play time Archives - NAPPA Awards

YULU is a winner of multiple NAPPA Awards and an up-and-coming family and kids entertainment company that burst onto the international toy scene less than 4 years ago. Since then, their success has been spectacular.

In 2017, only a few years after attending University in The Netherlands, YULU partners Jochem van Rijn and Thijmen de Schipper arrived at the International Toy Fair with their own main floor Javits Center booth — a great start for two not-even-30-something-year-olds. We enjoyed learning more about YULU and co-founder Thijmen de Shipper.

Thijmen de Shipper (left) and Jochem van Rijn

Congratulations on the success of YULU. What would you say is the guiding mission of YULU?

We have a very simple mission: “More Play, More Fun!” But at the core of what we do is storytelling with all of our kids and entertainment properties. It’s all about making fresh, innovative toys and games that deliver creative, imaginative and active play experiences that recognize how today’s kids play and communicate. Bringing smiles to kids of all ages is always our top priority!

We would like our readers to get to know you better. Tell us a little about yourself growing up. What were your favorite activities as a child? What did you enjoy playing the most?

When I was very young I actually played a lot with Playmobil toys. I specifically remember going into the woods with my playset that had a teepee and covering it in mulch to hide it from the cowboy cart that was racing by with six horses and some nasty gunslingers! I loved creating my own stories; I even wrote them down in a little booklet that I still have to this day.

Actually thinking about it, a lot of my experiences when I was younger have had an influence on the toys we create today at YULU. My partner Jochem and I first met when we were in University in the Netherlands. During those days, we bought a huge world map, sand stripped the table and glued it on top of our coffee table as a massive Risk board. A weekly battlefield was organized! Looking back, it really was a start of my fascination with and love of games.

I’ve also loved all things James Bond and I’ve been watching those movies for years as a kid. These spy-themed films have been a great source of inspiration for our brand of Spy Code games. And our first outdoor item was a product called Helix, which was based on a game I played while I was as an exchange student in China.

It was also at University that Jochem and I became entrepreneurs as we developed an app for the rules of soccer, which was sold to the Dutch government just before the London Olympics. That definitely opened several doors for us with many people supporting and encouraging us to start something new. And YULU was born!

The YULU team at the 2019 International Toy Fair in New York

What do you hope kids experience when they are playing with a YULU toy?

We want our toys and games to really nurture creativity in kids, ultimately encouraging them to become more inquisitive about their surroundings and as a result, more interactive with people around them. We’re passionate about trying to create new play experiences that people have never seen before. One of our newest introductions, our #SNAPSTAR fashion doll brand of “social influencer” dolls, does just that by connecting with ‘tween girls in a way they can relate to in today’s world of YouTube and social engagement. We’re really proud of this brand.

Where do you envision YULU in the next five years?

Our growth over the last few years since we launched the company has been almost unbelievable.

This year, in addition to taking a giant leap into the world of fashion dolls with #SNAPSTAR, we’re launching a really fun line called Pop Pop Pets and Pop Pop Snotz, which combine the hottest trends in toys – collectibles, slime and fun reveals! New games include King of the Ring, an ice crème-themed stacking game called Oops Scoops, and our new Survival Skillz brand which includes both an obstacle course game called Torch Run and an action game Fish For Fish. New in our YULU Sports category is Double Juggle, in which we put a fresh spin on the traditional game of paddle ball.

Today, we’re an international creator and maker of a full line toy and games in over 40 countries. Pretty exciting. As we continue our journey, we hope to be able to expand the breath of our toys into new areas and new entertainment, and continuing having fun.

For more product reviews, articles and interviews, visit nappaawards.com. #playlearnconnect

Play is a critical part of child development. It is through play that kids learn about the world around them. It’s important for parents to not only encourage their kids’ growing imaginations, but also to take some time to get back in touch with their own sense of wonder.

This little dinosaur is ready to run Jurassic World with this imaginative toy.

What is imaginative play?

Imaginative play is essentially roleplaying, when kids are re-creating their own experiences or modeling their behavior off something that interests them. If your child only responds in animal sounds for a week, or insists you refer to their chicken nuggets as dinosaur bones – they’re practicing imaginative play. They can gain inspiration from a commercial, a career day at school or from pretty much anything they encounter in their day-to-day life. Children learn from these experiences, and in order to make sense of the world, they need to engage in imaginative play.

“Play is generally the way that children under age nine learn, so engaging children in play that inspires their imagination — through pretend play and perspective taking — develops both cognition and creativity in youngsters,” said Dr. Gisele Ragusa, an education specialist and professor at the University of Southern California.

Nurturing imagination can help develop an array of cognitive and social skills, as seen here with the Disney Doorables.

Why is it important?

Although this sort of play seems fairly simple, it’s a critical stepping stone for expanding several developmental skills like language, critical thinking and appropriate social responses. When your child is playing make-believe with their friends, they are passing along, growing on and understanding ideas they might not have otherwise. It’s kind of like your kid’s first business meeting, except with Play-Doh over pencils. In a group imaginative play setting, they’re learning how to work with others and how to communicate what they think in a way that will be received well by their peers. It will also help boost their self esteem when they know they can be anything and everything, just by pretending.

There’s no right or wrong way to play – just let the creative juices flow!

If you listen closely while your kids are engaging in imaginative playtime, you may be shocked to hear words you never thought they’d know. Kids imitate those closest to them, so don’t be surprised if mommy’s or daddy’s favorite phrase turns into Candyglitteropolis’ town slogan. Imaginative play helps your child understand the power of language, and allows them to practice words that can help them describe, organize and reenact play. Developing these kind of language skills will also help them connect experience to written words, and will eventually make learning to read a breeze.

For a variety of playsets, check out our latest winners.

Since the bulk of imaginative play is based in your children’s growing brains, it will blossom their thinking and problem solving skills as well. What happens when two friends both want to be the captain of the spaceship? It forces them to come up with solutions that work for everyone, and these situations help expand their creativity in addition to their critical thinking.

Playing with others helps kids generate and expand on ideas they might not have come up with otherwise.

“Imaginative play enables children to develop independent mindsets and to think beyond the immediacy which is a precursor to abstract thinking; a key feature of higher order thinking,” says Dr. Ragusa.

How do we encourage it?

To help nurture the imagination, you should provide plenty of props. Toys and playsets are definitely a great tool for fostering creativity. And so are everyday household items. It can be as simple as cardboard and old clothes. Have a box of raggedy blankets? Make a fort! Collect postcards? Time for a vacation to Pluto!

The best part of imaginative play is the quality time you can spend with your kids.

The most important thing you can do to encourage imaginative play is to join your little ones. There will always be a good excuse to do something else, but taking the time to pick up a wand and walk into their magical world is the ultimate inspiration. Not only are you helping them develop their creativity, you’re nurturing fantastically influential memories that will bring a smile to both your faces for years to come. We promise your kids won’t care if your lion’s roar sounds silly – they’re just happy you’re there.