Toys n Playthings March 2021 by Lema Publishing

toysnplaythings.media

2021 March No. 4 0 Vol. 4

Helping everyone sell more

CONTENTS 2021 March 4 0 No. Vol. 4

Regulars 5 Leader – with Clare Turner 6 News – the latest toy industry headlines

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8 Retail News – the latest from the retail landscape 9 People News – all the movers and shakers

Chairman Malcolm Naish malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

Managing Director Mark Naish mark@lemapublishing.co.uk

Editor Clare Turner clare@lemapublishing.co.uk

Assistant Editor Naomi MacKay naomi@lemapublishing.co.uk

Advertisement Manager Athee Waran athee@lemapublishing.co.uk

Sales Simon Davis simon@lemapublishing.co.uk

Production Director Paul Naish paul@lemapublishing.co.uk

Circulation Manager Robert Thomas robert@lemapublishing.co.uk

10 Movie News – planned releases for the big screen

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11 Licensing News – the latest on licensed products 12 Media News – what’s happening on TV and online 20 What’s New – new products that you need to get your hands on 24 Trade Talk – suppliers share their postlockdown strategies and sales predictions for the summer 26 Toy Talk – retailers tell us about trading in Lockdown 3 and their preparations for reopening 49 Ambassadors – our tiny testers try out two Edx Education products 71 Step Back in Time – a slice of toy history from the industry’s longest-running magazine

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Features 28 Games & Puzzles – TnP looks at how this staple category is thriving through the pandemic 50 Preschool – a round-up of toys that have helped the lockdown generation play and learn 64 Outdoor Toys – TnP checks out some of this summer’s outdoor toys

Special Reports 16 Retail Interview – Clare Turner catches up with Nouman Qureshi, category manager of toys & games at eBay UK 22 The MD Interview – TnP talks to Asmodee UK MD Alex Green

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Columnists 6 Trends Column – the US Toy Association unveils its predictions for the top six toy trends of 2021 13 Media Analysis – Generation Media discusses how to achieve the most effective balance for your media investment

Lema Publishing Ltd 1 Churchgates, The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Herts, HP4 2UB Telephone: 01442 289930

At the heart of retail

14 Gaining Insight – Kids Insights explains why British kids are becoming much more considered consumers 15 Retail Opinion – John Ryan considers the role of supermarkets in the current climate 19 The Independent and Secret Supplier – the pair share their different approaches to lockdown

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toys • jouets

spielwaren

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just like the real thing

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ALPHA TOYS LTD Batchworth House, Church Street, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 1 JE Tel: 00353 67 63800 Fax: 00353 67 63801 E-Mail: info@alpha-toys.co.uk

www.bruder.de

LEADER Clare Turner

S At the heart of retail Also by Lema Publishing

TableWare INTERNATIONAL

presence has been more critical than ever o, the end is in sight. At the time as people have had to have a virtual rather of going to press, Prime Minister than physical relationship with their favourite Boris Johnson unveiled his plan toy shops. to pilot our way out of unlocking Some toy traders who hadn’t really got lockdown. The road back to normality to grips with ecommerce moved quickly was going to be driven by data but to switch to sell online by investing in apparently we are now being guided by dates - with all restrictions due to be web stores, introducing click and collect services and doing local deliveries or postal lifted by June 21. orders - and they have seen growth in their Our end-consumers - children businesses as a result. take priority of course. Schools Others took it a step further. As our Retail will reopen on 8 March, which is Interview with eBay in this issue shows, many great news for everyone. Remote bricks-and-mortar retailers took learning is all very well, plunge into this channel in but millions of kids have The high street the 2020. Toy Barnhaus is a case been homeschooling for has been in in point: the eight-strong chain weeks and it’s been a big took its shops online through adjustment for them and enforced eBay and the move has really their parents. Youngsters hibernation but paid off. The company shipped have sacrificed so much in the government more than 150 parcels in their this pandemic and we all want them back at school, has now chartered first weekend and saw online sales take over its historical meeting their teachers and a route out. For bricks-and-mortar sales at key playing with and seeing toy retailers, it’s moments like Christmas. Now their friends again. Non-essential retail shops still several weeks Toy Barnhaus says integrating eBay store into its core will take longer to reopen away - but at least the business plan is front of mind - but at least we can now the uncertainty is as it looks to the future when count the days off our stores are reopened. calendars until 12 April. over and there’s So, the wait is nearly over This timing has come as a light at the end and I’m sure every toy retailer blow to many bricks-andof the tunnel is raring to go - and feels mortar toy businesses that very relieved to have a date were feeling the strain even in the diary to pull up the shutters. In the before the Covid crisis and then words of our Talking Retail contributor Jayne lost out on the all-important festive Rees of Eve’s Toy Shop in Llandeilo, South period. Now Easter will be another Wales: “I’m so looking forward to it! Not only missed opportunity. financially - I miss the chaos that comes with But they will no doubt understand and respect the government’s cautious running a toy shop, and I miss the kids and our customers.” approach, because no one wants to The high street has been in enforced go back into lockdown again. Having hibernation but the government has now shown huge resilience throughout the pandemic, toy retailers will be prepared chartered a route out. For retailers, it’s still several weeks away - but at least the to weather this storm for a little longer uncertainty is over and there’s light at the if it means they can safely trade with end of the tunnel. their shop doors open – although it Now the focus is on the Spring Budget. goes without saying that all their safety Let’s hope the Chancellor continues to protocols are already in place, with protect businesses, livelihoods and jobs protective screens, face shields, hand as we look to recover from more than a year sanitiser stations and social distancing of disruption. signage just waiting to be dusted off. I would love for you to get in touch with me As TnP has reported in past issues, and share your thoughts. You can link up during the three lockdowns many toy with me via LinkedIn or email me at clare@ businesses ensured they maintained lemapublishing.co.uk. I look forward to engagement with their customers hearing from you! via email and social media. An online

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NEWS Orchard Toys raises £10k for NHS Orchard Toys has seen phenomenal success with an initiative to support home learning and raise money for the NHS, with two bespoke home learning activity books. More than 1,000 books sold within 30 minutes of their launch on social media, and the rest of the initial stock sold out within 14 hours, raising £10,000 for NHS Charities Together. The books follow the success of Orchard Toys’ free daily activity sheets. Launched to support homeschooling, the sheets have seen more than 1.3 million downloads. While many parents and children enjoyed the activity sheets, some were unable to use them fully due to lack of access to a printer - which is where the books came in. Suitable for kids aged three-plus and five-plus, each contains a variety of activities, such as colouring, numeracy and literacy tasks. Both retail exclusively online at £3 including postage, of which £2 is donated to NHS Charities Together. Orchard Toys MD Simon Newbery

said: “We expected the books to be popular, but we didn’t imagine they’d sell out virtually overnight! It was really important to us as a business to give something back to NHS workers for all their dedication and hard work, and the fact that we are able to do this and help parents at home at the same time - is a win-win. Support for our free activities has been phenomenal, but we appreciate not everyone has access to a printer, so this felt like a good way to offer an alternative while raising money for the NHS.”

iKids International Marketing to market Chameleon Kids UK art products company Chameleon Art Products has appointed Kids International Marketing (KIM) to manage global sales to the toy sector of its children’s brand Chameleon Kidz. The Chameleon Kidz range is focused on the original Blendy Pens: a patented system that enables two coloured felt pens to be blended together to produce different colours. Aimed at children from the age of six, each set comes with a bonus airbrush. The first delivery with all-new packaging is due in the UK this month. The KIM marketing UK & Ireland sales team of Wendy Wood, Nigel Deacon, Tony Eves and McCabe Marketing & Sales are ready to present the range to all interested retailers. KIM is also looking to appoint distribution partners for the toy sector for the rest of the world.

TRENDS: TOP SIX TOY TRENDS FOR 2021 The U.S. Toy Association’s trends team unveiled its predictions for toy & play trends of the year during its virtual Toy Trends Briefing, says senior communications specialist Kristin Morency Goldman The U.S. Toy Association’s muchanticipated virtual Toy Trends Briefing was held last month and can be viewed at www.YouTube.com/ TheToyAssociation. It included an overview of the state of the toy industry, before revealing the top six trends of the year, which are: Rediscovering play: toys that promote family play and

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We set out to determine what will be topping kids’ wish lists between now and the holiday season

Founded in 1916, The U.S. Toy Association is a notfor-profit trade association representing businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The U.S. toy industry has an annual U.S. economic impact of $97.2 billion and its 1,000-plus members drive the annual $27 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Association serves as the industry’s voice on

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Adrienne Appell, senior vice president of marketing communications

togetherness. This includes STEAM/educational toys; family games and puzzles; outdoor and active toys; and nostalgic brands. Not just for kids: toys targeted at ‘kidult’ consumers. This includes games fuelled by adult topics, social media trends, and other fads; collectables and building toys for hardcore fans; and crowd-funded toys. Mixing in music: toys that get kids moving and grooving.

the developmental benefits of play and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and the media. It has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on programmes to ensure safe and fun play.

This includes toys inspired by music-infused social platforms; innovative new audio players; and toys that allow kids to make their own music. Zen-sational toys: toys that serve up a healthy dose of emotional support and wellness in times of stress. This includes playthings that develop children’s social and emotional learning (SEL) skills; toys that promote mindfulness and self-care; comforting plush toys and dolls; and sensory/fidget toys that offer moments of Zen. Socially conscious play: toys that foster social responsibility and awareness. This includes dolls that promote diversity and cultural awareness; eco-friendly designed

The organisation produces the world-renowned Toy Fair New York and Toy Fair Dallas; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America’s widely emulated ASTM F963

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Asmodee Group acquires Board Game Arena

Two In 1 Direct expands portfolio Two In 1 Direct has added a new name to its list of distributorship deals by partnering with Kangaru, a maker of toys, arts and crafts, and back-to-school stationery. Formed in mid-2020 and operated by Paul Fogarty and Danny Kishom, Two In 1 Direct offers a solution for overseas suppliers wanting to break into the UK and Eire. Kangaru CEO Joe DiPalma said: “Two In 1 Direct is a strong partner for Kangaru. We’re excited to bring our brands to the UK and to have a representative available there to deliver our full line of products to our most important retailers, and to help us customise toys to their specific needs.” Kangaru will also be announcing many new licensed brands in the coming months. Paul Fogarty commented: “We are pleased to bring Kangaru’s beloved brands such as Furzerts, Scentimals, Shmello’s, Twixie and others to children in the UK. In addition, the licences that will come from Kangaru are exciting and are set to reinvigorate the craft and stationery categories.”

toys (and packaging); and plush that promotes the protection of endangered species. Entertainment update: the growing shift to nonlinear channels will create new opportunities for original IPs bolstered by social media platforms to cut through the noise and make an impact at retail alongside traditional entertainment licences. “The pandemic did not stop our trends team from virtually previewing hundreds of innovative new products, as we set out to determine what will be topping kids’ wish lists between now and the holiday season,” said Adrienne Appell, senior vice president of marketing communications. “We are so excited to share a sneak peek at what kids and adults will be clamouring for as we dive deeper into the impact of Covid-19 on the future of play.” Given the rate at which the toy, play, and retail landscape is evolving, The U.S. Toy Association will provide a mid-year trend update this summer.

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The Asmodee Group has announced the acquisition of the digital multiplayer board-game platform Board Game Arena (BGA), with the intention of bolstering the platform’s visibility among consumers and accelerate the releases on it of Asmodee games. Founded in 2010 by Grégory Isabelli and Emmanuel Colin, BGA provides official online versions of more than 250 games supported in 40 languages, to more than five million members. Within its catalogue are Asmodee hits including Carcassonne, Jaipur and 7 Wonders. BGA co-founders Isabelli and Colin said: “Working with Asmodee allows us to continue our massive growth [600% in 2020], with a partner that shares our love and passion for

board gaming.” Asmodee head of strategy Thomas Koegler added: “Having a platform that allows players from all over the world to meet, play their favourite games together or discover new games, is a natural fit alongside our amazing catalogue of board games. Skull and Splendor will be the first of a long list of Asmodee releases on the platform in the coming weeks.” As with other Asmodee entities, BGA will remain completely independent and current management will remain at its helm. Pricing policies and editorial line remain unchanged. BGA will continue to offer its services to all publishers and market players. Read The MD Interview with Alex Green on pages 22-23 to find out more about Asmodee UK.

Toy Association reveals 2021 Toy of the Year winners Play professionals from around the globe gathered virtually last month to honour the year’s most outstanding playthings at the U.S. Toy Association’s 21st annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards. During the livestream, viewers saw the overall Toy of the Year Award go to Star Wars: The Child Animatronic Edition Toy (Hasbro). In a surprise announcement, two winners were chosen for the People’s Choice Award: Story Time Chess (Story Time Chess), a classic game reimagined for the youngest of players; and The Original Spawn Action Figure and Comic Remastered (2020) (McFarlane Toys) - a fan-favourite that has its roots on Kickstarter. Awards were also handed out in the following categories: Action Figure: Fisher-Price #ThankYouHeroes Line (Mattel) Collectable: LEGO Super Mario Character Packs (LEGO) Construction Toy: LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (LEGO)

Creative Toy: Crayola Colors of the World Crayons (Crayola LLC) Doll: Barbie Color Reveal (Mattel) Game: Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy (The Pokémon Company International) Infant/Toddler Toy: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen (Mattel) Innovative Toy: Star Wars: The Child Animatronic Edition Toy (Hasbro) Licence: Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney) Outdoor Toy: Ultimate Go-Kart (Radio Flyer) Playset: LEGO Super Mario Bowser›s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set (LEGO) Plush Toy: Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child 11in Plush (Mattel) Preschool: Paw Patrol Dino Patroller (Spin Master) Specialty: LEGO Ideas Grand Piano (LEGO) STEAM: Mega Cyborg Hand (Thames & Kosmos) Vehicle: Playmobil Back To The Future DeLorean (Playmobil)

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RETAIL & PEOPLE

NEWS

STEM toy sales soar at Bargain Max Manchester-based online discount toy retailer Bargain Max has reported a huge uplift in traffic to its website, following demand for playthings to keep children entertained at home. Traffic to www.bargainmax.co.uk increased 176% YoY (Year-on-Year) from 21 January to 21 February. Commenting on the growth, Bargain Max head of digital Daniel McKay said: “We are continuing to see an unprecedented level of demand for children’s toys site-wide but, in particular, for our STEM-related products ahead of British Science Week [8-13 March]. “It’s good to see parents are finding solutions when it comes to keeping children entertained.’’ Bargain Max reported a massive 92% YoY increase in turnover across 2020 compared with 2019. Sales revenue in October, November and December 2020 was 60% higher than in 2019, with an 85% increase in website traffic.

The Entertainer features in Sunday Times HSBC Fast Track survey The Entertainer has ranked 14th in The Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table, which identifies Britain’s midmarket private companies with the fastest-growing overseas sales, measured over their latest two years of available accounts. The survey, which is compiled by Fast Track, was published in The Sunday Times last month. The toy retailer boasted a twoyear average international sales growth of 123.8% p.a. The Sunday Times said the multiple has ‘more than 160 UK stores, plus franchises overseas. It acquired Poly, the 50-store Spanish chain, in 2018, and the Early Learning Centre and its 520 international stores in 2019. That

year its Addo Play division began supplying Toys ‘R’ Us Canada. Overseas sales hit £27.5 million in the year to January 2020. As shops closed during lockdowns, it invested in e-commerce’. Posting the news on LinkedIn, The Entertainer said: ‘We are delighted. Thank you to our international partners for their support. Our international business continues to expand.’

ELC creates online learning hub To support parents with the demands of home-schooling during lockdown, the Early Learning Centre (ELC) has commissioned a team of educational experts to create a free hub of content which supports the national curriculum from early years to Key Stage 2. The hub, which is live on the retailer’s website at www.elc.co.uk, offers activity sheets along with tips for adults and advice on key focus areas for children, allowing parents to quickly understand the priorities for each age group during the limited time they might have due to other lockdown pressures. Plus, on the ELC Facebook page, experts are on hand for Q&As - giving parents the opportunity to ask questions about supporting their children’s learning at home. ELC is also offering parents the chance to save money, with many items reduced across www. elc.co.uk, making home learning more affordable. 8

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Warner Bros. Consumer Products appoints ecommerce veteran Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) has named ecommerce veteran Samantha Bushy as senior vice president of North America and head of ecommerce. She will report to Pam Lifford, president of Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences. In her new role, Samantha will be responsible for the overall strategic direction, growth, development, consumer and category strategy, and retail and licensee relationship management for WBCP’s unit in the US and Canada. In addition, she will be the lead executive on e-commerce initiatives globally. Pam Lifford commented: “Direct-to-consumer engagement and commerce are critical components to our success and strategic vision. I’m excited to leverage Sam’s vast experience. She will provide exceptional insight, expertise and leadership.’’

£22bn: cost of lockdown to retailers, says BRC 2020 was the worst year on record for retail sales growth, with in-store non-food declining by 24% compared with 2019, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). These results are reflected in footfall, which was down over 40% in 2020. The BRC calculates that the three lockdowns cost ‘non-food’ stores - mainly ‘non-essential’ retailers - an estimated £22bn in lost sales. It adds that tighter restrictions in the crucial run-up to Christmas hampered retailers’ ability to generate much-needed turnover, which would have helped power their recovery in 2021. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson OBE said: “After 2020 proved to be the worst year on record, it is essential that the Chancellor uses the Spring Budget to support those businesses hardest hit by the pandemic. “Vital support in the form of an extension to the business rates relief and moratorium on debt enforcement, as well as removing state aid caps on Covid business grants, would relieve struggling businesses of bills they cannot currently pay and allow them to trade their way to recovery. “Tackling the challenge of rates, rents and grants should be the government’s immediate priority to ensure the survival and revival of non-essential retailers and protect the jobs of hundreds of thousands of retail workers across the country. The investment we provide to retailers now, will be repaid many times over through more jobs and greater tax revenues in the future.”

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University Games announces sales and marketing directors promotions Games and puzzles specialist University Games has promoted two members of its senior management team. Mark Jones, who joined University Games in 2018, has been promoted to sales director and Gemma Lewington, appointed in 2019, is to become marketing director. The directorships follow a very successful year for the company, which acquired The Lagoon Group in June 2020. Mark and Gemma played significant roles in the integration of this brand into the core business. Richard Wells, managing director of University Games, said: “We have seen great development and growth within this business over the past five years, with the coming together of University Games and Paul Lamond Games and, more recently, the acquisition of The Lagoon Group. With this unprecedented growth and the changes we are all faced with currently, it has never been more important to have the right people alongside me on the management team. “The hard work, dedication, initiative and support shown by both Mark and Gemma from the day they both joined has been invaluable and hugely appreciated. I’m delighted that they have been rewarded with these well-deserved directorships and I look forward to seeing the further advances that the management team can achieve together.”

Ikea UK hires chief play officer Ikea UK has appointed its first-ever chief play officer. Five-year-old Toby Watts, from Warwickshire, has the task of testing all toy launches in 2021. After advertising the ‘job’ (which has no salary - but all tested toys will be Toby’s to keep) on LinkedIn in December, Ikea received more than 500 applications for the post, which was open to children aged four to 12. Toby won the hearts of Ikea staff, who collectively made the recruitment decision, with a creative video in which he recited a poem about his passion for playing. In the video, Toby tells the camera: “I love making and baking and drawing and roaring. And I love hiding and riding and seeking and finding. I love building with bricks and creating with sticks. Cars, trains, boats and planes. And I’m always ready to play lots of games! Let’s use our imagination to make a creation!” Ikea children’s business leader at UK & IE Thomas Parker said: “The creation of this role puts the focus back on play and gives the power of creation to those who really know their stuff: children. We are delighted to welcome Toby and we look forward to working together this year.”

