There are some things that, no matter how much time passes or how much the world around us continues to change, never quite lose the magic that made them so special in the first place.
For generations of children and families, the simple act of play has been the foundation of some of our most cherished memories. From afternoons spent exploring the outdoors to creating extraordinary adventures from nothing more than our imaginations, there is something truly remarkable about the ways childhood can transform even the most ordinary moments into something unforgettable.
And when it comes to bringing those moments to life, there are few names quite as recognizable as Radio Flyer.
For more than a century, the beloved company has been helping children and families create memories through its iconic collection of wagons, tricycles and other products. Since its founding in 1917 by Antonio Pasin, Radio Flyer has become a familiar part of childhood for generations, continuing to evolve alongside the families who have grown up with its products while remaining true to the spirit of imagination and adventure that first helped establish the company.
Now, that same spirit is finding a new home in the world of animation.
With Max & Maple: The Can-Do Kids, Radio Flyer Studios is bringing its longstanding celebration of childhood imagination to audiences in an entirely new way. Following the adventures of two siblings, Max and Maple, alongside their grandfather, Grandpa Tony, the animated series explores a world where creativity knows no limits, everyday adventures can become something extraordinary, and even the simplest of ideas can lead to unforgettable discoveries.
But beyond the colorful adventures and imaginative storytelling, the series also carries a message that has remained at the heart of Radio Flyer for more than a hundred years. That childhood is a time for discovery, exploration and learning, and that sometimes the greatest adventures begin when children are given the freedom to imagine what might be possible.
As Max & Maple continues to grow with its second season, new stories and opportunities on the horizon, Radio Flyer is finding even more ways to connect with a new generation of children and families.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Radio Flyer CEO and Chief Wagon Officer Robert Pasin about the company’s remarkable history, his family’s legacy, the journey of bringing Max & Maple to life, and what the future may hold for this beloved brand.
BSCKids: Hello Robert, thank you so much for taking time to speak with us today! To begin, your career has been quite a journey. Having taken on the role of leading Radio Flyer, a company that has been part of childhood for over a century and one that your grandfather founded back in 1917. How has being part of this legacy helped shape you, not only as a businessman but as a person?
Pasin: When I was five, my dad took me to the Radio Flyer factory for the first time. I remember the smell of grease and paint, the punch of the machines, and rows of red wagons gliding down the line like magic. I was immediately hooked.
Years later, I walked back into that same building – this time as a third-generation leader stepping into a company on the brink. Sales were down. Culture was stagnant. And the magic? Disappearing.
I knew we couldn’t rely on nostalgia to stay relevant. So we got to work rebuilding the culture from the inside out and reviving what mattered most: our purpose. We took inspiration from my grandfather Antonio, who founded the company in 1917, and brought his spirit of creativity, resilience, and joy back into everything we do.
We made play our strategy – not the opposite of work, but the key to doing things better.
BSCKids: Speaking of Radio Flyer itself. Since its founding, the company has seen generations of children grow up with its products, even as the world around them has continued to change. From the evolution of toys to how children play and interact with the world around them, there have been some significant shifts. How has Radio Flyer managed to continue growing with these changes while still holding onto the values that first helped establish the company?
Pasin: Today, Radio Flyer isn’t just a wagon company. We’re a purpose-led innovation brand on a mission to bring the world out to play. From award-winning stroller tricycles to wagons designed for kids in hospitals, every product we build is rooted in the belief that play is not just fun, it’s essential.
Our culture reflects that. We call it FUNomenal: a unique blend of excellence and fun. We hire joy creators. We race scooters and go-karts through our office. We have recess at company meetings. We take fun seriously because we’ve seen firsthand how it fuels creativity, resilience, and growth.
Some of the milestones our team has achieved together:
- A thriving business
- Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list
- Fortune’s #1 Place to Work in America
- First global toy company to earn B Corp certification
- And most importantly, a brand families trust to help their kids grow, imagine, and thrive
Along the way, I’ve learned that playful thinking isn’t just for toy companies. It’s what leads to reinvention, resilience, and building a business that people can believe in.
BSCKids: For over a hundred years, Radio Flyer has been known for helping children bring their own adventures to life. Now, we’re seeing the company take a new direction with Radio Flyer Studios and Max & Maple: The Can-Do Kids. What led to the decision to expand into animation, and how did the concept for the series first begin to take shape?
Pasin: When you say the words Radio Flyer to someone, the first thing they do is smile and the second thing they do is tell a story. The stories they tell are all about the best parts of childhood. When they imagined that their Little Red Wagon was a race car or a rocket. Playing outside with the sun in their face and the wind in their hair. Their Radio Flyer was anything they imagined it to be and it could take them anywhere they wanted to go. When we were getting ready to celebrate our 100th Anniversary in 2017 we wanted to create something special and beautiful to capture this generational love for Radio Flyer so we developed “Taking Flight,” a delightful animated short film that won an Emmy.
