NIHF Education Team To Attend the 2019 Toy Fair
Behind the NIHF ScenesDate February 14, 2019
Est. Reading Time 3 mins
From February 16-19, members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s Education team will attend the 2019 Toy Fair in New York City to find inspiration for next year’s Camp Invention® curriculum.
With over 1,000 exhibitors showcasing 150,000 toy and entertainment products, the Toy Fair is the largest toy trade show in the United States. For NIHF’s education team, the event represents an invaluable opportunity to learn about the latest industry trends, and to discover new ways to engage children.
“Attending the annual NYC Toy Fair helps us keep the pulse on what children are drawn to, what is new and exciting and what sorts of trends will be in the market over the next year,” Dr. Jennifer Sitton, Senior Creative Content Specialist at NIHF said.
Much like how chefs travel to local markets to source the finest ingredients, NIHF’s education team will be on the lookout for ideas and toys that will influence our curriculum and enhance children’s experience at Camp Invention.
Because NIHF designs experiences for kids of different ages who have varying interests, the Toy Fair provides a snapshot of how the education team can try to reach individual campers with activities they are going to love.
A crucial part of this process involves building connections with vendors and partners at the show.
“The Toy Fair is a great source for not only new products and ideas, but also allows us to connect with vendors,” Dr. Erica Matheny, Curriculum Writer at NIHF said. “These in-person meetings allow us to source one-of-a-kind items that make camp memorable and unique.”
In order for a toy to be included in Camp Invention, it must do more than entertain. Instead, it must also help teach a key STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concept or 21st-century skill like perseverance or problem solving.
Last year at the Toy Fair, our education team was able to find an activity that met this standard in the form of Dr. Cool’s Dig Kits. Used in one of this summer’s Camp Invention modules, Deep Sea Mystery™, these kits allow kids to excavate shark teeth and other fossils as a part of their overall adventure.
At the Toy Fair, both Dr. Jen and Dr. Erica look forward to finding the next great toy that will encourage Camp Invention participants to best connect with the intended learning outcome and have a blast while doing it!
Come Visit!
We encourage those attending the Toy Fair and anyone interested in Camp Invention to connect with us on Facebook and Twitter or visit invent.org to learn more about the National Inventors Hall of Fame and our program offerings for all ages.