April 2010

• Autumnal Reading
  - Editorial
• Kiwiana Inspirations
  - Kiwiana-themed gifts
• The Power of Promotion
  - Talking the Talk and Walking the Walk
• Smart toys
  - Active Play and Mobile Accessible Play Unites Families in 2010
• Oven-to-table
  - From the oven to the table – in style
• Stationery - the Full Effect
  - Everyday stationery essentials that are turning heads

Smart Toys

Active Play and Mobile Accessible Play Unites Families in 2010

Today's kids are more mobile and digitally connected than any other generation.

BY REYNE RICE, CO-FOUNDER, THEBIGTOYBOOK.COM, AND TOY TREND EXPERT FOR GIFTBUYER MAGAZINE

They expect their toys and games to fuel their growing appetite for new formats and keep them connected with their favourite brands and characters, whether from children's books, television, blockbuster movie entertainment, or the live event stage of music celebrities, sports heroes and other role models.

Two of the most popular trends in kids' play products in 2010 involve areas where parents and children both have vested interests. Themes of ‘active play' and ‘mobile, accessible play' are appealing to both kids and adults, because these trends span the generations and tie kids to their older siblings, parents and care-givers. By engaging in play together, the bonds that are formed keep them connected throughout the day. By incorporating toys, games and mobile devices as a part of their active lifestyles, families are more frequently creating social opportunities to add fun and interaction for everyone.

Active play

Active play products exercise children's bodies, while active intelligence and active imagination products stretch their brains and encourage open-ended thinking and creativity.

Active play encourages kids to get up and moving, keeping their bodies active, limber and flexible, and promotes healthy lifestyles choices. Even products that have a high-tech component are fostering ‘kid-generated action' by incorporating movement into game play (a la the Wii gaming system). Kids actually become the remote, as their actions control the play experience, both online and offline.

Focusing on ‘play with a purpose', active imagination and active intelligence* toys and games stimulate the mind and creativity through hands-on play. Many of this year's imagination-centric products empower child-sized role play with life-sized products that encourage the child to become the hero of their own play, often mimicking the actions of their favourite superheroes such as Iron Man and Spider-Man, or their favourite brands such as Disney Fairies and Disney Princesses.

Others encourage kids to create things their own way through engaging arts and crafts and science/discovery offerings. Brain teasers and problemsolving toys and games incorporate strategic play scenarios, cooperative teamwork or competitive play scenarios.

Accessible play

Accessible play means ‘anytime, anywhere' availability of favourite toys and games, and access to kids' favourite brands and characters through mobile and online access, including portable play options.

Small and portable is the key for kids and families on the move. Compact editions of toys and games, including classic board games revitalised with open-ended and customisable formats, offer familiarity in a travel-sized package. Many of these smaller packages include shorter game play rules, providing the option of ‘game snacking' in shorter time increments, offering game play more often and in an easy to pack-and-go format for fun on the run.

By capitalising on the e-connected world, this trend also gives kids of all ages anytime-anywhere access to their favourite ways to play. The newest play platforms provide an incredible array of eye-popping play, some in 3D, and many in rich 360-degree formats. With increased mobility, a number of iPhone apps, eReaders and portable gaming systems are incorporating the latest spatial learning technologies to make content readable, playable and fun.

It is exciting to see so many new ways for families to communicate, socialise and – with photos, Tweets and texts, YouTube and Facebook, blogs, vlogs and more – share their worlds with others who have similar interests. Kids, tweens, teens and families are all taking advantage of new social networking tools to stay connected and engaged.

iPhone and other mobile gaming apps are available for a wide variety of games and books, including Mattel's Uno, ThinkFun's Rush Hour, and Electronic Arts and Hasbro-branded Clue, Boggle, Trivial Pursuit, Littlest Pet Shop and more. Children's book iPhone apps have been created by PBS (Mister Rogers and Curious George), Sesame Workshop (for Elmo, Grover, and many other characters in the Sesame Street range), and Nickelodeon (SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer), and the options are increasing every day. More than 100,000 iPhone apps are available today, so it was only logical that children would get their fair share of new gaming and reading options on this and other mobile devices.

Even remote control products have taken on a seriesof new twists for 2010. For some products, such as the Vectron by Spin Master, your hand becomes the remote control that manoeuvres the hovercraft. From Parrot, your iPhone becomes the remote to power either a hovercraft or airplane mode of flight. For the youngest vehicle enthusiasts, Fisher-Price's Thomas the Tank Engine Follow Me Thomas allows children to direct a laser beam of light on the floor for Thomas to follow.

In 2010, toy and game manufacturers continue to add engaging play products to keep up with consumers' changing lifestyle choices. Gift buyers and other retailers have this variety of new options available to them in the coming year, so the big challenge for individual store owners will be in deciding which lifestyle trends will most effectively mesh with their merchandising format. Good luck!

About the author: Reyne Rice, co-founder of TheBigToyBook.com, is a seasoned toy industry professional with nearly 30 years experience in marketing, analysing and researching the toy industry and youth market. Follow Reyne on Twitter: @ToyTrendExpert or for video segments at www.toyinfo.org “Reyne Talks Toys”.

 

* Market research company The NPD USA Group reported earlier this year that building sets and arts and crafts, which are active intelligence-type toys, posted the highest sales increases in 2009, at 23% and 7% respectively, in the USA.