My Toy Fair Blog Q&A – Fabula Toys
- Please introduce yourself and your company: My name is Nazneen Yasin and I am the Founder of Fabula Toys
- What products are you launching at Toy Fair? This is my first ever Toy Fair and I’m bringing my 5 educational toys, each bringing a different nursery rhyme to life in an attempt to discourage very young children from watching screens
- How did you get into the toy industry? Because of the BTHA and The Toy Fair, actually! Back in 2018, the BTHA released a survey of over 1,000 parents who were concerned about the effect of screen time on their young children and their active pursuit of an alternative to screen time. I was a working mum living in Dubai at the time, but that topic resonated so strongly with me that I left my job, moved countries and did a lot of research before setting up Fabula Toys modelled on that single minded proposition.
- What was your favourite toy growing up? Yes, I had a doll I was extremely fond of! Apparently one day when the doll went missing, and I was extremely distressed. My mum, who was in the next room, heard me speaking to someone and came over to realise that I had dialled the number for the police to lodge a complaint!
- What is the one “special ingredient” that makes a great toy? As a member of the toy industry, I think the ‘special ingredient’ is entirely the sense of control a toy can give a child. Children rarely get to control things or take decisions. And therefore when they come across a toy that allows them to suddenly become the master of the universe it is absolutely indispensable! But as an adult who really is a child at heart, I will say it’s the memories we make with toys that are the ‘special ingredients’ that elevate a toy from good to great!
- Other than your own, what toy brand really stands out to you today? I really like Boss Babs. It’s still a comparatively new and upcoming brand but it has a clear identity, and the products are very clever! But most importantly the brand is entirely driven by a strong and beautiful cause to encourage little girls to dream of and achieve everything any other child can!
- What was your best memory of Toy Fair? Since this is the first one I will be attending in person, I have to say so far my best memory of Toy Fair is that tingling feeling I had back in 2018 when I knew I had finally found that corner in my life where everything was about to change! I will always remain grateful to Toy Fair for having inspired me to become an entrepreneur.
- What’s your top tip for surviving Toy Fair? Wear your passion on your sleeve!
