Trade fair news – current headlines
Trends at the 2018 International Toy Fair – Interview with Ernst Kick
Trends at the 2018 International Toy Fair – Interview with Ernst Kick
The 2018 International Toy Fair was clearly influenced by a changed perspective on play. In conversation with Ernst Kick, it quickly became clear that trends cannot be designed on the drawing board, but arise from social developments.
Ravensburger Sound Quiz tiptoi Create – playful hearing test
Ravensburger Sound Quiz tiptoi Create – playful hearing test
Playing with sounds has always been one of the most intuitive forms of learning. Children respond early on to sounds, voices and recognisable things, long before they can read or understand abstract rules. This is precisely where a new game...
Steiff Soft Cuddly Friends for younger target groups
Steiff Soft Cuddly Friends for younger target groups
For generations, Steiff has been associated with a very clear image. Classic soft toys, firmly stuffed, high-quality workmanship and often intended more for collectors than for small children. It is precisely this image that is being delibe...
John play tents with Schleich toy figures for fantasy worlds
John play tents with Schleich toy figures for fantasy worlds
At first glance, unicorns and tents seem like two separate worlds. One stands for fantasy figures, the other for places of retreat in the children's room. However, when combined, they create a play concept that goes far beyond a classic pla...
Electric skateboard with self-balancing technology from Neon
Electric skateboard with self-balancing technology from Neon
At first glance, it looks like a toy from the future, but after just a few seconds on the board, it becomes clear that there is more to it than a short-lived trade fair gimmick. The single-wheel, self-balancing electronic skateboard combine...
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SeatZac beanbag – seating solution for leisure and everyday use
SeatZac beanbag – seating solution for leisure and everyday use
Sometimes you don't need a complicated technical approach to stand out at a trade fair. Sometimes all you need is a product that rethinks an everyday situation. That's exactly what the SeatZac presented here does. Even the first impression ...
Micro Scooter Kit – Self-assembly is more than just a gimmick
Micro Scooter Kit – Self-assembly is more than just a gimmick
At first glance, a scooter that is not delivered fully assembled seems to require explanation. This moment of pause is intentional. The product is not only a means of transport, but also a joint project for children and parents. Assembly is...
Jofrika make-up for theatre, everyday use and fantasy
Jofrika make-up for theatre, everyday use and fantasy
It rarely looks beautiful at first. Latex, pasty masses, uneven surfaces – the early stages of make-up application seem more strange than convincing to outsiders. But this is precisely a central aspect of professional make-up: transformatio...
Rolly Toys pedal vehicles – tractors, X-Trac Premium and more
Rolly Toys pedal vehicles – tractors, X-Trac Premium and more
Anyone who visits the Rolly Toys stand at the International Toy Fair will immediately see why this manufacturer has been a fixture in the functional toy vehicle sector for years. Combine harvesters, tractors, excavators and commercial vehic...
Fischertechnik Sensor Station: Construction game with robotics
Fischertechnik Sensor Station: Construction game with robotics
Play has changed fundamentally in recent years. Children today grow up in a world where digital applications are just as commonplace as classic building blocks.
Learn programming with Cue robot from Wonder Workshop
Learn programming with Cue robot from Wonder Workshop
The transition from classic toys to digital learning tools often happens gradually. Only at second glance does it become clear that these toys offer not only new functions, but also new educational approaches. The Cue robot is a prime examp...
Toy pet – the digital chameleon with remote control
Toy pet – the digital chameleon with remote control
It is not always the most complex concepts that remain in the memory the longest on the toy shelf. Sometimes all it takes is a simple idea, a clear mechanism and a harmonious interplay of movement, reaction and reward. It is precisely this ...
Racing car with cockpit camera – Carrera
Racing car with cockpit camera – Carrera
For decades, Carrera has been synonymous with racetracks that bring speed and technology into the living room. At the trade fair, an approach was presented that takes this familiar principle a step further. Instead of viewing the vehicle fr...
