Crazy Aaron’s founder Aaron Muderick
COURTESY OF CRAZY AARON’S

Inspired play

Crazy Aaron’s is nutty about putty

by KATIE COLEMAN

Sometimes the best ideas are born out of boredom. Aaron Muderick, founder of the toy company Crazy Aaron’s, would agree. Fidgety while working at his tech job, Muderick would play around with an old putty egg at his desk. The “super geek” at heart started teaching himself chemistry so he could make his own putty. “I had this ‘aha’ moment where I realized … it was possible to make something that was more beautiful, more amazing, and really push the envelope in terms of what people expect from putty,” Muderick explains

He describes Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty as a magical formula of silicone rubber that defies logic and expectations.

“It’s moldable and soft, and yet it bounces like a rubber ball, and at the same time, you can snap it, tear it and put it back together without leaving residue or a sticky feeling on your hands,” he says. “Obviously I did not invent putty, but in the 1990s, I saw that 50 years of technology, progress and innovation had happened, and putty had stayed exactly the same. I thought I could bring so much to it, to bring it into the 21st century. I quit my job in 2002, and it’s been putty all the way ever since.”

With the company’s 25th anniversary approaching, Muderick is just as excited about the creative outlets his products offer kids as he was when he started his company in 1998.

“When we came up with these kits we wanted to create opportunities for intergenerational play. I think ... we’ve lost that connection between children and their elders. And so, this putty is an opportunity for a kid to engage and participate in play with others. I like to create open-ended play toys that offer kids the opportunity [to use] their imaginations,” Muderick says.

In addition to contributing to kids’ creativity, Muderick is proud that Crazy Aaron’s products are made in the United States, and that his company has made a commitment to employing those in the disabled community.

“I think it’s rewarding for our customers to realize not only are our products made here [in the U.S.], but made with individuals who are often looked over.

“In the end, we’re a crazy idea that turned into a successful company,” he adds. “We’re excited to create products that are simple and yet innovative, so that children can be creative and screen-free, as much as they should be.”

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