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Hundreds of global toy executives and guests gathered in New York City on Feb. 12 to pay tribute to the toy industry's best and brightest toys, games and individuals at the 16th Annual Toy of the Year Awards and Toy Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Hosted by the U.S. Toy Industry Association in support of the philanthropic work of the Toy Industry Foundation, the "Oscars" of the toy industry were held at the American Museum of Natural History, which served as the official kick off to the 113th North American International Toy Fair.
The Toy of the Year award and the Preschool Toy of the Year both went to the Doc McStuffins Pet Vet Checkup Center by Just Play. Given the People's Choice award for most online votes from consumers was KidKraft LLC's Uptown Espresso Kitchen.
A special tribute was made to the Toy Industry Foundation, which gave brand-new toys to more than 1 million children in 2015. The event also marked the induction of Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame. Descriptions of all TOTY finalists and award winners can be found online at ToyAwards.org. The nominees were carefully selected by committees of academics, journalists, retailers and others who considered 700 submitted products and properties.
A selection of 20 Spanish children's collections will be part of the upcoming Playtime New York trade show on Feb. 14-16.Check out all the amazing brands supported by Fashion from Spain and meet the team at their resting area. Attendees can browse through the Playtime New York list of exhibitors to see the 170 brands that will present their autumn and winter lines for 2016-17.
Register online at iloveplaytime.com/newyork in order to receive a pass for entry.
Bears For Humanity is expanding their feel-good, do-good collection of organic plush teddy bears with an animal kingdom of lions, tigers and a total of 14 new animal friends, featuring cutting-edge and interactive Smart Organic Toys Collection that utilizes iOKids, an IoToys platform service by Dynepic, with whom Bears for Humanity is partnering in 2016.
When you buy from Bears For Humanity, the company donates equal quantity and quality plush toys to children in need through its Buy One Give One program in the United States. Stop by Bears For Humanity booth 6144 at the American International Toy Fair to see and feel them for yourself.
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.
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.
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.
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.
