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BRIO's trade fair presentation impressively demonstrates how classic play ideas can be combined with modern concepts without losing their original character. BRIO has been synonymous with wooden trains for generations, but has consistently developed this basic principle into an open play world. Under the guiding principle of BRIO World, play worlds are created that are based on the real world of children and at the same time leave room for imagination, movement, and free storytelling.
At the heart of the concept is the idea of combining different themes. The classic train set continues to form the backbone, but is supplemented by villages, train stations, fire stations, police stations, farms, and horse farms. These play worlds are not intended to be isolated, but rather intertwined. Characters have a place to live, experience adventures during the day, and return home in the evening. It is precisely this storytelling of interconnected stories that makes BRIO World so appealing. The scenarios that are created are reminiscent of a large children's room where everything can exist at the same time. Tracks, roads, buildings, and vehicles can be combined as desired. There are no fixed rules of play. Children decide for themselves whether a police vehicle travels on the tracks, a train crosses a city, or a helicopter is deployed. Imagination sets the limits, not the toy.
BRIO deliberately focuses on themes that children are familiar with from their everyday lives. Fire stations, police stations, schools, train stations, and playgrounds are fixed points of reference that provide orientation and facilitate role-play. These realistic play worlds encourage children to imitate, understand, and process experiences from their everyday environment. At the same time, the game remains open enough for children to develop their own stories. Children can play in the same worlds for hours and rearrange them again and again. The next day, new adventures arise without the need to explain additional rules. This is precisely what makes BRIO World so appealing in the long term.
An important part of BRIO World is the variety of vehicles and accessories. In addition to classic trains, there are battery-powered trains, emergency vehicles, helicopters, and numerous figures. These elements add movement and variety to the game. Themed worlds with a high level of action, such as fire stations or police stations, where missions, chases, or rescue operations can be reenacted, are particularly popular. Light and sound functions enhance the play experience without dominating it. They appeal to additional senses and make certain play situations more tangible. At the same time, the haptic experience remains in the foreground. Wood, mechanics, and visible movements continue to be central components of the play concept.
BRIO looks back on a long company history and is considered one of Scandinavia's best-known toy brands. The wooden train set has become synonymous with the brand. At the same time, the trade fair presentation shows that tradition and further development are not a contradiction. New products are not developed in isolation, but are always understood as additions to existing play worlds. An important factor is the company's own product development, which works closely with the target group. The developers test new ideas together with children, gather feedback, and observe exactly how they play. This feedback ensures that new products are not developed without taking actual play behavior into account.
With the Smart Tech concept, BRIO is specifically opening itself up to technical enhancements. At the heart of this is an intelligent train that can react to its surroundings. At its heart is a chip integrated into the train that communicates with specific elements on the track. These so-called action tunnels can be placed anywhere and trigger different reactions. For example, the train recognizes a car wash, drives into it, gets washed, and continues on its journey. Other tunnels cause the train to stop, turn on its lights, or change direction. This technology works in the background and remains easy for children to understand. The interaction arises from the placement of the elements, not from complicated settings.
Smart Tech is designed to be easy to get started with. Even very young children can play with the system without needing any prior technical knowledge. At the same time, the play concept grows with age. Additional tunnels, extra tracks, or new functions expand the play experience step by step. Full compatibility with the existing BRIO range is particularly important here. Smart Tech is not a closed system, but complements existing play worlds. Children can continue to use old trains, tracks, and buildings and gradually integrate new technology.
BRIO pursues a clear approach: haptic toys remain the basis, technology is a supplement. Light, sound, app control, and intelligent responses are intended to enrich the game, not replace it. Market data shows that physical toys are still in demand. At the same time, it is recognized that children are growing up in a digital world. This balance shapes the product strategy. Technology is used where it increases the play value and creates new storytelling possibilities. Classic free play remains untouched. The key features of the BRIO concept can be summarized as follows:
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