The PLAYSKOOL Story

PLAYSKOOL began with a simple idea: what if toys for young children didn't just entertain them, but also encouraged their minds to learn and grow? It's a notion that seems self-evident today, so it's surprising to think it was innovative back in 1928! The world has changed a lot since then, and so has PLAYSKOOL. But our commitment to provide quality toys that enrich children while they play remains at the heart of the PLAYSKOOL name.

The Revolution Begins

The notion of "learning through play" was the inspiration of two women who worked for the Schroeder Lumber Company in Milwaukee. Former teachers, they based the very first PLAYSKOOL designs on educational tools they had used in their classrooms. Starting it all off was a folding wooden desk filled with fun learning supplies like blocks, crayons and clay. The earliest PLAYSKOOL catalogues featured the desk as well as other sturdy toys like a collapsible wooden dollhouse (with four rooms and a "sun parlor") and a shoemaker's bench.

PLAYSKOOL had a great start. But like most of the country, the company struggled through the challenging years of the Depression. By 1940, PLAYSKOOL had been bought and sold five times, finally landing in the very capable hands of Chicagoans Manuel Fink and Robert Meythaler. Under their leadership PLAYSKOOL expanded dramatically and was soon a household name, offering toys that became part of the fabric of an American childhood.

Modern Times, Modern Toys

By the late 1960s, Fink and Meythaler were ready to retire. They sold the brand to the Milton Bradley Company, then best known for board games, and PLAYSKOOL entered the modern era with a bang—or rather a "zap": We became the first brand to make electronic toys for preschoolers, beginning in the late 1970s with Alphie, a chunky and chatty robot. His cutting-edge talents included playing music and simple guessing games. Alphie was just the start of a long line of PLAYSKOOL high-tech toys that have entertained and inspired young minds. In 1984 both PLAYSKOOL and Milton Bradley were bought by Hasbro. As a result, we became the new home of those famous spuds, Mr. and MRS. POTATO HEAD, as well as the GLOWORM and other beloved early childhood classics.

Traditions for a New Generation

Today, PLAYSKOOL offers toys that little kids love and parents can trust. We have retained our relevance and prominence in the lives of young families by being responsive to their ever-changing needs. Knowing that toys are More Than Play, PLAYSKOOL creates toys that are full of fun and surprises as well as stimulating to help your child develop. PLAYSKOOL has worked with the experts to study childhood development and devise a list of fundamental skills essential to any child’s growth. PLAYSKOOL toys are made with these skills in mind, and each provides reinforcement for a number of skills.

Play is nature’s classroom. PLAYSKOOL is here to foster the fun and the learning. And, most importantly, you're helping to write the next exciting chapter in the PLAYSKOOL story. Thanks!