In 12 years as a cruise director, Julien Sharp played a lot of games. “When you have five days of bad weather out of seven, you have to get creative,” says the 45-year-old Denver resident and co-founder of Funnybone Toys. Already, the 20-month-old Funnybone’s imaginative games sit on the shelves of more than 600 U.S. stores. The company’s initial three products claimed three Tillywig Toy & Media Awards last year, and this summer’s release, Disruptus, is generating significant buzz. Designed around the principle of disruptive thinking—the out-of-the-box reasoning that birthed Netflix and Uber—Disruptus ($24.99) asks players to create, improve, transform, or disrupt everyday objects…in 60 seconds. Yes, it’s fun (and intellectually stimulating) for kids, but it’s also become an unexpected hit with Silicon Valley brainiacs and business schools. Get yours locally at the Tattered Cover. funnybonetoys.com

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5280 October 2013
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5280.com Exclusive: Five 5280 editors test-drove Funnybone Toys’ hit game of the summer, Distruptus. Here’s a look at a few of their hilarious inventions.

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