Recoil as an outdoor alternative to video games from Goliath
Recoil as an outdoor alternative to video games from Goliath
When it comes to action-packed games, many parents first think of screens, controllers and long afternoons spent sitting down. The term ‘glorification of violence’ quickly comes to mind, as does the concern that exercise and fresh air are b...
Sommerkind Lotti – Handmade dolls made from natural materials
Sommerkind Lotti – Handmade dolls made from natural materials
At first glance, Summer Child Lotti looks like a classic cloth doll. But after just a few minutes of conversation, it becomes clear that this figure is based on a carefully thought-out concept that clearly sets it apart from mass-produced i...
Polar Smash skill game from HCM Kinzel
Polar Smash skill game from HCM Kinzel
At first glance, little polar bears, penguins and a wobbly igloo look like a friendly scene from a toy world. But behind Polar Smash lies a game principle that goes far beyond mere cuteness.
Eco-friendly soft toys: natural materials instead of synthetic fibres
Eco-friendly soft toys: natural materials instead of synthetic fibres
Amidst bright colours, comic-style designs and ever-changing characters, some plush toys appear surprisingly understated at first glance. Muted colours, calm shapes and a deliberately minimalist appearance stand out – and that is precisely ...
Baby bottle with teat – the beer mug for children
Baby bottle with teat – the beer mug for children
What at first glance appears to be a loving joke turns out, on closer inspection, to be a well-thought-out product with a clear idea behind it. The baby bottle combines two very familiar objects that actually have nothing to do with each ot...
The Deep Nekton play figures: Mag Knight as a highlight – Simba
The Deep Nekton play figures: Mag Knight as a highlight – Simba
Simba has been one of the defining names in the toy industry for decades. The company stands for a wide range of products, including classic play ideas as well as products based on current media formats. A central theme in the range is the ...
Model lorry – kit from Tamiya instead of finished product
Model lorry – kit from Tamiya instead of finished product
Anyone standing in front of a detailed model lorry that resembles its larger counterpart down to the smallest component will quickly realise that this is not a toy in the traditional sense. The proportions are correct, the lines are familia...
Railway in a suitcase – compact train layout from NOCH
Railway in a suitcase – compact train layout from NOCH
For decades, railways have been one of the most enduring themes in toys and collectibles. Hardly any other hobby combines technology, design and nostalgia as consistently as model railway building. For a long time, it was considered station...
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Mini Flip baby walker – convertible children's vehicle from Wishbone
Mini Flip baby walker – convertible children's vehicle from Wishbone
Anyone visiting the Spielwarenmesse will see many familiar things: balance bikes, push cars, rockers. This makes a product that cannot be clearly assigned to one of these categories all the more striking.
Microlino fully electric city car for urban areas
Microlino fully electric city car for urban areas
The first impression is clearly emotional. The little bubble car elicits spontaneous sympathy, a smile, that brief moment when technology does not seem sober, but creates a sense of closeness. The Microlino plays precisely on this effect, a...
Licensed costumes of superheroes from film and television
Licensed costumes of superheroes from film and television
When you enter the stand, you are immediately transported into a familiar world of images. Hulk, Yoda, Batman and the characters from The Incredibles are examples of a range that focuses entirely on well-known characters. Instead of free fa...
Children's products from changing bags to school bags
Children's products from changing bags to school bags
Children's products that are used every day have to meet different requirements than classic toys. The focus is on function, durability and a design that is accepted by children. This is precisely the area in which the product range from Lä...
Kullerbü marble run play world: Car park wins ToyAward
Kullerbü marble run play world: Car park wins ToyAward
A good toy can often be recognised by the fact that children not only discover a single function, but constantly find new ways to use it. The Kullerbü car park demonstrates precisely this effect.
Creative play objects without a fixed function – Moluk
Creative play objects without a fixed function – Moluk
It's raining outside, but there's immediate movement at the exhibition stand. There are no classic play figures, no clear role models, no explanatory signs in front of the table. Instead, there are simple shapes, unusual colours and materia...
