A Smart Start

After more than 25 years specializing in educational workbooks, flash cards, games and kids' software, School Zone is getting into the baby biz with a new line of infant and toddler learning products. It's a logical extension of the brand that builds on School Zone's years of experience, managing director Barbara Peacock tells Playthings.

“We were exploring ways to grow our business and still stay within our 'sandbox,'” she says. “We always try to be innovative and add a different twist to what other manufacturers have developed.”

School Zone's development of a baby line capitalizes on the fact that the company's existing preschool titles in its other popular lines—as well as some of its higher-priced selections across the board—have consistently been the top sellers at retail.

The collection offers 17 tactile titles designed with additional guidance from child development experts. Many of the products are baby-appropriate twists on flash cards, such as the Clever Baby Cards, for 6 months and up, which feature interactive, textured animals on both sides; Infant Mirror Cards, for 9 months and up, which feature character cards that fit into a dual-sided mirror/frame card; and Peek-a-Boo Cards, for 9 months and up, which feature lift-the-flap animal cards and a plush character.

“Both the Infant Mirror cards and the Clever Baby cards are making a splash with reviewers, parents and buyers,” Peacock says. “We wanted to keep the products simple, developmentally sound and affordable. A young child or baby can easily hold an individual card while sitting with the parent and manipulate it themselves, versus a book that the parent needs to hold.”

Other items in the line include Peg Puzzle Learning Cards for ages 2 and up; See-Through Story Cards, Wooden Peg Puzzle Books, Magnetic Books, Magnetic Tins and Write and Reuse Game Boxes for 3 years and up; and Spinwheel Board Books for ages 3 to 6.

In addition to its e-commerce site, School Zone is selling the lines through specialty toy, gift and book stores and select mass retailers like Costco, which is offering a gift set for the holidays. School Zone intends to expand this presence at retail into more specialty stores and, hopefully, baby outlets, Peacock says. The company has already hired new specialty reps and has begun garnering new retail accounts through attendance at trade shows like ABC Kids Expo.

“Today's parents are more conscious about helping their children get ahead ... so educational skills need to be honed at home,” Peacock notes. “We came to the natural conclusion to develop learning materials for a younger audience.”