upbounders

What upbounders does

Upbounders, operating as Little Likes Kids, LLC, is a Washington, DC-based designer and distributor of screen-free toys for children ages 1 to 6, with an additional warehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company focuses on multicultural representation across four product lines — puzzles, Montessori busy boards, active play, and games — using FSC-certified materials and non-toxic inks. Its portfolio also includes an upcoming licensed co-branded collection built on PBS KIDS' Alma's Way, developed in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions.

The business sells through a wholesale model to specialty and national retailers, including Nordstrom, Target, Barnes & Noble, Ace Hardware, and Amazon in the United States, and Indigo Kids in Canada, with a stated footprint of more than 400 retail doors and a wholesale order minimum of $250. A Summer 2024 promotional partnership with Chick-fil-A placed more than 10 million Upbounders toys in kids' meals, providing a major brand-awareness event. Pricing on direct-to-consumer channels runs $14.99–$25.99 per item.

The company is Black-owned, woman-owned, and MBE-certified, founded and led by CEO Kemi Tignor, and is bootstrapped with no disclosed outside venture or private equity funding. Cultural and institutional partnerships — including with the Kennedy Center (2024) — and media exposure across Forbes, Good Morning America, The View, and Sundance support brand-building, while the Spring 2026 Alma's Way wholesale launch and trade show presence at NY Now, Toy Fair, and MSA Forward point to continued channel and product-line expansion.

Name

upbounders

Legal name

Little Likes Kids, LLC

Website

https://upbounders.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Upbounders designs and distributes screen-free, multicultural toys (puzzles, Montessori busy boards, active play, games) for children ages 1–6, selling wholesale to 400-plus retailers including Target, Nordstrom, and Indigo Kids in Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Toys

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Kids Crafts & Educational Craft Kits Retail (CRALACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational/Children’s Learning Games & Puzzles Retail (CRALALAN), Family/Party Board Games Retail (CRALALAB), Educational Games & Kids/Families Game Studios (MPAFAAAI)

Keywords

• Children's toys
• Wooden puzzles
• Montessori busy boards
• Multicultural toys
• Licensed character toys

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through upbounders.com online store, selling puzzles, games, busy boards, and active play products at retail prices ranging from $14.99 to $25.99.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale sales to retailers and institutional buyers with $250 initial minimum and $150 reorder minimum. Products distributed through specialty toy stores, museum shops, bookstores, and major retailers.
3. Marketplace Sales: Sales through Amazon, Nordstrom, Target, Barnes & Noble, Maisonette, Indigo Kids (Canada), and other marketplace partners.
4. Education and Institutional Sales: Direct educator and institutional purchasing programs with education/institutional case pack pricing, bulk ordering for classrooms and programs, tax-exempt and PO-friendly purchasing.
5. Licensing Royalties: Licensed PBS KIDS property (Alma's Way) generates revenue through product licensing partnerships with Fred Rogers Productions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels13 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upbounders designs and sells eco-friendly, screen-free multicultural toys, puzzles, games, and Montessori-inspired busy boards for children ages 1-6, featuring original artwork depicting diverse children in everyday world scenes. All products are manufactured with FSC-certified materials and non-toxic inks. The company also produces a licensed bilingual (English-Spanish) toy collection, "Alma's Way by Upbounders," in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions and PBS KIDS, celebrating Puerto Rican culture and Bronx community life.

Product overview

Upbounders is a toy company that creates screen-free, multicultural toys for children ages 6 and under. The product portfolio consists of four core product lines: Puzzles (jumbo floor puzzles, two-sided puzzles, beginner puzzles, and themed puzzles in 24-100 piece counts), Montessori Busy Boards (magnetic maze activities featuring multicultural characters and zoo animals), Active Play (stacking and nesting building blocks promoting career envisioning), and Games (memory matching games, card games, and cooperative board games). The company also holds a licensed sub-brand, Alma's Way by Upbounders, in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions and PBS KIDS, featuring bilingual toys inspired by the Alma's Way animated series celebrating Puerto Rican culture. All products emphasize multicultural representation, everyday world scenes, and skill-building through hands-on play without screens.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Alma's Way™ by Upbounders®: Bilingual, screen-free toy collection inspired by PBS KIDS series Alma's Way™, created in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions for joyful learning, cultural connection, and everyday play. Products include wooden puzzles, pinball games, and magnetic mazes featuring bilingual English-Spanish content.
• Kicks Collection

