New Pediatric Study Reveals Role of Non-electronic Toys in Creative Development

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A new clinical report to be published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in the January 2019 issue of Pediatrics indicates that non-electronic toys stimulate social development due to the creative play and sharing necessary to promote brain development and cognitive skills . Toy maker, Cepia, could not agree more. The company is founded on the belief that creativity and magic combine to stimulate the imagination.

Cepia's newest toy Bananas™ has been recognized as a Hot Holiday Toy in several retailer and influencer lists across the US this season including the Amazon Hot list and PopSugar.

New Bananas toys are designed to promote creative and imaginative play including social sharing because they are collectible, portable and promote simple fun without electronics.

Each Banana toy consists of a colorful banana that is sweet smelling and contains a secret character and little friend that can be revealed by pulling down the banana peel. Bananas toys can be connected to one another, or clipped to a backpack or bag for fun on the go.

"Having spent a lifetime designing toys, I have seen a real shift in the play by my own children and grandchildren. I believe that toys rather than touchscreens are essential to stimulate the imagination," said James Russell Hornsby, founder of Cepia. "When designing our new Bananas toys, we wanted to give kids and parents a toy that really delivers across a number of measures. To me, that means that Bananas toys are as affordable as they are fun."

The collectible characters called "crushies" and little friends are a surprise inside each Bananas toy. The Bananas come in a variety of colors like yellow, blue, purple, pink, green and orange. There are 24 crushie characters and squeezable friends to collect and share, including four rare crushies (Princess Pi, Andrew Monkey, Lucy Leopard, and Pipo Panda) and one ultra-rare character, Gail Giraffe.

Bananas™ are available for purchase online at Amazon and at all Target and select Wal-Mart and Barnes & Noble stores, as well as specialty stores nationwide. Bananas™ are sold in singles or "Banana's bunches" of three. Each Banana single has a suggested retail price of $3.99 and the "Banana's Bunch" $9.99. Bananas™ toys are recommended for children ages four and up.

To learn more, visit www.bananas.toys. Consumers can also engage in exciting and entertaining social conversation by using the hashtag #GoBananas and following Bananas on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

About Cepia:

Founded in 2002, Cepia LLC, manufacturing toys under Blue Whale™, is a privately held company headquartered in St. Louis, MO. Combining kid-friendly technology and innovative creations, the company's fundamental philosophy is to transform simplistic ideas into magical experiences for kids. Ingenuity, creativity, playfulness and passion are the heart of Cepia and Blue Whale.

SOURCE Cepia