The Toy Book - 2016 NY TOY FAIR EDITION

® 

TOY 

FAIR 

2016» 

HOT NEW TOYS 

FOR THE YEAR AHEAD 

STATE 

OF THE 

INDUSTRY» 

SEAN MCGOWAN'S 

PREDICTIONS FOR 2016

FEBRUARY 2016 

Volume 32, No. 1 — Published by Adventure Publishing Group 

DEPARTMENTS 

20 Editor’s Viewpoint 

32 Industry Update 

52 TIA Happenings 

54 Stat Shot 

55 Kidz Global 

78 Sweet Suite 2016 

100 Property Profile: 

Peanuts 

79 

What’s New 

130 

Smart Tech & 

e-Connected 

138 

Activities & 

Construction 

56 Toys: By the 

Numbers 

60 Looking Ahead: 

Predictions for 2016 

62 State of the Industry 

Q&A 

101 Property Profile: 

Strawberry Shortcake 

118 Talkin’ Toys: 

PlayMonster 


Sony Pictures 

Entertainment 


KD Interactive 

157 The Rubie’s Insider 

specialty toys & gifts: 215 

216 ASTRA’s Insights: 

How to Get Visitors 

to Your Exhibit Booth 

Category Guide 

172 

Games & Puzzles 

state of the industry 2016 

74 Toys Competing with 

the Entertainment 

Industry 

75 Succeed in the 

Drone Zone 


Bananagrams 

238 Women in Toys 

Celebrates 25 Years 

240 Outside the Box 

242 Talking SEO 

244 Raising the Bar 

248 Industry Marketplace 

250 Flashback: 

February 1996 

186 

Dolls & Plush 

202 

Vehicles & 

Action Figures 

233 

Infant & Preschool 

76 Embrace the Grind 

to Succeed in Exports 

77 Kids at Play: How 

Do They Spend Their 

Time and Money? 

218 Toy Fair 2016 232 Life’s a Pitch: 

Tips for Pitching 

New Products 

Jonathan Samet 

Publisher 

jsamet@adventurepub.com 

Jackie Breyer 

Editor-in-Chief 

jbreyer@adventurepub.com 

Marissa DiBartolo 

Senior Editor 

mdibartolo@adventurepub.com 

Ali Mierzejewski 

Senior Editor 

amierzejewski@adventurepub.com 

Maddie Michalik 

Assistant Editor 

mmichalik@adventurepub.com 

Varuni Sinha 

Assistant Editor 

vsinha@adventurepub.com 

Joe Ibraham 

Assistant Visual Media Editor 

jibraham@adventurepub.com 

Bill Reese 

Production Director 

breese@adventurepub.com 

Lori Rubin 

Controller/Office Manager 

lrubin@adventurepub.com 

U.S. Corporate Headquarters 

Laurie Schacht 

President 

laurieschacht@aol.com 

Adventure Publishing Group, Inc. ® 

307 7th Avenue, #1601, New York, NY 10001 

Phone: (212) 575-4510 • Fax: (212) 575-4521 

The Toy Book Volume 32, No. 1 

THE TOY BOOK (ISSN-0885-3991) is published bimonthly 

by Adventure Publishing Group, Inc. ® Editorial 

and advertising offices are located at 307 Seventh 

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Opinions and comments expressed in this publication 

by editors, contributing writers, or solicited or 

unsolicited documents are not necessarily those of 

the management of The Toy Book. 

® 

On the Cover: The Haywire Group’s Calafant Cardboard Kit, Zing’s Wet Head, Carrera’s Nintendo Mario-Copter, Jakks Pacific’s 

Make It Pop Fashion Dolls Performance “Spotlight Ready,” WowWee’s CHiP, DynaCraft’s 24V Surge Ice Drifter, NKOK’s EZ 3D 

Printer, Spin Master’s Micronoid, Glitek’s Glide, Jada Toys’ Batman/Superman Metals 4-Inch Figures Twin Pack, Jazwares’ Peppa 

Pig Treehouse Play Set, Adora’s Mixxie Pony 

Member, 

International Toy Magazine Association

editor’s viewpoint 

THIS YEAR, IT’S ALL ABOUT 

KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING 

by JACKIE BREYER, Editor-in-Chief 

Thanks for the amazing Barbie Dream House, Daddy. 

Now I need 65 more dolls to complete the set.” 

IT’S TOUGH NOT TO KICK THIS YEAR OFF 

with a positive attitude. The toy industry was up 

nearly 7 percent overall last year, and this year 

is looking good thus far. Of course, we have 

to keep things in perspective. After being up 7 

percent, even a flat year would be pretty good. 

As a journalist covering the toy industry for 

the past 14 years—after getting my start shortly 

following the tragedies of September 11th— 

this is actually the best shape the industry has 

been in during my tenure at The Toy Book. And 

I have to say, it’s a really interesting time to be 

covering this industry. 

As a child of the 1980s, I’m not shocked at 

the number of hit properties from that decade 

that are still crushing it at retail. Entertainment 

brands that were huge when I was a kid—Star 

Wars, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Cabbage 

Patch Kids, Transformers, My Little Pony, 

and so many more—have been refreshed time 

and again, but the essence of the properties 

themselves have remained true, and those core 

values resonate with kids in a timeless fashion. 

Not to mention the parents who, like me, will 

never say no to buying just one more doll or action 

figure that reminds them of simpler times, 

when play itself was what we now refer to as 

“traditional play.” 

What the child-sized version of me would 

delight in (and the current-sized version of me 

still marvels at) are the cool new technologies 

being applied to toys today. Things like artificial 

intelligence, augmented reality, and the ability 

for a toy to be customized and personalized for 

any child, are a different kind of magic. 

One of the best things about the industry 

being up—in my journalistic opinion—is the 

innovation. Companies are taking chances with 

new technology, but even traditional toys are 

getting revamped. Toy Fair this year is not just 

a bunch of “what else is new; I’ve seen this before.” 

I expect to see a lot of new products that 

will get me—and retailers and consumers—excited 

for the year ahead. We’ve already gotten 

sneak peaks at some of the hottest toys for this 

year, but there’s really nothing like walking into 

the Javits Center on that first day of Toy Fair, 

ready with an open mind, fresh pens, and a 

clean notepad (or for my millennial colleagues, 

some type of digital device), set to see all the 

best that the industry has to offer. Our team will 

be at the show in full force, developing our list 

of the Toy Insider’s hot toys for the holidays, 

and we’re getting pumped. 

I hope to see you at the show! Be sure to 

stop by our booth, #1801, and say hi. We’d 

love to meet you and hear about your picks for 

best toy of the year! Enjoy this Toy Fair issue of 

The Toy Book, and, as always, feel free to tweet 

@jackiebreyer with your feedback. » 

Jackie Breyer is editor-in-chief of 

The Toy Book and the Toy Insider, 

and editorial director at Adventure 

Publishing. She has been reporting 

on new products and toy industry 

trends for 14 years. Contact her at 

jbreyer@adventurepub.com. 

20 THE TOY BOOK | February 2016 | TOYBOOK.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATE 

MATTEL EXPANDS BARBIE 

FASHIONISTAS LINE WITH 

THREE NEW BODY TYPES 

Mattel added three new body types to 

its Barbie Fashionistas line—tall, curvy, and 

petite—as well as a variety of skin tones, 

hairstyles, and outfits. 

This year, the line will feature dolls with 

four body types (the original sculpt and 

three new ones), seven skin tones, 22 eye 

colors, 24 hairstyles, and on-trend fashions 

and accessories. The original line, which 

released last year, included 23 dolls with a 

variety of skin tones, hair colors, and articulated 

ankles that allow the dolls to wear 

flats as well as heels. 

The new dolls will be on shelf at major 

retail stores worldwide in the spring. » 

TOY INDUSTRY GROWS 

NEARLY 7 PERCENT IN 2015 

U.S. toy sales grew 6.7 percent in 2015, 

according to retail sales data from The NPD 

Group, generating $19.4 billion and marking 

one of the strongest performances the industry 

has seen in years. 

Nine of the 11 super-categories posted 

gains in 2015. Games/Puzzles and Vehicles 

grew the fastest at 10.8 percent and 9.7 

percent, respectively, followed by Building 

Sets and Outdoor & Sports Toys. Outdoor & 

Sports Toys and Dolls had the largest dollar 

gains followed by Building Sets and Infant/ 

Toddler/Preschool Toys. The Star Wars brand 

was the No. 1 absolute dollar growth contributor 

to three of the super-categories: Action 

Figures, Vehicles, and All Other Toys. 

Turn to page 56 for more details. » 

CHIZCOMM CHALLENGES 

TOY INDUSTRY TO 

#GETCHIZZYWITHIT 

ChizComm Ltd. will return to the North 

American International Toy Fair with its 

first-ever promotion to win one month of 

free public relations and marketing services. 

Participants must submit a photo or video of 

them “Getting Chizzy With It” via Facebook, 

Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag 

#GetChizzyWithIt and tagging @ChizComm 

for a chance to win. The deadline is March 

15 at midnight, and the only requirements 

are fun and creativity. For details, visit Chiz- 

Comm’s YouTube page at ChizCommLTD. » 

Barbie Fashionistas, from Mattel 

WBCP SIGNS LICENSEES FOR 

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN 

OF JUSTICE 

Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) 

signed new licensees for a global licensing 

and merchandising 

program for 

the upcoming 

film Batman 

v Superman: 

Dawn of Justice, 

releasing in theaters 

on March 25. 

Mattel will unveil a full toy line, 

including action figures, vehicles, play sets, 

and collectible figures; The Lego Group will 

launch construction sets; and Rubie’s Costume 

Co. will introduce a new line of costumes 

and accessories for kid and adult fans. 

Other licensees include Funko for stylized 

collectible figures; Thinkway Toys for a 

role-play line; Jakks Pacific for Batman and 

Superman collectible figures; Tonner Dolls 

for detailed fashion dolls; Bandai America 

for poseable figure model kits; Spin Master 

for remote control Batmobiles; and Buffalo 

Games for adult puzzles. 

In addition, Sideshow Collectibles will 

launch detailed statues; The Noble Collection 

will introduce prop replicas; NECA will 

launch an 18-inch figure; Soap Studios will 

launch replicas of the Batmobile; and Hot 

Toys, Kotobukiya, SquareEnix, Medicom 

Toy, Prime 1 Studio, and Union Creative will 

launch collectibles. » 

Batmobile and Multiverse Superman, from Mattel 

32 THE TOY BOOK | FEBRUARY 2016 | TOYBOOK.COM

INDUSTRY UPDATE 

FANTOYSTIC FACTS: 

STAR TREK CELEBRATES 

50 YEARS 

➢➢ 

Toy partners for this year include Mattel, 

Spin Master, Wooden Expressions, and 

USAopololy for board games. 

➢➢The entire Star Trek franchise includes 

six series: The Original Series, The Animated 

Series, The Next Generation, 

Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise, 

totaling 726 episodes. Desilu 

Productions, headed by Lucille Ball, 

produced the original series. 

➢➢ 

Stephen Hawking guest starred in an 

episode of Star Trek, as himself, playing 

a game of poker with Albert Einstein, Sir 

Isaac Newton, and Data. 

➢➢ 

An October 1967 TV Guide ad from RCA 

cited Star Trek: The Original Series as 

the reason to buy a color TV. 

➢➢ 

There are more Star Trek websites than 

U.S. government websites. 

➢➢ 

NASA’s Space Shuttle Constitution had 

its name changed to Enterprise, following 

a letter-writing campaign from Star 

Trek fans. 

➢➢ 

After the first season, Nichelle Nichols 

wanted to leave the show, but reconsidered 

after a conversation with Martin 

Luther King Jr., a big Star Trek fan. 

➢➢ 

The first interracial kiss on U.S. television 

was on Star Trek. 

➢➢ 

When the original Star Trek became a 

hit on TV, Leonard Nimoy’s dad, 

who worked as a 

barber, offered 

customers a 

Spock cut at 

his barbershop. 

➢➢ 

After Star Trek was 

canceled, Nichelle 

Nichols volunteered for a 

special recruiting project at 

NASA, where she recruited 

America’s first female and 

male black astronauts. 

➢ ➢ Scientists from the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory wore Spock ears 

while monitoring the Mariner V on 

October 1967. 

TOY STATE SIGNS FOR 

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA 

TURTLES VEHICLES 

Toy State secured a licensing 

partnership with Nickelodeon to design, 

develop, and manufacture lines of toy vehicles 

featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja 

Turtles entertainment brand. The threeyear 

deal will allow Toy State to create 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-themed 

lights and sound, preschool, and R/C 

vehicles. Product will be available at 

major retailers later this year. 

Toy State recently added Barbie and 

NASCAR to its licensing portfolio, joining the 

company’s flagship Road Rippers and Nikko 

brands, as well as lines featuring leading 

licensed properties including Hot Wheels, 

Caterpillar, WWE, Thomas & Friends, and DC 

Super Friends in its brand lineup. » 

DCP, BANDAI AMERICA 

LAUNCH FINDING DORY 

PRODUCT LINE 

Disney Consumer Products (DCP) and 

Bandai America unveiled the global product 

lineup for Disney•Pixar’s Finding Dory, debuting 

in the U.S. on June 17. 

With recognizable sounds and voices 

from Dory, Marlin, and Nemo, Bandai America’s 

products capture the essence of the film 

and transform key moments into play sets, 

interactive toys, feature figures, plush, and 

bath toys. Highlights include a My Friend 

Dory interactive soft figure and Swigglefish 

figure. The merchandise will roll out globally 

starting in May. » 

Air Hogs Star Trek 

Enterprise, from Spin Master 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Party Van, from Toy State 

PILLOW PETS, DCP SIGN 

SHARK WEEK LICENSING 

AGREEMENT 

CJ Products, creators of Pillow Pets 

foldable plush, partnered with Discovery 

Consumer Products (DCP), the licensing arm 

of Discovery Communications, for the Shark 

Week Pillow Pet. 

Shark Week Pillow Pets feature realistic 

attributes and are surface washable. They will 

be available in May for merchandising. 

Discovery Channel’s Shark Week is TV’s 

longest running summer event, and Shark 

Week last year was the highest-rated Shark 

Week in the event’s 28 year history in prime 

time TV. » 

SPIN MASTER EXPANDS 

GAMES PORTFOLIO 

Spin Master Corp. entered an agreement 

to purchase the library of board games 

from Editrice Giochi SRL, one of the oldest 

privately held toy companies in Italy. The 

sale includes the Editrice Giochi brand. The 

acquisition enables Spin Master to expand its 

selection of games and licensed products in 

the Italian market with games such as Risiko, 

Italy’s most popular strategic game, and 

Scarabeo, the leading word game in Italy. The 

acquisition also complements Spin Master’s 

recent acquisition of Cardinal Games. 

The parties expect to complete the transaction 

in early February. » 

STAY CONNECTED! 

/TheToyBook 

@ToyBook 


tia happenings 

TOTY 2016: 

Celebrating 100 Years of Toys and Play 

THE CLOCK IS TICKING DOWN TO ONE 

of the most anticipated and exciting events 

in the toy industry: the 2016 Toy of the Year 

(TOTY) Awards, which kicks off Toy Fair week 

on Friday evening, February 12 at the iconic 

American Museum of Natural History in New 

York City. 

This prestigious annual awards ceremony 

recognizes the most outstanding new toys to 

hit the marketplace. TOTY 2016 is particularly 

meaningful, as this year’s event will spotlight 

the Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) centenary—celebrating 

100 years of hard work and 

enthusiasm dedicated to bringing the magic 

and joy of fun, safe play to children of all 

ages. The festive evening will also include 

the induction of Robert A. Iger, chairman and 

CEO of the Walt Disney Co., into the Toy 

Industry Hall of Fame, and support the inspiring 

philanthropic work of the Toy Industry 

Foundation. 

It was a century ago on June 9, 1916 

when a small group of toy manufacturers 

banded together to form an association 

called the Toy Manufacturers of the U.S.A. to 

support its members and lead the growth of 

the U.S. toy industry. On that day, an inaugural 

meeting of 46 toy manufacturers was held 

at the Hotel McAlpin in New York City to discuss 

the establishment of a trade association 

that would support U.S. toymakers, promote 

American-made products, and encourage 

year-round toy sales. 

Over the course of 100 years, the Association 

has greatly evolved and underwent 

two name changes—the Toy Manufacturers 

of America in 1996 and to its current name, 

the Toy Industry Association, in 2001. Today, 

TIA is made up of not only manufacturers, but 

also inventors, designers, retailers, licensors, 

distributors, and more, representing large 

and small companies, both foreign and 

domestic. What has remained constant over 

the decades is TIA’s mission to provide expert 

guidance, business-boosting resources, and a 

unified voice for its 900 member companies 

and the North American toy industry at large. 

“TIA is proud of its longevity in serving 

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Toy Halls of Fame 

52 THE TOY BOOK | february 2016 | TOYBOOK.COM

tia happenings 

TOTY Awards 2015 

this incredible industry and supporting toy 

companies as they seek to brighten the lives 

of children through the joy and benefits of 

play,” says TIA President and CEO Steve 

Pasierb. “This milestone represents the hard 

work and wisdom of all those who have 

helped to shape the Association of today. We 

look forward to ushering in another century of 

innovation, growth, and success for the entire 

North American toy industry.” 

To kick off the centenary celebrations, TIA 

held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and formal 

gala on September 17 for the new Toy Halls 

of Fame Exhibit at The Strong museum in 

Rochester, N.Y. The state-of-the-art Toy Halls 

of Fame features both the Toy Industry Hall 

of Fame and the National Toy Hall of Fame 

under one roof, bringing together America’s 

favorite classic playthings and the brilliant toy 

professionals who helped bring them to life. 

The centenary festivities continue this 

year at the North American International Toy 

Fair with a striking visual timeline showcasing 

significant moments in TIA history. Finally, 

a centenary tribute video will be featured 

at the TOTY Awards, which will begin with 

a black tie optional pre-dinner reception 

with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, creating a 

relaxed atmosphere where participants can 

network and connect with industry friends 

and new and old business partners. Lively décor, 

a seated dinner in the museum’s famous 

Hall of Ocean Life, and live entertainment 

will add to the festivities. The presentation of 

the TOTY Awards will include the overall Toy 

of the Year and the highly coveted People’s 

Choice award. 

This year’s TOTY finalists were selected 

from approximately 700 nominees, submitted 

by more than 200 companies. Mass and 

specialty retail buyers, youth experts, academics, 

and journalists staffed the nomination 

committees that narrowed the field to the 

slate of finalists. 

These finalists represent unique products 

and properties spread across 12 categories, 

including Educational, Infant/Toddler, e-Connected, 

Innovative, and more. The winners 

have been selected based on votes cast 

through mid-January by mass and specialty 

retailers, journalists and bloggers, TIA members, 

and consumers. The People’s Choice 

Award is based exclusively on consumer 

votes. 

Some of last year’s winners include: 

Zoomer Dino, by Spin Master, for The Best 

Toy of the Year award; Crayola Paint Maker, 

by Crayola, winner of the People’s Choice 

Toy of the Year and the Activity Toy of the 

Year awards; Simon Swipe, by Hasbro, winner 

of the Game of the Year award; and LEGO 

Technic, by LEGO Systems Inc., winner of the 

Educational Toy of the Year award. 

Finally, the evening will continue with 

Disney’s Bob Iger’s induction into the Toy 

Industry Hall of Fame. As the steward of the 

world’s largest media company and some of 

the most respected brands recognized and 

loved by children and adults worldwide, Iger 

will join an impressive roster of 70 individuals 

who have been previously honored for their 

significant contributions to the growth and 

success of the toy industry since the Hall of 

Fame was established in 1985. 

Iger officially joined the Disney senior 

management team in 1996 as chairman of 

the Disney-owned ABC Group. Now, as chairman 

and CEO of the Walt Disney Co., Iger’s 

strategic vision focuses on three fundamental 

pillars: generating the best creative content 

possible; fostering innovation and utilizing 

the latest technology; and expanding into 

new markets around the world. Iger has built 

on Disney’s history of unforgettable storytelling 

with the acquisition of Pixar (2006), 

Marvel (2009), and Lucasfilm (2012), three of 

the entertainment industry’s greatest storytelling 

companies. 

“Just about every child around the globe 

has been touched by the magic of Disney,” 

says Pasierb. “Mr. Iger has done an impressive 

job of building on Disney’s rich history 

and growing its storytelling portfolio, creating 

new experiences and unforgettable memories 

for generations of kids to come.” 

TIA is grateful to the following companies 

for their unwavering and generous support of 

the TOTY awards and the centenary events: 

Jakks Pacific (Diamond sponsors); VTech, 

Fat Brain Toy Co., and Playmates Toys (Gold 

sponsors); Dallas Market Center and Coyne 

PR (Silver sponsors); and GES, Educational 

Insights, Gourvitz Communications, Uncle 

Milton, Learning Resources, Women In 

Toys, Keller Heckman, Thames and Kosmos, 

TekConn, The Halo Group, Wooky Entertainment, 

and WowWee (Bronze sponsors). » 

To reserve tickets for the 2016 TOTY Awards 

ceremony, visit toyassociation.org/TOTY. More 

information about TIA’s centenary celebrations can 

be found at toyassociation.org/centenary. 

TOYBOOK.COM | february 2016 | THE TOY BOOK 53

Dollar sales in billions, u.s. toy industry, super-categories* 

SUPER-CATEGORY ANNUAL 2014 ANNUAL 2015 CHANGE 

Action Figures & Accessories 

$1.32 

$1.43 

9 percent 

Arts and Crafts 

$1.04 

$1.00 

-4 percent 

Building Sets 

$1.86 

$2.04 

9 percent 

Dolls 

$2.38 

$2.58 

8 percent 

Games and Puzzles 

$1.46 

$1.61 

11 percent 

Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Toys 

$2.89 

$3.06 

6 percent 

Youth Electronics 

$0.63 

$0.60 

-5 percent 

Outdoor and Sports Toys 

$3.30 

$3.59 

9 percent 

Plush 

$0.98 

$1.00 

2 percent 

Vehicles 

$1.30 

$1.43 

10 percent 

All Other Toys 

$1.07 

$1.11 

4 percent 

GRAND TOTAL 

$18.23 

$19.45 

7 percent 

*Approximately 80 percent of U.S. toys retail market. Source: The NPD Group, Inc./Retail Tracking Service. 

Data is representative of retailers that participate in the NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service. The NPD’s current estimate is 

that the Retail Tracking Service represents approximately 80 percent of the U.S. retail market for toys. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

TOP SELLING TRADITIONAL TOY ITEMS IN 2015, RANKED ON DOLLARS 

RANK ITEM MANUFACTURER 

54 THE TOY BOOK | FEBRUARY 2016 | TOYBOOK.COM 

Shopkins 12-Pack Assortment 

Paw Patrol Basic Vehicle with Pup Assortment 

Hot Wheels Car Basic Assortment 

Shopkins Two-Pack 

Barbie Dreamhouse 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Figure Assortment 

Minecraft Mini Figures Assortment 

BB-8 App-Enabled Droid 

Hot Wheels Five Car Gift Pack Assortment 

Minecraft The Cave 

Moose Toys 

Spin Master 

Mattel 


Mattel 

Playmates Toys 

Mattel 

Sphero 

Mattel 

LEGO Group 

Source: The NPD Group, Inc./Retail Tracking Service. The list does not include items that are exclusive to specific retailers.

KIDZ GLOBAL 

TOYS ARE STILL ON TOP 

While entertainment brands and characters continue to increase in popularity, playing with 

toys remains kids’ No. 1 leisure activity. 

by PHILIPPE GUINAUDEAU, CEO, Kidz Global 

TODAY, CHILDREN KNOW MORE 

entertainment brands, characters, and 

licenses than they did four years ago. In 

2011, children from Europe 5 (the UK, 

Italy, Spain, France, and Denmark) knew 

271 brands* (number of different brands 

spontaneously mentioned by the child or 

by parents of children ages 0 to 14). This 

year, kids know 416 brands, marking an 

increase of 54 percent over four years—but 

their combined purchasing power has not 

changed in the same proportions. 

What are the reasons for such an 

increase in the number of brands children 

know? This growth is linked to three concomitant 

factors: 

1. The sheer number of brands has 

expanded, but far from our 5 percent total. 

Therefore, this only explains a small fraction 

of the phenomenon. Furthermore, toy 

and game brands did not gain any traction 

here, still remaining at 9 percent of the 

brands. 

2. Kids now have increased access to 

the Internet, which in turn increases brand 

awareness–especially in regard to entertainment 

content—and generates a strong 

appetite for licensed products. 