Children's vehicles: Robust Dino Explorer off-road vehicle
Children's vehicles: Robust Dino Explorer off-road vehicle
Children's vehicles have been a fixture in playgrounds, courtyards and gardens for decades. What has changed, however, is the technical complexity of these products. Electric drives, apps, sensors and new usage scenarios have turned simple ...
Hybrid multicopter – copter with camera system from Walkera
Hybrid multicopter – copter with camera system from Walkera
Anyone walking through the trade fair and looking at the usual drone stands will quickly recognise a familiar pattern: compact multicopters, short flight times, a clear focus on leisure and consumers. This makes the moment when you stand in...
Schleich Horse Club riding stable play world - lots of play figures
Schleich Horse Club riding stable play world - lots of play figures
A new chapter is beginning at Schleich. With the Horse Club, the company is introducing a product world that is not limited to a single playset or figure, but was conceived from the outset as a coherent narrative system.
Plush sheep toy: Friendsheep Wolly Sunshine – Heunec
Plush sheep toy: Friendsheep Wolly Sunshine – Heunec
Plush toys are more than just companions in the nursery. They represent closeness, comfort and reliability, often over many years. At a time when toys are increasingly designed to be functional or technical, soft toys continue to play a spe...
Fragenhelden - asking questions, telling stories
Fragenhelden - asking questions, telling stories
With the question heroes, children can use small buttons to ask questions, tell stories or have stories told to them. Of course, you can also cuddle the little plush heroes.
Moustaches and beards: tools of transformation - Mustaches
Moustaches and beards: tools of transformation - Mustaches
The stand immediately catches the eye. Amongst classic trade fair appearances, it seems like a deliberate break with expectations. What appears playful at first glance quickly turns out to be serious business. Artificial moustaches and bear...
Agricultural vehicles for children – Bruder toys
Agricultural vehicles for children – Bruder toys
Toy vehicles have changed significantly in recent years. What used to consist mainly of rigid models is now part of complex play systems that replicate real work processes, technical functions and different areas of application. This develo...
Drifting, oversteering and understeering: RC cars from Sturmkind
Drifting, oversteering and understeering: RC cars from Sturmkind
What at first glance looks like a remote-controlled car defies almost all classic categories on closer inspection. The vehicle doesn't just drive, it reacts. It skids, oversteers, breaks out and recovers. Once you step on the gas, you quick...
Heroes of the City – from TV series to play world
Heroes of the City – from TV series to play world
For years, the toy industry has been observing how classic product lines are changing. Series formats, digital platforms and physical toys are increasingly converging. One example of this is City Heroes, a themed world that was deliberately...
Coffee House play shop for children
Coffee House play shop for children
Food is one of the earliest experiences that children consciously perceive in everyday life. It structures the day, creates rituals and is always socially charged. This is exactly where the play concept shown here comes in: a coffee house, ...
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Ball as a construction kit – from puzzle to football
Ball as a construction kit – from puzzle to football
Toys that combine movement, creativity and construction operate in a special area of tension. They must be robust, intuitive to use and at the same time leave room for imagination. At a time when many play ideas are either purely digital or...
Gentle play worlds for babies: Bruno the Bear from Fehn
Gentle play worlds for babies: Bruno the Bear from Fehn
Toys for babies operate in a sensitive area. They should stimulate, calm and be safe, while also accompanying the everyday life of young families. Trade fairs repeatedly demonstrate how much this area has developed.
Baby Annabell – doll from Zapf Creation celebrates birthday
Baby Annabell – doll from Zapf Creation celebrates birthday
Twenty years is a remarkable period of time in the fast-paced toy market. Trends come and go, characters disappear, new concepts replace old ones. The fact that a doll has remained relevant for over two decades is no coincidence, but rather...Trade fair reporting Germany - Trade fair knowledge, dates & events