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COFFEE BREAK TnP catches up with

Thames & Kosmos UK board game sales and marketing manager Nicky Thomas-Davies to find out about the company’s plans for the year How did you find getting your story out to retailers with no trade fairs? We missed seeing our friends, and making new ones, at trade fairs this year. We have reached out much more through social media and regular telephone check-ins with our retail shops and escape rooms. We also took part in the UK Games Expo online in July, which enabled us to show retailers our new releases and answer questions. We have set up an online trade fair through our head office in Germany and appointments can be made through our UK office. Thames & Kosmos is well known for its high-quality games. With more children learning at home, how have you made the most of that? We have been particularly thrilled with how many people have taken the Colour Monster game to heart. Children are such social creatures and having a game that allows them to express their feelings and understand that their parents/friends also feel those same feelings, is so important at the moment. Thames & Kosmos puts a high value on positive mental health and understands the benefits of social interaction through playing board games. Many of our games can be played over Zoom, and we have heard of people strengthening family connections across the world by playing Exit games and My City, which work particularly well over that medium. You have looked to expand your tabletop gaming offering. Tell us more about that and what we can expect to see. We have an amazing line-up of games launching throughout 2021. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea will be the much-anticipated follow-up to The Crew: Quest for planet 9 which won the prestigious Kennerspiel des Jahres award 2020. We have taken the cult computer game Anno 1880 and turned it into a fantastic trading board game. Our Exit range will be expanding to 20 titles and we will be introducing Exit puzzles and an Exit Advent Calendar, which has already got the games world excited and pre-ordering! We are also very excited to launch our big game of the year, Robin Hood. This unique Eurogame has been designed and illustrated by the gaming legend Michael Menzel. We also have some great Roll and Write games: Rustling Leaves and Lost Cities. We believe we have something for everyone, from gateway family games to full-on evening filling games such as Polis from Devir. What’s next for Thames & Kosmos? We have just released our 2021 catalogues and are thrilled to be showing retailers our huge new range of science kits and toys. We are aware that we are very lucky to have had a good year, especially with our Exit range - we sold nearly double the amount from last year. We hope to continue with this trend and strengthen our brand, despite what Covid and Brexit throw at us! And finally, of course, what is your drink of choice when you’re taking a break? I like a really strong coffee with a dash of cream!

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MOVIE

NEWS

Movie diary 2021 It was a slow year in 2020, as cinemas shut. Many movies were cancelled or postponed, with the exception of Trolls World Tour, which had been due to release in late spring, and instead had a limited release in the US before going straight to video on demand, where it topped the digital rental charts. There is a long list of films that are due to be released this year - and many of them will be of interest to retailers, thanks to the fact that there will be tie-ins on plush, action toys and other licences. Thanks to Covid, dates may be movable!

March Raya and the Last Dragon This animated Disney feature sees Raya set out to find the last dragon.

Tom and Jerry Discover when Tom and Jerry first met and formed their rivalry.

The Croods: A New Age More prehistoric capers.

Godzilla vs. Kong Expect epic monster battles as these two giants fight it out, while the safety of humanity is threatened.

May Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway James Corden reprises his role as Beatrix Potter’s mischievous rabbit Peter in this sequel to the 2018 movie.

Black Widow Marvel brings back Scarlet Johannson as Natasha Romanoff.

Maya the Bee 3: The Golden Orb The headstrong little bee returns for her third outing.

we discover why 12-year-old Gru dreamed of being a supervillain.

Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) This sequel has been a long time coming - the original was released in 1996.

Jungle Cruise Emily Blunt boards the Disney Jungle Cruise ride with Dwayne Johnson (The Rock).

Cinderella Live-action musical starring ‘Havana’ singer Camila Cabello in the leading role, along with power ballad diva Idina Menzel (Elsa in Frozen).

August The Suicide Squad More comic book capers from Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and the rest of the Suicide Squad.

September The Boss Baby 2 The brothers battle an evil genius.

October Untitled My Little Pony Movie

Cruella

A third outing (and no title as yet) for the colourful equine pals.

What did Cruella de Vil do before she became intent on stealing cute puppies? Find out in this live-action prequel.

Spider-Man: At the End of Time

June

Superhero action from Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) as he joins forces with his new sidekick Spider-Girl.

Luca

Ron’s Gone Wrong

Disney Pixar tells the tale of an unlikely friendship between a human and a sea monster who is disguised as a person.

An 11-year-old boy discovers that his robot doesn’t quite work as it should!

Monkey King: A Hero’s Journey to the West (2021) Animated adventure.

July Minions: The Rise of Gru (2021) The banana-loving sidekicks are back as

December Sing 2 More musical animated action from the singing animals.

The Lost Girls (2021) A sequel to the story of Peter Pan and Neverland.

toysnplaythings.media

LICENSING

NEWS Fanattik joins forces with Ninja Turtles Pop culture specialist Fanattik has signed a pan-European gift licence with ViacomCBS Consumer Products for a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles inspired collection. The range, which includes collectables, gifts, home décor and barware, will be available from June. Fanattik head of product development Melissa Tudor commented: “With over 90% brand recognition with male and females under the age of 55 and such a well engaged fan base, the team understands that we need to create a range that will appeal to fans both new and old. Before it was announced that we had this licence, our MD Anthony Marks bought a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade machine for the office - so we must get this right, otherwise he is going to take it away!” Fanattik is a licensee for 20th Century Fox, Microsoft, Capcom, Universal Studios, Capcom, Bethesda, Studio Canal and more.

Build-A-Bear launches Dalek plush Build-A-Bear Workshop and BBC Studios have revealed new additions to their Doctor Who range, launching a Dalek plush, and Eleventh Doctor and all-new Tenth Doctor costumes with Sonic Screwdriver Sets. Build-A-Bear Workshop senior manager of brand Doctor Who is one of the management longest running series in Anjali Khosla the world, spanning 57 said: “We’re years and is watched by thrilled to continue fans of all ages our partnership with BBC Studios to bring these great new additions to Build-A-Bear Workshop. Fans are sure to love this unique spin on the beloved series, making this the perfect addition to your collection or gift for the Doctor Who enthusiast in your life!” BBC Studios senior licensing manager Julie Kekwick added: “The launch of the Doctor Who Bear and Thirteenth and Tenth Doctor outfits was such a big success with fans last year, and we’re excited to bring them even more outfits and plush to add to their collection.”

Fact!

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Did You Brand & Know? Licensing

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a global property created in 1984. It debuted as a comic book series and then became a hit animated TV show, a liveaction TV series and spawned four blockbuster movies

Sabec hits the Bullseye Bulldog Licensing, the European agency that manages the rights for the iconic TV game show Bullseye, has signed a deal with Sabec, which develops games for licensed brands and its own IP. Sabec will be creating a range of digital games for download on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation consoles. First airing in 1981, Bullseye reached a peak audience of 19.8 million on Boxing Day 1989. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the brand continues to hold a place in the hearts of the British public. When Sky Challenge relaunched Bullseye in 2006, it quickly became the channel’s top rating show. Bulldog Licensing’s consumer products programme for the brand features an internet scratch card game from Camelot and Cosmic Concept’s pub quizzes. The agency has also been working with licensees to create collections of apparel and leisurewear, toys and games, and housewares.

Innovation Summit set for June launch

Global Licensing Group is launching Brand & Licensing Innovation Summits (B&LIS) in Europe and North America to celebrate the power of brands and brand extension. The inaugural B&LIS will focus on the European market and will premiere as a virtual event on 9-11 June. Content will be presented in association with industry trade body Licensing International. Each day will spotlight a different topic. Day one will cover trends and retail, Day two will discuss CSR and sustainability, and day three will centre on digital transformation. The second edition of B&LIS will focus on the US market and takes the form of a hybrid summit on 27-28 October with the in-person event hosted in New York. B&LIS complements Global Licensing Group’s current trade show portfolio which includes Brand Licensing Europe (17-19 November, London) and Licensing Expo (10-12 August, Las Vegas). Register interest for the European Brand & Licensing Innovation Summit at www.brandlicensinginnovation summit.com.

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MEDIA

NEWS Guess what…

CBeebies star launches own production company

Sonic was first called Mr Needlemouse the literal translation of hedgehog in Japanese

Sonic speeds to Netflix Video game legend Sonic the Hedgehog is set to speed over to Netflix in a new animated series. Sonic Prime, from Sega and WildBrain, will premiere worldwide in 2022. The 24-episode animated adventure for kids, families, and long-time fans draws upon the keystones of the brand and features the ‘Blue Blur’ of video game fame in a high-octane adventure where the fate of a strange new multiverse rests in his gloved hands. Sonic’s adventure is about more than a race to save the universe, it’s a journey of self-discovery and redemption.

Kids marketing experts launch monthly podcast Three industry experts specialising in marketing to kids have teamed up to launch a monthly podcast called Kids Market Insight. Co-hosted by Kids Industries CEO and co-founder Gary Pope, Sherbert Research managing director Nicki Karet, and KidsKnowBest chief strategy officer Peter Robinson, each 30-minute episode in the series features a different topic. In the first episode, which aired last month, the subject was kids’ TV shows. Topics planned for the next three months are board games, family experiences and childhood heroes. Access to the podcast is available via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or through any other major podcast platform. In a joint statement, the trio said: “As industry rivals we are thoroughly enjoying collaborating and sharing our passion for great kids’ products and insights into what makes each of them work so well. The podcast presents an opportunity to celebrate the brilliant work of makers and creators in the kids’ space and the magic they deliver to this audience. We all bring decades of experience to the mix - but add our own take and agency perspective - collectively providing a wealth of research, marketing and digital experience.”

Media NewsNM-2.indd 1

The 2021 Kidscreen Awards winners Last year’s best work in children’s television and digital media was celebrated by the global kids’ entertainment community at the 2021 Kidscreen Awards. The awards programme included digital categories for preschoolers and kids (aged six and up). Here are those winners: DIGITAL PRESCHOOL CATEGORY

Did You Know? Ben Faulks is a producer, presenter, actor, author and writer. In addition to creating Mr. Bloom’s Nursery and appearing in its spin-off series, he also hosted CBeebies ballet, has featured in other CBeebies productions and written two children’s picture books, with more titles due for publication in 2022 Royal Television Society award winner and multiple BAFTA award nominee Ben Faulks - best known for cocreating and starring in the CBeebies brand Mr. Bloom’s Nursery - is launching his own production company: Egg Power Productions. Making its debut at this year’s virtual Kidscreen Summit, Egg Power will focus on creating its own original IP for both the domestic UK and international markets. The first show developed in-house is A Mug of Tea with Emory, a 52 x seven-minute live-action series for three to seven-year-olds, which invites viewers to join host Emory (played by Ben) for an imaginative tea break that’s full of fun and comedy. Inspired by the fact that for young children, spending quality time with family and those close to them is vital for their wellbeing and development, the show features simple activities that cost nothing and can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. Egg Power has produced a full-length pilot which is now available.

Best Learning App-Branded: LEGO DUPLO World - The LEGO Group, StoryToys, Touch Press Best Learning App-Original: Duolingo ABC - Duolingo Best Game App-Branded: PBS KIDS Games - PBS KIDS Best Game App-Original: Bookful-Bringing Books to Life in Augmented Reality - Inception XR Best Alternative Game: Scribbles and Ink - WGBH, Global Mechanic Media, PBS KIDS Best YouTube Channel: PBS KIDS - PBS KIDS Best Web/App Series-Branded: Sesame Street Monster Meditations with Headspace Sesame Workshop Best Web/App Series-Original: The Birthday Show - Hellosaurus Best Website: PBS KIDS - PBS KIDS

DIGITAL KIDS CATEGORY Best Learning App-Branded: Amazing Planet – WWF-UK, Kids Industries Best Learning App-Original: Square Panda - Square Panda Best Game App-Branded: GoNoodle Games - GoNoodle Best Game App-Original: Baba Yaga - Baobab Studios Best Alternative Game: Baba Yaga - Baobab Studios Best YouTube Channel: Dodo Kids - The Dodo, Group Nine Media Best Web/App Series-Branded: Oddtube - Fred Rogers Productions, Sinking Ship Entertainment, PBS KIDS Best Web/App Series-Original: My Stay-At-Home Diary - Lopii Productions, TVOKids, Shaw Rocket Fund, Canada Media Fund Best Website: Odd Squad - Fred Rogers Productions, Sinking Ship Entertainment, PBS KIDS and CBC Kids News: CBC Kids News

tnp.media 26/02/2021 10:16

MEDIA

Source: BARB, 2021

ANALYSIS

Have we reached the

media precipice? W

ith the launch of our 2020 Toys & Games AV [Audio Visual] Update last month, we reported the fourth consecutive year of double-digit linear TV decline in the UK children’s commercial space. The pandemic has further accelerated this trend, with half of all parents agreeing that Covid-19 has changed their child’s screen time routine (Giraffe Insights, 2021). With TV ratings seemingly falling off the edge of a cliff and a plethora of online alternatives continually growing, adapting your communication strategy can be a daunting task. It’s hard to know where to turn to achieve the most effective balance for your media investment. But fear not; let Generation Media be your chaperone to navigate the descent! Our proprietary insight, tools and team Half of of experts are here to provide all parents guidance unique to your specific needs and requirements to drive agreed that success, from sell-in to sell-through Covid-19 and long-term brand building. From had changed ‘how much should I spend?’ to ‘what their child's will it deliver?’, we have it covered. And, screen time even better, our proprietary tool The Media Aggregator has now rolled out across all major European countries. While there are other tools on the market that can provide market by market consumer insight, we believe there is no other system that incorporates both the consumer and media market knowledge required to make educated and informed media split decisions - while, of course, considering the unique marketing variables of every product and brand. So, how does it work? The system is based on data collected from more than a dozen data sources and takes into consideration an extensive list marketing variable (such as product price point, lifecycle, and budget to name but a few), to determine a sensible and costeffective investment plan for a campaign. With consumer habits changing faster than ever, the system is continually updating to account for the latest fluctuations in media consumption behaviours. This data is regularly provided by Giraffe Insights’ Kids & the Screen research, which measures all viewing occasions from UK children between the ages of two to 12. This data is then overlaid with historical data from more than 1,000 toy campaigns and media pricing and metrics.

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This is the vital component. Vast quantities of data are useful up to a point. However, based on media consumption trends alone, you could be misdirected into spreading budgets too thinly across a host of media channels - some of which may not have proven ROI [return on investment] for the category. After five years of helping marketeers across the industry, the system is now being launched across all major European territories to support local markets in their own challenges when it comes to getting the balance right. Media trends across Europe vary greatly by market, so communications strategies have to be adapted accordingly. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work. For example, the average child in Italy still watches over 20 hours of TV a week, compared with a child in the Netherlands who watches less than 10. With other areas of the mix taking an increasing share of advertising budgets (we estimate 70% of UK advertising spend was allocated to TV in 2020), understanding the impact of brand or product investments in totality is critical. In 2020 we enhanced the features of The Media Aggregator with Jigsaw, to piece together the combined coverage and frequency of cross platform audio visual campaigns. This supplementary proprietary tool very simply provides cross media combined coverage levels so you can see, for any given product or brand, how much of your audience will be exposed to your campaign. We believe this tool is invaluable; not only to understand the output of your marketing budgets in totality, but also to showcase media plans in their best light to retailers, who have historically taken the number of TVRs (television ratings) of a campaign as a good indication of their potential success. This was the subject of an interesting debate in our end-of-year Generation Academy panel discussion entitled Christmas Retail Round-Up. To receive access to this interview, which included panel members Phil Geary (chief marketing officer of toy chain The Entertainer) and Paul Reader (marketing director of buying group Toymaster), or for a free media consultation, please reach out to me or another member of the Generation Media team.

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Generation Media is the UK and Ireland’s largest independent media buyer of toys and games advertising. Visit generationmedia.co.uk or call 0207 307 7900 to learn more.

With TV ratings seemingly falling off the edge of a cliff and a plethora of online alternatives continually growing, adapting your communication strategy can be a daunting task, says Generation Media director of business development Alex TaylorSmith

CONSUMER

INSIGHT

UK kids are growing up!

he Insights People has allowance instead of being bought discovered that UK kids are things as and when, indicating a learning how to manage higher level of autonomy over their their finances. British teens own money.” prefer to manage their pocket money According to our data, last year by themselves and spend it carefully. UK kids spent £409 million on A total of 84% are saving and some toys, £832 million on new gadgets of them have begun to use cash and video games, £666 million cards. In fact, the popularity of cash on toiletries and cosmetics, and cards has increased by 27% since 2019. generously spent £818 million on Some 9% of UK teenagers have used gifts for their friends and families. or owned digital currencies, a figure When it comes to sustainability which has increased by 28% since and the environment, children are 2019. Since January starting to think more about 2020, there has been recycling and responsible When it a 30% increase in the shopping, with concerns over comes to number of teens who the environment increasing by think digital currencies sustainability and 17% since February 2020 for the environment, tweens and teens. are the future. Research & trends Many brands are already children are director Sarah Riding starting to think taking steps towards creating comments: “There business models with more about is no doubt that sustainability at each stage. recycling and children’s financial In packaging, LEGO is making responsible independence and a switch towards paper bags empowerment was instead of single-use plastics, shopping increasing before while fashion marketplace app Covid-19. But one of the lasting Depop (a favourite app for 24,000 impacts of the pandemic will be the teens) aims to reach climate neutrality acceleration of this trend. Companies by the end of 2021. And Amazon, the and brands who have innovated in this favourite online shop of 1.4 million space are well positioned to prosper. teens in the UK, has revealed plans to “In the past year, the number roll out 500 electric delivery vans in of six to 12-year-olds saving with the UK as part of its Climate Pledge. a GoHenry card increased 55% and these kids also over-index TV tops hobby list on spending more money online, Over the past 12 months, kids have creating a much wider opportunity reported a 233% increase in TV being to spend money than cash alone. their favourite hobby. Looking at their Furthermore, six to 12-year-olds viewing habits, the number of three with a GoHenry card are much more to 12-year-olds watching more linear likely than average to have a regular TV has decreased by 45%, while

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British kids are becoming much more considered consumers, according to The Insights People founder and CEO Nick Richardson

Netflix has increased by 39%. With many kids around the world continuing to remain largely at home, and therefore unable to socialise with friends, they have spent more time watching TV or a variety of streaming TV subscriptions. This has created a huge opportunity for digital and TV platforms themselves, as well as brands looking for new ways to engage with their audience and new places for media planning. Here at The Insights People, we are trying to show the power of each media type for the specific audience. Last month we launched our first real-time media tool: The Media Mix Compass. It provides an independent account of kids’ media consumption, which will help improve brands’ decision-making in an increasingly fragmented ecosystem. With a 360 view of kids, tweens and teens ecosystems, brands can segment the data on a global, country, regional, gender or age view, or by specific attitudes, behaviours and consumptions. Kids today have more influence and decision-making power within the home than any other previous generation. This is true for categories such as toys & games or streaming platforms, as you would expect. But also, we see kids’ influence growing over many other new categories, such as the purchase of a new car. It is therefore more important than ever before to reach and engage kids. To learn more about the Kids Insights Media Mix Compass, and to receive complimentary access to the tool and a copy of an example report, visit www.kidsinsights.com/mediamix.

Experts in kids, parents and family marketing intelligence, The Insights People surveys more than 5,000 children every week aged three to 18 in 13 countries across five continents and in total surveys more than 340,000 kids a year. Its latest Kids Insights UK Recreation report, based on surveying more than 5,700 UK kids between the ages of three to 18, explores the attitudes, behaviours, and consumption patterns of kids in an offline world - highlighting the implications for industry and identifying the next big thing.

