Fischer Price Created A Special Toy For A Womans’ Adopted Son Since There Were None That Matched His Appearance

Published: Oct 31, 2023

Originally Published on familyandpets.com and repurposed with permissions

All children deserve to play with toys that look just like them, but sadly, black children often find themselves devoid of representation in dolls and figurines. This was the case with 5-year-old Archer “Archie” Coffman.

While some might underestimate the depth of a child’s understanding, Archie’s mother affirmed that he noticed the absence of toys that resembled him. However, all of this changed when one toy brand emerged to rewrite the story and bring diversity to the toy aisle in a truly remarkable way.

A Couple Embraces Newborn of a Different Race

Niki Coffman and her devoted partner Andrew embarked on an extraordinary journey when they opened their home to Archer shortly after his birth. Niki had previously undergone multiple surgeries, and the couple decided adoption would be their family’s best option.

Source: nikicoffman/ Instagram

As a white couple adopting a child of another race, Niki and Andrew understood the intricate complexities and immense responsibility that lay before them. They wanted Archie to see his true self reflected in his surroundings.

A Mother Tries to Find Look-Alike Toys

As a mother who wanted to keep her child happy and feel represented, Niki tried to get Archie toys that looked like him but struggled to find any. So, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Source: nikicoffman/ Instagram

In honor of Archie’s fifth birthday, Nikki asked people for donations for his predominantly white preschool. She requested inclusive toys so the kids at Archie’s school would have more diverse options to choose from. When she noticed that several of the donated toys were Little People from Fischer Price, she questioned why there were none that resembled her son, who has brown skin and red hair.

Much More Than Just a Typical Toy

Nikki reached out to the toy company to thank them for featuring toys with different skin tones, hairstyles, and abilities and ended it with a note about how great it would be to have a toy that resembled her son’s unique appearance.

Source: nikicoffman/ Instagram

To her complete surprise, Fischer Price not only wrote back but also included a custom figurine that looked exactly like Archie. They even sent a variety of play sets as donations to her son’s preschool.

Representation at Last

Archie was over the moon when he saw what Fischer Price had sent him and his family. “He snatched the box out of my hands…whipped around and shouted: ‘It’s me! It’s me!'” Nikki said. “He showed everyone. He didn’t put (the toy) down all day.”

Source: nikicoffman/ Instagram

Niki believes that Archer’s Little People figurine transcends its mere classification as a toy, for it holds a profound significance as a poignant symbol of the importance of representation.