3. Distribution has increased the concentration 

of the offerings of the most popular 

brands. This effect has enhanced the 

reputation of these brands, while making it 

more difficult for the less supported brands 

to break through. 

Today, children all know the same six 

to eight mega brands and a wide range of 

others that differ from one child to another. 

What consequences does this landscape 

present for licensees and toy manufacturers? 

Imagine: 416 different brands, 

giving kids prolific choice. Now more than 

ever, it is important for manufacturers, 

licensors, and licensees to perfectly master 

the key factors in the popularity of their 

brands. 

Simultaneously, digital entertainment is 

growing quickly, and is becoming increasingly 

popular with children and teenagers 

of all ages. The majority of kids now have 

access to a mobile device, whether it’s a 

smartphone or tablet of their own, or one 

belonging to a parent, resulting in countless 

hours spent playing with apps and 

games. 

However, no matter how much it may 

seem like kids are glued to their devices, 

playing with traditional toys and games is 

the primary leisure activity of kids ages 3 

to 6, far ahead of the second-most popular 

activity: watching TV. In the U.S. for 

instance, 16 percent of the active hours** 

of a 3- to 6-year-old child is dedicated 

to playing with toys and games, while 11 

percent of their active hours are spent 

watching TV. The same applies in all the 

countries studied, even in Brazil. In this 

country, where watching TV is practically a 

national sport (thanks to the novellas and 

sports—especially football), this activity is 

on-par with playing with toys, at 12 percent 

of kids’ time. For kids ages 7 to 9, playing 

with toys and games ranks as the second 

most popular leisure activity, right behind 

watching TV. 

So, although time spent on digital activities 

is increasing among kids—including 

the younger ones—playing with toys remains—by 

far—the most important leisure 

activity for kids up to 9 years old. » 

*Source: Kidz Global - BrandTrends, October 2015 

**Source: Kidz Global - Kids Observer Research, 

December 2015 

Philippe Guinaudeau is a senior 

consultant with 24 years of experience 

in marketing research. He 

is also the CEO of Kidz Global, an 

international market research and 

consulting firm, with offices in Paris 

and Hong Kong. 

TOYBOOK.COM | FEBRUARY 2016 | THE TOY BOOK 55

State of the 

Industry 

TOYS: BY THE NUMBERS 

The NPD Group looks at the growth of trends and toy categories from last year and 2014, 

and offers insight for the market in 2016. 

by JULI LENNETT, U.S. Toys Industry Analyst, The NPD Group 

MARKING ONE OF THE BEST YEARS IT HAS SEEN IN MORE THAN 

a decade, the U.S. toy industry grew 6.7 percent to $19.4 billion in 2015, 

compared to 4 percent growth in 2014, according to retail sales data* from 

global information company The NPD Group. Unit sales also grew significantly 

at 6 percent over last year to 1.9 billion, compared to a 2 percent 

increase in 2014. 

Based on trends happening in the first half of the year, NPD estimated 

that the industry would grow 6.2 percent for the full year. After tremendous 

growth during the third quarter as a result of several retailer events, including 

the Star Wars Force Friday event, NPD projected that annual growth 

would land somewhere between 6.2 and 7.3 percent. A number of factors 

coalesced to grow the industry nearly 7 percent in 2015, including strong 

super-category performance, movie and other content-related toy sales, a 

healthy holiday shopping season for the industry, and the continued integration 

of technology into the world of play. 

U.S. Toy Industry Dollar Sales 

Dollar sales increased 6.7 percent, 

or $1.2 billion, in 2015. Unit sales grew 

6.0 percent and average retail price 

of $10.38 was 0.6 percent above 2014. 

$18.2 

BILLION 

19.4 

$ 

BILLION 

U.S. Toy Industry Dollar Sales by Quarter 

Q4 contributed nearly 50 percent of the total 

annual sales; however, Q3 grew 1.6x faster than Q4. 

Q2 

$10 $8 $6 $4 $2 $0 

0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 

Dollar Sales ($B) 

Q1 

Q1/Q2 

Q3 

Q4 

% Dollar Change 

2014 

2015 


TOY FAIR 2016 

Super-Category Performance 

Nine of the 11 super-categories posted gains. Games/Puzzles and Vehicles 

grew the fastest at 10.8 percent and 9.7 percent, respectively. 

Outdoor & Sports Toys 

Infant/Toddler/Preschool Toys 

Dolls 

Building Sets 

Games/Puzzles 

Action Figures & Accessories 

Vehicles 

All Other Toys 

Arts & Crafts 

Plush 

Youth Electronics 

$4.0 $3.5 $3.0 $2.5 $2.0 $1.5 $1.0 $0.5 $0 

($100) $0 $100 $200 $300 

Sales ($B) 

Dollar Change ($MM) 

In terms of sales performance across the super-categories tracked by 

NPD, nine of the 11 super-categories posted gains in 2015. Games/Puzzles 

and Vehicles grew the fastest at 11 percent and 10 percent, respectively, 

followed by Building Sets and Outdoor & Sports Toys. Outdoor & 

Sports Toys and Dolls had the largest dollar gains followed by Building 

Sets and Infant/Toddler/Preschool Toys. Star Wars was the No. 1 absolute 

dollar growth contributor to three of the super-categories: Action 

Figures, Vehicles, and All Other Toys. Properties and products that drove 

the gains for the fastest growing super-categories were: 

• Games/Puzzles: Pokémon, Star Wars, Pie Face 

• Vehicles: Star Wars, Hot Wheels, Sky Viper, Anki Drive 

• Building Sets: Lego Minecraft, Lego Star Wars, Lego Classic 

• Outdoor & Sports Toys: Nerf, Disney Frozen, Star Wars 

Properties with ties to content, whether that content was in the form 

of a movie (Star Wars, Jurassic World, Minions, and Avengers), TV show 

(Paw Patrol), app (Minecraft), or a strong YouTube following (Shopkins), 

were also top contributors to the industry’s annual growth. “Movies” in 

total outperformed the market in 2015, growing by 9 percent. With the 

early release of Star Wars toys on Force Friday, Star Wars managed to 

become the No. 1 property for the year, earning more than $700 million 

in sales. It also brought in more sales and contributed more growth than 

Jurassic World, Minions, and Avengers combined. With Star Wars: The 

Force Awakens debuting late in the year, 2015 was only the beginning, 

and there is room for the property to grow further this year. 

Top 10 Properties 

These 10 properties make up 

one-fifth of total industry dollars. 

Star Wars 

Disney Frozen 

Nerf 

Barbie 

Minecraft 

Hot Wheels 

Shopkins 

Disney Princess 

Lego Star 

Wars 

Teenage Mutant 

Ninja Turtles 

$0 $200 $400 $600 

Sales ($MM) 


State of the 

Industry 

The holidays boded well for toy sales 

this past holiday shopping season. With 

Christmas Day falling on a Friday in 2015, 

consumers had one extra day to shop in 

the week compared to 2014. As a result, 

the week of Christmas (Dec. 20 through 26) 

grew 25 percent in 2015, and its growth 

was larger than all the other weeks in Q4 

combined. The week of Christmas also 

represents 8 percent of all toy sales for the 

year, and is the second most important 

week of the year for the toy industry—the 

week before Christmas being No. 1 at 

8.5 percent, illustrating the importance 

for retailers to stay well-stocked up until 

Christmas Eve. 

Another important callout for 2015 is 

the co-existence of traditional and technology 

play as a toy industry influencer. 

NPD recently found that kids are just about 

$1,800 

$1,600 

$1,400 

$1,200 

$1,000 

$800 

$600 

$400 

$200 

$0 

-$200 

Dollar Sales By Week for Q4 2015 

The five largest weeks in Q4 contribute over one third of 

all dollar sales for the year. 

Week 

40 

Difference 2015 v 2014 

Dollar Sales 2014 

equally engaged in traditional play and 

activities as they are technology play and 

activities, according to NPD’s Kids’ Share 

of Time & Wallet 2015 report, demonstrating 

that kids are not swapping dolls and 

building sets for tablets and video games, 

but are making time for both types of play. 

Tied together with this, the study found 

that mobile device usage has impacted 

the way in which kids engage with TV and 

movies. Kids today are spending about 

6.7 hours per week watching traditional 

television and about 4.3 hours watching 

TV, movies, or videos on a mobile device, 

which includes smartphones, tablets, and 

iPod touches. The integration of mobile 

devices into kids’ daily lives has shifted the 

technology landscape, and has the potential 

to positively influence their relationship 

with traditional toys. Amid the growth of 

W41 W42 W43 W44 W45 W46 W47 W48 W49 W50 W51 W52 

Kids’ Share of Time and Wallet 

73 percent of kids ages 0 to 14 are engaged with 

a mobile device in a typical week. 

Activities Engaged in During Typical Week—Incidence 

Percent Among Moms with Kids 0 to 14 

technology and mobile device usage, the 

U.S. toy industry—as we clearly see from 

its annual performance—is also growing, 

and at a higher rate than it has been for the 

past few years. 

As evident from the list of top new 

items for 2015, manufacturers are integrating 

technology and mobile in more and 

more interesting ways. Examples of such 

toys include Sphero’s BB-8 App-Enabled 

Droid, Anki Overdrive Starter Kit (which is 

used with a mobile device), and Spin Masters 

Meccanoid G15. In addition, drones 

are occupying an exciting, emerging space 

for retailers. Looking specifically at the 

sales of drones within the toy industry, dollar 

sales reached about $40 million for full 

year 2015, with $37 million coming from 

Q4 alone**. 

There is a lot of fresh and exciting 

activity taking place within the toy industry, 

setting the stage for even more innovation 

and development to come in 2016 and 

beyond. Today’s products are appealing 

to kids, but they are also bringing older 

children and adults back into the toy marketplace, 

growing sales and restoring play, 

in all its shapes and forms, into the lives of 

more people across all ages. » 

*Source: The NPD Group Inc. / Retail Tracking 

Service, January-December 2015 

**Drones tracked under the U.S. Toys Retail Tracking 

Service are intended for kids aged 0 to14 and 

typically retail for less than $100. 

Data is representative of retailers that participate 

in The NPD Group’s Retail Tracking Service. NPD’s 

current estimate is that the Retail Tracking Service 

represents approximately 80 percent of the U.S. 

retail market for toys. 

Traditional Play/Activities 

Technology Play/Activities 

Mobile Device Play/Activities 

Hobbies/Interests 

Sports/Outdoor Recreation 

51 

49 

73 

85 

87 

Juli Lennett, senior vice president, 

industry analyst for The NPD 

Group’s U.S. Toys division, has 

spent the past 11 years at NPD 

managing client relationships and 

consulting to a variety of manufacturers, 

licensors, and retailers 

within the toy industry. 


State of the 

Industry 

LOOKING AHEAD: 

PREDICTIONS FOR 2016 

by SEAN MCGOWAN, managing director, equity research department, Oppenheimer & Co. 

I'VE BEEN COVERING THE TOY INDUSTRY 

from an investment perspective for 30 years, 

and one of the things I’ve always loved about 

Toy Fair is how it forces us to look forward 

rather than backward. Even before the holiday 

season peaks, companies get so focused 

on the following year that they start talking 

about “this year’s line” even before the year 

they are in has become “last year.” It’s a great 

reminder that if you spend too much time 

looking back, you will either trip or skip over 

what’s right in front of you. Still, it helps to 

look back a bit even as you’re looking ahead. 

As we review the past year, several 

important aspects of the toy industry have 

changed significantly. We will discuss these 

changes, and my predictions for 2016. 

PREDICTIONS FROM 2015 

1) Industry sales will grow slightly (Industry 

sales were actually up approximately 

7 percent); 

2) Consumer spending on digital games 

will grow strongly (correct for mobile games 

and newer console video games, not as true 

for older-generation software); 

3) Commodity prices, especially oil, will 

continue to be unusually low, helping manufacturing 

costs (dead on); 

4) A strong U.S. dollar will offset the 

benefits of lower commodity costs (double 

dead-on); 

5) Amazon will reach the “tipping point” 

(spot on—see more on this below); 

6) Smart toys will grow in influence (true, 

but nothing is ever easy); 

7) Black Friday will decrease in importance 

(correct, although I didn’t predict its 

ascendance in the UK); and 

8) Competition from outside the traditional 

toy industry will grow (drones, anyone?). 

PREDICTIONS FOR 2016 

1) Retailer Shuffle 

Some of the topics from my 2015 predictions 

repeat this year, but first, let’s talk about 

some areas that have seen some change 

in the past year. As I wrote this column a 

year ago, Mattel was the world’s largest toy 

company—as measured by sales and by the 

market value of its stock—but it is now being 

challenged on both fronts. The value of the 

U.S. dollar has soared against most major 

currencies, ravaging the sales and profits of 

companies making products in China and 

selling them in the U.S., or selling them euros, 

pesos, pounds, reals, rubles, or Canadian 

or Australian dollars and then translating 

the results back to dollars. However, I would 

argue that one of the biggest things to 

change in the last year has been the growth 

in Amazon’s power in the industry. Across the 

retail landscape (in both the U.S. and, even 

more, in Western Europe), online retailing has 

steadily gobbled share of total retail sales, 

and 2015’s holiday season appears to have 

gone well beyond the tipping point. 

Amazon’s share of total toy sales may 

not be as high as that of some of the largest 

retailers of toys (Walmart, Target, Toys “R” 

Us), but its share of the industry’s growth is 

staggering. Sales data shows that the U.S. 

toy industry’s total sales grew approximately 

7 percent. If we assume that Amazon’s share 

of the industry grew from about 10 to 12 

“One of the biggest things to 

change in the last year has been 

the growth in Amazon’s power 

in the industry. Across the retail 

landscape... online retailing has 

steadily gobbled share of total 

retail sales, and 2015’s holiday 

season appears to have gone 

well beyond the tipping point.” 

percent, that would imply that a significant 

percentage of the industry’s growth accrued 

to Amazon. That’s just math, and the share 

and dollar figures may be off a bit, but I still 

think the point is fairly unassailable; online 

sales are crucial to the industry and Amazon 

in particular is a customer that is likely to become 

increasingly important. So, the first of 

my predictions for 2016 is that Amazon could 

very well break into the ranks of the industry’s 

top three retailers. 

2) Lego Takes Charge 

Another area where the industry saw 

considerable change over the course of the 

year is industry leadership. At the end of 

2014, the market value of Mattel’s stock was 

about 50 percent higher than that of Hasbro. 

One year later, Mattel’s market value was less 

than 10 percent higher than that of Hasbro. 

So, Mattel is still the leader, but its advantage 

has eroded. Similarly, in 2014, Mattel posted 

sales of more than $6 billion, whereas Lego 



sales were 28.6 million Danish krone. 

Assuming a strong second half, I believe 

the company will post sales of more than 34.2 

million krone. When translated into dollars, 

I believe that is going to come up short 

against Mattel’s sales. But I suspect that if 

we were to translate Lego’s 2015 sales at the 

exchange rate in effect at the end of 2014, 

Lego’s sales would be about the same as 

Mattel’s. Of course, Mattel’s sales have also 

been hurt by the strong dollar, but the point 

is that Lego is poised to become the No. 1 

company based on sales. And considering its 

extraordinarily high profit margins, it is highly 

likely that its market value would be higher 

if it were a public company. So, my second 

prediction is that Lego will end 2016 as the 

world’s largest toy manufacturer as measured 

by annual sales. 

3) Currency Takes a Back Seat 

Currency has been a pretty big factor for 

just about any company making products 

in U.S. dollars (or the Chinese yuan, which 

didn’t move much against the dollar) and 

selling in currencies that have weakened. 

The euro’s slide began in earnest in late 

2014 and picked up steam in 2015, and was 

joined by other emerging market currencies 

to make 2015 the toughest year in 

decades for U.S. companies selling abroad. 

But at this point, this is old news. My third 

prediction for 2016 is that by mid-year, the 

year-over-year comparisons of the U.S. dollar 

against the euro and the British pound are 

likely to be fairly modest, and that by the 

holiday season, currency will no longer be a 

major factor (or excuse) in the results of most 

major companies. 

4) Commodity Prices Matter 

My fourth prediction is that commodity 

prices, often the flip side of currencies, are 

likely to provide a significant benefit in 2016. 

Oil remains low, as do most other commodities, 

and companies that contract with factories 

in China are likely to benefit from the 

lower commodity prices (and the lower value 

of the yuan), even if the only benefit 

“In theory, the sharp drop in 

gas prices should have put so 

much more money in consumers’ 

pockets that spending would rise 

and lead to a stronger recovery. 

It hasn’t happened yet, and I am 

reluctant to predict it will happen 

in 2016, despite the continued 

low prices for gas.” 

is to offset the effect of higher wage rates in 

China. One of the surprises of the recent low 

oil price environment is that lower gasoline 

prices have not provided as big a lift to consumer 

spending as I and many economists 

had predicted. In theory, the sharp drop in 

gas prices should have put so much more 

money in consumers’ pockets that spending 

would rise and lead to a stronger recovery. 

It hasn’t happened yet, and I am reluctant 

to predict it will happen in 2016, despite the 

continued low prices for gas. 

5) Production Costs Fall 

My fifth prediction relates to the last 

two—currency and the impact o n production 

costs. The Chinese government continues its 

experimentation with allowing market forces 

to drive the rate of exchange between the 

yuan and other major currencies, and the 

result has been the opposite of what “experts” 

predicted for a long time: The yuan 

is dropping. The conventional wisdom was 

that the Chinese government was artificially 

depressing the value of the yuan, and that if 

it floated freely, it would rise sharply, eroding 

China’s competitive position in the global 

manufacturing web. 

However, the value continues to drop 

as China has eased off the strict control of 

the rates. This, in turn, reduces the cost for 

foreign companies manufacturing goods 

in China. (In all likelihood, the government 

knew the rate would fall because of its own 

weak economy, and allowed this to happen 

precisely because it would improve the benefit 

of manufacturing in China. If its economy 

rebounds strongly, I would not be surprised 

to see exchange rate controls return.) But 

before toy makers go and spend the windfall 

this might have been expected to produce, 

recall that labor rates continue to rise, and 

that, in fact, the very same forces inducing 

the government to allow the yuan to fall (i.e., 

a desire to stave off social unrest that would 

result from falling incomes among workers) 

are driving minimum wage increases. 

6) Star Wars Maintains 

Momentum—This Year 

My sixth and final prediction has to do 

with a couple of key licensed properties: Star 

Wars and Disney Princess. Star Wars sales 

are up huge year-over-year, driven by the 

phenomenal success of Star Wars: The Force 

Awakens, and we believe the year-over-year 

increases will remain quite solid in the fourth 

quarter, when the new Star Wars: Rogue One 

has to repeat the record-breaking performance 

of The Force Awakens. I predict that 

the year-over-year growth will be much more 

difficult from December 2016 forward. Episode 

8 is expected in December 2017, which 

could help, but that will be comping against 

sales of Episode 7 products, so the growth is 

likely to moderate. 

As for Disney Princess, I think the industry 

is going to see that the decline in sales 

of Frozen merchandise may not lift sales of 

other Disney Princess products quite as much 

as the rise of Frozen cut into sales of other 

Disney Princess products. 

I wish all readers a successful Toy Fair and 

a very prosperous 2016. » 

Sean McGowan is a managing director 

in the equity research department 

of Oppenheimer & Co., a 

New York-based investment bank. 

He has been covering toy stocks 

since 1986, and has covered video 

games, juvenile products, sporting 

goods, and consumer electronics. 


State of the 

Industry 

EVA LORENZ, 

Category Leader, 

Amazon Toys & Games 

Record numbers of shoppers used mobile 

devices to make holiday purchases in 2015. 

How will you address the needs of mobile 

shoppers this year? 

During the 2015 holiday season, nearly 70 

percent of Amazon.com customers shopped using a mobile device. In 

fact, Amazon.com customers shopping on the mobile app more than 

doubled. On Cyber Monday alone, Amazon.com customers ordered 

more than 23 toys per second from a mobile device. During the 2015 

holiday season, we made it even easier for mobile shoppers to discover 

and take advantage of great deals from Amazon. Amazon introduced 

more than 150 hand-picked Lightning Deals only through the Amazon 

mobile shopping app available on Android, iOS, and Fire OS. Thanks to 

the new “Watch A Deal” feature, holiday shoppers could pick the deals 

they were most excited about and receive a notification to their mobile 

device when the deal was live. With this new feature, Amazon customers 

could effortlessly take advantage of deals throughout the day and while 

on-the-go. In addition, Prime members in more than 20 metro areas 

could use the dedicated Prime Now mobile app to enjoy free two-hour 

delivery on select Deals of the Day throughout the 2015 holiday season. 

Did the popularity of Star Wars toys drive additional, non-Star 

Wars toy sales in the fourth quarter? What are your expectations 

for Star Wars toy sales in 2016? 

In 2015, Amazon.com celebrated May the Fourth and Force Friday 

by offering customers access to a new, one-stop shopping destination 

for the classic and celebrated Star Wars franchise. The Star Wars Store, 

available at amazon.com/starwars, features toys, collectibles, media, 

entertainment, fan memorabilia, and much more. Customers can find 

a wide selection of new toys and games, including products only available 

on Amazon.com. It’s clear that Star Wars has an enduring popularity. 

Sales of Star Wars items on Amazon.com more than doubled in 

2015 and we expect the momentum to continue into 2016 with a new 

Rogue One selection launching in December. 

What categories drove sales in 2015? 

There were a number of toy trends that emerged last year, including 

products related to the latest entertainment. Paw Patrol and Star 

Wars were among the most popular. Construction also continues to be 

a popular category as building sets evolve and include programmable 

technology, such as the Meccano Meccanoid. There were several innovations 

introduced in 2015, including the Ozobot and Osmo Gaming 

System for iPad. Newly launched interactive play toys, including Fisher-Price’s 

Bright Beats Dance & Move BeatBo, also generated a lot of 

excitement among Amazon.com customers throughout 2015. 

MAUREEN SMITH 

Senior Vice President, 

U.S. Marketing, Hasbro 

How have consumer expectations 

changed over the past few years? 

Our consumers are engaging with 

content across more platforms than ever 

before, and they’re looking to connect 

with their favorite brands and characters 

in a wide variety of mediums: mobile games and apps, streaming 

entertainment, social expression, in-person experiences, and 

much more. We’re constantly evolving our brands and characters 

and deepening their stories to bring engaging and immersive 

experiences to life and ultimately reach kids and families wherever 

they are consuming content. 

As technology rapidly evolves, we’ve seen that consumer expectations 

do, too. Today’s kids are technologically and digitally 

savvy, and we strive to create products that fit their lifestyle by 

integrating better technology and more intuitive features that 

deliver enhanced play experiences. 

Record numbers of shoppers used mobile devices to make 

holiday purchases in 2015. How will you address the needs of 

mobile shoppers this year? 

As third-party reviews and recommendations become some 

of the most impactful paths to purchase, we continually work 

directly with retailers, online influencers, and editorial review 

sites to ensure in-depth, unbiased assessments of our products 

to help consumers make the most informed decision before 

purchase, and make that information available wherever they’re 

researching products. 

In what new ways do you use social media to correspond 

directly with consumers? 

Social media remains one of our strongest mediums to connect 

directly with our consumers, and have an ongoing conversation 

with fans. We use our social channels as a tool to break news 

as well as a platform to offer exclusive content and engaging experiences 

for our consumers. We’ve even used social media as a 

way for our fans to have a say in the features of certain products, 

like the fan-voted property spaces on our 2015 Monopoly Here 

& Now U.S. Edition board and our new 2015 Transformers Fan- 

Built-Bot Combiner, Victorion. Beyond our owned and operated 

sites, we also connect directly with influencers to create unique 

and tailored Hasbro brand experiences for their audiences on 

their platforms, whether that means inspiring YouTube challenges 

or unboxing videos, creative Instagram photos, live Periscope 

streams, in-depth blogs, and more. 



STEVE PASIERB 

President and CEO, 

Toy Industry Association (TIA) 

What challenges are currently facing the toy 

industry and how is the TIA addressing it? 

Some of the hot topics right now include 

online privacy and drone registration. Our 

members are just as mindful of safeguarding 

privacy as consumers. When a major brand recently launched a toy 

with an innovative online component, we had the foresight to collaborate 

with the manufacturer and government stakeholders to ensure 

responsibility, and will continue to work closely with our companies 

moving forward. Toy drones can be wonderful sources of entertainment, 

but there are regulatory challenges from the FAA and elsewhere 

that impact our members and partners while confusing consumers. 

