Latest Products from America's Toy Company Make Sticking Close to Home a Smart Family Investment

STREETSBORO, Ohio, May 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Let the outdoor fun begin! As more families keep close to home this spring and summer, America's largest toy manufacturer is turning up the heat on creative play with new products designed for fun in the sun. With new outdoor toy introductions like the Sand & Water Transportation Station(TM), Nature Station Playhouse(TM) and Water Rush Quarry(TM), Step2(R) is helping turn the backyard or patio into the new destination for family fun.

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"We have stepped up our offering of outdoor toys this year to help families have hours of fun right in their own backyard," said Scott Levin CEO of the Step2 Company. "Because many are putting travel plans on hold this year, parents told us they wanted more ways to promote creative play in their own homes and we are fitting the bill with fun, safe toys designed for everything from big backyards to apartment building patios."

The Step2 Company is known for durable and stylish children's toys that promote role playing, motor skills, creative play development and most importantly, fun for children. Best loved for its high-quality outdoor toys, playhouses, play kitchens, sand and water play, ride on toys, and swing sets, Step2 is an American toy company, and 90 percent of Step2 toys are made in the U.S.A. and headquartered in Streetsboro, Ohio.

Take It Outside for a Welcome Change of Pace

Here are new toys from Step2 designed to promote creative, self-directed play for kids:

• Sand & Water Transportation Station (TM) - Jump on board the transportation station of fun! Set comes complete with toy train and rake. The sturdy table contains two compartments for both sand and water with drain plugs for easy clean-up. Funnels atop table legs act as "loading stations" for creative play and the raised table helps keep feet and the home clean and dry. 15-piece accessory set includes 3 train cards, 2 boats, 3 funnels, 1 spinner, 1 paddle wheel, 1 see-saw scoop, 3 track pieces, and removable cover with elastic straps. The cart also comes equipped to hold a 42" umbrella (sold separately) to provide shade during hours of outdoor enjoyment. Durable poly construction. Ages 2+
• Nature Station Playhouse(TM) - Ready for the great outdoors? This airy, open playhouse encourages children's interest in nature and lets their imagination run wild. Features shelf for examining flowers, bugs, and other natural wonders found outside. Also included are a shovel, bug collector, butterfly net, lantern, microscope with two slides, tweezers, bug trap shovel and binoculars for hours of discovery and play. Periscope pivots to allow 180 degree viewing. This nature station has round windows for peek-a-boo fun and storage bins that double as planters to grow flowers, herbs and small vegetables. Durable poly construction. Ages 2+
• Water Rush Quarry(TM) - Getting to work has never been so much fun! This multi-level design allows water to cascade from top to bottom like a flowing river. Set includes one crane, two bridges, a tunnel, a dam, a ramp, a bucket, a shovel and two construction vehicles. This quarry is flexible and easily converted into a small, single level play table. Minimal adult assembly required. Durable poly construction. Ages 3+
• Arctic Splash(TM) - Children will stay cool throughout summer when they chill-out exploring glacier mountain. Glacier Mountain complete with ice slide, tunnel and dumping bucket. Raised design helps keep feet clean and dry. Multi-level water wells for aquatic fun. Includes a polar bear, walrus and penguin squirt toys. Ages 1-1/2 +

Step2's spring and summer 2009 products are currently available at toy stores and retailers nationwide. For more information on the full line of Step2 toys and products, please visit www.step2.com.

About The Step2 Company:

The Step2(R) Company is a family company with brands including Step2(R), Infantino(R), and Thinkativity(R) 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. 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. 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.

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

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

SOURCE The Step2 Company

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