Progressive Preschool November December 2015

The B2B Publication For Preschool Products and Retailers

ISSUE 20 NOV/DEC 2015

The Winner Is...

PPS Awards Highlights

Dream Toys

Feedback from the Experts

Safety First

Nursery Sector Overview

Wear and Tear Apparel Sector Update

Trade Publication. Sign up to our newsletter at www.progressive-preschool.com and follow us on Twitter at @prog_preschool COVERS_PPS_NOVEMBER 2015.indd 1

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Email: sales@littlelife.com Tel: 0118 981 1433 Web: www.littlelife.com

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www.progressive-preschool.com MARKET LEADING TRADE MAGAZINES

March/April 2013

MARKET LEADING TRADE EXHIBITIONS

MARKET LEADING TRADE AWARDS

this month NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

It would be remiss to begin this issue of Progressive Preschool Magazine without paying huge tribute to the hundreds nearly a thousand people who are in some way, shape, or form involved in making the Progressive Preschool Awards happen.

On November 12 this year, the industry converged upon the very lavish Dorchester Hotel, to celebrate the great and good of Above: Progressive Preschool’s Rob and Jacqui at preschool product, retail - and people.

This was the third year of the PPS awards, and this year’s Preschool Awards. we’re now in the fourth year of publishing PPS Magazine. One thing that is abundantly clear, is that our vision for cross category marketing did pay dividends for the people who matter - the industry at large. We live in a society and a world where one can’t be too choosy anymore. Retailers must diversify, suppliers must meet those new retailers, and as an industry together we can absolutely extend our reach beyond the norm. We thank everyone for their kind feedback to the event, rest assured that planning for next year is already underway, and you can bookmark your diary for November 10 2016.

For those of you who haven’t so far been involved in this awards programme, you can read more about the judging process on page 19 onwards, see first hand the party pictures on page 24, and browse the line up of finalists and winners from page 28. It costs nothing to enter these awards, but more importantly the judging process is completely independent. And that, as a magazine, is an honour and a privilege - to be able to watch and talk to retailers judging product, to host a debate panel of suppliers dissecting retail - it really does ensure that the people decide, and we understand more about what is making the sector tick.

Time and tide wait for no man, or woman, and so we must turn our attention to other great things happening in the last quarter of a particularly lively year. Dream Toys was hailed by many as the best event to date, and we’ve garnered some exhibitor feedback on page 60. We also have some interesting sector updates from the apparel and nursery garrets, while our line-up of columnists become philosophical as they round off the year.

2016 is not far away - and in terms of publishing a lively industry magazine, it’s actually already here. The team are neck-deep in preparing a great issue to kick-start 2016. If you’re an exhibitor at Toy Fair, Spring Fair, or Nuremberg (sorry, Spielwarenmesse), now is a great time to talk to us. We’ll see you all there.

The Progressive Preschool Team Rob Willis, Jacqui Parr, Samantha Loveday, Ian Hyder, Jakki Brown, Warren Lomax Max Publishing Ltd, United House, North Road, London N7 9DP T: 020 7700 6740 F: 020 7607 6411 www.max-publishing.co.uk

Our editorial wordsmiths include: Fiona Pavely, Sue Marks, and Michelle Board.

@prog_preschool

Progressive Preschool is published by Max Publishing Ltd. Rob Willis - Publisher. Jakki Brown - Editor-in-Chief and Joint Managing Director. Jacqui Parr - Editor. Samantha Loveday, Fiona Pavely, Michelle Board and Sue Marks - Editorial Wordsmiths. Ian Hyder and Warren Lomax Joint Managing Directors. Tel: 020 7700 6740 Fax: 020 7607 6411 Email: robw@max-publishing.co.uk, jacquip@max-publishing.co.uk, saml@max-publishing.co.uk Copyright 2012. The publishers cannot accept legal liability for any errors or omissions, nor can they accept responsibility for the standing of advertisers nor any organisation mentioned in the text.

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contents

07

NEWS – Reporting from the preschool sector

17

INDUSTRY ANALYSIS - Trend data from GfK Retail & Technology

19

JUDGEMENT DAY - Feedback from the PPS Awards judges

24

PRESCHOOL PARTY - A glimpse into the PPS after-party

28

THE WINNERS - Award winning product gallery

61

CATHY’S COLUMN - Are you exhibiting properly?

62

MEDIA WATCH - Spotted in the glossies

64

DREAM TOYS - Feedback from dreamy exhibitors

69

HAMLEYS - Stacey talks Christmas

70

SAFETY FIRST - Safety product update

74

APPAREL ACTION - AW16 is so this year

78

BEST SELLERS - Retail feedback Q4.

74

AWARD WINNING APPAREL

64

DREAM TOYS 2015

to request a catalogue, please contact 01692 408801 or visit www.bebecar.co.uk (Part of the East Coast Group)

BebecarUK

@BebecarUK

Hip-Hop tech in Gothic Plum, on a matt black chassis.

Optional matching car seat also available.

PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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www.progressive-preschool.com

PPS takes a look at the recent happenings in the preschool sector TOP STORY

Harrogate To Welcome Consumers Harrogate International Nursery Fair has announced that the 2016 event – taking place from 20-22 March – will see the trade show opening its doors to consumers for the first time.

Having served as a trade-only show for more than 45 years, Tuesday 22 March will see HINF acting as both

a trade show and a public open day.

The first two days of the show will remain exclusively trade only.

“We have been closely monitoring the changing situation of exhibitor participation at shows and how best we can offer the right platform for them to make the most of new opportunities that Harrogate can offer," explained Robert Anslow, managing director.

"What has become increasingly apparent is that manufacturers and suppliers want to raise their profiles to consumers and do more direct marketing on a business-to-consumer basis. " The announcement has been met

with positive feedback as exhibitors recognise the benefit of raising brand awareness to consumers. The main focus of the public day will be around the safe use of products and seminars and demos will be free for all to attend.

More information about the show, including details about exhibiting and booking forms are available online at www.nurseryfair.com.

Above: HINF will be opening its doors to prospective parents for the first time.

iCandy To The Rescue

Mothercare Making Progress

Pushchair company iCandy came to the aid of families affected by the recent Sharm el Sheikh flight suspension, sending a batch of its lightweight Raspberry pushchairs to UK airports to support British families returning from the Egyptian holiday destination.

Britons travelling home after a Russian plane crashed into the Sinai dessert killing 224 people were restricted to hand baggage only on repatriation flights, which meant that many parents were forced to leave pushchairs behind.

A number of the award-winning pushchairs were delivered to Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester airports for the families to use, free-of-charge.

A company spokesperson said they saw it as: "their duty to support as many parents as possible who require transportation for their young children."

Mothercare's half year results have been announced, and show that underlying profits for the store have more than doubled, with UK like-for-like sales rising by 3.8% in the 28 weeks to 10 October. UK operating losses have more than halved, to £6.1m for the first half of the year, and this good news was further boosted by a 22% rise in online sales, to the value of £78m.

“We are a year into our turnaround," said chief executive Mark NewtonJones, "making good progress against each of our strategic pillars and as a result underlying profits for the first

Britax Rebrands Nursery company Britax is rebranding its entire UK and Ireland car seat collection, bringing the branding in line with other key European regions.

From 1 January 2016, car seats in all EMEA regions will be branded as Britax Römer. The brand’s pushchair collection will continue to operate under the existing Britax name.

half have more than doubled.”

“Our work to return the UK business to profitability continues to pay off, with growth in both gross margins and like-for-like sales... Our new store format is going down well with customers, and these refurbished stores are delivering encouraging uplifts in both sales and profit.”

In the UK, Mothercare closed 16 stores in the quarter, refurbished eight and resited four. An ongoing refurbishment programme will see 20% of UK stores modernised before Christmas.

Toy Fair Registration Now Open Visitor and media registration is now open for the 63rd London Toy Fair, taking place at London’s Olympia from Sunday 24–Tuesday 26 January 2016.

New exhibitors in 2016 will include Magformers, JNH Europe, Arklu, Keycraft, TinyTodds and Suncrest as well as returnees such as Lego, Simba Smoby, Re:creation, Spin Master, John Adams, Character Options, Bandai, Vivid Toy Group, H Grossman and Flair

Leisure Group.

“We are really looking forward to Toy Fair 2016 for what is set to be another busy show full of innovative and exciting new launches and plenty of opportunities for visitors to network,” said Majen Immink, Toy Fair head of sales and operations.

Visitors can register for free at www.toyfair.co.uk.

BBC Highlights Car Seat Safety Concerns More than 90% of child car seat fitting demonstrations and advice provided by five of the biggest UK retailers are incorrect and potentially dangerous, according to an investigation conducted by the BBC's flagship consumer show, Watchdog.

The programme, which aired on BBC One on 8 October, visited branches of John Lewis, Toys R Us, Smyths Toy Stores, Mothercare and Halfords, to find that the retailers were giving incorrect and potentially dangerous fitting guidance.

As part of the investigation, Watchdog secretly filmed fitting demonstrations before showing the footage to industry experts and running crash tests.

All five retailers have said they will be reviewing their training.

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www.progressive-preschool.com LICENSING LOWDOWN

TOP STORY

Top 100 Baby Products Revealed A new guide featuring the Top 100 Baby Products highlights the most useful products needed for newborns, as voted on by real parents from across the UK. The new free publication and online content platform – which launched at The Baby Show – describes itself as 'the definitive guide for mums and dads'.

In addition to the product list, it also provides guidance and advice to anyone entering the often bewildering world of baby products.

A year in the making, the carefully curated selection of the best baby products was voted for by parents from around the UK, keen to share their hard-won knowledge and experiences.

The research team at Top 100 Baby Products – which was launched by new parents Zac Ghaffar and Letitia

Fashion First

INDX Kidswear is a unique trade show for independent retailers. Formally known as Independent Kids, INDX Kidswear – taking place at Cranmore Park in Solihull from 14–15 February 2016 – is expanding its current format to become the first stop for independent kidswear retailers in the UK and Ireland.

With just a few months to go and the February event is nearly sold out, with a number of brands are choosing to exhibit at INDX Kidswear for the first time. These include: Angels & Fishes, Amabelle Babylis, Itty London, Bench, From Babies With Love, Grand Goods, Isabella Babywear, Kidiwi, My Little Ducklings, Oxford Shirt Company, Pink Apples and Powell Craft.

Visitors can register now at www.indxshow.co.uk.

Above: Parents have their say on the pick of the products.

Maciel – reaches out to these parents via focus groups, birth centres, baby shows, health centres, nurseries, online parenting networks and social media. With no pre-selected list of products from which to choose, parents can vote for any product which stands out to them.

The final list, which includes brands such as iCandy, Brother Max and Le Toy Van, can be seen online at www.top100babyproducts.com.

Prestigious Publishing Partnerships Dedicated children's publisher Nosy Crow has signed an exclusive partnership to work with the British Museum to produce a broad range of children’s books.

The books, which will be ready for market in 2017, will be published with joint Nosy Crow and British Museum branding. The range will include board books for toddlers with photographs of beautiful objects from around the world.

The announcement comes shortly after Nosy Crow launched a range of children’s books in partnership with the National Trust. Kate Wilson, md of Nosy Crow and National Trust publisher Katie Bond unveiled the collection – due to launch in 2016 – at the end of September.

Lidl Teams Up With Mumsnet Bargain supermarket Lidl has struck a six-figure content and branding deal with parenting website Mumsnet in order to accelerate its plan to focus on middle-class parents.

The deal, which took place at the beginning of September, sees the two brands coming together to create shareable and static content for the food section of the popular website.

Mumsnet, which claims 70 million

page views per month, has previously worked with Aviva, Specsavers, Arla, Mini-Milk, Compare the Market, Fiat and Barclays on similar partnerships.

"Our experience is that deep, long-term and smart brand engagement with our audience can have a really significant effect on attitudes and sentiment," said Mumsnet ceo Justine Roberts.

▶ New Disney TV series, Goldie & Bear and The Lion Guard, will both launch on Disney Junior in 2016, creating opportunities across multiple product categories. ▶ FremantleMedia Kids & Family Entertainment has appointed new agents – Planeta Junior and Megalicense – for hit preschool property Kate & Mim Mim. The animated show has recently been green-lit for a second season, scheduled to air from spring 2016. ▶ Penguin Ventures has appointed J&M Brands to head up classic preschool literary brand Spot across the Benelux territories. First products are expected to launch in 2016. ▶ CBeebies character Boj will be the star of the show at the first Boj-themed visitor attraction, opening soon at the UK's West Midland Safari Park.

The soft play area will also offer a retail outlet for Boj merchandise. ▶ Walker Books' brand Guess How Much I Love You has added a new line to its baby and infant offering, thanks to nursery gift expert Coochy Coo Nappy Cakes.

Toy Retail News

Dubai-based toy retailer The Toy Store has opened its much-anticipated new store in London's Oxford Street, while Chinese footwear business C.banner Holdings has agreed to buy toy retailer Hamleys from French owner Groupe Ludendo for £100m.

The Toy Store officially opened on Thursday 24 September, and the 27,000 sq. ft. store has placed an emphasis on delighting children and adults alike with in-store theatre and a fun consumer experience.

The London store is the first of six expected to open in key UK locations over the next three years.

