Image of the inventor of an elephant shaped device

The name Baby Toon combines the words “toy” and “spoon.”

 Marco Garcia/AP Images for Scholastic Inc.

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I’m an Inventor

Cassidy Crowley turned a bright idea into a successful product. Find out how you can too!

January 8, 2024
By Jasmine Ting

As You Read, Think About: What qualities might a successful inventor have?

Ten-year-old Cassidy Crowley was face-to-face with five sharks. But they weren’t the creatures that live in the ocean. They were the investors on the TV show Shark Tank. Cassidy was trying to persuade them to invest in her invention, called the Baby Toon. It’s a baby spoon that doubles as a teething toy.

“It felt like such an unreal moment for me,” she says. “My heart was racing.” 

Cassidy was thrilled when one of the sharks, Lori Greiner, decided to back her idea. That was in 2019. Today, the Baby Toon is sold online and in thousands of stores across the United States and Canada.

Cassidy, now 15, thinks other kids can become inventors too. Here are her tips.

Ten-year-old Cassidy Crowley was face-to-face with five sharks. But they weren’t the creatures that live in the ocean. They were the investors on the TV show Shark Tank. Cassidy was trying to persuade them to invest in her invention. It’s called the Baby Toon. It’s a baby spoon that doubles as a teething toy.

“It felt like such an unreal moment for me,” she says. “My heart was racing.” 

Lori Greiner was one of the sharks. She decided to back Cassidy’s idea. Cassidy was thrilled. That was in 2019. Today, the Baby Toon is sold in thousands of stores across the United States and Canada. It is also sold online.

Cassidy, now 15, thinks other kids can become inventors too. Here are her tips.

1. Identify a problem.

The Baby Toon started as a science fair project in 2016 in Cassidy’s hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii. Cassidy’s first-grade teacher asked her to think of a problem and come up with a solution. 

Cassidy was inspired by her baby sister, Emily. She would often stick the handle of her plastic baby spoon in her mouth. Their mom worried that Emily might get hurt. 

“That’s when I kind of had that ‘Aha!’ moment,” Cassidy recalls.

The Baby Toon started as a school project in 2016. It was for a science fair in Cassidy’s hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii. Cassidy’s first-grade teacher asked her to think of a problem and come up with a solution. 

Cassidy was inspired by her baby sister, Emily. She would often stick the handle of her plastic baby spoon in her mouth. Their mom worried that Emily might get hurt. 

“That’s when I kind of had that ‘Aha!’ moment,” Cassidy recalls.

2. Start small.

Cassidy did some research on baby spoons. Then she sketched some ideas of what a safer one might look like. Next she made her first prototype. She used a plastic spoon, a bath toy, and some duct tape. 

“I just took stuff I had around me,” Cassidy explains. “Nothing really fancy.”

Having a simple model she could hold in her hands made it easier to improve the design. Later she bought plastic beads that could be molded into shapes when heated. She used them to create a spoon shaped like an elephant, which she presented at the science fair.

Cassidy did some research on baby spoons. Then she sketched ideas of what a safer one might look like. Next she made her first prototype. She used a plastic spoon, a bath toy, and some duct tape. 

“I just took stuff I had around me,” Cassidy explains. “Nothing really fancy.”

Having a simple model she could hold in her hands made it easier to improve the design. Later she bought plastic beads that could be molded into shapes when heated. She used them to create a spoon shaped like an elephant. That was the prototype she presented at the science fair.

Marco Garcia/AP Images for Scholastic Inc.

These were some of Cassidy’s early designs (inset). Today, the Baby Toon is made of a baby-friendly material called silicone.

3. Don’t expect to do it alone.

Cassidy had her parents’ support from the start. When she decided to turn her science fair project into a product she could sell, they knew they needed help.

Product design expert Collin Kobayashi worked with Cassidy to improve her design. It needed to have smooth edges and be soft enough to not injure a baby. Kobayashi also helped find a factory that could make the final product using a baby-friendly material called silicone. 

Greiner of Shark Tank helped too. She made a deal with a baby products company called Munchkin to sell Cassidy’s creation.

Cassidy had her parents’ support from the start. Later she decided to turn her science fair project into a product she could sell. She and her parents knew they needed help.

Product design expert Collin Kobayashi worked with Cassidy to improve her design. It needed to have smooth edges. It also needed to be soft enough to not injure a baby. Kobayashi helped find a factory that could manufacture the final product. It’s made from a baby-safe material called silicone.

Greiner of Shark Tank helped too. She made a deal with a baby products company called Munchkin. It now sells Cassidy’s creation.

Eric McCandless/ABC/Sony Pictures Television

Cassidy and her mom pitch the Baby Toon on Shark Tank.

4. Never give up.

Cassidy sketched, created, and tested about 50 versions of the Baby Toon. The long process wasn’t always easy. But it was worth it. 

“You’re going to hit challenges along the way,” Cassidy says. “You have to just believe in yourself.”

Cassidy sketched, created, and tested about 50 versions of the Baby Toon. The long process wasn’t always easy. But it was worth it. 

“You’re going to hit challenges along the way,” Cassidy says. “You have to just believe in yourself.”

A Kid Invented That!

These inventions show that you’re never too young to create something that has a big impact.

These inventions show that you’re never too young to create something that has a big impact.

Shutterstock.com

Popsicles

Frank Epperson created these frozen treats by accident in 1905. The 11-year-old mixed flavored soda powder with water using a stick and left his creation outside on a cold winter night.

Popsicles

Frank Epperson created these frozen treats by accident in 1905. The 11-year-old mixed flavored soda powder with water using a stick and left his creation outside on a cold winter night.

Shutterstock.com 

Earmuffs 

In 1873, 15-year-old Chester Greenwood wanted to keep his ears warm while ice-skating. He bent wires to loop around his ears and asked his grandmother to sew warm padding around them.

Earmuffs 

In 1873, 15-year-old Chester Greenwood wanted to keep his ears warm while ice-skating. He bent wires to loop around his ears and asked his grandmother to sew warm padding around them.

Mayank Makhija/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The braille system has raised dots that stand for letters, numbers, and punctuation.

Braille 

Louis Braille was born in 1809. He was blinded by an accident at a young age. From about 12 to 15, he worked to develop a system that enabled people who are blind to read. Today, people worldwide read using braille.

Braille 

Louis Braille was born in 1809. He was blinded by an accident at a young age. From about 12 to 15, he worked to develop a system that enabled people who are blind to read. Today, people worldwide read using braille.

  1. What problem did the Baby Toon help solve? How?
  2. What is a prototype, and how did making one help Cassidy?
  3. What are some of the decisions Cassidy had to make during the invention process?
  1. What problem did the Baby Toon help solve? How?
  2. What is a prototype, and how did making one help Cassidy?
  3. What are some of the decisions Cassidy had to make during the invention process?
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