RETAIL

OPINION

Supermarket sweep F

or real world shoppers, it’s a little difficult to buy toys at the moment. The shops are closed and if you really do want to try before you buy, it’s something of a no-go. You can, of course, get hold of almost anything online, but then there is that awful moment when you open the box and find that the ordered product is quite a long way distant from what you imagined when you saw the image of it on a website. The business of organising a return is both time-consuming and frequently a mite painful, making the purchasing process less than the joy it should be. There is an exception however: the supermarket. All of the ‘big four’ (aka Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Morrisons) have large branches and it is in these emporia that toy seekers may find what they’re looking for. In the majority of cases there will be few options - the result of floorspace being under pressure from other categories so they can only stock an edited range of products that the buyer has been told are ‘best sellers’. But the bigger the store, the more likely it is that you’ll find something approximating to a ‘competent’ toy range. And there is the problem. Whether you are the successful proprietor of a lone indie toy shop or a tycoon with a brace of toy stores, the government has said you must close your doors until such time as it sees fit to allow you to open them once more. ‘Following the science’ is a good enough reason for lockdown, but the inequity of the current situation must be apparent to anybody who happens to have a physical store that isn’t a pharmacy, home improvement outpost or supermarket. Indeed, in recent years, the term grocer - which used to be applied to an emporium in which food was sold - has come to mean a large retail space in which you happen to be able to buy provisions, but where you can also relax in a cafe/restaurant, buy some DIY implements and maybe a few homewares, if the mood takes you. To this can be added clothing, outdoor kit (large hypermarkets only) and, yes, toys. This is not to say that there’s anything wrong at all with being able to visit a pharmacy, buy some wellness products and perhaps select a new mobile handset while picking up your greens and a piece of fish for supper. In the normal run of things this would be viewed as nothing more than healthy competition and most would nod their heads sagely. The problem comes when a retailer that has been told to close sees products that might have formed part

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of their offer being sold by another outfit with impunity. And before you turn round and say aren’t the supermarkets awful, ask yourself whether you wouldn’t do the same if the situation was reversed. It seems a near-certainty that you would. Across the board, the retail sector has always been characterised by organisations that look to get one over on their rivals; it’s called a marketplace. The trouble is that Covid-19 has skewed that market in favour of the few. So, what’s the answer? Here I have to admit that options are few and complaints are many. The powers that be could, of course, have let all of us continue shopping just as we used to, but this would hardly be a lockdown, and keeping track of the virus would be nearly impossible. The unpalatable fact is that while we may not care for it, what we are witnessing is just the almost inevitable outcome of a situation in which we all need to eat. And where there is excess space for non-food, in some supermarkets it has led to large numbers of additional items being made available in the shape of toys and suchlike. There are those who have said that food retail should be just that during the pandemic, and that anything over and above this should not be sold. But imagine policing this one, given the number of branches that the ‘big four’ and others govern across the country. Grin and bear it, and hope our reserves are sufficient to weather the storm and emerge on the other side in some sort of commercial shape. This may sound like some kind of counsel of despair, but it’s not. We are increasingly close to being in a position where shops en masse may once again be trading and almost every pundit is of the opinion that when the vaccine really begins to have an effect, then shoppers will be out with a vengeance. So here’s a gentle prediction, if you happen to sell toys. By this time next year, the actions of the supermarkets will have been forgotten in the rush to pander to shoppers who are beating a path to your door. Nothing is forever and the current situation will not last.

This may sound like some kind of counsel of despair, but it’s not. We look increasingly close to being in a position where shops en masse may once again be trading

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John Ryan is Stores Editor of business magazine Retail Week. He has worked for the title for more than a decade covering store design, visual merchandising and what makes things sell in-store. In a previous life he was a buyer. 15

Supermarkets may be making the most of lockdown, but John Ryan believes that shoppers will come back to independent toy retailers when they are allowed to open their doors

RETAIL INTERVIEW eBay UK

Keep on moving Nouman Qureshi, category manager of toys & games at eBay UK, tells Clare Turner why he believes the ecommerce pioneer could help boost beleaguered bricks-and-mortar retail

ighteen months ago, ecommerce giant eBay UK promoted Nouman Qureshi to the newly created post of category manager, toys & games. He is responsible for the category growth and oversees both seller and brand performance. “Toys and games in its entirety sits underneath me,” he explains. “So I’m the point of contact for some of the larger brands and retailers on our platform - and I’m responsible for helping them grow. “Aside from that, my job is to make sure that we have the right inventory selection at the best prices for our customers, and that they have a varied selection to shop from. It’s also incredibly important to me to maximise our support of small businesses.” Since the government announced a national lockdown, Nouman has, unsurprisingly, been very busy. “With the UK being told to stay at home, we’ve obviously seen a real surge in sales of toys and games and the category is understandably performing extremely well,” he says.

“That’s being driven by great small businesses as well as household name retailers that have joined the site, such as The Entertainer, Early Learning The UK Centre and Hamleys. toy market “People are looking for remains entertainment, so there’s been a sustained increase in demand incredibly for the ‘classics’ in the category.” advanced He cites the examples of card and I think game Top Trumps and board other games such as Scrabble and Monopoly. “I can see the appeal markets can for families wanting to get away look to it for from the screen after days of inspiration virtual homeschooling and homeworking,” he says. “But we’ve also seen jigsaws and colouring taking off among adults because of the trend towards mindfulness. “And chess sets have been flying off the virtual shelves, with sales up 216% since the release of [US drama miniseries] The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix. Looking at the toy industry for the past five years, entertainment releases have always been a massive

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driver for the market. We obviously saw a lot of box office films being delayed [because of the pandemic], especially ones that would perhaps cause a surge in demand for toys. But the likes of Netflix - and the TV series and films they release - have been a driver for a lot of searches.” With schools closed and parents looking to keep their children occupied, eBay has noticed a massive uplift in shoppers searching for products such as kids’ activity books (up 352% year-on-year) and kids’ arts and craft sets (up 155% year-on-year). Nouman adds: “Interestingly, kids’ chalkboards are up 100% year-on-

toysnplaythings.media

Guess what… Nouman is a self-confessed toy geek. “I enjoy toys,” he says. “I’m a collectables fan and Funko is my goto - I have action figures like Gollum. I’m quite a big gamer as well. Plus, I’ve got some LEGO pieces such as the Harry Potter Knight Bus: that was a great success for us in Q4 2019: we sold 5,000 units in less than four hours. I worked with LEGO on the product and put it through our TV advert.”

year. When we went into the first lockdown, people were buying chalk - perhaps to keep kids amused (by decorating the pavement, for instance). But the rise of chalkboards now is probably more related to supporting teaching and learning.” In the first five weeks of 2021, brands such as LEGO, Playmobil and Play-Doh were up 36%, 16% and 57% respectively in searches. Newer toy trends are proving popular too, such as slimes, which are up 23% year-on-year. Nouman’s role is specific to the UK market but eBay is a multinational business with operations in 32 countries. So have any toys and games trends caught his eye from other regions of the world? “It’s interesting to see cult fan favourites such as Pokémon cards still trending in eBay markets - the US and Australia especially,” he says. “I think the pandemic has certainly inspired a revisit to the toys of the past, [tapping into] childhood nostalgia, which can be played at home - and I think UK retailers know that. But in the broader sense, the UK toy market remains incredibly advanced

MARCH 2021

‘It was a 360

moment for me’

In January, Nouman was named as one of a group of 14 Superhero winners in the 2020 Retailer of the Year awards, organised by the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA). The awards celebrate retailers who showed great altruism and innovation and went the extra mile during a challenging year.

and I think other markets can look to it for inspiration.” He says he has been impressed by the resilience and agility of independent toy stores. “A lot of bricks-and-mortar retailers took the plunge onto the eBay platform in 2020. Take Toy Barnhaus: they have eight bricks-and-mortar stores that were forced to close, and the founders Mark [Buschhaus] and Stephen [Barnes] decided to take their shops online through eBay to keep their business moving. It has really paid off; they shipped more than 150 parcels in their first weekend. The way businesses like Toy Barnhaus and others have adapted so quickly is inspiring. “New sellers like Mark and Stephen will be well equipped to maintain eBay as an additional revenue stream long after the pandemic. I caught up with them recently and they are really pleased with how eBay has allowed them to stay afloat. They saw their online sales take over their historical

The BTHA said: ‘Nouman, on behalf of eBay UK, demonstrated altruism in 2020. Support was given to NHS key workers and toy suppliers throughout the year with the use of eBay technologies which included an online NHS PPE request portal and the ‘Individually Brilliant, Stronger as One’ marketing campaign [which encouraged consumers to buy products from small businesses on the platform]. This initiative was designed to support businesses adversely affected by Covid-19. His commitment was highly regarded by our judges and he was a very deserving recipient of his Superhero award.’ When Nouman heard the news that he was a winner, “it was a 360 moment for me,” he says. “I was ecstatic - over the moon - and felt very grateful and humbled. It was quite heartwarming to see that the work I did day to day in 2020 was recognised by the BTHA. “I think it’s an incredible testament to how critical my role has been in the toy space for eBay and I really want to make sure that eBay continues to be a partner in the toy space for others. We also want to listen, hear any concerns and try to make changes where possible. “The award is also a great recognition of eBay’s contribution, in terms of the charity initiatives that we do and how we help businesses at a companywide level as well.”

RETAIL INTERVIEW eBay UK

Did you know? ■

eBay was the first online marketplace

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It connects millions of buyers and sellers, helping customers to find the item they’re looking for, from its 1.3 billion listings

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With 185 million buyers in 190 markets, trade is fast

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In the UK, eBay has 29 million active buyers a month and is home to over 300,000 SMBs

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Small British businesses consistently rank in the top five grossing sellers on eBay.co.uk’s biggest trading days such as Black Friday, and more than 1,000 British sellers who started out with a shop on eBay are now running million-pound businesses

the clock to help bricks-and-mortar sales at key safeguard eBay and moments like Christmas.” the 1.3 billion listings So if a business is thinking that are live at any of following in Toy Barnhaus’ given time. We enforce footsteps and exploring this online a product safety channel for the first time, how policy which uses a should they go about it? block filter algorithm Nouman explains: “eBay is a that prevents unsafe platform that benefits both big products from being and small businesses and the great listed. It blocks such thing is that you can literally just listings from making it register and start listing in minutes. onto the site, and last There isn’t a set of criteria at the year those filters blocked six initial entry level and for retailers, million listings on product safety having an online presence is a grounds alone. way of future“We have close proofing their For relationships with business. It can retailers, regulators and authorities act as the perfect including Trading complement to having an Standards and the bricks and mortar. online BTHA and if any of It’s also a great presence is a them inform us that a way for bigger product is dangerous, brands to open way of futurewe immediately ban it up a new channel proofing their on all our marketplaces to ship excess business globally. Collaboration stock, which is a with these organisations is problem that we so important, because toy safety is see is very apparent now, given that a massive concern for people in the shops stopped trading in November toy space and for eBay as well.” and December. The company also invests in “Ecommerce gives customers initiatives to deal with fake and more choice: they are able to counterfeit products. For example, browse through a wider array of its Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) product pieces, and for small and programme allows owners of medium sized businesses, eBay is intellectual property [IP] rights and a place where anyone can make a their authorised representatives business out of anything. We saw a to report eBay listings that may huge jump of 355% in the number infringe on those rights. of individuals that set up an eBay And, says Nouman, “if we business in general at the end of receive a report of a dangerous the first lockdown in June 2020.” counterfeit listing, it is investigated There is a vast array of resources immediately. We have fraud and tools available at sellercentre. investigation teams that support ebay.co.uk to help businesses set law enforcement agencies and up an account on the site. A seller prosecute those trying to sell protection team also works behind counterfeit goods. So we are the scenes to make eBay a fair and working closely with our partners safe marketplace. and taking all the action within our “Keeping our users safe is our sphere of control to make eBay an priority,” says Nouman. “We have even safer marketplace to shop.” global safety teams on call around

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Case study:

Toy Barnhaus Toy Barnhaus is an independent chain of toy shops based in the south-east. It is owned and managed by Stephen Barnes and Mark Buschhaus, who are both ex-Woolworths managers. Upon being made redundant in 2009, they decided to set up their own business, with toys as their chosen category. In March 2009, the first Toy Barnhaus store opened at Crawley in West Sussex, employing several ex-Woolworths staff (and also incorporating old fixtures from Woolworths stores). “Integrating Using their knowledge of Woolworths, along the eBay with feedback from customers, the pair built store into up their range over the our core next few months, working the motto: ‘If we business plan under haven’t got it, we will get is front of it for you.’ Since then, Toy mind as we Barnhaus has steadily expanded to a further look to the stores across future when seven Sussex and Surrey, with branches in Redhill, stores are Epsom, Croydon, reopened” Worthing, Sutton, Mark Buschhaus, Horsham and Staines. It offers a wide range director, Toy of toys and kids’ Barnhaus accessories. Mark says: “With eight high street stores and 80 employees, we knew we had to act fast at the start of the pandemic to keep Toy Barnhaus afloat. Getting online is something we’d been thinking about for a while, but it wasn’t until we were forced to close our doors in March that we took the chance with eBay. “The tailored support we received made the process straightforward, and we were shocked to be shipping more than 150 parcels on the first weekend that we were live on the site. Thanks to adopting eBay as a channel for online sales, we’ve been able to support all our staff throughout this year. “The eBay store is no longer just a lifeline and integrating it into our core business plan is front of mind as we look to the future when stores are reopened.”

toysnplaythings.media

THE INDEPENDENT

OPINION

Playing the waiting game The Indie has made the most of his extra spell indoors by taking a dip into the world of DIY

ello again everyone! I'm sorry to say that in terms of toy business, I don't have much to report. We are still only open for trading online, and as we have put so much effort into our stores, staff, training and refreshing our layouts over the past couple of years, we really aren't selling too many toys at the moment. However, I’m turning over a new leaf and staying positive. I’m extremely pleased to report that I’ve finished stripping all the wallpaper off the hall, stairs and landing in my house - and my wife is in the process of spending half of her free time complaining about the mess, and the other half shoving her phone in my face to ask if I ‘like this shade of green’ which appears ever so slightly (or totally indistinguishable) from the last one, which she showed me a few minutes ago. So life is merry for everyone in our household! That may sound a little bit sardonic, but in essence it isn't. I feel that we have come through

Best sellers VOLUME: 1. Bakugan Core Balls – Spin Master 2. Bubbleez Super – Character Options 3. Magnetic Rings – HGL VALUE: 1. Bakugan Deka Balls – Spin Master 2. Star Wars AT-AT – LEGO 3. Paw Patrol Dino Patroller – Spin Master

a fairly harsh winter period. That makes it sound like we’ve had four feet of snow every day and have shovelled our cars out to make perilous journeys just to get some milk and bread. But I’m referring to the many, many days of rain and being stuck in the house. Now, it feels like brighter evenings are coming and slightly warmer days (though that may be wishful thinking), along with more freedom to go outdoors and breathe some fresh air into my dusty lungs. I’m very happy with myself for having started, and seen through to completion, the sizeable task of redecorating our house. Some of the rooms hadn't been touched in 12 or more years. So, with much more time to look at the walls, I decided to take a dip into the world of DIY and make the most of this extra spell indoors. I trust many of you have done the same and have found the fruits of your labours pleasing. The only issue is that I’m in the business of selling toys for a living, and my staff are also in the same boat. So no matter what kind of a positive spin I try to put on life, in its current status I inevitably sit in front of the fire in the evening and feel a little bit of depression creeping into my mind about how I still feel we are not close to the end of this seemingly endless situation. Needless to say, a glass of whisky helps these dark thoughts a lot. But inevitably I wake up in the morning and find myself searching for things to do that I really don't need to do, which I’m simply putting in place to fill a gap in my day that I really wish wasn't there. I’ve spoken to several friends, both inside and outside the toy industry, and everyone is feeling

the same. Even one of my best friends - who does little more than complain about his job and its terrible monotony - wishes to go back to normality, just to feel more like his usual self again. The one good piece of news, other than my decorating triumphs, is that we are all set and ready to go. I have done my virtual showroom tours (although this has only highlighted the importance of seeing products in the flesh) and placed my orders, to be shipped as soon as I know what’s going to happen with respect to opening our doors. I think one of the things that does need to be understood by suppliers is that due to the lockdowns and the lack of our online trading strength, we are going to have to sell the toys that we have already got in stock before we start buying in a lot of new products. I’m in quite a fortunate position in that I have the cash available to place orders for some new lines and keep my shelves fresh. But I would say that a lot of other retailers will not be so lucky. And, as a simple business rule, you focus on selling what you have - before you go and look to buy anything else. This will have a knock-on effect on all our purchases this year. And with so many highticket lines still on my shelves, I shudder to think what my ordering ability is for the big box highticket lines towards the end of this year. I will no doubt delve into this topic in more detail over the coming months. But it shows a glimpse of what we will face in the aftermath of this pandemic. Even when shops open again, we will very likely not see ‘normal’ ordering, deliveries and chasing sales for another 12 months or so.

THE SECRET SUPPLIER

Consider your strategy

The Secret Supplier encourages the Indie to put down his paintbrush and look to his business!

always read the Indie’s article with interest, in the expectation that I will gain some insights into the thinking of a successful independent retailer. What’s clear is that he is in a good cash position, which is very positive - and, as a supplier, I hope his cohorts are in a similar place. What I did notice though, despite his springlike optimism, is that the bulk of his article relates to DIY and the excellent projects he has embarked upon. Not surprising, considering the strange situation we find ourselves in.

MARCH 2021

However, given the extra time we have on our hands, he may be wise to spend some of it reflecting on how he can steal a march on his competitors and devising a strategy to improve his market share. What is it that Smyths or The Entertainer do that makes them so successful? On the supplier side, both Mattel and Hasbro have reported good results. These companies are doing something different from their rivals and are reaping the benefits. The big question is: will consumers continue

to shop online at the same rate that they have done during the lockdown? It would, after all, be difficult to criticise internet trading: competitive prices with 24-hour delivery to your door. What’s to argue with that? So perhaps the Indie needs to think about how to make his website more competitive, so that when we return to normal - whatever that is - he has an advantage. That way, he would end up having plenty of time to do DIY or, better still, pay someone else to do it for him!

WHAT’S N Grab the mic Wilton Bradley 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com Children can create their very own karaoke disco at home with the Mi-Mic Mini Karaoke Speaker with Microphone. Ideal for gettogethers, this mini karaoke speaker can be paired with your chosen Bluetooth device. Kids can put their favourite tunes on, or play them from a Micro SD card, and hear their top tracks play out through the powerful 5W speaker. Using the microphone, they can sing along and even get extra creative by adding an echo function to make it sound like they’re performing in an arena - while the built-in LED disco ball creates the perfect atmosphere for a party.

Advent comes early

Blast off at bath time! Zimpli Kids 0845 459 1818 www.ZimpliKids.com It may look like a plain white rocket debossed with the Zimpli Kids logo, but place this bath bomb into the water and watch the magic happen: the Rocket Baff Bomb releases a trail of ﬁery blasts! It is 100% safe on skin and biodegradable - and 98% of the packaging is recyclable. Zimpli Kids’ Baff Bombz will provide kids with a fun, ﬁzzing adventure, that’s sure to brighten up their bath time.

Thames & Kosmos UK 01580713000 www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk Christmas may seem to be a long way off but Thames & Kosmos UK is already getting plans in place for the festive season. It will be releasing its ﬁrst English language Exit Advent Calendar in late summer. These calendars sold out in record time in Germany last year and are expected to be a hit over here due to their 3D tiny room design and ﬁendish puzzles. The calendars offer 24 days of family fun - with 24 riddles, can you escape the Mysterious Ice Cave?

World of play Bruder 00353 67 63800 | www.bruder.de Distributor in UK: Alpha Toys Ltd

Joining the wide array of Bruder police vehicles is the new bworld police station. In the ofﬁce area, the police

officer can coordinate and track every mission using state-of-the-art equipment. If suspects are arrested, they can be held in the cell area. The bworld police officer is fully equipped - the waist belt features tools for day-to-day police work such as a torch, radio device and truncheon – while the Scrambler Ducati police motorbike is ready to spring into action in front of the police station. The bworld police station can be combined with other bworld themed sets. Another introduction from Bruder is the JCB 30-19E electric Teletruk, which is part of a new generation of products called JCB E-TECH with zero emissions at the point of use, without compromising on performance. It achieves maximum efficiency with a new telescopic boom with zero emissions at the same time. This telescopic forklift is a new model in Bruder’s commercial vehicles themed world. The steerable forklift on the rear axle offers space for a Bruder figure in the modern cab. The height-adjustable telescopic arm can be retracted and extended as well as locked, and the angle of the fork can be adjusted.

NEW Fintastic fun

MV Sports & Leisure 0121 748 8000 | www.mvsports.com

MV Sports is making a splash as it dives deep with hot new licence Baby Shark (described as the most-watched You Tube video ever). Look out for the new range of wheeled and outdoor toys that aims to keep sales swimming along. One of the products in this range is the Music & Lights Scooter, which features flashing lights and the authentic Baby Shark song music, which will keep young riders singing along for days! The fully printed anti-slip footplate provides extra grip and comes complete with colourful graphics and character plaque. Another new product in the Baby Shark collection is the My First Musical Ride On with the authentic Baby Shark song to accompany the rider. The wide wheels and anti-tip feature provide extra stability and the moulded rear backrest offers comfortable support, alongside the supportive wide grooved seat.

