Play n’ Trace Wins Toy of the Year

July 8, 2016 | By Business Wire News

KENT, Ohio

Boogie Board’s Play n’ Trace (a Kent Displays, Inc. brand) received the coveted Toy of the Year Award at the 2016 Learning Express convention. The convention is hosted by Learning Express Toys, the nation’s leading franchisor of unique and educational toys that are sold through 125 independently-owned store locations and online. The Toy of the Year Award is carefully selected and a highly distinguished honor with thousands of top tier toy brands in consideration.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160708005716/en/

Pictured: Justin Kalvitz, Sr. VP at Boogie Board eWriters and Rick Derr, Owner of Learning Express Toys – Zurich, IL and President of the Franchise Advisory Council (Photo: Business Wire)

Learning Express Toys’ Toy of the Year award goes to a product that is innovative and generates outstanding sales. Learning Express storeowners vote on the product they consider the “best of the best” for the year. This award also recognizes a vendor who works as a true partner with Learning Express storeowners to make their products successful.

“The Toy of the Year award recognizes a toy that embodies the best of the best. It must be innovative and generate outstanding sales. Our storeowners are proud to honor the Boogie Board Play n’ Trace by with this prestigious award,” said Sharon DiMinico, CEO and founder of Learning Express Toys.

Kent Displays CEO, Dr. Albert Green, is honored by the recognition and comments, “This is a great example of our amazing team of innovators that are able to bring revolutionary technologies to consumers. Special kudos goes to our Boogie Board Design Director, Hunter Morris, and Sr. Scientist, Dr. Clinton Braganza, for their relentless efforts in creating and bringing the only translucent screen and kid-focused eWriter to the marketplace.”

The Play n’ Trace is the first Boogie Board eWriter to feature a translucent LCD writing surface so kids can trace anything from letters to hands and face. The translucent LCD allows two and three dimensional objects to be traced or drawn free hand, so children can draw with the touch of a stylus or finger, eliminating the mess that typically comes with markers, crayons or colored pencils.

“Unlike our other products which are designed for a broader audience, the Boogie Board Play n’ Trace is to be used as a creative learning tool for children ages 3-9. As an industrial designer I look at the ergonomics and ethnographic behaviors of children in this age group. The colors, shapes, thickness, weight are crucial decisions. In this case, it was also helpful to understand developmental milestones of children including fine motor skills, imagination creation, creative thinking and tracing,” said Hunter Morris, Design Director at Boogie Board eWriters.

About Learning Express Toys

Learning Express Toys is the nation’s leading franchisor of educational toy stores with more than 125 locations across the country – each one locally owned and operated. Providing an extraordinary shopping experience, Learning Express Toys is best known for its knowledgeable and playful sales staff and its unique product mix (birth – age 14). Believing that everyone who walks through the doors should be WOWED, Learning Express Toys focuses on the customer experience.

A birthday gift registry, free gift wrapping, free personalization, civic fundraising and regularly scheduled children’s events contribute to the exceptional customer service and energetic atmosphere.

To learn more about Learning Express Toys, franchise opportunities, or a store near you, visit learningexpress.com.

About Kent Displays, Inc. – The Makers of Boogie Board eWriters

Founded in 1993, Kent Displays is a world leader in the research, development and manufacture of Patented Roll-to-Roll No Power LCDs for unique, sustainable applications. Its flagship product line, Boogie Board eWriters, has redefined writing. These paperless memo pads and note books do not require power to write and retain an image, using only a small amount of battery to erase. Specific writing instruments are not required – even a finger can be used. Millions of Boogie Board eWriters have been sold through a wide variety of retailers around the world. For more information please visit: kentdisplays.com or www.myboogieboard.com.