All that kids want for Christmas

Durban — Nostalgic toys and toys that have been made popular by movies and TV shows are keeping Santa’s toy factory busy for Christmas.

According to the experts at Toys R Us, family play, pop culture, minis and collectibles are on top of the list.

Toys R Us marketing manager Catherine Jacoby said the holiday season was about bringing the family together.

“Life is busy but the range of family play on offer brings life back to basics with games and puzzles. The Twister Air combines family play, getting the body moving with technology while honing gross motor skills and keeping the mind and body active.

“Moments in pop culture are shaping the trends, whether it’s Barbiemania, Disney’s 100th anniversary, the return of the ‘90s with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers and Sonic the Hedgehog, pop culture is translating to toys in a very engaging way,” said Jacoby.

She said popular movie franchises and shows would have a benefit to the physical products in store, such as the popular Barbie range.

Jacoby said they were seeing children of all ages most interested in quieter and comforting toys or stress-relieving toys that transcend age. They include LEGO, doll houses and role-playing games.

“There is nostalgia with kids and adults alike as Pokémon and the Bitzee Interactive Digital Pet make the top toys list. The Y2K nostalgia trend will continue with ‘kidults’ seeking out toys from their past,” said Jacoby.

Among those making the Toys R Us top wish list include LEGO City Explorer Diving Boat 60377, Toyota Hilux Revo AXCR RC Car, Power ATV Quad Bike 12V, Transformers Beast Mode Bumblebee, Nerf Elite 2.0 Double Punch Blaster, Carrera Go Sonic Battery Slot Racing Set, Paw Patrol Movie Marine HQ, Beast Lab Shark Beast Creator, LEGO Friends Dog Rescue Centre 41727, Rainbocorns Mermaidcorn Surprise Assorted, Barbie Pop Reveal, Barbie Juicy Fruit Series Assorted, Bitzee Interactive Digital Pet, Twister Air and Squishmallows plush range.

Katherine Madley, vice-president of brand marketing for Massmart, said there was an increase in the number of toys that were added to their customer baskets at Makro and Game in December.

“New movie releases, such as Barbie and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as TV shows such as Paw Patrol, also tend to drive trends and fuel an increased interest in any related toys.

“We start our toy-buying strategies with our most important people at the centre – our customers. Earlier this year, Makro called for a group of 250 children between the ages of 6 and 12 to rate, test and play with never-before-seen toys in SA as part of its annual ‘Top Rated by Kids’ campaign. Not only will these products be available at both Makro and Game this year, but they have also secured exclusive rights to sell SA’s top toy for 2023, the Avalanche Gel Shot,” Madley said.

Other toys making Massmart’s top 10 include Zing – Sling Hyperstrike Shot, Air Storm Z-Tek Bow, iPlay drifter 8-wheeler, iPlay Glow Pro, Nerf – Double Punch, Goo Jit Zu Shifters, iPlay Build a Bot, Revolt Vapor Racers and Twister Air.

Jennifer Lynch, toy trends specialist at The Toy Association, said when they talked about the primary toy consumer in the past, it was kids, adding that now toys were becoming more widely accepted for all ages.

The Toy Association surveyed 1000 parents across the US, and found that 89% of parents also planned to toy shop for the grown-ups in their lives this holiday season.

Lynch said the survey results were US-specific, but the trends were global.

“As this data reveals, the spending power of ‘kidults’ is growing. As a result, it’s also creating new opportunities for toymakers on either end of the kidult age spectrum – from tweens to the elderly. We are seeing a surge in toys and toy-adjacent products that inspire play among teens and tweens (from collectibles, games and fidget toys to toys inspired by social media),” said Lynch.

She said toys had a lasting influence on pop culture and vice versa, bridging generations and evoking feelings of nostalgia.

“In a year marked by major hits in toy-themed movies like The Little Mermaid, Barbie and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, nearly four in 10 parents showed an interest in purchasing toys inspired by these cinematic and other entertainment franchises. We’re also seeing a surge in toys inspired by gaming and anime brands.”

She said 64% of parents said they also planned to purchase toys they could play with together as a family.

“Nostalgia also plays a pivotal factor as we see with the resurgence and reinterpretation of 1990s and Y2K-era toys. Not only do these types of toys captivate a fresh cohort of enthusiasts but they also appeal to parents that grew up with them. Two out of five parents expressed a likelihood to buy toys reminiscent of their own childhood playthings,” said Lynch.

“For them, it’s a way to share their love of a toy or toy brand from their own childhood with their kids.

Sunday Tribune