Meanwhile, C. banner revealed it was behind a move to purchase Hamleys from France’s Ludendo Groupe, following weeks of speculation over who would be making the bid for the 225-year-old international toy retailer.

The store is best known for its sevenstorey flagship store on Regent Street.

Below: The new Toy Store on the block.

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www.progressive-preschool.com TOP STORY

Do-It-All Dads The do-it-all dad generation sees more fathers taking sole responsibility for day-to-day parenting, according to a new report from online parenting experts, BabyCentre.

The 2015 UK Dads Report found there had been a huge leap in the number of Millennial men (18–34 years-old) taking sole responsibility for key aspects of day-to-day parenting when compared to Generation X dads (35–44 years-old).

In just one generation, dads have become 90-100% more likely to be in sole charge of the bedtime

Little Tikes Partners With Child's Play Expert

Preschool toy brand Little Tikes has partnered with leading authority on child's play and development Dr. Amanda Gummer, as she gives its brand new infant preschool range, Lil’ Ocean Explorers, her seal of approval.

In her role as an independent child development and play expert, Amanda will take part in a number of online and real-life initiatives to fully explain the concept behind the range; particularly how each product supports key baby-to-toddler milestones.

This targeted PR activity supports the wider launch campaign including major TV advertising.

Concept & Innovation Awards Open

The BPA’s Concept & Innovation Awards are now open for entry, to anyone who has discovered a gap in the market – from budding designers and students to mums and dads.

A number of past winners of the Concept & Innovation Awards over the years have used their win as a springboard to launch their inventive products, which are now successfully selling around the world.

Deadline for entry is Tuesday 5 January 2016. Shortlisted entries will be invited to London to present their ideas to a panel of judges who are all experts in the baby products industry. Four finalists will be chosen to present their entries at Harrogate International Nursery Fair from 20 – 22 March 2016, where the overall winners will be announced.

Full information about the awards is available on the BPA website, www.thebpa.eu.

Right: One in four dads are the primary carer.

routine, preparing meals, shopping and organising play dates and other appointments, with one in four Millennial dads now being the primary care giver.

The report also shows that, in taking on these changing roles, Millennial dads are also over 100% more likely to be the primary decision maker for buying baby products and children’s clothes.

“Millennial men take parenting very seriously which is changing the division of parenting responsibilities," said Julie Michaelson, head of global sales

Solution EU Acquires Brother Max

UK-based nursery products company Solutions EU has acquired popular infant brand Brother Max. Relying on its 30 years of experience in the manufacturing of nursery products, Solution EU has plans to propel the Brother Max range into a number of exciting new areas.

Already well-regarded among parents and industry professionals, Brother Max will remain a British-owned brand with a strong community that pivots around its parenting support group, Max’s Club.

Dot To Dot Lights Spark Kids' trade show Dot to Dot London is offering smaller smaller designers the chance to shine in its new segment, Spark, which will make its debut at the January 2016 event.

The biannual design-led tradeshow for independent children's brands is now preparing for its fifth event, and will be launching the area – dedicated to smaller designers – during the show, which takes place from 31 January–1 February at the Vinyl Factory in London's Soho.

More information can be found at www.dottodotlondon.com

at BabyCentre. "The implications for marketers are huge – they need to acknowledge that dads are becoming increasingly equal partners in the genderneutral job of parenting and treat this reality as the new normal."

NEWS IN BRIEF ▶A pramo UK has appointed Babybase as its exclusive wholesaler in the UK. ▶ The award winning sleep brand, SweetDreamers, has announced global sales of its Ewan the Sheep sleep aid have reached 250,000. ▶ Much loved organic lifestyle brand Finn + Emma will now be available in the UK through distributor Natural Baby Shower. ▶ Wooden toy brand PlanToys has named Little Concepts as its new distribution partner for the UK and Ireland, effective from 1 January 2016. ▶ Nursery distributor Baby Brands Direct has officially launched a brand new responsive website, www. babybrandsdirect.co.uk. ▶S plash About has been working alongside the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and Water Babies to secure British Standardsapproved industry guidelines for teaching baby swimming.

Right: In The Night Garden Baby product is set to launch from spring 2017.

In The Night Garden Launches Baby Brand

A new licensing programme from popular preschool programme In the Night Garden will be targeting newborns as part of a new brand extension.

The sub-brand, which has been designed for babies up to 12 months old, features a gender-neutral style guide and soft colour palette. It will be targeting core infant categories including toys, travel, feeding and bathing products. Product is set to launch from spring 2017.

DHX Brands (which owns In the Night Garden) is also collaborating with Jo Jingles, the UK’s largest provider of preschool music, singing and movement classes, to create a branded In the Night Garden activity programme for preschoolers.

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www.progressive-preschool.com TOP STORY

Baby Experts Lead The Way New research shows that parents spend thousands on baby experts in the first year of parenthood, with more than one in three parents investing money in oneto-one help during the first six months.

The study, conducted by The Baby Show, spoke to 1,000 mums and dads and found that three quarters of parents (75%) say they get as little as four hours sleep a night, with more than one in five (21%) being woken up between seven and 10 times a night on average.

The research found that people in the UK are happy to invest in their new roles as parents. An impressive 38% seek one-toone help from a breastfeeding specialist, while 21% spend money on a maternity nurse and 10% call on a sleep specialist to say goodbye to sleepless nights.

“The rise in the number of people investing in expert help also correlates with the rising number of parents coming to

New Stores Open Doors Toy retailers set their pre-Christmas plans in places as new stores open across the country for, Toys R Us, The Entertainer and Toytown.

The latest new Toys R Us store opened at the Parkway Retail Park in October, creating 35 new jobs. It was the second Toys R Us to open in the Republic of Ireland, where the retailer has announced plans to compete with Smyths Toys.

Meanwhile, The Entertainer, which already has over 100 stores, opened a new branch in Altrincham in late November, creating nine new jobs.

Finally, Toytown, which operates 22 shops across Britain and Ireland, has opened a new store on Leicester’s high street. The new two-floor premises employs six full-time staff.

Above: Key preschool toy brands are enjoying a strong 2015.

The Baby Show, seeking reliable face-toface advice,” said Wing Yan Lee, marketing manager at The Baby Show.

The next Baby Show will be taking place from 19 – 21 February, at London's ExCel. For more information please visit www. thebabyshow.co.uk

Jigsaw Wars Retail giant Wilko has withdrawn 3D animal jigsaws from sale after being challenged on the copyright by traditional wooden toy supplier Lanka Kade.

Lanka Kade, which designs the 3D jigsaws in-house, challenged the chain for alleged breach of copyright after the copies were seen on sale in Wilko shops. The unauthorised animal jigsaws bore a strong resemblance to two of the preschool jigsaw animals produced by the Market Harborough company.

Offending copies have now been withdrawn from the shelves of the retail chain, following a confidential out-of-court settlement.

BTHA Teams Up With NDCS The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) has partnered with the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) to raise awareness of the importance of toys and play for young deaf children.

The campaign is aimed at raising awareness while also educating parents

and carers about the best types of play for the child’s development.

“It’s such a great opportunity to be able to work with the NDCS to help parents and carers of young deaf children get the most out of playtime," said Kerri Atherton, communications and public affairs officer at the BTHA.

Leapfrog Gets Cooking Educational toy brand LeapFrog has teamed up with infant nutritionist Annabel Karmel as part of ts new 'Kitchen Kids' campaign, which challenges mums and Above: The dads to bring cooking role campaign play to life for preschoolers. celebrates The campaign aims to inspire the launch of Leapfrog's parents to get in the kitchen Number with their little ones. To help Loving Oven. get them started, LeapFrog and Annabel Karmel have created the LeapFrog Kitchen Kids Guide, which offers parents valuable tips on how to deal with fussy eaters and expert advice from LeapFrog’s in-house learning team on how to fuel more role-play opportunities at home, and the developmental benefits of this key play time.

PEOPLE NEWS ▶ F amosa's restructure has seen MarieEve Rougeot taking on the role of CEO. Nikki Jeffery, formerly UK marketing manager, will now head up the new operation as key account and marketing manager for the UK, supported by customer service operative, Anna Veronica Perry. ▶ We Made Me has announced Jenny Ferguson's promotion to managing director, supporting the brand’s strategic plans for continued global growth. ▶ Baby Brands Direct has appointed new staff members Rebecca Hamilton, as marketing assistant, and Veneta Miteva, as business developer. ▶ Leading North West licensing business Character World has appointed Gavin Thomson as sourcing director, based in Shanghai. ▶ Hayley Cull has joined Close as the new UK sales manager, while Tichea Brade has joined as senior creative designer. ▶ East Coast Nursery has welcomed Karl Hughes to the team, in his new role as account development manager. ▶ Halilit has appointed Amy Wildman as new national account manager. ▶ Charlie Todd, Tiffany Cash and Victoria Coutts have joined The Little Green Sheep's ever-expanding family.

Whether you’re looking for your next step on the ladder, you want to know your options, or indeed you are a company looking for some awesome talent - call me for an informal chat, today.

Specialist recruiter to the toy, nursery, and licensing industries.

www.birchwoodrecruitment.com Tel: 07796 697100 @AmandaBirchwood

BirchwoodRecruitment

There everyys.tep of the wa PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

KEY CATEGORIES GROWTH CONTINUES As one of the world’s largest market research companies, GfK offers retailers and suppliers valuable insight into the way people live, think and shop. Here, nursery account manager Tullika Bhalla takes a general look at how the nursery industry has fared over the past year and at the hardware and feeding categories in particular.

A

“

s the gifting industry kicks off in high gear for the festive period, the nursery industry is heading towards a double digit growth year. With a boost across all product categories, the UK nursery market has seen a 14% increase in the total value.

The growth in nursery equipment categories has slowed down though, and this is primarily due to a year-on-year decline across play dens, walkers and toilet training equipment.

Safety products continue to grow as a key category, especially thermometers with have shown a strong value growth over the last 12 months.”

Hardware Overview “Sales for hardware products like strollers, car seats, highchairs and baby monitors have

peaked in Q3 2015, although the growth in the baby monitor and highchair market remains slow.

The third quarter of 2015 has seen a strong growth in the strollers’ category. While the category remains geared towards the traditional newborn strollers, £1 out of £10 spent within the category is being spent on frames and attachments.

Within the baby monitor market, sale of monitors with cameras and WiFi technology are growing.

The sales split between online and offline transactions has remained steady over the last 12 months.

The highchairs category is similarly interesting, as £7 out of £10 spent within the category is being spent on classic highchairs.

This is true even though the boosters and sitter/playtrays market continues to grow.”

Inset: Safety products continue to grow as a key category.

Food For Thought “Within the feeding categories; while baby teethers have declined (when compared to the 2014 year-todate figures), breast feeding and its associated products continues to be the fastest growing product area.

This growth could be due to the push being made in the sales of breast-feeding accessories.”

Black Friday “The recently-popular sales event has become a firm fixture in the retail calendars, and will remain so in 2015, with many customers making their Christmas purchases during the day. Friday 28 November 2014 was a vital UK shopping day; we saw shoppers flood to stores and online to get the best deals.

GfK has actively tracked sales in this period and we saw sales rise by 52% year-on-year in value and 65% in volume, driven by sales of super jumbo TVs (a screen size of 50”+), seeing a massive +234% in value and +493% in volume*.

While such a significant impact was not noticed on the sales within the nursery sector, we do believe that new parents will be looking out for deals on their favourite products across various platforms.”

Left: Breast feeding accessories are a fast growing product area.

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The Manhattan Toy Company速 Suite 3, 5 Robin Hood Lane, Sutton, Surrey SM1 2SW www.manhattantoy.co.uk 020-8944-3160

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Call your sales representative to learn more.

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The Judging Process

THE DECIDING FACTORS Inset: Barbara Robinson of Mothercare was first to be hands-on with the product.

Bottom: Emily Williamson of South London Sling Library reads her way through the publishing category.

To really mean something, an awards programme relies on two crucial elements – excellent entries and a credible judging process. The Progressive Preschool Awards 2015 ticks both of these boxes. The entry level this year, across all the categories was outstanding and the judging panels comprised the finest pedigree of buyers and industry experts.

The finalists line-up is a true endorsement of excellence and an impeccable reflection of the industry these awards celebrate.

PPS explains the process behind selecting the finalists and winners for the Progressive Preschool Awards 2015.

About The Awards Now in their third year, the Progressive Preschool Awards 2015 have really grown in stature, whole-heartedly accepted as true accolades that reflect the passion, dynamism and creativity which prevails throughout the preschool industry. Launched

by Progressive Preschool magazine, reflecting the publication’s cross-category premise, these awards celebrate and recognise excellence in products, retailers and marketing targeted at the 0-5 year old market.

Right from the outset, Max Publishing (owners of PPS) recognised how imperative it is that these awards are judged in a way which recognises and

rewards excellence right across the preschool sector and which reflects the cross-category nature of a market which includes everything from toys to pushchairs, nursery furniture to gifts and apparel to publishing. The judging criteria differs for each category (product, retail and marketing), ensuring the process can guarantee the most credible finalists and the most deserving winners.

Jennie Hogg of Cachao Toy Cafe

It was a bustling morning of product and people.

Lucy Moody and Geo rgina Dalton of Fundamentally Child ren with PPS’ Rob Will is.

