The Playground Podcast

In the dynamic world of marketing in today’s toy industry, staying on top of best practices isn’t always easy. This is especially true when it comes to influencers. Fortunately, we have some insights that may prove...

This is a special edition of The Playground Podcast. In the wake of the Supreme Court Ruling on February 20 that President Trump’s imposition of tariffs exceeded his authority to do so, there has been a lot of confusion...

In our second conversation about the emerging medium of social shopping, we sat down with Lee Parkhurst of Parkhurst marketing. I’ve known and admired Lee for years for his strategic thinking, insights, and the pure joy...

We're kicking off Season 8 of The Playground Podcast with two conversations about changing retail environments. Retail in the toy business has always been dynamic. Howeverthe last 30 years since the launch of eBay and...

I have been hoping to land this guest for a while—and finally the stars aligned. Azhelle Wade is the Toy Coach . If you’re in the toy industry, I’m pretty sure you know her—or at least know of her. After a dynamic...

In our 7th annual year and review, James Zahn of The Toy Book and Toy Insider and John Baulch of Toy World UK join Chris to look back at the toy year for 2025...and ahead at what may be in the future. From tariffs to...

Eric Ostendorff spent more than 30 years at Mattel where he invented and protyped Hot Wheels sets and electromechanical products, earning more than 50 patents for his creative endeavors. Eric is a true industry veteran...

With more than a decade of experience across the U.S. and global markets, Audrey Birner is the U.S. Insight Director for Beano Brain . She’s a youth culture expert helping brands understand and engage kids, tweens...

Why do we love robots so much? Especially as toys? And for so long? I think it’s because toy robots perfectly reflect embody the intersection of imagination, play, and technology. Robots reflect our fundamental...

Among the many issues currently bouncing around the toy biz,AI is one a lot of people are talking about, thinking about, and looking at ways to integrate it into play experiences. In this episode, Chris talks to Misha...

Listen in to a really special episode. We’re talking about aprogram that’s near and dear to my heart, the Young Inventor’s Challenge. I’m joined by program director Ahren Hoffman, Amy Saldana from kiddywampus, Hilary...

Matt Brown is one of the coolest and most thoughtful guys inthe toy business. His dedication to play and kids is always inspiring. Over the years, since he entered our industry with Zoob,Matt and Chris have had many...

Sue Warfield is the president of ASTRA, and a good friend.She has been a passionate leader of her organization and an equally passionate proponent of play and its value in culture. In this episode, Chris talks with Sue...

He's created a sensation from his kitchen table. This is one of those wonderful, classic toy biz stories about a great idea that finds its way. With a combination of creativity, ingenuity, social media, and timing, Josh...

In this episode, Chris talks to Brea Brand, founder of the Australian-based magnetic tile company Connetix. With a combination of passion, creativity, and a commitment to excellence, Brand and her company have made a...