We also anticipate more unnecessary state and local legislation 

aimed at regulating the composition of children’s products. We have 

consistently maintained that any state laws should align with the strong 

federal standards that have governed toy safety for years. Addressing 

legislative challenges on behalf of the entire toy industry and advocating 

tirelessly for members’ interests is always a cornerstone of TIA and 

something our members identify as a top value of membership. 

We also recognize that we will forevermore have a global reach. 

Our staff is already working internationally and members are seeking 

growth in both developed and developing nations. In addition to the 

business challenges of opening new markets, there are regulatory 

and other hurdles to address. Southeast Asia is a particular region of 

opportunity where TIA can and will do more. 

What are your key initiatives for the year ahead? 

We will be loud and proud. The industry and TIA are committed to 

advancing the universal concept of open-ended play. One phenomenal 

example is TIA’s Genius of Play, which touts the role, value, and intrinsic 

joy of play. This is a digital and grassroots campaign that had parents 

pledge 60 minutes of open-ended play daily and our first-year goal 

was for 1 million hours. We’ve already surpassed 5 million hours in just 

six months and blown away every metric of success. TIA looks forward 

to championing the developmental benefits of play to parents and 

caregivers, with more content and information in 2016. 

Leading the conversation around toy safety is an essential role where 

we’ve seriously upped our game. Our goal is to engage proactively in 

a year-round dialogue. We made great strides in 2015 by balancing the 

conversations and questioning the validity of claims and accusations 

made by NGOs, and we will build upon that for 2016. Given the deep 

commitment to safety and overall burden of testing that each member 

brings to their products, we need to take back the dialogue on safety to 

help families make appropriate choices and ensure safe play. Toys are 

the instruments of play and TIA members make great, safe toys. 

SHEHNAZ SAFIUDDIN 

Senior Vice President of Toy & 

Hobby, TOMY International 

What were the top selling categories 

in 2015? Were there any surprises? 

Our licensed toys performed 

strongly in 2015. Beginning with the 

blockbuster Inside Out in the early summer 

and continuing through the end of year with the holiday 

release of The Good Dinosaur, our toy lines based on these 

Disney•Pixar movies brought the rich storytelling and treasured 

characters to life. 

We were delighted that the key driver item in our Miles 

from Tomorrowland line (the Stellosphere) delivered high play 

value, and as a result sold well at key retailers in stores and 

online from the time it hit shelves in late summer through the 

holidays. A pleasant surprise for us was the fact that our Miles 

from Tomorrowland Blastboard completely sold out at retail. 

Pokémon delivered growth for us in 2015, both in the core 

figure and plush categories, and our John Deere lines had 

another solid year. 

We believe the reason our licensed lines did so well in 2015 

is because of the TOMY magic and innovation we bring to 

product design. We work hard to bring our licensor partners’ 

characters to life, and that is what keeps kids smiling and their 

parents coming back for more. 

What do you anticipate will be strong categories in 2016? 

We are getting early reads from retailers predicting that evergreen 

play patterns and classic licenses will be strong in 2016. In 

particular, our line of licensed toys based on the upcoming Disney 

Animation Studios film Zootopia has sold-in strong for early 

2016—mostly focused on action figures, vehicles, and plush. We 

will also have some incredible new additions to the Miles from 

Tomorrowland line that will build off our 2015 success. 

We are also excited to unveil an all-new licensed vehicle 

line, Gear Force Horsepower, designed to fuel continued success 

in the vehicle aisle. 

Both Pokémon and Sonic the Hedgehog celebrate milestone 

anniversaries—20th and 25th, respectively—in 2016, 

and we are looking forward to augmenting those perennial 

best-selling brands with special anniversary items and promotions. 

2016 also marks our 70th anniversary as a John Deere 

licensee, and we have no plans of slowing down. 

In addition, we will refresh our flagship Lamaze infant 

brand—now in its third decade—to solidify its leadership position 

in that category later this year. 


State of the 

Industry 

SHARON DIMINICO 

Founder and CEO, 

Learning Express 

How do you engage consumers in 

store to drive toy sales? 

We have knowledgeable team 

members who are able to discuss the 

use and benefits of our toys and are 

very adept at demonstrating them. 

We also have many areas in the store where we “boutique” 

merchandise—combining products from several categories 

that have a common theme—which encourages a spontaneous 

purchase. 

How did demand for Star Wars products impact the 

specialty toy market? Do you expect to expand Star Wars 

offerings? 

We will continue to devote space on our shelves to Star 

Wars-licensed products. It is a strong license for us, especially 

Lego. We are seeing a stronger response now due to 

movie-generated interest, but it has traditionally been one of 

our best licenses. 

Which categories drove sales in 2015? 

1. Art, 2. Sports/Outdoor Play, 3. Construction, 4. Preschool, 

5. Party Favors, 6. Fashion, 7. Books, 8. Plush, 9. 

Science, 10. Games. 

How do you differentiate your toy department from the 

average retail toy department? 

We merchandise by age for ages 0 to 5 and then by 

interest for ages 6 to 12. Because of our size, we focus on a 

curated selection of the very best. We employ people who 

are able to answer most questions a shopper may have, such 

as the developmental values of a toy he or she is considering. 

It’s a more intimate shopping experience for the customer. 

As the popularity of smart tech toys grows, do you see an 

impact on consumers’ demand for more traditional toys? 

The demand for traditional toys continues, but I believe 

it’s because our team members are very good at communicating 

the benefits and developmental value of our toys. 

Record numbers of shoppers used mobile devices to 

make holiday purchases in 2015. How will you address the 

needs of mobile shoppers this year? 

We launched a new “responsive design” website in September 

that is great for mobile viewing. 

GEOFFREY GREENBERG 

Co-President, Just Play 

What categories drove sales in 2015? Which 

categories will flourish this year? 

Kids desire to be a part of a story, to partake 

in wild adventures, and explore their horizons. 

Oftentimes, the best way for them to feel a part 

of something is to play it out themselves. Toys 

that encourage children to play out their fantasies 

by truly engaging their imaginations are those that see the most 

success. We aim to develop our toys around the latest and greatest content 

that delivers more than just entertainment to kids, but also teaches 

them valuable life lessons, provides them with a sense of adventure, and 

broadens their range of knowledge. 

We strongly expect to see toys that enable storytelling, such as role 

play and collectibles, to continue to drive sales in 2016. Collectibles 

will continue to grow in popularity, providing kids with a new way to 

play and explore themes and characters, offering them the opportunity 

to create personalized collections that represent their interests. We 

expect role-play items to drive sales this year as well. The role-play 

category possesses limitless possibilities in terms of revolutionizing 

the way we play. As technology continues to grow, the opportunity to 

implement the latest technological developments into a toy further 

expands creative boundaries, thus adding more magic to the child’s 

experience. Shared experiences between parent and child that focus 

on a favorite toy or character pave the way for continued re-launches of 

beloved brands. 

How have consumer expectations changed over the past few years? 

In this day and age, consumers—especially children—possess a very 

short attention span. With information and innovation constantly evolving 

at an extremely rapid rate, it is no surprise that consumers do not 

often award a second glance to anything that could be considered last 

season’s leftovers. They expect new product launches with much greater 

frequency. There was a time when a good portion of most product lines 

used to carry forward; you’d see key drivers change from season-to-season, 

and consumers would remain consistently engaged and purchasing 

throughout multiple seasons. What we’re seeing now is almost a hunger 

for new products at the start of each season. The numbers speak for 

themselves, as we have witnessed large spikes in point-of-sale resulting 

from new product introductions. There’s a halo effect across carry-forward 

items too, but the significance of new items in pulling consumers 

back into retail each season has become increasingly important. 

Consumers also expect a level of technology that is both innovative and 

engaging. The toys do not necessarily always have to possess the flashiest 

and most grandiose tech, but it is important that the play pattern 

keeps the child’s interest and engages them enough to encourage hours 

of enamored play. 


State of the 

Industry 

SIMHA KUMAR 

President, Children’s Entertainment, 

Kmart 

How do you engage consumers in store to 

drive toy sales? 

As a retailer that has been selling toys 

for more than 50 years, we know driving 

toy sales starts with being well-positioned 

to deliver on what’s trending, but equally 

as important are engaging with our members in-store and delivering 

an unparalleled retail experience. To capture this excitement, 

Kmart launched a new brand identity this year, leveraging our iconic 

heritage and making shopping fun again by bringing back member 

favorites such as Bluelight Specials, Freebie Saturdays, and other instore 

events to create an overall enhanced experience at Kmart. 

Did the popularity of Star Wars toys drive additional, non-Star 

Wars toy sales in the fourth quarter? Do you plan to dedicate as 

much space to Star Wars in 2016? 

Enthusiasm for the brand was high when we introduced products 

from the new movie into our existing robust line of Star Wars toys on 

Force Friday in September. Interest grew throughout the season as 

the frenzy reached a fever pitch with the movie’s premiere coinciding 

with the peak of holiday shopping. By positioning Kmart as a 

destination for Star Wars toys and offering exclusives such as the 

limited-edition Kylo Ren (Starkiller Base) figure and A-Wing Micro 

Machines, we drove customers both online and in-store to capture 

their piece of our cross-category assortment of Star Wars toys and 

beyond. We’re ready for the Star Wars interest to continue, and 

we’re excited to tap into proven pop culture powerhouses such as 

highly anticipated 2016 movie sequels, including Teenage Mutant 

Ninja Turtles, Captain America, and Finding Dory, to inform our 

inventory selection and offer on-trend toys for all ages and stages. 

Record numbers of shoppers used mobile devices to make holiday 

purchases in 2015. How will you address the needs of mobile 


A recent survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation 

(NRF) found that 22 percent of shoppers planned to purchase on 

mobile during the season, the highest since NRF began asking the 

question in 2011, so obviously mobile continues to play an important 

role in the shopping mix. To kick off the busiest shopping season 

of the year, Kmart refreshed its mobile app this past November with 

easy-to-use features designed to help shoppers cross everything 

off their shopping lists. New features and benefits include Bluelight 

Special Alerts, layaway options, and exclusive offers to make it easier 

than ever for our members to shop, earn points, and get the best 

deals online, in-store, and through their smartphones. 

PAUL SOLOMON 

Co-CEO, 


What were your top-selling toys/toy 

categories of 2015? Any surprises? 

Shopkins was definitely our top-selling 

brand in 2015. We expected Shopkins 

to continue to grow in popularity; 

however, we were delighted to see that 

the brand dominated so many major markets around the world, 

led strongly by the U.S. More children are collecting, trading, 

and displaying than ever before. Our strong licensed merchandise 

program is also thriving, giving kids ways to wear, decorate, 

and accessorize their life. This year, Shopkins has evolved 

from a brand to a lifestyle. We’ve also seen great success with 

Little Live Pets. The Little Live Pets Birds continue to be one 

of our strongest sellers. The brand expanded this past year to 

include Mice and Turtles, which both proved to be favorites 

among kids as well. 

How have consumer expectations changed over the past 

few years? 

Over the past few years, as technology advances, children 

have grown to expect a brand to be immersive and interactive. 

Children enjoy experiencing their favorite brands through a 

variety of mediums. For example, Moose has expanded Shopkins 

to have a strong social presence, including Facebook, Twitter, 

Instagram, and Snapchat. We also introduced an app with which 

kids can play games and interact with their favorite characters in 

Shopville. With almost 3 million downloads in four months, the 

app is a great example of how technology helps immerse a child 

in a brand. Finally, kids can experience Shopkins on YouTube, 

watching the brand’s webisodes or their favorite YouTube personalities 

hunt for rare characters. This all ties back to consumers’ 

desire for immediate content and the importance of a brand to 

deliver engaging and interactive experiences. 

We’re beginning to see more innovation and risk-taking in 

new product introductions than in recent years. Will you introduce 

any new products or lines that take play to a new level? 

The Little Live Pets family of electronic pets continues to grow. 

With its huge success in 2015, Moose is excited to push the 

boundaries and explore the “live” part of the brand this year. 

Implementing all new advanced technology, Moose is launching 

its most lifelike pet yet—the Little Live Pets Puppy. Children 

of all ages will fall in love with the newest pet in the Little Live 

Pets family that takes lifelike play to the next level. 


State of the 

Industry 

BEN GADBOIS 

Global President and COO, 

Spin Master Ltd. 

The toy industry was up approximately 7 

percent in 2015. What are your expectations 

for 2016? 

Robotics continues to be an interesting 

space for Spin Master with many of our toys 

incorporating the technology, like our Zoomer 

Kitty and Meccanoid personal robot. As technology advances, 

we’re seeing the costs of development and production come down, 

making it possible to launch new innovations and market them at a 

very attractive price for consumers. For Spin Master, that means the 

opportunity to bring toys to life through a variety of technologies, 

like robotics, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality. What 

appeals to us is the ability to create more complex and long-lasting 

play opportunities to keep children engaged. However, even as we 

expand our technical know-how, we always keep things kid-friendly 

first. A great example is our Meccano brand, which we reinvigorated 

for the modern era of toys through the launch of Meccanoid. This 

is real-world engineering that can be used by kids, bringing STEM 

subjects to life in a meaningful way through play. 

Licensing is another strong area for the industry, and clearly the 

most outstanding example of that was Star Wars. Our lineup has 

a strong licensing component, and in addition to new items from 

Star Wars, we’re looking forward to introducing iconic brands such 

as The Powerpuff Girls, Teletubbies, and Popples to a new generation, 

while also seeing great promise in new properties, such as The 

Secret Life of Pets. 

We’re beginning to see more innovation and risk-taking in new 

product introductions than in recent years. Will you introduce 


Innovation has always been at the heart of everything we do at 

Spin Master and our launch as a publicly traded company last year 

has enabled us to continue on this path. In 2016, consumers can 

expect to see more toys, games, and entertainment properties from 

Spin Master that push the boundaries of fun into new territories. Our 

new Air Hogs Connect: Rescue Force, for example, brings together 

a physical Air Hogs quad copter, a digital app, and an immersive 

augmented reality experience like never before. Kids pilot a real 

quad using their smart device, which in turn displays the augmented 

reality world, within which their quad is projected. The system itself 

is simple, with only the vehicle, mat, and app—all from Air Hogs— 

required, but delivers a brand new play opportunity and a deeper 

level of play for R/C enthusiasts. 

SOREN TORP LAURSEN 

President, Lego Systems 

Star Wars drove toy sales in the fourth 

quarter. Which licenses will be hot in 

2016? 

Star Wars was a strong driver for 

2015 toy sales, but many properties 

contributed to growth last year, and we 

also continue to see the importance of 

and need for unique, homegrown play opportunities to propel 

the Lego business, such as Lego City, Friends, and Ninjago. Star 

Wars will continue to be a key property for Lego growth, fueled 

not only by the films, but also by our new original Disney XD TV 

series, Lego Star Wars: Freemakers Adventures. Additionally, we 

see continued growth coming from both DC Comics and Marvel 

Super Heroes franchises and from Lego Disney Princess, both 

the classic stories as well as new building sets linked to Frozen. 

We’re also thrilled to support the new Angry Birds movie with a 

line of building sets linked to the film. 

The toy industry was up approximately 7 percent in 2015. 

What are your expectations for 2016? 

To see growth in the toy industry is exciting. Our own business 

continues to grow strongly and ahead of the industry, which 

we see being a true testament to the fact that in spite of all the 

noise about the things that distract children from traditional toys 

and play, there is still a growing need for the role that toys play in 

their lives. As long as we, and everyone in toys, remains focused 

on what our play materials mean to children—both physically 

and digitally—and we continue to serve their needs, we believe 

that our business, and the industry overall, will continue to grow. 

We’re beginning to see more innovation and risk-taking in 

new product introductions than in recent years. Will you introduce 


We have a relentless focus on innovation, and this year 

we’re really excited about our new Lego Nexo Knights property, 

which integrates physical Lego building with a highly collectible 

mechanic that links to an exciting digital play world. Medieval 

knights in a futuristic realm come to life through an exciting new 

TV series on Cartoon Network, a digital gaming app, and an 

extensive line of building sets, where every engagement can 

unlock new powers to enhance a child’s play experience. Lego 

Nexo Knights brings together everything that today’s kids love: 

Lego building and self-expression, strong characters, a deep 

content-driven story, and digital gaming. 



ERIC BRIGHT 

Director of Merchandising, 

GameStop 

Why did GameStop decide to expand its 

toy offerings? What are your plans for 

this year? 

We saw a natural synergy between our 

video game business and that of the toy and 

collectibles industry. Both industries share 

a lot of the same successful intellectual properties, making it an 

opportunity to appeal to specific pop culture fandoms and delight 

our customers in new ways. Great properties, such as Star Wars, Assassin’s 

Creed, Pokémon, Batman, and Halo all have roots in video 

games and also have an appeal as toys and other licensed goods. 

2015 was an incredible year for the toy industry and for the 

expansion of toys and collectibles into all of our GameStop stores 

and the opening of physical retail locations in Australia and Europe 

and here in the U.S., in partnership with well-known online purveyor 

ThinkGeek. We are tremendously excited for a powerful lineup of 

video game titles releasing this year that will have crossover opportunities 

across a variety of merchandise categories, including toys 

and collectibles. Plus, with the strong trend of blockbuster movie 

releases and the continued success of certain game and TV franchises 

continuing into 2016, along with demand for product with ties to 

this content, we will have toys and collectibles for all of the major 

releases and pop culture phenomena. 

How do you engage consumers in store to drive sales? 

We work with our partners to offer products or deals that can 

be found only at GameStop, and our buy, sell, trade model remains 

a key driver for our customers. The ability to trade in the games 

and electronics they are no longer using and receive cash or credit 

toward the purchase of anything in our GameStop stores, including 

our toys and collectibles, is a powerful way for customers to afford 

even more of the items that they love. 

Did the popularity of Star Wars toys drive additional toy sales in 

the fourth quarter? Do you plan to dedicate as much space to 

Star Wars in 2016? 

We saw tremendous growth in our Star Wars-related licensed 

goods last year. Everything from action figures, to apparel, to 

lightsabers, to high-end statues, toys, and collectibles really worked 

for us based on the tremendous success of the recent film. Now in 

2016, we continue to see great sales from The Force Awakens merchandise 

and we are already eagerly awaiting the release of the next 

Star Wars movie, as we will have a full range of licensed product and 

exclusive items that will appeal to our customers. 

STEPHEN BERMAN 

Chairman and CEO, Jakks Pacific 

In what new ways do you use social 

media to correspond directly with 

consumers? 

As you know, kids crave authenticity 

while also being entertained. With that 

in mind, Jakks partners with more than 

300 key bloggers and influencers across 

all social channels throughout the year to give kids what they 

want—authentic, engaging content. Partnering with influencers 

such as The Mommy & Gracie Show, Disney Car Toys, and Tsum 

Tsum Marie, to name a few, gives us the opportunity to reach our 

consumers directly through a trusted source. This allows us to 

be more creative as well. For example, we encouraged a Tsum 

Tsum Tuesday Takeover, where we partnered with 25 different 

bloggers and influencers across all channels for the launch of 

our collectible line of Tsum Tsums. This proved to be highly 

effective for many reasons. By teaming up with key influencers 

and providing them with a “first look” into our newest items 

from the Tsum Tsum line, these users were able to create unique 

content for all their social media channels. Accumulating more 

than 40,000 YouTube views in one day, our influencers received a 

large amount of fan engagement across all channels. In using our 

dedicated campaign hashtags, the Tsum Tsum Takeover garnered 

more than half a million impressions just on Twitter alone. 

By running campaigns like this throughout the year, Jakks hopes 

to grow its influencer database and kick up the social media 

content for each brand and licensor. 

Star Wars drove toy sales in the fourth quarter. Which licenses 

will be hot in 2016? 

With excitement and anticipation behind the hot summer 

blockbuster movies, Batman, Superman, Marvel, and Teenage 

Mutant Ninja Turtles will be hot this year. Star Wars and Frozen 

will continue to be hot licenses this year, as will Tsum Tsum. 

One thing we know to be true, Hollywood plays a major role in 

the toy industry. Many toys and games are tied to Hollywood 

blockbusters, which allows kids to continue the fantasy off screen 

during play time. 

The Jakks Big-Figs brand has many items tied to theatrical 

releases, including massive 20-inch figures ripped from the new 

Warner Bros. feature film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, 

and a colossal 48-inch Leonardo figure from Teenage Mutant 

Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. Additionally, we have an 

amazing XPV Marvel RC Rollover Rumbler, straight from Captain 

America: Civil War. 


State of the 

Industry 

LAURA ZEBERSKY 

Chief Commercial Officer, 

Jazwares 

The toy industry was up approximately 

7 percent in 2015. 

What are your expectations 


Jazwares grew more than 20 

percent in 2015 and we expect 

another great year for the entire industry in 2016. Consumers 

are thrilled with the diverse product offerings 

in the toy aisle; there seems to be a hot brand for everyone. 

The great lineup of content, including movies, 

TV shows, digital entertainment, and video games, 

coupled with high value, great quality, and innovative 

product in the toy aisle, will continue to drive purchases 

higher in 2016. 

What were your top-selling toys last year? Any 

surprises? 

Our top-selling toys of 2015 included all of our 

Peppa Pig items, but the Peppa Pig Deluxe House led 

the way along with our Minecraft figures. The pleasant 

surprise was how quickly our newest intellectual property, 

Tube Heroes, rose to the top of our point-of-sale 

data in a very competitive market for action figures. 

This brand cements the relevance of digital talent in 

the toy aisle. 

What categories drove sales in 2015? Which categories 

will flourish this year? 

We expect the preschool category to continue 

growing in 2016. Jazwares will be especially focused 

on preschool, and we expect significant growth in Peppa 

Pig and Chuck and Friends. New for 2016 will be 

the re-launch of Weebles. 

How have consumer expectations changed over the 

past few years? 

Consumers expect the best quality and value and 

don’t settle for less. The availability of product reviews 

and ratings truly empowers all consumers. 

JOHN GESSERT 

Chairman of the Board of Directors, 

Toy Industry Association; 

President, American Plastic Toys 

Record numbers of shoppers used mobile 

devices to make holiday purchases in 2015. 

How will you address the needs of mobile 


The shift of consumer spending via mobile 

devices from traditional brick-and-mortar stores has been shocking. We 

all knew that this was going to happen, but the shift in the Black Friday 

sales to Cyber Monday sales was more significant than most people expected. 

We did a complete re-work of our website in 2015. One of the 

mandates from the beginning was to make all content mobile friendly. 

Even as a smaller company with a relatively simple product line, we 

recognized the importance of being mobile device-friendly. We felt that 

it would hurt consumers’ first impression of us if we did not endeavor to 

make our web presence mobile-friendly. 

The toy industry was up approximately 7 percent in 2015. What are 

your expectations for 2016? 

While I am hopeful that the industry will have another banner year, 

I am reluctant to predict that 2016 will be as strong as this past year. 

There are several factors that will affect our industry in the coming year. 

The strength of licensing after the Star Wars hangover will be interesting. 

It will be very interesting to see how the Disney Princess license 

will be managed and promoted by Hasbro compared to Mattel. This 

shift will not only have effects on two of the world’s largest toy companies, 

but the ripple effects will also be interesting. I expect that 2016 

will end with a small to moderate increase after being a bit of a roller 

coaster year due to the elections, the year after the Star Wars release, 

and new product success. 


product introductions than in recent years. Are you introducing any 

new products or lines that take play to a new level? 

Our product line and relative play patterns are relatively basic. However, 

we still see the need to be aggressive in investing in new products 

that push some of the traditional conceptions in the marketplace. We 

have a couple of new products that some might consider too “this” 

or “that” that have really resonated with the buyer during early presentations. 

Aside from the critical importance of new products to a toy 

company’s success, we are introducing new products that strive to take 

even the most basic play patterns to a new level. 


State of the 

Industry 

KIMBERLEY MOSLEY 

President, American Specialty Toy 

Retailing Association (ASTRA) 

How did specialty toy retailers fare in 2015? 

Early indications—including an increase in 

overall toy sales for the industry as a whole— 

suggest that it was a strong year for specialty 

toy retailers, building on the 5 percent growth 

in holiday sales that independent retailers posted in 2014. Watch for 

reports of 2015 results—coming soon—based on data collected by 

Advocates for Independent Business. 

Consumers continue their use of both online and in-store shopping 

options. Good news for ASTRA retailers: Consumers still like shopping 

in a physical store. According to the 2015 Deloitte Holiday Survey, 93 

percent of U.S. retail sales occur in stores. Although some consumers 

use the store as a showroom to test drive the product before purchasing 

online, more than two-thirds do the opposite—researching and 

then visiting the store to buy. Even online giants are exploring physical 

locations. Who would have thought we would see Amazon opening a 

brick-and-mortar store? 

