We were lucky to catch up with Maria and DeLonn Crosby recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Maria and DeLonn, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
SayKid’s mission is to build technology to help kids learn through play. If we’re being honest, most technology wasn’t designed for kids – touch interfaces aren’t natural, rigid form factors aren’t playful, and visual content often over-stimulates kids. Unfortunately, technology is often designed to “shut kids up.”
Kids need to feel heard, and often learn best through play. We know technology isn’t going away but also see how technology gets in the way of relationships. So, we don’t just care about reducing screen time, we care about creating technology that can foster deeper human connections in the real world. We believe that if we’re serious about helping kids reach their full potential, we have to create technology that brings us together, makes learning fun, and helps adults become the best teachers kids need us to be. This is why we exist!
Maria and DeLonn, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
SayKid was founded by two parents – a Kindergarten teacher (me) and a product / tech person (DeLonn) – and has evolved into a family business, where our kids play a big role. We’ve created a screen-free, interactive toy (or educational tool, depending on who you ask) – the ToyBot™- that helps kids learn through interactive play. We combine voice technology (Alexa) with tangible play to help kids learn in an engaging way – without screens!
While many people know the ToyBot™ doesn’t have a screen, most don’t know why this matters. When there’s no screen, kids have to actively listen and pay attention – which is great for learning! In fact, we’ve even been recognized by Harvard, won major awards like the Grand Prize in the Alexa EdTech Challenge, and our innovative approach was the subject of TEDx Talk!
People are also surprised by how much you can do. Have your kids ever needed a nudge to clean up? There’s a game for that! Having a hard time getting your kid off a screen, ask them if they’d like to play Snakes & Ladders with a robot! Kids can build a robot with a robot, do a magic trick, or listen to an interactive story. It’s not just the interactive toy we dreamed of as kids, it’s also the screen-free, educational tool we’ve been dreaming about as adults!
One of the best things about making a kids product as parents is that we have built-in testers! Our kids (Ella, 12; Cal, 10; Will, 8) not only are responsible for QA but also help with assembly, packing, and shipping. It’s so much fun to learn and grow alongside them!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
SayKid had planned to launch in 2021. However, we couldn’t get our first big batch of ToyBots due to COVID-related supply chain delays. It was incredibly frustrating. Rather than focus on what we couldn’t control, we doubled-down on what we COULD control. We could still talk to customers and we could expand our content library. In fact, we even made a game to help kids build creativity and resilience. It’s called “Spare Parts” and it’s one of our most-popular games! We created dozens of interactive experiences and have become one of the largest developers on Alexa in the world – all while “waiting” for ToyBots to arrive.
When ToyBots did finally arrive in 2023, we launched a pop-up shop in a mall just to see what strangers thought. We ended up selling out of all of our bundles in just over two weeks – our test was a success! Fast forward to today, we’re focused on partnering with schools, stores, community orgs and selling ToyBots directly to families. In hindsight, it was probably a blessing to have time to build out our platform but we didn’t know that at the time!
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
After two decades as an elementary teacher, I’ve had to completely rethink my approach to teaching. Early on, I stuck rigidly to the curriculum, focused on academic skills, and taught to the class – not the learner. In doing so, I also overlooked crucial social and emotional skills.
Now, I realize that the best learning happens when we make meaningful connections, build relationships, and prioritize social and emotional needs. Engaging students requires presenting information in diverse ways to cater to all learning styles. Every child has a unique skill set, so learning must be personalized.
This insight has transformed my teaching and my work with SayKid. We design games with the child’s perspective in mind. We constantly ask ourselves: How might this make a child feel? How can we engage different learners? How can we foster deeper connections?
With a ToyBot, kids become the teachers, guiding the robot and building their own skills in the process. This role reversal builds their confidence and skill set, making learning explode. Kids develop critical skills while thinking they’re just having fun. It’s so much more than just play—it’s a revolutionary way to learn
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.saykid.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SayKidPlay
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SayKidPlay
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saykid/
- Twitter: https://www.x.com/SayKidPlay
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SayKidPlay
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@saykidplay