CHICAGO, IL (May 20, 2025) – PlayMonster Group LLC, a leading international toy and game company, is thrilled to announce a new strategic partnership with Story Time Learning, creators of the widely-acclaimed, story-based educational games for children ages three and up. This collaboration grants PlayMonster the exclusive distribution and development rights for Story Time Learning’s award-winning products through 2027 in North America and other select global markets.
As part of this exciting partnership, PlayMonster will take the reins on distributing Story Time Learning’s top-selling titles, including 2021 Toy of the Year winner Story Time Chess and 2024 Toy of the Year winner Story Time Backgammon—screen-free games that have captivated families and educators alike with their engaging narratives and developmental value.
Story Time Learning has carved a unique niche in the educational space, combining storytelling and game play to teach complex subjects to young children in intuitive, imaginative ways. All Story Time games are MESH-accredited, ensuring they nurture critical developmental skills such as problem solving, perseverance, conflict resolution, communication, and more.
“At PlayMonster, we’re always looking to bring new, enriching ways for kids to learn through play,” said Jonathan Berkowitz, CEO of PlayMonster Group LLC. “Story Time Learning’s fusion of narrative and strategy aligns beautifully with our mission, and we’re especially excited to expand our STEM-based game offerings through this partnership.
Founded by passionate educators and storytellers, Story Time Learning has received numerous accolades for transforming how children learn through immersive, narrative-based play. Their flagship product, Story Time Chess, remains the only game that teaches chess to children as young as three without requiring any prior chess knowledge.
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with PlayMonster, a company that shares our passion for joyful, purposeful play,” said Paul Levy, CEO of Story Time Learning. “With PlayMonster’s proven expertise in bringing meaningful games to market, we’re confident that this partnership will help us reach even more families and educators around the world.”
This collaboration marks a major milestone for both companies and reinforces their commitment to playful learning that is accessible, developmentally enriching, and most of all—fun.
About PlayMonster
PlayMonster, a leading international toy and game company, believes in the power of play to make a positive difference in people’s lives and strives to keep play alive for all ages by delivering great play value through designing, manufacturing, and marketing innovative and fun toys, games and activities. PlayMonster’s diversified portfolio includes popular brands and products such as “TOTY Game of the Year” Yeti in My Spaghetti®, Pigs on Trampolines, The Magical World of Disney Trivia, Farkle, Five Crowns®, Spirograph, Colorforms, Fashion Plates®, Latchkits®, Koosh®, and the Ann Williams Group including Loopdedoo®, Craft-tastic®, Craft Crush™ and Sticker & Chill™.
About Story Time Learning
Since 2012, Story Time Learning™, also operating under the brand Chess at 3, has developed a proprietary catalog of stories and characters that teach children as young as three how to solve complex problems through a combination of engaging stories, gameplay and family engagement tools. Its games catalog includes Toy of the Year winners Story Time Chess and Story Time Backgammon. With owned and operated tutoring locations and partnerships in New York, Los Angeles, Singapore and Dubai, the company licenses its curriculum to early education schools, libraries and other centers of learning via its Teach Story Time web platform. The company plans to launch its franchising opportunity this year as Story Time Chess. Story Time Learning’s mission is to improve educational outcomes with a goal of reaching one million children a year with its products and services.
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Person
Sarah.person@playmonster.com
