Sorry Kids, Your Favorite Toys Don't Come from the North Pole

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Oct 17, 2023, 09:15 ET

Fat Brain Toys talks about where Christmas gifts really come from, and why it's even more magical than Santa.

ELKHORN, Neb., Oct. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This year, Fat Brain Toys will introduce over 40 exciting new toys for the holiday season. But while most children will be writing letters to the North Pole asking Santa for these toys, Fat Brain Toys wishes to give credit where credit is due and celebrate the real-life people who brought those toys into existence…toy inventors.

Toy invention is a real thing and the toy inventors themselves can come in all shapes and sizes. They can be a full-time professional inventor making their living entirely off of their ideas, like Tony Morley who invented such Fat Brain favorites as Tobbles, SpinAgain, and InnyBin. They can work in-house at a toy company developing their ideas alongside those of other great inventors, like Fat Brain's Adam Carson, inventor of Dimpl. Or, they can be someone entirely outside of the toy industry, like Brad Owen, who works full-time in software development and, on the side, invented the best-selling toy of the season, Air Toobz.

The biggest trait all inventors seem to share is a strong will to create.

"I never planned on being an inventor or designer," says Adam Carson, industrial designer at Fat Brain Toys, "but once I felt the satisfaction of bringing my idea to life, I was hooked. I find myself always looking for the next idea. Whether I'm out to dinner, at the park with my kids, or driving to work, there's inspiration everywhere."

"My professional background is primarily in software development and I actively operate a tech startup," says Brad Owen. "That said, I've worked on a lot of different products over the years, both physical and digital, and really just enjoy the challenge of bringing an intangible idea to reality."

Often, an invention is the product of a continuous process. "My invention process started when I was a young child," says Tony Morley. "Since then, I have been inventing off and on continually. As for a specific start to a particular project, it is hard for me to say since I am always mulling invention thoughts in my head. I am motivated by deadlines though."

Other times, an invention can be the product of a specific experience or the solution to a specific problem. "Air Toobz was the byproduct of visiting our local children's museum with my kids," says Brad Owen. "Their favorite exhibit was a large air-powered pipe system and when COVID hit, we were no longer able to go and play with it. I ultimately sketched a miniature version that would fit in our home and started to prototype the concept in my workshop."

Regardless of background or inspiration, one thing is for sure: all inventors need to be prepared for failure. "The thing that most people don't know is that most inventor ideas aren't great," says Adam Carson. "But you have to start somewhere because what may start as a bad idea can end up becoming a big success. You take the seed of an idea and water it. If you give it the attention it deserves, something special may sprout from it. But be prepared to plant a lot of seeds!"

For many, inventing a toy sounds like a lot of play and fun, which it is. "When it comes to product development, I often think of the world as a playground," says Brad Owen. But it's also something to take very seriously.

"Designing and inventing children's toys is a special opportunity," says Adam Carson. "I believe 'play' is one of the most important pieces of a child's development. While it's a lot of fun to ideate and tinker, it's also a responsibility to take seriously. I'm not interested in creating the next flashy toy that burns bright for a year and then gets tossed out. I want to create toys that have a positive impact on our kids and last for years to come."

When children find a toy they really like, it can seem like a piece of magic, which is why it makes so much sense that it could actually come from a place like the North Pole. And for the most part, they're right. But the magic they're experiencing isn't that of myths and fairytales. It's the magic that exists right here in reality; in the creativity, ingenuity, and diligence of the human mind. A child questioning the existence of Santa doesn't have to be a moment of disillusionment – it's an opportunity to realize the true wonder of our world.

About Fat Brain Toys:

Fat Brain Toys is one of the nation's leading direct-to-consumer toy companies. Unlike mainstream alternatives, Fat Brain Toys creates and curates quality toys, games, and clever gifts that enable children to learn through pure, authentic play. Fat Brain Toys' products are available at leading retailers around the world, including their own website, www.fatbraintoys.com
Fat Brain Toys is a family-operated business based in Elkhorn, Nebraska.

CONTACT: Carol Franksen, [email protected]

SOURCE Fat Brain Toys