What are your expectations for 2016? 

The shop local trend will pick up more momentum, especially with 

millennial parents. Shoppers will want more BOPUS (buy online, pick 

up in store) options, or at least be able to put an item on hold for pick 

up. Parents and educators will increasingly recognize the importance 

of play in healthy child development, and the toy industry will provide 

resources and leadership in making that happen—through in-store 

information, web content, and publications like ASTRA’s Make Way for 

Play booklet and the TIA’s Genius of Play initiative. 

What challenges are facing the specialty toy industry and how is 

ASTRA addressing them? 

Shoppers continue to get more savvy and empowered. They walk 

into our stores armed with information about products. Our store owners 

and staff are armed with reliable knowledge about play and how to 

find the best fit between a child’s needs and the toy. We like to think of 

our store staff as “playfessionals.” In 2016, ASTRA will launch the Certified 

Play Expert (CPE) program to increase our retailers’ knowledge 

of child development and skills to help guide the purchase to the best 

toy with the highest play value. 

Consumers expect an online option for any purchase. They expect 

customer service excellence and a personalized customer experience. 

ASTRA will provide more technology-focused educational offerings 

to help members leverage their POS data to gain insights into buying 

behavior and to better understand their inventory. ASTRA will also provide 

members with more education on how to fulfill consumer needs 

with online options for purchasing and/or information. 

TONY NORMAN 

Co-Founder, President, 

and CEO, Innovation First 

We’re beginning to see more innovation 

and risk-taking in new product 

introductions than in recent years. Will 

you introduce any new products or 

lines that take play to a new level? 

Innovation in toys is at the helm of everything 

we do. We pride ourselves on offering children an interactive 

and engaging experience with all of our toys and over the 

years we have successfully brought fun and exciting educational 

elements to all of our products. More recently, we believe we are 

taking this to the next level with our VEX Robotics by Hexbug 

line. Based on the widely popular VEX Robotics educational platform, 

we are bringing STEM education into the home for kids of 

all ages. This line uses robotics as a tool to engage as kids “learn 

by doing.” Alongside this, we will further develop water play with 

our new energetic AquaBot Wahoo as well as introduce our Battle 

Ground robots, which use I/R remote control and blast-off pieces. 

What were your top-selling toys/toy categories of 2015? 

Were there any surprises? 

2015 was a fantastic year for Hexbug. Our nano V2 range 

remained strong as we introduced the updated Neon and Glowin-the-Dark 

products. Our best-selling items were the Battle 

Spider and Battle Spider Battle Ground. We believe this is due to 

the interactive elements of these products. Launched later in the 

year, the Battle Ground gave kids a creative play pattern, which 

allowed them to embark in combat with their Battle Spiders 

using the ground pieces to reflect the products’ laser light and 

secretly apprehend their opponent. The surprise line for us was 

our range of cat toys. We quickly realized a lot of people would 

do anything to keep their pets entertained as the nano Cat Toy 

and Mouse Cat Toy became our No. 1-selling products in terms 

of volume at Target. 

How do you think consumer expectations have changed over 

the past few years? 

Kids today are so much more tech savvy and there is more 

pressure than ever to present them with new ways to engage 

and play. Our forward-thinking approach to product development 

allows us to see the world from a kid’s perspective and the 

products we produce, especially the new VEX Robotics line, has 

given us the opportunity to go beyond kids’ expectations by not 

only giving them something they can use their hands to build, 

but also something that they can motorize and introduce that 

hot robotic element that kids are craving. 



JAY FOREMAN 

President and CEO, 

The Bridge Direct 

The toy industry was up approximately 7 

percent in 2015. What are your expectations 


I’d anticipate steady or down. I think 

consumers have spent the “gasoline bonus” 

they got with low oil prices, and more 

importantly, between the malaise in China and its effect on the 

global markets and the election with the Republicans hammering 

the fact that “our country is a disaster,” consumer confidence is 

going to soften. That’s just my two cents on that. Also, there is no 

big driver like Star Wars or Shopkins in toys. 


product introductions than in recent years. Will you introduce 


We’re big on keeping play where it has always been—basic 

and generally on the floor or tabletop. We’ll let others make the 

next big innovation, which winds up to be the next big closeout, 

on their own. 

What were your top-selling toys/toy categories of 2015? Any 

surprises? 

Our biggest surprise was how well our Shopkins “Kinstruction” 

construction line sold through in the fourth quarter. Companies 

have tried to place girls’ construction and building into the market 

and, with the exception of Lego Friends, not many have succeeded. 

So regardless of how well Shopkins core toys performed, we 

were sitting on eggshells waiting to see sales results. Fortunately, 

the product blew out. 

Star Wars drove toy sales in the fourth quarter. Which licenses 

will be hot next year? 

I think Shopkins will stay hot, along with core Star Wars. There is 

a lot of buzz on the Trolls movie. I wish them luck. I tried to bring 

Trolls back 12 years ago, along with Hasbro’s Trollz line, and it just 

didn’t work. Of course with DreamWorks behind it, this just might 

be the time. 

What categories drove sales in 2015? Which categories will 

flourish this year? 

It will be interesting to see if drones are a flash in the pan or 

here to stay, along with hoverboards. Those were the two most 

dynamic and interesting new categories in 2015. I imagine they 

will stay top of mind. 

RICHARD BARRY 

Executive Vice President, Global 

Chief Merchandising Officer, 

Toys ”R” Us, Inc. 

How do you differentiate your toy 

department from the average retail toy 

department? 

As the world’s leading dedicated toy retailer 

with stores in more than 35 countries 

around the world, we compete on our status as the toy authority, 

offering a differentiated shopping experience through our many 

brands and broad assortment of toys, an unbeatable in-stock position, 

exceptional customer service, and toy expert employees to 

help shoppers find the right product for the child in their lives. 

One of our competitive advantages is our extensive and differentiated 

merchandise assortment, which includes private-label 

products and branded exclusives, providing our customers with 

exciting and unique products only available at Toys “R” Us. We 

believe strongly that these items are important to both margin 

and differentiation, but we also remain nimble to bring hot and 

new products to customers before they’re available anywhere 

else when possible, while also working closely with manufacturing 

partners big and small to identify truly innovative products that 

kids will love. 

Another factor that sets Toys “R” Us apart is our ability to bring 

products to life for our customers in a very engaging and visually 

appealing way with in-store destinations on a global scale. Last 

year, we were able to do that with the highly anticipated movie, 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The excitement consisted of a 

year-long celebration in honor of the epic Star Wars saga, such as 

Star Wars feature shops containing hundreds of products based 

on the blockbuster franchise, and exclusive items that could only 

be found in our stores. We also have a partnership with Claire’s, a 

specialty retailer of jewelry and accessories, in select Toys “R” Us 

stores around the world, to bring an assortment of jewelry to our 

customers. 

Creating experiential moments for kids and families visiting 

our stores is also important, and for this reason, we regularly host 

fun and interactive in-store events with our valued partners, such 

as Hasbro, Lego, Mattel, and Activision. We are also very different 

from our online-only competitors, as we have the opportunity to 

leverage both our physical stores and e-commerce capabilities to 

provide a compelling shopping experience for our customers as 

we advance our omni-channel strategy. 

As we strive to fulfill our mission to be the best toy company in 

the world, we look forward to continuing to provide our customers 

with the latest toy innovations, unique shopping experiences, and 

ability to shop with us however and whenever they choose. 


State of the 

Industry 

"GOOD" ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH 

by BRUCE LUND, founder, Lund and Co. Invention LLC 

THE TOY INDUSTRY IS A LITTLE TINY 

industry in a world that is getting bigger all 

the time. Our industry is, if not besieged, 

then at least beset by myriad forms of competition 

for the hearts and minds—and dollars—of 

the consumer. The competition from 

video games, apps, movies, and many other 

entertainment and play options is formidable 

and continues to be more compellingly 

entertaining all the time. There is no doubt 

that the industry knows this. 

How do we succeed as an industry, as 

individual companies, in this sea of competition? 

Like so many things, it is simple, 

but not easy. I remember many years ago 

walking into the showroom of one of the 

great Spanish doll companies of that era, and 

on introducing myself, they commented on 

one of our most successful dolls, Baby Sip 

‘n Slurp, with Hasbro. They thought it was a 

great doll. It made me realize, adding up the 

play features of our doll—drinking, mixing 

up the juice, the silly straw, blowing bubbles, 

the slurping noise, wetting, etc.—that a very 

simple equation all added up to a lot of great 

play value. 

It is that simple: just add it up. Give the 

TMX Elmo 

product a lot of play value—not just one or 

two fun things, but more. While you may not 

get credit for it because all those play features 

can’t be depicted on the package, you 

will get credit for it at home, with the child, 

and with the parents once they see the child 

play with the toy. This is valuble because you 

cannot buy word-of-mouth promotion. 

In a world of extraordinarily compelling, 

novel, ever-new competition for a child’s 

attention, how else can we grab it and keep 

them having fun? Make your toys great. 

Recently, our new boys collectible line with 

Vivid Imagination—Fungus Amungus—has 

been well-received. In this product, we used 

the same formula from long ago: one toy 

with additive play value. Kids can watch them 

grow and move as if alive, plus they are fun 

to play with even if kids have just one character, 

plus they stick to things. It adds up to a 

great value with engaging and ongoing play, 

resulting in satisfied consumers. All of that 

equals success. 

There are also other ways, of course. 

Another big success was TMX Elmo, with 

Fisher-Price. Not only was TMX Elmo a 

great toy with more and bigger action than 

any toy of its ilk, but the marketing 

of the product leading up to 

its introduction was nothing 

short of genius. The marketing 

centered around the idea 

that it was “top secret.” They 

couldn’t tell consumers about it. 

What do consumers want to 

know about more than that 

which they are not allowed to 

know? We want what we can’t 

have. The closed box, looking 

more like a high-security vault 

containment than a toy package, 

revealed nothing about the 

product either, other than an 

infectious laugh when you 

lifted the flap. 

So, to compete in today’s highly competitive 

retail area, we can tell the story of 

the product in a compelling new way, and 

then, of course, deliver on the promise with 

a compelling product. TMX Elmo did not 

disappoint on its way to becoming the fastest 

selling toy ever on the day of its release, and 

that year’s Toy of the Year (TOTY) winner. 

Similarly, our “TumbleTime Tigger,” also 

with Fisher-Price, actually did a cartwheel in 

the package. The presentation was captivating 

and never before seen. It took the 

in-package demo of toys to a new level—patented 

even. And the sales went through the 

roof. We need to be as innovative in marketing 

and packaging as our industry has always 

been with the product itself. 

It’s simple. Just create a genius level 

product, supported by genius level marketing, 

and add in some genius packaging solutions 

to sell the product on shelf, and voila: a 

successful, hit product. 

Like I said: It’s simple—it’s just not easy. 

How else do we succeed against the titans 

of entertainment that vie for kids’ imaginations 

and play time? There are other ways, of 

course, that you should consider not instead 

of, but in addition to, the great play value of 

additive play features described above. I can’t 

tell you all of them, of course, because then 

you wouldn’t need us anymore. » 

Bruce D. Lund has been a champion 

of the toy industry for more 

than 30 years. After a brief stint 

at the Marvin Glass & Associates 

studio in Chicago, Lund started 

his own toy design and product invention 

company. He has created 

hundreds of toys and games, including TMX Elmo, 

Baby Alive Sip ‘n Slurp, Baby Alive Tummy Treats, 

Uno Roboto, Dino Construction Company, and 

more. Look for his new book, Bruce’s Beliefs, Everything 

I Know About Business (and Life) I Learned 

Playing with Toys, at createspace.com/3785943. 

Follow his blog at lundandcompany.com. 


STAT SHOT 

Succeed in the Drone Zone 


State of the 

Industry 

EMBRACE THE GRIND 

TO SUCCEED IN EXPORTS 

by STEVE REECE, CEO, Kids Brand Insight 

THERE IS A BIG WORLD OUT THERE. 

Around 75 percent of the global toy 

market lies outside the borders of North 

America. Things change once you go beyond 

these borders—consumers, business 

culture, media, families, distribution and 

retail channels, and the attitude toward 

play all change. 

Unless your company has a raft of hot 

licensed products with global rights, or unless 

you create a global brand of your own, 

you will find that export sales is 50 percent 

pure grind, 30 percent quality products 

(that are easy to do business with), and 20 

percent sheer luck. 

There are millions of toy products on 

sale worldwide at any point in time. More 

than a million products are on display at 

the Spielwarenmesse international toy fair 

in Nuremberg every year. Product selections 

resemble a massive washing machine 

spinning cycle, spitting out a few placements 

here and a few placements there. 

The reality is that you can be as strategic 

as you want, but decisions to take on new 

products or retail listings (once you move 

away from the aforementioned must-have 

licensed or power brand heroes) are—to 

a degree—arbitrary and driven by getting 

your product in the right place at the right 

time as much as by demonstrating Power- 

Point charts indicating your global distribution 

touch points. 

In my opinion (based on tens of millions 

of dollars in toy sales in countries outside 

my own), the secret behind growing a successful 

export business is to “embrace the 

grind.”Go to more of the international toy 

fairs than your competitors, develop more 

international contacts than anyone else, 

and build relationships that can work for 

you for the rest of your career instead of 

dumping volumes of stock and running. 


To put all this in a formula: Export 

success = effective presentation x quality 

of product x number of products x number 

of companies presented to x frequency 

of presenting to those same companies. 

So, forget the glitz, forget the pretentious 

strategizing, and just embrace the grind! 

Having said that, cultural and market 

awareness is another area I would include 

in “effective presentation,” because understanding 

how your product or approach 

might need to change from one market to 

another is pivotal to maximize your chance 

of success. 

Those companies with an inflexible, 

one-size-fits-all mindset are the ones that 

want to do things exactly the same way in 

other countries despite huge disparity and 

fragmentation of the global toy market 

outside the U.S. For example, if you are 

used to doing more than 50 percent of 

your business with two mass-market retailers, 

you won’t find that kind of opportunity 

outside the U.S. 

Of course there are major retailers in 

other markets, but the volume potential 

is significantly lower. You may be able to 

sell a large volume via a single customer 

account in the U.S., but that number may 

be more like 10,000 to 30,000 in the UK, 

5,000 to 10,000 in Holland, 10,000 to 

30,000 in France, or 5,000 to 10,000 in 

Australia. We can see from these rough 

estimates that you have to build an international 

portfolio to make the numbers stack 

up versus domestic numbers. 

Another major point to be aware of is 

how toy and game distribution varies by 

market. For instance, the UK has Argos, 

its own distinct market leader in catalogue 

and online-based retail. Clearly in this kind 

of format, a thumbnail-sized image versus 

shelf presence is what sells a product. Or 

take a look at Germany, where no single 

retailer or channel has the market leadership 

position. In fact, Germany is a fragmented 

distribution market. What you get 

in Germany is a very large independent 

“mom and pop” channel with thousands of 

small retailers at the heart of a fragmented, 

wholesaler- or field sales-driven market. 

Finally, a thought on chasing exotic 

distribution markets such as China, Japan, 

and India: While China and Japan 

make up the second and third largest 

toy markets globally, they are not easy to 

reach. Non-branded toys shipped directly 

from Chinese toy factories saturate China. 

Consumers do not always know western 

brands, so it can be an uphill battle to 

progress in the Chinese market. 

Japan is so culturally distinct that 

even major corporate toy companies use 

third-party distribution partnerships. While 

Japan is a large-scale established toy 

market, it’s probably the hardest major toy 

market for western companies to enter. India 

is a fast-growing market, but with very 

little structured distribution. Up to 95 percent 

of the Indian market is in independent 

retail without any major buying groups to 

simplify distribution. 

In several cases, the low-hanging fruit 

for North American companies is often 

found in Europe. Therefore, in order to succeed 

in the global toy industry, the key is 

to embrace the grind! » 

Steve Reece is the CEO of Kids 

Brand Insight, a consultancy to the 

global toy industry offering export 

sales; factory finding in China, 

India, and beyond; and consumer 

testing on toys and games.

STAT SHOT 

Kids at Play: How Do They 

Spend Their Time and Money? 


SWEET SUITE 

SWEET SUITE 16: 

MAKING WAVES IN NYC 

THE TOY INSIDER’S SEVENTH ANNUAL SWEET SUITE EVENT 

will take place on July 13 aboard the Majesty Yacht docked in New 

York City. Known as The Biggest Night of Play, the premiere toy party 

of the year will welcome more than 400 influential bloggers and vloggers 

and more than 100 members of traditional media to connect with 

toy companies in advance of the holiday shopping season. 

Sweet Suite will be the feature event at the third annual Blogger 

Bash, a two-day conference for experienced digital influencers featuring 

parties, exhibitions, and speed pitching sessions. Blogger Bash 

welcomes attendees into high-energy party atmospheres, giving them 

a chance to have fun while mingling with brands in a professional yet 

inviting setting. 

Last year at Sweet Suite, bloggers enjoyed one-on-one time with 

representatives from more than 75 of the hottest kids’ brands and 

properties on the market, including VTech, Activision, LeapFrog, Hasbro, 

Spin Master, Lego, TOMY, Disney, and more. 

#SweetSuite15 generated more than 95 million Twitter impressions, 

more than 8,000 original Instagram photos, and hundreds 

of blog post recaps. 

This year, Sweet Suite will give digital influencers and members 

of the press a chance to meet old and new friends while sipping on 

cocktails, feasting on sweet treats, and—best of all—playing with toys 

before they even hit the market. 

Enormous swag boxes will once again be shipped directly to attendees’ 

homes after the event, sparking a resurgance in social media 

impressions, and ensuring bloggers and journalists have products 

readily on-hand to review and share with their followers. 

With five different levels of sponsorship, there is something to 

fit every budget, allowing toy companies of all sizes to get in on the 

action and get products in the hands of the most influential press, 

bloggers, and vloggers. Get on board to party, play, and make an 

impression. » 

If you’re interested in learning more about these events, 

contact Laurie Schacht at thetoyinsidermom@gmail.com. 


New 

What’s 

MOOSE TOYS 

With Moose Toys’ new Shopkins Season 4 Food Fair Sweet Spot 

Playset, kids can send their favorite Shopkins characters on a ride down 

the gumball machine, take a roll in the candy cart, or hang around on the 

lollipop stand. Each play set includes two exclusive candy bags and two 

exclusive Shopkins characters. 

The Shopkins Cupcake Queen Café from the Shopkins Season 4 

Food Fair line allows kids to display their Shopkins or box up their favorite 

cakes for a take-home treat. This play set includes two exclusive cake 

boxes and two exclusive Shopkins. 

SPIN MASTER 

Joining Spin Master’s Zoomer line of interactive toys is Zoomer Chimp. Zoomer Chimp can follow and react to movements, 

respond to voice commands with tricks and sounds, run on four legs, or balance on two legs. His color changing eyes 

show how he’s feeling. Zooming Marshall is based on the TV series Paw Patrol, and features more than 80 missions and 

tricks, more than 200 Paw Patrol sounds, and a transforming pup pack with water cannons. He moves on his own, follows kids, 

and reacts to movements. 

Spin Master debuts its line of The Secret Life of Pets products, based on the animated film in which lost pets must overcome 

their differences to make their way home. Walking Talking Pets are motorized, talking characters that deliver core pet 

play. They have signature sound effects and motorized motion. The Deluxe Talking Pet Plush feature sound effects from the 

movie activated by squeezing or shaking. The Walking Max Feature Plush has a lifelike personality with two modes of play, 

walking moves, signature phrases, and a detachable leash. 

The Popples line will include the Talk & Pop Plush: Bubbles & Lulu, 11-inch soft plush that feature 

13 sounds and phrases from the new Netflix original series. When kids turn them inside out, they 

become a rolling plush ball. Each plush in the Pop Open Plush Assortment pops open from a 

soft fuzzy ball into a plush friend. Kids can join the Popples at their favorite hangout with the 

Deluxe Treehouse Playset, featuring a different section for each character just like in the 

series. The set also includes a two-inch figure, swirling ramps, elevators, and swings, and is 

compatible with other Popples play sets. 

New Trucktown items include Twistin’ Trucks, which feature articulated wheel axels 

that bend and a midsection that allows the trucks to twist and turn. What’s Up Jack can 

stand vertically, twist, and comes with a handle for kids to pick him up. 

Spin Master adds to its Chubby Puppies line with Chubby Puppies Babies. The Pet 

Care Playset features an automatic elevator, a slide, a basket, and bubble bath. The 

Chubby Puppies Babies also automatically push the carousel around. Chubby Puppies Babies 

connect to vehicles and automatically push them along in the Vehicle Pack. 

Muzlings is an interactive toy that exudes silliness and has a friendly disposition. Kids can 

interact with three modes of play, create their own songs in music mode, and interact with 

Muzlings with more than 100 unique phrases. The Muzlings will also ask for a hug, blow kisses, 

and ask kids to sing along with them. Each Muzlings’ face lights up and talks with its animated 

mouth. Hatchimals are interactive creatures that hatch when kids release their magic. 

Spin Master also adds to its Tech Deck line of mini replica skateboards and mini BMX bikes. 

There are more than 200 Tech Deck Single fingerboards available and the Tech Deck BMX have front 

and rear brakes, an interchangeable mag, spoke tires, and real working cranks. 

12-inch Talking Gidget Plush 


New 

What’s 

HASBRO 

With the Yo-kai Watch and medals, from Hasbro, fans can imagine summoning Yo-kai 

characters in real life. Kids can slide the Yo-kai medals into the watch and it will recognize each 

medal and play the character’s name and tribe song. The watch comes with two exclusive Yokai 

medals. 

Each Yo-kai Watch Medal Mystery Bag includes three Yo-kai medals with three ways to 

play: summon, collect, and discover. Kids can place the medal in the Yo-kai Watch to summon 

Yo-kai. Players can collect medals, and scan them into the Yo-kai Land app for more fun. 

Fans can show off their Yo-kai collection with the Yo-kai Medallium Collection Book. This 

set includes the collection book similar to Nate’s in the TV series, an exclusive Yo-kai medal, two 

feature tribe pages, clear collection book pages with slots to store Yo-kai medals, and a character 

sticker sheet. All Yo-kai products are designed for kids ages 4 and up. 

Hasbro will introduce Play-Doh Town, a new line of customizable figures and play sets designed 

for kids ages 3 and up that lets them build up their own towns and tell unique stories. 

Kids can use the Play-Doh Town Firehouse Playset’s fire stamper to create crazy fire scenes, 

then fill up the water cannon and hydrant to save the day with Play-Doh water spray. Kids can 

also press out a hairstyle for the firefighter figure using her hat, or create a variety of different hair 

accessories using the included half molds. Kids can take the fire pup for a walk or prepare fiery 

Play-Doh adventures, open the garage, and drive in the fire truck vehicle. 

The Play-Doh brand also jumps into desserts with two new play sets. Kids can roll out Play-Doh 

pie dough and use the molds to create fruit fillings in the Play-Doh Playful Pies Playset. They can 

whip up a big colorful batch of Play-Doh cakes with the Play-Doh Cake Party Playset and add 

swirls of Play-Doh frosting. 

JUST PLAY 

Just Play will introduce a new toy line featuring characters 

from the new Disney Junior series The Lion Guard. Kids can 

pretend to help Kion as he and his friends protect the 

Pride Lands with the new Pride Land Play Set, which 

features an exclusive Kion figure and other accessories. 

Additional 3-inch collectible figures, including 

limited-edition chaser figures, as well as small play 

sets such as Bunga’s Coconut Launcher and Beshte’s 

Boulder Catapult, will also be available. 

The 8-inch Pride Land Brawlers figures feature 

Kion, Bunga, and Beshte as interactive friends who say multiple 

phrases. The more they are together, more phrases 

are unlocked. 

The soft plush characters come in three sizes and assorted 

characters, as well as Kion and Bunga Light-Up 

Talking Plush. Kion lets out a roar and Bunga toots, and 

both feature the Mark of the Guard emblem on their 

arms. All toys in this line are for kids ages 3 and up. 

Pride Land Play Set 


New 

What’s 

GLITEK 

The Glitek Glide features a user-replaceable battery 

back, LED lights, and a Bluetooth speaker. The Glide is 

CE-, FCC-, and RoHS-certified. It can drive up to 12 mph 

for 10 to 12 miles on one charge and has a Samsung Lithium-ion 

battery pack that is UL approved. It can hold up 

to 265 lbs. and has a charge time of about 90 to 120 minutes. 

