About Hape

“Children do not play to learn, children learn because they play.” - Peter Handstein (founder and CEO)

Hape was founded with the intention of not only providing toys that allow children to be excited about play but also to help every parent learn to communicate with their children and be involved in their learning. 

For over 30 years, Hape has been creating outstanding toys that help facilitate wisdom play as well as promoting parenting solutions with the help of toys that bring wonders to the world of parenting. Most importantly, it is in Hape's core to help guide children in their early years so they can lead a more enriched and healthier life.  

An Empire Built To Last 

It all started with a toppled sandcastle.  

It was a cherished childhood memory that shaped how Peter built his future. It was his Aunt Maria, with whom he built sandcastles when he was little, that taught him that resilience is what leads to a more meaningful life. 

Sandcastles are easily destroyed, but never the will to rebuild them. 

Just like sandcastles, you may be knocked down by life but you can always bounce back and start again. Growing up, Peter Handstein has always had a fascination with toys. He often says that --- “The reason I love toys is not the attraction of toys, but the miracle of playing with them!” If not for the toppled sandcastle, for Aunt Maria and her wise words, Peter Jr. will never become the person that he is today. 

Decades later, little Peter who only once built sandcastles became one of the most enthusiastic businessmen in the toy industry. Peter Handstein built his own sturdy sandcastle, a toy empire he called Hape AG in Germany that was built to last for a long time since 1986. 

When children play, children learn! We strive to improve outcomes for all children. —Peter Handstein

At Hape, we believe that every child deserves a childhood that is all about play...because it is how children learn. Kids should be allowed to explore the world around them and to be in an environment where fun and learning co-exist. 

With toys that help facilitate learning, they'll be able to learn the things that are vital and will help them navigate through life as they grow. 

Through the years, Hape, through its core and beliefs as a toy company, has been creating toys that not only bring out the best in children but also help bring out the best in families. 

Learning Starts at Home...

A child's education starts at home where parents are the first teachers. Children thrive when parents are able to actively support and promote their positive growth and development. Through the toys that Hape creates, we aim to become a positive influence that helps nurture every child's interest in play and learning, as well as a catalyst that promotes companionship in every family which is the single most important influence in a child's life. 

Children are little Scientists!... 

Children have an innate drive for exploration and discovery. At an age where curiosity is at its peak, children should be encouraged to explore, observe, and feel a sense of wonder for everything that is in the world. The best form of education is gained with the help of parents that accompany their children in their discoveries. While every child is unique, it is with proper guidance that will help them become the best grownups that they can be. 

It is in the heart of Hape to accompany families in discovering what their children are capable of. With learning toys that are made with nothing but good intentions, Hape toys are aimed to become positive reinforcements that help children develop their enthusiasm for learning and to understand their discoveries. 

Hape always insists on being the best partner of parents and children!

For more than 30 years, Hape has dedicated its efforts to creating excellent toys that are great companions for children in their early stages of development. Each toy we build is aimed to execute an important purpose of bridging the gap between fun and learning and helping parents provide an environment that facilitates fun learning for their children. We make toys that allow children to thrive through fun learning to help every child build their character that is vital in real life. 

Over the past three decades, Hape has always put its best efforts into creating toys that are made from environmental-friendly and sustainable materials such as wood and bamboo which are safe for children and the environment. This helped us create a high-quality and trustworthy toy brand that children and families trust. 

Today, Hape has become one of the largest wooden and bamboo toy brands in the world that are recognized unanimously by experts and customers around the world. Hape, along with its products, has been recognized for its quality and play value in the toy industry and has been enjoying huge popularity among customers worldwide. 

With its combined global thinking and sense of ecological responsibility that elevates its quality and value as a toy manufacturing company, Hape toys won the "Toy Award" in 2017 and 2019. The Toy Award is one of the most significant global toy awards given to toy brands as a recognition for its efforts in bringing only the best educational toys that every kid will love to play with.