Step2

Step2 Announces the “Ultimate Play Kitchen Guide” and Creative Kids in the Kitchen Contest
Win a Frigidaire Kitchen Suite and Deluxe Step2 LifeStyle Kitchen!

STREETSBORO, Ohio — September 15, 2009 — From top chefs to top-rated cooking shows, America’s love of cooking is one of the latest trends to hit homes around the country. Just in time for the holiday wish lists The Step2® Company, the nation’s largest toy manufacturer, introduces the “Ultimate Play Kitchen Guide” on Step2.com, where parents can learn about the latest in play kitchen designs, read tips for picking the right play kitchen for their home, and also enter a contest where they can win a dream kitchen for both themselves and their child. Whether for boys or girls, experts agree that having and using a play kitchen in a home builds imaginations and cultivates a love for cooking while helping to promote a lifetime of healthy eating habits.

Barbara Beery, the author of 11 best-selling kids’ cook books and founder of the Batter Up Kids Cooking School, says that parents and kids cooking together is very important to a child’s development. “There has been an overwhelming increase in interest for having kids in the kitchen at an early age,” Beery says. “Parents recognize that even by starting with play kitchens during the toddler years, you are promoting creativity, collaboration and role modeling. It leads to a greater comfort level with food and hopefully a lifetime of creative cooking.”

For years, play kitchens have been a popular toy among girls but with recent attention on superstar male chefs, boys are getting into the act too. Today’s play kitchen has come a long way — many are built to mirror high-end kitchens complete with pretend granite counters and fresco painted backgrounds, while others mimic ultra-sleek modern looks with pretend stainless steel appliances and Euro-styled cabinetry. Step2 is the number-one play kitchen maker in the U.S. with eight different designs covering a variety of price points, home décor styles and play pattern needs.

Dream Kitchen Contest — Just in Time for the Holidays
To celebrate creativity in the kitchen for both parents and kids, Step2 is announcing a national contest that will award one grand-prize of a new dream kitchen suite from Frigidaire®, including a refrigerator, dishwasher, over the counter microwave, and oven, as well as a new Step2 play kitchen of their choice. The “Step2 Creative Kids in the Kitchen Contest” is asking families to submit an essay of 250 words or less on how they foster creativity when cooking and have fun in the kitchen together. Second place prize is a Step2 kitchen of their choice, while one third place winner will receive a $50 gift certificate good toward any toy on step2.com. For official rules and to enter, visit Contest.Step2.com.

Tips for Fun in the Kitchen
Not only does time in the kitchen allow for family bonding, kids can also benefit by learning about healthy eating, practicing fine motor skills (chopping, pouring, etc.), problem solving and arithmetic (such as measuring out ingredients), as well as focusing on safety and responsibility. Beery gives the following ideas on how to inspire a lifetime love of culinary enjoyment:

• Divide up tasks. As much as you can, get everyone in the family involved. There’s no reason why even the littlest chef can’t be helping by setting the table, wiping down the counters, or helping to stir contents in a bowl. The more helpers, the more fun!
• Promote problem-solving. Use this opportunity to show your kids what to do when things don’t necessarily go your way (as is often the case in cooking and in life!) Ran out of vanilla too soon? A little water in the bottle can help make it go longer without hampering the cookies too much. Spill the sugar on the floor? Take a minute to tap dance, giggle and then grab the broom.
• Relax and enjoy. The recipe might not turn out exactly how it was supposed to, there may be a few more ingredients on the floor to clean up, and perhaps it takes longer to make dinner than you thought — but nothing can compare to the feeling of accomplishment your kids will have when everyone sits down to eat a meal they helped prepare. Be patient and compliment your child for a job well done!

For more tips and to download original recipes from Barbara Beery, developed especially for parents and kids to cook together, visit Contest.Step2.com.

About The Step2® Company:
The Step2® Company is a family company with brands including Step2®, Infantino®, and Thinkativity® that foster learning and development through creative play in children from birth to school-age years. Step2, based in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world’s largest rotational molder of children’s and home products, including children’s play kitchens, playhouses, outdoor toys and ride on toys, as well as home products such as mailboxes, gardening aids and trash cans. Step2, in partnership with Case Western Reserve University’s Schubert Center for Child Studies, sponsors CreativePlayPlus.com, an online resource to provide parents with the latest research on creative play and child development. Visit www.creativeplayplus.com for more information on this partnered initiative. Visit www.step2.com, www.infantino.com and www.thinkativity.com to learn more about The Step2 Company brands.

About Barbara Beery:
Barbara founded Batter Up Kids Cooking School in1991 and has taught thousands of kids to cook. She is the author of 11 best-selling children’s cookbooks and just launched an educational website exclusively carrying kid-friendly cooking products called kidscookingshop.com.

