Frank Caplan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Caplan
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Frank and Theresa Caplan
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| Born | June 10, 1911 Kingston upon Hull, England
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| Died | September 28, 1988 (aged 77) New Jersey, United States
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Founder of Creative Playthings, Toy Developer, Educator, Author, Youth Worker |
| Spouse(s) | Theresa Caplan |
Frank Caplan (born June 10, 1911 – died September 28, 1988) was a special person who helped children learn and grow. He worked with young people, taught kids, and collected old-fashioned toys. He was a leader in making and selling educational toys for children.
In 1945, Frank and his wife, Theresa, started a company called Creative Playthings. They worked with famous artists and designers like Isamu Noguchi and Henry Moore. Together, they created cool new toys and even designed playgrounds for kids. By the 1950s, Creative Playthings was known all over the world. It became a very important company for providing things used in early childhood education.
Later, in 1975, Frank Caplan started The Princeton Center for Infancy and Early Childhood. He and Theresa also wrote several popular books about how children grow. These books included The First Twelve Months of Life (1977) and The Early Childhood Years: The 2 to 6 Year Old (1983). They also wrote The Power of Play (1973). Frank was one of the first men to teach in a nursery school in the U.S. He and Theresa collected over 50,000 toys and art pieces from different cultures. In 1984, they gave this huge collection to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Frank Caplan was born in Kingston upon Hull, England, on June 10, 1911. His family was Russian Jewish. In 1914, when Frank was three, his family moved to the United States. They settled in Harlem, New York.
Frank finished DeWitt Clinton High School in 1927. He then went to City College of New York at night. In 1931, he earned a degree in sociology and history. After college, he got a job helping young people. He worked with street gangs to create club centers. These clubs helped young people learn leadership skills.
Working with Children
Frank's interest in toys began when he worked as a nursery school teacher. He was one of the first men to do this job in the U.S. He worked for Caroline Pratt, who started the City and Country School in Greenwich Village, New York City.
Later, he worked at the Jewish Center in Far Rockaway, Long Island. His future wife, Theresa Caplan, and artist Mark Rothko also worked there. Frank made puppets and simple toys for the children. In 1934, he even set up a special farm camp for kids from the city.
On May 30, 1934, Frank Caplan married Theresa Kupferberg. In 1936, he earned a master's degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. He then started working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA). This program helped young people aged 16 to 25. It created education programs for those living in poor areas of New York City.
Creative Playthings Company
Frank and Theresa Caplan started their company, Creative Playthings, in 1945. Their goal was to make toys that helped children learn and grow. They believed that play was very important for development. They worked with many talented people to design their toys. These toys were not just for fun, but also helped kids learn new skills.
Research and Books for Parents
In 1975, Frank and Theresa Caplan started The Princeton Center for Infancy and Early Childhood. This center did research and created books for parents and teachers. They wanted to share what they learned about how children develop.
They wrote several helpful books together:
- The Power of Play (1973)
- The First Twelve Months of Life (1977)
- The Second Twelve Months of Life (1978)
- The Early Childhood Years: The 2 to 6 Year Old (1983)
These books talked about how children's minds, bodies, language, and social skills grow. They gave advice to parents and answered common questions. The books were praised for including both mothers and fathers. They also supported different kinds of families.
Collecting Folk Toys
In the 1950s, Frank and Theresa Caplan started collecting folk toys. They found these toys during their trips around the world. What began as a hobby grew into a serious collection. They hoped to open a Museum of Fantasy and Play one day.
In 1984, they gave their amazing collection to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. This collection included over 50,000 folk toys, folk art, and modern playthings. It is now known as the Caplan Collection. The collection was first shown in an exhibit called "Passport to the World."
Frank Caplan passed away on September 28, 1988. Theresa Caplan passed away on April 13, 2010. They left behind their daughter, Judith Inglese, and son, Richard Caplan.
Images for kids
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Frank and Theresa Caplan
