AS “AMBASSADORS OF THE GENIUS OF PLAY”, AND MEMBERS OF “THE INTERNATIONAL TOY ASSOCIATION”, AND MEMBERS OF “POP/PEOPLE OF PLAY”, MY WIFE AND I WERE EXCITED TO ATTEND “THE 2022 LAS VEGAS TOYFEST WEST” AT THE FANTASTIC LAS VEGAS WORLD MARKET CENTER!
Our family media company decided to highlight a few great “fun & play” toy companies … and this one was sooo inspiring and unique as we get shown the “build-a-toy” character. And at first, I did not notice the magnificent, brilliant chair covers that look like a store, restaurant, and easy bake oven (lol/smile) as the curator demonstrates the build-a-toy character!!
We also stopped by the company that had items for one of my favorites – The Polar Express (which is one of my every year Christmas animated shows to watch. Lol – I am a great big ole kid at heart!!) – and one of my wife’s favorites – Harry Potter (she’s read entire series).
This next company, with these two handsome young men, is an international branding representation company. https://bunnyhopkinstoys.com/ and this is something me and my family have always discussed: Why a child picks playing with a bare spool that mom had her threads on; or why a child loves to bang on just normal pots and pans more than that fancy drum set you may buy; or why a child loves a doll or character that looks like their own faces, and why a child loves to play in mom or daddy’s faces??? Even wonder??
Ever wondered why a child picks a cardboard box over a fancy new toy? It is because the simplest of things makes the most room for possibility, wonder and imagination.
Bunny Hopkins strives for that simplicity. Purposefully minimal, Bunny Hopkins toys are designed to invite the most holistic of play experiences – nurturing children’s brain and body. Being open ended, the toys are used in different ways by children of different ages.
Inspired by wisdom, Waldorf classrooms, and the sheer joy of free play, Bunny Hopkins toys are Made in the USA, using responsibly sourced, all-natural materials, which are both safe for children and for the environment.
Our story is like many other American startup family businesses. We saw a need and are working to fill it. It started during 2019 Holidays when our toddler daughter was splurged with many toys from us / family & friends, all of which had limited attention span, limited usage, and were mostly plastic based. She was more interested in the cardboard boxes that the toys came in! This made us curious to find toys which would be more engaging and enriching.
As we researched more, we came across the concept of Open-Ended Play. We were truly inspired from the wisdom of age-old cultures, from Rudolf Steiner (Waldorf educational philosophy), as well as contemporary research on play by Dr. Stuart Brown and Dr. Peter Gray, among others. We were often amazed at the long hours’ children can spend playing with simple materials like boxes, stones, rocks, shells, sand, or water. These observations led us to question why we provide children with sophisticated toys when they are often more interested in the packaging. We were simply amazed with the possibilities of natural open-ended toys. We decided to take a plunge to explore the possibilities down to the core.
In April of 2020, Bunny Hopkins was born with a focus on making natural toys, stimulating creativity and fun through open-ended play. Our toy designs help the play emerge from within the child, while natural materials nourish the senses, nurture the development of the young body and brain. These toys encourage children to enter the world of imaginative play, unlocking a host of skills – including imagination, creativity, self-awareness, perseverance, collaboration and promotes development of gross motor skills.
Follow our Instagram @bunnyhopkinstoys to learn more about our startup journey, product and fun reposts from our customers.
ACTIVE KIDS. HAPPY FAMILIES.
Purposefully minimal and open-ended in design, our wooden toys encourage children to engage in creative and active play. Our craftsmen make each toy by hand bringing out the inner beauty of American maple wood. So, when you buy from us, you are supporting local families, communities and economies. When we say Made in the USA – we mean it in a hand-crafted and artisan kind of way.
Sooo, we had fun and I am very excited to have chatted with a few presenters, and to create and write this positive story in the midst of world stuff that darkens the global perspective upon what should be important.
Please view our “Diversity and Love” perspective for ages 2-12 years old at: ©The Legend of ©Leroy H.O.P.P.S., and ©Elroy F.O.X. The legendary story of a rabbit and a fox who became lifelong best friends despite their differences. YouTube educational training the young and the very young about “love & global diversity life skills”!!! And Hops and Fox Pilot 1
