there. I know you'll walk away feeling more playful and better prepared to encourage and support playful activities that enhance emotional wellbeing. During our conversation Anna shared about the Emotional Wellness Playbook—but there is so much more, including a YouTube channel and a NEW podcast, Once Upon a Playtime. You can also follow along on Instagram and explore their Pinterest boards. The stated Toy Association's mission is: to provide families with the information and inspiration they need to make play an important part of their child's day. Through our website and social media channels, parents can find facts, useful tips and expert advice on how toys and play can help kids build confidence, creativity, critical thinking and other skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Plus, you can get ideas on how to keep playtime fun and fresh!

Today we speak with Anna Yudina, an expert on play and toys: it's literally her job at the Toy Association! (www.toyassociation.org). Anna shares actionable tips about screen dependence, dives deep into STEM toys, discusses the difference between structured and unstructured play, and More! Redefine your understanding of play and discover how us dads can make the most of these precious moments. Dad On!

Talia Filippelli is the founder of Star Therapy, Genius of Play expert, and a certified holistic health coach, advocating for emotional well-being through play. Anna Yudina, a child development specialist and Senior Director of Marketing Initiatives at the Toy Association, emphasizes the cognitive benefits of unstructured play. In our digitally-driven world, parents often find themselves grappling with the challenges of managing their children's screen time while trying to nurture their emotional well-being. In this episode of The Dad Edge podcast, Larry Hagner engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Talia Filippelli, founder of Star Therapy, and Anna Yudina, a senior director at the Toy Association. The discussion centers around the transformative power of play and its profound impact on parent-child relationships and children's emotional well-being. The episode highlights the alarming trend of children becoming dependent on screens, which stifles their imagination and creativity. Excessive screen use restricts their ability to engage in unstructured play–a vital component of their development. The guests underscore the importance of allowing children ample time for imagination-fueled play, enabling them to explore their world, think creatively, and develop problem-solving skills. Research shows that fathers' involvement in physical play with their children plays a pivotal role in emotional regulation skills development and future relationship building. By engaging in activities that promote physical exertion and emotional bonding, fathers provide a safe space for children to express their emotions, develop self-control, and navigate relationships effectively. As parents, it is crucial that we harness the power of play to strengthen our connection with our children and support their emotional well-being. Through play, we create lifelong memories and lay the foundation for their future success. www.thedadedge.com/friday111 Website: www.thegeniusofplay.org Facebook: The Genius of Play Instagram: @geniusofplay YouTube: The Genius of Play Twitter: @TheToyAssoc Starr Therapy FB: @starrpsych Talia Filippelli LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/talia-filippelli-62446020 Instagram: @Taliastarr_therapy  

In today's episode, Erin and Talia discuss the power of play and its critical role in child development along with some great strategies to increase play for ALL children!Talia, known for her solution-focused approach and practical strategies, is an ambassador for The Genius of Play - a national movement spearheaded by The Toy Association to raise awareness about play's critical role in child development and encourage more play in children's lives. Visit www.thegeniusofplay.org for play ideas, expert advice and more play-inspired resources for families and educators.Talia is also a contributing mental health expert for numerous media outlets including CNN and CBS, an 8-time winner of NJ Family Magazine's Top Docs Awards, and a certified holistic health coach and personal trainer. Talia can be found on Instagram at @taliastarr_therapyTo find Your Village classes go to: www.yourvillageonline.com or download the Parenting Beyond Discipline app from the Apple Store or Google Play store.SponsorsHello Fresh hellofresh.com use code PARENTING16 at checkout for 16 free meals plus free shippingOur Sponsors:* Check out Factor 75 and use my code parenting50 for a great deal: https://www.factor75.com/* Check out Greenlight and use my code parenting for a great deal: https://greenlight.com/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/parenting-beyond-discipline/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We all know children love to play with toys. But as they approach adulthood, they stop being playful and concentrate on grown-up things – or so we believe. However, in recent times at least, adults are revisiting their childhood and buying toys for themselves – and they've been given the nickname 'kidults'.我们都知道孩子们喜欢玩玩具。但当他们接近成年时，他们不再嬉戏，而是专注于成人的事情——至少我们是这么认为的。然而，至少在最近，成年人正在重温他们的童年并为自己购买玩具——他们被冠以“大小孩”的绰号。There are many reasons for the rise of the kidult, but it's certainly big business. In the USA for example, the Toy Association says that over half of adults bought toys and games for themselves last year. Nostalgia is part of the reason: people want to relive their childhood and now have the disposable income to do so. Puzzles and board games are traditional toys that can be enjoyed at any age.大小孩增多的原因有很多，但这无疑是一项大生意。例如在美国，玩具协会表示，去年超过一半的成年人为自己购买了玩具和游戏。怀旧是部分原因：人们想重温童年，现在有足够的可支配收入来这样做。拼图和棋盘游戏是任何年龄段都可以玩的传统玩具。But there's more to being a big kid than just taking a trip down memory lane. People have more time to let their hair down and play. Hobbies such as modelling and construction with plastic bricks can help people develop skills into adulthood. And they allow people to switch off and relax. In fact, Frederique Tutt, global industry analyst at NPD, told the BBC: "I'd say much of this is providing an escape from the stresses and strains of modern-day living, fulfilling our need to find downtime."但是，要成为一个大孩子，而不仅仅是沿着儿时的记忆走。人们有更多的时间放松下来玩耍。建模和用塑料积木建造等爱好可以帮助人们在成年后发展技能。他们可以让人们静心并放松。事实上，NPD 全球行业分析师弗雷德里克·图特 (Frederique Tutt) 告诉 BBC：“我想说的是，这在很大程度上是为了摆脱现代生活的压力，满足我们休息的需要。”Some people are even finding comfort and camaraderie by playing with others. Although competing with others through video gaming might be nothing new, others are coming together to build train sets or sophisticated models. In Brighton in the UK, for example, Brighton Bricks is a club where adult fans of the toy Lego meet up every month to talk, play and swap collections.有些人甚至通过与他人玩耍来寻找安慰和友情。尽管通过视频游戏与他人竞争可能并不是什么新鲜事，但其他人正在聚在一起构建积木火车或复杂模型。例如，在英国布莱顿，Brighton Bricks 是一个乐高玩具的成年粉丝每月聚会的俱乐部，他们在这里聊天、玩耍和交换收藏品。But those who think playing with toys is childish and immature should take note of the research by René Proyer, professor of psychology at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in Germany. It suggests that adults who demonstrate more playful personality traits are more motivated, creative and spontaneous. So, it seems life shouldn't be all work and no play, and maybe we should take play more seriously!但那些认为玩玩具是幼稚和不成熟的人应该注意德国哈雷-维滕贝格马丁路德大学心理学教授勒内普罗耶的研究。 该研究表明表现出更多俏皮性格特征的成年人更有动力、更有创造力和自发性。所以，生活似乎不应该只有工作而没有娱乐，也许我们应该更认真地对待娱乐！kidult 童心未泯的成年人，大小孩 My brother is such a kidult; he still collects action figures and plays video games.（我弟弟真是个“大孩子”；他还收集玩具人偶和玩电子游戏。）nostalgia 怀旧 Looking at old photographs always fills me with nostalgia for my childhood.（看着老照片总是让我充满对童年的怀旧之情。）board game 棋盘游戏或玩具 Let's invite some friends over and have a fun evening playing board games.（让我们邀请一些朋友过来，度过一个玩桌游的愉快夜晚吧。）a trip down memory lane 追忆往昔 After a long week at work, she likes to go out with friends and let her hair down.（工作了一个漫长的星期之后，她喜欢和朋友出去玩，放松一下。）let someone's hair down 某人彻底放松、尽情享受 After a long week at work, she likes to go out with friends and let her hair down.（ 工作了一个漫长的星期之后，她喜欢和朋友出去玩，放松一下。）downtime 休息时间 I enjoy having some downtime on the weekends, just relaxing and doing nothing. （ 我喜欢在周末放松一下，什么都不做，享受一段自由时间。）camaraderie 友情 The team building activities helped foster a sense of camaraderie among the colleagues. （ 团队建设活动有助于同事们建立起一种同仁之情。）spontaneous 随性的 We decided to have a spontaneous road trip and ended up exploring a new city. （ 我们决定进行一次即兴的公路旅行，结果去了一个新的城市。）

Matt Nuccio is the president of Design Edge, Inc., a toy and game development company and licensing agency whose clients include Mattel, Hasbro, Spin Master and Fisher-Price to name only a few. For 4 years, Matt co-chaired the Toy Association (TA), on their associate panel, representing all designers and inventors within the toy industry. Currently, Matt sits on the board of directors of the United Inventors Association of America (UIA), a non-profit organization working to educate and advocate for all types of inventors. He also sits on the People of Play (POP) advisory board and Toy Association's Creative Factor advisory board helping start-up inventors to navigate successfully within the Toy Industry. Matt writes a column in Toy Family Entertainment magazine focusing on the industry, and, he has lectured at ChiTAG, New York Toy Fair, ASTRA, Hong Kong Toy Fair, and various inventor clubs around the world including the 2021 Emerging Innovation Summit in Melbourne Australia. Design Edge's products have been nominated for, and have also won, many industry awards such as TOTY (Toy Of The Year), TAGIE (Toy and Games Innovators), Games 100, Origin, and Family Fun among others. In 2019, Matt was honored by the National Security Agency (NSA) as an American Innovator and has been listed for the past 4 years in a row, by Mojo Nation, as one of the top 100 most influential people in the toy industry today.

