Fair Play – June 2026

In my recent internet wanderings, I came across a quote by Dr. Garry Landreth, a Regents Professor Emeritus in the Department of Counseling and founder of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas. He states, “Toys are children’s words, and play is their language.” While Dr. Landreth’s quote is more addressed to how children express themselves in play therapy, it resounded with me all the same.

I am fascinated with language and the many forms it can take – from art and music capturing emotions and sentiments that we cannot say aloud, to American Sign Language and common etymologies among the thousands of living languages. One of my dear friends is a polyglot, and I admire how she can transfer between French, Spanish and English with ease.

Play is a universal tongue with countless dialects based on a child’s personal preferences and environment. Some respond well to toys geared for open-ended play while others gravitate toward sensory, STEM-based or educational products. As they grow and learn, kids’ play language changes and their fondness for certain toys can vary.

Just as it takes time, study and, most importantly, practice, to master any language, it is vital to continuously hone one’s play skills and keep in tune with how children are communicating through toys. Adults can keep their fun side alive through engaging with their kids as they play and observing how toys shape the experience. Meanwhile, kidults have kept the sensory, plush and collectible segments of the toy industry alive. Plus, we can cultivate our own play language through games with all ages.

Professionals in the specialty toy industry are the linguists of play. They keep tabs on trends and even help shape the “conversation” by providing products that keep the conversation going. I’m so excited to see how retailers and manufacturers add to this amazing language.

For our Endcap on Bright Stripes, I talked with founders Eric and Sabre. As they highlighted the multitude of craft and DIY kits the company provides, they also noted how they value input from family members.

“Sabre is a mother of two daughters, so she sees firsthand how our products translate to kids,” explained Eric.

“I have a 7-year-old and a 13-year-old, so they’re great marketing research for me,” Sabre added. “They definitely are not shy about telling me what makes sense to them.”

Those who explore these pages will also find a detailed preview of Astra Marketplace & Academy – which is set to take place in Milwaukee, WI – a chat with Kawaii Slime Co. founder Roxanne Robertson, a tour of the small, yet colorful store Kiddiwink Kids and more.

Let’s keep the conversation going. Happy reading!