BSCKids: Now, looking at Max & Maple, we’re seeing the familiar idea of childhood imagination become the foundation of an animated series. Where something as simple as a red wagon can become just about anything, from a spaceship to a time machine. How did the team go about developing a world that reflects Radio Flyer’s history while still creating something new for today’s audiences?
Pasin: The first step was bringing on Carrie Miller and Deb Frank to be the internal Radio Flyer Studios team. I knew if we were going to make something FUNomenal, we needed a team who was close to the Radio Flyer brand and had experience with heartfelt, funny, engaging storytelling for kids.
Once Carrie and Deb were on board, they brought a great group of creatives together for a brainstorm a few years ago and threw idea-spaghetti at the wall. The guiding principle was “outdoor intergenerational play,” which is the core of what Radio Flyer is about. After a couple days of brainstorming and discussion, a few concepts stood out as the foundation of what would become “Max & Maple” and we brought Peter Hannan on to help flesh things out.
It was very important to us that we develop great characters first, and that those characters happen to have the coolest wagon in the world. We shied away from a talking wagon or vehicle-driven show because a lot of brands are already doing that concept very well. We wanted to show authentic, attainable outdoor play that would inspire real kids to go outside and play. We know today’s kid-audience has expectations about pacing and length of episodes, and we wanted to meet those expectations but also maintain a quality of storytelling that is important for young audiences.
BSCKids: What is a story without characters? In this case we have Max and Maple, the siblings who share a love for adventure, but approach the world around them in their own ways. What went into developing their personalities and the relationship they share, and how does that help shape the stories being told throughout the series?
Pasin: We have always wanted Max and Maple to feel like genuine kids. They’re imperfect and approach problems and situations in their own unique way. Our team spends a lot of time around kids, and many of our episodes are based on things we’ve observed them doing and saying.
One thing we were cautious about when developing Max and Maple’s characters was gender stereotypes. In kids media, there are a variety of “traditional boy” and “traditional girl” tropes. In recent years, some common “ boy” and “ girl” characters could be categorized as “the engineer boy” and “the free-thinking artsy girl.” It was important to us to give Max and Maple depth and a variety of interests that aren’t necessarily associated with any gender. And, they have a lot of interests in common!
In some stories, Max and Maple are peas in a pod with a shared interest and mission that they approach in slightly different ways. On the other hand, they are siblings, which can come with a lot of disagreement, so in other stories we make a concerted effort to show conflict and competition between them.
BSCKids: Another character who plays an important role in the series is Grandpa Tony. With Radio Flyer’s history being rooted in family, and your own grandfather being the one who founded the company, was there any inspiration drawn from your own family when creating this character?
Pasin: Yes, I wanted Grandpa Tony to be just as warm, lovable, playful, and inventive as my own grandfather. He was a great inspiration for the character.
Intergenerational play is very important to Radio Flyer, which is why we loved the idea of featuring a grandfather figure as the adult in this series. Grandparents bring a distinct dynamic to playing with children compared to parents. They often have more freedom to be the fun and playful adult, and tend to be less afraid of making mistakes. Parents can sometimes be cautious about independent outdoor play and letting kids push the physical limits of what they can do. And it was important to us to show that grandparents can still be active too!
BSCKids: One of the main messages of Max & Maple is that children can accomplish things when they use their imaginations and aren’t afraid to try something new. At the same time, the series also explores making mistakes and finding ways to overcome challenges. Why was it important to make these ideas part of the series, and what do you hope children will take away from them?
Pasin: We live in a time of instant gratification and answers at our fingertips. All kids need encouragement to learn by doing and to understand that success doesn’t always come on the first attempt. In every episode, things go wrong – kids fall down or things break. However, Max and Maple use their curiosity and can-do spirit to pick themselves back up from failure, try a different approach, or even just ask for a little guidance. A central theme of the show is that you learn more from your mistakes than from simply being handed a solution, so we also are careful to always model Grandpa or the wagon giving them a nudge in the right direction but never taking away their agency to eventually solve the problem on their own.
BSCKids: The team behind Max & Maple brings together individuals who have worked on productions including Arthur, CatDog, Recess and Adventure Time. With Radio Flyer Studios entering the world of animation for the first time, what was the process of assembling this team like, and how did their different experiences help establish the direction of the series?
Pasin: I spoke with a wide range of people in the entertainment industry, kids’ media, and YouTube spaces until I found the right creative partners. Carrie and Deb come from very different corners of the industry but their experiences complement each other perfectly. Carrie has deep roots in kids’ comedy, having worked with traditional television series like Adventure Time and Random! Cartoons, while also bringing a digital-native perspective through her work on properties such as Bravest Warriors and Bee and PuppyCat. Deb comes largely out of public media, having worked extensively on Arthur and other PBS KIDS properties producing content for broadcast, digital-first series, and social media.
Once Carrie and Deb came on board, they recruited our writing team. We were very intentional about assembling a group with complementary strengths and experience and felt it was important to build a collaborative writers’ room. Some excel at slapstick comedy, while others have a particular gift for exploring emotional depth and character relationships. Others bring expertise in curriculum and educational storytelling. By working together, they’re able to weave these strengths into stories that feel funny, heartfelt, and meaningful without any one element overpowering the others.