Today, we've got a juicy combo for you: nightmare DIY renovations and the struggle to find authenticity in the dating world. Picture this: moving into a new condo only to find baseboards missing, floorboards not reaching the wall, and random objects super glued together. Oh, and let's not forget the surprise hole above the fridge cleverly hidden by a decorative item. Talk about a disaster! On top of that, we'll dive into the dating scene where it feels like everyone's trying to sell you a curated version of themselves. Authenticity? It's like finding a needle in a haystack. So, grab a cup of coffee and join us!! Stay tuned, it's always a wild ride! You never know what these two will say!!   ***CLEANSING BREATH*** Jess Corner - Animal Instincts  Philly's 'Chicken Man' declines PETA's vegan challenge after a 40-day rotisserie chicken binge South Philadelphia resident Alexander Tominsky was dubbed the "Chicken Man" after successfully eating an entire rotisserie chicken every day for 40 days straight. Since concluding his chicken run, Tominsky, 31, has begun spotlighting organizations that help provide food for those in need. On Wednesday, he promoted the South Philly Community Fridge on Twitter, asking his followers to donate to combat food insecurity. The South Philly Community Fridge later tweeted it had raised $858 that day.   Dana Corner - What the What?  https://www.centredaily.com/news/state/pennsylvania/article275414796.html For teddy bears and all other stuffed toys in Pennsylvania, it's not easy being green. In fact, it's impossible. Under a 62-year-old law, all stuffed toys distributed and sold in this state are required to be made from new material. But now a state senator is looking to lift a restriction that hamstrings manufacturers and retailers in the toy business.   “It is a pretty obscure law and people say ‘wait, what? We have a stuffed toy law?' In fact, we do,” he said “Obviously in 1961, they did not particularly contemplate people using recycled materials in stuffed toys.” But given that recycled material goes through the same extensive testing and safety review to ensure it meets all of the current industry standards that new materials do and couple that with people's desire to be environmentally conscious, he said it may well be time to update the law as the Toy Association has requested. Hickcox said her association would like to see this law updated by the end of this year. “Toy association members want to be good stewards of the environment while following all state laws and regulations,” Hickcox said. “This update will allow manufacturers and retailers to ensure a global supply chain while producing safe, sustainable stuffed toys.” Jess Rave - Used bookstores/record shops  Webster's of State College PA Vintage Shop, dirt cheap books, great albums, cafe, live music, vegan brunch on Sundays   Dana Rave - Dunkin' Iced Coffee Day is today May 23!  We saw a sign hanging in the Dunkin' of State College and it said Get a cup of Good Karma, $1 from every iced coffee sold today helps kids in local hospitals.  https://www.joyinchildhoodfoundation.org/ Founded in 2006, the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 organization powered by Dunkin' and the generosity of our franchisees, partners, employees and guests. Our mission is to provide the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. We believe impact is felt most at the local level. Thanks to franchisees and brand employees who volunteer their time to identify the biggest needs in their communities; organize local fundraising and volunteer events; and conduct local grantmaking, we are able to maximize our impact for kids who need joy the most. LOCAL GRANTS The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood provides grants to hundreds of nonprofits – big and small – making a difference in the lives of kids battling hunger or illness across the country. Organizations include food pantries, children's hospitals, camps and programs designed to provide joy to those who need it most.    DOGS FOR JOY Through the Dogs for Joy program, the Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation awards grants to children's hospitals to launch a new in-residence dog program or expand an existing program. In-residence dogs are trained service dogs and full-time employees of the hospital who bring comfort and joy to patients and their families.  TEEN PROM PROGRAM Hospitalized teens sometimes miss out on milestone moments. The Dunkin' Joy in Childhood Foundation provides grants to hospitals to provide a teen prom experience to pediatric patients ages 13-19 – from venue, to decor, signage, food and beverage, and more. 

Malte Niebelschuetz is a social entrepreneur, change maker and CEO of Shore Buddies, whose mission is to bring Sustainability into Play, to keep Plastics out of the Oceans.  He is also a “Play Ambassador” for the Toy Association's Genius of Play initiative. In this episode, Malte discusses the change from a corporate career to that of an entrepreneur whose company helps the environment and passes the learning onto the next generation.  He also discusses the impact of focusing on our “why” in any endeavor, especially when things aren't going the way we'd like.  His easy going demeanor and enthusiasm to make a difference is evident.  To learn more about his company, you can list shore-buddies.com.  Thanks for the visit Malte!  

Richard and Chris have a lively chat with Kim Carcone, EVP of the Toy Association about the current state of Toy Fair, the upcoming Dallas show, what's ahead for 2023, and new initiatives to make the show more useful and relevant than ever. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

Counterfeit products are everywhere these days. From designer sneakers to children's toys to batteries, the rise of e-commerce has made it easy to sell knock-offs, and difficult to track the source. The cost to business is massive. In 2020 alone, US customs and border protection agents seized counterfeit goods with a value of nearly $1.3 billion. In this episode, host Tori Weldon looks at the problem of identifying counterfeit product listings, and how AI technologies like natural language processing and machine learning are being adopted to help find the fakes.  You'll hear from Aaron Muderick, founder of Crazy Aaron's Thinking Putty and Board Chair for The Toy Association, about how he discovered his putty was being counterfeited, and from lawyer David Lipkus, who specializes in counterfeiting and has represented countless large and small companies in their pursuit to enforce their IP rights.  You'll also hear from the technologists at KPMG who have been working to develop a way to identify potential counterfeit products, through AI and other technologies, including Swami Chandrasekaran, Managing Director and Head of Solution Architecture & Global Cloud CoE, and Kelly Combs, a Director in Emerging Technology Risk.Speed to Modern Technology is an original podcast from KPMG. For more details on this episode, including transcripts, links and speaker bios, go to https://listen.kpmg.us/TechPodcastCounterfeit.

Richard and Chris talk with Aaron Muderick, executive chairman of the Toy Association, about Toy Fair in New York in 2023, Dallas in 2022, and related issues. They also talk about the Association's efforts on lobbying and challenges and opportunities for the industry as it moves into a new era. Muderick's thoughtful and insightful comments make this a must-hear interview for this dynamic industry. In The Endcap, Chris and Richard talk about a recent survey about price increases in the toy industry and what that may mean for the rest of the year ahead. The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, and Beacon Media Group. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

At one time, the New York Sun was considered one of America's most influential newspapers... now it is being relaunched with the aim of helping to restore public trust in the press (at 14:45) --- It may not have the same intensity as Christmas when it comes to gift-giving, but trends specialist Jennifer Lynch of the Toy Association has some great ideas to put in your kids' Easter baskets (at 23:57) --- In Case You Missed It... The Findlay Home and Garden Show returns to The Cube this weekend (at 29:49) --- More tasty and easy-to-make recipes from Kyra's Kitchen! (at 45:45)

The Toy Book presents a special episode of the “Power Kid Podcast,” in which host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design welcomes The Toy Foundation's Executive Director Pam Mastrota and Chairman of the Board Andy Weiner to the show. The Toy Foundation operates underneath the umbrella of The Toy Association to provide philanthropic support and vital play experiences to kids and families under stress and in dire situations around the world. Currently, the major focus is on providing toy industry support to the families suffering amid the Russia-Ukraine War. On the show, Albritton engages Mastrota and Weiner in a conversation that delves into the overall work of the Foundation, the importance of play, and the developmental benefits of play for kids. Then, the conversation highlights the state of current events and what the kids of Ukraine need right now. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

