Fisher-Price Installs Giant Versions of Classic Toys at Buffalo Airport
Traveling with children just got easier.
Next time you're waiting for a flight at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport, your children will have more to do than beg for your smartphone. Fisher-Price has installed three play areas throughout the airport featuring four larger-than-life models of its classic toys.
The Rock-A-Stack plastic rings, Chatterphone, Xylophone and Thomas the Tank Engine are big enough for children to climb on, climb over and climb through; and are surrounded by plenty of space where kids can run around. The squishy, soft padding underneath is meant to cushion falls and jumps.
And the children are highly encouraged to jump. One cloud-covered rug bears the words: "Clouds make great trampolines."
"You want them to wear themselves out before getting on a plane," said Julie Wright, a Fisher-Price transmedia artist who designed the toys.
Germaphobic families can take heart: the smooth exteriors of the toys are much easier to clean and sanitize than previous communal play areas, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority said.
The play areas are scattered throughout the airport at gates 2, 9 and 19 so families can relax together near their departure.
"When parents are waiting to take a flight, they don't want to be at one end, they want to be near the gate so they can hear when their flight is called," said Kim Minkel, executive director of the NFTA."This makes it a stress-free area."
It also keeps kids away from places they shouldn't be, such as the moving walkway, which is a seductive attraction for little ones.
"There's nothing more fun than toys," said Chuck Scothon, Fisher-Price general manager. "Children see life in a different way than adults."
The play equipment was provided free by Fisher-Price and operates under a licensing agreement with the NFTA, which allows Fisher-Price to display the toys rent-free.
Fisher-Price has sponsored a children's play area at the airport for decades. The most recent incarnation contained blocks and chairs that could be reconfigured to form other objects, such as flowers.
"It was small and understated. This is a huge upgrade," said William Vanecek, the NFTA's director of aviation.
Travelers of all ages are welcome to join in on the fun.
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