Broad Initiative Developed with Teachers to Support Playful, Skill-Building Learning

WILTON, Conn., April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ – For more than 35 years, Melissa & Doug^® has served the education community, with a commitment to purposeful play that inspires development and discovery, making its toys a familiar sight in many early learning classrooms. Now, the brand is deepening that commitment by providing teachers with meaningful resources, exclusive savings for their classrooms, and skill-building tools that support learning, including an expanded resource hub designed specifically for educators.

Teacher Resources

The new hub will feature skill-building activities, blog posts with tips from educators, and curated bundles of developmentally enriching toys perfect for the classroom. Free printables aligning with Melissa & Doug’s Skills at Play!™ framework feature activities focused on foundational concepts such as identifying shapes and letters, helping children practice and build early skills through play.

In addition, Melissa & Doug is now offering a special year-round discount of 15% off for qualifying educators, available at MelissaAndDoug.com and the brand’s flagship store in the Westchester Mall in White Plains, NY. In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, qualifying educators will be rewarded with a 25% discount for a limited time. (Exclusions apply to any discounts.)

“From the beginning, educators have trusted our high-quality toys to support learning through play,” said Lauren DeFeo Duchene, President of Melissa & Doug and EVP at Spin Master. “This new hub, just for teachers, is a natural extension of our relationship with them, so they may continue to provide engaging learning experiences in their classrooms all year long.”

Skills at Play!™ 

Melissa & Doug has long inspired learning through open-ended toys that help children build essential skills and confidence. The brand has been recognized the last four years as the #1 Brand in Preschool Kitchen & Food, Children’s Puzzles, and Other Preschool Toys.¹ Among moms, Melissa & Doug is known as “the one brand that helps my child with real-life skills.”² The brand supports children across ages, stages, and individual learning styles through thoughtfully designed products, often developed with insights gained from observing children at play in early learning environments.

Melissa & Doug’s Skills at Play! framework helps parents, teachers, and caregivers easily identify the core developmental benefits of its toys, spanning physical, cognitive, and social skills. Fan favorites include the See & Spell Learning Toy, which helps build letter recognition, matching, and early literacy skills, and the Take-Along Tool Kit, which helps promote fine motor development and hand-eye coordination through hands-on pretend play. Additional classroom staples, such as Pattern Blocks and Boards, help support matching, spatial awareness, color recognition, and problem-solving in an engaging, classroom-friendly format.

Philanthropy

Melissa & Doug is also planning to make a toy donation of $50,000 retail value to a school district in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. This donation serves as a thank you to educators who share the same commitment to learning through play.

About Melissa & Doug^®

From timeless wooden and developmental toys to pretend play, puzzles, and arts & crafts, Melissa & Doug inspires the kind of kid-powered, purposeful play that builds the skills and confidence for children to thrive. Melissa & Doug is a wholly owned subsidiary of Spin Master Corp. (TSX:TOY), a leading global children’s entertainment company. For more, visit Melissa & Doug.

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SOURCE Melissa & Doug