Leysa Hardy of Tiny Hearts Babywear. turns book-worm.

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The Judging Process

The Product Awards Thousands of product award entries were submitted by hundreds of companies across the whole preschool spectrum, totally free of charge. Each was then judged independently, on the individual merit of each item or range.

Each product entered was targeted at the preschool market (0-5 years), and was launched at retail between July 15 2014 and July 15 2015. Entries could be for a single product or a range, except for the innovation award, which could be awarded for a specific item.

The product judging itself took place on a single day in September, with strollers, apparel, A quick break and buggy-race at elevenses toys and books galore featuring among the wealth of products which were put on display for the product judging panel.

Every entry was clearly labelled within their relevant award category, each and every one judged by a panel of expert retail buyers who brought their specialist knowledge and expertise from right across the preschool arena.

The responsibility of judging the product The toy room wasn’t all pink and blue! categories lay entirely in the hands of this Heath Kane of Loubilou. year's judging panel, which included retail After properly assessing the entries, each judge experts from some of the then individually listed what they considered to be nation's top retailers the 'Top Five' products or ranges from each category, including (update Asda, in order of preference. Points were awarded Sainsbury’s, Boots, accordingly, which, when added together, arrived at Mothercare, JoJo the six finalists and overall winner for each category.

Maman Bèbè, While the finalists have been announced, the Toymaster) – and many Amir Noorani, Baby Nest. winners remain a closely guarded secret until the more, as well as key awards ceremony today. specialist independent toy, gift, apparel, book and nursery retailers.

The judges were asked to fully consider each and every entry, bearing in mind criteria such as excellence of design, innovation and originality, consumer targeting (including retail pricing) and quality of manufacture and packaging.

Clare Lane and Alex Tham of Little Gems Boutique.

Emily Williamson was at home in with the slings and things.

Claire Self and Alison Howe ll of Whitehall Garden Centre, whose preschool sectio n is booming.

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The Judging Process

The Retail Awards Designed to reflect and recognise the professionalism and retailing innovation over the last year, suppliers, distributors, wholesalers and agents were not backwards in coming forwards in nominating which retailers they felt had excelled in the preschool retail sector.

These nominees were then validated by a panel of industry retail experts (at a meeting in September) who discussed the nominated retailers in each category before voting for their chosen finalists and winners. These carefully considered discussions ensured that the overall process truly recognises retailers' approach and achievements over the last year and maintains total integrity while arriving at the finalists and winners.

The Retail Validation Panel The Validation Panel for the retail award categories this year included top industry executives whose collective experience covered the entire retailing gamut.

(Pictured xxxxx left-right) Joining PPS’ Rob Willis (who chaired the meeting) and Becky Phillips (neither of whom voted) were Christine Nicholls (Golden Bear), Tor Bushell (DHX Media), Ursula Morgan (Nickelodeon), Dena Pearce (Travis Design), Hannah Mungo (eOne), Sarah Quigley (Carte Blanche Group), Tullika Bhalla (GfK), Harrison Palmer (GSC), Dean Tollman (Vital Innovation), Clare Piggott (BBC Worldwide), Anna Hewitt (Walker Books), Mark Cobham (LifeMarque), Simon Russell (Cheeky Rascals), Kyna Covington (KDUK), Kim Bown (Misirli), Erica Roberts (Manhattan Toy Company) and Mike Chapman (East Coast Nursery).

Above: The 2015 Judging Panel for the PPS Marketing award comprised: (left-right) James Marsh (B3 Media), Christine Scippo (Kaleidoscope Communication), Barbara Robinson (Mothercare), Richard Pink (Pink Key Consulting) who chaired panel, Jeff Taylor (Arena Azure) and Kelly Jones (The Butterfly Consultancy).

The Marketing Award As parents and children become increasingly aware of the way the preschool industry presents itself in the marketplace, marketing campaigns and consumer engagement is becoming an increasingly important part of the preschool world.

The Marketing Award is designed to recognise any kind of marketing communication including TV advertising, PR campaign, outdoor event, experiential activity, promotion, sponsorship or on-line campaign for any product or service related to the preschool sector.

In a meeting chaired by promotions specialist Richard Pink, founder of Pink Key Consulting, entries were assessed by an expert panel, which included individuals who specialise in either marketing or the preschool sector. “Parents of preschool children are a discerning bunch,” commented Richard Pink.

“To get yourself noticed any marketing campaigns need to be creative and innovative as well as being informative. The focus of the campaigns this year ranged from charity campaigns to new products coming onto the market. The judges were mightily impressed by the creativity of the campaigns and the great results they delivered.”

Each campaign was scored against criteria including clear measurable objectives, creativity of the campaign, quality of the execution and the effectiveness of the campaign versus the objectives. Drawing on the expertise of marketing and industry gurus ensured that the finalists line-up is both relevant and worthy.

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Inset: The winners of the Progressive Preschool Awards 2015 were the true stars of the show as they gathered on stage with Sean Collins (centre) who hosted the event.

Below left: The Dorchester is a fitting venue for awards celebrating excellence.

A

PARTY

The Progressive Preschool Awards saw their third year event on 12 November 2015, at the lavish Dorchester Hotel in Mayfair. The ceremony was attended by over 400 guests from the sector, including major buyers, suppliers, wholesalers, licensors, show organisers and many more.

Left: Adam Reed (Nickelodeon) with, Jess Brown (Nickelodeon) with Mike Coles (Cooneen).

Below: Misirli’s Kim Bown with Rachel Kelly (Disney), Ashley Hammond (Misirli), Kerry Templeman (Tesco) and Natalie Adock (Tesco.

Left: Beautiful books and menus were provided by Carte Blanche Group’s Tiny Tatty Teddy.

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Inset: All guests were treated to a LittleLife goody bag, packed full of preschool goodies from a raft of very generous suppliers.

Just in time for Christmas!

Inset: Sainsbury’s Tracey Stratton and Vicki Ingram were happy to be greeted by Maya The Bee.

Inset: Michelle Smith of Close Parent was thrilled to win the traditional ‘stand up sit down’ game, kindly presented by Matt Jones of BTHA.

Right: Progressive Preschool’s Rob Willis and Jacqui Parr opened the ceremony with a speech testifying to the excellence and dynamism of the preschool sector.

Below left: Tania Bines (Dennicci) was thrilled to win the star raffle prize – box seats at The Royal Albert Hall, presented by PPS’ Stacey Jones and kindly sponsored

by Daniel Lucas of We Made Me. Below right: Alison Dries and Maria Holbrook of The Toy Cupboard, Winchester, with PPS magazine’s Sue Marks.

Below: Glamour girls – Kate Harper of Early Learning Centre with Mothercare’s Barbara Robinson.

Left: Hannah Stevens of CPLG with Andrew Downie and Anthony Duckworth both of DreamTex, and Stacey Scimia, The Copyright Group.

Right: Harrison Palmer of Global Solutions for Clothing entertains guests Sarah O’Hara and Caroline Brokis of Party Delights, with Susan Palmer also of GSC. Left: Max Publishing joint managing directors Jakki Brown and Ian Hyder present the fabulous raffle prizes.

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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Above: Iconic group The Tootsie Rollers engaged the 400 strong audience with an amazing set of feel-good tracks.

Right: The infamous goody bags, generously donated by LittleLife went home with each and every guest. Mothercare’s Clare Loxley and Good Toy Guide’s Georgina Dalton and Lucy Moody didn’t miss out!

Below: Erol Sukan, of headline sponsor GfK Retail & Technology with Amanda Scacchetti, innovation director at Mamas and Papas.

Above: Kate Gamble (Silvercloud), David Cartwright (East Coast Group) and Lucy Yazdanipour (Mothercare) Below: Sean Collins was the afternoon’s particularly lively compere.

Left: Finalists compare notes, Mike Reeve (Indigo Jamm) and Luan Hall (Fairies and Frogs).

Below: VMC Accessories’ gang are never without a smile! Left to right, Harris McQueen of Pokemon, Louise Hinds (VMC), Bridget Robertson (Disney), Charlotte Reyland and Natasha Edwards (Tesco), Alex Filletti (Smiley World), and Laura Sumner (VMC).

Below: Richard Radford (Centum Books) second from left, is never without good company. L to R: Jackie Watkinson (Rubies), Rachael Kelly (Mothercare/ELC), Georgina Hayes (Mothercare/ELC). Karen Athill (Rubies)

Left: Vickie O’Malley of Rockpool Licensing cuddles up to Maya the Bee.

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Preschool WINNER Grid RETAILER 2015_Layout 1 27/11/2015 10:57 Page 1

BEST SUPERMARKET RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL PRODUCTS Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based supermarket retailers selling preschool product including nursery, toy, apparel and gift.

These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Sainsbury's

Top right: Sainsbury’s Vicki Ingram collects the trophy from Seth Bishop, md of KDUK. Right: Vicki Ingram, buyer for toddler and older boys at Sainsbury’s.

Initial reaction: "It is a great honour to be voted as Best Supermarket Retailer of Licensed Preschool Product. Everyone at Sainsbury’s has worked really hard over the past 12 months on licensed product with big events in mind to try and really create theatre within our stores for our customers."

Vicki Ingram, Buyer Toddler and Older Boys, Sainsbury’s.

Other finalists were:

Aldi

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Asda

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

Morrisons

Tesco

Waitrose

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BEST MULTIPLE RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL PRODUCTS Sponsored by

Misirli

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Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based retailers with five or more stores, selling preschool product including nursery, toy, apparel and gift.

These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Mothercare

Top right: Kirsti Lynch, Fiona Robinson, Barbara Robinson and Aurelie Hare collect the award for Mothercare from category sponsor Kim Bown of Misirli.

Right: Kim Bown of Misirli was pleased to announce the worthy winner.

Initial reaction: "We are absolutely delighted to have won Best Multiple Retailer. It’s such a great feeling to win, especially within such a strongly represented retail category."

Claire Loxley - head of buying & product development for toys, Mothercare.

Other finalists were:

Hamleys

JoJo Maman BEbEĂŠ

Smyths Toys

Toy Barnhaus

Toys R Us (Including Babies R Us)

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Preschool WINNER Grid RETAILER 2015_Layout 1 27/11/2015 10:57 Page 3

BEST MIXED RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL PRODUCTS Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based retailers specialising in other areas but also selling preschool product including nursery, toy, apparel and gift.

These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Initial reaction: “We’re delighted to win this award on behalf of Boots.

We work closely with our valued suppliers to ensure our nursery and preschool offering represents great retailing, so it’s an absolute pleasure to have been recognised for our efforts." Alexandra Savage, assistant buying manager, Boots.

Boots

Top right: Boots’ buyers Alexandra Savage and Carla Hubbard collect their trophy from BKids’ Ian Macrimmon.

Right: Alexandra Savage, assistant buying manager at Boots is more than happy to take home the trophy.

Other finalists were:

Argos

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Marks & Spencer

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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Wilko

Wyevale Garden Centres

Preschool WINNER Grid RETAILER 2015_Layout 1 27/11/2015 10:58 Page 4

BEST DEPARTMENT STORE RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL PRODUCTS

Sponsored by

Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based department stores selling preschool product including nursery, toy, apparel and gift.

These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Bentalls of Kingston

Top Right: Erin Hook, nursery buyer at Bentalls collects the trophy from VMC Accessories’ director Laura Sumner.

Right: Laura Sumner waits patiently to open the gold envelope.

Initial reaction: "Bentalls is delighted to receive this prestigious award and in such a competitive category. The team worked hard to source the best product selection and we are really pleased to be recognised for our preschool offer at Bentalls."

Erin Hook - nursery buyer, Bentalls.

Other finalists were:

Fenwick Newcastle

Harrods

Jarrold

John Lewis

Selfridges

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BEST ONLINE RETAILER OF PRESCHOOL PRODUCTS Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based online retailers selling preschool product including nursery, toy, apparel and gift.

These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Precious Little One

Top right: Nicola and Ian Lloyd, co-directors at Precious Little One with sponsor Centum Books’ sales director Richard Radford.

Right: Richard Radford reveals the winner of a tightly contested category.

Initial reaction: "It was with absolute shock and pride that we accepted the award for Best Online Retailer of Preschool Products on behalf of PreciousLittleOne. Thank you to everyone for an amazing afternoon, to the judging panel for your vote of confidence in us and, most importantly, to the fantastic team at PreciousLittleOne who work tirelessly each and every day to make our business the best that it can be."

Ian Lloyd, director, PreciousLittleOne

Other finalists were:

Argos

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Early Learning Centre

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

Kiddicare

The Toyshop (The Entertainer)

Very.co.uk by Shop Direct

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BEST PRESCHOOL RETAIL INITIATIVE Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based retailers selling preschool product that has undertaken an activity or series of activities to promote the preschool market. These awards were for a retailer's specific initiative or its overall approach over the last year.

winner Cribs And Bibs of Great Yarmouth for its By Appointment service. Personal shopping sessions are then co-ordinated with an opportunity to spread payments in items, including the dedicated wheeledgoods showroom.

Initial reaction: “We are overjoyed to have won this amazing category. To be at the event itself is one privilege, but to win against such forceful competition is simply amazing. We feel proud to have represented how important the independent stores still are, and it’s great to have put our little seaside town on the map.”

Shane Hynes, director, Cribs and Bibs.