CONTACT:
Dotti Franks, Vice President, Marketing Communications
dfranks@step2.net; 330-656-0440
Alexis Black, Current Lifestyle Marketing
ablack@currentlm.com; 312-929-0504

Toy Experts Expect Retro Play Kitchen to be Hot Pick for the Holidays

(STREETSBORO, OHIO) — October 7, 2008 — Holiday shopping season is just a few weeks away, and already The Step2 50′s Diner play kitchen has rocked its way to the top of several of the country’s most notable hot toy lists. Recent accolades include topping Toys”R”Us “Fabulous 15″ holiday toy list for 2008, ranking among FamilyFun magazine’s top 10 toys of the year, and receiving an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, their top honor.

These highly anticipated shopping cheat-sheets help families identify which products are the best-of-the-best and will not only be safe, durable and a good value, but also fun, educational and provide hours of entertainment. Products to receive these awards are carefully selected after a comprehensive review process and exceed the performances of all other toys put to the test.

“We appreciate this recognition from such important industry and retail leaders,” said Step2 CEO Scott Levin. “We pride ourselves on creating toys that are safe, fun and provide hours of imaginative play for kids. The Step2 50′s Diner is a stand-out because it’s a fresh take on our fun play kitchens and play houses, but it harkens back to a time when parents and grandparents were kids.”

The new retro-style 50′s Diner from Step2 lets toddlers step back to yesteryear with a classically-styled play kitchen that features everything needed to prepare an imaginary meal and serve customers — just like a real diner. The 50′s Diner comes packed with fun activities and accessories including an oven, grill, dishware, spatula, ice cream scoop, sundae dishes, deep fryer, ketchup and mustard bottles, and a sink to clean the dishes. To help kids turn up the heat, a griddle pan and coffee pot activate electronic sizzling and bubbling sounds when placed on the stove’s front burner. A tabletop seating area for pretend customers includes a working jukebox that lets kids rock around the clock with three 50′s-style tunes. The 50′s Diner is appropriate for children ages two years and up and retails for $149.99.

The 50′s Diner is part of the Step2 lineup of high-quality, imaginative toys for kids, including its signature play kitchens, sand and water toys, ride on vehicles, swing sets and wagons.

About Step2
The Step2® Company is a family company with brands including Step2®, Infantino®, and Thinkativity® that foster learning and development through creative play in children from birth to school-age years. Step2, based in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world’s largest rotational molder of children’s and home products, including children’s play kitchens, playhouses, outdoor toys and ride on toys, as well as home products such as mailboxes, outdoor furniture and trash cans. Infantino, headquartered in San Diego, Calif. is a leading designer and international distributor of innovative and original infant, toddler, and preschool products. Featuring fashion-forward designs, the popular product lines include classic creative baby toys and puzzles, innovative soft baby carriers, and simple, no-fuss baby travel systems. New Jersey-based Thinkativity is a leading innovator of
electronic and early learning toys promoting inventive play patterns through original musical compositions and stories that inspire children to explore, play and learn. Visit www.step2.com, www.infantino.com and www.thinkativity.com to learn more about the Step2 Company brands.

About Toys”R”Us, Inc.
Toys”R”Us, Inc. is the world’s leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer. Currently it sells merchandise through more than 1,500 stores, including 585 Toys”R”Us stores and 262 Babies”R”Us stores in the U.S., more than 693 international stores in 33 countries, which includes licensed and franchise stores, and through its Internet site at www.Toysrus.com.

About Oppenheim Toy Portfolio
Founded in 1989 by mother and daughter team, Joanne and Stephanie Oppenheim, the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio does not accept entry fees for reviewing products or take ads from companies. The Oppenheims are independent child development experts and contributors to NBC’s TODAY Show. www.toyportfolio.com

About Family Fun
Published by Disney Publishing Worldwide, FamilyFun is the nation’s largest magazine targeting families with children ages 3 to 12 years old, with a rate base of 2 million and an audience of 4.8 million. A trusted resource, FamilyFun delivers real ideas for – and from – real families. FamilyFun’s lively and informative content focuses on making the most of family time together through travel, entertainment, cooking, crafts, learning at home, and other family activities. FamilyFun’s portfolio of brands includes FamilyFun.com and FamilyFun books, including the Cooking With Kids cookbook.

Top Toy Retailer Reveals “Fabulous 15″ Representing the Best of the Season

(STREETSBORO, OHIO) — October 1, 2008 — With the official start of the holiday shopping season just a few short weeks away, Toys”R”Us has announced their “Fabulous 15″ hot toys for 2008 and Step2®’s 50′s Diner play kitchen tops the list.

