What was your favorite toy growing up? Maybe it was a truck, a dollhouse, a set of blocks, or something you dragged everywhere until it practically fell apart.

This hour, we explore what makes a great toy, hear what researchers learned after studying children's play for a decade, and explore the latest trends shaping the toy industry.

Plus, we meet a Connecticut entrepreneur building eco-friendly toys for a new generation of kids.

Guests:

• Jennifer Lynch:  senior manager of creative communications for The Toy Association

• Julia DeLapp: Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment at Eastern Connecticut State University, researcher for TIMPANI Toy Study

• Jeffrey Trawick-Smith: professor emeritus at Eastern Connecticut State University, researcher for TIMPANI Toy Study

• James Barber: manager of Luke’s Toy Factory in Danbury

• Luke Barber: designer at Luke’s Toy Factory in Danbury

This episode originally aired on June 29, 2026.

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