Top right: Hayley Youd and Shane Hynes, codirectors of Cribs and Bibs, with Tomy Europe’s uk sales director Fred Wolff.

Left: Hayley Youd and Shane Hynes were happy and humble at their win.

Other finalists were:

Fairies n Frogs of Ampthill

John Lewis in Cambridge

House of Fraser

Jojo Maman Bebe

Sainsbury’s

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BEST INDEPENDENT NURSERY RETAILER Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based retailers selling nursery product.

These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Baby Nest Croydon

Top right: Baby Nest’s sales manager Amir Noorani collects the trophy from Eric White, group md of East Coast Nursery.

Right: An industry man; Eric White was pleased to support the indie sector.

Initial reaction: "We are delighted and proud to have received the award for Best Independent Nursery Retailer. It was such a wonderful suprise and really can't thank those who voted for us enough."

Amir Noorani, sales manager, Baby Nest.

Other finalists were:

Adorable Tots Manchester

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Born Direct Bristol PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

Baby & Co Bristol

Baby Wonderland Castleford

Glasgow Pram Centre Glasgow

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BEST INDEPENDENT APPAREL RETAILER Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based retailers selling preschool clothing and accessories. These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Brown Bear Witney

Top right: Becca Hogarty, manager at Brown Bear with category sponsor Malcolm Travis, md at Travis Designs.

Right: Becca Hogarty is thrilled to have been recognised.

Initial reaction: "We are over the moon to have won this award. Being a small family run business it's so great to receive the support of other people in the industry. Thank you so much to the people who put us forward for this award, and for the judging panel for choosing Brown Bear, we really appreciate it!"

Becca Hogarty, manager, Brown Bear.

Other finalists were:

Cheeky Monkeys Grantham

Dandy Lions Buckingham

The Pud Store Nottingham

Pure Baby Fulham

Toby Tiger Brighton

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Preschool WINNER Grid RETAILER 2015_Layout 1 27/11/2015 10:58 Page 9

BEST INDEPENDENT TOY RETAILER Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based retailers selling toys and other play product. These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Plaza Toymaster Cardiff

Top right: Matthew Hunt, director of Plaza Toymaster with Golden Bear’s director Christine Nicholls.

Right: Christine Nicholls graciously reads out the winner of this key category.

Initial reaction: "We thoroughly enjoyed this event, meeting and sharing ideas with other ďŹ nalists sat around our table and around the room. Our whole family have put a lot of hard work into the business over the past 34 years, so we are delighted to have received industry recognition for the work we have done."

Matthew Hunt, director, Plaza Toymaster.

Other finalists were:

Honeyjam Ladbroke Grove

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Just Williams Balham, Clapham and Herne Hill PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

The Toy Cupboard Winchester

Toy Galaxy Barnet

Treasures Toys Wetherby

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BEST INDEPENDENT GIFTWARE RETAILER Sponsored by Criteria: Nominees could be UK-based retailers selling preschool gift product.

These awards were for retailers' approach and achievements in the preschool market over the last year.

winner Wigwam Toys Brighton

Top right: Clair Letton-Marshall, director at Wigwam Toys with Manhattan Toy’s vp of European operations, Erica Roberts.

Right: Erica Roberts proves once again to be a huge supporter of independent retailing.

Initial reaction: "It was lovely to hear that Wigwam Toys had been shortlisted for an award. The other businesses in the Independent Gift category were all of a very high standard and I really didn't expect to win.

I was genuinely stunned to hear our name being called, it was such a lovely surprise - we are only a small business, just approaching our third Christmas, and to win an award like this means so much.”

Clair Letton-Marshall, director, Wigwam Toys.

Other finalists were:

The Alphabet Gift Shop Staffordshire

Bagatelle Toys Henley on Thames

Barnaby’s Barn Northampton

Hop Toy Shop Chatsworth

Little Heroes Fulham

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BEST PRESCHOOL APPAREL OR ACCESSORIES RANGE Sponsored by Criteria: Open to all apparel and accessories aimed at 0 - 5 year olds, including nightwear, outerwear, underwear, footwear and dress-up. To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Star Wars Baby Range for Mothercare from Dennicci Top right: Kirsti Lynch, merchandiser at Mothercare, Tania Bines, design manager at Dennicci, Andrew Farrow, managing director at Dennicci, Barbara Robinson, head of character and licensing at Mothercare, and Victoria Bushell vp of global brand management at DHX brands.

Right: Category sponsor DHX’s Victoria Bushell ready to hand the trophy to the deserving winner.

Initial reaction: “We were thrilled to win the Best Preschool Apparel or Accessories Range Award, this would not have been possible without all the hard work and commitment from our dedicated staff.

I would also like to give a special mention on the incredible support we receive from Disney and LucasFilm on this exciting project."

Andrew Farrow, managing director, Paul Dennicci.

Other finalists were:

Autumn Organic Range from Little Green Radicals

Billie Pram Suit Range from Frugi

Ride-on Pony Costume from Travis Design

Sesame Street Onesie, Bib and Babygrow from Brecrest Fashion

Zoocchini Boys and Girls Pants Range Potwells

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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BEST PRESCHOOL TOY OR GAME RANGE Sponsored by Criteria: Open to all toys and games aimed at 0 - 5 year olds. To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Play-Doh Creative Workshop from Sambro Top right: Nikki Samuels, director at Sambro, with Julian Warren, buyer at Sambro, and Clare Piggott, head of merchandising at BBC Worldwide.

Right: Clare Piggott enjoys announcing the winner of such a huge category.

Initial reaction: "It’s been a brilliant year for our Play-Doh range so to hear our name announced in the Best Toy Category was the icing on the cake. Its great to win an award that is so well respected in the industry, and it’s been a fantastic event from start to finish.”

Nikki Samuels, director, Sambro.

Other finalists were:

Baby Stella Range from Manhattan Toy

Jamm Scoot Heart from Indigo Jamm

SmartMax Mega Ball Run from Smart Toys and Games

Peter Rabbit Pull-alongs from Orange Tree Toys

Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home from Vtech

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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BEST PRESCHOOL OUTDOOR RANGE Sponsored by Criteria: Open to all outdoor toy and play ranges aimed at 0 - 5 year olds. To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Dinosaur Cozy Coupe from Little Tikes

Top right: Michelle Lilley, marketing manager at Little Tikes collects the award from Marianne James, vp of consumer products UK & Ireland, Nickelodeon.

Right: Marianne James is never seen without a smile, to the amusement of compere Sean Collins.

Initial reaction: “The Cozy Coupe Dino has been a firm favourite of mine all the way from the ideas phase back in 2014. Seeing through from concept to market and then to be awarded this fantastic accolade is just brilliant. We love to add to our iconic Cozy Coupe family, and build on our Classic Cozy Coupe hero."

Michelle Lilley, marketing manager at Little Tikes.

Other finalists were:

Hape Colour Croquet Set from Marbel

Monster Treads Range from Tomy

My Free 4-in-1 Range from Globber UK

Outdoor Slide and Water Extension from Feber

Yetizoo Range from Prince Lionheart

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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BEST PRESCHOOL PUBLISHING RANGE

Sponsored by

Criteria: Open to all books, comics and greeting cards aimed at 0 - 5 year olds.

To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Arty Mouse Activity Series from Top That Publishing Top right: Simon Couchman, creative director at Top That Publishing with Julie Jones, managing director at Redan Publishign and Redan Alchemy.

Right: Julie Jones was thrilled to open the gold envelope in a category dear to her heart.

Initial reaction: "I was delighted to hear Arty Mouse being named as the winner of the Best Preschool Publishing Range, especially given the calibre of the competition. My sincere thanks go out to Mandy Stanley, Dan Graham, Sue Mayes and the rest of the dedicated design team without whom this would not have been possible.’’

Simon Couchman, creative director, Top That Publishing.

Other finalists were:

Bubbles Personalised My Little World Series Card Range from Little Tiger Kids from The Square Card Co

44

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

Happy Hooves Series from Fat Fox Books

Picture Books from Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Meadow Kids Puppet Books Range from Great Gizmos

BEST PRESCHOOL HOME DECOR, FURNITURE OR BEDDING RANGE

Sponsored by

Criteria: Open to all bedding, furniture, lighting and home dècor products aimed at 0 - 5 year olds. To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Snuzpod 3-in-1 Bedside Crib from Snuz Top right: Sally Hall collects the prize on behalf of Snuz, from Adrian Sneyd, director of Harrogate International Nursery Fair.

Right: Sally Hall was thrilled to take home the trophy on behalf of Snuz / The Little Green Sheep.

Initial reaction: "What an honour to have won, and in such a sought after and highly competitive category. We are so proud of the SnüzPod’s phenomenal success. It continues to surprise us, having been awarded with some of the most significant accolades and this one certainly tops the lot. This award will undoubtedly support our ongoing marketing objectives for the Snüz brand."

Mark Nicholls, Co-Founder of The Little Green Sheep Family

Other finalists were:

Duux 2-in-1 Air Humidifier and Night Light from Hardenberg & Co

Gro to Bed range from The Gro Company

Hop Skip Jump to Bed range from Pink Lining

Love Minnie Nursery range from Obaby

Toulouse Nursery Furniture Range from East Coast Nursery

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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BEST PRESCHOOL GIFT RANGE Sponsored by Criteria: Open to all giftware ranges aimed at 0 - 5 year olds. To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Safebreathe Range from babybundle

Top right: Helen Westmoreland, managing director at PHP Gift & Baby (distributor of babybundle) collects the trophy from Peter Rooke, managing director of UK distribution at SmartMax. Right: Helen Westmoreland proudly shows off her new silver-ware.

Initial reaction: "babybundle is thrilled to be recognised by such a major media player in the nursery publishing sector and we are proud to be awarded the accolade of Best Preschool Gift Range. The Progressive Preschool Awards were a very slick affair and our team, including Patch and Hoppy, is still recovering. Thanks to everyone involved in the voting process."

Helen Westmoreland, managing director, PHP Gift and Baby.

Other finalists were:

Hair Accessories Range from Inky & Mole

Peter Rabbit Feeding Range from AM International Agencies

Peppa and George Nursery Range from Rainbow Designs

Special Day Countdown Tutu, Bag and Calendar Range Accessories range from WOW Toys from Little Ballerina PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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maxi-cosi

Discover the Pebble Plus A baby car seat offering extra comfort, optimal ease of use and a 5-star safety performance because of: • i-Size (R129) safety providing additional support for the head and neck

Families

Pebble Plus Rearward facing Birth to approx.

12 months

ADAC Online 10/2015 22 child car seats tested

Maxi-Cosi Pebble Plus 45 - 75 cm

good (1,6)

• A comfortable baby-hugg inlay for a better fit and lying position for a new-born • Impact-absorbing material in the top side wings for extra comfort and side impact safety • Compatability with the 2wayFix Base, providing the safest ISOFIX installation and a highly convenient click-and-go system.

2wayFix Base Birth to approx.

4 years

Find out more at

www.maxi-cosi.co.uk/pebble-plus

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BEST PRESCHOOL MOBILITY RANGE

Sponsored by

Criteria: Open to all prams, pushchairs, car seats and infant carriers aimed at 0-5 year olds. To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Pebble Plus Infant Car Seat from Dorel Top right: Paul Oliver, finance director at Dorel UK collects the award from Tullika Bhalla, senior account manager at GfK Retail & Technology, who were also headline sponsor of the Progressive Preschool Awards.

Right: Tullika Bhalla, a much-loved figure in the nursery sector eagerly waits to announce the winner.

Initial reaction: “Maxi-Cosi are delighted to win this award. The Pebble Plus continues to be one of our top selling car seats and is backed up with excellent safety and comfort.

Thank you to Progressive Preschool and those who have voted.�

Nikki Bhogal, head of marketing, Dorel.

Other finalists were:

Buggyboard Saddle from Cheeky Rascals

Daisy 3-in-1 Travel System from MJ Mark

moova 2 Car Seat Range from Cosatto

iCoo Acrobat Travel System from Hauck

Thule Urban Glide Stroller from Thule

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for more information please contact Leah Harris leah@closeparent.com 01992 554045 www.closeparent.com

Kidsme’s new 2016 products are now available within the UK via their exclusive distributor Cicada

Kidsme Food Feeder Plus The patented Kidsme Food Feeder won the Hong Kong Innovation & Creativity Award and was nominated for the Innovation Award at the Kind + Jugend show in Cologne the same year. It has gone on to sell more than five million units globally and made many parent fans.

All that parents need to do is to chop the food and fill the Food Feeder Even if the baby has no teeth yet, it can press the Food Feeder against its palate and thus squeeze the food out. The Feeder lets babies start early chewing and stimulates oral exercise.

The Food Feeder comes in two sizes suitable for age groups from four months and from six months and is available in various colours.

T: +44 (0)1277 356292 E: sales@cicada-education.co.uk W: www.cicada-education.co.uk www.kidsmebaby.com

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BEST PRESCHOOL ESSENTIALS RANGE Sponsored by Criteria: Open to all essential infant, nursery and preschool ranges including feeding, monitoring, changing, travel product, health and hygeine. aimed at 0 to 5 year olds. To qualify, all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 14 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Kidsme Food Feeder Plus Range from Cicada Education Top right: Ian Green, sales director at Cicada Education collects his trophy from Susanne Rauberger, show manager for The Baby Shows from Clarion Events.