Bear adventures Rainbow Designs 01329 227300 | www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk The classic storybook, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, has been entertaining children for over 30 years and now the arrival of the new Bear Hunt range from Rainbow Designs, inspired by the literacy classic, is set to encourage youngsters to learn through play. The Bear Hunt range includes a super soft and cuddly and ‘not so grizzly’ Bear toy and a Wooden Shape Puzzle featuring the Bear and Rufus the dog, illustrated with paw prints and the Bear Hunt sayings including ‘Splash, splosh!’ and ‘Squelch, squerch!’. Further additions to the range will follow later in the year.

Go green PMS International Group 01268 505050 | www.pmsinternational.com

PMS International has developed a collection of soft toys manufactured from 100% recycled plastic. The range is marketed under the ‘Your Planet’ branding, which features clean and distinctive artwork to hit home a clear and simple message that will resonate with a consumer market that is more informed than ever and well aware of the collective impact of its choices. The toys are available in two sizes across 29 designs consisting of Wildlife, Sealife, Arctic, Woodland and Farmyard assortments with a natural look and soft, premium feel. Each toy features a distinctive embroidered Your Planet logo.

Designs on Disney Craft Buddy 0203 417 6565 | www.craftbuddyltd.co.uk Working in partnership with Disney to bring a new licensed Crystal Art range to market, Craft Buddy is introducing four new 26 x 18cm Notebooks with front cover designs based around Disney characters and movie scenes including the Pride Rock scene from The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Classic Minnie and Moana. The technique used to produce sparkling Crystal Art is similar to paint-by-numbers, with each design featuring a numbered, adhesive template. Using the magic pick up pen (included), simply lift up the coloured crystals and place them on the corresponding dots. Affixing instantly, the result is a piece of art that can be kept or gifted to loved ones.

MARCH 2021

THE MD INTERVIEW ALEX GREEN

Alex Green

Evolving through

uncertain times Every month TnP will be talking to the managing director of a major toy company. In this issue, we interview Alex Green, MD of Asmodee UK What’s your background? I’m the longest-serving UK employee of Asmodee UK, having worked my way up the business over 25 years. With a heavy background in purchasing, I have worked across all the commercial departments as well on the logistics side.

Tell us a bit about your company. We are the UK’s leading distributor of board games, card games, roleplaying games and other tabletop products (source: The NPD Group data), supplying primarily to the UK and Eire

“

The last year has certainly been challenging in ways that I would have never previously considered, but I’m extremely proud of what we have achieved throughout the pandemic

Asmodee is diversifying its catalogue this spring with the introduction of Loopy Loopers, an addictive new fidget toy 22

but to some European customers as well. We’re part of the larger Asmodee Group, headquartered in France, which is dedicated to offering great games and amazing stories across every aspect of the tabletop gaming world – and beyond!

What supply chain issues have you experienced during the pandemic - and do you see more supply chain issues over the next 12 months?

”

We have seen quite a lot of pressure around inbound logistics, particularly with lengthening lead times and increasing costs from the Far East. In the past three to four months, we have seen continuing congestion at UK ports, which has led to extra delays on product coming in. We also

experienced great sales at the back end of 2020 which pulled through stock that we would have expected to sell in 2021. As a result, we are having to wait for restocks on certain lines. We see the supply chain beginning to improve in Q2, but we expect there to be an element of tension within the system for the whole year, and that the costs for inbound freight from the Far East will remain at higher levels than we had seen in the years before the pandemic hit.

When marketing to consumers, what do you see as the best channels for this and why? We are continuing to evolve our marketing strategy and have learnt a lot over the past year. Marketing to consumers is something relatively new to Asmodee UK, but we are incredibly excited by the opportunities that it brings and are looking forward to exploring all the possibilities. During 2020, we started advertising through TikTok and we have high hopes for continuing to use that platform - particularly to launch new products a little further outside of our typical offering, such as the upcoming Loopy Loopers range of fidget toys, which we are delighted to be bringing to the UK on behalf of Blue Orange.

toysnplaythings.media

Catan, one of Asmodee’s Modern Classics range, is among several key titles that saw a big surge in demand during 2020 How has Brexit affected your business?

What changes have you made in light of the restrictions that Covid-19 has created? We have followed and worked within the guidance provided by the government throughout and have been able to switch the majority of office staff to working from home. It’s been long enough that we’re able to appreciate both the positives and not-so-positives that come from both home work and office work, and we’re looking forward to a time when we can find the right balance of both for the business. While our logistics operation has continued to operate as usual, we have introduced all the appropriate measures to keep staff safe and secure on site. We are providing appropriate equipment, have reviewed our working processes to minimise interaction, and have explored every option to make our sites as secure as possible.

What opportunities has the pandemic created? At first, the pandemic definitely impacted business, due to the huge amount of uncertainty. Then, like a lot of companies in the games & puzzles sector, we saw a huge upswing of interest in our products as people were looking for different forms of home entertainment. That trend lasted for most of 2020 and led to us having a fantastic year across a number of ranges and products. We saw record sales for games such as Catan and Ticket to Ride Europe. Then, towards the end of the year, we saw the collectable card game market really come on strong on the back of the Pokémon Trading Card Game and Magic: The Gathering. During 2021, we have continued to see good demand for core titles but the lockdown in the UK since 4 January has affected business.

MARCH 2021

The UK’s departure from the EU customs union has certainly presented challenges, some of which are ongoing. Uncertainty remains around all the requirements to trade with the EU and the best way to manage these. This applies to both importing and exporting but, from our perspective, the biggest challenges are around exports. We are engaging with a number of partners to explore various solutions that would allow us to trade with our European partners as efficiently as possible. But we are aware that no available solution would be as smooth or as frictionless as the system that we left. Our driver is to ensure that we provide the best possible service to all our partners and we continue to strive to be, by the end of Q1, in the best place possible to allow us to have the most success going forward for the remainder of 2021.

We are taking a cautious approach generally and will see which way the headwinds gather in the coming weeks and months and look to adjust appropriately, depending on how things develop. We believe that we have fantastic products that provide great value and entertainment and that will be a key message for us, however the year unfolds.

Finally, what’s the most rewarding aspect of your job?

“

We need to make sure we remain engaging and on point to keep our products in the consumer consciousness

”

Where do you see opportunities for growth? The continuing interest in games & puzzles is a great opportunity for growth in 2021 and beyond. We also need The 25th anniversary of the to make sure that first Pokémon video game in we remain engaging 2021 heralds a bumper year and on point to for the Trading Card Game, keep our products including the March release in the consumer of the Sword & Shield – Batconsciousness tle Styles expansion later in the year, as restrictions are lifted and we become able to do many things that have not been possible for the past year: for example, making use of our market-leading demonstrations programme. That will be a challenge but also a huge opportunity. We are also expecting an extremely strong year for the Pokémon TCG; Q4 sees the 25th anniversary of the release of the original video games and the TCG will play a big part in the whole franchise’s year-long celebrations.

Well, the past year has certainly been challenging in ways that I would have never previously considered, but I’m extremely proud of what we have achieved throughout the pandemic and that really highlights some of the best parts of the job. It’s a pleasure to work with the great teams that we have across all aspects of the business, from the logistics side to the support departments such as IT, HR and finance through to the commercial sales, marketing and purchasing teams. We have access to a wide and varied product portfolio that provides great value, entertainment and social interaction for people and there’s always something new coming through. Being part of the Asmodee Group also provides us with a great deal of support and ability to discuss different trends across many countries and that is a very rewarding experience.

Tell us your view on the economy and how you think this will affect the industry. A big question! While we are hopeful for this year, we also are very mindful that if we experience a rocky general economic trend, that will impact on consumers’ confidence and spending power.

TRADE

OPINION

Trade talk

Calling all suppliers and distributors! We’d love to hear your views. Get in touch with Clare@lemapublishing.co.uk to have your say!

This month we talk to suppliers about their post-lockdown strategies for meeting retail demand, sales predictions for the anticipated ‘staycation’ summer season… and more LISA RAYNER Account manager, Craft Buddy As spring comes around and we hopefully start to come out of lockdown, how are you planning for this in terms of supplies and deliveries? Although we’ve reduced staff numbers at our head office and two warehouses to keep our work environment as safe as possible, we’ve managed to deliver to customers throughout the pandemic. We’ve been able to achieve greater efficiencies in our warehouse, largely driven out of the necessity of trying to manage strong demand with a reduced number of staff. Now, as we start to emerge from lockdown and prepare for the introduction of our new Disney range of Crystal Art, we are anticipating another period of high demand. So we have arranged large stock deliveries to arrive this month, to prepare us for what we hope will be a fantastic launch. It looks like families won't be going far on their holidays this year. What impact do you think this will have on your sales? We’ve found that families have been reaching out for our Craft Buddy products, especially Crystal Art, throughout lockdown. So we envisage our brands growing from strength to strength. We believe craft is a great way to bring families together, in a similar way that puzzling does. We have all learned new ways to adapt in this crisis, and craft can be a great way to alleviate stress and help pass the time. We are constantly growing and developing new products. We also sell to a number of attractions throughout the country - such as London and Whipsnade Zoos - so if they open and accept visitors through the summer, we hope to achieve strong sales through these outlets. If you could bring back a toy from the past, what would it be? I was a huge fan of Puppy In My Pocket and also loved my Sky Dancer as a child. As a kid of the ’90s, my life revolved around Tamagotchis (which have made a bit of a resurgence recently) and any craft kits I could get my hands on. How on earth could I choose just one?!

PHIL RATCLIFFE Joint managing director, MV Sports & Leisure As spring comes around and we hopefully start to come out of lockdown, how are you planning for this in terms of supplies and deliveries? We’ve increased our domestic offering considerably and we are already seeing demand start to increase. Our advice is to get orders in now, as lead times in the Far East are extending and factories may be slower than normal in returning to full capacity after Chinese New Year. It looks like families will not be going far on their holidays this year. What impact do you think this will have on your sales? We will most certainly have a run on all our outdoor products. We will operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so I would encourage all our customers to get their orders in now ahead of a predicted spike. Toy shops will probably have COVID-19-safe restrictions for some time to come. Many have had to cut display space to allow for social distancing. How have you been working to help retailers make the most of this? Our product is compact and shelf-friendly. However, it can be too heavy for cost-effective POS. The best sales tool our customers can deploy is to put product out on the floor or in the window. Then it will sell immediately. If you could bring back a toy from the past, what would it be? My first proper bike: a maroon and white Puch Maxi 5 speed racing bike. Unfortunately, I went too fast down a hill, cut a corner at the bottom, and wrapped it round a Hillman Avenger!

DAVID MORDECAI CEO, H. Grossman As spring comes around and we hopefully start to come out of lockdown, how are you planning for this in terms of supplies and deliveries? Our delivery schedules are all in place and have been tested through the various ins and outs of lockdowns throughout 2020, so we’re confident that we will be able to supply our retailers with product on schedule. It looks like families won't be going far on their holidays this year. What impact do you think this will have on your sales? Staycations are great for us, especially this year with a reinvigorated Ozbozz range of outdoor toys. Outdoor toys have sold really well during lockdown, and our new range of skateboards should fit well with the news that skateboarding is going to be an Olympic sport - when and if the Olympics takes place. As a company we have a wide range of toys for outdoors, so we are well placed for stay-at-home holidays. If you could bring back a toy from the past, what would it be? A board game made by Gibsons called Wembley. I loved it!

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GAVIN UCKO Managing director, The Happy Puzzle Company As spring comes around and we start to come out of lockdown, how are you planning for this in terms of supplies and deliveries? At the moment, everybody is experiencing huge problems with bringing stock in. Getting anything out of the Far East is a nightmare, both from the point of view of container availability and shipping costs. Something has to happen, otherwise stock is just going to end up sitting on the wrong side of the world. It looks like families won't be going far on their holidays this year. What impact do you think this will have on your sales? I think the first summer lockdown was a complete disappointment for people, because holidays were cancelled, and plans were disrupted. This time we will all be very British and make the best of a bad situation. That is likely to mean people spending more on puzzles and games to play at home. If you could bring back a toy from the past, what would it be? When I was a child, my most treasured toy was The Golden Shot. Based on the TV game show, it was effectively a projector in the shape of crossbow/gun. You put the target in behind the projector and it illuminated a giant version of the target onto your wall. When you fired a shot, a pin punched a hole into the target, and it looked as though you had shot a hole in the wall. It was awesome fun - and you had to play it in the dark too!

FLORIAN LOH Area sales manager, Bruder As spring comes around and we hopefully start to come out of lockdown, how are you planning for this in terms of supplies and deliveries? For Bruder, the start of 2021 has presented itself in a very successful way in terms of persistent demand and thus, sales. Consequentially, the positive challenge is to keep up with these pleasant circumstances in terms of supplies and deliveries at a traditionally quieter time of the year and especially, with a view to lockdown loosening plus store reopenings. Toy shops will probably have Covid-safe restrictions in place for some time. Many have had to cut display space to allow for social distancing. How have you been working to help retailers make the most of this? This is a very good and reasonable point. At the moment, we are working on two new display approaches (one with a focus on our agricultural line, the other with a focus on our construction line) with a huge potential for sales, taking into consideration a new space reality within toy shops.

MARCH 2021

HEATHER WELCH International brand manager, Edx Education As spring comes around and we hopefully start to come out of lockdown, how are you planning for this in terms of supplies and deliveries? It’s been an unprecedented 12 months with many toy companies experiencing record sales. In anticipation of this trend continuing, we will be aiming to support more independent retailers around the UK. As children return to school, they will be facing lots of challenges from a year of disrupted learning. So we are expanding our home learning kit ranges to help parents and caregivers supplement school learning. Being creative, playing, bonding, and developing children’s social and emotional skills will all be important elements to focus on too, so our digital marketing campaigns will focus on family play, and the health and wellbeing of children through playbased learning. As “As children return part of this, we will be to school, they will working with children's be facing lots of cookery author Annabel Karmel on a series of challenges from a activities, advice and year of disrupted recipes to encourage learning. So we families to spend quality time together. are expanding our It looks like families won't be going far on their holidays this year. What impact do you think this will have on your sales?

home learning kit ranges to help parents and caregivers supplement school learning”

We’ve found parents and caregivers are looking for more ‘off screen’ activities to increase play and learning opportunities compared with the first round of lockdowns. Children are spending much more time on the computer in Lockdown 3 due to online school lessons, which average 3-5 hours of screen time a day. Parents and educators are looking for alternative options for learning, so we are offering extension activities for our educational toys, which means they can be used with multiple age groups for learning at home and in the classroom. We have also launched a podcast talking to education experts and offering advice and tips for parents and caregivers and have been working hard on our Play blog for ideas to make home learning fun and engaging. If you could bring back a toy from the past, what would it be? There are two that I loved: a game and a toy. We used to play a game called Elastics in Australia, where you jump over a large elastic band held taut by the legs of two other children. Usually accompanied with a chant or counting, the elastics got higher and higher as you managed to level up. So simple but effective for many learning concepts - and super competitive as well. However, I must say my favourite toy was Mr & Mrs Potato Head. We would change the facial expressions, make an upside-down head and so much more!

RETAIL

OPINION

Talking retail

If you wo uld like t o take pa in Toy Ta rt lk, we’d lo ve to hea from you r . Please e mail clare@lem apublishin g.co.uk

TnP loves to hear our views. This month we ask about trading in Lockdown 3 and preparing for reopening

Jennie Hogg Owner, Cachao Toys, Muswell Hill, London How has trade been for you in Lockdown 3? Considering we are closed, there is a bit of trade around. It's about 20% of what I was taking this time last year when we were open and blissfully ignorant of what was coming. How are you meeting customers’ needs? I set up my website a few years ago but didn't have the time or money to invest in it. Last March, I spent every waking minute uploading as many products as I could. Now, almost everything is on it and I'm learning all the time how to make it better. Last spring, people were scared to come out, so I cycled all over delivering what I could carry. In this lockdown, customers are mainly collecting orders from the shop. There does seem to be a feeling that people want to support smaller businesses and I’m extremely grateful for that. I've also been contacted by customers from all over the country as well as the world: Australia, Canada, USA, Norway, France, Italy… I can't believe they find little ol’ me to send toys to their relations (who are not even local). I’ve been on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for ages and have just started to try out TikTok. It does help bring people to the shop that maybe didn't realise how diverse we are.

Lucy Willoughby Founder, Good Things, Exeter, Devon www.goodthingsgifts.co.uk How has trade been for you in Lockdown 3? As an online shop, we’re immensely fortunate to be open and trading. So far trade has been good and lots of new customers are discovering us, which is great. How are you meeting customers’ needs? We were already set up to sell online but we’ve improved our gift wrap options as many more people are sending gifts direct, and we’ve adapted our “I’ve been ordering process to allow for impressed by contactless delivery. What are your best-selling toys and games?

how many brands are now considering sustainability and have reconsidered their packaging and materials”

Well, I'm not, because I have no idea when that will actually be. I had a few big deliveries before Christmas to avoid Brexit problems. Right now, I'm looking at what I'd like to have in again. But until I know I'm opening - or my shelves start to empty - I'm being cautious.

Wooden games, recycled plastic bath toys and plasticfree build and play sets. All the products we stock are ethically and sustainably sourced. Craft and art products are very popular, as are developmental toys and imaginative play sets. We have around 25 suppliers and key toy brands for us are Green Toys, ET Games, Weaving Hope, Wee Gallery and Tegu.

Have you placed orders for 2021?

I've done one for toys with Little Concepts to fill a few gaps. I already buy from them, so I looked at their online catalogue and just did a quick order. I tried Top Drawer’s online fair but couldn't grasp it and lost patience. I rely on agents to point me in the right direction, and I often see products in toy trade magazines to look up. Now my kids are aged 12 and 16, they are not as forthcoming with good ideas (they never realised I used them for research over the years!). But the yo-yo of opening and closing is making it difficult to have the confidence to buy new products.

I attended Spring Fair and Top Drawer virtually and found it was very convenient. I’ve been in email and phone contact with suppliers and have appreciated online brochures and virtual product launches.

How are you preparing for reopening?

What product launches have impressed you so far? I’ve been impressed by how many brands are now considering sustainability and have reconsidered their packaging and materials. I’ve noticed a big shift compared with last year and that’s fantastic!

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Amanda Alexander Owner, Giddy Goat Toys, Didsbury, Manchester How has trade been for you in Lockdown 3?

light panels fitted which are much brighter, and we will be having a right good clean and tidy!

We’re ticking over online and doing a handful of click and collect orders but it’s nowhere near as busy as the other two lockdowns.

What are your current best sellers?

L.O.L. dolls, sticker books, Orchard Toys games, and basics like How are you meeting paints and felts. Our key customers’ needs? product categories are toys, books, arts & crafts, as getting pocket money toys from As well as online and games & puzzles for various suppliers too. No wonder our deliveries and click babies to teens. We deal stocktake took so long! and collect, we try to with about 25 suppliers engage people via social Have you placed orders for 2021? including the big brands media - plus we’ve put such as LEGO, Playmobil, I’ve not really engaged with virtual big signs up in the shop Sylvanian Families and showrooms - not because I don’t want window saying we’re L.O.L. Surprise, to but for me, personally, doing online and click plus Galt, Hape, I wanted to get the and collect. Amanda celebrated her We try to Top Model, stocktake over with and shop’s eighth birthday in How are you preparing Papo, Aurora, The then get a sense engage September 2020 for reopening? Puppet Company, of when we will people via Tonies, Djeco, Orange Tree, be reopening before We’ve just done our annual stocktake Big Jigs, Character Options, I start to reorder so I’m typing that up. I will start to social media Halilit, Le Toy Van, Big Potato properly. So any topproperly restock in the next week or Games, Paul Lamond, Interplay, Great up orders I’ve done have been in so. I’m upgrading our broadband to Gizmos, Thames & Kosmos, Fiesta the format of emails to suppliers or fibre optic to make the epos system Crafts, Manhattan Toys, Orchard Toys, filling out order forms or ordering via work better, because it kept going Rainbow Toys and Yvolve - as well suppliers’ web portals. laggy. We’re hoping to get new LED

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Jayne Rees Director/Owner, Eve’s Toy Shop, Llandeilo, South Wales How has trade been for you in Lockdown 3? We are determined to keep going. Our numbers are down but we’ve managed to stay afloat. I think it’s important to let your customers know you’re there for them. It’s no good just closing your doors - you have to try and be proactive. There’s lots of free media platforms out there where you can stay in touch. How are you meeting customers’ needs? Thank goodness our online shop was up and running before we had to I’m really close our doors! This really took off keen to last year and to be honest, it’s saved the day. We make sure someone is at stock up on the shop every day, though we work new products much shorter hours. We advertise this constantly, so customers know to wow our when we’re here, and it seems to customers be working. Click and collect is arranged via phone calls or emails when they and customers know they can ring arrive us at the shop during these times. Response has been good, and we’ve been able to help customers send parcels and presents for birthdays, new arrivals or just to say we’re missing you.

customers. I’m trying hard to prepare for reopening: I’m really keen to stock up on new products to wow our customers when they arrive.

