Feature - Playground Crazes & Pocket Money Collectibles

Pocket money mania

Playground Crazes and Pocket Money Collectibles offers consumers affordable options that won’t break the bank, making it a strong and reliable category for retailers, delivering regular footfall and repeat purchases. Toy World’s Gabriela Jiménez García caught up with a selection of retailers and leading suppliers to discuss the latest trends heading to playgrounds and what can be expected from the category in the coming months.

As summer holidays come to an end, there’s a silver lining to going back to school; kids seeing all their friends once again, and having the chance to show off the cool toys collected during the holiday season. By the time September arrives, students are eager to decorate their backpacks with trendy new accessories and exchange the latest figurines and cards with classmates.

Leading suppliers recognise how playground crazes can help prepare children for a positive return to school, and how the playground buzz ensures continued support for the latest pocket money must-haves. “The category fuels the overall back-to-school experience, as kids will return to school with what they’ve collected during the summer. Whether they are trading, showing off their rare finds, or simply engaging in play, these small but powerful items make the back-to-school experience more joyful, inclusive and socially fluid,” says Omer Dekel, CEO at PMI. “I know how emotional and significant the return to school can be for children; it’s a time filled with anticipation, change and the need to reconnect socially. For some, this transition is easy; for others, it’s more challenging. Pocket money collectibles act as social bridges: they fit right into a backpack and serve as instant conversation starters on the playground.”

Pamela Justice, head of Marketing UK & Ireland at MGA Entertainment, adds that the back-to-school period is a significant and exciting milestone for families, marking new beginnings, new routines and a chance for children and parents to embrace a new chapter. “Being able to tap into the latest toy trend or a trusted collectible line to either incentivise, reassure, or reward children in that back-to-school phase helps to smooth the reset back into the routine, or introduce a new routine to those just starting their journey into school, but at an affordable price point,” she says. “In addition, the excitement of crazes brings children together as they bond over sharing and enjoying new trends.”

Speaking on the latest trends dominating playgrounds this year, Melissa Brunskill, CEO of Darlington-based Funky Fidgets Shop, which specialises in pocket money toys, tells Toy World that 3D printed toys and keyboard clickers have been highly popular at her store. One For Fun has been enjoying plenty of success with the 3D Printed Dragon Egg from its HGL brand. With over 50m views on TikTok, these captivating eggs contain an intricately designed, fully articulated dragon ideal for fidgeting, collecting, or displaying. In their Indie Viewpoint column this month (see p.46), Stephen and Mark from Toy Barnhaus also mention the popularity of 3D printed animals, highlighting a new range from 3D Studio Gifts called Jigglets. They describe sales as ‘phenomenal’ and say the company has been one of their best new suppliers this year.

The recently released Clickeez range from Vivid Goliath has also generated plenty of buzz on social media, with users expressing their love for the brand and eagerly anticipating a second series. Blending the sensory satisfaction of fidget toys with the playful appeal of mechanical keyboard customisation, Clickeez encourages kids aged six and over to click, connect and collect over 70 cute, character-based designs. Although the product only launched in the UK in July, it’s already making waves, with retailers like Jane Hastings from Toys Toys Toys in Liverpool reporting that it has performed extremely well so far, with customers “going mad” for this innovative collection.

Melissa confirms that playground trends often stem from viral videos on social media. The growing popularity of the Labubu monsters and other Pop Mart kawaii collectibles has been well documented, with the brands gaining considerable traction, especially among Gen Z and Millennials. The hashtag #Labubu has accumulated over 200m posts on TikTok, and more than 1.3m TikTok videos featuring that hashtag have gone viral. Toy Barnhaus agrees that, as the category rapidly evolves, many of the hot new lines are being driven by TikTok videos – meaning suppliers have to keep on their toes.