Right: Susanne Rauberger enjoys announcing the winner for this hotly contested category.

Initial reaction: "We are delighted to win this award we feel it’s one of the most prestigious within the industry. Cicada have only been active within the nursery industry for a little over 12 months launching the Kidsme baby range to the UK. By achieving this award, and with the continuing support from our customers, we hope 2016 and beyond will lift Kidsme to the heights that its heart and soul deserves."

Ian Green, sales manager, Cicada Education.

Other finalists were:

Carry and Hang Nightlight from Solution EU

Mommy’s Helper Froggie Collection from Ardega

Sleeptight Travel Cot from Redkite Baby

Stretchy Shade from Maguari

Wuti Wrap from We Made Me

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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EXTENDED RANGE COMING IN

2016

Proud winner of the Innovation Award

Patented free-flowing non-spill valve – perfect for bedtime or travel Light sensitive LED (red or blue) 360 cup rim supports bottle to beaker drinking Available in 10 different colours, including glitter BPA and latex free

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THE INNOVATION AWARD Sponsored by Criteria: This special award is for one specific item of any discipline that shows outstanding innovation in its design or technical function. To qualify all products being entered must have been launched at retail in the UK between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner LiteCup Sippy Cup and Night Light from And Design Top right: Winner of The Apprentice 2011 Tom Pellereau presented the award to Gavin Reay, managing director of And Design (centre) with category sponsor Selina Russell, managing director of Cheeky Rascals.

Initial reaction: "This may be the only moment I can thank my children for sleepless nights and spilling so many cups of water into their beds! And absolute delight that the core of Litecup, its innovation - has been rewarded."

Gavin Reay, founder, And Design.

Right: Tom Pellereau and Selina Russell eagerly await the opening of the envelope.

Other finalists were:

Caboo DX Carrier from Close Parent

iAngel Hipseat Carrier from Dinky Dragon

My 1st Bath Buddy Range from Minene

Stretchy Shade from Maguari

Wuti Wrap from We Made Me

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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KAYES WHOLESALE LIMITED

Kayes would like to thanks all our customers and suppliers who voted us as ‘BEST WHOLESALER TO THE PRESCHOOL SECTOR’ and for the continued support over the last 30 years.

Kayes of Cardiff are specialist distributors of Pocket Money, Preschool and Branded toys. These include, Thomas the Tank Engine, Sylvanian Familes, Edison, Falk, Bruder, Interplay, Schleich, Ravensburger, Brio, King, Britains Farm, Lamaze, Tomy, Fisher Price, Halilit, B-Kids, Knex, Casdon, Playmobil, Mattel, Fisher Price, Wizard, Revell

For details of our up coming trade shows please contact us on orders@kayes.co.uk or 02920 363678

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BEST WHOLESALER OR DISTRIBUTOR AWARD Sponsored by Criteria: Open to all distributors and wholesalers of infant and preschool product, operating in the UK. Companies must be successfully trading, and are entered based on excellence in product selection, marketing, retail support, distribution potential, customer care, and online activity.

winner Kayes of Cardiff

Top right: Philip Kaye, founder and at director of Kayes of Cardiff collects his trophy from Daniel Lucas, ceo of We Made Me. Right: Daniel Lucas is never far away from a success, in this case congratulating others for it.

Initial reaction: "My team and I were delighted when we were nominated for an award as we celebrate 30 years in the Toy industry. Our absolute amazement at winning in the face of such credible opposition was shown by the surprise on each and everyone's face. We would like to thank all of our partners, both customers and suppliers, who voted for us, the support is extremely appreciated."

Philip Kaye, managing director, Kayes of Cardiff.

Other finalists were:

Baby Basics

Bebelephant

Cheeky Rascals

First Celtic Toys & Learning

Hippychick

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BEST PRESCHOOL MARKETING AWARD Sponsored by Criteria: The campaign could cover any kind of marketing communication including TV advertising, PR campaign, promotion, sponsorship or other initiative for any preschool product or service. It must have appeared in the UK market during the period between July 16 2014 and July 15 2015.

winner Little Tikes’ Little Trikers Campaign Olympian Greg Rutherford fronted this Little Tikes activity which tied the launch of a new product with a campaign which encouraged parents with preschool children to enjoy the outside.

Top right: Michelle Lilley, marketing manager at Little Tikes collects her second award of the day, this time from sponsor Kirsty Barr, director at MiPR Global.

Right: Michelle Lilley is all smiles at such a successful day for Little Tikes.

Initial reaction: “Collecting the Best Marketing Campaign trophy at the Progressive Preschool Awards ceremony underpins a fantastic year in our Trikes category, and marks the end to 12 months’ of achievements for the whole team here at Little Tikes. To have our product and campaign recognised in this way by independent industry experts is a fantastic testament to the quality, ease of use and fun factor put in to everything we create.”

Michelle Lilley, marketing manager at Little Tikes.

Other finalists were:

Haave H v e your Have Hav y our ho h o t o ttaken a ken kkeen e n with wii th t h Peppa! paa!! tak pphoto ak Peppa Pe P epp pppa r app andd point e v ic Download ad th t Zappar nt your dev ic e at at Download Do oownn l o ad the Z y o ur device devic evice s iggn to take a photo of you o with wiit i t h PPeppa! epp p pa! a!

Peppa tthhii s sign this ou wit eppa

Peppa pp Pig ig © Astley Baker Davies Ltd/Entertainment One UK Ltd 2003. www.peppapig.com ww w.peppapig.com

The Clangers New Series Launch Campaign

56

The Entertainer’s Peppa Pig Instore Promotional Programme

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

Frugi’s glamping competition

JCB’s 70th Year Anniversary Campaign

In the night garden sleep campaign

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Sponsored by Criteria: The outstanding achievement award was open to all individuals in the preschool sector, be they retail, supplier, licensing or otherwise. Nominations were sought by way of recommendation, based on individual achievement, knowledge and performance in the preschool aged industry.

winner Barbara Robinson, head of licensing and character, Mothercare.

Initial reaction: "It was an absolute honour to be recognised at all, let alone for the Outstanding Achievement Award. I was absolutely thrilled, and completely taken by surprise. It was all very surreal, hearing my CV virtually being read out in timeline.

As anyone who knows me can tell, I absolutely love working in this vibrant buoyant industry, and feel very privileged to work alongside such a great bunch of people." Barbara Robinson.

Top right: Barbara Robinson collects her much deserved trophy from generous sponsor Harrison Palmer, director at Global Solutions for Clothing.

Right: Barbara Robinson heads for the stage to much applause from the industry.

PROGRESSIVE PRESCHOOL AWARDS 2015

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ÂŽ

Matching bedding This pretty-in-pink and delicate grey selection of furniture is perfect for families with Minnie Mouse in mind and features adorable illustrations of Minnie, co-ordinated delightfully throughout all items in the set. Beautifully designed and built to last, the Furniture Set includes a cot bed, under drawer, closed changing unit, spacious wardrobe and toy box, all packed full of convenient storage solutions to give parents a much needed helping hand in organising baby’s room.

www.obabytrade.co.uk 01652 641491 Progressive Preschool- Oct 2015-Minnie Roomset.indd 1

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Scan here

30/10/2015 23:02

27/11/2015 13:31

LINDSAY LOGS IN LINDSAY RANDALL

SAFETY… SECOND

guards, door safety stoppers to protect little fingers - even wardrobe locks!

I personally think we can go too far with this and that wrapping children up in cotton wool is not necessarily helpful in the long-term - there has to be an educational element too, otherwise they’re in danger of never learning what danger really is.

Safety is high on the priority list for We’ve never gone for the full ‘lock-down’ most parents, but unfortunately features approach to child safety in the home. Not least, because I find those drawer / door safety locks less prominently in their preschooler’s minds. PPS columnist Lindsay explains and PMT a lethal combination. Frankly, it’s enough to summon up the how she treads the delicate balance desire to do any housework between peril and protection. without having to embark on a Krypton Factor challenge to get the door open. afety is not a priority for my Similarly, I find certain soon-to-be-two year old. products like safety scissors Adventure comes first, followed slightly pointless (if you’ll by how messy she can get, pardon the pun). My two combined with how cross she can make elder children use scissors all me; without so much as a cursory nod the time and have never used to risk assessment (on her part at least). specific safety ones. I think For her, bar stool is better than highchair, it stops you from explaining zip wire trumps baby swing and that scissors are dangerous stair gates are great fun to climb. and showing them how to use This leaves me trying to perfect the them properly. delicate balance between ‘helicopter A friend was once a live-in parenting’ and channelling the nanny for an Indian family Parisian approach, which is (as I who didn’t believe in any safety understand) to sit 300 metres away, products at all for their toddler. wearing yoghurt-free cashmere and The 21-month-old used a proper sipping a takeaway café noir while glass instead of plastic sippy cups, your child works out the definition the same cutlery and chinaware of danger for themselves. as the rest of the family and not As the youngest of three, my a stair gate nor socket protector preschooler has always felt she can was in sight. Consequently their run before she could walk (both Safety testing - a job for daughter learned at a very young literally and figuratively). She Top: the adults. Above: Toddler age what was and wasn’t safe, heads straight for play equipment daredevils have yet to develop as well as how to use things for 6+ and will attempt to scale any a sense of danger. properly. I’m not quite ready to brick wall she considers suitable - in fact, the more it resembles a gymnastics give up the Elmer melamine yet, but I can see the soundness of the theory. beam the better.

I guess, like anything else, parents choose the To be honest, I don’t want to dilute this daredevil spirit because actually, her world is a lot of fun. level of boundaries we want to set for our children.

She’s living on the edge (in both senses of the There are plenty of safety products out there to word!) and let’s face it, there’s plenty of time to enable us all to achieve an environment, certainly within our own home, that we can relax in while become sensible.

When I went to Amazon.co.uk and typed in ‘kids the children play, experiment and explore.

For the little people it’s about having free rein safety’ it returned 66,692 results. So this is clearly a huge market for retailers and manufacturers, and for the parents it’s about controlling the capitalising on the ‘what if’ mentality of cautious parameters, which keeps everyone happy. In other mums and dads. I have friends who kitted out their words, they think the world is their oyster, when entire houses in silicone table corner cushioned we know that actually, it’s more of a pistachio nut.”

S

“

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CATHY’S COLUMN A STATESIDE SHOW

Cathy Bryan has been part of the nursery industry for the last 28 years. You can sign up for Cathy’s free newsletters at www.nursery-online.com.

At every trade show there is at least one exhibitor showing off some gadget that they think will make them a fortune. In this month’s column, Cathy reveals that October’s ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas had plenty.

help support an ever-growing bump. There were also fewer brands of strollers and car seats, but more furniture, especially nursing chairs.

North America has always been known for being conservative when it comes to colour and ABC didn’t disappoint, with plenty of boring, plain colours on strollers – although fabric products did offer more colour and a lot of small patterns. Look to Europe for leadership here!

One of the most obvious differences to aybe it’s typical of trade shows in the United States, but what European shows was what was absent. There stood out for me at the ABC was were only a very few large stands, and even fewer the number of stands showing with flashy displays. Even big brands had simple stands with just the very a single product. ABC also arranges latest products. the exhibitors by category, so that - for When you have a wellinstance - all those showing feeding known brand, it is easy bottles were together. to think that you have This grouping does make some sense, to have a bigger, flashier but being faced with a whole row of tiny stand than last year, but stands offering variations on the theme that’s not always true. of feeding bottles can be a bit daunting!

Your customers just Not only that, it becomes quite easy to want to know what’s forget which stand had new, to see the new which product. There’s season colours and touch the latest one product I’ve only a products. Potential customers? Ah, hazy recollection of. I that’s the thing! You don’t reach remember thinking how potential customers by not being interesting it was and there. Getting new leads is vital – that I’ll mention it, but and can be done even when you are now I can’t remember the biggest and best with a small why. If only they’d given but perfectly formed stand. ABC me a leaflet…

Top: The American market goes for certainly proved that.

Note for exhibitors the leather-look, with this Rachel Zoe Of course, press coverage at future shows – make collection for Quinny and Maxi Cosi.

Gadgets - like this vibrating Babble also helps with getting potential sure you have plenty of Above: band - were a key feature at the show. customers, and I also noticed that leaflets to hand out to most handouts in the press office were memory all and sundry!

But there were several other items which sticks. I’ve now got a whole bag of them! If you did catch my eye, such as the soother that want someone to remember your product quickly automatically protects the teat from dirt when it and effectively, then a simple leaflet cannot be falls. This isn’t particularly high-tech, it’s just a beaten. But if you want the press to tell the world simple design which actually works! To see more how wonderful your product is then you need go to www.doddleandsons.com. They’re not yet something digital, and a well-written release in production and could do with a helping hand, with suitable images can be invaluable. so spread the word!

One other small, but crucially important There were a couple of gadgets which have been thing which I definitely noticed was the number designed to hold baby feeding bottles, leaving of stands that had soft carpet with a decent mum hands-free to do other things. I’m not so underlay – my feet certainly appreciated it! sure about these! Cushions and mats on which Overall, I really enjoyed the show. I didn’t think to lay a baby were also popular, and there was I’d be planning to return for next year’s, but I plenty of maternity gear, especially things that just might!”