The Glide is available in black, red, blue, and white. 

CARTOON NETWORK 

With a new animated series produced by Cartoon Network Studios and a full worldwide licensing program set to launch this year, The 

Powerpuff Girls are making a comeback. 

As master toy partner for the brand, Spin Master will launch a line of plush, figures, play sets, dolls, and role-play items at U.S. retailers 

this fall. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the Deluxe Flip to Action Playset is a two-in-one play set that transforms from the girls’ 

bedroom to their superhero lab and includes 2-inch Bubbles and Professor Utonium figures. 

Addtionally, the Aura Powerpods with 2-inch Doll Assortment puts The Powerpuff Girls’ new Aura powers at the center of playtime. 

Each pack of Aura Powerpods includes a translucent aura power vehicle and a 2-inch figure of each girl, along with a 2-D villain character. 

The vehicles have a pullback feature that lets them zip around or break through walls. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the packs are 

available in Bubbles/Bunny, Blossom/Stapler, and Buttercup/Cannon. 

The Vectron Flying Powerpuff Girls Assortment lets each girl fly with the power of her spinning light trails. Each set includes a 

heart-shaped charging base and is designed for kids ages 5 and up. 

Cardinal Industries Inc. will create a full range of puzzles based on the characters and stories from the new series. Launching this fall at 

all retail channels, the line will be available for fans of all ages, with additional details and designs available in the coming months. 

In addition to its full assortment of Halloween costumes for kids, teens, and adults, Disguise will offer a line of role-play items focused 

on dress-up apparel and accessories inspired by The Powerpuff Girls. Available across all retail channels this fall, the collection includes 

dress-up sets, jewelry, makeup, wigs, and more. 

Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup will also make their vinyl toy debut through a new partnership with Funko, which will offer Pop! Vinyl 

figures, Mystery Minis blind boxes, a My Mojis collectible line, and Dorbz figures. The line will debut at Comic-Con International San 

Diego in July. Pressman Toy Corp. will produce a line of original board games, card games, and puzzles based on the franchise, which 

will be available throughout North America beginning in the fall. 

In spring 2017, A&A Global will add an assortment of products for vending machines, including stickers, temporary tattoos, toys, and 

other novelty items, and Toy Factory will launch products including plush toys, pillows, rubber balls, novelty hats, and more for outdoor 

amusement parks, family entertainment centers, and traveling amusement venues. 

The Powerpuff Girls Aura Powerpods with 2-inch Doll Assortment 


New 

What’s 

EYEBLACK JR. 

EyeBlack Jr. gives kids a new way to show how much 

they love their favorite Nickelodeon characters—right 

on their faces. Athletic Strips feature Teenage Mutant 

Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Bella and 

the Bulldogs, all on self-adhesive themed strips that kids 

can wear under their eyes just like the pros on the field. 

The latex-free strips use an easy-on, easy-off gentle adhesive. 

Each package features a different character with six 

unique pairs of under-the-eye athletic strips. 

THE BRIDGE 

DIRECT 

The Bridge Direct goes retro 

with a new line of Mini Arcade 

games featuring Pac-Man and 

Space Invaders. These arcade 

games are miniature versions 

of the originals with real-time 

gameplay. Players can use 

the joystick to move around 

the maze and steer clear of 

the ghosts in Pac-Man. Players 

must beat the invasion 

with the joystick and move 

the laser cannon across the 

screen in Space Invaders to 

fire at the aliens. These nostalgic 

games are designed for kids 

ages 8 and up. 

PLAYMATES TOYS 

Playmates Toys introduces its new T-Blasts line, bringing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ personalities and features to highly stylized 

blasters designed for kids ages 4 and up. 

With the Double Barrel and Cross Bow Blaster Assortment, kids can pull back and release to launch two oversized Ninja Turtles 

character darts, which are made of soft foam. This collection features Double Barrel Leonardo, Double Barrel Donatello, Double Barrel 

Raphael, and Cross Bow Michelangelo. 

Each blaster in the Quad-Blaster Assortment comes with four Ninja Turtles character darts. Kids can press the trigger to rotate the 

barrel, then pull back and release it to launch the darts. This collection includes Quad Blaster Leonardo, Quad Blaster Michelangelo, 

and Quad Blaster Raphael. 

The Talking Shell Cannon Assortment features blasters that say more than 10 Turtle battle phrases, and have battle sound effects. 

Each of these blasters comes with six Ninja Turtles character darts and a 

cartridge. This assortment includes Talking Shell Cannon Leonardo 

and Talking Shell Cannon Michelangelo. All of the blasters fire the 

character darts up to 40 feet. 

Also included in the line are Ninja 

Turtles Dart Refill Packs, offered 

in a variety of characters. The darts are 

compatible with all blasters across the line and feature kids’ favorite 

heroes and villains. 

Cross Bow Michelangelo Blaster 


New 

What’s 

EDGE BRANDS 

Designed for kids ages 12 and up, Edge Brands’ Kore Trixter Pro Multi-Directional 

Scooter features a brake cable through the front pole that allows for 

360-degree rotation. A reinforced steel peg beside the front wheel allows for 

tricks, and a switch lock folding mechanism allows kids to take their Trixter 

Pro anywhere. 

The Kore Double Edge Flexboard has a high-density deck with fiberglass 

rods that create a smooth ride, and quad wheels to improve stability. 

The Kore Black Mini BMX Bike is a stunt bike with a functional and 

compact design for kids ages 12 and up. 

With Narly Noggins Helmet Gear Accessories, kids can decorate 

their helmets with fun accessories including a shark fin, dragon wings, 

and a unicorn horn. There are 12 different Noggins for kids to collect. 

Kore Trixter Pro Multi-Directional Scooter 

TOMY 

TOMY will introduce a new line of toys based on the movie Zootopia, set for release in theaters on March 

4. The Police Station Playset features figures of Clawhauser and Safety Squirrel and a helicopter. Designed for 

kids ages 3 and up, the play set projects images on the Police Station computer screen and features electronic 

lights and sounds. 

Judy’s Police Cruiser is a vehicle based on Judy Hopps’ Police Cruiser in the film and includes Judy and 

Law-Breaking Mouse figures. The line also features a core figure line, with articulated collectible figures in twopacks, 

and a small plush line, featuring Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, Mr. Otterton, 

Finnick, Mr. Big, and Assistant Mayor Bellwether. 

TOMY will expand its Sonic Boom line with RC Sonic, which features a Sonic 

figure, a hoverboard, and a J-turn remote control, allowing kids to control Sonic’s 

tricks and spins. The Sonic v. Dr. Eggman is a set that features an articulated Sonic 

figure and his hoverboard, which doubles as a launcher. Sonic can battle the articulated 

Dr. Eggman figure and his vehicle. Kids can launch Sonic’s hoverboard into Dr. 

Eggman’s vehicle and watch it burst open. 

TOMY will also expand its Miles from Tomorrowland line with a focus on the series’ second 

season’s theme: Galatech. The Galactech Stellosphere is a play set that is three ships 

in one and features an XVR system, lights, sounds, and phrases from the show. 

The Galatech Exo-Flex Arm lights up and bends, making kids feel like they’ve blasted off 

straight into the series. The line will also feature Galactech Maximum Miles and Maximum 

Merc figures, and Galatech Basic Figures, which feature the entire Callisto family 

and Merc. 

TOMY’s Good Dinosaur line expands with Ultimate Arlo, a 13-inch Arlo figure 

that interacts with the 3-inch Spot figure. He can walk toward Spot, communicate 

with Spot when he’s on his back, and react when Spot bites his tail. The line also includes 

Motion Dinosaurs, which are stylized battery-operated dinosaurs that walk. 

TOMY will also help celebrate Pokémon’s 20th anniversary this year with 8-inch plush and 

2-inch figures of favorite characters. Featured Pokémon toys include the Throw ‘n Pop Poké 

Ball, which pops open upon impact and includes a 2-inch Pikachu figure. The Pikachu Feature 

Plush moves its ears, makes cute sounds, and lights up when kids hug it. 

Zootopia Nick 

Wilde small plush 


New 

What’s 

HEXBUG 

Hexbug will expand its line of AquaBot robotic fish with a new school of underwater 

deepsea divers. The new Sea Creature energetically swims, dives, and 

spins through water. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the Sea Creature 

features a twist-to-turn on and off feature. Equipped with a high-speed 

propeller, the aquatic swimmer explores its environment by swimming 

around at various depths. 

New to the line of VEX Robotics construction kits is the VEX Robotics 

Zip Flyer. Kids can send the propellers more than 30 feet into the air. 

The faster kids pull the zip stick, the faster and higher the propeller flyers 

go. Kids can build the model in two different ways. The VEX Robotics Snap Shot 

lets kids build their own handheld blaster. The Snap Shot fires four plastic balls more than 

Hexbug nano Nitro 

10 feet, features open internals so kids can see the planetary gears, and has working shock 

absorber style springs. Kids will learn about gear ratios and spring energy while they play. Both VEX Robotics kits are designed 

for kids ages 14 and up. 

Hexbug nano Nitro is a collection of colorful bugs that are twice as fast on the ground as nano v2s. Designed for kids 

ages 3 and up, the Hexbug nano Nitros are available in multiple colors. 

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, Battle Bots are battling robots. Kids can wage combat with Ripsaw, which has a spinning 

horizontal blade, and Rhino, which has a flipping, lifting arm that can be activated from the infrared remote control to 

send parts flying. After each match, kids can reassemble the robots in preparation for another match. 

PLAY VISIONS 

Floof, from Play Visions, is a new compound that is light, soft, and easily moldable. Designed 

for kids ages 3 and up, Floof looks like snow, feels like a marshmallow, and molds 

like clay. Play Visions will roll out Floof creativity sets, including Mr. & Mrs. Snowman, 

Polar Babies, Mini Snowball Maker, Sasquatch Target Game, S’mores Party, and Sunny 

Day Clouds. Each set includes 120 to 180g of Floof and various molds, shapes, and pieces. 

Bag O Dirt is artificial play dirt that feels like real dirt, without the real mess. Kids can 

enjoy a personal garden, dig up treasure, or pick at fake bugs. Designed for kids ages 3 

and up, the set comes with 2 pounds of play dirt and assorted gardening tools. 

Designed for teens and adults ages 14 and up, Soothing Sands is a desktop Zen Garden 

for home or work environments. The soft sand helps people escape the tensions of 

everyday stress, while the sculpting tools and display pieces help clear the mind of chaos. 

Soothing Sands Inner Reflections and Soothing Sands Aroma Essence each contain 1 

pound of sand, a rock with an inscription, wood sculpting and massaging tools, essential 

oils, and a bamboo display tray. 

Snowtime Anytime snowballs are made of a soft material that feels like snow without the 

mess or slush. Play Visions will add new sets, such as the Polar Ball Bat & Snowball Set and 

the Snowtime Anytime Snowball Blaster to give kids new opportunities to engage in snowball 

fights inside. 

Chameleon Skinz accessory tape is temperature sensitive and changes color as it’s 

touched. New colors include green to yellow, orange to yellow, charcoal to pearl, navy to 

aqua, and purple to pink. Chameleon Skinz are designed for kids ages 5 and up. 


New 

What’s 

BLIP TOYS 

Based on the new Disney Junior animated short films, Whisker Haven: Tales 

with the Palace Pets, the Disney Palace Pets Sweetie Tails, from Blip Toys, are candy-colored 

collectibles that are all dressed up for the Confection Costume Contest. 

Rouge, Slipper, and Daisy feature long rainbow tales, multi-colored candy stripes, 

and a three-piece treat-shaped fascinator. These new Disney Palace Pet figures are 

designed for kids ages 4 and up. 

Street Shots combine vehicles and blaster play for kids ages 5 and up. The 

Street Shots blasters fire the vehicles at scale speeds of more than 500 mph. 

The included accessories launch the vehicles up walls and over furniture. 

Disney Palace Pets Sweetie Tails 

JAKKS PACIFIC 

Designed for kids ages 4 and up, Ba-BOOM-ies Blind Packs, from Jakks Pacific, 

feature a hidden Mylar balloon surprise that explodes right out of the blind pack 

pouch. Each Ba-BOOM-ies balloon features different licenses and characters that 

kids can collect and trade, such as Marvel, WWE, Minions, and Teenage Mutant Ninja 

Turtles. Ba-BOOM-ies balloons stay inflated for months and have a loop on top, allowing 

kids to hang and display their collections. 

The Disney Princess Little Kingdom Makeup and Jewelry Collection lets kids 

adorn themselves with jewelry and kid-friendly makeup while collecting Disney Princess 

Little Kingdom characters and their fairytale friends. The Disney Princess Little 

Kingdom Makeup Set lets kids choose between four makeup types, including lip 

gloss, body glitter, hair mascara, and nail polish; and seven princess characters, 

including Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Rapunzel, Aurora, and Snow White. 

Each set includes one princess and two refills and is designed for kids ages 5 

and up. Play sets, vanities, jewelry boxes, and more based on the princesses 

are also available. 

Tsum Tsum (translated to “stack stack” in Japanese) is a collection of Disney 

characters that kids can collect, stack, and display. Jakks’ collection of collectible 

figurines in three different sizes features characters from multiple Disney properties. 

The collection includes single packs, three-packs, nine-packs, a holiday assortment, 

and a portable play case. All of the figures are designed for kids ages 

6 and up. 

Tsum Tsum collectible figurines 


New 

What’s 

ENTERTAINMENT ONE 

Entertainment One’s Peppa Pig will expand with new product offerings this year. 

Master toy licensee Jazwares adds plush, figures, vehicles, and play sets for kids ages 

2 and up to its collection. The Muddy Puddles Family Pack is a set of plush characters 

featuring Peppa, her family, and her friends. When kids squeeze the toys’ tummies, 

they snort with laughter. Jazwares’ line of building sets expands with Peppa Pig’s 

Treehouse Construction Set and Peppa Pig’s House. The 39-piece Peppa Pig’s Treehouse 

set includes Peppa Pig and Rebecca Rabbit figures, and the 97-piece Peppa 

Pig’s House set includes Peppa, George, Mummy, and Daddy Pig. Blind Bag Figures 

will be sold separately and each mystery bag will contain one of 24 character figures 

from the series, all of which are compatible with the construction sets. 

Parragon, a new Peppa Pig licensee, introduces the Peppa Pig Happy Tin, a keepsake 

tin that includes three books for coloring, sticker, and activity fun; four felt-tipped 

pens; and a double-sided poster to color. The Make It Together Peppa Pig Craft 

Tube includes everything kids need to make a Peppa Pig sock toy. 

Montco offers the Peppa Pig Pop-Outz! Grab Bag, an activity kit featuring two 6- 

by 9-inch coloring boards, three washable markers, and a 4- by 6-inch sticker sheet 

with 25 paper stickers. Each character is die-cut to pop out and stand. Suitable for 

kids ages 3 and up, Pop-Outz! Special Delivery features four coloring boards 

with 10 pop out characters and icons die-cut with pop-out stands, a background 

scene in full color with stand-up feet, 10 washable markers, and a sticker sheet. 

Peppa Pig’s Treehouse Construction Set 

PARTY ANIMAL 

Party Animal Inc. debuts WWE TeenyMates, a line of 1-inch mini collectible figures. The first series includes 32 figures of 

WWE Superstars and Legends such as John Cena, The Rock, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. WWE TeenyMates 

are sold in blind packs, each of which contains two WWE figures, a collector sheet, and two double-sided puzzle pieces 

that feature a mini-collector poster on one side and a wrestling ring on the other. 

Each TeenyMates Big Sip character cup features a unique 3-D NFL character design available in a variety of team uniforms. 

The 16 oz cups are BPA-free, made with 100-percent safe 

materials, and feature a straw and stop cap. 

Fans of NFL TeenyMates will soon be able to take their 

collection on the go with the TeenyMates Carry Case. 

The carry case is a foldable football field play set with 

room to store TeenyMates and accessories. 

Party Animal also introduces a new line of mini 

collectibles designed for football fans ages 4 and 

up. Mad Lids are mini collectible caps that look like 

2-inch versions of official New Era NFL caps. Mad 

Lids will be available in blind packs that contain two 

mini caps, a collector sheet, and two display stands. 

Fans can collect all 32 NFL team caps, including 

hard-to-find rares. 

TeenyMates Big Sips 


New 

What’s 

OFFICE OXYGEN 

Office Oxygen has launched Gyrobi, a toy that spins and 

twists like a gyroscope for anyone with the urge to fidget. 

It is a handheld manipulative object that can be used with 

or without looking down at it to help develop fine motor 

skills and fidget constructively. This toy is designed for 

kids ages 3 and up. Loopeez is another fidget toy that 

users can manipulate without looking down. Simply 

turn the sparkly beads over and over the dual axes 

of the rings in an infinite loop. The colored curved 

pieces are molded to fit perfectly in one hand or two. 

Left: Loopeez. Right: Gyrobi. 

Snoopy Action 

Bubble Blower 

LITTLE KIDS 

Little Kids’ Candylicious Bubbles line consists of edible bubble solution in assorted flavors including cherry, grape, bubble gum, 

and Tutti Frutti. The line features the Candylicious Bubbles Assortment, Candylicious Bubbles Character Assortment, and the Candylicious 

Bubble Machine. 

The Fubbles Fubblezooka is a new motorized bubble blaster. Kids attach the reusable bubble bottle to the blaster, pull 

the trigger, and blast continuous big bubbles. Kids can pour bubbles into the front of the Fubbles Bubble Blastin’ 

Machine, push the button, and the moving wands blow continuous bubbles. 

The Junk Ball Pro-Pass Football features a hollow core for maximum distance, three wings for tighter 

spirals, and a dimpled grip for easy throwing and catching. The Junk Ball Accu-Strike Soccer Ball features 

raised scuffmarks for ultimate ball control. The soft foam material also makes it a great training 

tool for heading and juggling. 

The Night Flyers Airbender is easy to catch and throw. Kids can grip the wing, aim, and release with 

a flick of the wrist. Kids can spin the Night Flyers Airstream by the tail and release, or throw using the 

front like a football. 

With the Peanuts Giant Wand Assortment, kids can blow big bubbles with Peanuts Movie characters. 

The Peanuts Snoopy 8oz Bubbles features a Snoopy’s doghouse bottle shape with a Snoopy and Woodstock 

wand. The Snoopy Action Bubble Blower makes it easy to blow continuous bubbles when kids pull 

back on Snoopy’s head and a stream of bubbles flies from his mouth. 

Nickelodeon Flex Flyers are lightweight, flexible discs that are easy to throw and catch, featuring Marshall 

from Paw Patrol or Leonardo from The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in full-color raised relief. 

Nickelodeon Bubble Machines are easy and fun for kids—simply fill the bubbles into the machine, 

press the button, and the wands blow continuous bubbles. They feature styling from Paw Patrol, Teenage 

Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bubble Guppies, and Dora the Explorer. 

Kids can help Chase save the day with the Paw Patrol Action Bubble Blower. Press the star on 

Chase’s pup tag to launch streams of continuous bubbles from his tennis ball launcher. Each bottle topper 

in the Paw Patrol Bottle of Bubbles Assortment is a fully decorated and sculpted 3-D figure head, 

featuring Marshall, Chase, or Skye. Paw Patrol Water Squirters are the perfect way to save the day with 

the Paw Patrol pups. Kids can squeeze and submerge the water squirter under water, and release to fill, 

take aim, and squirt. They are available in Marshall, Chase, and Skye styles. Squeeze and submerge the end 

of the Paw Patrol Water Blasters under water, then pull back on the pup’s head to fill. Take aim and 

push the head back into the tube to blast the water. They are available in Marshall and Chase styles. 

Each Paw Patrol Water Sprinkler features a fully sculpted Marshall figure, blasts water up to 10 


feet high, attaches to any standard garden hose, and easily secures into the lawn.

New 

What’s 

Berg Buzzy 

Racing 

BERG 

The Berg Buzzy Racing, from Berg USA, allows kids to pedal forward and backward. 

Designed for riders ages 2 to 5, the four wheels keep kids stable 

and the EVA tires prevent flats. The seat and steering wheel are adjustable, 

allowing the cart to grow with kids. 

The Berg Choppy combines a classic style with comfort and 

functionality. Designed for kids ages 3 to 8, the Berg Choppy features 

an adjustable steering column and seat and a compact size 

for easy storage. Kids will ride in style with the metallic orange and 

tribal designs. 

JAZWARES 

Marvel-licensed vehicles join Jazwares’ Lil’ Chuck & Friends Mini Vehicles line of 20 trucks 

for on-the-go fun. Chuck & Friends Talkin’ Spider-Man Vehicle is a talking vehicle featuring 

phrases and sounds from your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Kids simply press the Spider-Man 

logo to activate sounds, and watch as its eyes light up. Made out of soft, chunky 

plastic, this larger vehicle is perfect for safer play with little ones. 

Animal Jam, in association with National Geographic, is the No. 1 online social game for 

kids with more than 40 million registered players worldwide. Kids can jump into the world of 

Jamaa with a line of collectibles and play sets by Jazwares. Animal Jam characters—including 

Penguin, Bunny, Monkey, and more—will be available as collectible toys with matching 

accessories so kids can dress up, trade, and show off their favorite Animal Jam avatars and 

pets. A limited-edition Light Up Ring reveals a secret pattern on select characters. Kids will 

also be able to decorate the dens or have a dance party in the Club Geoz Ultimate Dance 

Party play set. 

The Weebles brand returns with a new line of unique friends who share similar values, learning 

the qualities of friendship together. All six Weebles friends feature a weighted round base 

and 3-D heads and arms. Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down. Kids can have them drive 

in their wobbly connecting cars and play in the Wobble Around Treehouse. 

Jazwares’ Peppa Pig toy collection features a range of preschool items, including plush, 

figures, toy vehicles, and play sets. Busy builders can create their own Peppa world with 

construction sets small and large, including a Treehouse set, Peppa’s House set, and more. 

Twenty-four blind bag figures designed to work with all construction sets will also be sold 

separately. Kids can squeeze the plush characters’ tummies for extra fun or collect Peppa 

and all her friends with fun themed accessories. 

Kids’ favorite digital stars on YouTube come to life in action figure form in the Tube Heroes 

DanTDM Diamond Dimension Pack. Part of the next wave of collectible Tube Heroes, 

the pack comes with a 2.75-inch posable action figure of DanTDM, his best buddy and scientist 

Dr. Trayaurus, a moving mine cart that fits both characters, and DanTDM’s arsenal of removable 

weapons. There are 18 Tube Heroes to collect this year. 

Wendy Weeble 


New 

What’s 

TUCKER TOYS 

Tucker Toys’ new E-Z Grip Ball Jr. bounces on any surface, including sand, water, and grass. The tough outer web combined with a 

durable, inflatable inner ball provides high-bounce performance. The clingy, textured grip makes for easy throwing, catching, and kicking. 

It inflates to 4.25 inches in diameter and is soft, durable, and waterproof. 

The E-Z Grip Football is tough and has a textured grip, but also helps with precision for the perfect field goal or punt. 

The E-Z Grip Soccer Ball is ideal for bouncing and kicking on any surface. The grip not only helps throwing precision, but it also 

keeps feet from slipping on the ball’s surface. 

Phlat Ball AeroFlyt is a streamlined, more aerodynamic update of the Phlat Ball line. 

Tucker Toys’ Trick Shots are collectible action figures 

that pack the power of a pro, challenging kids 

to become the master of the Trick Shot. They can 

perform across the room, bounce off walls, and 

fly into the included goals. These figures fit 

in backpacks and pockets. Kids can collect 

them and play with their friends to see who 

can make the craziest Trick Shot. 

ALEX BRANDS 

Alex Brands will expand the Poof line with 

the Poof Turbo Tunnel Ball and Fling Flyer, 

each designed for ultimate throwing ability. 

Ultra-Tek Destiny and Outlaw blasters are 

new to the BuzzBee Toys line. The Ultra-Tek 

Destiny is a clip-fed, fully automatic dart 

blaster that blasts 10 darts per second up to 

72 feet away. The Outlaw is an air pressure 

water blaster that can shoot water up to 42 

feet away. 

Phlat Ball AeroFlyt 

TANGLE 

Tangle introduces the Tangle NightBall Basketball, with a unique Matrix 

design that makes the ball easy to grip, dribble, bounce, and shoot. With motion-sensor 

LEDs built right into the ball, kids can shoot hoops anytime—day or 

night. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the 

NightBall Basketball is available in green 

and orange. 