How are you preparing for reopening?

Tender Leaf Toys, Haba, Jellycat, Usborne, Bertoy and Moulin Roty are on the ball and have launched their 2021 products. Orders have been placed!

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I’m so looking forward to it! Not only financially - I miss the chaos that comes with running a toy shop, and I miss the kids and our

MARCH 2021

Have you placed orders for 2021? I’m struggling with virtual shows and I feel for the suppliers: they are doing their very best and they put so much effort into them. But I really miss the trade shows - seeing products hands on, meeting people I’ve got to know over the years, sourcing new lines, and enjoying a few days away from home… I find virtual catalogues hard to read and get excited when paper catalogues arrive at the shop. A few have arrived already, and I’ve placed orders. Most suppliers have the ordering process organised and that saves me time. Contact with reps is important too: they are my go-to and are invaluable. What product launches have impressed you so far?

FEATURE

GAMES & PUZZLES

Stay ahead of the game

Can games & puzzles keep up the cracking sales they achieved in 2020? TnP catches up with suppliers and retailers to find out...

he games & puzzles category saw unprecedented growth during the 2020 lockdown, and as TnP goes to press, the UK is still under ‘stay-athome’ restrictions. A key aspect With such an upswing of most of in sales last year (+19% our games is according to NPD figures), interactivity that is it possible for games & puzzles to maintain brings excitement consumers’ interest, especially and hilarity to as spring approaches and the the game, vaccination progresses apace, encouraging bringing with it hopes of days competitiveness out and trips away? We talked to a number of but also inspiring suppliers about how they are laughter planning to ride on the coatChristina Aikman, tails of last year’s excesses. Mookie Toys So, just how do they plan on keeping that impressive momentum going? “For us, it’s essentially a two-pronged approach,’’ says Roger Martin, hobby & independent channel director of Asmodee UK. “Doing everything

“

that we can to bring consumers to our retailers, while supporting retailers to help them to reach out to their communities.’’ Gibsons Games, meanwhile, is targeting a new generation of puzzlers, says marketing executive Rebecca Hersee. “Our White Logo collection of jigsaw puzzles are aimed at a new wave of puzzlers who are looking for less traditional scenes. Retro Vibes is one of the new designs and is a vibrant image of a ’90s bedroom containing retro toys, such a Beanie Babies and Game Boys!’’ Ravensburger is also looking to its broadening consumer base and new puzzlers, says Katy Fletcher, head of marketing & product development: “We are launching the Upsidedown Challenge Game, which will keep friends and family laughing for hours. Put the pair of goggles provided on and see the world literally turn upside down! As for puzzles, in 2020 we saw more consumers puzzling to seek mindfulness. Our Positively Puzzling campaign led the way in talking

Hasbro

about the benefits of puzzling and we couldn’t foresee how important these benefits would become during the year.’’ Winning Moves is also focusing on puzzles. “We are going to keep the momentum going by introducing some new licences to the puzzle range - Shrek, James Bond, Only Fools and Horses and Space Jam,’’ says Kay Thompson, head of UK retail. Over at University Games, the company is banking on people continuing to have to stay at home: “In the current climate, single-player games and games that work well both in person and across virtual platforms are continuing to grow in popularity and are a key focus for us this year,’’ explains MD Richard Wells. “We are continuing to see strong sales year-on-year in Q1,’’ says Vivid’s assistant brand manager Lucy Vaughan. “The trend looks to be continuing for classic family games such as Sequence and Catchphrase, and stock for Floor is Lava is as hot as lava while families benefit from

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FEATURE

Big Potato

GAMES & PUZZLES

Herd Mentality

sales and marketing manager at Thames & Kosmos UK. Inclusive family games are on the menu at University Games, too, says Richard Wells: “Our family games encourage everyone Ellie Dix, game creator and author of from the youngest to the oldest to The Board Games Family: Reclaim Your get involved!’’ Children From The Screen, talks about Family has always been the focus the power of board games at The Happy Puzzle Company, says MD Gavin Ucko: “Getting Board games have the power to families playing together has bring families closer together, always been at the core of what strengthen relationships and we do and that will never forge shared memories. Good change. What has changed board games evoke all sorts of is the fact that people are emotions; happiness, delight, really embracing that now.’’ tension, intrigue, awe, trust, Kay Thompson says anticipation and surprise. Our Winning Moves will be emotional reactions connect us producing “more favourites to the game, the experience and such as Monopoly and Cluedo, as the people we’re playing with. well as much-loved card games Carving out moments for doing like Top Trumps. Top Trumps is a things together, like playing generational game. Parents used to board games, gives families a play with them as children and now natural focus for conversation. they can play together - the only Tabletop chatter spills over question is whether they’ll let their into post-game analysis. Great children win or take all the glory experiences act as bookmarks in for themselves!’’ our mind, giving us memories to For Asmodee UK, the trend chat about time and time again. for family playing time has “seen Many interactions that phenomenal growth for some of our parents have with their children are functional pillar brands such as Dobble, Ticket to or transactional. It is all too easy for parents Ride and Catan,’’ says Roger Martin. to get caught up with what needs to be done “We have improved our two best (homework, tidying, chores) and forget about selling titles, Hedbanz and Beat stealing moments to have fun together. It’s so The Parents,’’ says Phil Hooper, important for children to see their parents play. senior commercial director at Spin Master Toys UK. “We’re Playing games has proven health and mental also launching new games that health benefits as it induces laughter and reduces have toyetic components, and stress, boosting the immune system and lowering partnering with popular licences blood pressure. Importantly, board games give us such as Harry Potter.’’ a screen-free escape from our daily worries and But in a technology-led world, are allow us to focus on something else for a while. board games and puzzles enough for modern families? indoor active fun. We have a robust “Classic board games are marketing plan in place to continue always going to be important,’’ Parents used notes Mattel’s Kelly Philp. to help stimulate sales as we lead into the all-important games season in to play Top “However, we also recognise A/W, along with a host of new games Trumps as the importance of innovation including You’re on Mute, Unsolved through tech giving us the children and now Case Files, Battle of The Ages and opportunity to expand on they can play Double Ditto.’’ the gameplay and add new together - the Family time is definitely the name of features that we know people the game for this category, so how are only question is will love. We have seen that games makers catering to this trend? whether they’ll work with Pictionary Air.’’ Mookie’s international marketing let their children Technology can help those manager Christina Aikman says: “Our isolated during the pandemic win or take all focus for 2021 has been on developing too, points out University the glory for games that all the family can enjoy Games’ Richard Wells. “Retrothemselves! together, regardless of age. A key style games are still important aspect is interactivity that brings to this sector and always will Kay Thompson, excitement and hilarity to the game, be, but consumers are also Winning Moves encouraging competitiveness but also looking for something more,” inspiring laughter.’’ he says. “Due to the amount of “We have incorporated more time that we are all spending gateway games to meet demand indoors, single-player games and from ‘non-gamers’,’’ adds Nicky games that work across virtual Thomas-Davies, board game

The power of

board games

“

platforms are soaring in popularity.’’ Tech has its uses, says Nicky Thomas-Davies at Thames & Kosmos, which has developed a ‘Helper App’ for use with many of its games. “It is helpful not only to discover tutorials and rulebooks but, in some cases, it actually reads out the rules and answers, which is part of our aim to make our board games accessible for all players,’’ she says. There is definitely a trend for taking time away from our screens and engaging in traditional play such as board games, card games and jigsaw puzzles, says Gibsons Games’ Rebecca Hersee. “Over the past year it has been great hearing from so many customers about how puzzles and games have been a saviour during these difficult times. We are confident that traditional puzzles and games will continue to be enjoyed as a means of escapism from the technology that is such a big part of our lives.’’ Asmodee UK’s Richard Martin agrees, but with a caveat: “The games industry is always innovating but a key part of its continuing success is that games offer a way to engage with each other offline - which is very appealing for people who are spending a large proportion of their day interacting primarily through video conferencing apps right now. Having said that, there are also plenty of opportunities to incorporate technology into games when it adds to the experience.’’ However, for many of our games makers, a retro feel is the winner. “People are looking for classic, retro games. No trickery, no digital aspect, just pure enjoyment and entertainment reminiscent of the games they played as children,’’ says Winning Moves’ Kay Thompson.

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23/02/2021 12:28:27

FEATURE

GAMES & PUZZLES

Ask the retailers What are your fastest movers? I think it’s probably Orchard Games.

Have you expanded your offer in light of the pandemic? We probably took our range a bit more… eclectic last year, because all of a sudden, even though traditional games such as Monopoly were doing well, people wanted the more expensive gamers’ games like Catan and Pandemic. So we took in more games like that – the £30-plus board games with a real gaming element to them rather than a ‘hop round the board, collect your frogs and go home’ kind of thing.

Will the puzzles trend continue? I would say it’s definitely still continuing. Paul Wohl, Argosy Toys, Essex

Do you agree that the nation is ‘puzzling through the pandemic’? Yes. for sure.

Have you seen a big rise in demand for puzzles - and games? I have had a larger-than-average request for adult puzzles (over 500 pieces). I had a puzzle from Ravensburger called the Beach Hut. I think I could only get one and could have sold that about 50 times. It was one of the most looked at items on my website. I even had an enquiry from Canada for it.

And have you expanded your games & puzzles offering? Yes - I did get more games in this past year, especially around Christmas. Escape room games have been good, and I love the silly games from Big Potato.

Do you expect this trend to continue? I’m still seeing requests for games. I don’t carry the standard ones that everyone knows, mainly because I can’t sell them at a good price. So I go a bit different - which is more me anyway - but that does mean I need to sell them to people: explain them and so on. That’s hard, when you’re not open. Jennie Hogg, Cachao Toys, Muswell Hill, London

Have you seen a big rise in demand for puzzles - and games? Games definitely – Orchard Toys educational games such as Mammoth Maths and Times Table Heroes.

Have you expanded your games & puzzles ranges? Yes, I’ve taken in some of the new lines from University Games and increased the ones I stock by Hasbro as well as Orchard Toys. Amanda Alexander, Giddy Goat Toys, Didsbury

Gibson Games Sherlock Holmes

Talking of traditional entertainment, jigsaws have been the success story of 2020, so it’s no surprise that puzzle makers are expanding their ranges. “We have introduced jigsaw puzzles based on Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. These have proven to be an immediate hit with gamers and the general public. We will be releasing two new Exit jigsaw puzzles in late spring, which introduces a new play mechanic into our range,’’ says Nicky Thomas-Davies at Thames & Kosmos. “There will be a focus on our range of Escape Puzzles, which are designed to bring the challenge of an Escape Room into the comfort of your own home,’’ says Ravensburger’s Katy Fletcher. Gibsons has already released more than 40 designs, says Rebecca Hersee. “And there really is something for everyone, from our Little Gibsons range to our White Logo collection and even our Piecing Together range, which is aimed at those with dementia.’’ Winning Moves also grew its offering from 10 SKUs to just under 30 in the space of the year, explains Kay Thompson. “We even introduced a new type of puzzle: our Monopoly Regional

Editions, whereby players can build a Monopoly board based on certain locations around the UK.’’ University Games has added a new twist to puzzles too, Richard Wells explains: “Each Mystery Puzzle comes with a story. Complete the puzzle and piece together the clues to solve the crime.’’ Spin Master, meanwhile, has launched a range of Calm Puzzles. “As we’ve all experienced a rollercoaster year, mindfulness is becoming more of an ever-present subject and our Calm Puzzles are perfect for people who are looking for something to take their mind away from the usual day-to-day tasks!’’ says Phil Hooper. So it looks like puzzles and games will continue to be popular. “People have fallen back in love with playing games and puzzles that don’t involve a screen,’’ says Gavin Ucko at The Happy Puzzle Company. “We need to keep on developing things around that fact, because once you fall in love with something it’s easier to carry on loving it than to stop loving it.’’

New kid on the Block THE HAPPY PUZZLE COMPANY 0844 848 2822 | www.happypuzzle.co.uk Colour Block is a new game that will appeal to lovers of the Rubik’s Cube, Sudoku and other logical puzzles. The idea is simple. With each of the 45 challenges, 100 coloured circles appear on the grid. Your task is to use the different shapes to cover 90 of the circles, so that only the 10 you require remain. It’s an ingenious creation from Suffolkbased couple Ian and Penny Jenkins, who invented the puzzle for their children some 20 years ago and brought it down from the attic having discovered The Genius Square. Their rationale was that The Happy Puzzle Company would love it - and they were correct!

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Classics with a twist HASBRO

020 8569 1234 www.hasbro.com Hasbro Gaming will continue bringing families together with its muchloved classic gaming brands such as Monopoly, Cluedo and Twister. This year will also see the launch of renewed and diversified classics including Monopoly Bid, Hungry Hungry Hippo Launchers and Monopoly Junior Peppa Pig Edition. Get ready for an exciting quick-playing Monopoly card game! The Monopoly Bid game is a game of chance, luck, and strategy as players bid in blind auctions, pay with money cards, steal properties with Action cards, and change their luck with Wild cards. Played in rounds, everyone gets a chance to host an auction. When it’s time to bid on a property, players choose how much money they want to risk. Then everyone shouts, “1, 2, 3, Bid!” and lays down their money cards. The player who bids the most money gets that property. Collect three property sets to win. The Monopoly Bid game is a great choice for game nights, for parties, and as an indoor activity for kids aged seven and up. The Hungry Hungry Hippos Launchers game is a flippin’ fast feeding frenzy as players launch plastic watermelons directly into their hippo’s mouths. The motorised game unit has the hippos opening and closing their mouths while players continue to fling the melons, hoping to land the most shots. It’s fun for kids to press and release the melons from the launcher, and watch each swallowed watermelon roll back down into the scorecard ramp. Like the classic Hungry Hungry Hippos game, this electronic game is fun for boys and girls aged four and up. Play it on rainy days, play dates, and Family Game Night. Peppa loves having fun with her family, and kids can join the fun with the Monopoly: Peppa Pig Edition game. Players move their Peppa Pig, George Pig, Mummy Pig, or Daddy Pig token around the board buying properties such as Snowy Mountain, Peppa’s House, and Grandpa Pig’s Garden. Kids can practise their counting skills as they count their Monopoly Money throughout the game. It’s a quick-playing board game designed for kids ages five and up, and a good introduction to classic Monopoly gameplay. It makes a great choice for play dates, game night, and can be a fun homeschool break activity.

Did you know? Little ones can join in the fun of Monopoly with the Peppa Pig edition - forget Mayfair and Old Kent Road, the properties include Snowy Mountain, Peppa’s House and Grandpa Pig’s Garden!

Get your game face on! FLAIR

0208 643 0320 www.flairgp.co.uk

Fact Football fans can follow

From a stacking game the Euros this summer with a difference to with a new addition to a talking toilet that card game Goal 10. catches toy poops, The Goal 10 Top Player Flair’s A/W games Board Game adds a new portfolio is one not to level of playability with a be missed. penalty shootout spinner Combining all the and more! things that young children (and easily amused adults) love, Shoot the Poop is sure to be a family favourite! In this bonkers game, players must shoot their toy poops into the toilet bowl – that’s Tank the Toilet to all his fans and friends! Perfect for players aged five years and up, it comes with a talking toilet, and 12 plastic poops, as well as two poop launchers. To play, simply place the poop on the poop launcher, aim the launcher, and shoot! The first player to shoot all his/her poops into Tank the Toilet wins. Shoot the Poop will launch in the UK, following an incredible consumer response in the US. It will be available from July and will benefit from extensive marketing support. Families can continue the fun with another new game this year: Pick-Up Pete. This is a stacking game with a difference. Suitable for ages three years and over, players must pile up the chairs while Pete the Pick-Up truck drives around. The winner of the game is the first person to stack all his/her coloured chairs on the truck as Pete passes by! Finally, with the Euros set to take place this summer, Flair’s football-inspired card game, Goal 10, will be right on target. In A/W look out for Goal 10 Top Player Board Game. With its football pitch board, new deck of cards, penalty shootout spinner and tournament ranking board, this game introduces new playability to Goal 10.

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FEATURE

GAMES & PUZZLES

Picture perfect Jumbo 0161 428 9111 | www.galttoys.com/jumbo Jumbo is introducing a new puzzle range for 2021, Falcon Contemporary. These 1,000-piece puzzles shine a spotlight on carefully selected artists and original designs with titles including ‘Piccadilly Circus’, ‘Flora and Fauna’ and ‘Life in Lockdown’. Each puzzle uses 100% recycled cardboard, has more compact packaging, and is free from shrinkwrap to be more sustainable and eco-friendly. The Falcon de Luxe, Wasgij and Jan van Haasteren brands are offering exciting new releases throughout the year. ‘The Bandstand’ and ‘The Blacksmith’s Cottage’ are joining the charming Falcon de Luxe range, and a ‘Mountain Mayhem!’ is sure to become a firm favourite from the hilarious Wasgij brand, while Jan van Haasteren invites puzzlers on a raucous ‘South Pole Expedition’ to remember. Stealth and secrecy are the aims of the game in Stratego Assassin’s Creed, the special edition of this legendary strategy game that’s new for 2021. The magical Disney Classic Collection is bringing movie magic to adult puzzles with the release of three stunning 1,000-piece designs including ‘101 Dalmatians’, ‘Lady and the Tramp’, and the ‘Cinderella Movie Poster’. The Disney Pix Collection has also added 1,000-piece ‘Pixar’ and ‘Frozen II’ puzzles.

Fact! Adults can join in the Disney fun with new 1,000 piece puzzles showing films including 101 Dalmations and Frozen II

Fun for little ones ORCHARD TOYS

01953 859539 | www.orchardtoys.com

On the cards! MATTEL 01628 500000 | www.mattel.com

Orchard Toys has a whole host of puzzles and games suitable for younger players. For those aged four-plus, Dino-Snore-Us has players racing to retrieve the most dinosaur eggs from the T-rex. Players must watch out - if the T-rex wakes up, everyone lets out a big roar and that player has to return to the start. If he is asleep, that player can steal an egg back! Dizzy Donkey gets players aged five and over acting out crazy combinations and actions in this hilarious charades-style game. This high-energy game is sure to get the whole family laughing – will you be a ‘sneezy snake’, a ‘surprised penguin’ or even an ‘astronaut rowing a boat’? Take time out to piece together a charming, colourful world in Mermaid Fun, a 15-piece puzzle showing an underwater scene with mermaids and their friends, which will capture the imagination of children from the age of two. Or how about First Jungle Friends, which includes two 12-piece jigsaw puzzles with friendly animals to piece together?

Mattel continues to strengthen its games portfolio with an extensive offering, introducing new lines alongside iconic favourites. In 2021, Uno celebrates its 50th anniversary with new products and exciting campaigns planned. Look out for the new Uno Iconic line joining the range in spring, including five retro decks for each decade since Uno first launched. There are also some great Uno licences including Mario Kart, Harry Potter and Minecraft. Following the continued incredible performance of Pictionary Air in 2020, Mattel is expanding the range in 2021 with new Pictionary Air Kids vs. Grown-Ups. And finally, joining Puglicious in Mattel’s Kids Games range is Whac-a-Mole!

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Make your moo-ve BIG POTATO GAMES 020 3620 9495 | www.bigpotato.com Herd Mentality, Big Potato’s biggest party game of 2020, has returned. After flying off the shelves last year, Herd Mentality is officially back in stock. If you haven’t played before, the rules are udder-ly simple. Just read out a random question to all the players, such as ‘What’s the worst day of the week?’, then Did you know? try to write down the same thing as everyone else. If your answer is Herd Mentality part of the majority, you’ll collect a Cow Token from the Paddock and is one of Big take one step closer to victory. However, there’s one cow that you won’t want to collect... and that’s Potato’s most the squishy pink cow. If your answer is the odd one out, you’ll have popular games to add him to your herd. While the pink cow is sitting in front of you, it’s impossible for you to win the game - so you better hope someone else collects him before it’s too late! Here’s a few questions to give you a taste of how it works. Remember, it’s not about writing the most ‘correct’ answer, but about writing the most popular one: 1. Name a food with a hole in it. 2. Out of all the players, who is the best dressed today? 3. What’s the biggest animal you could lift up? Herd Mentality is one of Big Potato’s most popular games — so best make sure you get your order in before it goes back on the moo-ve!

