The Friday Five

Candylab Toys applies a mid-century modern aesthetic to vintage-inspired, wooden toy cars. Through crowdfunding, Candylab Toys has experienced a success that may not otherwise have been possible in today's world of cheap, cookie-cutter manufacturing. Co-founder Vlad Dragusin talks with Toy Tales about his inspiration, crowdfunding experience, and lets us in on what's in store for the future.

Benjamin Woo is Assistant Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. His new book, Getting a Life: The Social Worlds of Geek Culture, examines the communities that thrive within geek culture.

Sean Kenney is an award-winning LEGO artist and one of only 19 LEGO Certified Professionals in the world. In fact, Kenney worked with the iconic brick manufacturer to create the LEGO Certified Professionals program, which supports the work of LEGO artists to produce awe-inspiring works of art. Kenney tells Toy Tales how his childhood fondness for LEGO evolved into a career and gives insight into his internationally renowned exhibit, Nature Connects.

Marvel: Universe of Superheroes exhibit. Exhibit curator, Brooks Peck, tells us what fans can expect to see and hear at this first-of-its-kind installation.

Annie Jacques, exhibition interpretation officer at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, explains why The Art of the Brick – a travelling LEGO-art exhibit with a worldwide reputation – will delight audiences of all ages.

As the popularity of LEGO increases among adults, so too has the number of adult LEGO user groups. Fueled by a desire to build and share their experiences, LEGO user groups (LUGs) continue to proliferate around the world, with members acting as informal ambassadors for the LEGO brand. Matthew Baker is one such ambassador. Baker is an executive member of ParLUGment, an Ottawa-area LUG. He talks with Toy Tales about LEGO collecting and explains the qualities that make ParLUGment unique.

As the counterfeit industry has proliferated through the advent of online shopping, so too have the efforts to halt corrupt manufacturers. Through SnapDragon, Rachel Jones – CEO and founder – is at the forefront of the fight. Jones explains the fight's importance and why it's crucial for consumers to exercise diligence when making online purchases.

Kim Smith is an advocate for teaching computational literacy to children. An artist and designer by trade, Smith spent time at MIT's Media Lab collaborating with computer scientists to create wooden toys that tap into children's natural curiosity and pave the way for learning the basic concepts of computer science. Her time at MIT led to her co-found Learning Beautiful, a company created to further her research and bring her analog toys to market. Here, she elaborates on why computational literacy is important for everyone, including children.

Lucas Harskamp created waves in the toy industry when he published an opinion piece in ToyNews about children's television content and franchise-related toys. In this edition of The Friday Five, Harskamp expands on his theory and inspiration.

Play Library in Cincinnati, Ohio swaps books for toys and games to foster stronger family bonds, better communication, and new friendships.