The Tangle NightRacket has bright 

LEDs that light up the racket in cool 

patterns, making nighttime racket 

play possible. The set includes a 

light-up Matrix ball and a light-up 

birdie, enabling two different play 

patterns. The NightRacket is designed 


Tangle NightRacket 


Property 

Profile 

THE GOLDEN AGE 

OF PEANUTS IS NOW 

Flying Ace 

Snoopy 


PEANUTS, THE GLOBALLY BELOVED 

brand created by Charles Schulz in 1950, enjoyed 

its biggest year to date in 2015, a year 

that also marked the 65th anniversary of the 

Peanuts gang. (Remarkably, Charlie Brown 

still doesn’t look a day older.) 

The brand—which enjoys an unprecedented 

99 percent consumer recognition and 

3 billion social media impressions annually—created 

its biggest U.S. retail footprint 

ever, with programs at Target, Toys “R” Us, 

Macy’s, The Gap, Pottery Barn Teen, Safeway 

Albertsons, Barnes & Noble, and QVC; halo 

partners such as Le Sportsac, Coach, and Burton; 

and promotional partnerships including 

McDonald’s, Teleflora, U.S. Postal Service, 

and Unicef. The Peanuts Movie, the 

brand’s first-ever 3-D CGI-animated 

feature film, became the No. 1 

family film in the world for three 

consecutive weeks, received a 

Golden Globe nomination 

for Best Animated Feature Film, and 

earned a coveted 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes 

score. Its box office grosses are approaching 

$250 million worldwide. 

Peanuts’ global licensing program, featuring 

more than 1,000 licensees worldwide, 

continues to be anchored by long-term partners 

including MetLife, Hallmark, Cedar Fair, 

ABC, and Universal Studios Japan. In particular, 

2015 was a banner year for Peanuts toys, 

with Just Play’s Happy Dance Snoopy feature 

plush leading the charge, and multiple toy 

awards showered upon the brand, including 

the Toy Insider’s Top Holiday Toys. 

As this year takes off like a Flying Ace, a 

wealth of exciting new content and marketing 

programs promise to create vast opportunities 

for Peanuts licensees and retail partners 

worldwide. A series of new animated shorts 

based on the Peanuts comic strip will air in 

the U.S. on Cartoon Network and Boomerang 

this year. Toy licensees are developing 

products in key categories, including 

figures, play sets, plush, feature plush, 

crafts and activities, games, puzzles, 

vehicles, R/C, and seasonal toys. And 

following the extraordinary success of The 

Peanuts Movie, a fall packaging refresh will 

focus on Peanuts CGI—the fresh, bold style 

with which kids everywhere identify. 

“This is the most exciting time for Peanuts 

in years,” says Leigh Anne Brodsky, managing 

director, Peanuts Worldwide. “Between 

the creativity of the movie, the celebration 

of timeless Peanuts milestones, and the fun 

marketing events we have in store, it’s truly a 

golden age of Peanuts.” 

Among the upcoming Peanuts celebrations 

and initiatives are the 50th anniversaries 

of the Charlie Brown’s All Stars and It’s 

the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown TV specials 

and, in 2017, of the perennially popular 

stage show, You’re a Good Man, Charlie 

Brown. Original content initiatives this year 

will include celebrating “The Many Faces of 

Snoopy,” and a nonpartisan voter-education 

collaboration with Rock the Vote. 

Of course, Peanuts means kids and kids 

mean… toys! This year’s toy line features fun 

and innovative new products from: 

• Just Play, featuring TV-driver Flying 

Ace Snoopy feature plush, Snoring Snoopy 

feature plush, and a new line of Peanuts blind 

bag figures, plush, and figure sets celebrating 

The Many Faces of Snoopy, including Flying 

Ace, Masked Marvel, Flashbeagle, and Joe 

Cool. Back by popular demand, Happy Dance 

Snoopy will also be available next year, the 

60th anniversary of Snoopy’s happy dance! 

• Little Kids, including Peanuts bubble 

toys and bubble wands. 

• Ao Jie, featuring junior sports seasonal 

toys, such as bowling sets, racquet sets, flying 

discs, and jump ropes. 

• Palamon, including updated Peanuts 

character costumes for infants, toddlers, children, 

and adults. 

• Cra-Z-Art, featuring the best-selling, 

newly redesigned Snoopy Sno Cone Machine, 

originally introduced in 1979 and 

named by Time magazine in 2011 as one of 

the 100 best toys of all time. 

• Sakar, including youth electronics, 

including selfie sticks, flip cameras, Bluetooth 

speakers, and walkie talkies featuring the 

Many Faces of Snoopy artwork. 

“In October of 1950, when Charles 

Schulz launched his comic strip in just seven 

newspapers, he introduced the world to wise, 

witty, philosophical, and ingenious little characters—and 

they quickly became a worldwide 

phenomenon,” says Brodsky. “In 2016, we’re 

proud to celebrate Schulz’s creation with an 

array of content and products that capture 

the magic of the Peanuts gang in brand-new 

ways. We invite licensees from around the 

world to join us and be part of the magic of 

Peanuts.” »


THE SCENT OF 

SUCCESS 

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, THE 

original doll with the sweet scent, continues 

to delight girls of all ages as she wraps up her 

first year with her new owner, Iconix Brand 

Group. 

Strawberry Shortcake and her signature 

scent celebrated another holiday season last 

year. Strawberry’s toy licensee, The Bridge 

Direct, launched a vintage program that 

retro soft doll, from 


capitalizes on the popular retro trend that 

has taken over the toy aisle in recent years. 

This past holiday season, the retro-style 35th 

anniversary 6-inch Strawberry Shortcake 

doll—which will look familiar to many of 

today’s moms who grew up with the beloved 

red-headed doll—was the top performer on a 

Target retro endcap. 

For fall 2016, The Bridge will continue to 

promote the nostalgia of the brand, with an 

expanded line of vintage toys, including Then 

& Now Doll Assortments, which will feature 

Strawberry Shortcake, Blueberry Muffin, and 

Raspberry Torte in both their 1980s iterations 

and today’s look, and a retro three-pack that 

will include Strawberry Shortcake, Lemon Meringue, 

and Lime Chiffon. The Bridge will also 

expand its vintage ragdoll line to include 

Lemon Meringue and Raspberry Torte. 

Iconix is excited to announce that Funko 

has signed on to produce a line of its popular 

and collectible Pop! Vinyl figures based on 

the vintage look of the dolls, reimagined for 

the Pop! aesthetic, as well as a line of Mystery 

Minis. These collectible figure lines will be 

released in the third quarter of this year. 

Success in the digital sphere has long 

been a part of the Strawberry Shortcake 

strategy, anchored by the brand’s partnership 

with Montreal-based app developer Budge 

Studios. Strawberry’s extensive app library 

has seen more than 86 million downloads 

to date and is the No. 1 Girls iOS brand for 

the last three quarters. Candy Garden, the 

first of four Strawberry apps that Budge will 

release this year, debuted in January. 

The first season of “Strawberry Shortcake: 

Beyond the Box,” aired on the brand’s 

YouTube channel at the end of 2015. The humorous, 

1- to 3-minute shorts feature the doll 

line in clever, stop-motion animation. Season 

6-inch retro doll, from 


two, which will feature even more antics, will 

premiere this spring. Strawberry Shortcake’s 

YouTube channel boasts more than 27 million 

minutes watched per month. 

Strawberry Shortcake continues to see international 

success, particularly in Latin America. 

Habibs, the quick-service restaurant in 

Brazil, featured Strawberry Shortcake friendship 

jewelry premiums in its kids’ combo meal 

from November through February. Brazilian 

fast-fashion giant Riachuelo will launch its 

second collection of girls’ outerwear in April. 

“Since taking over the stewardship of the 

Strawberry Shortcake brand, we feel confident 

that we’re in a good place to revitalize 

and take the property to a new level,” says 

Carolann Dunn, vice president of licensing 

for the Iconix Brand Group entertainment 

division. “Strawberry Shortcake is rich in art 

and story, has a proven play pattern for success 

in girls toys, and is the only girls brand 

with a signature scent and flavor profile. We 

are excited to leverage her brand attributes 

on a line of consumer products, promotions, 

and halos that are organic to the brand, while 

simultaneously developing new and compelling 

content for girls on channels, platforms, 

and screens where they consume." » 


New 

What’s 

PERCYVITES 

PercyVites, a video personalization platform for people 

of all ages, offers an experience in which fans can immerse 

themselves in their favorite characters’ worlds by inserting 

their own pictures, party details, and messages directly into 

various fun clips of animated series and personally addressing 

them to each friend and family member. The Percy 

Party Dashboard allows for easy organization of party details 

and RSVPs, simplifying the party planning process for 

parents and kids. New licenses for this year include Sonic, 

Franklin, Build-A-Bear, Shopkins, and more. 

DYNACRAFT 

The Dynacraft 24V Black Ice Drifter features a twist-grip 

throttle that makes it easy to reach speeds up to 12.5 mph, 

then kids can stop pedaling and start drifting. The Black Ice 

Drifter features a durable steel frame, a low comfortable 

seat with a wide base to keep riders firmly grounded, 

and front wheel pegs that help kids’ feet stay in place. 

The drifter sports a black-on-black look with a glossy 

finish and shiny alloy accents. The pneumatic front tire 

features a fierce tread and the rear tires are equipped with 

PVC sleeves to keep kids sliding and drifting. Designed for kids 

ages 13 and up, the Black Ice Drifter features a hand brake and can 

hold a maximum weight of 154 lbs. 

The Dynacraft Hello Kitty 6V Kitty Kar features a custom body 

style in the shape of Hello Kitty.This stylish set of wheels includes 

the full Hello Kitty face in the front and a Hello Kitty embossed 

steering wheel with working sounds. An MP3 cord and speaker 

allows kids to cruise along to their favorite tunes. The car features 

bright pink accents, and kids can cruise up to 2.5 mph. The ride-on 

features Hello Kitty’s signature bow, which lights up. The vehicle’s 

contoured, comfy seat and adjustable play seat belts offer peace 

of mind to parents. 

Dynacraft 24V Black Ice Drifter 


New 

What’s 

DGL TOYS 

DGL Toys will add new innovation to its Quadrones line of 

branded drones, expanding on last year’s line of Quads. Each 

drone in the line offers the standard features of most drones 

that are on the market from basic trick performance drones to 

first-person view cameras to Wi-Fi-enabled drones. DGL Toys has 

also recently launched a dedicated website for the brand. 

The company will also launch 

its new line of Gemlins collectible character gems. Gemlins 

come in family names such as Aquamarine, Ruby, Emerald, 

Topaz, and more, and are sold in-four packs, fivepacks, 

and 10-packs. There are more than 100 Gemlins to 

collect in the first series, and each Gemlin has its own unique 

Quadrone 

face, details, and history. Kids can also make bracelets and necklaces with the Gemlins they 

collect. Gemlins play sets are also available. 

DGL Toys has also signed the license for Yo-kai Watch for flying toys, sound banks, drawing 

projectors, remote-control toys, and room guards. 

Created by Michele Goren, Knolly Nibbles is a lovable mouse with no tail and a big heart. 

Her message is to teach kids that being different is not just OK—it’s normal. Created eight years 

ago, Knolly Nibbles soon grew into an icon within the Goren family and eventually captured the hearts 

of some key industry animators with backgrounds at Dreamworks and Disney. After unsuccessfully 

attempting to launch the property on her own, Goren discovered the crowdfunding website Toy- 

Backer.com and launched a crowdfunding campaign to get initial product capital raised and get 

awareness of the IP. DGL Toys noticed Knolly Nibbles, took it on as a new IP, and has now signed 

Knolly Nibbles for a full line of comprehensive toys, including electronic plush, remote-control toys, and 

impulse price point goods. 

Knolly Nibbles 

FUTURE OF PLAY 

MagicMeeMees, from Future of Play, are little collectible 

creatures that speak to each other. Each figure features 

proprietary technology that allows kids to discover 

their fun personalities. 

Future of Play has partnered with Nickelodeon to 

create a new gaming platform featuring the Teenage Mutant 

Ninja Turtles (TMNT). Kids can bring the heroes and 

villains of TMNT into head-to-head battle with the 

TMNT Battlesnap Sewer Slam Game and TMNT 

Battlesnap Mutagen Mayhem Game. 


New 

What’s 

WILD REPUBLIC 

Light Blazers, from Wild Republic, are 

light-up sabers that come with six different 

accessories that allow kids to assemble 

their own personalized toy. With three different 

light options that can be assembled 

from six variable part options in multiple 

colors, kids can create more than 80,000 

different combinations. 

PACIFIC PLAY TENTS 

The Rocket Ship, from Pacific Play Tents, features large mesh windows to see the 

stars and planets. It has wings, a Velcro door, and features a built-in waterproof floor 

for outdoor play. 

The sturdy, durable Heart Girl Dome Tent can be used alone or can be combined 

with the Heart Girl Tunnel. The tunnel features extra padding over the 

wires to protect kids’ knees. The 10-foot Heart Girl Parachute provides handles 

for up to 12 kids to play. These products also come with a Heart Girl storybook. 

The Ice Cream Truck comes fully equipped with mesh windows, inside 

pockets, and an order counter with a roll-up window so kids can serve their customers. 

This ice cream truck provides enough space for multiple kids to play in 

and an outlet for imagination. 

The Vintage Teepee features chic graphics and an inside cotton lining of 

stars. With a window for extra air ventilation and for parents to see inside, the tent 

comes with four sturdy poles and four hanging flags at the top. There is also a large entryway, 

so kids will stay cool while playing and using their imaginations. No floor is attached, so 

parents can easily put a small table, chair, or sleeping bag inside. 

The Woodland Teepee is illustrated with friendly animals glistening in gold. With an elegant design and gold accents, 

this teepee is made of durable cotton canvas fabric and sturdy bamboo wooden poles. 

The lightweight, foldable Low Profile Chairs feature bright colors and a padded armrest. Kids can sit comfortably indoors 

or outside. 

Tatami Mats are mildew-resistant, so they can be used for both outdoor and indoor play. These durable mats fold up 

and can be carried with the built-in handles. They are available in red, blue, or black. 

Ice Cream 

Truck 

The Wild Flowers Teepee features a pink and white cotton lining, a roll-up window, and four little flags at the top. The 

teepee is made of durable cotton canvas and real bamboo poles. 

Cozy Shades help soften the light for a calmer space. Adults can cover fluorescent lights with these Cozy Shades, which 

fit over standard ceiling fixtures with sturdy, sewn-in magnets. Cozy Shades are also great for specialized learning environments 

and help children with visual sensory issues. They are made of flame-retardant polyester for safety and come in a set 

of four. 


New 

What’s 

UNCLE MILTON 

Uncle Milton will launch its classic Ant Farm toy with a new look to 

celebrate its 60th Ant-iversary and the company’s 70th anniversary. Uncle 

Milton will also launch Virtual Explorer, a product line that links classic toys 

with virtual reality, allowing kids new ways to play. 

The Star Wars Science line will continue to expand with a new version 

of the 20Q game, in which fans of different ages can test their knowledge of 

their favorite licenses. The In My Room brand will expand with new licenses 

offering fresh ideas for kids’ room décor. 

Uncle Milton will also launch the Blo ’n Glow light-up balloon line to 

offer kids new light-up experiences and the I Bug You line of figures, plush, 

and gift packs. 

Hyperion 

SUPER IMPULSE 

Super Impulse’s Precision RBS, the new Rubber Band System, is a unique rubber-band launching line 

that delivers safe fun with three models. The lightweight Talos holds up to 20 rubber bands in two sizes, 

launches up to 30 feet, and includes a built-in extender for even more power. The Chiron has storage for 

up to 100 rubber bands, a quick-loading design, and a release option to separate into two different RBS 

shooters, including a hand launcher. The Hyperion features pinpoint accuracy 50 feet downfield, three 

different band sizes, holds 26 loaded bands, and has extra side storage. The Blast feature launches 14 

bands at once. 

Super Impulse’s World’s Smallest toys are designed with the same working functions as the original, 

classic toys, but in miniature form. The iconic Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone pull toy has the same 

friendly face, movable eyes, bell, and classic red receiver as the original. Kids and kids at heart can take 

a trip back in time and enjoy the classic 

Fisher-Price Rock-A-Stack. Just like 

the original toy, there are five colorful, 

stackable rings and a wobbly 

base that rocks back and forth. The 

World’s Smallest Doodletop features 

a felt tip pen bottom that draws 

spirals as you spin it, while The World’s Smallest Sock Monkey has the 

same woven brown “sock” color, white feet, and red lips as the classic toy. 

With Dragon Tamers, kids pull on the invisible string to manipulate their dragon, available in 

three colors. Unlike bubbles that pop on impact, Tap Bubbles let kids easily blow thousands of 

little bubbles that they can touch, catch, and stack. Dragon Tamers and Tap Bubbles are both 

merchandised in all-inclusive displays with built-in video display screens. 

Minions Klippets clip directly to backpacks, clothing, luggage, and more so that kids can 

take a little Minion mayhem with them wherever they go. Kids can also find their favorite 

characters from My Little Pony, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Adventure Time in Klippets 

form, as well as Rubiks Cube and Etch-a-Sketch versions. 


New 

What’s 

DIGGIN’ ACTIVE 

With Diggin Active’s new Slimeball Fingers, kids can use a launcher 

to fling slime right from their fingertips. The soft and safe Slimeballs are squishy 

but don’t make a mess or leave marks. 

With the Mega Rocket, kids can throw a 6-foot rocket more than 100 feet. 

The rocket inflates to its full length in seconds, and can be used in the pool, 

backyard, or at the beach. Weighted fins allow for aerodynamic performance 

over long distances. 

Diggin’s Black Max Light Up Football has a smart LED system that knows 

when kids catch and throw. A weighted spiral ring causes tighter spirals and longer 

throws, and light effects help light up the night. 

Mega Rocket 

ZURU 

Zuru’s Micro Boats, suitable for kids ages 6 to 12, use micro-robotic 

sensor technology to speed through the water in six directions, 

including reverse activation and 360-degree doughnut speed. 

Kids can race on the Micro Boat racetrack, trying to avoid the chomping 

shark at the end. 

Designed for kids ages 4 to 9, My Magical Seahorse swims on its own 

Robo Fish Recharge 

when kids place it in water. Kids can watch as it dances, swims, and creates bubbles. 

Robo Jelly Fish swims in multiple directions as it mimics a real jellyfish when it’s placed in water. Robo Jelly Fish features LED lights 

and a charging stand, which also acts as a night-light. 

Robo Fish Recharge has the latest micro-robotic technology, is water-activated, and comes with a recharge pad for 16 hours of 

play. Just drop them in water and watch them swim in five different directions. Kids can collect all five Robo Fish Recharge unique fish 

to create their own aquarium. Also new to the Robo Fish line are the Deep Sea Angler, which has glow features, and Wimple Fish. 

Characters from Finding Dory come to life in a new line of water-activated swimming fish. The line features small character fish, a 

Dory Coffee Pot, and a Nemo Playset. 

The Robo Alive range will see the addition of Lively Lizard, which moves in all directions with lifelike movements. Kids can pick him 

up by his tail or tickle his stomach and watch him shake his behind. His mischievous personality and speedy body make him difficult to 

catch. When kids rest his head on their hand he will take a break, but put him back down and the chase starts again. 

Zuru’s X-Shot Excel Series unveils new blasters that can shoot darts approximately 55 feet. The line features two new items: Barrel 

Braker TK-3 and Reflex Revolver TK-6. The Barrel Braker TK-3 shoots three darts in one round and each round is delivered in less than 

five seconds. 

Zuru’s X-Shot Bug Attack series brings new ways for kids to train their eyes in blaster play through the use of moving targets. The 

line combines Creepeez bugs—which crawl down the wall, and their line of blasters. The series also includes the Eliminator and Rapid 

Fire, which can shoot darts up to 55 feet. 

Kids can customize their bag with BagBAE charms. Each one has a unique personality to match kids’ moods. They can collect the 

BagBAE charms and share photos with #BagBAE. 

In the world of Hamster House, the hamsters are full of surprises. They buzz, scoot, scurry, and zoom around. Kids can go shopping 

or throw a party at the Ultimate Hamster House. They can collect all nine hamsters and build and customize the world in which they 

have their adventures. 

Kids can also collect characters from the new Trolls and Ice Age films. Available in key chains and mini-figurines, these products let 

kids reenact their favorite movie scenes. 


New 

What’s 

WINFUN 

WinFun’s Boom and Voom bumper cars let kids race 

Boom and Voom bumper cars 

mini bumper cars without leaving their homes. Each 

car comes with a remote control and allows kids 

to select a player mode to race the two cars. The 

cars make fun noises when they hit each other or 

another obstacle in their path. The Boom and Voom 

bumper car set is for kids ages 2 and up. 

The Dancing Elephant moves around using a remote 

control and blows bubbles as it flaps its ears and 

plays music. This toy is for kids ages 18 months and up. 

The Beep Bop musical line from WinFun encourages 

kids to be creative and work in a group. The line includes an 

Electronic Keyboard, Electronic Keyboard Super Star Set, Super 

Star Drum Set, Rockin’ Sounds Electric Guitar, Let’s Jam Microphone 

with Stand, and Step-to-Play Giant Piano Mat. 

The Skip ‘n Toss Beetle challenges kids to keep up with the rhythm of the music, play ring toss, 

and jump over the toy as it spins. It offers kids the opportunity to get up and move around while 

enjoying music from their new toy. Designed for kids ages 4 and up, it has two different speeds, 

three height options, and can be used indoors and outside. 

Beach Basket 

AMERICAN PLASTIC TOYS 

The Beauty Salon, from American Plastic Toys, 

features a large heart-shaped mirror adorned with 

working lights. The pink and purple workspace has 

a built-in sink and comes with 15 salon essentials, 

including a hairdryer, scissors, makeup, and more. 

Kids can store their tools in the additional shelving 

and sit on the included stool. 

Trail Biters are large-size vehicles in silly shark 

and alligator character styles that feature mouths 

that open and close for jaw-chomping fun. Big 

knobby tires make it easy for push-and-play action. 

The Gigantic Dump Truck and Gigantic 

Loader are each nearly two feet long and feature 

strong steel axels. Designed for kids ages 18 

months and up, the trucks feature either a working 

dump bed or loader arm. 

All the beach essentials are packed into the 

portable Beach Basket, including buckets, a 

shovel, and tropical fish molds. Kids can also use 

the top of the basket to sift through sand and find 

hidden treasure. 


New 

What’s 

TECH 4 KIDS 

Squishy Pops are squishy, mini-sized collectible characters that stay stuck when 

turned upside down. Each squishable, stickable character has a suction cup that 

will stick to any flat surface. Designs include solid characters and all-new crystal 

characters. When paired with the Squishy Pops Display Set, children can display 

and collect them all. They are available in My Little Pony, Finding Dory, and Despicable 

Me varieties and are suitable for ages 4 and up. 

My Little Pony Squishy Pops 

VTECH 

VTech’s Go! Go! Smart Adventures will continue to grow with new themes and extensions to the Friends, Wheels, and Animals 

lines. The Go! Go! Smart Friends line evolves with a new princess and kingdom theme, and will introduce a luxurious palace that expands 

to 4 feet long. Go! Go! Smart Wheels will feature a Gold Mine Train Set with its first motorized train that can climb hills on its 

own. And, for the first time, Go! Go! Smart Animals will include domestic animals and a sprawling three-story Pet Hotel. 

Allowing for the combination of learning fun and creativity, VTech will introduce the Touch & Learn Activity Desk Deluxe, an 

expandable, three-in-one learning desk with interactive activity cards. It features an interactive desktop and five pages for kids to explore, 

filled with engaging content, including letters, numbers, music, animals, and more. Eight expansion packs (each sold separately) 

will focus on a specific curriculum, such as nursery rhymes, vocabulary, animals, and numbers. The desk also transforms into an easel 

and chalkboard with plenty of storage space for art supplies to encourage natural play and learning. 

VTech will also expand its successful core baby, infant, and preschool lines to introduce nearly 50 new products designed for each 

child’s unique age and stage. VTech’s learning products are developed with critical insight from its Expert Panel, which specializes not 

only in subject areas such as reading, language arts, math, and science, but also the spectrum of childhood development. VTech will 

continue to grow its online Milestones resource, specifically created to help parents select toys based 

on the individual needs of their children. It offers expert-endorsed recommendations developed 

in collaboration with Dr. Lise Eliot, early brain development expert and member of the 

Expert Panel. 

Left: Crinkle & Roar Lion. 

Right: Go! Go! Smart Friends 

Enchanted Princess Palace. 


