Rachele Harmuth is the board president of MESH Helps. In this edition of The Friday Five, Rachele talks about the vital role of play in nurturing good mental health in children and how the nonprofit organization’s MESH Accreditation program serves as a guide for adults looking for toys and games that bolster youth resilience.
Tamara Grindrod is the Senior Vice President, Creativity & PLAY-DOH Brand at Hasbro. In this edition of The Friday Five, Tamara underscores the importance of nurturing children’s creativity and how the brand’s PLAY-DOH Kids Can and PLAY-DOH Imagination Curriculum initiatives support skill development.
Ed Catto is co-founder of Captain Action Enterprises. In this edition of The Friday Five, Ed shares the conversation that led to acquiring the Captain Action IP and talks about what fans can look forward to seeing from the brand in the near future and beyond.
Joshua Tsui is the filmmaker behind the Insert Coin documentary. In this edition of The Friday Five, Joshua talks about what compelled him to chronicle life at the Chicago-based Midway Games arcade games developer and how the film is being interpreted as an exhibit at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art.
Peggy Brown is an independent toy and game designer. In this edition of The Friday Five, Peggy shares observations from her 35 years in the industry and reveals two elements new designers often neglect when trying to get their toys and games to market.
Richard Pierson, Jr. is manager of the Sarasota Toy Museum. In this edition of The Friday Five, Richard explains how a day of antique shopping led to purchasing a collection that would become the museum and shares the ways in which the business fulfils his dad’s lifelong dream.
Jody Day collects Strawberry Shortcake. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Jody talks about getting creative when displaying a collection and explains what inspired her to establish a modest budget for the objects she acquires.
Chris Stulz collects Muppet merchandise and objects related to Jim Henson productions. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Chris talks about what fuels his enduring interest in Muppet characters and reveals the abandoned childhood object he searched for 30 years to replace.
Azhelle Wade is The Toy Coach. In this edition of The Friday Five, Azhelle shares her observations about current trends in the toy industry and outlines the common missteps toy and game inventors make when developing their ideas.
Dan collects Nintendo games, systems, and other merchandise related to the NES brand. In this edition of Collector Spotlight, Dan talks about the power of nostalgia in collecting and shares the gaming channel that inspired him to create his own channel dedicated to the hobby.