The iconic Mr. Potato Head from Hasbro is now simply the gender neutral Potato Head. Also this year, LEGO, WildBrain, and Mattel launched the Everyone is Awesome set, the Teletubbies Pride collection, and UNO's Play with Pride deck in celebration of Pride Month. This hour on Where We Live, we discuss diversity and inclusion in the toy industry, and its impact on child development. We hear from experts on the trends and changing norms in the understanding of gender and how diversity must go beyond tokenization by toy manufacturers. GUESTS: Diane Gervais: Owner, Amato's Toy and Hobby Middletown  Jeffrey Trawick-Smith: Professor Emeritus, Center for Early Childhood Education, Eastern Connecticut State University, and Author of Young Children's Play: Development, Disabilities, and Diversity  Ellen Lambert: Advisor – Equity, Inclusion, & Diversity, the Toy Association and the Toy Foundation Eileen Foley: Toy Curator and Owner, Little Acorn Learning LLC, Redding, Connecticut Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

La línea Masterverse está postulando a Figura de Acción del Año 2021 en The Toy Association, ¿está a la altura para este galardón? Conduce: @josep1138 Panelistas: Francisco y @guillereed Programa emitido originalmente el 10 de noviembre de 2021. #TheToyAssociation #toys #juguetes #coleccionables #Masterverse #Mattel --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/multifanchile/message

ABC's Alex Stone has the scoop on how to make the most of your holiday shopping with many gifts still waiting to be unloaded from all over the globe - including the North Pole. You've heard all the warnings about how supply chain issues could cause mayhem for parents finding toys for the holidays since many toys come from Asia.  Today the President of the Toy Association is telling ABC News that the best selection you're going to find is right now.  Already there are gaps in supplies of popular toys but he says there is no one hot toy this year.  He says Nintendo Switch, Marvel, and Star Wars products are all beginning to show short supplies.  He says if you know your kids want something buy it now or it may not be available in a couple of weeks.  He warns if you buy from an unknown seller you run the risk of getting a fake or getting nothing at all.  Even if not buying toys, the advice is buy now or you may find nobody has the item. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ABC's Alex Stone has the scoop on how to make the most of your holiday shopping with many gifts still waiting to be unloaded from all over the globe - including the North Pole. You've heard all the warnings about how supply chain issues could cause mayhem for parents finding toys for the holidays since many toys come from Asia.  Today the President of the Toy Association is telling ABC News that the best selection you're going to find is right now.  Already there are gaps in supplies of popular toys but he says there is no one hot toy this year.  He says Nintendo Switch, Marvel, and Star Wars products are all beginning to show short supplies.  He says if you know your kids want something buy it now or it may not be available in a couple of weeks.  He warns if you buy from an unknown seller you run the risk of getting a fake or getting nothing at all.  Even if not buying toys, the advice is buy now or you may find nobody has the item. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ann Rohmer chats with Kevin Forget from Destination Ontario and Ben Cullen about where to spot the most vibrant fall colours not far from York Region with the “Fall Colour Report”. Jim Lang is with the Canadian Toy Association who is warning about supply chain issues for this Holiday Season -- Get your toy shopping done soon! Tina Cortese tells us about the top toys from Mastermind from babies to kids of all ages. Ann Rohmer returns with a story about contactless fundraising for the poppy fund. Tina Cortese closes this week's show with a reminder that National Teen Driver Safety Week begins next week – reminders for young people about the risks of speeding; #SpeedIsNoGame campaign

This week on Episode 524 of Priority One: New York Comic Con is ready to Trek Out; the community rallies behind Wilson Cruz; Star Trek Online updates its minimum system requirements; mobile games cross to desktop; and we review Lower Decks' “Where Pleasant Fountains Lie”–but not before we chat with Cryptic Studios's Content Creator Ryon and Environment Artist Gianna! TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Trekking Out the Big Apple By Elio Lleo Convention season is in full swing and New York Comic Con is next. Starting October 7th and ending October 10th, this four day event usually has stuff for everyone! Unique to this year's presentation is hybrid participation: not only are organizers reducing the total number of attendees, you can also purchase a virtual ticket that will give you access to some of the panels right from the comfort of your own home. But what's so special about NYCC? As of right now, Paramount+ is slated to present at least two panels: on Saturday, October 9th at 12:45pm the cast and producers of Star Trek: Discovery take the Empire Stage. Then on Sunday, October 10, Star Trek: Prodigy will premiere its first episode along with a panel. Image: ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon, via TrekCore. But that's not all–join the Roddenberry Podcast Network as we present a panel titled “Star Trek's Guide to Community.” I'll be there along with Kennedy and Sue from Women at Warp! That's happening Saturday, Oct 9th at 2:15pm. There's also a Hallmark presentation with new Trek ornaments, a virtual only panel with the folks behind the new Star Trek Magazine, and even Bill Shatner will be there on Thurs, October 7th.  Wilson Cruz Harassed During Star Trek Day By Elio Lleo When it comes to communities, even Star Trek's can be incredibly divisive. The majority of the time, it's about NuTrek vs older Trek, who the better first officer is, or which ship is cooler. However, there are times when things can get dark and people start to show their true colors–like one fan who was offered the privilege of attending the Star Trek Day celebrations in person. Long story short, at one point during the event, while Wilson Cruz was on stage, someone in the audience yield out a homophobic slur. According to reports, no one did anything about it. The guest was not removed nor have they been identified (yet). With incredible grace and patience, Wilson continued on and later took to Twitter to address the matter. https://twitter.com/wcruz73/status/1436333680880934927 Although he may not have wanted to draw so much attention to the matter, we want to take a moment to remind you–our listeners–that tolerance for the bigoted has its limits. When you see something, say something. Learn ways on how to be the best ally you can be for people who are marginalized on a daily basis. If you're on social media and someone goes on a hate-filled rant, step up. It's the inaction of those with the means to stand up to injustices that empower those who want to watch the world burn. [If you don't think this belongs in Trek, then there's the airlock. Help yourself.–Ed.] Image: ViacomCBS, via StarTrek.com IP Theft, the Sincerest Form of Flattery By Cat Hough On Monday, we were treated to the big uniform reveal by General Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations for Space Force who tweeted, "Every winning team needs a uniform!.I'm excited to share the new look with you today." And to no one's surprise, the Twitterverse immediately noticed some striking similarities to some other uniforms that we are quite familiar with. They were described by one person as "a blend of the Star Trek Enterprise dress uniform, but with the Mirror Universe diagonal."  https://twitter.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/1440323962697752590 [I am voluntarily putting this into my own shownotes for your edification, dear listener. You owe me.–Ed.] Josh Weinstein, a veteran writer for The Simpsons and Futurama, said the uniform reminded him of the ridiculously tight outfits worn by Zapp Brannigan; Movies in Focus hopped on the satirical bandwagon with the image of an Imperial Star Destroyer officer from the original Star Wars trilogy. "These new Space Force uniforms are looking great," jokes the caption. Quick News Roundup Here are a few headlines that we didn't discuss but might interest you. Reuben Klamer, the designer of the original Starfleet phaser rifle for the original series of Star Trek, passed away at the age of 99, according to the Toy Association. Klamer also designed props for other shows, including a gun for the hit 1960s series The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  https://youtu.be/oWGNDoXG9R8 STAR TREK GAMING NEWS Edited by Thomas Reynolds PSA: She Canna Take Any More, Cap'ns! By Thomas Reynolds To every thing there is a season–and in Cryptic's opinion, the season for Windows 7 is long past. Starting February 15, 2022, anyone still using the 10-year-old OS (seriously, not even Microsoft supports it anymore) won't be able to patch or log into STO and Neverwinter. Only Windows 8 and 10 (with the superior 64-bit intellect) will have a home on the final frontier. DirectX 10 support is also getting ejected like a spent warp core on February 15th, with both games requiring Feature Level 11 or higher. That means your computer needs to have one of the following video card chipsets to play: NVidia GeForce GTX 400 or better ATI/AMD Radeon HD 5000 or better Intel HD Graphics 4000 or better Given all the fun and excitement of buying graphics cards these days, if your current card isn't up to the task...well, godspeed. [Pictured: my rig next February.–Ed.] Image: ViacomCBS, via KVNF Public Radio. Aux2Bat Gets Boimed Out By Thomas Reynolds The aqueduct, the magnetic compass, the Aux2Bat. All of these simple technologies have withstood the test of time, but the last may be the most miraculous. Needing only three Technician doffs and one boff ability at minimum, the Aux2Bat ship build is easy to assemble, trivial to fly, and still keeps your bridge officers ready for whatever space wizardry you demand of them. Sure, it hasn't been the meta in a sehlat's age, but you know what? Aux2Bat does the job, it does it pretty well, and that's pretty much all we ask...until now. Ever drop a Gravity Well, and notice your Tyken's Rift is now off-limits for 15 seconds? That's the Shared Category Cooldown kicking in, forcing you to pace yourself rather than let everything rip at once. When Cryptic first released the Boimler Effect trait, it provided a 2.5% percent chance of resetting every bridge officer ability to its Shared Category Cooldown, whenever you used a non-specialist boff ability. Great in theory, but one-in-forty odds just aren't worth a 200 Lobi investment. Yeah, that's was also our reaction. Image: ViacomCBS, via TrekZone.de So Cryptic did a little tweaking, like you do, and made it a 17.5% percent proc chance instead. As STO streamer @AugmentedDG declared on Twitter, “Boimler Effect is now as good as Aux2Bat...for cooldown reduction.” Bold words, to be sure, but there's also a fairly convincing clip of him keeping eight of his escort's twelve boff abilities concurrently running like an overambitious plate spinner. Trek out the tweet, scrape together that Lobi, and give your boffs more buffer time than they can handle. https://twitter.com/AugmentedDG/status/1438707179268284425 Is there in Screen Accuracy No Beauty? By Thomas Reynolds One of Trek cosplay's hallmarks is its hair-splitting fidelity to what's seen on screen, even when the creators themselves don't quite pull it off. Combine that tendency with STO's promise of personal immersion, and it's no surprise that some players want their captain's threads to look “correct.” To help make that a little easier, Cryptic released official in-game color guides for both the newly-available Lower Decks Starfleet jacket, and their original Khitomer uniform creation. However, rapturous Space Barbie enthusiasts should make sure they're using the second released Khitomer guide, as the first one had incorrect pant color codes. https://twitter.com/trekonlinegame/status/1439020385572245509 The Sally Ride, the Ross, and You By Shane Hoover If you were a fan of the Star Trek Adventures web series “Shield of Tomorrow” or “Clear Skies”, you're already familiar with the dangers and wonders of the Shackleton Expanse. If you weren't, then be prepared for deadly spatial phenomena, ancient alien technologies, first contact with new species and lots of boldly going. It's all there in Modiphius Entertainment's newest STA sourcebook, the Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide. The new sourcebook is available for preorder at $60 now and is expected to ship in December 2021. This is your tabletop gaming crew's chance to follow in the warp trails of the U.S.S. Sally Ride and the U.S.S. Ross. Adventure into a nearly uncharted region of space beyond Federation, Klingon and Romulan borders.  Image: Modiphius Entertainment. The new material includes five new playable alien species for STA including Orions. It also includes NPCs from Starbase 364 and around the Expanse, as well as stats for “hero” and NPC vessels. This sourcebook does require a copy of the Star Trek Adventures core rulebook, which is provided in PDF form with your order. The Ar-mod-a Returns By Thomas Reynolds Maybe 2000 feels like a long time ago to you, maybe it doesn't. Either way, the Star Trek: Armada and Armada II RTS games that came out then still hold a place in certain PC players' hearts. So much, in fact, that the Stellar Parallax modding group has finally released what Activision would not: Star Trek: Armada III. Starting as a one-person passion project back in 2012, Armada III is a full-conversion mod for 2012's Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion. Stellar Parallax's devoted faithful can now command the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, Borg, or Cardassian Union at the beginning of the Dominion War. See, Kurtzman? You can have more than one kind of ship in a fleet. Image: Stellar Parallax. But really, how much demand is there for a nine-year-old game mod, following up on a twenty-year-old series? After its September 10th release, Armada III is the 51st most-popular mod on the ModDB site, out of over 46,000 entries across hundreds of games–so we'd say “a lot.” [Update: #21 as of publication. Damn.–Ed.] Quick Star Trek Gaming News Roundup A few weeks back we mentioned that the mobile game Star Trek Fleet Command was beta testing a desktop client for Windows. Well, they're out of beta and it's now available for download, with special perks being offered when you log in via desktop! Game maker WizKids announced a new combo-building game titled “Star Trek Missions” –according to their announcement, “your goal is to assemble the highest-scoring combos possible by drawing cards from the Galaxy deck, the Mission deck, or the discard area.” It'll be available February 2022, but you can pre-order now.

