January 11, 2007 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

KIDdesigns Donates 33,000 Cans of Silly String to Soldiers in Iraq

Brightly Colored Foam String Used to Detect Tripwires for Explosive Devices

RAHWAY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The high-tech U.S. Army received a low-spec. yet much appreciated item this month when KIDdesigns, a leading manufacturer of children’s toys located in Rahway, N.J. donated 33,000 cans of Silly String – or nearly 2,000 miles worth. The extremely lightweight foam string is currently used by soldiers in Iraq to detect tripwires for explosive devices. The foam is light enough to drape across and thus identify the often invisible tripwires without detonating the explosive.

“This really is a local story with global resonance as we had originally heard of a New Jersey woman who was collecting cans for use by her son in Iraq”

“This really is a local story with global resonance as we had originally heard of a New Jersey woman who was collecting cans for use by her son in Iraq,” said Evan Stein, KIDdesigns’ vice president, Marketing Division. “One of our popular Kids Next Store toys uses Silly String and we knew we had extra cans in our warehouse. A few inquiring phone calls later, and the cans were on their way. If this string helps save even a single soldier from harm, than there is nothing silly about it.”

Coincidentally, KIDdesigns’ cans of Silly String were stored in an El Paso warehouse, which happens to be the home to Fort Bliss, the Army’s largest U.S. installation. As a result, the cans have already been packaged up and are currently on their way to the soldiers in Iraq.

About KIDdesigns

Headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, KIDdesigns is the leading manufacturer of cutting-edge, interactive electronic toys, learning aids, and real electronics for kids of all ages. With a special understanding of the impact toys can make in a child’s life, KIDdesigns combines state-of-the-art technology with old-fashioned fun to create innovative, exciting, and enjoyable products that kids love and parents trust. KIDdesigns has received some of the most prestigious awards and honors in the industry, including the “Best New Product Innovation” award from Toy Wishes Magazine. KIDdesigns’ licensed brands include Barbie^™, Spiderman^™, Transformers^™ and Jumpstart. More information about the company can be found online at www.kiddirect.com.