Puzzles and popular titles SPIN MASTER 01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Spin Master has a great selection of games and puzzles for everyone in the family to enjoy, whether children, teenagers or adults. Refreshed versions of popular family games Hedbanz and Beat the Parents are hitting stores this year with exciting upgrades for even better play, including Hedbanz Blastoff, which features an added element of time pressure. Spin Master has also recently partnered with several popular brands to produce a wide range of movie-inspired games, including Harry Potter Catch The Snitch, The Goonies Board Game and a deluxe version of the classic Jumanji game with a new electronic video centerpiece and immersive jungle sounds. Those looking for some relaxation will love Spin Master’s range of Calm puzzles, which have been developed and designed in partnership with the popular mindfulness app. This spring the range has been extended to include a new On the Go Travel Pack, a Timed Meditation assortment and a 7 Days of Calm Compendium. Featuring scenic visuals and only Spin Master’s range of Calm 300 pieces, these puzzles are great for newbies and puzzles has been developed anyone looking for a quick yet peaceful break.

Did you know?

and designed in partnership with the popular mindfulness app

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Summer’s top scorers UNIVERSITY GAMES 020 7254 0100 | www.university-games.co.uk

Hot properties WINNING MOVES 0207 298 9507 www.winningmoves.co.uk 2020 might be over, but Winning Moves’ ambition to become a top supplier of puzzles isn’t. The range grew from 10 to just under 30 titles in the space of 12 months, and there’s no signs of slowing down, with some of the hottest licences and properties coming to market. Best-selling licences such as Friends and Super Mario are getting new additions to the family, along with new puzzles from the likes of James Bond, Shrek, Space Jam, Doctor Who and Only Fools and Horses. Sizes range from 500 pieces to 1,000 pieces. Meanwhile, Winning Moves continues to market itself as a reliable supplier of family favourite board and card games. With an incredibly successful marketing campaign - in which Top Trumps partnered with McDonald’s - behind it, Winning Moves is segmenting the brand. Top Trumps will now appeal directly to four different demographic groups: infants, kids, teens, and adults. Classic Packs, featuring favourite educational topics, will be aimed at the lower groups - along with Juniors, which offers easier gameplay and child-friendly packaging. Specials, containing the hottest licences and trends, will be directed towards kids and teens, while Limited Editions will be targeted towards adults, and is perfect for gifting.

Fact! Top Trumps partnered with McDonald’s in a recent marketing campaign that saw a full pack of Top Trumps given away with each Happy Meal

Games, puzzles and gift specialist University Games is kicking off 2021 with some top-scoring new lines that will be joining the 700-strong best-selling product range, catering for all of the family from preschoolers through to adults. We are set for a football crazy summer (we hope!) with the Euros kicking off in June and the Women’s European Championships scheduled for summer 2022. To celebrate these events, the highly anticipated Official England Lionesses Subbuteo Main Game will launch in May, joining the Subbuteo Main Game and Official England Main Game. The England Lionesses have been a true inspiration to young players over the past few years and England’s success at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup has helped a growth in participation across all levels. Subbuteo was a best seller for 2020 and a top Christmas toy following a successful relaunch and heavyweight multi-media campaign, which will continue throughout 2021. New accessories also include an updated Fences Set and the much sought-after new Virtual Assistant Referee (VAR) Set. There are some brilliant new additions to University Games’ children’s and family portfolios including Quicksand, AntiMonopoly, Judge Your Friends, and from Lagoon, a series of new Tool Box games. The new Hammered, Nailed It and You Know the Drill Tool Box Games are perfect for any DIY fan. Presented in toolbox-style packaging there are charades, trivia and drinking games to choose from. Following the successful launch in 2020 of the best-selling Murder Mystery Case files, there will be two new Crime Case Files to be solved in 2021! Continuing the crime theme, Host Your Own… and in particular the updated Murder Mysteries, which include new Murder on a Cruise Ship and Murder in Paris games from the Lagoon brand. There are plenty of new puzzles arriving this spring: two new 1,000 piece puzzles - Ultimate Beatles Collage puzzle and Let it Be puzzle - plus new Educa puzzle titles including Marvel Heroes, The Avengers, Frozen, Disney Princesses and The Mandalorian Grogu.

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Plenty of perfect moments RAVENSBURGER 01869 363 830 | www.ravensburger.com Ravensburger’s 2021 adult puzzle range offers something for all tastes, including classic nostalgia, super-detailed art challenges and contemporary designs aimed at younger consumers. New additions for spring include the 99-piece Puzzle Moments, a great gift line that appeals to both new puzzle consumers and those looking for a jigsaw that can be completed within 30 minutes. In larger piece counts, experienced puzzlers will enjoy Flower Hill Lane, No 1 in a new series of classic British cottages, Matt Sewell’s Amazing Birds and My Haven No 8, The Garden Shed - all special UK commissions developed by Ravensburger’s Oxfordshire-based team. There are also exciting new additions in the 1,500+ piece ranges, including a 1,500

piece Hogwarts Map. Game fans will love the all-new #UpsideDownChallenge game launching in the autumn. It will definitely turn people’s worlds upside down – literally! A hilarious game that turns even the simplest of challenges into an almost impossible task. Put on the specialised goggles provided and compete to try to win as many challenges as possible. Challenges include, writing names, pouring one cup of water into another and many more! Guaranteed to keep friends and family laughing for hours, this game is perfect for games nights and parties.

Great games for all MOOKIE TOYS 01525 722769 | www.mookie.co.uk Break the Board was a hit last year and Mookie will continue to support this interactive game into 2021 with a TV marketing campaign. Mookie is also excited to launch Noise Pollution this spring, a card-focused game with a loud twist. Win the game by seeing who gets the most laughs from their opponent, wait to see what sound the speaker plays and use your most fitting cards to match to the funny sound! Noise Pollution will be supported by social and influencer campaigns with a focus on TikTok. Axetreme will be a new release from Mookie, a fun, interactive game throwing lightweight axes at an electronic target, which can be played with friends or alone; this is not a game you will want to miss! Lastly, Buzzer Beater is the five-second naming game, inspired by the popular TikTok Challenge. Get your thinking cap on and try not Buzzer Beater, the to stutter, because you have to talk as fast as five-second naming you can to beat the buzzer. The pressure begins when the clock starts clicking. To play the game, game, was inspired look at the category on your card. The spinner by the popular will decide the category letter and how many TikTok challenge things you have to name. It sounds easy until the five-second buzzer starts ticking!

Guess what…

Feature Games & Puzzles (MARK'S).indd 8

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GAMES & PUZZLES

Get connected

A taste for adventure!

GIBSONS

THAMES & KOSMOS UK 01580713000 | www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk Venture into a land of fantasy and legend with Andor: The Family Fantasy Game. In this co-operative family role-playing game, each player chooses one of four powerful heroes: the magician, the warrior, the archer, or the dwarf. Your heroic journey begins with a mission to rescue some wolf cubs that are lost in a dangerous mine, and you must complete several other tasks before the dragon reaches your city. Andor: The Family Fantasy Game features gameplay that is similar to the popular Legends of Andor, but more approachable for younger players, making it a great introduction to the genre. Players can head to the jungle in EXIT: The Sacred Temple. You find yourself racing through the jungle to find the Sacred Temple before the treasure hunters do. Only this time it’s different because there are riddles within riddles hidden within puzzles. Like other EXITs, this game has no game board! But it also has no cards; instead, in this new addition to the EXIT series, there are four jigsaws. Each jigsaw creates an image showing what you need to find in the game and what each room looks like. The game ends when you have solved the last riddle and saved the Professor and the Temple!

Did you know?

020 8661 8866 | www.gibsonsgames.co.uk Gibsons has added a third game to its Transport for London licensed range. Connecting London is the new TfL game where players are given five tokens to build a train line sign. To win, you must be the first player to complete your train line sign. Collect map tiles to make The new connections between London Sherlock mainline stations and famous Holmes Playing landmarks. Be the first to complete Cards are made as many journeys as possible, placing down the most connecting by Piatnik, map tiles and using your lowest which has scoring token to win! Gameplay is been producing for ages eight-plus and for two to fine-quality six players.

Fact!

Still on a London theme, the new playing cards Sherlock Holmes Playing Cards since 1824 accompany bestselling board game, 221B Baker Street, and the Sherlock Holmes Card Game. Celebrate the fictional private detective created by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Inside this pack are 52 playing cards that feature artwork and characters from the Sherlock Holmes stories. The cards are made by Piatnik, which has produced fine-quality playing cards since 1824.

There is no board or any cards in the latest EXIT game, instead, you have to complete jigsaw puzzles to find the clue and win the game

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FEATURE

GAMES & PUZZLES

Ahead of the game CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 | www.character-online.com Character Options has an unmissable games portfolio this year. A must-see is Totem Infernal Power, which launched this spring with TV support. This fun new challenge lets players experience spinning tops like never before. The aim of the game is to build the Totem Tower, stacking the tops in size order. The fun begins when the first top is launched, and it begins to spin. Then, the race is on to build the Totem Tower, stacking as many of the spinners as possible – all while keeping the Totem spinning! Each of the pieces has a specific shape and is equipped with different coloured LEDs, which light up as soon as you place them on top of one another. Stack all five pieces to create a multi-coloured Totem. But how long can you keep your Totem spinning? Set for release in A/W21, and already scheduled to be the headlining game at the Character Kids event, is new cooperative game Stop The Robots. Crazy robots are threatening the city and players must find and destroy them before it’s too late! Players can use voice recognition walkie-talkies to talk to their virtual partner. Projex brings the They’ll need to work together to identify the robot, solve the puzzles, and cut the correct wires. arcade into the living There’s also Electronic Spin the Bottle. Dare to perform songs room. Players test and dances, or answer Truths to lay bare what you really think. This their speed and skill hilarious game features hundreds of questions, and players can even as they blast moving record their own truths and dares. Plus, you won’t want to miss Projex, the projecting game arcade. targets projected Players test their speed and skill as they blast moving targets onto a light-coloured projected onto any light-coloured wall, all from the comfort of their wall - no screens or own home, and without the need for TV screens or sensors. The game features three targets, five built-in games and three skill levels. sensors needed

Guess what…

Going loopy! ASMODEE UK 01420 593593 | www.asmodee.co.uk Asmodee UK is set to diversify its extensive games and puzzles portfolio even further with a major new product line in Loopy Loopers. These highly addictive fidget toys challenge users to establish a rhythm that will keep their marble spinning around its circular course. With four different models available, featuring different obstacles through which to navigate the marble, each one has a different knack just waiting to be discovered. Offering not only fantastic fun and satisfaction, the act of settling into a rhythm is great for relaxation or sharpening focus, ensuring that Loopy Loopers pack a big punch for a small product. Another big new release on the horizon is the May arrival of BrainBox Harry Potter, an exciting new addition to the hotselling range of 10-minute educational games from Green

Guess what… Wizarding World fans will be looking forward to the May release of BrainBox Harry Potter Board Games – Asmodee’s first fully-owned UK studio. It’s an opportunity to revisit the Wizarding World as the familyfriendly gameplay of BrainBox gives players 10 seconds to study a card featuring stills from the film series before answering questions on what they saw. After an exceptional 2020, it’s set to be an even bigger year for the Pokémon Trading Card Game as the franchise celebrates the 25th anniversary of the original video games. A bumper slate of releases has already begun with the major Shining Fates expansion and there is much more to come, making this perennially popular product more unmissable than ever.

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RRP £28

FEATURE

GAMES & PUZZLES

Classics make a comeback VIVID TOYS vividtoysandgames.co.uk | 01483 449944 Building on a fantastic sales success in 2020, Goliath Games has big plans for 2021. Many games saw their strongest-ever sales in 2020; including the likes of Gator Golf, Catchphrase, On Your Marks and the breakout, sellout success, The Floor is Lava. Vivid is excited to be welcoming back classic Goliath games into its portfolio including Pop the Pig, Doggie Doo, Gooey Louie and Trionomos Deluxe. A continuing success is Sequence, which will see the introduction of new formats across travel, premium and jumbo editions. Goliath is also bolstering its family and adult games range with titles such as Unsolved Case Files, the game that puts you in the shoes of a cold case detective, tasked with solving the decades-old murder of Harmony Ashcroft. Another exciting launch is Double Ditto, a family party game which has already launched in the US and has more than 2,500 4.8/5* reviews online. Skid Markz, yes you read correctly (!), is the ultimate humorous and gross drawing game. Drag the sitting dog

Feature Games & Puzzles (MARK'S).indd 11

across the page, using his behind to draw the subject on the card you pick, while everyone tries to guess what it is. For the ultimate generational trivia game, Battle of the Ages pits old school versus new school and tests who knows more about each other’s generation. Exciting new preschool games will be added to the range, complementing the standout successes including Shark Bite, Banana Blast, and Don’t Wake Dad, which give Goliath an already strong portfolio. The preschool, kids and family and adult games will benefit from TV, alongside a strong digital campaign targeting parents and gift givers across a variety of games throughout the A/W season.

Guess what… Goliath will be adding some exciting preschool games to its ranges in time for autumn/winter

toysnplaythings.media 01/03/2021 11:39

AMBASS ADORS SPECIAL

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More new tiny teste rs join th FunPlay e TnP Am Number Rods an bassado d Constr rs this m uction C onth, try ubes fro ing out t m EDX E he ducation Like many parents around the UK, dad Alex has been busy homeschooling Oscar, seven, and Blossom, who has just turned four. So he was delighted to receive something that might add a "The blocks help bit of variety to the homeschool day. “We like the design and the creativity of the packs,’’ he says. me with every “It meant the children didn’t realise they were learning, even through the creative play. type of maths “The Construction Cubes are an extension of and the things one of the tools used at school as they are of you can make similar design, so the children are familiar with using them. with them are “We've found they are great for hands-on fun The colours learning, and really help Oscar and Blossom visualise what is in front of them, especially when make it easy school has only provided you with a sheet of to see how paper with some maths questions on! to make the “We have used the Creative Cubes and Number Rods to help with all sorts of numeracy shapes'' topics, not just shapes and counting, which is excellent. They really are incredibly versatile kits.’’ One of the other benefits of the Number Rods and Construction Cubes is that they can encourage creative play as well as maths play. There are examples of models to make - ideal for helping children learn to follow instructions and develop fine motor skills - but they can also just use their imagination to create whatever they want. “You can use them for building all sorts of models and shapes outside of the activity cards provided,’’ says Alex, “which is ideal for allowing imagination to flow. Oscar has built some very elaborate models and designs by himself.’’ Alex adds: “They are very easy to use. The parts all fit together well, and come apart very easily, which is great for little hands. But they are sturdy when fitted together, so there’s no need to worry about parts flying everywhere!’’ Because they come in a complete kit with activity sheet and idea cards, Alex liked the fact that there was no need to buy anything else, or source other activity cards. Included in the box are trays, which are: “very handy and an excellent idea for keeping each set together, especially when using multiple sets at the same time or when siblings are playing with them! “Blossom used them to practise counting and shape identification - the fact that they are colourful is great for this. And they are easy enough for Oscar to help Blossom by himself. Both have gone back to them again and again and have used them for both counting and shape building. “The Number Rods are good for looking at measurements - again the bright colours helped - which then encouraged "We have these at Blossom to think about the length of everyday items and she went off measuring items around the house!’’ preschool. I can

Oscar, seven, says:

Blossom, four, says: make whatever I want with these''

Contact Edx Education 020 70975173 |www.edxeducation.com

toysnplaythings.media TnP AmbassadorsNM.indd 1

01/03/2021 11:54

FEATURE PRESCHOOL

Flair Rainbow Designs

Perfect for preschoolers Many preschoolers will have lived as much as half of their lives during a lockdown, so how are toys helping them deal with this new world? We ask retailers and suppliers

the child will play and interact with the toy hese are unusual times, and one is at the forefront of our minds. We look to of the differences for parents of ensure that our products have something younger children is that there is less extra to extend the length of time the interaction for little ones. No baby child is engaged, such as roleplaying with and toddler groups, no cousins or friends removable coats or poseable figures.’’ popping round - and less time spent at Fun is the key, say Charlotte Rodgers and nurseries and preschools. Iulia Toader, marketing managers for the Just Parents are concerned about this lack Play brands & GP portfolio, Flair. “Preschool of social interaction, so they are on the toys that are education-led are great, but lookout for sensory/development toys, kids also need some good old traditional fun! according to a survey of 4,000 parents in For preschoolers, our heritage the Your Baby Club network. brands Stickle Bricks and More than three-quarters Fun! Plasticine, which tick the box for of mums now consider that Everything should both creative and educational playing and toys are ‘vital’ play, have proved hugely for their child’s development, start here for popular amid lockdown.’’ and even more (79%) preschoolers “Preschool toys have provided consider educational and Mayur Pattni, entertainment, education, developmental potential as Simba Smoby Toys physical wellbeing, and more,’’ the most important feature says Mayur Pattni, head of of a toy. Creativity and marketing/UK marketing manager, Simba interactivity also rank highly. Smoby Toys UK. “But no one toy can do all So how do suppliers feel about this shift of these things at once, and our portfolio towards more educational and STEM toys reflects these different needs. Take Smoby and will it affect their offering going forward? - the playhouses, introductory ride-ons and “Our collections feature some of the mostrole-play products are not only heaps of loved nursery preschool characters, all fun; they’re also great for supporting early designed to encourage sensory exploration, development. Then there’s our Masha and aid the development of fine motor skills the Bear master toy collection, which remains and encourage learning through play,’’ super popular with preschoolers, but for very says Alys Dawson, head of product different reasons.’’ development and creative services at “When we talk about learning and Rainbow Designs. education in the early years, it’s important “In the design and creation phase, how

“

Feature PreSchool (MARK'S).indd 1

to recognise that we’re not just looking at traditional school subjects,’’ points out Phil Cassidy, joint managing director at Casdon. “Children need to learn about the world around them, and role-play toys offer kids a fantastic opportunity to explore their environment. They also have the added benefit of supporting early development, helping to improve motor skills, planning and more.’’ Creative subjects are also key, says Amy Wildman, national account manager at Halilit. “Collections such as Halilit Music have always been popular with parents who are aware of the many developmental benefits widely associated with music making, while Edushape toys have evolved from a background supplying education and so are perfect for parents eager to aid their child’s cognitive as well as physical development. Over this past year we have certainly seen a boom in consumer demand for these more educational styles of toys.’’ Licensed toys are also popular, especially when they link to TV characters. But how important are they in preschool ranges? For MV Sports’ joint MD Phil Ratcliffe, they are “of critical importance for preschoolers, as they involve characters that they are familiar with, can identify with and can roleplay their adventures with.’’ Charlotte Rodgers & Iulia Toader at Flair agree: “In fact, licensing accounts for a huge

toysnplaythings.media 01/03/2021 11:24

FEATURE PRESCHOOL

Ask the retailers Which preschool toys are proving popular at the moment?

