Patch Products

PlayMonster
Private
Industry Game, puzzle, and toy manufacturer and marketer
Founded 1985 (1985)
Founders Fran Patch
Bryce Patch
Headquarters Beloit, Wisconsin, U.S.
Website PlayMonster

PlayMonster (formerly, Patch Products) is a manufacturer and marketer of family entertainment products that specializes in games, children's puzzles, toys, activities, and teaching tools. As of February 2016, Patch changed its company name to PlayMonster.

History

Brothers Fran and Bryce Patch opened a commercial printing company in 1971, producing games and related items for other companies. They printed Trivial Pursuit game boards and Cabbage Patch Kids sticker books, among other products. In 1985, the brothers began their own toy and game company: Patch Products.[1] The company started a line of PuzzlePatch tray puzzles for preschoolers, which are still in production; the company produced its 100 millionth puzzle in 2008. The American Toy Institute, Great American Toy Contest, National Association for Gifted Children, Nick Jr. magazine and Toy Tips have recognized the puzzles for helping educate children.[2]

In 1992, the company obtained the license for TriBond, its first board game, which was inducted into Games Magazine's Hall of Fame.[3] Patch followed the success of TriBond with two other board games, Blurt! and MadGab. The company sold the brand rights to these games to Mattel in 2004.[4]

In 2008, Patch Products acquired Smethport Specialty Co., the maker of Lauri Toys and specialty products, adding educational items to Patch's lineup, including Tall-Stacker pegging and crepe rubber puzzles, along with the Wooly Willy magnetic personality.[5]

In 2012, Patch Products was honored with a Wisconsin Family Business of the Year Award. The Work Hard—Play Hard Award was given to Patch to recognize the company's emphasis on family fun to promote togetherness.[6]

In 2013, Patch Products, with became the distributor of the Perplexus 3D maze game to independent toy and gift stores.[7] It also became the new manufacturer and distributor of the well-known The Game of Things...[8] Patch debuted its new collectible soft doll line Planet Sock Monkey which adds attitude and style to the classic sock monkey: each doll features a its own name, personality, and clothing and accessories.[9]

In February 2016, Patch Products changed its name to PlayMonster.

Award-winning games

PlayMonster has won awards from Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Dr. Toy, The National Parenting Center, iParenting Media Awards, Parents' Choice, and Toy Tips. Award-winning games include: What's Yours Like?, 5 Second Rule, Buzzword, Know It or Blow It, Malarky, Don't Rock the Boat, Big Little Games Flingin' Frogs, Toss Up!, Swap!, Roll-It Tic-Tac-Toe, Giant Spoons,100 Wacky Things, Word Shout, Farkle Frenzy, and Tales to Play

Million Minute Family Challenge

From September through December every year, PlayMonster sponsors the Million Minute Family Challenge, a grass-roots effort to promote interaction and communication among family and friends through playing board games. The goal is to encourage at least one thousand families, groups, or organizations in each of the fifty states to play a board game together for twenty minutes, or a cumulative million minutes.

References

  1. ↑ Corporate Report Wisconsin, December 2003
  2. ↑ The Janesville Gazette, June 16, 2008
  3. ↑ Games Magazine Archived 2010-04-17 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Feb. 4, 2004
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-07. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
  6. ↑ Beloit Daily News, May 11, 2012
  7. ↑ Beloit Daily News, March 11, 2013
  8. ↑ The Toy Book, Feb. 8, 2013
  9. ↑ The Toy Book, Vol. 28, No. 2, Mar./Apr. 2013
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