DHX Brands Launches Early Preschool Initiative

DHX Brands is introducing First Steppers, a new subcategory for the younger end of preschool that will support the socio-development and entertainment needs of youngsters aged 6 months to 2-and-a-half years.

First Steppers aims to provide a clearer definition of this age group while offering guidance and new opportunities for licensees, retailers and consumers. DHX received support from child development and play expert Dr. Amanda Gummer from Fundamentally Children, who conducted research that found there is a bigger retail opportunity at the younger end of preschool.

The research also discovered that parents—especially first-timers with children in the “First Steppers” demographic—can become confused by the age-appropriateness of products within the broad traditional preschool categories, often leading to fewer purchases. This gives licensees the chance to create more age-appropriate products and for retailers to use a more tailored approach to in-store merchandising and consumer communication.

Gummer said: “Children develop rapidly through the first months and years of life. Creating a First Steppers framework helps everyone understand the important developmental milestones that are achieved typically between the ages of 6 and 30 months, so they are able to make developmentally engaging products and support parents in what is a critical time in any family’s life.”

Peter Byrne, the executive VP of DHX Brands, added: “The First Steppers initiative represents a child’s first meaningful relationship with character brands and our aim is to provide better clarity of this very specific core demographic for licensees, retailers and consumers. There is a clear opportunity to create a more targeted offering for this audience and genuinely help make parents’ lives easier.”