A popular toy manufacturer is receiving some colourful feedback after unveiling a line of neutral products. Little Tikes debuted their “Cloud Collection” earlier this month, which includes white and neutral versions of some of their popular play items, like a mini basketball net, a child-sized picnic table, play cars and lounge chairs. “Dreamy play days are right around the corner,” the post from Sept. 9 read. The company, which has been around for nearly 60 years, is known for its hard plastic toys, which range from kitchen sets to their iconic “Cozy Coupe,” a red and yellow car with a smiley face that children can ride by using their feet to move it. The reaction on social media to the colourless line of products has been divisive, with some describing it as “sad” and “depressing,” or wondering if it was an April Fool’s joke, to others fawning over the collection. “Kids NEED colour,” wrote one Instagram user. “Sad beige mom era,” wrote another. “Colour = JOY,” one user wrote. Taking to the comments section on another post about the collection, which the company added on Sept. 16, some praised the neutral aesthetic as a blank palette for their kids to draw on. “You should sell it with markers and stickers so kids can colour it their own way and add colour to their world,” one Instagram user wrote. “Otherwise, this is totally for the parents and the parent’s aesthetic.” “This is perfect for the diy (do it yourself) moms and dads,” wrote another Facebook user. “And for little hands to experiment! My kiddo would love to colour hers with chalk. This is so smart.” On the original Instagram video introducing the neutral line, the company followed up in the comment section, stressing that their colour products were still available. “Bright, bold or beautifully neutral….there’s room for every kind of play,” it read. “Don’t worry, our classic colour collection is not going anywhere. The Cloud Collection is simply a new option for families who love a softer palette. More choices, same iconic play!”
