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20.03.2020 // The endless appeal of board games

Social play in order to escape screen time There are several reasons behind the renaissance of board games:

Firstly, there is a fundamental benefit of board gaming that is genuinely timeless. People are social animals, we live in/interact with other people around us. Sometimes this social interaction needs an aid or a prop to keep things fresh, to avoid any bickering or other negativity and to have fun with family and friends. This is the fundamental purpose of board games – social facilitation. Technology has not taken this benefit of board games away or delivered it any better to date.

Secondly, society and people in general are now struggling to combat the reality of excess screen time – staring at small screens all day is not such a positive thing in terms of lifestyle, social cohesion and eyesight among other things. Therefore, the toy industry as a whole and board games specifically are benefiting from their deployment as an antidote to screen time – both for our children and for ourselves! Parents nowadays struggle to get their kids off devices, in fact many children would be looking at tablets all day if left to themselves.

Board games and toys in general offer play patterns which are perceived by the majority of parents to be more worthy and more positive. The more we come to rely on/be hooked on these devices, the stronger this counter reaction becomes. In reality, that doesn’t mean parents succeed in using board games to get their children off screens, but it is a definite purchase driver, even if usage doesn’t always follow purchase!

New game concepts make games a relevant medium

Thirdly, we have a much healthier, much broader array of board games available to us today than we did say ten years ago.

The glorious fact about this massively powerful trend is that it is still in the infancy stage – look forward to many more games pushing the boundaries to come – that ‘staleness’ that permeated parts of the board games industry some time back is thankfully long gone.

06.03.2020 // Happy Women's Day!

04.03.2020 // March 2020 - interesting toy events at a glance.

These dates for the toy industry you should remember in March 2020!

01.03.2020 Children's DayNew Zealand

04.03.2020 - 05.03.2020 AIMPLAS - Seminar Biopolymers and Sustainable Composites Valencia, Spain

06.03.2020 Internationale Spieleerfinder-Messe Haar, Germany

10.03.2020 - 11.03.2020 Amazonworld Convention Munich, Germany

10.03.2020 - 11.03.2020 POS connect - Retail Messe Munich, Germany

11.03.2020 ECO TOY DAY - AEFJ & AIJU Madrid, Spain

16.03.2020 - 17.03.2020 Licensing Leadership Summit 2020 New York, USA

17.03.2020 Children's Day Bangladesh

22.03.2020License Global - ASD Gift Show Las Vegas, USA

08.01.2020 // Why adults represent a relevant target group for traditional toys.

We are all familiar with the joy on children’s faces as they leave a toy store the proud owner of a new toy. But our enjoyment of playthings does not end on entering adulthood. In some markets, the purchasing power of "kidults" is growing.

Most toys are made for children but bought for them by adults. So there is nothing unusual about adults, whether parents or relatives, buying toys. Adults buying toys for themselves is not a new phenomenon either. However, there is still lots of potential here for the toy sector to produce and market traditional toys aimed specifically at adults.

Kidults range across many age categories. Taking a look at the purchasing power of various age groups, however, the Millennials (18–34 year olds) account for around half of the spend among adults buying toys for themselves, followed by Generation X (35–54 year olds) at around a third. 18 percent of the Baby Boomer generation (55 years+) buy toys for themselves. Adults without children spend more money on toys for themselves than adults with children, and are also more likely to buy on impulse, for instance when browsing in a toy department.

STILL YOUNG AT HEART

Scientists have long known that play is not a childish pursuit, but a creative one, encompassing board games, outdoor play, challenging building block projects, meticulously detailed model trains and much more. Some adults see playing with toys as the antithesis to growing old. Keeping active takes on increasing importance as we age, and so does having fun. Playing with toys is simply a welcome diversion from working life for some, but a passionate long-term leisure pursuit for others. People are also happy to spend a bit more money on this kind of recreational activity.

The term kidults is more commonly applied to men. This is hard to justify, considering women are just as interested as men in finding enjoyable diversions. However, the impression remains that the more costly toys in particular with lots of technical bells and whistles are mainly purchased by men and also specifically marketed to them. Model construction and hobby toys as well as model trains are considered male domains, but tech toys also tend to fascinate men more than women.

Meanwhile, traditional creative pastimes such as painting, handicrafts and crocheting are seen more as female pursuits. However, there is so much variety when it comes to toys that typical gender-based preferences are actually only apparent in individual areas.