“When we talk about learning and education in the early years, it’s important to recognise that we’re not just looking at traditional school subjects” Phil Cassidy, Casdon

part of the toy industry as a whole, and year-on-year we see growth in licensed toys. 2020 highlighted the power of licences. With kids spending more time at home, they also consumed more TV, video on demand and digital content. “In the preschool licensing sector, Blue’s Clues & You was recently named the number one new licence globally (source: The NPD Group YTD Dec-20). As Master Toy Partner for Blue’s Clues & You, we’ll be rolling out our master toy line trade-wide from 1 July, and we can’t wait to see Josh and Blue take the UK market by storm!’’ “There’s certainly a place in the toy box for licensed ranges,’’ agrees Simba Smoby Toys UK’s Mayur Pattni. “Pairing certain play patterns, such as imaginative play, with a child’s favourite licence, can really support engagement.’’ Alys Dawson at Rainbow Designs adds: “Licences do hold a very significant draw and TV properties certainly - but not only. Parent and grandparent influences and purchases are very much driven by brands they have grown up with, know and trust. “Coupled with associations that are driven from both early years literacy and entertainment, little ones form strong bonds with much-loved characters.’’ The same is true for Spin Master’s Paw Patrol toys: “The Paw Patrol pups, with their different personalities and abilities, allow children to connect and relate to their favourite characters and also understand that despite the different abilities among them, the team always works together to complete their missions,’’ explains Phil Hooper, senior commercial director. Casdon toys manage to combine the two, says Phil Cassidy. “We consider it our job to provide the toys that make it safe for kids to do as the grown-ups do, and we work hard to make sure our toys look as authentic as they can be. In fact, we’re

often told that our replica appliances have been mistaken for the real thing – even by the parents!’’ So, we’ve covered education and STEM, and familiar characters from TV, films and online, but what is the most important feature of a preschool toy? “Our role-play toys are typically bought by parents, grandparents and gift buyers – purchasing isn’t particularly influenced by pester power. So, when it comes to important features of pre-school toys, it’s not just the things the children are going to love - it’s the things that adults are going to love too! One of the biggest selling-points of preschool toys is value for money,’’ says Phil Cassidy at Casdon. For Rainbow Designs’ Alys Dawson, it’s the bond that a child creates with a particular toy “and that is the special spark created between a trusted brand and a really special toy. The connection that little ones form with classic characters is unmistakable - and the joy of playing and learning with their favourite cuddly friend inspires little minds and is key to development.’’ At Spin Master, most important is a toy that “inspires imaginative and active play for children,’’ says Phil Hooper. When Flair develops preschool toys they must have “lots of play value to retain and entertain those shorter attention spans. Toys that offer great play value also represent great value for parents and gift givers too. We love preschool toys that have plenty of lights, sounds and features to play with,’’ say Charlotte Rodgers and Iulia Toader. At MV Sports & Leisure, with its ride-on toys and new Musical Toddler Swing, Phil Ratcliffe says: “It has got to be correctly sized, built to last, and fit for purpose.’’ Mayur Pattni at Simba Smoby Toys probably sums it up for all of us: “Fun! Everything should start here for preschoolers,’’ she concludes.

The Galt Pop Up toy is consistently our best seller. Also popular are Peppa Pig sets and Halilit musical toys.

Licensed toys are popular within preschool ranges. Have you noticed a rise in demand for any particular ranges? Peppa Pig is always popular, as is Peter Rabbit, but I don’t do masses of licensed ranges so I can’t say beyond those really. Amanda Alexander, Giddy Goat Toys, Didsbury, Manchester

Which preschool toys are proving popular at the moment? I love the SmartMax range. Usually when I show someone these they are equally impressed. Also wooden toys and ecofriendly items are on the up.

With some playgroups and nurseries closed, it looks like preschool toys are becoming more education-led than ever before? Mostly people come to me for gifts. A lot of the time they want the presents to be more fun and prefer not to go down the educational road. But I always try to have something to offer. I found that once ‘STEM’ terminology came in, it got applied to everything and anything and didn’t necessarily deliver. Jennie Hogg, Cachao Toys, Muswell Hill, London

Which preschool toys are proving popular at the moment? We’re doing very well with Galt, which has a very good range. Hape, Halilit and Melissa & Doug as well, along with Jellycat’s preschool range, Tomy and VTech (the more mainstream ones). Generally that sector has been doing quite well. I’ve got lots of gaps on my shelves and I’ve got deliveries piled up by the door to process and put out in that section so... it’s always a big sector for me: nursery and preschool.

Are preschool toys becoming more education-led? It’s been more the case that customers are buying more toys that have an educational element to them. They want something with a bit more. For instance, some of the Hape stuff is really clever: it’s wood but electronic. It’s environmentally better so it ticks the wooden box, and it’s got a bit more modern stuff going on with it.

Licensed toys - have you noticed a rise in demand for any ranges in particular? Peppa has become an evergreen now. Paw Patrol is another good one. They are the two I have the most of. I try not to get heavily involved with preschool licences because of the margins. Paul Wohl, Argosy Toys, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex

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FEATURE PRESCHOOL

Thanks for the memory! GALT TOYS 0161 428 9111 www.galttoys.com

Guess what…

Galt Toys aims to inspire learning through First Water Magic play, and in 2021 is offers opportunities expanding many of for mess-free, indoor its ranges so it can fun on rainy days continue to engage and entertain babies and children alike. The Play and Learn range from Galt now includes the delightful Antarctica Game and the 3 Little Pigs Game. The Antarctica Game is an exciting memory game that encourages numeracy skills and colour recognition, and the 3 Little Pigs Game teaches valuable storytelling and teamwork skills. Both are crafted with quality wood and thick-wipe clean board and are ideal first games for ages two and up. It’s never too early to begin puzzling, and the Colour Matching Puzzles and 4 Puzzles in a Box Woodland set are the ideal starting point for ages 18 months and up. Young children will love to match and sort the pieces with these fun and quick to build puzzles. For mess-free activities perfect for rainy days indoors or on-the-go, look no further than First Water Magic for ages 18 months and up. With a chunky pen for little hands, titles such as Baby Ocean and Baby Dinosaurs provide hours of creative fun.

Animal magic SCHLEICH

01279 870 000 www.schleich-s.com/en/GB

Did you know? The Happy Cow Wash can be played with using real water and includes a rotating turntable

In 2021, Schleich’s popular Farm World and Wild Life preschool ranges will include new animal figurines, play sets and a new collectables concept - Puzzlemals - to delight young animal lovers. Schleich’s Wild Life adventures around the world continue as an Emperor Penguin, Warthog and Proboscis monkey join endangered species such as the Anteater and the Platypus. The Alpaca Set joins the Polar Playground, where two little polar bears frolic about on an ice floe that can even float in the bathtub. The Meerkat Hangout, with three cute meerkats, promises to be very popular. Fans of Schleich’s Farm World can look forward to adding a shaggy Highland Bull, Llama, and Silver Dapple Mare to their collection, as well as a Jack Russell Terrier, Poodle and Bengal Cat. The Sunny Day Mobile Farm Stand is home to a wide range of farm produce and, back on the farm, the Happy Cow Wash can be played with using real water and includes a rotating turntable. In September, Schleich will launch a new collectable concept called Puzzlemals. By joining together six different front and rear animal halves from the Wild Life and Farm World ranges, preschoolers can create funny and crazy combinations – with something new emerging each time.

toysnplaythings.media

Your All NEW Favourites…

OY: MASTER T Figures, Playsets, sh Feature Plu & Role Play

Follow FlairGP.co.uk .co.uk For our full range of toys! Toys&Playthings_FlairDisneyAd_March.indd 1

23/02/2021 12:50:27

FEATURE PRESCHOOL

A Flair for preschool play! FLAIR 0208 643 0320 www.flairgp.co.uk The all-new Blue’s Clues & You range from Flair and Just Play brings the fun-learning preschool show to life. A must-see is Peek-A-Blue, who plays an exciting game of peek-a-boo, and be sure to check out Dance-Along Blue. There are also collectable figures and playsets, including the hero line of the range Blue’s House Playset. Plus, there’s a brilliant roleplay collection, which includes items that will be instantly recognisable from the show: The Ultimate Handy Dandy Notebook, Sing-Along Guitar, Mail Time with Mailbox, and more! Another pre-school favourite is Flair’s Just Play Minnie & Mickey collection, which lets preschoolers take the on-screen Disney fun into the playroom! There’s a fabulous assortment of feature plush, preschool figures, vehicles and playsets to be enjoyed – the Mickey Mouse Farm Fun Playset will be front of mind with Flair’s TV and digital marketing plan. An exciting A/W21 launch is the Magic Dreamlight. This super-soft plush line takes

the shape of an adorable unicorn, which has been designed to help children to relax ahead of bedtime and prepare them for a sound night’s sleep! Meanwhile, Flair’s premium plush brand Trudi has gifting all wrapped-up with its adorable range of high-quality plush pals. The softest of first companions that will be treasured for years to come is the backbone of this brand. Finally, Flair adds to its heritage ranges in 2021 with Sevi, the internationally renowned wooden toy brand. March launches include the Doctor’s Set, Tea Set, Alphabet Letters, and a chorus of pretend play musical instruments: the Music Centre Dog is an absolute must-see!

Guess what... The Magic Dreamlight, a super-soft plush Unicorn, will help little ones relax at bedtime

Learn at home EDX EDUCATION 020 70975173 | edxeducation.com Edx Education FunPlay educational toys are an engaging way for children to play, create and learn, especially at home. Children’s minds are curious; they need to explore and experiment by learning through play, especially in the early years. It may be child’s play, but these FunPlay educational kits will have a ripple effect on young imaginations. Encouraging learning through play with the interactive activity cards and the Fun2 Messy tray, children can play in a group or by themselves. Educational toys spark children’s imagination while exploring key areas for STEM-based learning and so much more. The FunPlay range is for children from 18 months to six years, and it encapsulates many activities.

Feature PreSchool (MARK'S).indd 4

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FEATURE PRESCHOOL

It’s a s’Masha hit! SIMBA SMOBY TOYS 01620 674 778 www.simba-dickie-group.com/en/home/ Following another successful year as Master Toy Partner for Masha and the Bear, Simba Smoby Toys UK is set to take its preschool portfolio from strength to strength, with fresh introductions to look forward to across the range. The firm’s lovable Masha and the Bear collection, which comprises a wide selection of Masha dolls, Bear plush, feature-packed playsets, and collectables, remains a popular choice among little ones. And, this year, Simba Smoby Toys UK will continue to drive demand for the range, with its marketing campaign. The Masha 23cm soft bodied Doll, Masha 40cm Bear Plush, and Masha 23cm doll and 40cm Bear will continue to benefit from TV promotion in 2021, as will the Bear House Playset, which opens up to reveal Bear’s cosy cottage inside. Alternatively, go bigger and delight young fans with the Big Bear House Playset, which features two levels of play, multiple interactive features, sound effects, and comes with a couple of The Masha Shake & figures and furniture pieces for play straight out the box. You’ll Sound Interactive also want to be first in line to meet an exciting introduction for Doll promises to A/W21. The Masha Shake & Sound Interactive Doll promises bring the world to capture imaginations and bring the world of Masha and the Bear to life for young fans. of Masha and the The full preschool offering includes playhouses, introductory Bear to life ride-ons and Disney Plush.

Fact!

50 years of much-loved classics RAINBOW DESIGNS 01329 227300 | www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk The Home of Classic Characters celebrates 50 years of Rainbow Designs in 2021. There will be some exciting new additions to the Adventures of Paddington toy range, such as playsets including Paddington’s Rescue Set. Peter Rabbit The Runaway, is set to be seen on the big screen this May, so look out for Talking Peter Rabbit Soft Toy and Giant Peter Rabbit Soft Toy. A new addition to the Rainbow Family this year is the We’re Going on a Bear Hunt brand with the introduction of a super soft, cuddly and not-sogrizzly 20cm Bear soft toy and a colourful Wooden Shape Puzzle.

Building creative play BASIC FUN! 0118 925 3270. www.BasicFun.com From creative construction to construction vehicles, all the way through to plush, Basic Fun! offers an early introduction to multiple categories. The Kid K’Nex fun themed multi-build sets encourage little ones to think outside the blocks! The soft, chunky, flexible easy fit and pull apart pieces are perfect for little hands, so they’ll be building and creating in no time. Little ones can make 30 different dinosaurs with Kid K’Nex Dino Dudes. Tonka continues to inspire little ones aged three years and over to come up with new storylines for their creative construction play. Not to be missed this spring is an all-new lineup of Tonka Mini Movers, with the launch of Wave 2 Metal Movers Single Packs and Wave 3 Metal Movers Combo Pack. Tonka Tough Dirt is a no-mess sand compound that mimics real construction site conditions. Meanwhile, the Tonka Metal Movers combo pack is all about mighty construction vehicles.

Feature PreSchool (MARK'S).indd 5

Grow through play CASDON 07951 033234 www.casdon.com The Casdon preschool portfolio continues to help little ones grow through play. In the licensing space, there’s a great selection of replica toys to make role-play feel just like the real thing. Top picks include the Dyson Cord-Free Vacuum, a direct replica of the life-size cordless Dyson, which even features working suction! A perfect addition to any pretend play kitchen is the Casdon Morphy Richards Kitchen Set, which comes with a fillable coffee maker, kettle with water level indicator, and a pop-up toaster. For a spot of creative play, the Casdon Wooden Easel comes with both a chalkboard surface and a wipe-clean magnetic surface.

toysnplaythings.media 01/03/2021 10:56

FEATURE PRESCHOOL

Pups and pigs ride on MV SPORTS & LEISURE 0121 748 8000 www.mvsports.com

Planet-friendly toys CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com For preschool fun that has been produced with future generations in mind, look no further than Character Options’ line-up of environmentally friendly preschool toys. First, Character Options presents its wonderful World of Wood: a beautiful collection of licensed toys crafted from FSC certified wood. Big news for spring is the arrival of two new licences: Disney Princess and Fireman Sam. Step into the world of Disney Princess Wooden Toys. This enchanting offering brings the magic of Disney to life for young children. What Disney Princess fan wouldn’t love Cinderella’s Wooden Carriage, complete with Cinderella, Jacq, and the Fairy Godmother double-sided wooden figures? This push along carriage features smooth rolling wheels and drop ‘n’ play feet so that the characters can be easily slotted into place. Meanwhile, coming later in the year is the highly giftable Enchanted Royal Castle Wooden Playset, which includes eight wooden figures and features key rooms and beautiful accessories from the magical world of Disney. Meanwhile, everyone’s favourite hero next door is ready for action. A must-see in the Fireman Sam Wood collection is the Four Figure Character set, featuring two-sided figures on individual bases, which is perfect for imaginative play and storytelling. But where is Sam without his trusty fire engine? The wooden Jupiter Fire Engine features free-wheeling wheels, removable equipment panels and a poseable rescue platform, as well as a double-sided Fireman Sam and Penny figure. Finally, watch out for the feature-packed Pontypandy Fire Station playset, which is scaled for play with the other figures and the wooden Jupiter Fire Engine. For Peppa Pig Wood, the new Peppa Pig Wooden Campervan Playset comes with figures and dual-purpose accessories, including a removable roof/picnic table and a barbeque. There’s also Peppa’s Wooden Playhouse, which comes with 25 accessory parts. Another preschool range that has a strong sustainability message is Peppa Pig Eco Plush. This adorable collection of soft toys is made from 100% recycled materials and with FSC certified packaging, using plant-based printing inks. The eight-inch super soft Red Dress Peppa is supplied in its own platform box. Peppa’s dress features a green leaf emblem to indicate that she’s an eco-friendly toy option. There’s also the six-inch collectable plush, which is available in a CDU assortment of Peppa and George.

Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig remain the pre-eminent evergreen properties for preschoolers and for 2021 MV has refreshed the entire Paw Patrol range with new bright, bold colours, exciting patterns and all their favourite pups! New products include the Bobble ride-on and 6V Plush ride-ons featuring Chase, Marshall, and Sky, complete with authentic Paw Patrol features and sounds. Peppa Pig also features stunning graphics and bright colours on the new Bobble ride-on, perfect for building key motor skills. Additionally, MV’s Tilt ‘n’ Turn scooter has been upgraded to feature LED light-up wheels. New hot licences for this year include CoComelon, Hey Duggee and Baby Shark.

A whole Lotto fun! ORCHARD TOYS 01953 859539 www.orchardtoys.com Winner of a Mother and Baby Gold Award in 2021 for Best Toddler Toy, Old MacDonald Lotto is the perfect introduction to gameplay for children as young as two. Children will develop their matching and memory skills as they race to be the first to find all the farmyard characters to fill their board, and as they play they can be encouraged to make lots of ‘moos’, ‘baas’ and ‘quacks’! There’s lots of fun to be had in Smelly Wellies as preschoolers match pairs of wellies to their gooey monsters! A fun and simple matching game, Smelly Wellies features hilarious characters that children will love. In the Post Box Game, preschoolers match the letters to the coloured boxes. It’s perfect to develop key early childhood skills such as hand-eye coordination skills, colour recognition and matching skills. First Farm Friends, meanwhile, is suitable for puzzle fans from just 18 months old. The two 12-piece jigsaw puzzles feature friendly farmyard animals to piece together.

toysnplaythings.media

A perfect introduction! WILTON BRADLEY 01626 835400 | www.wiltonbradley.com Confidence is key, and that’s where the Xootz Scout Tri-Scooter comes into its own. Designed to help little ones grasp the basics of scooter riding, this threewheeled version of a traditional scooter helps them practise their balance and stability. Tri-Scooters work by tilt and turn steering, meaning kids simply lean in the direction they want to go and the wheels will then turn, making it a great introduction to the world of scootering for kids aged three to six. Featuring an adjustable and foldable stem for comfortable riding even as they grow, a rear brake so they stay in control and a wide footplate for improved stability, the Xootz Scout Tri-Scooter is the perfect gateway to traditional scootering.

An Exciting New Toy Range for Preschoolers!

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MARCH 2021

FEATURE PRESCHOOL

That’s the wonder of Crayola! VIVID TOYS 01483 449944 vividtoysandgames.co.uk/ Creativity can be messy, but it doesn’t have to be with Crayola Color Wonder. Mess Free Color Wonder delivers the fun of creative expression without the mess. The Color Wonder inks only appear on the special Color Wonder Paper - not on skin, clothing, or furniture. The invisible ink does not appear on anything that a little Picasso should not be colouring on, but magically turns to colour as it touches the special colouring pages. Watch as the colour magically appears, and discover hidden designs within the pages. Color Wonder is the perfect mess-free solution, as the fun stays on the page! Kids will love colouring in their favourite characters as Color Wonder colouring pages feature popular favourites such as Disney Princess, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and awesome movie characters from Toy Story 4 and Frozen. In 2021 the Color Wonder range is introducing more colourful adventures with preschool kids’ favourite themes Love Diana and CoComelon.

Pups rev up the Moto excitement SPIN MASTER

01628 535 000 | www.spinmastertoys.co.uk Nick Jr’s Paw Patrol Moto Pups will be hitting screens this month and with it comes a new range of awesome toys for fans of the hit TV show to enjoy, including the Moto Pups Deluxe Vehicles and Moto Pups HQ Playset. The Moto Pups HQ Playset features exciting sounds and a motorcycle launch ramp, just like the headquarters from the show. Perfectly paired with the playset are the new Moto Pups Deluxe Vehicles. With authentic graphics and details, large wheels and a pull-back function allowing the motorcycle to perform wheelies, the Moto Pups Deluxe Vehicles bring the motorcycles from the show to life for extra realistic and adventurous role play.

Feature PreSchool (MARK'S).indd 8

Also new from Spin Master is the Paw Patrol Rocky Reuse It Truck. Equipped with rolling wheels and moving arms, the recycling-themed truck makes it easy to play out imaginative missions with Rocky and the rest of the Paw Patrol team. Little ones looking for less action and more cuddles will love Gund’s Flora the Bunny. Packed with interactive features and made from a soft, huggable material that meets famous Gund quality standards, Flora is a perfect new fluffy friend for children aged six months and up.

toysnplaythings.media 01/03/2021 10:57

Bright and bold BANDAI UK 020 8324 6160 | www.bandai.co.uk The CoComelon licensed toy range, manufactured by Jazwares, is a major focus for UK distributer Bandai UK this year. CoComelon, which just surpassed 100 million subscribers on YouTube, teaches children how to take on everyday activities, and role models positive behaviour with a sense of enthusiasm. Kids can easily relate to the universal themes and everyday narratives such as eating your vegetables, learning to tie your shoes and getting ready for bed. With its bright and bold colours and cheerful nursery rhymes and phrases, CoComelon attracts children aged one to four to sing and dance along with JJ and his siblings as they learn letters, numbers, animal sounds, colours and more. The CoComelon line has expanded for S/S 2021 with an exciting collection of new SKUs, which include First Act Instruments, a new collectables range, a musical tractor and additional plush. The CoComelon Musical Keyboard is programmed with the ABC song and Music song - both familiar to children and parents who watch the show. The CoComelon Musical Xylophone is a highly durable instrument inspired by videos from the CoComelon YouTube Series.