“

M

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In the

Public Eye In Media Watch, Progressive Preschool takes a look at the consumer press to see what parents will be splashing their cash on as the Christmas season gets underway.

Touch And Feel

Breathe Easy

A feature on the latest humidifiers in the October issue of Baby London featured the fun Freddy The Frog ultrasonic humidifier from Crane. Rated ‘Best For Value’ by the magazine, the childfriendly appliance is described as targeting ‘obvious cold and flu sypmtoms’ and is ‘economical to run’.

A feature looking at the best developmental baby toys made for a colourful spread in the October issue of Prima Baby.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar gel teether and Guess How Much I Love You attachable plush from Rainbow Designs took starring roles, offering a variety of developmental benefits.

Drink Up B.F.F. BELLY BANDIT Price: £79.96 bellybandit.co.uk

BABYCUP BABY & TODDLER FIRST CUP Dentists, Orthodontists and Health Visitors recommend these adorable little cups because they encourage sipping and support oral health.

Also suitable for infant cup-feeding. £7.99 for a pack of four cups babycup.co.uk

CELEBRITY STYLE

IT’S TIME TO TRAIN WITH YOUR BABY! Bumps & Burpees is the go-to place in London for pre and post natal fitness, nutrition, wellbeing and a bit of friendly advice! lomaxpt.com

VERSION REPRO OP

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SUBS ART

AUTUMN 15

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Indispensable to London

parents

including

a&u

Autumn Trendsetting plus the a&u Fashion Awards Seasonal: Boots & Shoes At home with Cordelia de Castellane

Scho�ls

GUIDE 2015/16

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PRODUCTION CLIENT

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Indispensable to London

LES DEMOISELLE Visit Lucy and Belle, The Shopping Destination For Little People and take a peek at our range of gorgeous gifts for little people! £16.00 lucyandbelle.com

angels&urchins

A celebrity favourite, Seraphine enjoys a well-earned reputation for dressing some of the most stylish women on the planet.

The brand boasts a glamorous fan club encompassing everyone from The Duchess of Cambridge, to INTER 2015 AUTUMN/W rock stars and Hollywood A-listers: Gwen Stefani, Kate Winslet, Jessica Alba and Katherine Jenkins to name but a few…. So you can be sure that you’ll be in good company with Seraphine! seraphine.com

A Real Mouthful

The autumn/winter issue of Nurture magazine selected Babycup First Cup to feature on the ‘Nurture Loves...’ pages. The open-top cup, designed for babies and toddlers and endorsed by dentists, orthodontists and health visitors, is highlighted in the feature.

Front Cover

ITS ABOUT BEING CONNECTED. The Connecta™’s carrying positions allow baby to be held close to you; offering everything that our customers ask for connectababycarrier.com

BOOK ISSUE Celebrating the joy of reading

AUTUMN 2015 |

PIONEERING OP ON

GETS JUDE BACK PITCH THE FOOTBALL PAIN

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AUTUMN 15

62

Making a real impact across the consumer press in recent weeks has been teething necklace brand Nibbling. The stylish, silicon jewellery designed for babies to chomp down on has appeared in the October/November issue of Pregnancy & Parenting, the autumn edition of Angels & Urchins and November’s Mother & Baby.

angelsandurchins.co.uk

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Featuring Bringing Learning Changing Bags, Moving

to Life, Travel: Ski & Sun, Starting Nursery, Mum Tribes, Out: Bucks, What’s On AUTUMN plus all our

News Pages!

PROGRES SIVE PRESCHOOL

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27/11/2015 11:49

MEDIA WATCH

Dino Dry

With Christmas just round the corner and frantic shoppers looking for something different to buy the little people in their life, Cuddledry’s coverage in the Good Housekeeping Christmas Gift Guide is likely to see a boost in sales for the fun – but useful – toddler dinosaur towel.

Wheely Great

A whole host of pushchair accessories featured in the winter edition of Angels and Urchins, in a two-page feature on the most useful additions to baby’s wheels. From Snugglebundl to SnoozeShade and Comfi-Cush to Hamster Buggy Bags, the feature offered an accessoy for every need.

Ice Cool

Carrier brand BabyBjorn has been the subject of widespread national newspaper coverage, thanks to its Ice Cream campaign, launching new, limited-edition colourways. It has been a big hit with the consumer lifestyle titles, including Tatler and Stylist, as well as The Times, Daily Express, The Independent and the Daily Mail.

Bag It Up

Stylishe changing bag brand Pacapod has had lots of lovely mentions recently for its a/w range, featuring in recent issues of Gurgle, Baby London and Mother & Baby. It also took centre stage in Prima Baby’s October issue on a changing bags round up, with this fab full page lifestyle shot.

NOV 2015

Who’s Who?

Cool Touch

The Wishbone Smart Thermometer is a key baby tech gadget for 2015. The non-contact thermometer which gives readings in under two seconds has been a huge hit with the press, gaining great coverage in key consumer parenting titles including Mother & Baby, Gurgle, Smallish and the December issue of Prima Baby and Pregnancy.

The PR companies, distributors and suppliers featured in this issue of Media Watch are: Amaze PR (Rainbow Designs), Crane, Babycup, Need To Know PR (Nibbling, Cuddledry), Bump PR (Snugglebundl, SnoozeShade, ComfiCush, Hamster Buggy Bags), Pacapod and Babyville (BabyBjorn, Wishbone).

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FEEDBACK: FACE TO FACE: DREAM KIDDY TOYS 2015

Inset: This year’s Dream Toys was hailed as the best attended ever by a number of suppliers.

Sweet

Dreams

W

ith its carol singing children’s choir, unique church location and festive food, Dream Toys marks the beginning of the Christmas season proper for the toy market.

The annual listing – including 63 toys in total, but with a Top 12 ‘dream dozen’ – aims to provide consumers with expert insight into what will be the most

popular toys for Christmas. It is decided by a panel of leading toy retailers in the UK, including Argos, Boots, Selfridges, Smyths, The Entertainer, TK Maxx and Toys R Us, and it never fails to attract attention from the national media.

This year, many described the event as the best attended ever. This was coupled with the news

Right: Katherine Pierce and Rachel Edge pose with their Twirlywoos helper. Far right: LEGO’s Emma Owen (left) and Lucy Fisher had a busy day with two lines in the Top 12.

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THE DREAM TOYS TOP 12 C ity Deep Sea Exploration Vessel LEGO Disney Frozen Sing-A-Long Elsa Jakks Pacific IDO3D Deluxe 3D Design Studio Flair Little Live Pets Cleverkeet Character Options Paw Patrol Paw Patroller Spin Master Pie Face Hasbro Shopkins Food Fair – Scoops Ice Cream Truck Flair Star Wars Bladebuilder Jedi Master Lightsaber Hasbro Star Wars Kylo Ren’s Command Shuttle LEGO Star Wars The Force Awakens Millennium Falcon Hasbro Thunderbirds – Interactive Tracy Island Play-set Vivid Toot-Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home VTech

With the news that the UK toy industry could reach £3.2 billion by the end of the year, the mood at Dream Toys 2015 in November was more buoyant than ever. And with some high profile preschool lines being selected, it’s clear that the sector is contributing a healthy sum. PPS headed along to find out more. that the UK toy industry has seen sales boosted 6% since the beginning of the year, and the market could expect to grow by over £100 million at retail to reach £3.2 billion by the end of the year.

Strong performances from preschool lines have played their part. Spin Master’s Paw Patrol Paw Patroller and VTech’s Toot-Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home were both selected for the Top 12, while a special ‘Tots Get Busy’ category also saw products from Golden Bear, Mattel, Flair and Character Options honoured (see separate box out).

“2015 is going to be a vintage year for toys,” said Gary Grant, chairman of the Dream Toys committee. “The 2015 Dream Toys line-up has such a great variety of toys ranging from entertainment heavyweights like Star Wars and Thunderbirds, through to highly creative and charming toys for tots like the Toot-Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home.

“This range embraces all that is good about toys and how important toys are to a child’s development.”

The suppliers also gave the event the thumbs up, praising the organisation, the general set up and the amount of press attending.

“The fact that there were both television crews, as well as journalists from all of the major publications, meant the coverage was better than ever,” Mary

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FEEDBACK: FACE TO FACE: DREAM KIDDY TOYS 2015

Wood, Vivid’s marketing director told PPS. “I think it marks the official start to Christmas in some ways by getting toys talked about across the country.

“Anything that helps get consumers in the buying mood is positive and the event is a great springboard for that.”

▶ T T T T T T T T T T T

Inset: Nic Aldridge was celebrating two Flair products in the Top 12.

Christine Nicholls, co-founder and product development director at Golden Bear, agreed: “We saw a steady stream of media throughout the day and the calibre of press in attendance was very high. Essentially, it’s a great opportunity to get toys in front of a wide variety of press when they are writing their Christmas features. Looking at it

T

TOTS GET BUSY – THE PANEL’S PRESCHOOL PICKS B ing - My Friend Bing by Fisher Price Mattel Fisher-Price Dance & Move BeatBo Mattel Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Scooter Mattel In the Night Garden Musical Ninky Nonk Track and Train Set Golden Bear Below: Hasbro’s Gary Sims gets Kidizoom Duo Camera VTech ready to perfect his Play-Doh Kidizoom Smart Watch Plus VTech cupcake making skills. Bottom: Paw Patrol Paw Patroller Spin Master Lynette Norris gets to grips with The Greedy Sheep Game.

Peppa Pig Storytime Castle Play-set Character Options Turtles Half-Shell Heroes Super Sewer HQ Flair Thomas’ Shipwreck Rails TrackMaster Set Mattel Toot-Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery Home VTech Twirlywoos Big Red Boat Play-set Golden Bear

from a wider perspective, Dream Toys is great for the toy industry in general as it puts toys front of mind when it comes to consumer buying decisions.

“It also provides a nice opportunity to network with fellow toy industry members – despite the early start!”

Charlotte Drake, Toot-Toot brand manager, VTech Dream Toys was “ great for VTech this year

– the Toot-Toot Friends Discovery Home was selected for the Top 12. We are really proud of the range and it has been important to us to continue to expand and develop the Toot-Toot play-sets and accessories. It has been very exciting to launch the Toot-Toot Friends collection this year and we can’t wait to introduce new and exciting characters and play-sets in 2016. For years Dream Toys has been regarded as a definitive top toys for Christmas list and so we were thrilled that the Toot-Toot Friends Discovery Home was selected as part of the Top 12.

”

Mary Wood, Marketing director, Vivid Imaginations

“

I thought the event was better than ever this year – a strong Christmas theme with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree taking centre stage and a real buzz about the place, with really good media representation. It’s a key event for the toy industry. Getting any product into the top 63 is a bonus, but the fact that Vivid had six products selected across plush with Care Bears Singalongs, games with Og on the Bog, racing with Real FX, tech with My Friend Freddy and, of course, two products from the Thunderbirds range was really encouraging; a tribute to all the work the Vivid team has done to market and sell these products – and an indication of how the retail trade have viewed Vivid’s range this year.

”

Left:Toot-Toot Friends Discovery Home was a Top 12 pick. Right: Thunderbirds is back in a big way this year.

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Supported by TV, VOD, Digital, Social and PR

MAKE SURE YOU’RE STOCKED UP ON THE BEST NEW 2016 TOYS

Disney’s next blockbuster hits theatres 25th March Range includes figures and playsets, role play, and feature plush Supported by TV, VOD, Digital and Social

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Build on the success of Disney Pixar’s hit film New characters and updated favourites

DVD release in March New characters and re-imagined favourites

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Continued travel innovation More colour than ever

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FEEDBACK: FACE TO FACE: DREAM KIDDY TOYS 2015

Colin Fox, Marketing services manager, Character Options

“

Dream Toys was a very successful day for Character and the industry, and we are happy with the amount of coverage generated. We felt that this was one of the best attended Dream Toys events and generated a great amount of coverage for the toy industry. Dream Toys is key to the industry because it brings toys to the forefront of consumer minds above other child-related products.

”

Left: The Peppa Pig Storytime Castle Play-set extends Character’s licensed portfolio.

Sarah Allen, Head of PR, Mattel UK Dream Toys “ was a very busy

event this year with lots of good quality journalists and it’s always great to have our toys highlighted. It felt like we saw a good mix of media, and Dream Toys has been built up over many years as an event that journalists respect as a key kick off moment for Christmas. It is a tried and tested formula and still delivers great coverage for the industry. It was nice to see the event embrace more social media this year as well.

”

Above: Mattel’s Sarah Allen posing with preschool hit, Bing.

Christine Nicholls, Co-founder & product development director, Golden Bear It was great to be back “ at Dream Toys with two

fabulous products; the Twirlywoos Big Red Boat and In the Night Garden Ninky Nonk Track and Train Set. Both products have been selling very well, so it was exciting to have them selected.

Obviously every company’s ideal scenario is to have a toy in the Top 12, however we were delighted to have been selected by the retailer panel to be included in the overall list, too. When you consider how many new toys are launched each year, being recognised in this list is a great achievement.

”

Right: The Twirlywoos Big Red Boat is selling well for Golden Bear.

