Tim Walsh

Tim Walsh plays well with others. He’s a professional speaker, author, game designer and filmmaker. His first book, Timeless Toys (Andrews-McMeel, 2005) was praised by The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. His second, WHAM-O Super-Book (Chronicle Books, 2008) was picked by NPR as “One of the best gift books of the year.” His third book, Right Brain Red: 7 Ideas for Creative Success, was written with designer and super-entrepreneur Reyn Guyer.

A 30-year veteran of the toy industry, Tim is known internationally as a toy expert. He worked for Patch Products (now PlayMonster) as its VP of Product Development & Marketing and was instrumental in taking that company from $3 million in sales to over $23 million in just 7 years. His designs and co-designs of games have sold over 7 million copies in 13 countries and include the games TriBond, Blurt, Mad Gab, N'Sync Backstage Pass, Teenage Mutant Teenage Turtles Foot Clan Street Fight Game and many others. He’s appeared on numerous TV and radio shows including CBS’s The Early Show, NPR’s All Things Considered, This Way Up (New Zealand), Top 100 Toys (BBC), and CNBC’s The Big Idea, among many others.

In 2010, Tim co-produced the film Toyland, by director Ken Sons. The film won Best Documentary awards at three US film festivals. In 2016, he co-produced and co-directed OPERATION: Operation The Power of Play with Peggy Brown. The film shares the amazing story of John Spinello, the inventor of the classic game Operation, as he discovers that creativity connects him to more people in more ways than he ever could have imagined. The film won the top prize for best film at the 2017 Naperville Independent Film Festival, as well as Best Documentary.

As a lecturer and inspiration speaker, Tim is out to prove that PLAY is not a four-letter word, but a means through which we can super-charge creativity and connect with others. He has spoken on this topic and others to teams as diverse as the USC’s Physical Sciences in Oncology Center, the State Bar of Arizona, and Otis College of Art & Design, among other creative organizations.

In 2016, Tim launched Roo Games with toy industry veterans Dennis and Crystal Callaghan and Scott Brown. Roo Games produces most of the games that Tim has designed, including the award-winning You’ve Been Framed, KLOAK and Bouncin' Baby Roos.

In 2020, amid the pandemic, Tim launched his YouTube series, "Where's the Fun from?" – a peek behind the curtain on the greatest playthings ever created and a light look and the endearing fun that has made us all smile.

Find Tim playing at www.theplaymakers.com