This highly anticipated shopping cheat-sheet for families represents the definitive selection of toys for kids’ wish lists this holiday season. Carefully selected after a comprehensive review process, the Step2 50′s Diner play kitchen was chosen as a top choice for children 13 months to two years of age.

“After a thorough evaluation of all new toy introductions throughout the year, and consultations with our global merchandising team in 34 countries, Toys”R”Us has the unique ability to provide our guests with THE ultimate list of items certain to bring big smiles to kids’ faces — the Toys”R”Us Hot Toy list,” said Karen Dodge, Senior Vice President, Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys”R”Us, U.S.

The new retro style 50′s Diner from Step2 lets toddlers step back to yesteryear with a classically styled play kitchen that features everything needed to prepare an imaginary meal and serve customers &emdash; just like a real diner. The 50′s Diner comes packed with fun activities and accessories including an oven, grill, dishware, spatula, ice cream scoop, sundae dishes, deep fryer, ketchup and mustard bottles, and a sink to clean the dishes. To help kids turn up the heat, a griddle pan and coffee pot activate electronic sizzling and bubbling sounds when placed on the stove’s front burner. A tabletop seating area for pretend customers includes a working jukebox that lets kids rock around the clock with three 50′s-style tunes. The 50′s Diner is appropriate for children ages 2 years and up and retails for $149.99.

“We appreciate this recognition from such an important retail industry leader.” said Step2 CEO Scott Levin. “We pride ourselves on creating toys that are safe, fun, and provide hours of imaginative play for kids. The Step2 50′s Diner is fun because it’s a fresh take on our fun play kitchens and play houses but it harkens back to a time when parents and grandparents were kids.”

The 50′s Diner is part of the Step2 lineup of high-quality, imaginative toys for kids, including its signature play kitchens, sand and water toys, ride on vehicles, swing sets and wagons. For more information visit www.step2.com, or view all items featured on Toys”R”Us’ Hot Toys List at www.Toysrus.com/HotToys.

About Step2
The Step2® Company is a family company with brands including Step2®, Infantino®, and Thinkativity® that foster learning and development through creative play in children from birth to school-age years. Step2, based in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world’s largest rotational molder of children’s and home products, including children’s play kitchens, playhouses, outdoor toys and ride on toys, as well as home products such as mailboxes, outdoor furniture and trash cans. Infantino, headquartered in San Diego, Calif. is a leading designer and international distributor of innovative and original infant, toddler, and preschool products. Featuring fashion-forward designs, the popular product lines include classic creative baby toys and puzzles, innovative soft baby carriers, and simple, no-fuss baby travel systems. New Jersey-based Thinkativity is a leading innovator of
electronic and early learning toys promoting inventive play patterns through original musical compositions and stories that inspire children to explore, play and learn. Visit www.step2.com, www.infantino.com and www.thinkativity.com to learn more about the Step2 Company brands

About Toys”R”Us, Inc.
Toys”R”Us, Inc. is the world’s leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer. Currently it sells merchandise through more than 1,500 stores, including 585 Toys”R”Us stores and 262 Babies”R”Us stores in the U.S., more than 693 international stores in 33 countries, which includes licensed and franchise stores, and through its Internet site at www.Toysrus.com.

CONTACT:
Dotti Franks, Vice President Marketing Communications
dfranks@step2.net; 330-656-0440

Margaux Vega, Current Lifestyle Marketing
mvega@currentlm.com; 415-449-0126

(Streetsboro, Ohio) — May 15, 2008 — The Step2 Company’s® Step2 Fun Flow Play Sink™, as well as the Lil’ Lion Happy Hang Out and Loopapalooza by Infantino®, have been recognized by iParenting Media as “Excellent Products of 2008.” The group of licensed childcare facilities, schools, and parents that make up the iParenting Media Awards Executive Committee reviewed hundreds of products for educational and play merit, safety, value, age appropriateness and other factors including actual child and parent feedback from testing families around the nation. Award winners also meet the highest toy safety standards and are free of lead and phthalates.

Designed for the patio or backyard, the Fun Flow Play Sink has a battery-powered pump that keeps water and fun times flowing through the sink’s gooseneck faucet. The faucet rotates to allow children to direct water flow and play with the accessory play pieces including a cup, strainer, spinning waterwheel and funnel. The accessory pieces have handles that allow them to hang on the outer rim of the sink so toddlers can clean up after play time, just like the big kids.

One of the iParenting Media Awards reviewers commented on the Step2 Fun Flow Sink, “We have had a blast with this toy and my kids want to play with it everyday. It’s big enough that a group of kids can play, but not so big that it’s tough to store. A definite hit!”