Keeping on top of trends is vital if, as at Toy Barnhaus, Pocket Money & Collectibles has become one of the biggest growth categories this year. “This whole section is now the third highest by value in our stores,” says Stephen Barnes. “When we first started, pocket money items would be up to around £2. Nowadays, it is anything up to £5, or even £10.“

As the Asian blind box market becomes more globalised, various toy suppliers and distributors in the Western world have drawn inspiration from the viral kawaii collectibles phenomenon and have revamped their offerings with new ranges that include unique characters reminiscent of the classic kawaii style. Most importantly, these items are affordably priced, making them accessible for children spending their pocket money as well as parents on a tight budget.

Click Distribution has recently added LaBabies to its lineup, a new brand of kawaii-inspired plush and keychains that channel big emotions and anime energy. Forming part of the collection are ViVi, LiLi, GiGi and ZuZu, each with their own personality and expression, revealed on collectible hangtags. Meanwhile, KandyToys has partnered with Baby Three, an innovative brand of collectible plush toys that blend abstract art with a cartoonish aesthetic. The characters available in the series are designed to appeal to kawaii enthusiasts who enjoy cute and whimsical collectibles. Likewise, Innov8 Academy is tapping into the Asian blind box trend with its range of Gothic Girlz 8” plush, which consists of kawaii-meets-goth plushies with expressive outfits and a scratch-to-reveal zodiac sign.

Omer from PMI highlights that surprises and discovery continue to be a leading playground craze in 2025, particularly with blind bags and mystery boxes. Bandai is one of the suppliers set to refresh its selection of mystery collectibles by introducing new blind box items for both Littlest Pet Shop and the Tamagotchi collectible range. Littlest Pet Shop Series 4 is hitting retail this month with an extra 30 bobbling head pets to collect. Also arriving this autumn is Black Light Pets, a range of pets in blind bags that glow vividly under ultraviolet light. Following the successful launch of the first Tamagotchi collectible range, the second wave, Tamagotchi Play Time Collectibles, is launching with figurines and accessories in mystery blind bags.

Leaders in the category have pointed out that the inclusion of rare collectibles is a significant factor in the popularity of the blind box trend. Allana Holmes, Commercial director at Hunter Price International, emphasises that rarity encourages multi-purchase, as children enjoy the thrill of searching for exclusive characters that could give them an advantage when trading. Suppliers such as Just Play and Zuru offer popular ranges such as Doorables and Mini Brands featuring rare and ultra-rare items within their collections. Just Play is introducing the Disney Doorables Let’s Party range this autumn/winter, with 60 figures to find across the series, including six special edition chase figures. Meanwhile, Zuru has been experiencing huge success with its Mini Brands Kawaii range, with more newness to come from the Mini Brands Create range later in the year.

Ben Grant, co-founder of Rubber Road, highlights the superiority of licensed collectibles in keeping consumers engaged for longer. With the latest movie, game and TV series releases also forming part of playground talk, this presents toy companies with a brilliant opportunity to capitalise on the licences currently capturing children’s attention. He tells Toy World: “The excitement of blind boxes with the ‘what did you get’ factor and potential trading is the playground toy chat. Nonetheless, consumers can be lost as quickly as they are found, and this is where officially licensed collectibles remain superior. When new movies and games land, we must make the most of the hype, as kids then turn attention to the accompanying licensed toys, and share this fandom with their friends in the playground.” The company has recently launched Mini Tubbz characters to coincide with some of the most popular movie releases this year, including How to Train Your Dragon, Jurassic World and Superman.

MGA’s Pamela Justice says that items which can be displayed on school bags continue to be a hot trend that captivates children, who often gravitate towards collectibles that let them express their personalities and stay connected to what’s popular online. The company’s Yummiland brand taps into the demand for collectible accessories, offering a range of keychain dolls of different shades and styles designed to add a touch of personality to bags and backpacks. Yummiland’s range of dolls is set to expand with the launch of Series 3, introducing even more innovation with a new water play element.

Paladone also provides children with endless opportunities to express themselves and add personality to their belongings. The company’s Backpack Buddies range features cool and collectible clip-on keyrings in a variety of iconic licences, perfect for fans to connect with their favourite characters. Following the popularity of the brand, new editions have recently been introduced, including The Popz, The Reveals and The Scented – all designed to add an extra layer of excitement to the unboxing experience.

