Overview
Fisher Price has been creating children’s toys for nearly a century. To serve the next generation of families, our team developed The Sandbox — a sustainability‑focused retail concept that promotes circular economy, child development, and community without changing Fisher Price’s existing toys or manufacturing processes.
The Problem
Building a sustainable future. Fisher Price toys are typically used for 6–12 months — the length of a child’s development cycle — and are often discarded afterwards. With thick plastic construction and few reuse pathways, the environmental footprint adds up.
We worked within clear constraints from the client:
- No changes to core toy materials or form factors (safety constraints)
- No additional R&D investment in products
- Solution must be practical, feasible, and brand‑consistent
Research
- Landscape: Reviewed Mattel’s existing send‑in refurbish/resale program — low awareness and adoption.
- Stakeholders: 6 in‑depth interviews across current, young, and potential parents; internal stakeholder interviews across FP teams.
- Client partnership: Weekly working sessions with New Business Development to vet feasibility and align on goals.
- Product teardown: Built, deconstructed, and evaluated representative toys from a user perspective.
Development
Designing personas
We defined a forward‑looking persona: Havanna — a Gen Z, future parent (5–10 years out) who values eco‑conscious choices and structured child development. She’s willing to pay for convenience and quality, and seeks community with other parents.
Iterating product concepts
- Packaging redesign — deprioritized (risk of perceived greenwashing)
- Shared refurb facility partnerships — not yet feasible for FP’s scale
- Peer‑to‑peer handoff app — too much friction; low adoption risk
These wrong turns clarified the landscape and led us to a system solution that complements existing products.
Our Vision: The Sandbox
The Sandbox is a Fisher Price third space — a brick‑and‑mortar store that powers circularity, child development, and community.
Behind the name
- Circularity: Sand represents return and reuse — like toys coming back for refurbish/resale.
- Childhood: A place for exploration and play.
- Parents: A hub for connection and collaboration.
- Fisher Price: A testing ground for new offerings before wider rollout.
A third space
A social environment that’s neither home nor work — a welcoming hub where new parents gather, exchange toys, attend classes, and build community.
Experience walkthrough
Havanna visits the Sandbox: returns an out‑grown toy for credit, joins a parent‑child class, chats with other families, and enjoys a café moment while her child participates in story time. The space reinforces ritual, convenience, and community.
Strategic Touchpoints
Positioning
Locate stores in outdoor plazas and high‑traffic centers where our audience already shops — often near playgrounds and family amenities. This increases convenience and cross‑store synergy.
Initial Locations
California: Irvine & Alameda • New York: East Aurora & Westchester.
Growth Plan
- Brick‑and‑mortar first: Establish authentic community spaces that go beyond retail.
- Suburban focus: Start in high‑density suburban areas to reach early adopters.
- Recurring events: Affordable, scheduled programming to build habit and loyalty.
- Extend access: Expand into underserved communities once the model is proven.
Impact
- Concept selected by Fisher Price’s New Business Development team among peer proposals
- Invited presentation to 100+ families and board at the Iovine & Young Academy showcase
- Client is exploring tests of a similar brick‑and‑mortar concept
Kudos
Grateful to our advisor, Trent, for guidance and client comms — and to Jonathan, Erin, and Sheila for the relentless ideas and craft.