May 23, 2023 - aNb Media, Inc.

Toy Association & Clamour Unveil Influencers’ Top Toy Picks for Spring & Summer 2023

As the official start of summer kicks off this Memorial Day weekend, the “Best of Spring & Summer 2023 Influencer Choice List,” presented by The Toy Association and powered by Clamour, has unveiled the hottest toys and games of the season as voted on by top-tier toy and family content creators. Families are invited to shop the list of toys below. “The ‘Best of Spring & Summer 2023 Influencer Choice List’ offers families a trusted selection of top toys, from active outdoor toys and travel-ready games to creative toys that will keep young minds engaged over summer break,” said Kristin Morency Goldman, senior advisor of strategic communications at The Toy Association. “This year’s list highlights a diverse assortment of innovative products that are sure to inspire many hours of fun-filled, skill-building play in the coming months.”

Leading Game Studio Toca Boca Unveils Its First Direct-to-Consumer Physical Apparel Collection

The award-winning game developer Toca Boca, the creative force behind popular games such as Toca Life World, is set to launch its first-ever official direct-to-consumer (DTC) fan merchandise, consisting of apparel, accessories, and collectibles. Collaborating with manufacturer Juniper Creates, the new fan merchandise will be available globally from May 23, allowing Toca Boca enthusiasts to wear their favorite aesthetic and express their fandom in real life.

Miniland Launches You Belong with Miniland 3rd Annual Initiative to Inspire Inclusive Play Across the Country

Focusing on the power of play to spark inclusion among young children, Miniland has launched its 3rd Annual You Belong campaign, its most powerful initiative to support acceptance and representation in early childhood. Encompassing the values of the Miniland brand and all who support it: children, teachers, parents and retailers, You Belong is centered on the brand’s core values of inclusion, tolerance, empathy, collaboration and respect.

Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Clues Hosts Reunite This Weekend in Brand-New ‘Blue’s Clues’ & YOU! Episode and ‘Blue’s Big City Adventure’

Kids and families can spend the holiday weekend with the Blue’s Clues crew, as Nickelodeon debuts a brand-new episode of Blue’s Clues & You! and the Paramount+ original feature-length movie Blue’s Big City Adventure–both featuring all three beloved hosts, Josh Dela Cruz, Steve Burns, and Donovan Patton.  “The Case of the Missing Thinking Chair,” premiering Friday, May 26, at 11:30 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon, follows Josh and Blue as they embark on a puzzling quest to find the missing Thinking Chair. With a mystery this huge, they need to call in the Blueprints Detective Agency for Steve’s help in solving the case. This episode is written and directed by Burns.  

PBS KIDS Invites Kids and Families to Come Along on a Summer of Adventure

Summer is almost here and whether it’s making sidewalk art, playing in the backyard, building a pillow fort, taking a road trip, or learning something new, the warmer months are a time of exploration for kids, families, and educators alike – and, as always, PBS KIDS is along for the ride. From new movies from Alma’s Way, Molly of Denali, and Ready Jet Go!, debuting episodes from newest series Work it Out Wombats! and Rosie’s Rules, to the launch of a new podcast, Keyshawn Solves It, and more, there’s so much on tap to help young audiences spark their curiosity, have fun, and learn and grow this summer.

Disguise Announces Multi-Year Partnership Extension with Universal Products & Experience to Create Products for US AND LATAM Across Multiple Franchises

Disguise, Inc, the leading costume division of toy and consumer products manufacturer, JAKKS Pacific, Inc (NASDAQ:JAKK), has announced a partnership extension in the U.S. and expansion into Latin America (LATAM) to design, market, manufacture and distribute costumes, costume accessories, inflatables, adaptive costumes and trunk-or-treat kits for Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) characters and franchises commencing in 2023.

Strawberry Shortcake Licensing WildBrain

WildBrain Bakes Up More Fan Excitement for Strawberry Shortcake with New Partnerships Across Licensing, Content and Promotions

WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, is further expanding the offering for fans of its beloved Strawberry Shortcake franchise with a heaping new serving of licensing partnerships, creative activations and distribution deals to reach new audiences as the brand continues to grow in popularity. Fresh off a second GLAAD nomination for WildBrain’s original new animated series, Berry in the Big City, the Strawberry Shortcake brand is surging in popularity with fans. In Q1 2023, Strawberry Shortcake jumped onto the charts as the sixth most popular character among kids 6 to 9 in the US, according to independent consumer research firm The Insights Family, beating out Harry Potter, SpongeBob SquarePants and Barbie.

The Care Bears Announce New Animated TV Content & L&M Licensees for the UK

Cloudco Entertainment, owner of the Care Bears franchise, is proud to announce six all-new animated Care Bears: Unlock the Magic specials set to air on Narrative Entertainment’s commercial children’s channel, Tiny Pop, as well as four new UK-based consumer product licensees. These additions provide further momentum to a brand already experiencing huge growth across all channels and audiences, on TV, in retail, on social media and YouTube, and across audiences of all demographics and genres.

News

30 Toys Top Toy Association’s ‘Summer Learning STEAM Toy List’

The Toy Association has unveiled its “Summer Learning STEAM Toy List,” which includes 30 officially accredited STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) toys that will support learning and keep young minds sharp over the summer. Families can now shop the list of toys below, which includes an ant tunneling kit, a light-up dinosaur terrarium, an electrical circuit-building set, and many more innovative STEAM products that inspire creativity and teach children about life sciences, mathematics, engineering, and more.