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Connecting with an Educated Consumer Key to Infant Toy Success

Jane Kitchen -- Kids Today, 2/16/2011 3:49:40 AM

Today's babies have got it going on. The amount of research from child development experts and consumer studies that is poured into the development of infant toys is astounding. These are toys, sure, but they're more than just toys; they're products that facilitate early language, develop fine motor skills, and nurture relationships. Important stuff going on here.
     Today's moms, by extension, are more involved, concerned, and educated about the types of toys their babies have, from day one.
     "The internet has drastically changed the expectations of first-time parents, especially Millenials and younger," said Kendal Miller, vice president of product development for Kids II. "They are now much more educated in baby's developmental stages, so they are scrutinizing products against those stages."
     For example, said Miller, parents now recognize high-contrast black, white, and red schemes as the most captivating palette for infants whose eyes are still developing. Kids II has combined those high-contrast elements with other relevant activities in one of their most popular infant toys, the Bright Starts Sensory Giraffe.
     Elaine Henderson, senior marketing director at Learning Curve, also said today's moms are a new breed. Not only are they savvier - they're listening to their friends, other moms, parenting experts, pediatricians - but they're also very determined to be the guiding force in their babies' development.
     "We're focusing on products where at the center of them, it's all about that mom/baby interaction," said Henderson, who heads up the company's Lamaze Infant development team. For today's moms, said Henderson, "It's equally important if not more so than developing fine motor skills or early language skills."
     Lamaze is introducing a line of 12 infant books that brings beloved Lamaze characters to life in storytelling. The line features soft books with bright colors, high-contrast items and simple words for young babies, along with board books with more things for babies to discover as they get a bit older.
     "When a mom sits down with a baby and goes through a book, it's so much more than words and paper; it's about that time to spend together," said Henderson.
     Kids Preferred is also looking to connect with mom and baby through books, but by incorporating the familiar faces of beloved characters from Eric Carle's stories for young children, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
     The company is expanding its popular line of licensed Eric Carle infant toys, with more than a dozen new toys, including a cuddly bear, rocker, wood stacker, rattles, and various sensory-based infant toys with mirrors, lights and crinkles.
     Kids Preferred is also expanding its amazing baby line of licensed toys and books, with roly poly farm animals, a busy bee, a stroller squiggle, squeaker stick rattles and more. The line is based on years of research in the development of babies in the first two years of life.
     The key, it seems, is to capture the consumers' imagination, and provide real-world benefits for infant toys.
     "It is no longer good enough to just be ‘cute' for baby," said Kids II's Miller. "We now have to make sure that we are delivering a unique brand message and assortment of toys with features that meets the needs of this consumer."

Bright Starts' new Sensory Giraffe helps develop baby's sense of sight, sound and touch with high contrast colors, multiple textures, and fun sounds. Featuring a mirror, teether, rattle and bead chaser, it easily attaches to carriers and strollers, making it great for on-the-go fun. For age newborn+, retail is $9.99. www.brightstarts.com
	Kids Preferred is expanding its amazing baby line of licensed baby toys, including this RolyPoly Farm Animal Chime, shown here in pig, also available in cow. Pig and cow measure seven inches and have eye-catching colorsand patterns to stimulate baby. Ages newborn + with a retail of $14. www.kidspreferred.com
Mimicking Monkey is new from Cloud b, and its unique dual track voiceover option allows parents to record personal messages along with each sound to help transform a child's play to bedtime. Mimicking Monkey plays three unique sounds for fun and sleep - Monkey Fun, Angel Falls and Lullaby. An illustrated storybook is included. Retail price is $31.95. www.cloudb.com
	Lamaze is debuting a new line of books for babies from birth and up, written by prominent child development expert Dorothy Singer, Ed. D. The new Lamaze Book line includes soft books, board books, and book & plush gift sets. www.learningcurve.com/lamaze
The Clara doll, new from Haba, features an adorable outfit in pink polka-dots and stripes. Clara has a full head of red hair (friends Annie and Elise feature different looks), and is a soft body doll with dangly colored legs, recommended for ages 1½ +. Retail price is $35. www.habausa.com
	The Bella Butterfly bath set is new from Wow Toys, and designed for babies 12 months and over. Scooping, pouring, spinning and squirting activities make this bath set both stimulating and lots of fun. The four-piece set includes a scoop-and-pour Bella Butterfly cup, spinning water wheel, water squirter and bobbing bee ball, and retails for $30. www.wowtoys.com
Bella Rose is new from Kimochis, and is designed to help children express their feelings. Bella Rose is sensitive and sweet, but sometimes it can be a challenge. When Bella Rose's feelings get hurt, she tends to close up. Feelings included are happy, sensitive, insecure. www.kimochis.com
	Mary Meyer has introduced six new banks for both boy and girl nurseries for 2011. These themed banks are plastic with plush covers, and include an elephant bank from the Ella Bella collection, a dinosaur bank from the OkeyDokey collection, and pig banks from the Little Princess, Little MVP, Mango Monkey and Cutsie Caterpillar collections. The banks retail for $11, and range in size from seven to 10 inches. www.marymeyer.com

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There are baby toys out there that are plastic free because there are some toys that are made of plastic that can harm and cause cancer to your kids or ruin their immune system because of the chemicals they touch and ingest in their bodies. Organic toys are much more recommended than plastic toys. source: www.babytoys101 .com
marian jane - 2011-02-17 00:12:36 EST

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