#ToyLikeMe Founder Creates MixMups Series

Rebecca Atkinson, the founder of the viral #ToyLikeMe campaign, has created the new preschool stop-frame animated series MixMups.

Celebrating friendship, fun and fancy dress, MixMups sees Pockets, Giggle and Spin transported from their home through a magic box dress-up portal to embark on costume-filled, problem-solving adventures that address the day-to-day life experiences of children living with and without a disability. Raydar Media and Mackinnon & Saunders are teaming up to produce the series, which is being developed with support from the BFI’s Young Audience Content Fund.

Atkinson said: “In MixMups I wanted to create an innovative show and brand, bursting with fun, magic and play, which would bring disability representation into the mainstream in a way which has never been done before.”

Raydar Media’s Alison Rayson added: “Debbie Macdonald who is also co-writer on MixMups brought Raydar into the team and I feel very blessed that she did. Having a son with Down Syndrome, I know firsthand that MixMups is the opposite of a ‘tick box’ series. It is a character-driven, funny show that everyone will be able to enjoy. We wanted to show that all children play differently and that this is something to embrace—MixMups encapsulates the joy of individuality and demonstrates that “there is always another way to play.”

Peter Saunders, Mackinnon & Saunders co-founder, added: “We fell in love with MixMups the moment we saw it and are delighted to be able to use our considerable experience in producing preschool programming to bring the show to life. MixMups is first and foremost a fun-filled entertaining show about these three lovable, highly authentic and highly individual kids through who audiences around the world can experience all the comedy ups and downs of preschoolers at play but in this wonderful, magical world that Rebecca has created. It truly is a show for everyone.”