Mark Swallow, Chairman, Ty This was “ our first year

Jo Thompson, PR executive, Spin Master Paw Patrol is on a roll! Everyone was buzzing and there was “ a great atmosphere. It’s a great accolade to get Paw Patroller

included in the Top 12, but to get four shortlisted is fantastic – all in diverse categories which shows our breadth of range.

Dream Toys really highlights what’s hot and with so much choice in the market, it’s a great pointer for parents to know what their kids are going to be thrilled to open on Christmas morningt.

”

Left: Paw Patrol has been a smash hit this year with preschoolers.

at Dream Toys and we really enjoyed engaging with the press. We were delighted [to be included in the overall 63 toys] but, after speaking with many retailers who say our product is their number one selling item in store, it wasn’t a complete surprise. Dream Toys gives us the opportunity to engage with all sides of the media that perhaps we wouldn’t usually be engaging with.

”

Above: Ty was a first timer at Dream Toys this year.

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Above: chalks

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27/11/2015 12:05

Leading the way in

child safety

Clippasafe lead the way in child safety products for the home.

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HALL 10.2 STAND D51

We have over 50 years of experience in designing and manufacturing a huge range of products that eliminate dangers around the home, as well as out and about.

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Visit our website to view the full range of safety products; including home accessories, stair gates, safety harnesses and much more.

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Clippasafe Ltd Lanthwaite Road, Clifton, Nottingham, NGII 8LD, Tel: 0115 921 1899

www.clippasafe.co.uk

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The brand that parents trust

27/11/2015 13:33

A DESIGN FOR LIFE THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN BEGINS There’s something about the Christmas and yuletide season which brings out the little kid in all of us.

And while preschoolers can often be overwhelmed with the abundance of toy, food and general merriment, Stacey points out how clever retailers can help parents create perfect Christmas memories.

E

“

very Christmas time, we build new traditions with loved ones – as well as keeping old traditions alive. Hopefully this year it will be no different.

Fireworks night has passed, and I find myself transported into a different state of mind – a heightened reflective, playful and thoughtful festive mode. This time of year brings out the child in all of us. We find ourselves reliving our childhood and nostalgia sets in, with warm, fireside memories rising to the surface.

So what are my most treasured memories? The inflatable reindeer by Nan’s fire, Mum’s recurring ‘giant plush’ purchases that appeared under the tree without fail, and the ‘Mover & Shaker’ that sprang to life at the wrong moment. And – for me – Christmas wasn’t over until that ‘secret’ present, which always remained hidden until the last moment, was revealed.

Parents are often eager to share the same experiences they had as children – especially with babies and infants, for whom the magic is still very much alive.

Children have a unique way of looking at the world and so see everything bigger and better than adults. The bright lights are larger-than-life, trees are 30ft tall, snowmen spring to life… and of course Father Christmas ‘enjoys’ millions of mince pies in just 24 hours.

It’s easy for parents – and therefore retailers – to focus solely on December 25, but it’s worth

Hamley’s brand design manager and toy designer, Stacey Dix has a special interest in preschool product and play and is perfectly placed to share her insights and thoughts about play theory and creative play patterns. ensuring the full countdown is an experience to remember. After all, preschoolers find time a difficult concept to grasp. They know that Christmas is coming – but when?

Advent calendars are the ideal solution to teach the art of time telling: they have to be number one on my Christmas checklist! They also encourage family bonding through interaction on a daily basis by sharing what ‘surprise’ is found behind each door, while some families use them to educate and encourage reflection on the true meaning of Christmas.

Left: Parents Families often are under pressure have their own to find the calendar traditions ‘perfect gift’.

– chocolate-filled, make-your-own – or maybe they even hang a gift for each day of advent on the tree for the family to experience. Retailers can step in and be imaginative here – offering alternative ways to make the countdown tangible helps build anticipation.

The construction and toy advents are my favourite – 24 days of consecutive building, concluding with a fantastic festive scene. A perfect addition to the already decorated home!

Thinking back to the big day itself, parents often put a lot of pressure on themselves to present their child with the ‘perfect gift’, and retailers can help the stressed parent by ensuring they have a smooth, enjoyable shopping experience by offering toys which are packed full of play value, magic and fun.

So while your customers might be seeking that must-have ‘wow’ gift or ‘top toy’ – bear in mind that it can also be the unexpected, thoughtful present which tugs hardest at the heart strings. Stocking potential presents which have the potential to inspire creative free play is essential, as very young children can be easily overwhelmed with new toys, so those with more than one use are ideal.

One really nice idea is to ensure you stock child-friendly decorations that create a festively fun atmosphere – not worrying about breaking glass baubles can often be the icing on the (Christmas) cake!”

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Left: Hauck’s most popular door gate is the Squeeze Handle Safety Gate. The gate can be opened with one hand and locks reliably into a childpoof closure.

Health and

Keeping a little one safe and healthy is one of the most important jobs of any parent or carer. And it’s not always an easy job – a crawling baby can move lightning quick!

Luckily there are a number of products designed to protect tots and keep them healthy. PPS takes a look at some recent innovations in the home safety and medical market.

Safety at Home A

ccording to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), more than two million children under the age of 15 experience accidents in and around the home every year, for which they are taken to A&E units. Many more are treated

by GPs and by parents and carers.

Those most at risk from a home accident are the 0-4 years age group.

Falls account for the majority of Below: Mommy’s Helper Furniture Brackets prevent children pulling heavy furniture onto themselves.

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non-fatal accidents while the highest numbers of fatalities are due to fire.

Frightening though these statistics are, most of these accidents are preventable through increased awareness and improvements in the home environment.

Below: Button batteries can be fatal if swallowed.

Safety begins at home

The most serious accidents at home happen in the kitchen and on the stairs, with 58,000 children having an accident on the stairs. Door gates are often seen as an essential safety item by many parents as Sue Griffiths, marketing director at Hauck explains: “As parents’ lives become busier the need for door gates has increased. Home safety is a top priority for all parents and our door gate collection has grown over the years. All of our gates are designed to be installed with ease, and incorporate a locking mechanism for double safety and the ability to be opened from both sides.”

Dorel’s new range of Easy Close Gates from Safety 1st come with SecureTech; visual red and green indicators to confirm when the gate is securely installed and properly shut. The new technology, which is already available on the Auto Close gate will be introduced across all Safety 1st gates for the 2016 collection.

▶ SAFETY TIP: BUTTON BATTERIES

Button batteries are used in a wide range of toys, gadgets and other everyday objects including small remote controls, car key fobs, musical cards and children’s toys. Button batteries aren’t just a choking risk, if swallowed they can cause serious internal bleeding and maybe even death. Batteries in children’s toys are covered by safety regulations and should be enclosed by a screw and secured.

Parents should be extra vigilant with items including musical greeting cards, flameless candles and remote controls as they do not have lockable compartments.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

a pad for non-slip security, the cradle also features secure base suction pads and anti-slip rubber feet.

Hygiene first

Inset: The Baby Bath Cradle from Safety 1st supports baby’s neck and head in the bath.

Door gates are one of the most popular products for Ardega Nursery Distribution, but parents are also demanding more specialised products according to director, Nick Hampton: “Baby proofing the house is a much more common occurrence these days. We sell stair gates and cupboard locks in seriously large quantities but products in our Mommy’s Helper range, like the Toilet Seat Lid-Lock and Furniture Brackets are selling very well.”

Clippasafe’s product range has also expanded in response to changing technology in the home, particularly as televisions get larger and heavier.

The risk of injuries and fatalities from children pulling televisions onto themselves has risen dramatically over the last decade and is set to continue to rise as televisions become heavier yet thinner and more affordable. Clippasafe’s Anti-Tip TV and Furniture Straps are Below: This thermometer from Tommee Tippee can be either used as a bath or room thermometer. Right: The Braun No Touch + Forehead can be used in no-contact mode or by placing against a child’s forehead thermometer.

affordable and designed to minimise tipping dangers in the home.

A splashing good time

Giving baby a bath can be a lovely way to strengthen parents’ attachment; and it can also be a lot of fun for baby.

Giving a newborn baby a bath can be a bit worrying for new parents, especially when it comes to ensuring the water is the right temperature. A simple thermometer, like the new starshaped Bath and Room Thermometer from Tommee Tippee is designed to provide fast and accurate temperature measurement to help keep baby comfortable during bath time and can also be used as a room thermometer.

Bathing a baby in a big bath can be tricky, but a new product from Jané is sure to help. Donna McCollough, marketing manager at Johnston Prams, the UK distributor for Jané explains: “The 2in1 Hammock Bath Seat can be used from birth. It has a soft backrest and seat with front opening. It can be used as a hammock from birth and as baby grows, it converts into a bath seat. It has been hugely popular through a series of Facebook competitions that we have been running through our retailers.”

The Baby Bath Cradle from Safety 1st is another product designed to make bath time safer.

For use in the sink or in the bath, the cradle helps keep babies steady while bathing. Featuring a structured ergonomic cradle for optimal head and back support and

Hygiene is particularly important with toddlers and newborn babies at home. Young children and babies are more susceptible to infections and illnesses as their immune systems have not yet built up much resistance to the myriad of bugs adults meet every single day. Nowhere is hygiene more important when it comes to sterilising baby bottles.

“Sterilising baby bottles and accessories is really important for the health of baby, especially in those early weeks and months when they’re still developing their immune system,” says Chris Clarke, UK marketing manager for NUK. “But sterilising is only half of the story, sterilising alone doesn’t clean bottles; parents have to make sure that they’re effectively cleaning their child’s bottles and accessories prior to sterilisation. Our research revealed that washing bottles in warm soapy water doesn’t always effectively remove the dried-on milk protein, pulp and

Inset: Always keep nappy sacks out of reach of babies and children.

▶ SAFETY TIP: NAPPY SACKS A recent RoSPA campaign has been to highlight the choking and suffocation risk to babies from nappy sacks. Nappy sacks are often stored within the baby’s reach, close to the baby’s cot for ease of changing the baby’s nappy in the night. The light flimsy plastic material of the bag is easy for a baby to grasp automatically, and then bring to their mouths for exploration.

RoSPA’s advice is to always keep nappy sacks and other plastic bags or wrapping away from babies and young children and never place nappy sacks in a baby’s cot or pram.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Right: The Wishbone Smart Thermometer plugs into a smartphone and uses no-contact technology to take a temperature.



juice residues. In response to this NUK developed the Baby Bottle Cleanser which is a cleaning solution that is based on natural ingredients. The NUK Baby Bottle Cleanser has quickly become a best seller and an integral part of the regular shop.”

When they’re poorly

When a baby or child is poorly, one of the first things many parents reach for is the thermometer.

Thermometers have come a long way since the days of mercury-filled sticks and now most parents own some sort of digital thermometer.

In-ear thermometers have become popular with parents and health professionals as they take a reading in seconds, using infrared to measure the heat generated inside the ear. “Our baby thermometers help parents keep a close eye on baby’s health,” says Kiera Day, head of marketing for Tommee Tippee UK, New Zealand and Australia.

“The Digital Ear Thermometer is an all-time favourite, providing fast and accurate readings. Tommee Tippee

▶ SAFETY TIP:

BLIND CORDS

Looped cords such as blind cords and chains can pose a risk to small children and sadly one or two children die in the UK each year after becoming tangled in blind cords. To reduce the risk posed by looped cords, parents should consider: installing blinds that do not have a cord, not placing cots or beds near a window, tying up the cords or using one of the many types of cord tidies, clips or ties that are available.

Above: A cord tidy minimises the risk of looped blind cords to children.

Inset: From 2016, all Safety 1st gates will come with SecureTech, which instantly shows if a door gate is properly closed.

has been around for 50 years and parents trust the brand, that’s why our thermometers are proving more popular than ever.”

More recently, infrared nocontact thermometers have come onto the market. These usually work by simply pointing at a person’s forehead. They are appealing to parents they don’t have to disturb a sleeping child to take their temperature. One such no-contact thermometer comes from Braun. The Braun No Touch + Forehead can be used in no-contact mode or by placing against a child’s forehead. It can be used up to 5cm away in no-touch mode.

“Our goal was to develop the most accurate and easy-to-use, non-invasive thermometer—one that could stand up to the legacy of the Braun name. Our breakthrough technology guarantees precise readings and our design promises an intuitive fever detection experience,” says Markus Allemann, vice president of engineering and quality at Kaz USA, Inc. Another new no-contact thermometer comes from Wishbone Baby and works with a smartphone. The Wishbone Smart Thermometer plugs into a smartphone and can accurately detect body temperature in less than two seconds without making contact.

Through a free app, the smartphone will also store historical data which can be viewed at a later date. Users can create multiple profiles for recording and monitoring more than one person.

Kinsa Smart thermometers also utilise smartphone technology to store historical data in an app, providing an ability to track symptoms and store notes, giving a complete picture of an illness. “Kinsa thermometers only

Left: In-ear thermometers, like this one from Tommee Tippee, take a temperature reading in seconds and are popular with parents and health professionals.

launched in mid-October in the UK and are available at Mothercare, Dixons and Amazon,” says Nita Nehru, marketing and community manager. “The product has been received incredibly well and we have tremendous interest from customers and physicians alike. We are very excited about our launch and the feedback we are getting from UK consumers.”

Although bumps, bruises and illness are all part of childhood, parent and carers have many options across all budgets when it comes to childproofing the home.