This week on Episode 524 of Priority One: New York Comic Con is ready to Trek Out; the community rallies behind Wilson Cruz; Star Trek Online updates its minimum system requirements; mobile games cross to desktop; and we review Lower Decks' “Where Pleasant Fountains Lie”–but not before we chat with Cryptic Studios's Content Creator Ryon and Environment Artist Gianna! TREK IT OUT Edited by Thomas Reynolds Trekking Out the Big Apple By Elio Lleo Convention season is in full swing and New York Comic Con is next. Starting October 7th and ending October 10th, this four day event usually has stuff for everyone! Unique to this year's presentation is hybrid participation: not only are organizers reducing the total number of attendees, you can also purchase a virtual ticket that will give you access to some of the panels right from the comfort of your own home. But what's so special about NYCC? As of right now, Paramount+ is slated to present at least two panels: on Saturday, October 9th at 12:45pm the cast and producers of Star Trek: Discovery take the Empire Stage. Then on Sunday, October 10, Star Trek: Prodigy will premiere its first episode along with a panel. Image: ViacomCBS/Nickelodeon, via TrekCore. But that's not all–join the Roddenberry Podcast Network as we present a panel titled “Star Trek's Guide to Community.” I'll be there along with Kennedy and Sue from Women at Warp! That's happening Saturday, Oct 9th at 2:15pm. There's also a Hallmark presentation with new Trek ornaments, a virtual only panel with the folks behind the new Star Trek Magazine, and even Bill Shatner will be there on Thurs, October 7th.  Wilson Cruz Harassed During Star Trek Day By Elio Lleo When it comes to communities, even Star Trek's can be incredibly divisive. The majority of the time, it's about NuTrek vs older Trek, who the better first officer is, or which ship is cooler. However, there are times when things can get dark and people start to show their true colors–like one fan who was offered the privilege of attending the Star Trek Day celebrations in person. Long story short, at one point during the event, while Wilson Cruz was on stage, someone in the audience yield out a homophobic slur. According to reports, no one did anything about it. The guest was not removed nor have they been identified (yet). With incredible grace and patience, Wilson continued on and later took to Twitter to address the matter. https://twitter.com/wcruz73/status/1436333680880934927 Although he may not have wanted to draw so much attention to the matter, we want to take a moment to remind you–our listeners–that tolerance for the bigoted has its limits. When you see something, say something. Learn ways on how to be the best ally you can be for people who are marginalized on a daily basis. If you're on social media and someone goes on a hate-filled rant, step up. It's the inaction of those with the means to stand up to injustices that empower those who want to watch the world burn. [If you don't think this belongs in Trek, then there's the airlock. Help yourself.–Ed.] Image: ViacomCBS, via StarTrek.com IP Theft, the Sincerest Form of Flattery By Cat Hough On Monday, we were treated to the big uniform reveal by General Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations for Space Force who tweeted, "Every winning team needs a uniform!.I'm excited to share the new look with you today." And to no one's surprise, the Twitterverse immediately noticed some striking similarities to some other uniforms that we are quite familiar with. They were described by one person as "a blend of the Star Trek Enterprise dress uniform, but with the Mirror Universe diagonal."  https://twitter.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/1440323962697752590 [I am voluntarily putting this into my own shownotes for your edification, dear listener. You owe me.–Ed.] Josh Weinstein, a veteran writer for The Simpsons and Futurama, said the uniform reminded him of the ridiculously tight outfits worn by Zapp Brannigan; Movies in Focus hopped on the satirical bandwagon with the image of an Imperial Star Destroyer officer from the original Star Wars trilogy. "These new Space Force uniforms are looking great," jokes the caption. Quick News Roundup Here are a few headlines that we didn't discuss but might interest you. Reuben Klamer, the designer of the original Starfleet phaser rifle for the original series of Star Trek, passed away at the age of 99, according to the Toy Association. Klamer also designed props for other shows, including a gun for the hit 1960s series The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  https://youtu.be/oWGNDoXG9R8 STAR TREK GAMING NEWS Edited by Thomas Reynolds PSA: She Canna Take Any More, Cap'ns! By Thomas Reynolds To every thing there is a season–and in Cryptic's opinion, the season for Windows 7 is long past. Starting February 15, 2022, anyone still using the 10-year-old OS (seriously, not even Microsoft supports it anymore) won't be able to patch or log into STO and Neverwinter. Only Windows 8 and 10 (with the superior 64-bit intellect) will have a home on the final frontier. DirectX 10 support is also getting ejected like a spent warp core on February 15th, with both games requiring Feature Level 11 or higher. That means your computer needs to have one of the following video card chipsets to play: NVidia GeForce GTX 400 or better ATI/AMD Radeon HD 5000 or better Intel HD Graphics 4000 or better Given all the fun and excitement of buying graphics cards these days, if your current card isn't up to the task...well, godspeed. [Pictured: my rig next February.–Ed.] Image: ViacomCBS, via KVNF Public Radio. Aux2Bat Gets Boimed Out By Thomas Reynolds The aqueduct, the magnetic compass, the Aux2Bat. All of these simple technologies have withstood the test of time, but the last may be the most miraculous. Needing only three Technician doffs and one boff ability at minimum, the Aux2Bat ship build is easy to assemble, trivial to fly, and still keeps your bridge officers ready for whatever space wizardry you demand of them. Sure, it hasn't been the meta in a sehlat's age, but you know what? Aux2Bat does the job, it does it pretty well, and that's pretty much all we ask...until now. Ever drop a Gravity Well, and notice your Tyken's Rift is now off-limits for 15 seconds? That's the Shared Category Cooldown kicking in, forcing you to pace yourself rather than let everything rip at once. When Cryptic first released the Boimler Effect trait, it provided a 2.5% percent chance of resetting every bridge officer ability to its Shared Category Cooldown, whenever you used a non-specialist boff ability. Great in theory, but one-in-forty odds just aren't worth a 200 Lobi investment. Yeah, that's was also our reaction. Image: ViacomCBS, via TrekZone.de So Cryptic did a little tweaking, like you do, and made it a 17.5% percent proc chance instead. As STO streamer @AugmentedDG declared on Twitter, “Boimler Effect is now as good as Aux2Bat...for cooldown reduction.” Bold words, to be sure, but there's also a fairly convincing clip of him keeping eight of his escort's twelve boff abilities concurrently running like an overambitious plate spinner. Trek out the tweet, scrape together that Lobi, and give your boffs more buffer time than they can handle. https://twitter.com/AugmentedDG/status/1438707179268284425 Is there in Screen Accuracy No Beauty? By Thomas Reynolds One of Trek cosplay's hallmarks is its hair-splitting fidelity to what's seen on screen, even when the creators themselves don't quite pull it off. Combine that tendency with STO's promise of personal immersion, and it's no surprise that some players want their captain's threads to look “correct.” To help make that a little easier, Cryptic released official in-game color guides for both the newly-available Lower Decks Starfleet jacket, and their original Khitomer uniform creation. However, rapturous Space Barbie enthusiasts should make sure they're using the second released Khitomer guide, as the first one had incorrect pant color codes. https://twitter.com/trekonlinegame/status/1439020385572245509 The Sally Ride, the Ross, and You By Shane Hoover If you were a fan of the Star Trek Adventures web series “Shield of Tomorrow” or “Clear Skies”, you're already familiar with the dangers and wonders of the Shackleton Expanse. If you weren't, then be prepared for deadly spatial phenomena, ancient alien technologies, first contact with new species and lots of boldly going. It's all there in Modiphius Entertainment's newest STA sourcebook, the Shackleton Expanse Campaign Guide. The new sourcebook is available for preorder at $60 now and is expected to ship in December 2021. This is your tabletop gaming crew's chance to follow in the warp trails of the U.S.S. Sally Ride and the U.S.S. Ross. Adventure into a nearly uncharted region of space beyond Federation, Klingon and Romulan borders.  Image: Modiphius Entertainment. The new material includes five new playable alien species for STA including Orions. It also includes NPCs from Starbase 364 and around the Expanse, as well as stats for “hero” and NPC vessels. This sourcebook does require a copy of the Star Trek Adventures core rulebook, which is provided in PDF form with your order. The Ar-mod-a Returns By Thomas Reynolds Maybe 2000 feels like a long time ago to you, maybe it doesn't. Either way, the Star Trek: Armada and Armada II RTS games that came out then still hold a place in certain PC players' hearts. So much, in fact, that the Stellar Parallax modding group has finally released what Activision would not: Star Trek: Armada III. Starting as a one-person passion project back in 2012, Armada III is a full-conversion mod for 2012's Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion. Stellar Parallax's devoted faithful can now command the Federation, Klingons, Romulans, Borg, or Cardassian Union at the beginning of the Dominion War. See, Kurtzman? You can have more than one kind of ship in a fleet. Image: Stellar Parallax. But really, how much demand is there for a nine-year-old game mod, following up on a twenty-year-old series? After its September 10th release, Armada III is the 51st most-popular mod on the ModDB site, out of over 46,000 entries across hundreds of games–so we'd say “a lot.” [Update: #21 as of publication. Damn.–Ed.] Quick Star Trek Gaming News Roundup A few weeks back we mentioned that the mobile game Star Trek Fleet Command was beta testing a desktop client for Windows. Well, they're out of beta and it's now available for download, with special perks being offered when you log in via desktop! Game maker WizKids announced a new combo-building game titled “Star Trek Missions” –according to their announcement, “your goal is to assemble the highest-scoring combos possible by drawing cards from the Galaxy deck, the Mission deck, or the discard area.” It'll be available February 2022, but you can pre-order now.

Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of the Toy Association.  Discuss the projected and continuing shortage of toys and supplies heading into the Holiday season.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen in to a frank conversation about the current status of the industry with Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Toy Association. Richard and Chris discuss the status of Toy Fairs in Dallas and New York (2022), as well as the growing importance of Los Angeles as a permanent and temporary location for the industry. Pasierb addresses the current shipping crisis, as well as current legal and political issues that are having, or could have, implications for the industry as a whole. Pasierb discusses the extent of the Association's efforts, as well as its effectiveness with issues that may "fly under the radar" for many in the toy business. In The Endcap, Chris and Richard talk about the Q4 holiday selling season and the challenges manufacturers of all sizes are facing as we confront another holiday season seriously impacted by the global pandemic. The Playground Podcast is supported by Global Toy Experts, The Toy Guy, and ChizComm. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

Jennifer Gibbons of the Toy Association warns about The Dangers of Counterfeit Toys Sold on E-Commerce Platforms See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Culmone, SVP Design at Mattel, and her team have led a remarkable transformation of the Barbie brand to become more inclusive and relevant to a new generation of children by creating the most diverse doll on the planet - a feat which landed her work on the cover of Time magazine and returned the doll to billion-dollar sales again. In this episode, Kim shares how her team boldly set out to make Mattel's first gender-fluid doll, giving transgender kids the space to imagine a world without limitations and boundaries, and help create a society where everyone is welcome, connected, and celebrated. Check out our companion book Good is The New Cool: The Principles of Purpose at http://www.theprinciplesofpurpose.com/ (www.theprinciplesofpurpose.com) and you can join the Good is The New Cool community at http://www.goodisthenewcool.com/ (www.goodisthenewcool.com) About Kim Culmone At the heart of Kim's creative process is the belief that design is a powerful tool for positive impact. She currently holds the position of SVP, Design at Mattel Inc where she sets the creative vision for some of the most iconic and ground-breaking doll brands in the world. In 2015 Kim was responsible for leading a Barbie product reinvention (featured in the Hulu documentary “Tiny Shoulders: Rethinking Barbie”) that generated 5 billion media impressions, secured a TIME cover, and received the coveted “Doll of the Year Award” from The Toy Association. Today Barbie is the most diverse doll line on the market and includes dolls representing various ethnicities, body types, and physical abilities. Mostly recently, Kim and her team made history again by introducing Creatable World, the first ever gender inclusive doll line that “keeps labels out and invites everyone in”.

