If you are like most parents, you take your kids to the playground with a snack, a drink, maybe some hand wipes and a Band-Aid or two. Usually, you do not carry a pen and paper; so when your toddler makes a new friend in the sandbox, you have to commit names and phone numbers to memory. Or you can hand out a Kiddie Kard. The brainchild of Manhattan mom Jo Duer, Kiddie Kards are “play date” cards designed to be handed out by parents and caregivers. These quasi-business cards include original artwork and contact information. Duer has two preschoolers, Samantha, turning 4, and Matthew, turning 2. When she moved to Inwood, on the northern tip of Manhattan, she was having trouble meeting other moms, particularly when her babysitter was often the one taking the children to the park. Her daughter would make a buddy at the playground, but she didn’t know the parents, or have any way to contact them. She hit on the idea of cards so she wouldn’t have to fumble for a scrap of paper, and she could nurture her children’s budding relationships. On the back of each card is printed: Dear Parent(s): Our children have enjoyed playing together. We hope that you will call us to arrange a future play date. Twenty cards, the starter set, with holder, is $25. Duer sees her friendship cards as promoting real communication between family and friends. She notes that recently an existing friend was slightly miffed when she didn’t receive one of her daughter’s cards; because the images are so compelling and the idea so original, even old friends want to receive them. The high quality cards feature thick white card stock, and a raised, textured print; you can go the website, www.smallcards.com, to choose an image that fits your child’s personality. Some of the artwork Duer uses comes from one of her favorite illustrators of children’s books, Seth Rozin; others are drawn by local Inwood artist Kai Schmoll. In addition to choosing an illustration, parents can select one of three slogans: “Let’s Play Again”, “Let’s Be Friends” or “Call for a Play Date”. Each set of cards comes in a cool, translucent card case (that had me eyeing them for my own business cards). Smallcards, the company run out of Duer’s home, is also set to start producing Identity Kards, for teens and tweens, featuring more sophisticated art work. For budding artists, there are My Art Cards, with original artwork by the child scanned to produce a unique card. While the original cards (for Samantha) produced the desired result — allowing the family to meet and connect with other area families — recipients were so enthusiastic, they began requesting cards with their information, and a business was born. The community-minded Duer also offers a free, related service, Digital ID, where parents can get a diskette with a digital photo of their child. Duer has been holding events at the Citibank on Madison Avenue and 91st Street, on the second and fourth Thursday of every month, from noon-4pm. She notes that she doesn’t keep the information; she gives the diskette to parents who fill out information on their children, and keep it in case of an emergency. She sees this free service as perfectly complementing Smallcards, since both are about identity and community.
