Kahootz Toys was a

toy company A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...

based in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor ...

, best known for the relaunch of the classic toy

Spirograph Spirograph is a geometric drawing device that produces mathematical roulette curves of the variety technically known as hypotrochoids and epitrochoids. The well-known toy version was developed by British engineer Denys Fisher and first sold ...

. Kahootz founded in January 2012 by Doug Cass, Colleen Loughman, Joe Yassay, and Brent Oeschger after their previous company, Giddy Up, was sold. Kahootz' initial product offerings were Spirograph and Pomz. In a 2013 interview, Cass stated that they brought back the Spirograph because they saw an opportunity for success in the

nostalgia Nostalgia is a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. The word ''nostalgia'' is a learned formation of a Greek language, Greek compound, consisting of (''nóstos''), meaning "homecoming", ...

market and felt that it would do well. The first shipment of Spirograph arrived just before Christmas in 2012. The Spirograph (along with Kahootz'

Lite-Brite Lite-Brite is a toy that was originally marketed in 1967. It consists of a light box with small colored plastic pegs that fit into a panel and illuminate to create a lit picture, by either using one of the included templates or creating a "freef ...

) was exhibited at the 2013 Sweet Suite 13 show in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

and the 2014 American International Toy Fair in

New York City, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. Since then, Kahootz Toys has expanded and released numerous new products and lines. In 2019 Kahootz launched Y'Art™, a brand of craft kits that allows consumers to color-by-number with yarn. The craft kits were debuted at

Toy Fair The North American International Toy Fair (formerly the American International Toy Fair and also known as Toy Fair New York) is an annual toy industry trade show held in mid-February in New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and at to ...

of the same year and led to the puppy kit winning the ASTRA Best Toys for Kids award in the Arts & Crafts: 7+ category. Kahootz was acquired by

PlayMonster PlayMonster (formerly, Patch Products) is a manufacturer and marketer of family entertainment products that specializes in games, children's puzzles, toys, activities, and teaching tools. As of February 2016, Patch changed its company name to Pla ...

in November 2019.

Brands

* Spirograph * Y'Art * Fashion Plates * LatchKits * Waterfuls *

Colorforms Colorforms is a creative toy named for the simple shapes and forms cut from colored vinyl sheeting that cling to a smooth backing surface without adhesives. These pieces are used to create picture graphics and designs, which can then be changed c ...

* Fashion Press * Stitchkits * Popoids *

Plasticine Plasticine is a putty-like modelling material made from calcium salts, petroleum jelly and aliphatic acids. Though originally a brand name for the British version of the product, it is now applied generically in English as a product categor ...

* HypnoGizmo * Action Plates * Rotodraw *

Creative Galaxy ''Creative Galaxy'' is a children's animated science-fiction web television series that premiered on Amazon Video on April 19, 2013 and ended on June 4, 2019. Production In February 2015, it was renewed for a second season and premiered on Septem ...

Romper Room ''Romper Room'' is an American children's television series that was franchised and syndicated from 1953 to 1994. The program targeted preschoolers (children five years of age or younger), and was created and produced by Bert Claster and his p ...

* Lite-Brite (discontinued) * Pomz (discontinued)

Awards

References

External links

* Toy companies of the United States Manufacturing companies based in Michigan Companies based in Ann Arbor, Michigan American companies established in 2012 Toy companies established in 2012 2012 establishments in Michigan 2019 mergers and acquisitions Defunct toy manufacturers {{Michigan-stub