More Than a Game: How Giplings Gives Back Is Bringing Joy to Children Entering Foster Care

At Giplings, we believe childhood should be filled with moments of connection.

A game around the table. A story before bed. Little hands creating, building, and learning. Laughter between siblings. Those seemingly ordinary moments can become the memories families treasure most.

But what happens when a child enters foster care and suddenly finds themselves in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, during one of the hardest moments of their young life?

We started asking ourselves a simple question:

What if a little bit of play could help bring a little bit of joy to that moment?

That question led to Giplings Gives Back and our partnership with Isaiah 117 House of Duval County, Florida.

A Partnership Built Around Children

Isaiah 117 House exists to change the way foster care begins.

When children are removed from their homes because of safety concerns, they may spend hours—or sometimes longer—waiting for a placement. Isaiah 117 House provides a safe, loving environment where children can receive meals, clean clothing, comfort, toys, and compassionate care while child welfare professionals work to find the best placement for them.

The Duval County Isaiah 117 House opened its doors to children in June 2024.

And this is where Giplings comes in.

Through Giplings Gives Back, families can purchase a Duck-links Anywhere Game Set to donate to a child entering foster care through Isaiah 117 House of Duval County.

It may look like a simple game.

But we believe it can represent something much bigger.

Joy. Connection. Comfort. And a reminder to a child that they matter.

Why a Game?

When you think about what a child needs during a difficult transition, a game might not be the first thing that comes to mind.

There are obvious necessities—clothing, food, toiletries, a safe place to sleep.

Isaiah 117 House works hard to meet those immediate needs, while also emphasizing something equally important: children deserve to feel loved, seen, and valued. Their homes are intentionally stocked with new items and opportunities for children to play, relax, and simply be children.

That’s why we believe a hands-on game has a place in this mission.

Children need opportunities to play.

They need moments where they aren’t thinking about what just happened or what comes next.

They need something they can hold in their hands, explore, and enjoy.

And sometimes, they simply need an adult to sit beside them and play.

The Benefits of Duck-links Anywhere

The Duck-links Anywhere Game Set was designed with families in mind, but its benefits extend beyond a family game night.

Hands-On, Screen-Free Play

Duck-links Anywhere gives children something tangible to do with their hands—no tablet, phone, or internet connection required.

In a world where screens are often the easiest way to keep children occupied, we wanted to create something that encourages children to look up, interact, and connect.

For a child in an unfamiliar environment, a simple screen-free activity can provide an opportunity to engage with a caregiver, volunteer, sibling, or another child.

Fine Motor Skill Practice

The Duck-links themselves are designed to be connected and manipulated by little hands.

That means children are naturally practicing skills such as grasping, coordinating their hands and eyes, and manipulating objects while they play.

And the best part?

It doesn’t feel like therapy. It feels like a game.

Simple to Learn

When a child is experiencing a stressful transition, complicated rules aren’t necessarily what they need.

Duck-links Anywhere offers simple, approachable gameplay with two levels, making it possible for children with different ages and abilities to participate.

A child can simply line up and connect the colorful ducks, or two players can race to connect their ducks in the correct color order.

The goal isn’t perfection.

The goal is play.

Portable and Ready for Wherever Life Takes You

The Duck-links Anywhere Game Set was intentionally created to be compact and portable.

Everything fits inside a hard-shell case, making it easy to take along wherever a child may go.

For a child entering foster care, that portability matters.

Children may move from one environment to another as placement decisions are made. Isaiah 117 House also sends children onward with new belongings, clothing, and toys to help comfort them on their journey.

We love the idea that a donated Duck-links Anywhere Game Set could become one small, familiar thing a child can take with them.

More Than Fine Motor Skills

At Giplings, we’re passionate about developmental skills.

As a mom, I’ve seen firsthand how important fine motor skills can be in a child’s development. That’s part of the reason Giplings products are designed to encourage hands-on learning while keeping childhood fun.

But Giplings has always been about more than developmental skills.

It’s about connection.

It’s about putting down the phone and playing a game.

It’s about reading one more book together.

It’s about giving children opportunities to create, explore, laugh, and learn.

And now, through Giplings Gives Back, it’s about extending those moments beyond our own homes.

Your Purchase Can Become Someone Else’s Moment of Joy

This is what makes Giplings Gives Back so meaningful to us.

When you choose to donate a Duck-links Anywhere Game Set, you’re not simply purchasing a product.

You’re partnering with us.

You’re helping us place something joyful into the hands of a child who may have arrived at Isaiah 117 House with very little of their own.

You’re helping create an opportunity for play.

You’re helping create an opportunity for connection.

And you’re helping remind a child, in a small but tangible way:

You are seen.
You are important.
You are worth caring for.

Isaiah 117 House describes its mission as reducing trauma for children awaiting placement, lightening the load for child welfare professionals, and easing the transition for foster families. Community support is an essential part of making that work possible.

We are honored to be one small part of that community.

Giplings Is More Than a Business

We started Giplings because we wanted to create products that encourage children to put down the screens and engage with the people around them.

But as Giplings has grown, we’ve realized that our purpose can reach beyond the products we sell.

We want Giplings to be a business that gives back.

A business that cares about families.

A business that supports children.

A business that looks for ways to use what we’ve created to make someone’s day just a little brighter.

Giplings Gives Back is our first step toward making that vision a reality.

And we hope it won’t be our last.

Join the Flock

You don’t have to be a foster parent to make a difference.

You don’t have to volunteer for hours every week.

You don’t have to know exactly what to say to a child experiencing a difficult transition.

Sometimes, you can simply give.

When you purchase a Duck-links Anywhere Game Set through Giplings Gives Back, you have the opportunity to give one to your own family—or give one to a child entering foster care through our partnership with Isaiah 117 House of Duval County.

You get to create connection in your own home while helping us create joy in another child’s life.

That’s the heart of Giplings Gives Back.

Because we believe every child deserves moments of joy.

Every child deserves to play.

Every child deserves to feel cared for.

And sometimes, something as simple as a colorful little duck can help create that moment.

Together, we can put something joyful into little hands when they need it most.

Give a Game. Give Joy. Give Back.

Learn more about Giplings Gives Back and how you can donate a Duck-links Anywhere Game Set to a child entering foster care through Isaiah 117 House of Duval County.

Because Giplings isn’t just about the things we make.

It’s about the moments we help create.