Residents become mothers of invention

MODERN GEPPETTOS—From left, Paige Apar and Vanessa McGarry turned their children’s play dates into brainstorming sessions and soon a new business was born. The Oak Park residents began inventing and marketing toys and have several in development. STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO/Acorn Newspapers While some mothers choose to bring up baby and have no qualms about stepping away from the career ladder, Oak Park residents Vanessa McGarry and Paige Apar used their new mom status to feed their creative spirit, enjoy many laughs, and even make some money.

McGarry and Apar are toy inventors. Their company, FourLeaf Clover Inc., was conceived with the birth of their children, and their motto, “Good Luck, Good Fun!” embodies their philosophy about the exciting, yet volatile business of toy invention.

The women’s partnership started in 2001 when Apar and McGarry met through their daughters, Lily and Kayleigh, respectively. They soon found they had more in common than just their 2-year-olds. Both women had worked for the entertainment industry, they were pregnant again with sons, and both had a penchant for toys that sparked their children’s imaginations.

Frequent play dates grew into brainstorming sessions, and toy ideas flowed like wine at a wedding.

“We started thinking about our kids a l l the time,” McGarry said.

Since entertaining their tots was such a priority, the women wrote down hundreds of toy ideas that combined fun with learning. Four years ago they took the plunge and created a toy that electronically mixes color and pitched the idea to an established toy company. A deal to manufacture the toy is said to be close.

One of their more clever concepts, the Twirling Spaghetti Fork from their Fun With Food line, is being sold by Hog Wild Toys.

Their Rub-A-Dub Play In The Tub Car Wash went from concept to production within one year. It is now produced and marketed by ALEX Toys. Children line up the plastic cars included in the set, turn a crank which moves the cars on a conveyor belt and under rubber strips, and voilà—the cars are clean. A squeegee can be filled with liquid soap and a spray squirter rinses the cars clean. Dirt is not included.

The car wash was named one of the best toys of the year by Nick Jr. magazine and Parents magazine and received the National Parenting Center seal of approval.

Other toys that the women are developing include an electronic cheerleading game and an “audio emitting dispenser,” which could be used as a souvenir to hold candy, sunscreen or other items. When the container is opened it plays a song, jingle or other 10-second sound bite. McGarry and Apar expect the device could be used by major corporations that want to promote their brand.

Apar said specialty items could be fitted with any sound bite and used as a giveaway at sporting or corporate events. The women recently obtained a patent on the device.

Frequently, Apar and McGarry must wait for technology to catch up with their ideas. Apar said many companies are taking old ideas and reinventing them with a high-tech flair.

The women have their own ideas about how to incorporate technology into toys, but like to keep their plans confidential since the toy industry is so competitive.

Currently, McGarry and Apar are gearing up for the International Toy Fair in New York. McGarry described the February event as a Mecca for buyers, inventors and exhibitors. More than 1,500 manufacturers and importers from 30 countries are expected to attend the fair.

“We have 10 new ideas to pitch at Toy Fair as well as about 30 old ideas,” McGarry said. “All of the biggest toy companies in the world showcase their newest and latest toys for toy inventors at the toy fair. It’s the largest toy trade show in the western hemisphere.”

While McGarry and Apar have been successful pitching their ideas to toy giants such as Hasbro, Mattell, Crayola and others, they admit that some of their brainstorms have turned out to be duds.

Take their inflatable stair slide, for example. While kids whooshing down a flight of stairs on a blow-up sled might seem like oodles of fun, industry executives pointed out the dangers of such a toy. The electromagnetic dandelion also never made it past the idea phase, and the Old McDonald Needs a New Farm toy was also shelved.

But, as McGarry says, “The dumbest concept is the one that’s never been pitched.”

Whether they’re amazing, educational, goofy or even disgusting—such as as a pill the women came up with that would give color to flatulence—the ideas just keep flowing. many of their toys are designed just to get children off the couch and outdoors. A toy that combines art and athletics has yet to take off, but the inventors are hopeful, as they are with a contraption that attaches chalk to bicycles, allowing children to create rolling art.

As for income, the women said their earning potential is limitless, and hope to reach the six-figure mark by next year.

“It’s the best full-time income for the least amount of work,” said McGarry.

But Apar added a warning to other budding toymakers.

“Don’t quit your day job,” she said.