Episode 34- Heather Welch Edx Education  will be in conversation with Anna Yudina, Senior Director of Marketing at the Toy Association.  Anna is one of the driving forces behind the Genius of Play initiative an award winning program that promotes children, families well just about everyone to play. The Genius of Play movement to raise awareness of play as a crucial part of child development and encourage families to make time for play in their daily lives. The Genius of PlayTM has generated over 18 million engagements and over 2 billion impressions among its target audience. Today we are chatting to Anna about, play based learning, value of play, the Genius of Play initiative and trends in the USA on play.   Here are the highlights:  {1:37} About The Genius of Play  {4:50} Bringing play back to families  {8:15} Rediscovering the fun of unstructured play  {11:52} Changing play habits during lockdown  {15:12} What to look for in a good quality toy  {20:02} The trends in 2021-2022  {22:09} Play for adults    #edxeducation #geniusofplay #learningthroughplay 

On this episode, Dave and Erik talk the latest news, toy hauls, and roll out the red carpet to talk the 2021 Toy Association Toy of the Year Awards! Who got snubbed? Who stole the show? WHO WAS BEST DRESSED?!? Listen now! Follow us @aic_podcast on Instagram ( https://instagram.com/aic_podcast ) , Facebook ( https://facebook.com/aicpodcast ) , Twitter ( https://twitter.com/aic_podcast ) , and YouTube ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeNtqD5fka34ndNJ4kD0zlw ) Intro and other voices by Joe Azzari https://www.instagram.com/voicesbyjoe/ Theme Music is "Game Boy Horror" by the Zombie Dandies Proudly part of the Non-Productive Network ( https://non-productive.com/ )

It's Genius of Play Week on the "Power Kid Podcast" presented by the Toy Book. This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design welcomes four committee members representing The Toy Association's Genius of Play initiative and its ongoing mission to provide families with the information and inspiration they need to make play an important part of their kid’s day. This month represents a milestone for the organization as the Genius of Play pulls back the curtain on its newly minted Play Ambassadors — a group of exceptional individuals who are toy experts and champions of the power of play. In this episode, Albritton is joined by Genius of Play Committee Chair Ashley Mady, head of brand development at Basic Fun! Mady is integral to promoting and developing brands such as Care Bears, K’nex, Pound Puppies, Lite-Brite, Tonka, and Cutetitos. She also serves on the board of trustees at The Toy Foundation and also an advisory board member for Women in Toys. On the show, Mady explains how playing as a kid helped inform her skill as a toy and game designer and brand creator. She also shares her recent experiences in developing Tonka’s Let’s Go Play! initiative with Shaquille O’Neal and discuss how story and character development affects how kids play. Finally, Albritton and Mady close out Genius of Play Week with a discussion on why play is so important right now. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

It's Genius of Play Week on the "Power Kid Podcast" presented by the Toy Book. This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design welcomes four committee members representing The Toy Association's Genius of Play initiative and its ongoing mission to provide families with the information and inspiration they need to make play an important part of their kid’s day. This month represents a milestone for the organization as the Genius of Play pulls back the curtain on its newly minted Play Ambassadors — a group of exceptional individuals who are toy experts and champions of the power of play. In this episode, Albritton is joined by Kid@Heart Steve Starobinsky, a noted trend hunter who consistently identifies exciting new products and helps new brands find their voice in the crowded marketplace. On the show, Albritton and Starobinsky discuss how the pandemic has affected and reintroduced play to kids and families along with the often conflicting relationship between play and toy trends. Additionally, the duo explores how the toy industry is opening doors for those outside it to learn more about play. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

It's Genius of Play Week on the "Power Kid Podcast" presented by the Toy Book. This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design welcomes four committee members representing The Toy Association's Genius of Play initiative and its ongoing mission to provide families with the information and inspiration they need to make play an important part of their kid’s day. This month represents a milestone for the organization as the Genius of Play pulls back the curtain on its newly minted Play Ambassadors — a group of exceptional individuals who are toy experts and champions of the power of play. In this episode, Albritton is joined by Melissa Hunter, YouTube creator, occasional Toy Book contributor, and founder of the Family Video Network. Hunter delves into her interest in play as she unpacks the ways that YouTube has changed the way that kids engage with toys. Additionally, Hunter explores the importance of doll play for kids and adults and what parents can learn from playing alongside their kids. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

It's Genius of Play Week on the "Power Kid Podcast" presented by the Toy Book. This week, host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design welcomes four committee members representing The Toy Association's Genius of Play initiative and its ongoing mission to provide families with the information and inspiration they need to make play an important part of their kid’s day. This month represents a milestone of the for the organization as the Genius of Play pulls back the curtain on its newly minted Play Ambassadors — a group of exceptional individuals who are toy experts and champions of the power of play. In the first of four episodes, Albritton welcomes Michael Rinzler, executive vice president and partner at Jazwares. Prior to becoming co-president and founding partner of Wicked Cool Toys — which was acquired by Jazwares in 2019 — Rinzler held positions at MGA Entertainment, Mattel, Playmates Toys, and Jakks Pacific. On the show, Rinzler shares the important lessons he has learned in play-centered focus groups. Additionally, he and Albritton discuss the dress-up and roleplay category and the importance of that type of imaginative play. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

Matt Nuccio is the President of Design Edge, Inc., a toy and game development company, and a licensing agency whose clients include Mattel, Hasbro, Spin Master, and Fisher-Price to name only a few.  This week he joins me to discuss the evolution of his career within the toy industry.  Our conversation includes a discussion about how to be authentic within your chosen industry and harness the value you bring to the table. For Matt, he is both a business owner and an idea guy.  He brings amazing toy ideas to life and commercializes them on behalf of huge organizations. So, as you listen, think about how you might want to get credit for your knowledge. We also talked about this notion of competing with the big guys versus staying true to yourself and embracing your identity. And finally, Matt talked about how every idea should be a solution to a problem that someone is looking to be fixed.   For 4 years, Matt co-chaired the Toy Association (TA), on their associate panel, representing all designers and inventors within the toy industry. Currently, Matt sits on the board of directors of the United Inventors Association of America (UIA), a non-profit organization working to educate and advocate for all types of inventors. He also sits on the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG) advisory board and Toy Association’s Creative Factor advisory board helping start-up inventors to navigate successfully within the Toy Industry.   Matt writes a column in Toy Family Entertainment magazine focusing on the industry. He has also lectured at ChiTAG, New York Toy Fair, ASTRA, Hong Kong Toy Fair, and various inventor clubs around the world including the 2019 Emerging Innovation Summit in Melbourne Australia. Design Edge's products have been nominated for, and have also won, many industry awards such as TOTY (Toy Of The Year), TAGIE (Toy and Games Innovators), Games 100, Origin, and Family Fun among others. In 2019, Matt was honored by the National Security Agency (NSA) as an American Innovator and was recently listed for the second year in a row, by Mojo Nation, as one of the top 100 most influential people in the toy industry today. Highlights: The design-conscious is about not being fully satisfied with your work. (7:40) The beginning of Design Edge Inc., a toy business family. (8:30) The value of knowing about mechanical techniques even for designers who use modern design software. (10:17) Why is experiencing the evolution of the toy industry (or any other industry) is of value to clients or employers – or the evolution of the toy industry – from toy businessmen. (11:24) Santa Claus the movie from 1985 was based on the old school toy industry. (15:00) Designers vs. sales; and why designers hold their keep. (19:13) Is art school a waste of time? (20:00) Leveraging being a family business versus changing its culture to be more corporate. (24:00) I ask Mark, “What one piece of your business is the highlight of your day?” (27:51) Toys is a fashion-based business; fashion and toys – similarities are plenty! (28:06) What runs through Mark’s mind when a toy he designed does not make it? (30:00) What a toy idea MUST have. (31:38) The impact of the internet on retail in the toy industry. (32:40) Start-ups can benefit from the low barrier to entry. (34:04) Puzzles as the game comeback story of this pandemic. (35:00) The trick to a good board game is that there are clear instructions. (38:38) How true to life was the movie Big with Tom Hanks? It reflects the evolution of the industry. (39:45) Matt’s best advice for anyone with a toy idea: understand the difference between a toy and a solution. (41:48) Links to quench your curiosity: Read about Design Edge, Inc.   Follow Matt on Instagram  Did you enjoy the conversation? Ever wish you could be a fly on the wall? Now you can by following me on Instagram! There I jump on an IGTV Live every Wednesday! You’ll catch me reporting LIVE on-location (so far in a gas station on a highway, a modern art museum, and my local fruit smoothie shop) always depending on my guest’s career thrills! During those LIVES, I share behind-the-scenes podcast stories, offer you a glimpse into my guest’s expertise, and always release more specifics around HOW you too can pursue your own billion-dollar career! Who knows where my next episode will take me? Come along! I want YOU to join me on my next adventure. 