Friendship bracelets are another hot trend in the world of collectible accessories, allowing kids to create unique jewellery to exchange with friends and classmates. Craft Buddy is introducing a brand-new Crystal Art Friendship Bracelet Set featuring twin character sets of iconic duos: Stitch & Angel and Elsa & Anna – both bringing a new twist to the ever-popular friendship bracelet craze. Meanwhile, One For Fun's Pick n Pop bracelet brand will be unveiling new themes throughout Q4, offering users even more collectability and creative freedom.

DKB Toys’ Sales director, James Luff, underlines fidget toys and slime/putty as another prevailing playground trend this year. Since the UK launch of Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty, the innovative compound has sold over one million tins, strengthening its status as a top collectible for children and a successful line for retailers. Following significant regulatory changes in UK and EU product testing, Crazy Aaron’s is now able to launch its full US range into the UK and European markets for the first time and will be introducing more new products to delight putty enthusiasts. Included within the range are the Crazy Aaron’s Mini Tins – ideal for school bags, playgrounds and pockets. Since launch, the number of styles on offer has doubled from four to eight, with more set to join the collection soon.

James also tells us that DKB will be adding plenty of unique features to its ranges to keep consumers engaged and ensure that the category stays fresh and exciting. He says: “We are adding more innovation to our Crazy Aaron’s range, including a double fidget feature and increased colour reveal putty. Additionally, we are adding plush & magnet blind bags to our Monogram range. We are constantly adding new licences - and new waves within those licences - to keep consumers coming back for more.”

Allana Holmes reveals that Hunter Price draws inspiration from nostalgia for its new ranges and has noticed a resurgence of the iconic fidget spinners in playgrounds up and down the country. “Spinners are back in a big way, yet with a modern, and in our case, metallic spin. It’s pocket money play which fits in pockets or pencil cases, and they’re also quiet and compact, which also appeals to teachers, parents and big kids looking for a fidgety fix.” The company’s Toy Mania brand has released the Future Fidgets range, which combines tactile materials and illusion movements; the 3D Lab creations include a variety of collectible creatures, from frogs and lizards to spiders, crocodiles and more.

While many retailers turn their focus to stocking higher-priced items in the lead-up to Christmas, the festive season can also present an excellent opportunity to sell affordable pocket money items to parents searching for small and inexpensive stocking fillers. Jonny Rogers from Rogers Toymaster in Kilkeel ensures he carries a wide range of pocket money options during this season, as they tend to be popular last-minute purchases for parents. “We have a great selection of pocket money toys and stock plenty of small, easy-to-grab items in the lead-up to Christmas,” he explains. “We find that this gives us a significant boost, as parents typically make their larger Christmas purchases at bigger retailers and then come to us for the final touches and their stocking fillers.”

The ongoing cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation in the UK have significantly affected consumer purchasing behaviour, prompting parents to be much more considerate about splurging on expensive toys for their children. As a result, Pocket Money Toys and Collectibles has become an essential category for the upcoming gifting season, enabling them to find items that will fit within a tighter budget. “The entire industry continues to feel the impact of pressures on consumer spending at this time,” says Pamela Justice. “MGA remains committed to offering lower-priced and entry-level products, keeping these consumers in mind. Many lines in MGA Entertainment’s portfolio of collectible brands are priced under £10, reflecting the company’s mission to provide more affordable, smaller toys despite inflation, allowing fans to experience the magic and grow their collections.”

PMI’s Omer Dekel also believes that lower-priced toys will play a bigger role during the upcoming holiday season. He tells us: “In today’s economy, parents are seeking affordable joy, ways to delight their children without breaking the bank. PMI specialises in delivering more fun for less, offering licensed, high-quality, collectible items that retail for under £10. Our products are perfect for stocking fillers, advent calendars, classroom exchanges, or last-minute gifts. And with rising tariffs and freight costs, our efficient model makes PMI an even more attractive partner for value-driven retail.”

Over the next few pages, readers will be able to discover more of the new ranges that the Playground Crazes and Pocket Money Collectibles category has to offer for autumn/winter 2025.