Melissa & Doug Launches Playful and Engaging Collection of Timeless Toys Designed to Inspire Infant and Toddler Development

New Collection Includes Wooden Toys that Reflect Continued Commitment to Incorporating Renewable
Materials

WILTON, Conn., Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --  Melissa & Doug, the #1 preschool brand for wooden and sustainable toys, has developed an innovative and fun collection of infant and toddler toys designed to inspire learning through play. The collection ranges from birth to two years and encourages essential skill-building through open-ended play and engaging play patterns.

"Play is essential for healthy baby and toddler development, which is why we offer toys that provide a launchpad for discovery and imagination," said Bridgette Miller, Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer. "We're thrilled to introduce a collection of open-ended toys that inspire imagination so young children can engage in fun and developmental learning at the same time. In addition, many of the wooden toys in this collection continue to reflect our commitment to making timeless, sustainable toys for a thriving and inclusive world."

The Melissa & Doug design team carefully crafted each unique and high-quality product to bring a fresh lens to the future of infant and toddler toys. In partnership with a leading design firm and by leveraging Melissa & Doug's deep expertise in infant and toddler play, the collection was able to address a true consumer need and provide healthy, timeless play options for new parents.

"After speaking with countless parents, caregivers, educators, and developmental experts, we realized there was a real void in the infant toy space," said Sofia Dumery, Senior Vice President of Design. "Our goal was to not only bring something new to the market, but address a true consumer need for functional toys designed to effectively support the developmental growth of infants and toddlers." 

Playfully designed with adorable, relatable characters, using a variety of shapes, textures, and themes for kids to explore, the new line will inspire imaginative play for endless "a-ha!" moments.

The new Baby and Toddler line features 16 items, including:

• GO Tots™ – A collection of relatable, diverse characters that are fun to roll, stack and grasp! Double-sided chunky FSC^®-certified wooden GO Tots™ tumble and twirl through a variety of new playsets and offer children 12 months and older countless opportunities to enhance developmental skills rolling through delightful motion-driven moments.
  
  
• Rollables™ – Inspire imaginative adventures with these adorably round characters that are firm enough to roll but soft enough to squeeze! Introduce babies 6 months and older to cause-and-effect and character play by dropping your favorite Rollables characters into a variety of new playsets containing FSC^®-certified wood and watch them roll and bounce their way to the bottom.
  
  
• Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart – This playful and sturdy wooden grocery cart is filled with fun skill-building activities for children 12 months and older including sorting, matching and sensory stimulation. As kids grow, using the cart as a push toy helps build motor skills and inspire imaginative play.
  
  
• Pineapple Soft Stacker – This 5-piece multi-textured toy will stimulate the senses of babies 6 months and older with different textures and sounds as they grasp, squeeze, shake, and stack this happy-faced pineapple.
  
  
• See full product offering and prices: melissaanddoug.com/collections/explore-baby-toddler-toys

Melissa & Doug's new baby and toddler collection will be available at independent and major retailers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK and Germany. Parents and caregivers can also find the products at MelissaAndDoug.com, Amazon, Target.com and Walmart.com, among others.

In addition, the team has created a series of educational videos in partnership with Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician, to provide parents and caregivers with a variety of tips and tricks to make the most out of playtime with their little ones.  Visit the Melissa & Doug YouTube channel to check out the videos and learn more about each toy. 

Learn more about the importance of open-ended, screen-free play and access free resources, like print-and-play activities, blog posts and more, at melissaanddoug.com.

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About Melissa & Doug Timeless Toys. Endless Possibilities.

From classic wooden toys to crafts and pretend play, Melissa & Doug products provide a launch pad to ignite imagination and a sense of wonder in all children so they can discover their passions and their purpose. Recognized by parents as the #1 preschool brand for wooden toys, Melissa & Doug is committed to its vision of making timeless, sustainable toys for a thriving and inclusive world. Melissa & Doug is proudly partnering with the American Academy of Pediatrics to foster early brain development and to champion the health benefits of open-ended play through their joint Power of Play alliance. 

PRESS CONTACT: 
Patricia Sabino 
[email protected] 

SOURCE Melissa & Doug