Things we are hoping that our Nuggeteer families are doing right now: listening, learning, voting, petitioning, marching, and donating.
Things that we'd like to remind you that are just as important: supporting Black-owned businesses with your dollars, and if you are raising non-Black children, diversifying your toy chest.
Supporting Black-owned business and representing Black imagery in your kid's toy collection may seem like small choices and behaviors, but we are confident that they can collectively amount to a more equitable future, led by a generation more actively anti-racist than ours.
How much are today's kids being exposed at home to cultures different from their own? What messages are being sent, implicitly or explicitly, about the characteristics associated with Blackness? There's much work to be done by all, and we hope this (non-exhaustive) list of Black-owned toy businesses and Black-centered toys can be a helpful place to start.
Raleigh-based Rooted Baby Co offers a number of products for kids and babies. They offer 7 Ashanti dolls, each named after a day of the week! Have your Nuggeteer select their doll based on the day of the week they were born, or collect all 7!
Detroit-based Healthy Roots Dolls introduced us to Zoe, the doll that was designed to show Nuggeteers that they are perfect just the way they are. Zoe’s hair is styleable and gives kids the chance to learn more about caring for their curls by practicing on hers. Wash, braid, twist. You can do it all on Zoe and then on yourself!
Chicago-based Dana Todd is a self-taught multi-disciplinary artist. Todd hand paints these pillows per order, and we love that they're individually printed, and cut-and-sewn in the U.S. We love the positive messages on these pillows and can easily see these paired with Nugget play!
Hold onto your Base & Cushions, Nuggeteers! Ohio-based Adia Love is the professional felt artist behind Felt Smart - the boutique custom felt studio that offers a suite of custom felt options. We specifically love the educational games she can create for you, and think they would be a great option for our home schooling families. Reach out to Adia directly here for yourcustom quote.
DC-based Puzzle Huddle offer jigsaw puzzles representing children of diverse backgrounds. Frustrated with the lack of diverse images shown on commercially-produced puzzles, founder Matthew Goins and his family began creating unique puzzle designs showcasing inclusive characters. We think these puzzles are a great complement to Nugget's more physical and open-ended play. Jigsaw puzzles requires focus, problem solving, discipline, and fine motor skills.
HarperIman offers a gorgeous collection of linen keepsake dolls. The line of dolls and accessories were created by Cynthia Watkins and Kathryn Burnett, a mother-daughter duo, in 2017. The dolls come in different sizes and skin tones, and they feature different hair types.
Founded by Terri-Nichelle Bradley, BrownToyBox is a company who's mission is to normalize Black excellence and create prosperous career pathways for Black children through STEAM education, cultural representation and educational play. Brown Toy Box was created to make STEM/STEAM accessible, representative and fun. Bradley and BTB also believe Black children deserve to see themselves positively represented in the books toys, and games they play with everyday. Each themed box contains a book on a Black trailblazer, a hand's on activity, a toy and other fun content that brings the specific STEAM theme to life while highlighting Black excellence and giving children the opportunity to confidently experiment and learn about the theme. 8. Upbounders by Like Little Kids
D.C based Kemi Tignor founded Little Likes Kids™ because she wanted toy options for her son that reflected his and his friends’ experiences. She set out to create toys and playful images that reflect kids like her son and his "wonderfully diverse gaggle of friends". Our favorites from her shop include these beautifully designed memory games, which help target early learning skills like memory and focus.
Founded by NYC-based mother of four, Ozi Okaro, Ikuzi Dolls create black dolls that represent the different and gorgeous shades of black beauty. Okaro believes "positive role play in the early years has an impact on our acceptance of ourselves and people of other races. Children of all races and backgrounds should be exposed to dolls and toys that represent different looks or ethnicities."
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We really hope you'll consider buying some of the toys in this post, so as a cherry on top, we're sending a $50 Nugget gift card to the first 20 customers to DM us on Instagram a receipt showing that they have shopped with one or more of these brands. Thanks for reading, and happy shopping!