Retailers can play a really important part in educating parents about the risks around the home and product choices to minimise these risks. As mum always says, ‘it’s better to be safe than sorry.’

Below: Only introduced in the UK in October, the Kinsa Smart Stick Thermometer is already proving popular.

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FASHION FOR PRESCHOOLERS Right: Winner of this year’s Progressive Preschool Award for apparel was this Star Wars baby range from Dennicci.

Wear

Kids have never looked so good - or at least, they’ve never been dressed so well.

While they may not yet be the Kate Moss-style divas of the future, the choice in preschool clothing is dizzying and parents are increasingly making a vicarious statement about their own style credentials through their children. PPS explores what’s hot on the clothing catwalk for preschoolers this coming year and what little extras are causing adults to dig deeper.

and Tear J

ust because parents are arguably more style-savvy than in previous generations when it comes to children’s clothing, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want value for money. So what are manufacturers doing to ensure that parents and gift-giving adults get more for their hard-earned pound?

It’s not all about looking at just one season and then changing it up the following year according to Zoe Mellor of Toby Tiger. “We always use the same colour palette and design all of our own prints, so designs from previous years can be happily Right: Buyers at the 2015 INDX Kidswear show. Below: INDX Kidswear will take place in February next year.

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coordinated with our new designs giving greater longevity,” she explains.

Josie Bragg of Little Green Radicals affirms that customers look for quality in each purchase they make. “Our customers are always looking for something special that will last,” she says. “One major trend we have seen is a push towards our unisex

▶

SHOW BUSINESS

Last year Independent Kids rebranded and INDX Kidswear was born with a funkier new edge and a focus on presenting buyers with a focused trade show, produced specifically for independent retailers. Now in its 3rd season. the show has become an established, must visit date in the buying show calendar.

Buyers can expect a range of established UK exclusive labels as well as new and exciting names - with over 100 brands already confirmed.

Returning again are major brands such as Mayoral, Frugi, Hatley, and these will be accompanied by many other established names such as Blue Seven, Emile-et-Rose, Kissy Kissy, Lilly & Sid, Peppermint Phoenix, Piccalilly and Toby Tiger. Add into the mix new upcoming brands like Amabelle, Kidiwi, My Little Duckling and Zubu Baby plus the exciting UK launch of Spanish brands Martin Aranda, Tony Bambino and Popys, buyers are sure to find a broad mix of products when they visit INDX. INDX is held at Cranmore Park, Solihull, from Sunday 14th February to Monday 15th February.

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FASHION FOR PRESCHOOLERS Right: Toby Tiger sees a happy colour palette as a key trend for the coming year. Below right: Bright, primary colours and interactive elements are popular from Frugi.

items which have great longevity and can be passed down from brother to sister.

We also build a little extra room into our clothes too, making sure they will last more than one season!”

However, one trend that seems to be knocking the others into the proverbial cocked hat is the seismic shift towards organic materials.

Nicola Barnett of Potwells, which manufactures Zoochini organic underwear, believes that children have a growing problem with skin sensitivity and this, coupled with the fact that Greenpeace found several cases of highly toxic childrenswear being retailed by some of the leading brands, explains the shifting consumer mood towards organic materials.

Frugi has been blazing the organic trail for over a decade, but it too has noticed a sudden move towards organic clothing recently. Francesca Patterson-Cash from the company believes that because organic cotton is produced without any chemical nasties, it is “eco-friendly, farmerfriendly and kid-friendly”. She adds: “It’s super soft, which makes it great to wear, and much less likely to trigger skin allergies in babies and children.”

As for styles, well it’s fair to say that 2015 has seen a mixed bag of trends emerging. This year’s Progressive Preschool Award winner in the apparel category was Paul Dennicci for its range of baby Star Wars apparel. Delighted with his win, md Andrew Farrow explains that applying licensing in an innovative way can, and will, win sales. He comments: “This Christmas Star Wars will see probably the biggest movie launch of all time, the product we have launched for baby resonates with people who remember the franchise originally, but also will now cater for

a new audience.”

Colour-wise 2015 has all been about paint-pot bright primary colours for Frugi. The brand has found that tomato red and bright blues have been super popular for baby boys, while cool navy and ink shades have worked really well for older kids. For girls, they’ve seen a lot of love for the scrumptious raspberry pinks and fresh aqua in their summer collection, and in winter it’s been all about deeper shades of teal, pink and up-to-the-minute mustard yellow.

“And of course, for those who just can’t choose their favourite colour, there’s always the classic Frugi rainbow stripe,” laughs Francesca Patterson-Cash. “We know we can’t really go wrong with some lovely bright colours, characterful farmyard animals and a tractor or two!,” she adds. “Little ones love clothes with tactile and interactive elements too, so we try to use a variety of different fabrics in our applique designs and include flappy wings on birds and legs on spiders  Below: The Mitty James sail boat print from Travis Designs is inspired by classic British seaside resorts.

▶ BEACH BABIES Despite the fact that we probably have a long wait for the sun to shine, Travis Designs reports that swimwear and beach wear for babies and toddlers is growing in popularity. “The baby swimsuits and swim nappies sell all year round as the internal nappy construction mean they are practical for holidays and visits to the pool,” explains Travis Designs’ Nathalie Hamilton.

Travis has also seen growth in towelling ponchos, rompers and hooded tops which, as well as appealing to the baby market, also sell well to preschoolers whether they are for visits to the beach, swimming lessons or bath times.

UV protective swimwear is another key growth area across Europe.

“For many parents it is a priority to ensure their children are protected from the harmful rays of the sun.

For this reason we have grown our offer of UV rash vests, UV shorts and all-in-one UV lycra suits,” says Nathlie.

Moving into next year several beachwear trends for 2016 are inspired by the Brazil Olympic Games so they are fun, bold and bright. One of the trends that Travis Designs has chosen to feature is around a gorgeous pink flamingo. “We will have a fun pink flamingo print in the range and a playful flamingo appliqué towelling hooded top,” she adds.

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INDX Kidswear AW16 INDX Kidswear AW16 INDX Kidswear AW16AW16 INDX Kidswear INDX Kidswear AW16 INDX Kidswear AW16 14 - 15 February 2016 14 February - 15 February 2016 14 - 15 2016 14 - 15 February 2016

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FASHION FOR PRESCHOOLERS Right: Vintage inspired shapes are big news for Little Green Radicals. Far right: Potwells’ organic Zoochini underwear.

Below: Twosies, two-piece fleece pyjamas are growing in popularity for Misirli.

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and jellyfish wherever we can.”

When it comes to motifs and themes, Zoe Mellor of Toby Tiger has found that dinosaurs and stripes and animals are perennially popular and this is echoed by Little Green Radicals that likewise reports that animal prints are always popular as well as vintage inspired shapes. Our customers love a garment with a retro feel, especially as it often reminds them of something they wore as a child and creates a real feeling of nostalgia,” Josie Bragg points out. “Simple shapes in beautiful cotton always work well. Products don’t have to be over designed to be popular and we often find it’s the simpler pieces which sell out first, particularly as anything which has too many frills and bows often stops kids being able to play as kids.”

However it’s not all about the latest trends and the supercoolest fabrics, suppliers are now creating added appeal in their products with hidden extras - products with a trick or two up their sleeve so to speak whether that’s hidden embroidery on a pocket or a reversible jacket. For Josie at Little Green Radicals these ‘added extras’ help give their customers that little bit more, as by her own admission being both organic and Fairtrade, hers is not the cheapest brand available. “Our Sherpa lined snowsuits which have integrated mitts making them really practical are particularly popular this season and all our baby and toddler jackets are reversible and sized that little bit bigger so not only are they ‘2 in 1’ but they also last longer,” she explains. In fact one of Little Green Radicals’ best selling styles is its ‘story time’ dungarees. A fairy tale is embroidered on each leg of the dungaree, whether that be Little Red Riding Hood, or The Owl and the Pussy

Cat. “Extra details like this create real memories for our customers which is really important to our designers when working on our collections,” points out Josie.

Zoe Mellor of Toby Tiger always designs her garments with working components. She laughs: “A drawstring will work on our garments and we believe pockets are for filling!” This philosophy has been inspired by her own experiences as a parent as she has a son who was long and lean and a daughter who was a little rounder, so waists that are adjustable and are always incorporated into her designs.

Frugi likewise embraces the concept of added extras with adjustable waistbands and dresses with removable straps which are a great way of ensuring

that its clothes can grow with kids, and the range incorporates features like roll-ups on trousers and reversibility on its dresses, dungarees and jumpers.

As for next year for there are a number of key trends to look out for.

For Little Green Radicals the SS16 collection is inspired by the British novel The Secret Garden, so you can expect lots of flower prints, origami birds and secret forests to explore in its next range.

Kim Brown from Misirli meanwhile is predicting that through to Summer ‘16 it will be all about bright, monochrome, nautical and jungle. She adds: “The bright’s become more handcrafted and monochrome is moving into preschool more with hints of colour to soften the look. The Jungle theme will have an organic floral look and nautical themes will also be apparent flowing into a cool colour spectrum of Icelandic influence.”

So, whatever style of products you choose to ensure your little customers can dress to impress, the watchwords for the coming year are colour, fun, nature and added value.

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WHAT’S

HOT?

Progressive Preschool spoke to a number of independent retailers, to find out what’s been selling well across the preschool market.

Debra Brown, owner, Kid-Nap, Dumfries

A baby and toddler store in the heart of Dumfries selling nursery equipment, toys and accessories.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Travel System

Venicci

We’ve just started stocking this new range and it’s going very well. It has excellent reviews and is very good value.

Pushchair

Out ‘n’ About

The Nipper is our most popular all terrain pushchair. It is a good lightweight buggy that is suitable for around town or off-road.

Car Seats

Britax

The Britax Dualfix has been very popular as a rearward facing car seat that can also be used as a forward-facing car seat.

Wooden Toys

Bigjigs/John Crane

Traditional toys like ride-ons, push-alongs, dolls houses and the large playsets.

Plush

Steiff

Steiff bears are very collectible and make beautiful first birthday or christening gifts. Paddington Bear has sold very well after the success of the film last year.

Venicci

Britax

Amanda Alexander, owner, Giddy Goats Toys, Didsbury, Manchester An established traditional toy shop selling toys, books and games for children of all ages.

CATEGORY

78

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Construction Toys

Duplo

The Spiderman and Doc McStuffins sets have been selling really well, as do our basic Duplo sets.

Imaginative Play

Playmobil 1-2-3

Playmobil has a good reputation and the price is good for what you get. We stock a wide range of the 1-2-3 playsets, including vehicles and people.

Licensed Toys

Peppa Pig

We’ve been successful with the new baby plush range from Rainbow Designs. The board books also sell well.

Ride-on Toys

Happy Hopperz

We have a couple of Happy Hopperz on the shop floor which helps with sales of these. They’re a good price too.

Wooden Toys

Hape

We stock a wide range of wooden toys with the building blocks and shape sorter being the favourites.

Happy Hopperz

Rainbow

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BEST SELLERS

WHAT’S

HOT?

continued

Giselle Hodges, owner, Squibbly Biskit, Arundel, West Sussex

A popular shop in the centre of town that attracts local customers as well as passing tourists.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Girls’ Clothing

Week-end a la Mer

This is a new French label for us. It has a ‘traditional’ French look with navy stripes and accents of pink and certainly is attracting the customers.

Boys’ Clothing

Lilly and Sid

The boys’ clothing from Lilly and Sid is very quirky. The applique tops with London buses and taxis appeal to boys.

Jackets

Hatley/Joules

Both Hatley and Joules bring out gorgeous prints and patterns every year.

Both brands offer great quality and our customers really like them.

Baby Clothing

Toffee Moon

We’ve just started stocking Toffee Moon and it is proving popular with customers. The babygrows and knitwear sell well

Newborn Gifts

Joules

Joules do a ‘Bundle of Joy’ gift box with a babygrow, bodysuit, hat and bib. It’s a good choice for people who don’t know what to get the new parents.

Week-end a la Mer

Toffee Moon

Jessie Hancox, co-owner, Jurnie, Solihull, West Midlands

A family-run business selling clothing, gifts and accessories supporting British brands and local designers.

CATEGORY

SUPPLIERS/RANGES

COMMENT

Girls’ Clothing

Frugi/Kite

The new season’s range from Frugi and Kite is beautiful with lovely colours, patterns and designs. These brands always sell well.

Boys’ Clothing

Frugi

The applique tops are always popular for boys - the designs are not too grown-up, which seems to appeal to our customers.

Unisex Clothing

Jurnie

We’ve just recently launched our own brand of clothing and it’s going very well.

It’s made in the UK and we’ve already sold out of some items.

Gifting

Bam Bam

Bam Bam’s range of comforters, soft toys and plush rattles make beautiful gifts. They come in gift boxes and organza bags.

Footwear

Hatley

At this time of the year wellies are out best seller. The Hatley wellies match the raincoats and umbrella designs and we offer a discount when customers buy all three together.

Wooden Toys

Mooq

Mooq is a local company making wooden toys, which can be personalised.

Frugi

Bam Bam

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TV On Air Now New to the award winning range

Sing with me?

Okay!

The Busy Sounds Discovery House PRESCHOOL

Sing Together in the Playroom!

CATEGORY

Collectable Range

For more details please contact 01235 555545 trade_sales@vtech.com

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