The increasing enthusiasm among adults for toys is surely also attributable in part to the DIY trend, which can be seen in the hardware and other sectors. There is an inexorable boom in this area – thanks to the Internet as well. Doing things for ourselves and following assembly instructions are just part of the appeal. Even more so, DIY has become a means of personal and creative development, allowing us to actively reshape parts of our life and giving us the freedom to frame our own rules.

PRODUCTS FOR KIDULTS

A few toy manufacturers have recognised the potential of this "big kid" target group. And it certainly matters that adults have bigger budgets than kids when it comes to buying toys.

However, the companies must also satisfy the higher standards of grown-up consumers and try out new approaches to product design and marketing in order to offer this target group attractive toys.

24.12.2019 // Happy Holidays!!!!!

18.12.2019 // Happy St. Nicholas Day!

St. Nicolas day in Ukraine.

This holiday is celebrated annually on 19 of December. It is one of the most beloved children's holidays. Its significance is quite large, with this connected with a huge number of temples, named after this saint.

St. Nicholas was the patron saint of farmers, sailors, fishermen, traders, sick, poor and children. The peasants prayed to him so that the Saint would protect them from dangers.

The traditions of this holiday are borrowed from other countries. Germany first began to celebrate the day of Nicholas (December 6). Students of church schools on that day were treated to sweets. After a while, the holiday passed from schools to each house. Obedient children waited for gifts and disobedient one’s birches.

Ukrainian children waited for the arrival of Nicholas on the night of 18 to 19 December. In different regions the place of the gift is different. In Western Ukraine, children find gifts in shoes, and in the east under the pillow.

St. Nicholas, according to popular beliefs, cooks all night for children. He bakes a star biscuit that looks like him.

Now in each family of our country, the child receives a gift for the St. Nicholas Day. In addition, the traditions of this holiday are honored in every school and kindergarten. Children receive as gifts not only sweets but other pleasant souvenirs and gifts.

The nights on St. Nicholas are attributed to magical properties. If a person makes a wish this night, it will come true.

11.12.2019 // How the toy industry can respond to the smartphone generation.

The children from the smartphone generation represent a great opportunity for the toy industry. There is no reason to be scared or worried when thinking about this generation, as there are tons of good ideas the industry can embrace when offering a toy that could be really appealing. One of the most important things to consider is to understand the differences that distinguish them from previous generations.

TRUE DIGITAL NATIVES

The current generation of children is a generation that has been exposed to new technologies basically from birth. They are true digital natives with a very early exposure to technology. For children today, the distinction that adults make between technological and traditional toys is not that clear. For them, both are playthings. This generation of children is getting used to playing in a way in which they can, for instance, build something with bricks in the real world and then expand the experience digitally. And they get excited playing in both worlds. That is why offering good combinations of games that involve both conventional and digital options is a great way to reach them. For both manufacturers and retailers, it is relevant to be constantly aware of the new possibilities the latest technology can offer. Nowadays, it’s good to have in mind advances in technology such as virtual and augmented reality, holograms, robots, 3D printing, immersive projections, and so on.

EXPLORE THE WORLD WITH ALL SENSES

However, one aspect that has to be considered is that parents are increasingly worried about the negative impact that the exposure to new technology has on their children. Parents will appreciate technological toys that encourage children to be active, play outside and have contact with nature and other children. Therefore, the challenge is to offer good quality toys that, even if they implement technology, support children’s appropriate development in many different areas. To achieve this, it is important to consider that children need to play experimenting with several materials. They need things that encourage them to explore the world with all their senses, mainly in a physical way. 

A VERY SOCIAL GENERATION

Sharing messages and images has become part of children’s fun time. Manufacturers and retailers can reach them with toys that are inspired by some of the most common social media features. One of the easier aspects to integrate is, for example, emojis. Some companies have already taken advantage of the use of this universal language in their toys. But there are plenty of other options if you think about playthings that allow children to be connected while texting or posting images. In this context, it will be absolutely relevant to consider how to develop these toys with data safety in mind.

GAMIFICATION TURNS EVERYTHING INTO A GAME

We all know by now that today’s children stop playing with toys at early ages. The phenomenon is linked to the tendency that children nowadays grow up faster but also to the little time to play they have, as they are more involved in extracurricular activities than ever. However, the fact is that they do not really stop playing. Therefore it’s worth thinking about converting regular daily things into playful objects. One way of doing it is through "gamification", turning all sorts of things kids are surrounded by into a game. Think for instance of wearables, bracelets or watches that become toys. They present a new way to offer games to children in a modern and attractive product.

