HOLLY SPRINGS, MS—Air Pogo XTREME, the pogo swing toy designed to hold passengers up to 200 pounds, has been named a 2015 Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner. Its sister product, the ZL70 Zip Line Fun garnered a 2015 Parents’ Choice Silver Award.
Parents’ Choice Awards, presented annually since 1978, are designed to recognize excellence in the toy field. These awards are intended to help parents and caregivers make informed decisions about which toy products are right for their children. The awards program is the nation’s oldest nonprofit program created to recognize quality children’s toys and related products
“We could not be more pleased,” says Scott Beggs, President of Adventure Parks. “We know the products are fun – kids tell us that all the time. To have the Parents’ Choice recognition helps parents or anyone else know they are buying a quality product their children will love. You can’t beat that.”
The awards panel is made up of educators, scientists, performing artists, librarians, parents and even children, who identify the very best products for children of different ages and backgrounds and of varied skill and interest levels. A small percentage of the products submitted for consideration earn a commendation in six award levels. The committee looks for products that entertain and teach with flair, stimulate imagination and inspire creativity.
The original Air Pogo, invented by Ted J. Webb of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was licensed to a company in California and recently sold to Adventure Parks, a Holly Springs, Mississippi, outdoor toy company. The company developed the XTREME version of the Air Pogo and redesigned the ever popular Fun Ride zip line.
Webb created the Air Pogo with his own daughters’ fun in mind. Blending the concepts of a rope swing with a pogo stick, Webb manufactured the first Air Pogo in his home workshop and before long, children in the neighborhood were spending long afternoons bouncing and swinging in his backyard. Webb’s wife, Sarah, an advertising and marketing professional, began getting the word out about the new product and demand took its own upward jump.
The original Air Pogo won a Parents’ Choice Gold Award in 1993 and a Classic Award in 1999. Sarah Webb, Sales Manager for Adventure Parks, said, “The focus on a durable, safe, and well-designed line of outdoor recreational products fits perfectly with our original intent. I am thrilled to see the tradition continue in Mississippi.” The swings are also used in the therapy market in clinics and schools, as well as for home use. The toys (all made in the U.S.A.) are available at specialty toy, swing, and hardware stores worldwide.
For more information on the Adventure Parks’ line including Air Pogo XTREME or Zip Line Fun, contact Sarah Webb at 800-880-7646.
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