Last, but certainly not least, we brought together our own storyboard team this season, which has really elevated every episode. Storyboarding is an opportunity to build on the writing, whether that means finding new moments of physical comedy, adding visual gags, or bringing out the subtleties of characters’ emotions. Even something as simple as one character putting a hand on another’s shoulder can add so much warmth and emotional depth to a scene.
What makes the production process especially rewarding is how deeply invested the entire team is in the show. Everyone genuinely cares about these characters and the stories we’re telling, and that shared enthusiasm shines through in the series.
BSCKids: Over the past several years, we’ve seen a major shift in how children are discovering and watching entertainment, particularly with the growth of digital platforms. Radio Flyer has traditionally focused on encouraging children to get outdoors and explore, while Max & Maple is being released on YouTube. How do you see the series helping connect these two areas and encouraging children to bring what they’re watching into their own play?
Pasin: You’re right, Radio Flyer is all about getting out to play as a family, and we strive to reflect that in every episode of Max & Maple. We want to capture the joy, creativity, and imagination that come with play, inspiring kids to take what they see on screen and bring it into their own backyard adventures.
We recognize that screens are a part of kids’ lives, and it can be difficult for parents to know whether the content their children are watching is positive, enriching, and safe. That’s why it’s so important for us to create a trusted destination for kids and family entertainment. Ultimately, we want the time kids spend with Max and Maple to inspire even more time spent playing, imagining, and exploring the world around them.
BSCKids: With season two arriving on November 2, we’re seeing Max and Maple return for another collection of adventures. Looking back at the first season and everything that went into creating it, how has the series evolved, and what are some of the things you’re most excited for audiences to experience this time?
Pasin: First seasons are such a unique experience because you’re building the plane (or in our case – wagon) while you’re flying it. You’re discovering who characters are, developing their personalities and quirks, figuring out how they all interact with one another, and expanding their world. We sought out a lot of constructive feedback on Season 1 from audiences, families, and industry professionals that informed Season 2. And, of course, we had stories and dynamics that came out of Season 1 that we were excited to explore further.
In Season 2, we focused on leaning into what makes each character unique. We wanted to explore how Max’s headstrong thinking can get him into trouble and how Maple, as a younger sibling, sees the world through a different lens than everyone around her. We gave Grandpa more opportunities to get in on the fun, and leaned into Thelma’s contrasting personality and the comedic tension she brings to the group.
We also raised the stakes across all episodes with more sibling conflict, more fantastical imaginary adventures, and even wilder inventions. Ultimately, we wanted to build on everything we established in Season 1 while giving the characters more room to grow, surprise us, and make us laugh.
BSCKids: We’re also seeing Max & Maple expand beyond the main series with the Wheelios shorts, music and podcasts. With Radio Flyer Studios continuing to grow, what are some of the possibilities you’re looking to explore in the future?
Pasin: We have plans for more episodes in a variety of lengths and formats. One of the exciting things about YouTube is the opportunity to experiment and discover what really resonates with your audience. We’re continuing to explore different ways to tell stories with these characters.
We also have Max & Maple merchandise rolling out on Radioflyer.com before the end of the year. We’re very focused on finding new ways for kids to connect with Max & Maple beyond YouTube. We’re exploring opportunities in music, publishing, and more, all with the goal of bringing these characters and their world into more parts of kids’ lives and hopefully inspiring more imaginative play along the way.
BSCKids: Before we wrap up, I have to ask about your title of Chief Wagon Officer. It’s certainly not something you hear every day. How did that title come about, and what does it represent to you?
Pasin: Come on! How could I call myself a CEO? That’s way too serious a title for a company that is on a mission to bring the world out to play!
BSCKids: Finally, let’s look toward the future. Your grandfather began Radio Flyer over a century ago, and today the company is entering new areas while continuing to build upon that history. What do you hope the next generation will take away from Radio Flyer, and what would you like your own contribution to that legacy to be?
Pasin: We dream of continuing to create joyful products that delight families for generations, or as I like to say, “Let’s Keep on Rolling!”
For more than a century, Radio Flyer has been a part of countless childhood stories, and as the company continues to explore new opportunities, it is clear that the same spirit of imagination and adventure that helped establish its legacy remains just as important today.
With Max & Maple: The Can-Do Kids, that legacy is finding new ways to reach audiences, introducing children and families to a world where creativity, curiosity and a willingness to try something new can turn even the simplest moments into extraordinary adventures. And with more stories, merchandise and other opportunities already being explored, there is plenty to look forward to as Radio Flyer Studios continues to grow.
We would like to extend a special thank you to Robert Pasin and the Radio Flyer team for taking the time to speak with us and sharing more about the history, heart and future of this remarkable company.
Be sure to follow along with Max & Maple: The Can-Do Kids on YouTube, and stay tuned to BSCKids for more of the latest news and interviews from the world of children’s and family entertainment.