Products and services

• Upbounders Core Puzzle Collection Multicultural puzzles for children ages 6 and under, featuring original artwork depicting diverse children in everyday world scenes (playgrounds, splash parks, beaches, barbershops, camping, career, sports, holiday). Includes jumbo floor puzzles, two-sided puzzles, beginner puzzles, and themed puzzles in 24 to 100 piece counts, priced $18.99-$24.99.
• Upbounders Montessori Busy Boards Montessori-inspired magnetic maze busy boards for toddlers 18+ months designed to build fine motor skills, color recognition, and focus through hands-on activities. Features multicultural characters and zoo animal themes, priced at $25.99 per board.
• Upbounders Active Play Collection Stacking and nesting building blocks designed to inspire career envisioning and conversation. Features diverse representation of adults in various professional and family roles (e.g., Mommy's Shadow Inspiring Careers Stacking Cubes priced at $23.99).
• Upbounders Games Collection Classic beginner games for preschool kids featuring multicultural scenes, including memory matching games (priced $18.99), take-along card games, and cooperative board games (priced $17.99-$20.99).
• Alma's Way by Upbounders Bilingual, screen-free toy collection inspired by the PBS KIDS animated series Alma's Way, created in partnership with Fred Rogers Productions. Includes wooden pinball games, magnetic mazes (e.g., How Do You Say Bilingual Magnetic Maze), and puzzles with bilingual English-Spanish content celebrating Puerto Rican culture and Bronx community life. Priced $14.99-$25.99.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10 million toys distributed through Chick-fil-A partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major and core.

• Fred Rogers ProductionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensing partnership for Alma's Way toy collection. Fred Rogers Productions is the production company behind the PBS KIDS animated series Alma's Way, created by Sonia Manzano. Products are produced in partnership with Think It Through Media, LLC.
• Chick-fil-AmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSummer 2024 partnership featuring Upbounders toys in Chick-fil-A kids meals. Over 10 million prize-sized versions of Upbounders toys were distributed nationwide.
• The Kennedy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing Upbounders premium screen-free toys to the Kennedy Center for performances and gift shops.
• The Met StorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProducts available at The Met Store, the museum's retail gift shop for visitors seeking museum-quality educational toys.
• Henry Bear's ParkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoyful partnership with Henry Bear's Park, a specialty toy retailer with locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
• The Toy AssociationcoreOthersOfficial member of The Toy Association, supporting toy safety and quality standards.
• National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC)coreOthersLittle Likes Kids LLC DBA Upbounders is a black-owned, woman-owned certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) with NMSDC.
• Museum Store AssociationcoreOthersMember of the Museum Store Association, participating in Museum Store Sunday's national annual campaign.
• ZeroToThreecoreOthersMember of ZeroToThree, an organization focused on early childhood development.
• FairecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale marketplace platform for retailers to order Upbounders products. Available at faire.com/brand/b_1ybe7eyouc.
• Discount School SupplycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducation purchasing channel for schools and programs to order Upbounders products. Search 'Upbounders' on Discount School Supply.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lovevery: Subscription and retail seller of Montessori-inspired, stage-based developmental toys for children ages 0–5. Highly comparable in target customer (developmentally-minded parents), educational/development positioning, and DTC-plus-retail GTM — though Lovevery operates at much larger scale and is the segment's most prominent player.
• BeginAgain Toys: Eco-friendly wooden educational toys and puzzles for young children, emphasizing sustainable materials and imaginative play. Closely comparable product mix (wooden puzzles, playsets) and shared screen-free / sustainable-brand positioning.
• PlanToys: Sustainable wooden toy manufacturer focused on eco-friendly, developmentally appropriate toys for infants and preschoolers. Comparable in FSC/sustainable material use, age range, and emphasis on fine-motor and imaginative play.
• Fat Brain Toys: Specialty retailer/manufacturer of open-ended, developmental toys and puzzles for children. Overlaps in screen-free, skill-building, educational positioning and similar specialty / educational channel distribution.
• Tegu: Magnetic wooden building toy brand focused on open-ended play and sustainable manufacturing in Honduras. Comparable premium wooden construction, FSC-style sustainability narrative, and design-forward positioning in the parent gift market.
• Petit Collage: Design-led sustainable toy, puzzle, and activity brand for young children. Comparable in FSC paper use, screen-free puzzles and games, premium indie-brand aesthetic, and presence in museum shops and design-forward retailers.

Broad incumbents

• Melissa & Doug: Established large-scale educational toy and puzzle maker with deep retail penetration (Target, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, FAO Schwarz). Comparable product categories (puzzles, wooden toys, pretend play) but operates as a broad portfolio incumbent rather than a multicultural-niche specialist.
• Hape International: Global manufacturer of eco-friendly wooden toys and puzzles for babies and young children. Comparable in FSC-compliant wooden construction, age-appropriate educational design, and broad retail distribution, though at significantly larger international scale.

Emerging players

• Cratejoy: Subscription-box marketplace hosting curated kids' activity and educational subscription programs. Comparable in the educator/parent subscription-adjacent buyer, though Cratejoy is a marketplace rather than a single-product brand.

Others

• Maisonette: Premium multi-brand children's marketplace where Upbounders is a featured seller. Marketplace partner/distribution channel — not a direct competitor — but useful comparability for premium positioning, brand curation standards, and target consumer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Upbounders
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Upbounders
• Facebookfacebook.com/Upbounders
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/little-likes-kids
• Instagraminstagram.com/upbounders
• Pinterestpinterest.com/upbounders

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about upbounders