The Infantino Lil’ Lion Happy Hang Out is a jungle-themed activity gym complete with multiple baby entertainment features, including a musical note on back of the large peek-a-boo mirror for fun jungle music and sounds. The interesting textures and dangling toys stimulate and develop senses — key for ages three months and up. Also, beginning at birth, children can be entertained by Infantino’s Loopapalooza, a hanging toy with intertwined loops of sliding bugs, a teether, peek-a-boo mirror, and jittery bug.

“The Step2 Company is proud of our toys among all of our brands — Step2, Infantino and Thinkativity. We are committed to creating toys that provide hours of safe, fun imaginative play and development for children,” said Step2 CEO Scott Levin. “The iParenting Media Award is a prestigious recognition for our high-quality toys and we are thrilled to receive this honor.”

The Fun Flow Play Sink is part of the Step2 lineup of high-quality, imaginative toys for kids, including its signature kitchens, sand and water toys, ride on vehicles, swing sets and wagons. The Lil’ Lion Happy Hang Out and Loopapalooza are part of Infantino’s diverse product line which includes unique toys, fun puzzles, interactive shopping cart covers, travel items, and fashionably comfortable carriers. For more information, visit step2.com or view the award posting at the iParenting awards site.

Kid-Tested Research Shows American-Made Step 2 Toddler Toys Are Earning High Marks for What Kids Really Want This Holiday Shopping Season

STREETSBORO, Ohio · November 8, 2007 — The Step 2 Company, the largest toddler toy manufacturer in the United States, knows that if you’re like most people, you haven’t given much thought to toddler toy awards — if you even knew they existed.

But when you’re searching online or stuck in a toy store faced with shelves full of choices and perhaps fewer dollars in your wallet this holiday shopping season, enlisting the help of some independent “expert testers” may just be what you need to make your job easier.

Toddler toy awards, based on competitions judged in real-world settings such as kindergartens and child care centers, are earned by allowing kids to play and adults to monitor and judge the toys on criteria such as role-playing experience, imaginative play, durability and value. Therefore, with awards as a guideline, you can improve the odds that the toys you buy this holiday shopping season are those your kids want and those that will last.

A total of 17 different Step 2 toddler toys have won a stocking full of distinctions this year with many appearing on several different lists as best picks for the 2007 Holiday Shopping Season. Step 2 play kitchens, art easel & desks, blocks, ride on toys and pretend play toddler toy items are among the items receiving awards, endorsements and accolades from industry experts and national media such as the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, National Association of Parenting Publications, Parents’ Choice Foundation, Canadian Toy Testing Council, Dr. Toy, and parenthood magazines including American Baby, Parents, Family Fun, Baby Talk and Toy Wishes.

Take the Step 2 LifeStyle Grand Walk-in Kitchen™, a Parents’ Choice Recommended Award Winner. With a full menu of electronic features this unique kitchen playhouse, complete with “hardwood floor” and granite-look counter tops, includes a burner that makes frying pan and boiling water sounds. The Step 2 LifeStyle Grand Walk-in Kitchen also garnered a Canadian Toy Testing Council “3-Star” Award – their highest rating!

For parents in search of outdoor toys like climbers and riding toys, Step 2 offers a wonderland of options that keeps kids physically active while developing their motor skills. The Step 2 Naturally Playful Look-out Treehouse, winner of the prestigious Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, challenges toddlers ages 18 months and older to climb, slide and explore in an elevated treehouse. If your child is a thrill seeker, there’s no greater treat than to offer them amusement park fun right in their own backyard. Step 2′s Extreme Coaster, was named a Toy of the Year Award Winner by Disney’s Family Fun Magazine, placing in the top 10 for toddlers ages 3-5 years. Your children can easily climb the 9 foot ramp on its built-in steps to experience an extreme ride for hours of active fun.

The gift of imaginative play is priceless indeed this holiday shopping season. Step 2 always uses just the right mix of electronics to enhance the playtime experience without leading or directing the child’s imagination. New toddler toy products such as the Doorway Playhouse, the Magical Shoe Fairy Cottage and the Main Street Village Community Helpers Collection are perfect examples of this well- thought-out blend and have all earned top marks from leading magazines such as Parents, American Baby, and Baby Talk.

You can learn more about these and other hot holiday toddler toys made by the Step 2 Company at www.step2.com. In the meantime, remember: the best toddler toy values still combine playtime fun with long-lasting durability. And that’s a point kids of all ages can agree on.

Contact Info:
Dotti Foltz
Vice President, Marketing Communications
330-656-0440