General Info

Barbara Kane founded HearthSong in 1983 because of a growing conviction that, ' too often children are pushed to grow up too fast. Children need time to be children, she thought. Kane chose the company's name to reflect her values: the hearth, a traditional symbol for the center of the home, and the song, to symbolize the family spirit and the joy that parents and children can experience together. Originally printed in black and white, with pencil drawings of carefully selected toys and books, and mailed out of Kane's house by her family, the first catalog was a success. Circulation has grown from a mailing of several thousand catalogs to the current mail quantity of 19 million. The company s merchandise selection and product development goals are inspired by Kane's philosophy of child development, drawn from a broad base of child psychologists, parents, religious teachers, toy-makers and educators.