Time for tea! UNIVERSITY GAMES www.university-games.co.uk | 0207 0100 254 University Games has a fantastic portfolio of games and puzzles created specifically for the youngest of little players and creators! From The Tiger Who Came to Tea and In The Night Garden to The World of Dinosaur Roar, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the games and puzzles specialist has a preschool range full of brands and characters that little ones love! New for 2021 is a double-sided board game based on Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea storybook. It has been specifically created for preschoolers, from the age of two, who enjoy the antics of the naughty tiger! The Tiger is extremely hungry, so players have to uncover as many nice treats as possible for the Tiger to create the ultimate tea party. The reverse side is a fun domino game; both games are quick to set up with easy-toplay rules and encourage the development of fine motor skills as well as aiding colour and object-matching skills. My First 100 Words pictorially and alphabetically introduces little ones to their essential first words and is a licence based on the book series that is on virtually every millennial parents’ shopping list. The game series has been designed to introduce learning concepts to two-year-olds and features a Numbers and Shapes Bingo Game, a My First 100 Words Activity Game and three different Matching Card Games.

MARCH 2021

Cat steers into preschool arena FUNRISE UK 01908 555640 | www.funrise.com Last year, Funrise UK steered its construction vehicle brand Cat into the preschool arena with its new range of Cat Junior Crew vehicles. This year, there’s a fresh fleet of character vehicles. The Cat Junior Crew vehicles are the fun characterised vehicles that offer younger children an immersive play experience with this iconic construction brand. These cute but mighty construction vehicles place tots in the middle of the action, with plenty of cool features that let them take control of the vehicle’s every move. Big news for autumn is the launch of the Junior Crew Tipper. Measuring 14.5in long, the Tipper is programmed to say more than 50 phrases. What’s more, he has motorised facial movements whenever he speaks, awesome functions with sound and light effects, motorised wheels, and mechanical bucket and dump bed actions. There’s also the Fix-It Fleet Assortment to look forward to this autumn.

FEATURE

OUTDOOR TOYS

Funrise

Stay and

playcation Outdoor toys have proved to be a big lockdown success story for the industry. TnP finds out how retailers and suppliers are benefiting from this trend

n 2020, Brits turned to toys to bring comfort, joy, and support to cope with the challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to The NPD Group, the combination of ‘on and off’ work and study from home mandates, and the closure of tourism, hospitality and leisure venues, led families to rediscover the value of play. Outdoor toys saw category growth of +15%. Good weather during the spring and summer lockdown provided opportunities for families to bring fun and add in some exercise. Outdoor toys also had the benefit of helping to compensate for missed holidays at Easter and during the summer. As Mookie Toys international marketing & e-commerce manager Kyle Maglione recalls, since lockdown “demand for outdoor toys has been phenomenal. Last year the perfect storm of good weather and families at home meant we saw demand for outdoor toys push further into Q3 and Q4. With holidays on hold, parents are investing more in their homes and gardens. Covid has brought to light the need for children to remain active throughout the year - not just in the summer months - and we expect demand to continue long after lockdown restrictions have ended.’’ James Dixon, commercial director UK & Ireland of Funrise UK, agrees. “Last spring, the UK was put into lockdown just as the weather started warming up, which saw sales soar for

the Gazillion Premium Bubbles brand, and for outdoor toys in general,” he says. “This increased demand continued through S/S20. Families were spending more time in their gardens to keep their kids amused and active. This year, with families still likely to be spending more time at home, we expect the outdoor category will thrive once again, especially as the weather starts to warm up!” Phil Ratcliffe, joint managing director of MV Sports & Leisure, supports this view. “We experienced double digit consumer sales growth last year and cleaned out of all domestic stock in the summer months, especially bikes, football products, play tents, scooters, swings, slides and trampolines. So far this year the trend is continuing. We have increased our domestic range significantly and incorporated lots of newness which will stimulate further demand.” Mayur Pattni, head of marketing/UK marketing manager of Simba Smoby Toys UK, also reports positive findings: “With families spending more time at home, our outdoor brand Smoby thrived last year and continues to be a top performer this year, especially our Smoby playhouses and ride-ons.” With travel abroad uncertain this summer, and Covid here to stay for the foreseeable future, most families are likely to spend more time at home and in their gardens this year - which can only be good news for suppliers and retailers of outdoor toys.

Wilton Bradley

Ask the retailers What outdoor toys do you stock? “I’ve recently started working with Yvolve: a supplier of balance bikes and scooters that does drop shipping which is great, as I’m really short of space. I have a few in the shop and a range online. Apart from that, I generally stick to Frisbees, kites and paddling pools due to my shortage of storage space. I’d love to see more suppliers offer drop shipping services of outdoor play equipment and mini catalogues that we could give out or put online. It’s way too cold, wet and miserable now, but I think the scooters and balance bikes will start to fly out come April.” Amanda Alexander, Giddy Goat Toys, Didsbury, Manchester

“I haven’t got space for products like garden swings. But balls and outdoor games, yes. During the heatwave last summer I couldn’t get enough water guns. I had a lot of requests for kites as well. I had a few requests for larger outdoor toys, but at the time I was closed and I couldn’t take the risk of buying them. This summer, I will definitely look into options - especially as the government is advising us not to book summer holidays, so more people will be going mad in the garden, I imagine. Jennie Hogg, Cachao Toys, Muswell Hill, London

toysnplaythings.media

ELECTRIC GO KART

01626 835400

sales@wiltonbradley.co.uk

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www.wiltonbradley.co.uk

FEATURE

OUTDOOR TOYS

Wheely fun WILTON BRADLEY 01626 835400 www.wiltonbradley.com Since 2014, Xootz has been making it easier than ever for kids to access the great outdoors in style. Now, with a contemporary asymmetric design, the Xootz Phantom & Shred 2.0 Stunt Scooters have arrived. Featuring precision quality ABEC-7 bearings, black and white 100mm PVC wheels and solid T-Bar stunt handlebars secured with a 3-bolt tube clamp, these scooters have all the essentials for taking on new tricks. The non-collapsible T-Bar handles with steel clamp and deck provide the rigidity required for the knocks and impacts it will receive, while the integrated aluminium brake provides the stopping power needed to ensure a safe and controllable ride. The Xootz ENVY Stunt V2 Black Green Y Bar Stunt Scooter is perfect for young shredders wanting a first stunt scooter setup. The precision quality ABEC-7 bearings and 100mm wheels, combined with a stunt scooter Y-Bar and secured with a 3-bolt tube clamp, ensure kids will be landing sick tricks in no time! This scooter is great for riders aged five and up, as it has a maximum weight of 100Kg.

Feature Outdoor (MARK'S).indd 2

Bubbling with possibility! FUNRISE 01908 555640 www.funrise.com Retailers and buyers will be afloat with success in the outdoor category, thanks to a flurry of new launches in the Gazillion Premium Bubbles range. Following an exceptional year of sales in 2020, Funrise UK remains committed to delivering plenty more magical moments with Gazillion Premium Bubbles in 2021. To ensure continued growth for the brand, there’s comprehensive marketing and PR support, as well as some exciting innovations across the portfolio. Perfect for lots of hands-free fun is the latest battery-powered machine from Gazillion Bubbles: the Rollin’ Wave, which lets families instantly create a wave of bubbles! At the press of a button, this design unleashes an endless flow of bubbles for kids to enjoy. Like all the other bubble machines in the collection, the Rollin’ Wave is highly durable and super easy to set up. Simply fill the bottom tray with solution, turn it on, and watch the bubbles begin. Also new for S/S21 is Gazillion Sky Bubbles. Fill the built-in, spill-proof tray with bubble solution, pull the cord, and a flyer will launch into the sky trailing a generous stream of super-sized bubbles. This device requires no batteries, and comes with bubble solution for instant play value, making it a great option for children looking to make their pocket money fly further. Plus, with its space-age, helicopter hybrid appearance, kids are sure to love it. Another must-see is the Mega Zillion Wand: 33 wands in one and an extra-long handle make it a popular choice for little arms that want to create more bubbles than ever before.

toysnplaythings.media 01/03/2021 10:59

INTEGRATED KICKSTAND

NERF BLASTER & DARTS INCLUDED

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FEATURE

OUTDOOR TOYS

Game on! MOOKIE TOYS

Mookie Toys had an extremely successful 2020 with many parents eager to get their hands on products to 01525 722769 | www.mookie.co.uk keep their children entertained and outdoors. Swingball consistently featured in NPD as a best seller and 2021 will see a fresh new look for the game, as well as the introduction of new products to get your heart rate up. Swingball products will feature an upgraded All Surface Base in bold new colours. Improvements will not only aid better performance but also allow for better in-store merchandising. Users will also have the option to practise their tennis skills with the launch of Tennis Trainers. With two in the range at different playing levels - the Tennis Trainer and Pro Reflex Tennis Trainer - you can practise your skills, no matter what your level. The Tennis Trainer Pro includes the Power Padel Bat: the first Swingball bat to replicate the feel and performance of a real racquet. After 2020 saw many parents investing in outdoor play, TP Toys is looking forward to releasing new play equipment. The TP Explorer Climbing Frame, which has been a TP best seller for more than 20 years, is

being reintroduced with exciting new play patterns as well as a new, premium Black edition with additional features, including a ball pit. Plus, brand new for 2021, TP Toys is releasing a working sink - perfect for mud kitchens and picnic tables. Working just like a real sink, it includes a tap and drainage system that reuses water over and over for continuous play. Finally, little ones will love the new TP Treehouse Wooden Play Tower, with the option to add a variety of different extensions such as a slide, swing and even a fireman’s pole.

Let’s play house!

Scoot away H. GROSSMAN 0141 613 2525 www.ozbozz.co.uk

SIMBA SMOBY TOYS UK 01620 674 778 www.simba-dickie-group.com/en/home Simba Smoby Toys UK’s Smoby brand is a one-stop shop for playhouses and outdoor activity toys. The Smoby Teepee Playhouse is a plastic Teepee that’s set to spice up staycation plans this year! With its simple design and neutral colour palette, the Teepee Playhouse has a minimalist Scandinavian appeal. A key selling point is its evolutive structure; as children grow, parents can adjust the height of the Teepee from 159cm to 183cm, making this play destination ideal for kids aged two to 10. Plus, it can be pitched indoors and outdoors, thanks to its UV resistance and sturdy foundations. And look out for the largest Smoby house yet! The Smoby Neo Friends House comes with six windows and shutters, a doorbell, secret door compartments and a picnic table to the rear. This playhouse can be purchased individually or with a kitchen extension. What’s more, it’s compatible with individual accessories, allowing little ones to customise their little play pad!

Out of the box! FLAIR 0208 643 0320 | www.flairgp.co.uk Flair introduces Juggleezz: the new craze for spring. Offering families an exciting way to get active, the Juggleezz Ball is the highly elastic, super-stretchy, hugely versatile ball that is perfect for tricksters and fidget toy lovers alike. Available in yellow and green, the Juggleezz Ball is already inspiring the YouTube, Instagram and TikTok crowd, as they create original content and set new challenges for others to try. Flair is supporting the brand with a 360-degree marketing plan, TV promotion and influencer activity.

Feature Outdoor (MARK'S).indd 3

The trusted Ozbozz brand from H. Grossman is a ‘go to’ for outdoor products and the Ozbozz Unicorn Light Up Scooter is continuing to be a winner. On the back of this, Ozbozz is introducing a more cost-effective Nebulus scooter, which doesn’t have the light-up function but does fold away. Look out for the Dinosaur scooter in the same range. The launch of the Rainbow and Tie Dye scooters will capture the mood of the nation. New introductions and range extensions for the scooter category are planned throughout 2021. An amazing surge of interest in all types of skateboards has been a noticeable trend over the last 12 months too – and the addition of skateboarding as an Olympic sport guarantees interest will grow in 2021. The Ozbozz brand has this covered with a comprehensive range of boards varying in size and cost from plastic neon skateboards to larger wooden skateboards.

toysnplaythings.media 01/03/2021 10:59

Reach for the moon CHARACTER OPTIONS 0161 633 9800 www.character-online.com Character Options has freshened up its outdoor toy range to offer families some exciting new play experiences to get hearts racing and blood pumping! First up is Moon Shoes, described as the original mini trampolines for your feet. With Moon Shoes kids can have fun as they jump with anti-gravity effects, while developing their balance and co-ordination skills. Made of quality, high-density plastic, with adjustable Velcro nylon closure straps, Moon Shoes feature a self-centring shoe platform and a non-skid grip surface for sure-footed, high-bouncing thrills. Next, Character Options introduces the Jump It Lap Counter. This jumping and skipping game is super easy: simply connect Jump It to one ankle, spin the ball, and jump the cord! Jump It records the laps, so all kids have to concentrate on is jumping and trying to beat their last score. It will keep track of up to 1,000 laps, so the challenge is set. Perfect for kids aged six and over, this activity requires no batteries, just ‘kid-power’. Finally, having launched last summer, KickerBall enters a league of its own for 2021. This football’s special panels channel air in ways your standard football can’t. Made with aerodynamic materials, budding football freestylers can learn to swerve, bend and curve this ball with ease.

MARCH 2021

FEATURE

OUTDOOR TOYS

Muddy make-believe MV SPORTS & LEISURE 0121 748 8000 | www.mvsports.com MV Sports & Leisure is launching some exciting new ecofriendly FSC-certified mud kitchens, perfect for encouraging active play and developing key motor skills. The range features three sturdy mud kitchens of slightly different sizes and specifications to cater for a variety of needs and outdoor spaces. One example is the Grove mud kitchen, which features a fillable sink with pretend taps, realistic hobs, and a make-believe oven to bake that perfect mud pie! Meanwhile, Hedstrom continues to hold strong in the outdoor arena with a co-ordinated range of quality metal play equipment including slides, swings, trampolines and multi-plays. MV Sports & Leisure describes its new Musical Toddler Swing as a category first: a sturdy first swing with a built-in music box with 20 pre-set sounds and smart phone connectivity for endless musical fun.

Did you know? The new range of three mud kitchens are ecofriendly and FSC-certified

Outdoor action SPIN MASTER

01628 535 000 www.spinmastertoys.co.uk The Aerobie 10in and 13in rings provide activity lovers big and small with endless outdoor action. Both feature a thin design that can create incredibly longdistance flights, with the Pro Ring even being used to set a Guinness World Record for the furthest throw a whopping 1,333ft. The design also includes an open centre, which allows players to personalise their throwing and catching styles. Ideal for some competitive fun, the Aerobie rings are a must-have for playing with friends and family during the spring and summer, whether in the back garden, park or playground.

A splash of fun VIVID TOYS 01483 449944 vividtoysandgames.co.uk Adding a splash of fun for the warmer months, look out for HydroClash: the new action water play brand that takes water fights to the next level. Fire water ammunition at your opponents or a target, and the colour reveal vest will show where you have fired your shot! There are three items in the range for launch: Target, Elite and Combat. After a great year in 2020, with two items in the top five of NPD’s Outdoor Sports category, Phlat Ball is back for 2021. The range includes the Phlat Ball V4 and the Phlat Ball Flash - with new colourways for 2021, it lights up on impact. There is also the Phlat Ball Junior that transforms from a 5.75in disc to a 4in ball. Super Wubble is a bubble ball that is super squishy, squashy and lightweight. Ranked number two by NPD for the best outdoor toy in summer 2020, look out for Wacky Wubble, with a wacky, prickly, tickly twist. And for the ultimate play fighting accessory, Wubble Rumblers provides hours of big bopping fun.

Feature Outdoor (MARK'S).indd 5

toysnplaythings.media toys playthings media 01/03/2021 11:00

TNP

LOOKS BACK

Step back in time TnP founder Malcolm Naish takes a look back through time to reflect on industry goings-on in March 2011, 2001, 1991 and 1983

March 1983

March 2001

• The then exhibition organiser for toy fair at Earl’s Court, was applauded by myself for carrying out a survey of visitors to the show. I highlighted the question “How many days do you devote to visiting the toy fair?”

• Three online toy operators were forced to close, including Toy Zone, losing many millions of pounds between them, but the Entertainer’s online offering continued to prosper as did Arbon & Watts with its Mailorderexpress.

• The answer was a pathetic 68% for just one day, 18% for two days and just 9% for three days. • The organiser was Simon Osborne. I wonder what the percentages would be if we asked the same question in 2022? • Buying group Associated Toys was being refused membership of Toymaster. At the time no reason was given for not allowing them to join. • Kiddicraft celebrated the sale of its millionth Clatterpillar. I still have my gold Clatterpillar given to me as a memento. Sadly, it is only gold in colour and does not have a hallmark! • Peter Pan Playthings was pictured celebrating its acquisition of the company from receivers for the Berwick-Timpo Group. Our pic showed Guy Carter, Peter Craig and Tom Rennie celebrating with the obligatory glass of champagne. • Masters of the Universe was taking off big time and Mattel was reaping the benefit. • I recorded that long-serving gentlemen Geoff Pritchard and Archie Bush would be retiring from Woolies at the end of May. Hands up who can remember who took their places? I know, of course!

March 1991 • I exhorted major buyers to place their orders earlier. If readers can remember back to 1991, business was tough, with many house-owners facing negative equity and buyers were not placing their orders early enough for suppliers to deliver on time for the last quarter.

• Beatties was forced into receivership. Hilco bought 13 of the 26 stores, retaining 116 of the 250 staff. • I was sad to report that following a stroke the previous year, Toymaster’s chairman Roy McDowell decided to step down. Roy was a lovely man and a great asset to Toymaster. • Terry Crew, chief executive of Impact International, added Jesmar to its portfolio. • Hornby Hobbies was seeing a boom in retro toys according to chief executive Frank Martin. Those boys that couldn’t afford these types of products when they were growing up in the ’50s and ’60s were now big buyers of the brands. Hornby expected profits to top the previous year’s results and, furthermore, the company was buying back 15% of its shares to flush out those that wanted to sell. • Britt Allcroft’s former licensing company, now known as Gullane, announced record interim six month profits of £4.8m – up 80% with turnover up 78% at £13.26m. • The GMTV New York toy fair annual presentation was once again very well attended, being held at the 21 Club. This was its ninth New York presentation and our pic showed Mr Barry Walker leaving the stretch limo with his companion.

March 2011

• Some buyers had also been told by their bosses NOT to place orders in the first two months of the year.

• Exciting news as it looked like Tomy would be buying Racing Champions in a deal that, if signed, would substantially increase Tomy’s global sales. The price? $640m.

• Barbie and Sindy were hitting the headlines. Barbie was about to release a pop record, which my contacts told me was the voice of Madonna, while Sindy was planning to get engaged on her 30th birthday – 1 October.

• Latest NPD figures put LEGO as the number one UK toy manufacturer. LEGO grew 28% in the first two months of 2011 against a market that grew 7% overall.

• I wondered whether the country’s favourite virgin might be adding some more grown-up accessories to her wardrobe come January 1992? Meanwhile, would Barbie be planning any nuptials in the future with Ken?

• Talking of LEGO, Worlds Apart had just signed a licence to make a ‘Go Glow’ light.

• LEGO announced that it would not be exhibiting at the 1992 toy fair – shock, horror!

• We were sad to report the death of John Sinfield who, along with his partner Chris Patrick, built a successful licensing company. Sadly, John was drowned while snorkelling in Barbados.

• Our WH Smith top 40 best selling games were headed up with Pictionary at number one, Trivial Pursuit at number two and Scrabble at number three. • Our TnP mystery shopper was visiting the Isle of Thanet trying to buy a Gameboy. Not one of the seven stores visited could sell him one, so we asked Nintendo for its comments. Mike Hayes, marketing mananger, told us: “At present Gameboy is distributed to electrical multiples, variety stores and computer shops.” However, it didn’t take long for Bandai to fill the void with great success.

MARCH 2021 Step back in Time (WITH IMAGES2).indd 1

• Online sales continued to see big growth. For Toys R Us its website accounted for 60% of its annual growth in 2010. • In the US, Wal-Mart, Target and other large retailers were waging a political campaign aimed at forcing Amazon to collect sales taxes.

25/02/2021 16:49

Toys n Playthings March 2021

Articles inside

Outdoor Toys - Stay and playcation

Perfect for Preschoolers

MD Interview Alex Green - Asmodee UK

Games & Puzzles - Stay ahead of the game

eBay UK - Keep on moving

Message for the Editor