Following its successful debut at Toy Fair, ZipString (www.zipstring.com) has now gone from startup to upstart to industry player with its viral hit product now being sold at over 4000 Walmart stores across the country. “Less than two years ago, we turned an idea, starting in my Dad’s basement, to a Shark Tank appearance, to hand-building and shipping thousands of units to our growing army of fans,” noted co-founders Austin Hillam and Stephen Fazio, “all of which attracted the attention of the legendary Dude Perfect group, leading to a national stage tour and viral video sensation with millions of hits.”

Toy Safety Awareness Month has kicked off, with the goal of helping parents, grandparents, and other caregivers keep little ones safe this holiday season. From the importance of avoiding recalled and counterfeit products, to advice for keeping kids safe when playing with Internet-connected toys, families are being advised of some simple steps they can take to ensure children’s safety. Toy Safety Awareness Month takes place each November and is sponsored by PlaySafe.org, The Toy Association’s trusted safety resource for parents. “Play is our business – and keeping kids safe while they play is the number one priority for The Toy Association and our members all year long,” said Joan Lawrence, The Toy Association’s “Toy Safety Mom” and senior vice president of standards and regulatory affairs. “With the holidays around the corner, toys are top-of-mind for many families, which makes it the perfect opportunity to remind consumers about how to choose safe and appropriate toys and ensure a child’s safety once the gifts are unwrapped.”

MGA Entertainment, one of the largest and fastest growing privately held toy and entertainment companies in the world, is bringing holiday cheer with mini seasonal delights from MGA’s Miniverse, its booming miniature collectible brand recognized for its virality across social media and prominence in the cultural zeitgeist. The brand announced its Make It Mini Food Holiday Theme collection, which boasts its first-ever licensed partnership as part of the new series. In addition to the new line’s Gingerbread House, Hot Cocoa, and Roasted Turkey capsules, MGA’s Miniverse has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to launch an ultra-rare, surprise collectible inspired by the classic holiday film, Elf, the Mini Buddy the Elf Spaghetti dish. The partnership signifies the brand’s continued expansion into the lifestyle space via timely and innovative designs with real working DIY features and now best-in-class partnerships.

Gayle Keller, the author of the international bestselling book, Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead, has announced the launch of her line of dolls, Theodora S.T.E.A.M. Girls. On a mission to bring female empowerment to young girls, the Theodora S.T.E.A.M. Girls line features five diverse dolls that each possess a special superpower designed to help young girls discover their own strengths. As a former software sales executive, Keller experienced first-hand the inequalities and difficulties as a woman in STEAM. As a mother of two daughters, this troubled her and fueled her determination to uncover the root causes behind the gender gap in STEAM careers. Keller’s mission is to reshape the landscape of STEAM and instill in young girls the confidence needed to achieve their dreams. 

Kingsmen Creatives Ltd (“Kingsmen”), a leading creator of experiences, announced that Kingsmen Xperience, Inc, (“Kingsmen Xperience”) its United States location-based entertainment focused subsidiary, and Max-Matching Entertainments Co, Ltd. (“Max-Matching Entertainments”), one of the largest investors, developers, and operators of location-based entertainment in China with rapid expansion across Asia, have formed a strategic partnership to bring the globally popular NERF Action Xperience family entertainment centers, under license by leading toy and game company Hasbro, to China beginning in 2025. Under the partnership, Kingsmen Xperience will manage the intellectual property and licensor relations, and lead design and development. Max-Matching Entertainments will identify the locations and destination venues, develop the properties, and provide best-in-class operations and facilities management. The permanent NERF Action Xperience indoor family entertainment centers are planned to open first in Beijing, followed by other locations throughout China.

“Although we have seen activity at retail slowing, our business continued to perform well throughout the third quarter. Retail sell-through at our Top 3 accounts in the US were down low single digits on a year-to-date basis, while our inventory at those accounts is down over 20% year-over-year” said Stephen Berman, CEO of JAKKS Pacific.