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design speaks with Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association. On the show, Yudina discusses the backstory of The Toy Association and her work leading the consumer-facing Genius of Play program. Additionally, Albritton and Yudina discuss the ways that the Association has pivoted to reach families throughout the pandemic. Finally, the duo delves into the STEAM Strategic Initiative and the process behind choosing winners for the upcoming Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

The Toy Association taps a new PR agency of record for their upcoming virtual event, Toy Fair Everywhere. https://edge.winmo.com/hubnews/articles/30811 Also, NFL On Location Experiences hires a new CMO to help the company tackle some big challenges in the coming months. https://edge.winmo.com/hubnews/articles/30831 Bonus: 12 Tips for a Successful Virtual Conference https://www.leadinglearning.com/virtual-conference-tips/ The Art of Virtualizing Live Events https://www.winmo.com/covid-19/the-art-of-virtualizing-live-events/

(26 minutes) In the second part of their conversation with Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun, Chris and Richard continue the frank conversation about the state of the toy industry, including a lengthy conversation about the viability of toy fairs. Jay is also the Chairman of the Toy Association's Trade Show committee, and he has some valuable information about planning for upcoming events. Then, the conversation turns to the impact of streaming on licensing and consumption patterns and concludes with a clear-eyed assessment of the current situation in Hong Kong as it relates to the toy industry. In The Endcap, Richard and Chris talk about the history of Toy Fair, why it was cancelled during World War II, but not during the pandemic of 1918. The Playground Podcast is sponsored in part by KidStuff Public Relations. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

Techstination, your destination for gadgets and gear.   I’m Fred Fishkin.   The Toy Association is working to help parents and caregivers…in keeping kids motivated and having fun…with a site called the Genius of Play.     The association’s senior director of strategic communications, Adrienne Appell...

Heather McGrail leads her family winery, McGrail Vineyards and Winery, in historic Livermore Valley, one of the oldest wine regions in California. She talks about the beautiful region and her winery. Chief People Officer of Career Builder, Michelle Armer, gives advice on how to still find jobs during this time. Adrienne Appell, Senior Director of Strategic Communications, The Toy Association talks about the importance of getting the kids off the couch and engaged in play. Safwan Shah, Co-Founder & CEO, PayActiv, talks about how they can help you get paid quicker.

Techstination interview: The Toy Association assists families through GeniusofPlay.org: Adrienne Appell

Richard and Chris talk with Steve Pasierb about the current impact of the Coronavirus on the toy industry. The conversation includes information on how the Association is supporting its members, news, perspective, and updates and resources for companies in the business as we all try to negotiate the situation. As Pasierb says, "hope is not a strategy," but there are reasons to be hopeful as the business makes its way carefully through the crisis. (20 minutes, 34 seconds) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

In this week's episode of the "Power Kid Podcast," host Phil Albritton of Power Kid Design gears up for Toy Fair New York with The Toy Association's Marian Bossard. For over 20 years, Bossard has served as executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association. On the show, Bossard discusses the customer service mentality that goes into every aspect of Toy Fair. Additionally, she and Albritton discuss how Toy Fair New York has changed over the years and what new and notable events attendees should be on the lookout for at this year's show. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

Richard and Chris sit down with Marian Bossard, EVP Global Market Events for the Toy Association to talk all things Toy Fair. From innovative educational programs, assistance for first-time attendees and the evolution and history of the show in response to a dynamic marketplace, this lively discussion gives you special insight into the opportunities and importance of this show on the eve of its 117th edition. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

On today's episode, we sit down with Matthew Lenz, Director of State Government Affairs at The Toy Association. Matthew's story is a great example of how important networking is to becoming successful in this industry. Matthew went from managing a restaurant, to Senior Policy Advisor to the Attorney General of Rhode Island, and is now a lobbyist. The Toy Association is the not-for-profit trade association representing businesses that design, produce, license, and deliver toys and youth entertainment products. The Toy Association represents over 1,000 members from large toy companies to small mom and pop shops. Matthew attended the University of Rhode Island part-time while managing a restaurant in Warwick, RI After realizing he wanted to work in politics, Matt quit his restaurant job to pursue politics full-time He became former Attorney General Peter Kilmartin's Deputy Campaign Manager Following Kilmartin's win, he was appointed Executive Assistant to the Attorney General, Matthew then ran Kilmartin's reelection campaign, and became Kilmartin's Senior Policy Advisor during his next term in office Matthew then moved to his current position in the private sector at The Toy Association. Help us grow! Leave us a rating and review - it's the best way to bring new listeners to the show.  Have a suggestion, or want to chat with Jim? Email him at Jim@theLobbyingShow.com.  Follow The Lobbying Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for weekly updates about the show, our guests, and more.

In the first of a two-part conversation, Chris and Richard sit down with President and CEO of the Toy Association, Steve Pasierb. Listen in as they discuss tariffs, counterfeits and the ongoing work of the association to work with Congress and promote the toy industry. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

On this week's episode of Babbling with Bill, Bill talk's with Adrienne Appell from The Toy Association about the top toy trends this holiday season.

Kristen talks with Adrienne Appell with the Toy Association about the top toy trends.

Are you looking for that perfect toy for the child in your life? Adrienne Appell of the Toy Association has some ideas. Then Ken has his traditional Christmas message.

2019 Toy Trends The Toy Industry’s Premier Player, Elizabeth Werner, Talks Toy Trends throughout the International Toy Fair WHAT: The Annual International Toy Fair is the largest toy marketplace in the country, bringing together more than 1,100 manufacturers, distributors and importers to showcase what’s new in the New Year – 400,000+ square feet filled with new and innovative toys, games and entertainment products! Elizabeth Werner, the toy industry’s premier player, will be on hand and available to show, tell, demo, preview and play – She will offer your viewers an insider’s perspective of the industry’s most innovative, educational and just plain fun toys, set to be introduced into the marketplace this New Year. Specifically, here is what we are “playing with”… Toys that Teach Imagination & Pretend Talking Technology … and more! WHEN: Live Via Satellite from NYC, NY (SNEAK PEAK) Friday, Feb. 15; 6:30am – 2:00pm ET AND (ROUND UP) Tuesday, Feb. 19; 6:30am – 2:00pm ET WHO: Elizabeth Werner is a renowned toy industry expert. Werner has appeared on dozens of broadcast outlets including The View, Fox & Friends, CNN and Access Hollywood to discuss the latest industry trends. Werner also appears as a regular child lifestyle expert on QVC. She was recognized by the Women in Toy Association as the “woman to watch in the toy industry.”

Elizabeth Werner is a renowned toy industry expert. Werner has appeared on dozens of broadcast outlets including The View, Fox & Friends, CNN and Access Hollywood to discuss the latest industry trends. Werner also appears as a regular child lifestyle expert on QVC. She was recognized by the Women in Toy Association as the “woman to watch in the toy industry.”

In this episode of The Toy Report, Toy Book Senior Editor James Zahn ("The Rock Father") serves an update on the latest happenings in toys, games, and family entertainment. This week's industry news includes updates from The Toy Association with a warning about counterfeit toys; American Girl's Holiday plans; the second annual Hot Wheels Legends Tour Winner; a big week on Sesame Street; and more! Be sure to subscribe to the Adventure Media and Events Podcast Network on your favorite service for more great shows and episodes! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

Richard and Chris chat with Adrienne Aappell and Rebecca Mond of the Toy Association. They talk about battling aggressive NGO's and their "dangerous toy" lists, the consumer safety site Play Safe (www.playsafe.org), a new white paper on avoiding online knock-offs The Real Threat of Fake Toys, and a bit of fun coming up in the holiday season. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

In this week's edition of The Toy Report, Toy Book Senior Editor James Zahn ("The Rock Father") shares the week's top toy stories, including news from ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, The Toy Association, E3 and more. Featuring Arcade1Up, Super7, LEGO, Hasbro, ZURU, Jazwares, AtGames, eOne, and more... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

With the release of List 4, tariffs of up to 25 percent appear increasingly likely on finished goods, as soon as July. Richard and Chris talk to Ed Desmond and Rebecca Mond about the tariff issue and its implications for the toy industry. We talk about what the Toy Association is doing, the current climate in Washington, and how members of the industry can get involved. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-playground-podcast/support

