Paper Punk building kits partners with My Little Pony

Visitors to the American International Toy Fair who visit Booth 1875 will see the brilliance of Paper Punk tactile kits. Whether building a unicorn or a cityscape, the construction kits have been described as "the love child of Lego and origami" by Wired magazine.

Each Paper Punk kit begins as colorful 2D flat shapes that transform into bold 3D geometric paper blocks to create paper toys and art forms. Every kit allows anyone to become a toy designer with part-construction and part-craft sets that promote creative building fun.

New for 2016 is a license with My Little Pony where little fingers can create six magical ponies, including Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Twilight Sparkle. Inside the six Paper Punk My Little Pony ($9.95) sets are 11 punch-n-fold shapes, more than 120 stickers and 40 adhesive dots to construct a 3D paper figure. For more information, visit paperpunk.com.

ToyFest West is in Full Swing Prep Mode for 2016's Largest Toy Show in the West

The people in the toy industry experience the holiday season like no other. Giving a gift to a child is more than a kind gesture. It is the opportunity to create magic. And it is that chance to make an eight year old believe that a sleigh full of toys circles the whole world with something perfect just for them that drives our industry.

There is no better place to see, touch hold, learn, experience and plan than the aisles of ToyFest West. While 2015 is winding down, plans for WTHRA's 2016 show are in full swing. As with new toys being offered, the show will be innovative and include improvements on the classic set up.

Taking place in Las Vegas from March 6 – 8 at the South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa, the show will include WTHRA's Sunday night Gala on March 6th, celebrating industry leaders from all aspects of the industry. This year's Retailer of the Year is Cheeky Monkey from Menlo Park, CA. The 2016 Hall of Fame inductees include Bernice Baird, John Hansen Jr., John Hansen, Mark Philips, and Dennis Daniello. The Gala will be longer than in previous years with dancing added at the end of the evening. It will be a very celebratory night. Game Night will take place on Monday, March 7th, 6:30 – 9:30 pm. Participants will enjoy pizza and beer while learning some of the new games on the market.

This year the show is offering attendees a special opportunity to make the most of their travels to Las Vegas. The EDexpo show will be taking place at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center, beginning on March 9. Buyers who attend ToyFest West will receive free entrance to the EDexpo Show on Opening Day, March 9.

Baby, pregnancy monitors thriving in the body sensor market

According to a Tractica report, the body sensor sector is experiencing a transition as heart rate monitors decline in unit volume and newer devices like baby and pregnancy monitors, headbands, posture monitors and 3D trackers begin to build momentum. Smart fashion apparel is still limited to the high end of the market and will require the support of mainstream fashion brands to gain momentum. Tractica forecasts that smart clothing shipments will grow from 140,000 units in 2013 to 10.2 million units by 2020, while body sensor shipments will decrease from 3.0 million units in 2013 to 1.2 million by 2017, before rising again to 3.1 million units in 2020. The Tractica report examined the market opportunities for smart clothing and body sensors.

Find more information at reportbuyer.com.

TIF brings early Christmas to military families

Christmas came early for hundreds of children and their families who are stationed at USCG Air Station Borinquen in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, on Nov. 20, when theToy Industry Foundation and national partner Boys & Girls Clubs of America Military Services arrived with brand-new toys and games.

The toys were delivered to the base through TIF's Play Comforts program, launched in 2010 with BGCA to comfort military families and show appreciation for their many sacrifices. To date, Play Comforts has provided 1.7 million toys valued at $6.2 million to children living on U.S. military bases worldwide.

"It was so rewarding to see the children's faces light up as they excitedly picked out their brand-new toys," said Elizabeth Max, TIF program manager. The Toy Industry Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission it is to bring the magic of play to children in need. Each year, TIF works with BGCA to identify military bases that are most in need of toys due to high deployment rates and other factors. For more information, visit toyindustryfoundation.org.

China eases 'baby policy,' spurs demand

The global demand for baby products is growing exponentially, especially in China, where the government has ended its decades-old "one-child policy" last month. Now, all married couples are allowed to have two children, creating a rich vein of business opportunities for the baby product industry.

Entering its seventh edition, the Hong Kong Baby Products Fair (HKTDC) is poised to offer a one-stop comprehensive sourcing platform to fill this demand. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the fair will run from Jan. 11-14, 2016, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The previous edition featured a record-breaking 480 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions and attracted more than 27,000 buyers from 121 countries and regions. The 2016 Hong Kong Baby Products Fair is expecting over 500 exhibitors, including first-time exhibitors from Canada and Russia, as well as the debut of Korean Pavilion. A series of seminars, forums and networking receptions will be hosted alongside the fair.

Yellowbrick.me Launches Parenting and Caregiver Online Community

With the vast amount of child-related content online, it can be hard for parents and caregivers to find advice and research from child development professionals. Once you find these studies, most of the time they're long and painfully technically written. Yellowbrick.me takes these researching findings and simplifies them into short, easy to read articles.

In addition to professional research, Yellowbrick.me is a place for parents and caregivers to discuss their own children. The Forum allows members to share their own personal successes, milestones, and roadblocks as well as give advice and feedback to others. In this section, members can upvote and downvote user-submitted content and have the opportunity to participate in opinion polls and surveys.

Members of Yellowbrick.me have the ability to support their community on a local and global scale. Through a special form of currency called "bricks," members can help back research projects and non-profit organizations as well as crowd fund other member initiatives.

PacaPod Makes Official U.S. Debut

PacaPod is a unique 3-in-1 baby organizing system, which has revolutionized the diaper bag market, making getting out and about as a new parent easier. This British brand is now available for the first time in the United States.

The clever system combines a stylish parent-changing bag and the brains behind the brand; hidden inside are a feeder pod and changer pod, which can be used either on their own or as part of the system, keeping changing and feeding hygienically separate.

All PacaPod changing bags include stroller clips and a changing mat. Each bag is thoughtfully designed and can be worn across the body, to transfer weight, can easily used with one hand (while the other hand holds onto a wriggly baby) and features a unique labeling system to help see where everything is quickly and easily.