KNOW YOUR TARGET GROUP

Understanding the attitudes and preferences of the smartphone generation will put the toy industry into a position to offer toys that are actually very appealing to them. They are more social than ever, more informed and updated about the latest trends and technologies. Instead of being discouraged by this new generation of children, manufacturers and retailers should be encouraged by the challenge and the great opportunity to create and offer a new generation of toys.

03.12.2019 // December 2019 - interesting toy events at a glance.

These dates for the toy industry you should remember in November 2019!

01.12.2019 - Operation Toy Train: Middletown & New Jersey Railroad Middleton/New Jersey, USA

02.12.2019 - Licensing International France Holiday Paris, France

03.12.2019 - Licensing International Canadian Holiday Party; Toronto, Canada

03.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Southern California Chapter: WIT SoCal Holiday Party; Hollywood, USA

03.12.2019 - Toy technical seminar in Italy — The future of your toys: are you ready for 2020?; Cabiate, Italy

04.12.2019 - 06.12.2019 - 14th European Bioplastics Conference; Berlin, Germany

04.12.2019 - Licensing International International Halloween Show; New York, USA

05.12.2019 - Women in Toys: South Florida Chapter: 9th Annual Toys, Tacos & Tequila Networking Event; Boca Raton, USA

05.12.2019 - Internet World Academy: Amazon Workshop: Advertising, Marketing & Optimierung; Online

07.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Central Florida Chapter: WIT Ugly Holiday Bowling Party; Orlando, USA

07.12.2019 - Operation Toy Train: Dover & Delaware River Railroad; Dover, USA

08.12.2019 - Operation Toy Train: Dover & Rockaway River Railroad; Dover, USA

10.12.2019 - Licensing International YPN Music Retail Licensing 101; Hollywood, USA

10.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Northern California Chapter: Holiday Celebration & Speaker; Oakland, USA

11.12.2019 - Licensing International LA Holiday Party; Hollywood, USA

11.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Dallas Chapter: Holiday Game Night & DinnerIrving, USA

12.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Southern California-OC Chapter: Holiday Show & Tell Party in the OC!; Tustin, USA

23.12.2019 - Children's Day South Sudan, Sudan

25.12.2019 - Children's DayCameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon.

28.11.2019 // Plastic Versus The Environment: A Threat To The Global Toy Industry?

Awareness of the damage caused to ocean life by waste plastic items has risen to the fore recently.

Aside from the concern this may cause toy people in terms of the health of our planet and the future wellbeing of our children, it should also be a concern and consideration as such a high percentage of toys are made of plastic or feature plastic in the packaging.

OCEAN PLASTICS & TOYS: 2 KEY FACTS

Firstly, the vast majority of plastic in the oceans is single use plastic i.e. food containers and drink bottles, plastic bags etc. A major secondary source of plastics in the ocean which are harmful to the marine environment are fishing lines and nets. So, if you take a macro perspective on ocean plastic, toys are not a significant factor.

Secondly, more than a quarter of the plastic in the ocean is thought to come from ten rivers in Asia and Africa, meaning that the primary toy consuming markets of North America and Europe are excluded from these primary polluting rivers. Now there is a counter argument that several of the Asian rivers run through manufacturing hubs used for toys as well as other consumer products, and that the population moved to those areas along these rivers due in large part to China’s manufacturing sector, however, this is not a direct link to the toy industry.

INDIRECT THREATS & OPPORTUNITIES

There seems little doubt that the tides are changing in terms of single use plastic around the world. This should not in itself be a major threat to the toy industry, albeit something we should embrace as consumers and global citizens. There are though, some areas we need to look at closely which may have an impact:

1. Centralised solutions in Asia – bearing in mind so much of the world’s population is in Asia, and that Asian rivers are a major source of plastic in the oceans, it is quite likely we will see some kind of concerted centralised attempts to minimise single use plastics. This kind of indirect factor has had significant effect on the toy industry in other areas of environmental action for instance where paper mills have been rationalised and redirected in terms of environmental standards leading to increased toy packaging prices.