In this week's edition of The Toy Report, Toy Book Senior Editor James Zahn ("The Rock Father") shares news on The Toy Association's fight against Trump tariffs, clarifies the status of Party City's helium shortage and store closings, and hits the week's top headlines, including news from Matchbox, Jazwares, MGA Entertainment, and more. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/adventuremedia/message

The Toy Industry’s Premier Player, Elizabeth Werner, Highlights Last-Chance Tips & Trends in Preparation for the Holiday Rush A 2-Part Series – Different Toys Both Days! WHAT: The holidays are practically here, and your viewers will spend the remainder of the month planning, shopping, celebrating… and scrambling!! Elizabeth Werner is on hand and available to share the latest toy industry trends of the season, making sure your viewers are well-prepared. Last chance gifts - here is what we are “playing with”… · Get Ready for Gaming – No doubt about it, your viewers will want to see what’s new and now in the gaming category – Elizabeth will show/tell and demo the latest · Crafting & Creating – Crafting is key this season, and Elizabeth will highlight some of the most artistic options · For the Tiny Techie – Elizabeth will showcase the hottest tech toys of the season · Keep the Classics – Classic character toys are forever on the list, Elizabeth will show and tell the latest and greatest WHEN: Live Via Satellite from NYC, NY Monday, Dec. 3 AND Tuesday, Dec. 4 A 2-part series - (different toys each day – producers can schedule one or both interviews) 6:30am – 2:00pm ET WHO: Elizabeth Werner is a renowned toy industry expert. Werner has appeared on dozens of broadcast outlets including The View, Fox & Friends, CNN and Access Hollywood to discuss the latest industry trends. Werner also appears as a regular child lifestyle expert on QVC. She was recognized by the Women in Toy Association as the “woman to watch in the toy industry.”

Kevin discusses President Trump's State of the Union Address with guests Adrienne Elrod, Democratic Strategist and former Clinton 2016 Presidential Campaign Director of Strategic Communications,  Jason Miller, Former Senior Communications Advisor for the Trump campaign and Managing Director at Teneo Strategy and Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of the Toy Association.

Kevin discusses President Trump's State of the Union Address with guests Adrienne Elrod, Democratic Strategist and former Clinton 2016 Presidential Campaign Director of Strategic Communications,  Jason Miller, Former Senior Communications Advisor for the Trump campaign and Managing Director at Teneo Strategy and Steve Pasierb, President and CEO of the Toy Association.

The owner of Design Edge Matt Nuccio has toys in his blood. A 2nd generation toy guy, he grew up in the business and has massive experience at all levels of the industry. He is a member of the Creative Factor Advisory Board for the Toy Association and a member of the board for ChiTAG. I bring Matt to the mic today to discuss his efforts to more closely include designers, inventors and sales reps into the Toy Association. He has also worked closely with the United Inventors Association and we discuss current weaknesses of US patent law. Do you always need a patent for your toy invention? How do we show an invention and get feedback while also protecting our ideas? Later in the show we get pragmatic and discuss how to learn from having your concept rejected and use it to adjust your course and fuel your fire. This conversation is a great balance of entertainment and education. Enjoy!

Show Topic: Playing With Your Kids Increases Your Lifespan Co-Hosts:  Judy Gaman, Mark Anderson, Walter Gaman Guest: Ken Seiter    Segment 1 Intro Discussion    Today is all about the importance of play, did you know that playing with your kids and grandkids will increase your lifespan – it's true. (Connect) Reminisce about the things our parents did with us (or not) and the things we have enjoyed doing with our own kids.  (Inspire)  challenge the people listening right now to plan some play time each week MUSIC FOR DOC SHOCK  Study published in the open access journal BMC Medicine, looked at over 15,000 people and found that eating a diet high in fruits, veggies, nuts, and legumes, such as the Mediterranean can prevent the onset of depression. Basically, the study results show that depression is most likely linked to nutrient deficits, something that we have seen in our practice as well. Read the Study Here!   Follow us on Facebook! Tweet us on Twitter! Download the Show on iTunes! Visit our Website! Call us at 844-well 100   Segment 2   Intro Coming up – we are going to our special guest Ken Seiter, a VP at the Toy Association and an expert on the importance of play. ANDERSON - Immortal minute “This Immortal Minute is brought to you by - Solis mammography – exceptional experience and exceptionally accurate results”    Today's show is all about the importance of play and we are visiting with Ken Seiter who holds a Master's degree in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. He is the VP of Marketing Communications at the Toy Association where he oversees the development, implementation and oversight of the Association's communications strategies, key messaging and brand integrity programs.   Discuss Tell us about the Genius of Play Movement The Toy Industry Association recently conducted a survey on how and when parents play with their kids. Tell us about the findings of that survey Research points to direct correlation between play and stress reduction – this is true for kids as well as adults. A group of researchers at the Kansas State University studied single mothers, who often experience higher levels of parental stress. According to their findings, the mothers who engaged daily in playful activities with their kids, such as reading stories or playing games, had lower levels of stress. Today's highly scheduled children have less time for free play, and some react to the associated pressures with anxiety and increased stress. According to the clinical report “The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds” published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, depression and anxiety in kids appear to be linked to lack of unstructured playtime. Play has a proven therapeutic power. According to Dr. Cindy Dell Clark of Rutgers University, play – particularly pretend play - allows children to “act out” their feelings and dilemmas. Given enough time to engage in pretense, children playfully confront difficult meanings on their own terms. Play is fun and, similar to physical activity and sports, can trigger release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals. In addition, the social interaction of playing with others can help ward off stress and depression. A study of over 800 public school students showed that the highest levels of happiness in children occurred when they were playing or conversing with friends. When stressful situations do arise, play helps people of all ages remain resilient through tough times. Developing a playful nature can help you loosen up, break the ice with strangers, make new friends, and form new business and personal relationships.   Segment 3 Intro  Upcoming Dementia Defender 844-WELL100   We are talking about the importance of play. Sure, play is important to our kids development, but it also will help you as an adult live longer   Discuss   It's important to your stress level and your happiness quotient that you have at least one activity that you do regularly just for fun. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, Founder of the National Institute of Play who has conducted over 6,000 play studies during his 40-year career, “Denying our need to play can have negative effect on our emotional well-being. The opposite of play is not work, its depression”. Play empowers people to be flexible thinkers, creative, young-at-heart and free-spirited. Successful companies like Google recognize this by integrating opportunities to take a break into their workspaces. Others, including Coca-Cola, Unilever, Toyota and even NASA, have used “Lego Serious Play” method, which utilizes building bricks to unlock employee's problem-solving abilities and encourage out-of-the-box thinking. Play is also a great way for parents and other adult caregivers to strengthen the bond with the kids. In a survey of 500 US parents recently conducted by the Genius of Play, 93% said play helps them bond with their child. Engaging our Kids to Play with us Play board games – a great way for kids to learn following the rules and compromising, while developing problem-solving and strategy skills. Engage in arts and crafts. These activities help young children develop fine motor skills, while fostering creativity and self-expression.   Coming up Medical Mania Trivia and then at the end of the show -  Dementia Defender Riddle of the day – your chance to win a free copy of the book Age to Perfection.   Segment 4   Intro    MEDICAL TRIVIA  - Donna    Which is stronger, once for ounce – A human bone or steel (Human Bone) How many pounds of bacteria are in the average human body at one time? (4 lbs.) During the average lifespan, how many barrels of blood does your heart pump? A. 15,000 B. 250,000 C. 1.5 Million (5 Million, enough to fill 200 train tank cars!) True of false. Your heart can beat when temporarily detached from the body (True – it has its own electrical impulse) At what age does your brain stop developing (Late 40s)   DEMENTIA DEFENDER Question: A man in New York City has $10. He spends $6.50 on flowers, and $3 on lunch (hot coffee and a hot dog). He then gets on the subway which will take him 7 stops for 50 cents. But he is forced to get off of the subway just 5 stops away from where he began. Why is this? End of Show   Thank you for listening to the Staying Young Show! With all the mixed messages on health, you need information that you can use and that you can trust. Listen in as the experts discuss all topics health related. It's time to STAY YOUNG and stay healthy! Each week we tackle a topic and often with leading scientists, best-selling authors, and even your favorite celebrities! As a listener of our show, your input is important to us. Please take a moment to fill out this quick survey so we can serve you better - Survey For more information on The Staying Young Show, please visit our website, and subscribe to the show in iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. You can also reach out to our host, Judy Gaman, here for book purchasing, and speaking opportunities in your area!