David Nelson Mullany: Stepping Up To The Plate

Watching children play baseball inspired Mullany to create a new form of play that transformed his personal prospects in just a few years.

Donald Franklin Duncan Sr.: Breakaway Entrepreneur

With a keen eye and mind for business, Donald Franklin Duncan Sr. brought yo-yos to the masses and inspired a new pop-culture craze.

Ohio Art Company

Originally a picture-frame manufacturing business in 1908, Ohio Art Company took risks, diversified, and flourished thanks in part to the success of the now-iconic Etch A Sketch.

100 Years of Radio Flyer

More than 100 years after it was founded, Radio Flyer of Chicago, Illinois continues to produce one of the most iconic symbols of childhood today, the little red wagon.

Jack Friedman: Toy Titan

Jack Friedman worked his way up in the toy industry to become one of the early adopters of licencing existing franchises to create best-selling toys.

Denys Fisher: Engineering Play

Denys Fisher’s lifelong passion for math and engineering led to his creating one of the world’s most popular toys, Spirograph.

Pedro Flores: Craze Maker

Pedro Flores left the Philippines and lived the true American Dream thanks to his invention of the Yo-yo!

Jerry Lawson: Changing How We Play Video Games

Jerry Lawson rose above financial hardship and discrimination to become the first African-American video game engineer and developer.

Carol Shaw: Pioneering Video Game Designer

Carol Shaw created a bestselling video game and dodged gender bias to carve out her career.

Louis Marx: Playtime Reinvented

Louis Marx was once referred to as “the Henry Ford of the toy industry”. He was a toy tycoon from the 1920s into the 1970s whose toys elevated playtime and inspired creativity in children around the world.

Joshua Lionel Cowen: Fast Track to Success

Cowen applied his talent for engineering and innate curiosity to create model trains that captured the attention of rail enthusiasts for generations.

Jerome Lemelson: Technology Innovator

Jerome Lemelson’s passion for technology and engineering led to advancements in toys, games, and gadgets.