2.Badly conceived or over extensive legislation in the West – anyone who has observed the global political environment in recent times will be aware of the growing propensity for backlash and over reaction. The toy industry en masse needs to monitor the potential negative effect of poorly thought out or over reaching legislation which ends up including plastic toys via careless definitions of product categories etc.

3.Transportation and shipping materials from store – clearly the manner in which consumers or direct supply retailers transport toys is likely to change. They are less and less likely to carry toys away in a throwaway plastic bag or other disposable plastic.

4.Packaging solutions – clearly throwaway single use plastic packaging is set to be under great pressure in the coming years, and so toy development and manufacturing will have to find more solutions from sustainably sourced paper-based packaging.

5.Material developments –the pressure on plastic usage could also be an opportunity for the development of better materials – better in terms of environmental impact, but also in terms of other characteristics.

ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS FOR TOYS ARE SURE TO COME

So overall, clearly these are challenging times for the global marine environment, and logically we should expect to see a concerted global backlash against single use plastic usage. However, for the toy industry we should probably expect a more indirect impact, but with some key global players already moving towards sustainable sources, we are likely to see an advancement of alternative materials. We should hope it moves quicker than any legislation which may make such moves mandatory ahead of our ability to implement them.

25.11.2019 // Kids party entertainment ideas

Any parent who has ever organised a bash knows that there’s so much to consider – the invitations, the venue, the food, the decorations, the party bags – and that’s before you’ve even thought about how to keep the crowds amused. There’s something to match every party theme and budget, as well as options that will suit a variety of age groups. Now your only task will be whittling it down to just one!

Magic

We’ll start with an oldie but a goodie. No one (not even the adults) is not wowed by an animated performer pulling doves out of their pockets. Little ones will appreciate simpler tricks and a shorter show, as their attention spans tend to wane, where as older groups will love anything from card tricks to close-up magic. When you call, ask if they’ll include the birthday boy or girl in their big finale – they’ll love being the star of the show.

Animal safari

Got an animal-mad bunch on your hands? There are services across the country that will bring mammals, birds and reptiles to your bash for the kids to meet and greet. Typical animals include rabbits and guinea pigs, chinchillas, parrots, owls, and lizards, but do some research and see if there’s anything more unusual in your vicinity.

Clowns or circus performers

Clowns have come a long way from the slightly sinister models of our childhoods. These days, they’re bright and fun, although they’re still pulling the same old tricks (hankies up the sleeve, anyone?). If you want a more modern take, see whether there are any circus performers that offer party deals in your area – firebreathers, unicyclists and gymnasts all go down well, and some of them will even teach the guests some of their skills too.

Balloon makers

Balloons often come as part of a clown package, but if you’re not keen on clowns or just want something a bit more grown up, there are independent balloon artists that will make animals, flowers and more in front of a captive audience. It’s still well worth the money, as balloon making is actually deceptively hard (the only animal we’ve managed to master is a snake… ) Cartoonists Perhaps one for a 5+ audience, as we can’t imagine anyone younger sitting still for longer than a number of minutes greater than their age! Caricaturists are great for any party theme, and the resulting pictures, when stuck into a cheap frame and paired with a slice of cake, make for a fab alternative to a conventional party bag.

Face painters

Another one that works with almost any type of party, face painters can transform your child’s classmates into any animal, character or object their heart desires. It’s worth trying to find face painters that work in a team, rather than a solo artist, because the less patient partygoers can get frustrated if they have to wait their turn for too long.

Storytellers

They’re not just for bedtime! A good party storyteller will hold the attention of even the most fickle minds for as long as you’re funding them (they’re generally paid by the hour). Many of them use props, voices and actions to bring the story to life – you might find yourself wanting to hear the ending rather than tidying the wrapping paper too…

Puppeteers

Puppet shows are mostly aimed at younger parties, and for those, they work like a dream – there won’t be a peep for the assigned time slot, leaving you free to set up the buffet or wrap the pass the parcel. Punch and Judy is a classic, but there’s plenty of other, really creative versions on offer, so a unique idea that they’ve never seen before might be the way to go!

Temporary tattooists

Temporary tattoos are popular with boys and girls, and airbrush artists can generally accommodate all tastes, whether they want a bold tribal armband or a sparkly shoulder butterfly. You could also ask them whether they can come up with designs that tie in to your party theme – for instance, every good pirate needs a mean-looking skull…