Toy Fair 2008 was a Blast

Despite the doom and gloom over the economy and the recent glut of safety recalls, the 105th Annual International American Toy Fair was in a word…fun.

In a continued effort to clean its own house, the Toy Industry Association held numerous safety seminars and lectures throughout the Jacob Javits Center where Toy Fair is held. The four-day show set attendance records with a reported 30% increase in people looking for and displaying the latest and greatest in the realm of playdom. There was energy in the aisles that I hadn’t felt in several years.

There was excitement at the WHAM-O stand as they kicked off their 60th Anniversary celebration. Another prominent birthday bash was held for the Cabbage Patch Kids who turn 25 this year. Who could forget the riots they caused in 1983?

I saw several neat collectible toys, but my favorite was Clay-Mates. They are “They are Hugely Tiny, Hand Made Real Porcelain Creatures” and the moment I saw them, I knew my collect-crazy daughters would be go ga-ga for them.

My favorite use of the internet was a company making customizable flash cards called Goosie Cards. Clever, educational and fun.

Innovation was alive and well in a product called Bakugan from Spin Master. They are magnetized playing cards with magnetized “marbles” that kids flick and roll. When the marble or “battle brawler” comes to rest on a magnetized card it pops open, transforming into a creature. Very cool.

2008

As I prepare to attend my 18th consecutive Toy Fair in New York in a few short weeks, I start the year with a ton of cool projects in the works and a great thankfulness in my heart. To be able to “play for a living” is a privilege that I respect and appreciate more than I can express adequately with words. I am truly blessed to be able to work hard at play. Thank you, God.

Here’s a quick rundown on what I have coming in 2008.

BLURT!, my game of “saying without thinking” will be launched by Sababa Toys at Toy Fair and I am so fired up to be able to show you all the plans they have for the game. Blurt has sold over a million copies and I have no doubt that Sababa will sell a million more! VERRRRY COOL stuff coming as soon as the artwork is finalized. Come back and see in a few weeks!

TRIBOND, the game that I co-created with Ed Muccini and Dave Yearick will be coming back this year. Having sold 3 million copies in 13 countries, you knew it wouldn’t be off the market long. In fact, it never really left. Look for a big announcement here as soon as we can divulge the plans!

THE PLAYMAKERS is the newly named toy and game design division that we are launching with several neato ideas that we’re pitching to companies at TOY FAIR. In my 18 years in toydom, I can honestly say that I have never been this excited about new concepts. Of course, I can’t tell you about them until they sprout wings…

CHRONICLE BOOKS is publishing my book (which does not have an official title as of yet), but I can tell you that it is a celebration of WHAM-O, that awesome company which brought the world Frisbee, Hula Hoop, Super Ball, Slip ‘N Slide, SuperElasticBubblePlastic, Silly String and more! WHAM-O celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2008 and the book should be out in May in time for the Book Expo show. Stay tuned!

TOYS + DOCUMENTARY FILM = :). I was a creative consultant on a documentary film on toy inventors which was filmed in 2007 and which will be edited this spring. We interviewed the likes of Betty James, the developer of Slinky, Burt Meyer the inventor of Mouse Trap, Lite Brite, Toss Across, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots and many more, Eddy Goldfarb, Milt Levine – a veritable WHO’s WHO of toy inventors. We also shot at Toy Fair, Toys R Us Times Square (NEW YORK), Radio Flyer and Big Monster Toys (CHICAGO), Mattel and Otis College (LOS ANGELES), Hasbro, Wiffle Ball, Inc, etc., etc., etc., CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW YOU THAT!

Yes, 2008 looks to be a very, very FULL year and for that I remain very, very hopeful and thankful.