GoldieBlox facts for kids
| Founder | Debbie Sterling |
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GoldieBlox is an American toy company. It makes fun, interactive toys especially for girls. GoldieBlox started in 2012 with a special building kit and a storybook. They first showed their idea on a website called Kickstarter.
Their Kickstarter campaign was a huge success! They got over $1 million in orders in just one month. After that, their toys were sold in big stores like Toys "R" Us and Amazon. Today, GoldieBlox focuses on different kinds of crafting kits for girls.
The company was started by Debbie Sterling. She is an entrepreneur and studied engineering at Stanford. GoldieBlox is based in Los Angeles, California.
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How GoldieBlox Started
When Debbie Sterling was studying at Stanford, she noticed something important. Only about 11% of engineers in the United States were women. She wanted to know why.
Debbie found that girls often start losing interest in math and science around age 8. She spent two years learning about how children develop and how toys are marketed to boys and girls. She discovered that girls are often very good at reading and writing.
So, Debbie had a great idea! She created GoldieBlox to mix storytelling with building. The toys came with stories about Goldie, a girl inventor who loves to build things.
To get money for her first toys, Debbie started a Kickstarter campaign in 2012. She hoped to raise $150,000. She reached her goal in just four days! By the end of the campaign, she had raised $285,881 from 5,519 people who believed in her idea.
GoldieBlox Products
GoldieBlox toys are made for kids aged 4 to 9. They teach girls about engineering ideas through fun stories and building activities. Each toy set introduces new characters and new concepts. There were six different sets in the original series.
In 2014, GoldieBlox also started making digital content. Their first mobile app was called "GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine." It came out in October 2014. This app had the company's first animated cartoon. Apple even named it one of the Best Apps of 2014!
GoldieBlox also has a digital playground called Bloxtown. Here, kids can watch original videos with new design ideas. They can then try building these ideas at home.
Cool Videos from GoldieBlox
GoldieBlox & Rube Goldberg "Princess Machine"
In November 2013, GoldieBlox released a video on YouTube called "Princess Machine." It showed three young girls building a complex machine called a Rube Goldberg machine. This machine was designed by Brett Doar. The video used a fun, changed version of the Beastie Boys song "Girls."
There was a discussion about using the song without permission. GoldieBlox explained they changed the song to make a point. They wanted to show how girls can be smart and build things, not just play with princess toys. The Beastie Boys said they liked the message. However, they usually did not allow their music in ads. In the end, GoldieBlox took down the video. They also made an agreement to donate money to charities that support science, technology, engineering, and math for girls.
"This is Your Brain on Engineering"
In April 2014, GoldieBlox released another YouTube video. It was called "This is Your Brain on Engineering (GoldieBlox Easter PSA)." This video showed the difference between a young girl's brain "on princess" versus her brain "on engineering." It encouraged girls to think about building and creating.
"GoldieBlox vs. the Big Sister Machine"
"GoldieBlox vs. the Big Sister Machine" came out on YouTube in November 2014. This video focused on how important it is for girls to have good role models. It showed how creativity and smart ideas can inspire them. The video featured a "Big Sister" who tried to make young girls focus only on beauty. But a "Little Sister," inspired by Goldie, rebelled. She helped the girls break free and discover a world of exciting possibilities. The video used the song "Help I'm Alive" by Metric.
"Lightning Strikes"
In December 2014, GoldieBlox released their first original song and animated music video. It was called "Lightning Strikes." The song was written and sung by Emily Haines. She is the lead singer of the band Metric. The video and song feature Goldie. She is a strong female character who gets a great idea and works hard to achieve it. She doesn't give up, even when things get tough.
GoldieBlox Advertisements
Super Bowl Commercial
In February 2014, GoldieBlox won a contest held by Intuit. This prize meant they got a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl XLVIII. This airtime was worth about $4 million! GoldieBlox became the first small business to have an ad during the Super Bowl.
The ad used a changed version of the song "Cum On Feel the Noize" by Slade/Quiet Riot. The words were changed to "Come On Bring the Toys." The commercial showed many little girls throwing away their pink toys. They sang, "More than pink, pink, pink, we want to think," and "girls build like all the boys." It was a powerful message about encouraging girls to build and create.
