Diversity and Inclusion at Play

For many years, entrepreneurs have been at the New York Toy Fair launching ethnically and culturally diverse product lines, created because they could not find anything similar at retail for their own children. In the past, these initiatives most typically have consisted of ranges of diverse dolls, often accompanied by books outlining the characters’ backstory.

The trend continued at the 2023 event, held last week at the Javits Center, where another crop of new or very young properties with a focus on diversity and inclusion exhibited. A notable difference this year was that the respective brands tended to have more nuanced brand positioning and were more varied in terms of the types of products and themes they encompass, which will help differentiate them from each other and within the toy industry in general. Some have already entered into licensing deals as licensees or licensors, while others are considering or open to such a step.

Some examples:

• In KidZ launched Cookie Monster-themed cooking activity kits under license from Sesame Workshop. The kits, which introduce children to cuisines and traditions from around the world, include a recipe book featuring dishes tied to Sesame Street characters of different backgrounds, including Grandpa ZZ’s Mac ’n Cheese (Southern U.S.), Rosita’s Corn Muffins (Mexican), and Ji-Young’s Kimbap (Korean), as well as Cookie Monster’s favorite, chocolate chip cookies. In addition, there are games, puzzles, and picnic play pieces that allow kids to learn independently or alongside their parents as they cook or shop.

• Brown Toy Box offers 14 STEAM-themed activity kits and books, each highlighting a different black or brown character with its own STEAM specialty, such as medical science, marine biology, investing and finance, art, robotics, and others. The company started as a subscription box offering and transitioned to a full-service toy company in 2021. In addition to the STEAM activity kits and books, the company offers constructor kits, games, posters, puzzles, and more.

• Upbounders by Little Likes Kids is a culturally driven maker of premium puzzles, board games, board books, and plush that reflect the culture, belonging, and joy of diverse kids’ everyday experiences. Themes portrayed include camping (the bestselling theme to date), block party, splash park, barber shop, and more. In spring 2023, the company distributed 10 million puzzles and games at Chick-fil-A locations through a licensing deal with Strottman International. Products are sold through retail outlets including Nordstrom, Indigo Canada, and Barnes & Noble.

• Worldwide Buddies launched its flagship product, Book of Cultures: 30 Stories to Discover the World, in a successful Kickstarter campaign. It has since expanded into a variety of culturally focused storybooks. Its most recent title is Little Explorer’s Words, which focuses on untranslatable words from around the world, meant to give children a love of language as well as an introduction to global cultures. The company has expanded into games, puzzles, language-learning flashcards in nine languages (from Vietnamese to Swahili), and plush (axolotl from Mexico and spotted seal from China).

Of course the diversification of Toy Fair and the toy industry in general, which has slowly been progressing for years and intensified over the past three years, was evident across the show floor. More toys and products had themes of diversity and inclusion and/or portrayed a multicultural array of children on products, packaging, and marketing materials. The Toy Fair app and website highlighted diverse-owned businesses this year within its exhibitor list, so retail buyers and others could search by ownership (filtering by races/ethnicities, women, veterans, and/or disabled).

Licensed products were also in the mix, from Rock the Bells and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever dolls at The Dr. Lisa Company (formerly The World of EPI) to Super Sema and Karma’s World at Bendon, a purveyor of books, activity kits, and now candy after its acquisition of Primary Colors.

There is still a long way to go, however, and entrepreneurial brands like those mentioned here hope to contribute to creating a more diverse and inclusive toy industry, making future generations more accepting of and knowledgeable about cultures and traditions other than their own, and ensuring all children in a toy store or at play feel like they are represented and belong.

Our detailed analysis of the trends spotted at Toy Fair will be posted in the coming days. Watch for a link in future editions of RaugustReports and our monthly e-newsletter.