New 

What’s 

Bizzy Buzz Buzz 

OHIO ART 

The Retro Toy Line from Ohio Art includes the AstroRay Gun, which was first introduced 

in 1962. The 2016 version of the AstroRay Blaster will look just like the original 

and comes with four safe foam darts. It includes a light-up feature to replicate the 

original play pattern. 

The Bizzy Buzz Buzz was first introduced by The Ohio Art Co. in the fall of 

1966. The original let kids write, draw, and design with the sturdy, cordless, and motor-driven 

drawing toy. The 2016 edition will function just like the original and will 

include an instruction pamphlet and three color ink pens. 

Spudsie, the hot potato game, sports a wind-up mechanism with a bell. 

Ohio Art celebrates 55 years of Etch A Sketch with the classic Etch A Sketch. 

The toy lets kids twist and turn to create pictures, and, when finished, kids just 

shake it and start all over again. The 6.25- by 4-inch screen is perfect for home or 

on the go, and is recommended for kids ages 3 years and up. 

IMPERIAL TOY 

Imperial Toy’s Star Wars Figural Bubble Toppers blow bubbles into a galaxy far, far away. The Star Wars Bubble Figural 

Toppers feature all new characters Captain Phasma and Kylo Ren, as well as classic favorites like Chewbacca. These 8-ounce 

bottles come with Super Miracle Bubble solution and lifelike sculpted toppers. 

Imperial Toy also makes a splash with its Finding Dory and Finding Nemo 

Bubble Blasters. Complete with Super Miracle Bubble Solution and a shellshaped 

dipping tray, kids dip the wand in the solution and watch the 

bubbles flow. There is also an R2-D2 Bubble Blaster, which allows for 

endless bubble fun with everyone’s favorite droid. 

Disney Glow Pods let kids accessorize their outfits even in 

the dark. These light-up badges and accessories feature Disney 

characters such as Mickey Mouse, Elsa, and Olaf. Lumination 

Glow Pods have designs for boys and girls, with everything from 

bracelets and necklaces to stickers and masks. 

Kids can channel their inner monster with Monster Hands, 

which are gloves that will turn any kid into a ghoul 

in seconds, encouraging imaginative play and 

maybe a few scares. 

Imperial Toy has transformed Disney 

characters into miniature sweets. D*lectables’ 

first line features characters such as Cinderella, 

Ariel, Mickey, and Minnie as ice cream, 

doughnuts, and cupcakes. 

All of these items from Imperial Toy are for 

kids ages 3 and up. 

Finding Dory Bubble Blaster 


Talkin' 

Toys 

NEW YEAR, NEW NAME: 

PATCH BECOMES PLAYMONSTER 

The Toy Book catches up with Bob Wann, CEO of PlayMonster 

Patch Products is now PlayMonster! What’s 

the story behind the new name? 

The name was changed to PlayMonster to 

better represent the diversity and quality of 

the company’s product line, which is a reflection 

of our mission and values. We started the 

process several months ago with motivation 

to simply update and evolve our logo, but 

as we researched and examined the changing 

marketplace, we saw an opportunity to 

create a playful new brand name that better 

expresses our belief in the power of play and 

that play is not only about fun, but also about 

making a difference in people’s lives. 

The new name also better reflects that we 

are champions of play, a belief and attitude 

shared by all of our employees—from the 

management team to sales people 

to product creators. 

How has PlayMonster evolved 

over the past 30 years? 

PlayMonster was founded as Patch Products 

in 1985 and named for co-founders and 

brothers Fran and Bryce Patch. The company 

started more than 30 years ago with children’s 

puzzles, but has since grown into one of the 

world’s leading manufacturers and marketers 

of award-winning games and toys that enrich 

the lives of the young and the young at heart. 

The company has grown tremendously over 

the past five years alone, because we’ve 

expanded from being a games-only company 

into a multi-category toy and game company 

developing play for all ages, with our infant 

toy line Mirari, all the way to our best-selling 

games such as The Game of THINGS… for 

adults. With this variety of products, we’re 

now shipping millions of units of toy and 

game products per year, three times as many 

as we did five years ago. We wholeheartedly 

believe in bringing high-quality play to 

people of all ages, and will continue to do so 

under the PlayMonster name. 

PlayMonster has experienced rapid growth 

over the past few years, and is now a top 

30 toy company. To what do you attribute 

this growth, and how do you plan to maintain 

it? 

We’ve continued to be picky about the 

games we create and take under our brand. 

We only want to produce quality products 

that have timeless play, not a toy or game 

that’s frivolous, or some short-term fad that 

will not have long-term appeal. A good 

example of this is our popular party game 5 

Second Rule. We first started working on it 

seven years ago, and today it’s even more 

popular than it was when it first launched. It is 

still a top seller because of the fun interaction 

it creates. Ellen DeGeneres enjoys it so much 

that she frequently plays the game on her 

show, and the interaction between her and 

her guests is hilarious. In the same way we’re 

picky about specific ideas, we’re also careful 

in the acquisitions we make. We look for 

long-lasting play value, often with a point of 

continued on page 246 


New 

What’s 

IMPORTS DRAGON 

Imports Dragon introduces its line of 6- and 2.5-inch National Hockey League 

(NHL) figurines, coinciding with the creation of its own hockey game. The limited-edition 

player replicas will represent 86 NHL players with realistic, colorful details. 

The players include Connor McDavid, Pekka Rinne, Henrik Lundqvist, Corey 

Perry, and Sidney Crosby. 

The new 2.5-inch Figure Starter Pack Game lets collectors of the 2.5-inch NHL 

figurines put their players into action. The object of the game is to score five goals 

with the help of figurines that players can get through a starter set or in individual 

packs. The starter set includes three figurines, six dice, a game mat, and an instruction 

booklet. 

The Major League Baseball (MLB) series of 6-inch collectible figurines 

includes players Jacon deGrom, Josh Donaldson, Zack Greinke, Kris 

Bryant, Carlos Correa and many more. 

Pekka Rinne figure 

GEOSPACE 

A combination sling shot, glider, and suction dart, Geospace’s new Sling ’n Stick Foam Flyer is made of tough 

molded foam. The flyer features a suction-cup nose that sticks to walls and windows. Kids can loop the elastic band onto 

the flyer, pull it back, and launch. It can fly up to 50 feet, and is designed for kids ages 3 and up. 

Kids can launch the Jump Rocket Distance Maxx up to 125 feet, thanks to its special launch pad. Kids jump on the 

rubber bladder, which pushes air into a tube, powering the foam-tipped rocket. Kids can adjust the angle of the rocket 

up to 60 degrees to alter the height or distance. Jump Rocket Distance Maxx is recommended for kids ages 3 and up. 

Geospace adds five new metallic colors and a see-through zip storage bag to update its Solar Geoflux 

Amazing Interactive Springs line. The line features springs that transform from what looks like a series of 

rings into a 3-D sculpture centerpiece that resembles a giant atom or an extra-planetary orchid. When 

kids insert their hands through the coils, Geoflux begins to spiral up and down their arms, spinning so 

fast it’s a blur of motion. Geoflux can then “bridge” over to their other arm, staying in perpetual 

motion. Kids can also place Geoflux on a broom handle, lower one end slightly, and 

watch as it moves along the handle, twirling rapidly. Constructed of one continuous 

band of rugged stainless steel, Geoflux folds flat for easy storage in the included travel 

pouch. It is designed for ages 6 and up. 

Now even lighter and more maneuverable than Geospace’s previous model, 

the aluminum Walkaroo Wee! Lite Stilts are compact enough to allow kids as 

young as age 3 to experience all the wonder of stilt walking. As kids grow, 

parents can lengthen the adjustable tubes. The soft foam grips are at waist 

height for greater control and comfort. Non-slip, non-marking foot pads 

inspire confidence on all surfaces. The leg height adjusts easily from 

10 inches to 15 inches, so kids can control the thrill factor. The 

stilts are safe for kids ages 4 and up. 

Sling ‘n Stick 

Foam Flyer 


Talkin' 


GEARING UP 

FOR GHOSTBUSTERS 

The Toy Book chats with Sony Pictures Consumer Products’ (SPCP) Mark Caplan, senior 

vice president, Global Consumer Products about 2016 plans. 

Congratulations on your recent promotion! 

What is your vision for the consumer products 

division? What are your long-term and 

short-term plans? 

It’s a benefit to our consumer products 

business to have a studio behind us that is a 

leader in filmed entertainment. We collectively 

have a long-term mentality in developing 

our consumer products business in concert 

with many other areas of Sony Pictures Entertainment. 

Ghostbusters is certainly one of the 

keys to building our business in the coming 

years ahead. We will introduce more content 

during the North American International Toy 

Fair in New York City, which will enable our 

ongoing efforts in consumer products. 

You’ve managed the Ghostbusters brand 

for more than 10 years. What are your 

plans for the franchise as we gear up for 

the new film to hit theaters this summer? 

We have a strong group of consumer 

products partners and retailers getting 

behind our efforts. Categories such as toys, 

apparel, publishing, mobile games, and backto-school 

are all going to be available in the 

weeks leading up to the film’s release in July. 

How are you addressing fans both new and 

old with Ghostbusters consumer products? 

Our consumer base is quite expansive. It 

originally started with fans that grew up with 

the films and the animated TV shows. Product 

was developed with them in mind. Companies 

such as Lego, Mattel, Funko, and Atari 

have created product perfectly suited for 

those uber fans and collectors alike. 

With the upcoming 2016 film, we are now 

moving the product into the mass market, 

targeting the younger generation, who probably 

have heard about it from their parents or 

have seen it running the dozens of times per 

year on TV. 

How important is the international box 

office to the film launch? 

This will be a key to our success as we 

continue to build Ghostbusters into an ongoing 

licensing business. We have high hopes 

for the property in many countries where the 

overall film box office strength will help propel 

the success of the property. This will allow 

for many more opportunities to grow our 

consumer products business. 

What is your strategy for identifying and 

expanding in key areas of growth internationally 

for SPCP overall? 

As a global company, we have theatrical 

marketing offices in all major markets. This 

allows us to work cooperatively with our local 

staff. In terms of growth, we have a strong 

network of international agents that is helping 

us build consumer products programs 

and identify new opportunities. 

What’s new in the area of location-based 

entertainment for SPCP? 

This is certainly a growing 

area of our business. In 

fact, we have a couple of 

parks underway in Dubai 

and Russia, and are in 

discussions for China. 

In October of this year, 

Dubai Theme and Resorts 

will open Motiongate, a 

massive theme park that will 

house our Sony Pictures 

Studio location with 

seven themed attractions based on Ghostbusters, 

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 

Hotel Transylvania, and The Smurfs, to name 

a few. 

How important is the growth and relevancy 

of an interactive gaming strategy for your 

franchises? 

It’s been an important area to our group 

for many years. It’s where I cut my teeth in 

the licensing business, going all the way back 

to the 16-bit era, when licensed games really 

started to impact the console business. 

We’ve traveled a long way since that time, 

and we are very involved in PlayStation 4 and 

the next generation consoles, in addition to 

mobile and virtual reality platforms. 

What is planned for The Smurfs? 

The Smurfs are an important ongoing 

business for SPCP. With another movie 

releasing in March 2017, we continue to 

develop new licensing partnerships. Jakks 

Pacific, Simon and Schuster, Rubie’s Costume 

Co., and Ubisoft are just some of the partners 

we have in our stable of licensees for the 

upcoming movie. » 


Ghostbusters figures, from Mattel

New 

What’s 

D NOW INC. 

With Megaloop, from D Now Inc., kids can surround 

themselves inside the world of a bubble using a bubble wand. 

Designed for kids ages 6 and up, the Megaloop bubble wand 

gives kids the opportunity to create giant bubbles using Uncle 

Bubble brand Ultra Bubble solution, which can create bubbles 

large enough to surround an entire person. 

TPF TOYS 

TPF Toys makes its U.S. debut with Splashlings, a 

collectible mermaid-themed toy line, invented by Pound 

Puppies creator Mike Bowling. The line of mermaid characters 

and their friends features An Ocean Full of Friends, 

including a special group of mermaids and shells, 100 

pets, underwater gems, and treasures for kids to play 

with and collect. A “Splashlings” digital series from Shaftesbury 

will debut simultaneously with the toy line, and 

Splashlings collectible cards from Upper Deck will launch 

later this year. 

Megaloop 

Splashlings play set 

UCC DISTRIBUTING 

UCC Distributing introduces Minecraft Craftables, which include a 

random buildable figure scene and a random colored stone block. Each 

figure stands 2 to 4 inches, depending on the character’s scene, and 

comes packed in its own reusable colored stone block. Kids can use the 

stone block to store their figures or other Minecraft toys. There are 10 

different Craftable scenes to collect, including Spider Jockey, Alex and Enderman, 

Pig Rider, Squid, Diamond Steve with Enderdragon, Steve in Nether 

Portal, Creeper and Ocelot, Wolf, Steve, and Gold Steve with Ghast. 

The Five Nights at Freddy’s Figure Hangers Mystery Pack is 

based on the video game app Five Nights at Freddy’s. With 10 different 

characters to choose from, kids can collect Freddy, Bonnie, Foxy, 

Chica, Balloon Boy, Mangle, Puppet, Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica, 

and the rare chaser figure Golden Freddy. Each figure stands 

about 3 inches tall, and can be used as a key chain, a backpack 

clip, a belt clip, a collectible figure, or anywhere kids can 

hang them. 


Left: Five Nights at Freddy’s Foxy Figure Hanger. Right: Minecraft Craftables.

New 

What’s 

AG ENTERTAINMENT 

Originally released in 1983, the Care Bears toy line continues to expand, teaching 

kids to share their care. This year, Just Play will introduce Glow-A-Lot Care 

Bears. These plush toys use the energy from the lights or sun to make their fur 

glow, and include Love-A-Lot, Wish, Sweet Dreams and Bedtime Bears. The plush 

are intended for kids ages 3 and up. 

Wonder Forge is sliding into 2016 with the Care Bears Surprise Slides Game, 

taking kids through the world of Care-A-Lot. The game promotes color recognition 

and cooperative play. The Care Bears Matching Game, a classic game of picture 

matching, encourages memory and matching skills. Both of these games are designed 


The Care Bears 3D Fabric Pillow, from Cra-Z-Art, allows kids to design and 

decorate with no sewing or stuffing required. The Care Bears 

Color and Shimmer Messenger Bag with sparkling glitter 

accents comes complete with markers and gemstones, and 

Care Bears Crystal Surprise comes with OptiArt Gems to 

create fun Care Bears Belly Badges. These toys are designed 


Montco Crafts introduces Care Bears Grab Bag, Foil Bag, 

Special Delivery and Fun Pack Pop-Outz, and Color in Character 

kits. These kits are ideal for ages 3 and up. 

WICKED COOL TOYS 

Wicked Cool Toys’ licensed portfolio involves new Girl Scouts-inspired role-play toys, including the Girl 

Scouts On-The-Go-Wagon and Girl Scouts Selling Stand. 

The Cabbage Patch Kids line expands with new kids and pets, including CPK Baby So Real. This 14-inch 

interactive lifelike doll comes with a bottle and offers digital and traditional play patterns. CPK Baby So Real has 

color LCD-animated and expressive eyes; an accelerometer that allows the doll to know where it is; sensors in 

the forehead, back, diaper area, and feet for play response; vibration for feedback; baby sounds; Bluetooth 

capabilities; and more. Kids can also play with the baby in the virtual world with the Baby So Real app. Kids 

can interact with the baby in the virtual nursery with food, play, and sleep modes, and offline mode allows 

kids to play with their baby without using the app. Earn points to open new features of the app, 

mini games, and more. 

Wicked Cool Toys also introduces the Xtreme Cycle Moto-RC, which 

offers non-stop action with a patented gyroscopic stabilization system. 

The system is made up of a flywheel mounted in the rear wheel and 

four-bar linkage steering system that allows for ramp jumping, driving 

on various terrains, and recovering from crashes. The cycle is specially 

designed to always right itself after it falls and has front shocks 

to absorb bumps. The Xtreme Cycle Moto-Cam features a built-in camera with which young 

cyclists can capture flips, tricks, and sharp turns just like professionals do in extreme cycling. 

The Moto-Cam has the same extreme features as the Moto-RC. It has 640x480 VGA resolutions 

and allows kids to record video at 30 frames per second and store 12 to 15 minutes of video. 

The MasterChef Junior line will expand with new cooking sets, including Cooking Essentials, Pizza, Breakfast, 

Baking, and Burger. Each kit includes real cooking tools, recipe cards offering healthy alternatives, and 

plating suggestions to elevate kids’ dishes. 

Xtreme Cycle Moto-Cam 


New 

What’s 

SUNRIGHTS INC. 

Sunrights Inc. will work with Hasbro 

to relaunch the Beyblade franchise. The 

third generation, known as Beyblade Burst, 

will feature battle toys with a dynamic 

“burst” feature, designed to bring more 

excitement to the play pattern. Battling will 

trigger the spinning tops to dynamically disassemble, 

setting the stage for suspenseful competition. 

The toys will also include a digital component for 

western markets. 

The Beyblade Burst animated TV series, currently 

in production in Japan, will follow a new 

cast of characters, storylines, and battle drama. 

Sunrights, the fast growing entertainment arm 

of Japanese production company d-rights Inc., will handle the distribution of broadcast, 

merchandising, and promotional rights for Beyblade Burst in western markets, 

outside of Hasbro’s toy rights. 

SONY PICTURES CP 

Sony Pictures Consumer Products expands the digital reach for Ghostbusters, with 

a movie coming out this June. Ghostbusters will make guest appearances in high-profile 

games such as Fruit Ninja and The Respawnables. On consoles, kids can play with 

some of their favorite Ghostbusters characters and relive classic scenes from the original 

films with expansion packs for Lego Dimensions, from Warner Bros. Interactive 

Entertainment. 

Featuring more than 4,600 pieces, the two-story Lego Firehouse Headquarters 

stands 14 inches tall and features a laboratory, living quarters, and a containment unit. 

New Ghostbusters action figures, from Mattel, are 

6-inch figures, and include renditions of Melissa McCarthy, 

Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinon, and Leslie Jones outfitted with 

new jumpsuits from the upcoming 

film. 

Simon & Schuster offers 

action-packed book tie-ins, 

featuring full-color stills. In 

addition, the Mega Mini Kit 

comes boxed with a tiny, 

detailed Proton Pack with 

lights and sounds. The kit 

also includes a mini book 

with stickers for kids to 

to decorate their own 

Proton Packs. 

Lego Dimensions Ghostbusters Level Packs


EZ Dimension 3D Printer 

NKOK 

NKOK’s new EZ Dimension 3D printer has an SD card reader, making 

it super easy to use. Kids can insert the project card, select the file, and 

click “print.” With no computer required, the EZ Dimension 3D printer 

operates completely on its own and comes with more than 200 designs. 

Kids can turn the entire world into a laser tag arena with Discovery 

Kids Wrist Blaster Lasertag. These futuristic wrist blasters feature sounds 

and vibrations with each direct hit. With an innovative design, they sit naturally 

on top of the wrist. The set includes three dynamic blasters, which 

allow up to three different teams and hundreds of players. 

DUNCAN 

Duncan introduces 

the Mega Bounce 

and Mega Bounce 

XL, both engineered 

for maximum bounceability. 

The Mega 

Bounce balls bounce 

on almost any terrain, 

including grass and 

sand. In addition, they 

are easy to throw and 

catch thanks to their 

super-grip graphics. 

The Mega Bounce balls 

can be used in the yard, 

or at the beach, park, 

or playground, and includes 

a foot pump. 


AULDEY TOYS 

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, the Sky Rover Voice Command Drone from Auldey 

Toys is an innovative drone featuring Voice Command technology. It responds to 12 commands 

when kids speak them through the headset. Kids can say "Take off” and watch the 

drone as it performs stunts in response to verbal commands. It also has four individual 

motors that are protected by propeller guards. 

With the Sky Rover Voice Command Missile Launcher, kids can fly a helicopter and 

launch missiles using their voice. With the command “Enemy scan,” the helicopter can fly 

in a circular motion, and it will launch missiles in response to “Missile fire.” This drone comes with 

eight missiles and has a gyro-balanced engine for stable indoor-only flying. 

Sky Rover Voice Command Missile Launcher 


Moose Toys’ Little Live Pets Tweet Talking Duck and 

Baby can sing, eat, and even speak to one another. The 

mother duck can teach her baby how to sing, and kids can 

help the mother feed and nurture her baby. The closer 

they are, the happier they become. Kids can collect all 

three duck families. 

With Little Live Pets Mouse Track, kids can place 

their Lil’ Mouse on the Lil’ Mouse Trail and watch the 

rodent run. Mice can roll in the wheel and squeal with 

delight as they drop down the ramp, and get dizzy in the 

Spin Around Playzone. 

SCHOOL ZONE 

School Zone’s Littler Scholar is a 7-inch tablet with content focused 

on School Zone’s curriculum for children in preschool, kindergarten, 

and first grade. The tablet includes content from Charlie & 

Company, School Zone’s preschool series designed for kids ages 3 

to 5, which inspires curiosity, nurtures a love of learning, and empowers 

preschoolers by teaching them the skills they need to succeed 

in school. Littler Scholar delivers big learning that’s just right for little 

hands and small storage spaces. 

The Littler Scholar features less preloaded content for a faster 

boot time, more than 70 apps, games, videos, books, and songs 

that focus on early reading and math skills, a textured easy-grip 

green bumper with a Charlie illustration on the back, large app 

icons, an easy-to-read font, and controls for setting time usage 

and turning sound effects on and off. 


ODYSSEY TOYS 

Odyssey Toys’ Pocket Drone is lightweight and collapsible, allowing kids to fit it into 

a pocket after folding the blades inside the main unit. It is designed for kids ages 15 and 

up, and comes with a carrying pouch and a remote. When kids are ready to fly, they pull the 

blades out and launch the Pocket Drone into the sky. With a built-in HD camera, kids can 

capture video and pictures that save directly to the included Micro SD card. The Pocket Drone 

features gyro technology that allows for indoor and outdoor flying, as well as WiFi technology, 

USB charging, and LED lights for flying at night. 

Pocket Drone 

Micronoid 

SPIN 

MASTER 

Spin Master introduces Micronoids, an assortment 

of three characters that kids can build. Each 

Micronoid communicates with the others through 

subsonic sounds and has multiple play modes 

that showcase its personality. They can answer yes 

or no questions, dance, and communicate with 

the Meccanoid G16 and G16KS. 

Also new to the Meccanoid family is the 

Meccasaur T-Rex, with which kids can build their 

own walking and roaring dinosaur using Meccano 

parts. The dinosaur has multiple modes, answers 

yes or no questions, and can guard a room. 

The Meccanoid G16 is a 2-foot-tall interactive 

robot that kids can build themselves. It has 

multiple interactive features, including the ability 

to tell stories and jokes, and teach lectures. Kids 

can control the robot with Learned Intelligent 

Movement (LIM) programming, or use the companion 

app for Ragdoll and Motion Capture Programming. 

It has a faster processor speed and 

twice the memory as the Meccanoid G16, and 

now understands natural language. 

WOWWEE 

CHiP (Canine Home Intelligent Pet), from WowWee, recognizes its master, 

responds to commands using the Smartwatch, and plays fetch with its Smartball. 

CHiP can even recognize when it’s time to recharge. With a 360-degree system of 

physical, digital, and tactile play, CHiP is none of the mess of a real pet. 

REV Air is WowWee’s latest addition to the Robotic Enhanced Vehicle battle/ 

game platform. It features Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and Flight Control 

Systems, and its app-based flight experience allows kids to engage in battle both 

in the real world and against an AI enemy. 

Lumi offers app-based gameplay that allows 

kids to fly a virtual quadcopter using direct 

commands. Using the free app on any 

smart device, kids can select motions 

and stunts to fly around. 

Various game modes 

challenge kids to follow 

sequences of lights and 

music while Lumi reacts to 

their performance. 

CHiP 

(Canine Home Intelligent Pet) 


ZING 

Designed for kids ages 4 and up, Zing’s Stikbot Studio Pro builds on the success 

of the original Stikbot. The pro version includes a green screen, which allows kids to 

upload their own photos, animated backdrops, or the images provided in the new 

Animation Studios app as a background. There’s even a blue screen for kids who have 

green Stikbots. The new and free mobile app, Zing Animation Studios, snaps individual 

photos and stitches them together into a film, complete with built-in music and sound 

effects options. 

