Nearly two years ago, Target introduced Gigglescape — a toy brand designed to spark discovery, imagination and joyful connection for kids and families. Since it launched in 2024, Gigglescape has sold more than 15 million toys.
This holiday season, consumers are balancing two priorities: celebrating memorably and staying on budget. Gigglescape makes both possible, delivering joy with hundreds of thoughtfully designed, long-lasting and adorable toys under $20.
But how do all these toys come to life? It starts with our dream team: Jeff Carter, principal designer, and Ellen Rizzardi, senior product engineer. Jeff drives the creative vision, making sure products deliver on style and design, while Ellen focuses on engineering details like durability and safety. This right-brain/left-brain duo blends creativity and precision to craft toys that are as thoughtful as they are fun, rooted in child development and designed for real-world play.
It’s all about joy, color, fun and imagination — at an incredible value.
From plush pals with personalities to role-play sets that mimic everyday life, Jeff and Ellen take you behind the scenes to show how every detail — from age-appropriate features to thoughtful details and sustainable materials — matters. The team leans into insights and direct feedback from parents and kids to inform and help shape every design. The goal for each toy? To deliver the magic that makes play (and the holidays) unforgettable, without compromising on quality, style, design or value. (Most items, including the charming holiday toys, are under $25, and most plush toys are priced at just $10.) Here’s how Jeff and Ellen’s dynamic partnership ensures Gigglescape toys are playful and purposeful.
Gigglescape plush: cozy, playful and full of character
Every Gigglescape plush starts with a story. Then come the details that bring each plush to life, like texture, touch and perfecting the loft and softness for that irresistible “squish factor.” For Gigglescape’s second holiday season, the team is introducing a blend of classic colors and shimmery, icy-looking fabrics, plus playful surprises like food-inspired plush that connect to Target’s food brand, Favorite Day. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how the team’s focus on creativity, sustainable materials and pure joy come together to create these cozy companions, while building stories connected to other only-at-Target brands.
Role play, music and building
Role play is one of the most important ways preschoolers learn, and Gigglescape brings that magic to life through toys like a working mop with real water. These details turn pretend play into meaningful storytelling moments, helping kids build independence and confidence and make sense of the world around them. This year the team created new musical toys, plus building sets and dress-up options for dolls and children, helping build memories through play across the whole family.
Together, these moments show how Gigglescape combines thoughtful design, trend-forward style and incredible affordability with details that truly matter to kids (and parents). From imaginative role play to music, building and beyond, every toy is crafted to spark joy, foster learning, create memories and make playtime unforgettable.
We have this attention to detail and materials that deliver on style and design all day.
