Sydney Wiseman and helpers check out the Got2Glow Fairy Finder | Source: WowWee

Have you ever wondered how new toys are made?

Each year, countless new products hit the shelves, but life in the COVID-19 era has changed the process in which those new toys are developed and the path they take from concept to sale.

Today, the Toy Insider has a special peek behind the curtain at how one of the toys featured in our Holiday Gift Guide Hot 20 came to be — the Got2Glow Fairy Finder!

In this five-minute video, Sydney Wiseman, vice president of brand development and creative strategy at WowWee leads a look at how the electronic toy that kids can use to discover and catch more than 30 unique, virtual fairies evolved from an idea into a smash hit.

The Got2Glow Fairy Finder is nominated for the 2022 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards in the Collectible of the Year category.

While they’ve been hard to come by in some places, with a little luck, you just might still be able to catch one on the shelves at your local retailer in the days before Christmas.

Happy (fairy) hunting!

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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