The Doll Kind is awarded The First Years Parentpreneur Grant and announces kickstarter campaign

The Doll Kind has been chosen as a grant recipient for The First Year’s Parentpreneur Grant Program!

This is HUGE for us for a couple of reasons:

• The funds we receive from the grant will help us to further pursue our dreams for this company and our kind mission by helping us to make our first run of production.

• VALIDATION. Now let me get something straight here, no one believes in our mission as much as we do (aside from maybe our moms). But having a leading global brand support your company by investing in it makes you feel like you have some serious street cred. 

We really are just so humbled and grateful for the opportunity The First Years have given us by supporting us through this grant.

In the last post, I gave you some background into how our kind mission came to be.

Today, I wanted to share a little more about what our company actually does and how it will help change the world in which we raise our children.

Jackie and I noticed a lack of a prominent symbol of kindness in the doll and toy market. We recognized that in every child’s hands lies the potential to do good and change the world, and that children’s toys have a profound effect on their childhood. By founding TDK, we wanted to harness the power of toys for a good cause.

Together, we created a line of cloth dolls (available on kickstarter February 17th) with an extra special mission…inspiring children to be kind and give back.

 

We started with three different designs, with plans to expand the line in the future.

We are currently in the prototype phase and have the first of three dolls completed.

Isn't he the coolest?

We are expecting to have prototypes for the other two designs in the following days.

Here's a sneak peek of what they will look like:

Did you know that we don't name our TDK dolls?

Here's why:

The Dolls come to you on a mission. They need to find a friend to join them on their kind mission and be a force for good. By giving them a name and home, you promise to team up with your new friend to spread kindness wherever you go.

We wanted children to not only be inspired by our dolls, but to feel empowered as well. That's why we designed TDK dolls to come with their very own bag of tokens or “kind hearts”.

"Kind hearts” are tokens with special phrases on them, to empower children to get started with spreading kindness. They are to give to anyone you feel inspired to, in secret or not.  

As mothers, Jackie and I know that our examples will set a precedent for what we expect of our children. We know that if we expect our children to be kind, that we need to make that a part of who we are. For kindness to really make a difference, it needs to be more than an act, but become an essential part of your character. So in an effort to be better examples ourselves, we pledge that for every doll purchased, one will be donated to a child less fortunate.  

We believe that wholesome toys are an important part of childhood, no matter your circumstances. We also believe that kindness is as essential as food and water. Furthermore, we want children around the world to understand that no matter how much or how little one might have, we can all be kind.

TDK will donate to orphanages, hospitals, and shelters. Across the seas and close to home, we want ALL children to feel the joy that comes with being kind.

By empowering children to be the positive change needed in the world, we help build their self-esteems, their sense of worth, and their overall well-being. We believe that all children are good and that we have the responsibility as a company, as mothers, to nurture and encourage this.

It has only been a matter of months since Anistyn’s epic paint mess went viral, but it seems like a lifetime. If you had told me during those hours of literally scooping up handfuls of white ceiling paint from my wood floors, to act cool, because this was all going to turn into something worthwhile, I might have become violent. I feel like the luckiest person in the world to say that something good really did come from that fateful day. But for this dream to truly become a reality, there is much to be done.

We will admit, we have lofty goals, and we are just getting started. There are not enough nap times in a year for us to do everything we hope to on our own. That's where you come in.

You see, the beauty of our kind mission is that it doesn't just take a doll and some heart tokens to change the world. It takes a child with an innate sense of kindness and a parent willing to share and encourage their values. We want to help you in your efforts to raise children in a better, more kind world. We want to help you empower your children be a part of the change that will create this kinder world. Together, we know that we will make a positive impact.

We have a lot of exciting things happening for The Doll Kind in 2016 and we want you to be a part of it. Together, we will change the world. Some of the ways you can get involved include:

• Donating to our kickstarter campaign, launching February 17th @ 11AM EST. By being a backer, you will help make this dream a reality and will have the opportunity to receive a doll FIRST...even before they are available for presale! New to crowdfunding? Here are the basics.

• Subscribing to our e-newsletter. Be the first to know about TDK news, events, and giveaways. Get discounts exclusive to subscribers.

• Connect with us on our facebook page and instagram. TDK is a collaborative effort and to be successful, we welcome your comments and feedback!

We can't wait to launch our kickstarter campaign and have the opportunity to share our dream with you! Which doll is your favorite? Comment below.