TECH 4 KIDS 

The Storytime Theater Projector is 

an all-in-one bedtime and entertainment 

projector for children. Using a tablet 

and the Storytime Theater app, kids 

can unlock Disney stories by selecting 

Press ‘n Play on the screen. Through a 

wireless connection to the projector, 

stories are magically brought to life on 

the bedroom wall with custom animation 

for each page. Children and families 

can collect eight Press ‘n Play stories 

featuring familiar characters from Disney 

Frozen, Tangled, Sofia the First, and Doc 

McStuffins, as well as from Disney•Pixar’s 

Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and Cars. The 

Storytime Theater Projector now allows 

kids to project their own photos and 

movies stored on their smart device. This 

projector is designed for ages 3 and up. 

SAKAR INTERNATIONAL 

Sakar International’s new Smartwatch Cameras sync to any 

Bluetooth smartphone or tablet to record kids’ fitness progress. 

The durable Smartwatch makes it easy to take photos and 

videos on the go, with storage space for more than 100 photos. 

The new Bluetooth Fitness Smartwatch tracks steps, 

distance, and calories burned with exercise modes for walking 

and running. The light-weight, touch-screen Smartwatches 

come with multi-activity tracking, alarm, stopwatch, and built-in 

voice recording capabilities. Kids can choose from more than 

40 different watch faces. Parents can track their child’s daily 

activities and goal progress directly from their smartphones. 

The Smartwatches are available in a wide assortment of 

brands, including Hello Kitty, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 

Emoji, DC Super Hero Girls, Batman v Superman: Dawn of 

Justice, Shopkins, Discovery Kids, My Little Pony, Nerf, Bratz, and Avengers. 

Sakar's new Nerf Camera Drones include Nerf Recon Drone and Nerf Air Defender 

X Drone Cam Copter. The drones can capture high-definition photos and videos using 

the built-in 16.1 MP HD camera. Kids can control the camera and see video in real time 

as they fly it from a distance of up to 100 meters. These drones respond quickly with a 2.4 

GHz radio remote commanding the drone to move forward, backward, left, right, hover 

in place, or flip with 360-degree view. The Nerf Air Defender X Drone Cam Copter’s 32 

built-in LED lights and Wi-Fi streaming capabilities allow it to be flown at night. A quick 

rechargeable battery allows for 18- to 22-minute flight times. 

Sakar’s new line of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and DC Super Hero Girls’ 

youth electronics provide hours of fun for girls and boys alike. Kid-safe headphones feature 

a built-in volume limiter, providing safe listening and clear acoustic performance. The 

ear-cups are lightweight and feature padded comfort with an adjustable headband for a 

universal fit. These headphones are compatible with all portable devices. 

Sakar’s wide range of walkie-talkies keep everyone in contact with a push-to-talk button 

and flexible safety antenna for crisp and clear sound quality. 

Sakar’s new lineup of molded selfie sticks featuring characters from Bratz, Frozen, 

Batman, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony and more. With built-in, aux-in 

connectivity, users can snap selfies via a button on the stick. Compatible with both Android 

and iOS smartphones, sticks include an adjustable smartphone cradle that accommodates 

devices of different sizes. 


Talkin’ 


KD GROUP PLANS 

EXPANSION IN THE U.S. 

The Toy Book chats with Eric Levin, strategic director, KD Group. 

THIS YEAR MARKS THE RETURN OF KD 

Group as a North American International Toy 

Fair exhibitor. While the company is better 

known in Europe, KD Group is no stranger to 

the U.S. toy and kids’ electronics businesses. 

The company’s Kurio line has been a leading 

kids’ tablet brand in the U.S. for the past four 

holiday seasons. 

The Toy Book sat down with KD Group’s 

Strategic Director Eric Levin to learn more 

about the company’s plans for U.S. growth 

and expansion. 

What is KD Group’s background? 

KD Group has been the leading manufacturer 

of innovative kids’ electronic toys 

throughout Europe for more than 20 years. 

Under our Kidz Delight (KD) brand, we offer 

a wide range of toys that help build early 

learning skills for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. 

They are sold at mass and specialty 

retailers in more than 20 countries. 

Tell me about your plans for expansion in 

the U.S. 

KD Group is most known in the U.S. currently 

for our Kurio line of kid-safe Android 

and Windows tablets. Under that brand, 

we give kids the latest technology 

they want, but with the safety features 

that bring parents peace of mind. 

Meanwhile, our KD line of toys has been 

available in the U.S., but has been largely 

“under the radar.” We are committed to 

changing that this year and beyond. 

We believe KD Group has the experience, 

resources, and commitment needed 

to be a significant player not only in the kids’ 

tablet market, but also in the toy industry 

more broadly, expanding into categories 

that include preschool electronics, traditional 

toys, and licensed products. KD 

Group is committed to building a talented 

and experienced team here in the U.S. to 

ensure that we who are close to the market 

are creating products that work for American 

consumers and retailers. 

Where do your new product ideas come 

from? Do you work with outside inventors? 

KD Group has always sought to be 

innovative by adapting new technologies, 

whether it is motion recognition, 

voice recording, or image projection, 

for example, to guarantee cutting-edge 

educational toys that are 

ergonomically designed for children. 

We have an in-house team of product 

engineers, scientists, and educators 

who collaborate on product development, 

and we also work with 

established outside inventors. In 

fact, our doors are always open to 

new opportunities and we welcome 

inventors to help us innovate. 

continued on page 246 

Top: Animal Trio. Middle: Tinyboo. Bottom: Kurio. 



COGNITOYS 

CogniToys' 7-inch 

Dinos are cloud-based, 

Wi-Fi-enabled smart toys 

that engage children in 

intelligent conversation. 

CogniToys can explore a 

wide variety of topics during 

playtime and can answer 

questions, tell stories, play 

games, and more. The toy 

explores favorite colors, 

animals, and more to 

customize engagement. 

By listening to kids’ questions 

and adapting to 

their needs, the Cogni- 

Toys Dinos will become 

smarter over time. 

The Dino is powered 

by IBM Watson and 

Elemental Path’s 

Friendgine technology. 

RAVENSBURGER 

Smartscope, by Ravensburger, allows kids to explore science 

in a new way. With special lenses built into the Smartscope, 

kids can use the camera on a smartphone or tablet to take a 

closer look at objects and discover more about insects, plants, 

materials, minerals, and more with 15 amazing activities. The 

Smartscope includes a pipette, a petri dish, and magnifying 

lenses. It’s designed for kids ages 8 and up.

Activities & 

Construction 

THE ORB FACTORY 

Designed for kids ages 7 and up, Sew Softies Jumbo Hamster, from The 

Orb Factory, allows kids to get creative. Kids can learn to sew pre-cut pieces of 

fabric together, insert a beach ball, and inflate their creation to give the Jumbo 

Hamster dimension. 

Fuzzeez Bear allows kids to create their own furry friend. Designed for kids 

ages 6 and up, they can fill the reusable mold with wool, use the spray bottle to 

wet it, snap on the back of the wool, and place it in the dryer. Once the creation 

is dry, kids can pop open the mold to reveal their new Fuzzeez friend. 

PlushCraft Puppy Pack, suitable for kids ages 5 and up, is a plush trio of mini 

3-D pals. Kids can use the stylus and pop fabric pieces into three different mini 3-D 

figures to make puppy pals that don’t require any sewing. 

LEGO 

Lego expands its Creator line this year with Park Animals. Designed for kids ages 6 and up, this 

202-piece kit lets kids take care of a dog, a duck, and ducklings, each with poseable joints and authentic 

colors. Kids can also rebuild the characters into a squirrel or an owl. 

The Lego Technic Race Kart set features 345 pieces and is designed for kids 

ages 9 and up. Kids can zoom around the circuit with this two-in-one replica of a 

real-life race kart, featuring a detailed engine with a moving piston, a fuel tank, 

and exhaust pipes. They can also tilt the orange racing seat to reveal the 

working transmission, or rebuild the entire model to create a track car. 

The Fire Boat joins the Lego City lineup, with 412 pieces for kids 

ages 6 and up. Kids can construct the entire boat, then aim the water 

cannon to extinguish the flames with the water stud shooter and keep 

the lighthouse from burning down. 

The Heartlake Supermarket joins the Lego Friends line this year. Kids 

can build up the supermarket and grab a shopping cart so minifigure Mia 

can pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables, breakfast cereals, and sushi. This 313- 

Nexo Knights Fortrex 

piece set also includes a bakery and a beauty stand. 

Lego Elves moves into its second year with new sets, including the Fire Dragon’s Lava Cave. Designed for kids ages 8 and up, kids 

will build up the lava cave and take minifigures Emily Jones and Azari Firedancer the fire elf on an exploration adventure where they will 

meet Zonya the fire dragon. This 441-piece set is full of accessories, such as a secret map and campfire. 

Lego launched Nexo Knights earlier this year, a new property about a medieval kingdom set in a futuristic 

world. The Fortrex set features 1,140 pieces, and lets kids create a two-in-one rolling castle. Kids can also 

launch the Knight Cycle and Aero-Striker V1 to engage the Ash Attacker and Scurriers. The castle features 

fold-out walls to reveal the headquarters. The set includes five scannable shields to 

give kids new Nexo Powers, including Ground Pound, Super Human Speed, Hawk Holler, 

Chicken Power, and Charging Attack. 

In addition to these lines, Lego will also expand its Bionicle, Ninjago, 

Mixels, and Architecture lines. 

Lego Creator Park Animals 


Activities & 

Construction 

JAKKS PACIFIC 

Real Construction, from Jakks Pacific, is a tool-based construction 

line designed for kids ages 6 and up. Real Constructon 

Action Boats includes tools, material, fasteners, and a working 

motor that lets kids create boats that will speed through water. 

The materials are pre-cut to make assembly easy and precise. 

Kids can build two different boats, including a sail boat or a 

speed boat. 

The Real Construction Deluxe Workshop includes tools, material, 

fasteners, and eight project ideas. The Real Construction 

brand encourages kids to use their imaginations while also incorporating 

key elements of the STEM curriculum. Kids can safely 

saw, nail, and build structures and models with little mess. 

K'NEX 

K’NEX’s Mighty Makers line expands this year with the Mighty Makers Director’s Cut 

Building Set. Kids can follow the interactive, story-based building instructions and learn 

about the science behind making a movie. Bonus online instructions show kids how to incorporate 

a smart device into the set to make their own movie. The set features 320 parts 

and pieces, including a buildable camera and a stand, a theater with seats, Lily and her dog 

Zoom figures, and adjustable bands that fit most mobile devices. The set is designed for 

kids ages 7 and up and will release in the fall. 

New to K’NEX’s K-Force line is the K-Force K-25X RotoShot Blaster Building Set. This 

blaster allows kids to construct an incredible blaster, and then fire off five shots without 

reloading. The set includes a RotoChamber, five foam darts, a quick fit grip, and a preload 

ring. Kids can download instructions to create four additional custom blasters and targets. 

Models can be built one at a time. 

Additionally, The K-Force Flash Fire Motorized Blaster Building Set features a motorized 

rapid fire chamber that fires up to 10 darts as fast as kids can pull the trigger. Designed 

for kids ages 8 and up, both new K-Force additions will be available in the fall. 

The K’NEX Thrills: Classic K’NEX Ferris Wheel Building Set includes 744 rods and 

connectors, one motor, and a detailed instruction booklet that offers kids two additional 

building ideas. 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Lincoln Logs, and K’NEX will celebrate with the 

Lincoln Logs: 100th Anniversary Tin. Inspired by an original Lincoln Logs building idea, the 

100th Anniversary Tin includes 111 real wood logs and is designed for kids ages 3 and up. 

All K’NEX rods, connectors, and pieces are made in the U.S. 

K-Force K-25X RotoShot Blaster 


With the Beados Starter Kit 4 Color 

Pen, from Moose Toys, kids can load 

their pen with neon beads, select the 

color they need, and pop it into the template. 

The beads join with water to make 

super bright Beados creations brighter 

than ever before. 

Moose Toys continues to grow its 

Qixels line with new themed refill packs, 

including Space Dinos and the Ocean. 

Designed for kids ages 5 and up, the 

line also includes a Design Creator that 

glows in the dark and a Mega Pack refill 

with more than 1,200 Qixel cubes, 

letting kids create a pixelated world of 

monsters, warriors, bugs, and more. 


Activities & 

Construction 

Fright Factory 

TECH 4 KIDS 

Gemmies, by Tech 4 Kids, is a new 

craft and activity line that allows kids to 

make 3-D crystal gem creations. Kids 

can clip and connect gems and bands to 

make crystal pets, animals, flowers, and 

more. Gemmies Design Studio includes 

storage for the gems, light-up display 

stands, and a design mat. Gemmies are 


The 3D Magic ImagiPen uses UV 

gel curing technology to let kids create 

up and build out, resulting in unique 

3-D creations. The pen does not require 

heat, can inspire creative fun, and is designed 


Fright Factory allows kids to create 

frightening 3-D creations using EwGoo 

UV curing gel. With creepy molds and 

the Fright Factory Creature Creator, kids 

can create insects, reptiles, bats, and 

more. Kids can place the stencil into the 

chamber, spin the crank, and watch as 

the electricity bolt lights up. Eventually, 

the EwGoo turns from ooey gooey gel 

to a hardened creation. This spooky activity 

is designed for kids ages 6 and up. 

PLAYMONSTER 

My Fairy Garden, from PlayMonster, formerly known as Patch Products, 

combines a homegrown garden and a fantasy-filled play set. Kids can plant the 

quick-germinating seeds and care for their garden, then set up fairies, woodland 

friends, and other accessories. 

My Fairy Garden is available in three different versions. Willow’s Tree Hollow 

includes a tree hollow with opening doors; Calla’s Lily Pond includes a teacup 

house with opening doors, leaves 

and stems, a stream, a bridge, 

two fairy figures, and gardening 

accessories and tools; and Freya’s 

Magical Cottage includes a flowerpot 

cottage with opening doors 

and a terrace, cottage furniture, 

rooftop trim, and a toadstool. 

All three sets include a bottom 

tray, two different fairy figures, 

gardening tools, accessories, potting 

soil, and quick-germinating 

seeds. My Fairy Garden sets are 


REEVES INTERNATIONAL 

Paulinda’s Super Dough, from Reeves International, is a lightweight, soft, and 

smooth modeling compound for kids that can be refreshed by just adding water. Kids 

can paint the dough wet or dry, and it is gluten-free and non-allergenic. Plus, if the 

dough dries out, kids can easily add water to revive the compound. The Fun 4 One 

display contains 12 different animals to choose from: cat, dog, zebra, sheep, giraffe, 

monkey, T.rex, bird, rooster, koala, hippo, and hedgehog. The Shiny Eyes Display contains 

12 individual packages, including Ella Owl, Jonny Elephant, Cobby Lion, Mimmy 

Kitty, Alina Parrot, Cora Bird, Tommy Bear, and Betty Owl. 


Activities & 

Construction 

CRAYOLA 

The Crayola Air Marker Sprayer turns Crayola markers into spray art. The Air 

Marker Sprayer is electric-powered for continuous creativity without the mess of paint. 

Kids can create realistic-looking airbrush art for craft projects, school projects, and more. 

Kids can plug in the unit, secure a Crayola Broad Line Marker into the easy twist-andload 

nozzle, and then release the trigger to spray. The sprayer works with most Crayola 

Broad Line Markers, and has a compact, convenient design. 

Kids can create colorful designs and patterns with a few twists of the wrist with the 

Crayola Color Spin Out. Insert a paper disc, choose a marker color, then crank the handle, 

and watch art happen. Connect up to three markers at once and adjust gear arms 

for different outcomes. Color Spin Out works with Crayola Pip Squeaks Skinnies Markers. 

With the electronic Crayola Crayon Factory, kids can use the included crayons or 

recycle their old Crayola crayon bits to make melted creations. They can mix, melt, and 

mold to make colorful car, heart, and puppy crayons for playing and doodling. 

Create custom gel jewelry, charms, key chains, room décor, and more with Crayola 

Creations Jewel Maker Design Studio. Kids pick a mold, mix the gel, and add some 

glitter, confetti, or pictures to the mix. Creations are ready to wear or share in 30 minutes. 

With the Crayola Emoji Maker, kids can mix, measure, and click to create their own emoji stampers. It comes with everything kids need 

to make 16 custom color markers for creating and sharing unique emoji messages with friends. 

ALEX BRANDS 

Alex Brands will expand its line of Shrinky Dinks kits with 3D Flower Jewelry, Statement Jewelry, and 3D Butterfly Lights. These 

kits allow kids to color, bake, and shrink wearable 3-D jewelry and 3-D room décor accessories out of precut plastic sheets. With patent-pending 

silicon bracelet, ring, and flower molds, kids can infuse their own personal styles as they creatively color and transform the 

flat sheets into 3-D works of art. 

Alex Toys will also release new spa kits that feature body tattoos, including 

the Layer & Wear Watercolor Tattoos and Show Your Glow Tattoos. 

Tweens can also host their own nail and hair salon parties with Sweet 

Scent Sprinkle Nails, the Color Shift Nail Kit, and the My Lites Custom 

Streaks hair kit. 

Alex Toys’ new Sweetheart String Art and 3D Stellar String Art kits 

contain unique plastic molds that let kids create string art room décor without 

the hassle of nails or pins. 

New Make-a-Statement Necklace, Stitch & Wear Wood Jewelry, and 

Paint & Sparkle Galaxy Jewelry craft kits let kids create accessories featuring 

embellished galaxy pendants, natural wood elements, and butterfly 

hair accents, while new Simply Needlepoint kits and an updated “Knot-a” 

Quilt in a chevron design will help kids learn basic stitching and sewing. 

The Guy Gear collection will expand to include Sk8 Deck Wall Art, 

which allows kids to color and display their own skate deck. The set includes 

a display stand for a wall or a shelf. 

Alex’s construction brands will also expand this year, with four new Citiblocs 

building sets that feature patent pending connector hardware. The 

six new connector pieces allow kids to join, hinge, and rotate classic Citiblocs 

pieces for more versatile, creative building. 

Additionally, Alex will add two new Galax-Z kits to the ZOOB line. 


Activities & 

Construction 

MAGFORMERS 

The Magformers Tiny Friends 20-Piece Set helps kids build 12 different 

animals using geometric shapes. Kids can create a puppy, a butterfly, 

a snail, and more with squares, triangles, and isosceles triangles in 

bright opaque colors. Each shape is compatible with all Magformers shapes 

and accessories. 

With the Neon 14-Piece Set, kids can build a cube, a small house, and a small 

“magic ball” using squares and triangles. 

The Walking Dinosaur 81-Piece Set lets kids learn about prehistoric time periods 

and build 15 walking dinosaurs, including a T.rex, a Triceratops, and a Stegosaurus. 

Walking Dinosaur 81-Piece Set 

Large African Safari 

PLAYMOBIL 

Playmobil will debut its Porsche 911 Carrera S, fully equipped 

with functioning front, rear, and dashboard lights. The set includes the 

Porsche, two figures, a show wall, a rear spoiler, a front apron, eight 

rims, a car jack, tools, a Lechuza planter, and other accessories. It is 

recommended for kids ages 4 and up. 

Playmobil expands its National Hockey League (NHL) line to include 

new team goalies and players, which kids can use with the existing 

NHL Hockey Arena. Additional play sets and accessories are set to 

roll out later this year. 

Count down to liftoff aboard the Space Rocket with Launch Site, 

designed for kids ages 6 and up. Outfitted with working lights and 

sounds, kids can use the movable maintenance platform to help the 

space technicians inspect the rocket prior to launch. 

Kids can take a ride on the wild side with the Large African Safari. 

With a bright and colorful design and large, rounded pieces, this Playmobil 

set is ideal for toddlers ages 18 months and up. Seat up to three passengers and the driver in the safari bus for an up-close and 

personal look at lions, zebras, giraffes, elephants, crocodiles, and more. The set includes five figures, multiple vehicles, landscapes, and 

animal figures. 

The Large City Zoo will help kids learn about animal species from around the world. The set features a rocky arch topped with decorative 

animal cutouts and a colorful zoo sign, multiple animal exhibits, and a souvenir shop. 

The Water Park with Slides features two jumbo slides and a wave pool at the bottom. The set includes two adult figures, one child 

figure, a multi-level structure with slides, and accessories. 

The Pirate Raiders’ Ship features three main sails and a functioning cannon with four projectiles. Kids can play with the set on the 

floor or in the bathtub. Kids can add the RC Underwater Motor (sold separately) to give the set an upgrade and remotely guide the 

ship through water. 

The Deluxe Dollhouse is a multi-level house with six rooms, a balcony, and a functioning doorbell. The set includes two figures, a 

mailbox, window boxes with flowers, and other accessories. Additional furnishings are sold separately. 

The Furnished Children’s Hospital features a front desk, a downstairs exam room, and doctor and nurse figures. Kids can use the 

functioning elevator to transport patients to the second floor. The set also features a baby room and a bathroom with a toilet, a sink, five 

figures, rolling beds, a reclining exam table, a respirator, a defibrillator, bandages, stethoscopes, medical charts and tools, and more. 

The Large City Zoo, Water Park, Pirate Raider’s Ship, Deluxe Dollhouse, and Furnished Children’s Hospital are all designed for kids 

ages 4 to 10. 


Activities & 

Construction 

CLICKBLOCK 

ClickBlock magnetic building sets feature interlocking grooves and neodymium magnets. 

The Complete Transportation Set is part of ClickBlock’s X-Bar series. The set includes 55 

pieces and a builder’s guidebook to help kids build trucks, loaders, trains, helicopters, 

jet planes, and more. 

The Super Set—also part of the X-Bar series—includes 48 pieces for kids to build 

geometric shapes, towers, bridges, words, and houses. They can also use the cogwheel 

structure for stronger binding strength. 

ClickBlock’s Discovery Set is part of its 2-D series. Interlocking 

grooves provide stronger hold and durability so 

kids can discover different structures built from magnetic 

squares and triangles. All ClickBlock 2-D sets are compatible 

with ClickBlock 3-D sets. 

The Space Gear Set—part of ClickBlock’s 3-D series— 

includes magnetic gears that allow kids to build moveable 

aircrafts, towers, bridges, and animals. All of these toys are 


Complete Transportation Set 

REDWOOD VENTURES 

Designed for kids ages 14 and up, Redwood Ventures’ new Atmos- 

Flare 3D Drawing Pen makes 3-D drawing accessible and easy for 

beginners and experts. Using multiple extrusion and curing options, 

the pen allows for precise design control, even when using multiple ink 

colors. A combination of 3-D pronging technology, colorful ink, and 

LED light helps bring kids’ drawings to the real world. 

THE HAYWIRE GROUP 

The Haywire Group gives cardboard some play 

value with Calafant, cardboard building kits that 

encourage and support creativity. Kids first construct 

the kit, color it, and then play with it using their existing 

toys. 


Activities & 

Construction 

GROW’N UP 

The Crayola Super-Duper Art Studio, from Grow’n Up, 

lets preschoolers share their artwork with their friends. The 

studio features a chalkboard, a magnetic whiteboard, and a 

desktop. The giant drawing board encourages kids to share 

creative fun together, or parents can 

easily convert the easel into a desk 

without using any tools. 

The Crayola Qwikflip 

Glow Easel is a 

double-sided easel 

with LED lights, a chalkboard 

surface, and 

paper clips. It features 

10 lighting sequences and 

three locking easel positions. 

Kids can use the 

two included gel markers 

to draw, doodle, and 

light up their creations. 

The double-sided design 

lets two kids draw 

at the same time, while 

enhancing motor and social 

communication skills. 

Both easels fold for 

easy storage and are 

designed for kids ages 3 

Crayola Qwikflip Glow Easel 

and up. 

MGA ENTERTAINMENT 

Gel-a-Peel, from MGA 

Entertainment, is a compound 

that stretches and 

molds to any type of design. 

After drying for two hours, 

the compound can become 

a cellphone case, a headband, 

a pair of earrings, 

and more. Each kit includes 

a Gel-a-Peel color tube, a 

drawing tip, a clear drawing 

sheet, a cleaning tool, and 

an accessory template with 

eight projects.


THE BRIDGE DIRECT 

The Bridge Direct expands its line of Shopkins C3 Kinstruction sets this year, letting kids ages 6 and up build up the world of Shopkins 

with multiple-piece construction sets that are compatible with all major construction brands, as well as create their own Shopkins 

characters by mixing and matching pieces. 

New Shopkins C3 Mini Packs include the Shopping Cart, Checkout Lane, and Frozen Treat Stand. Kids can build these for standalone 

play or to add to larger sets to build a Shopkins world. Each set includes two buildable, mix-and-match figures. Shopkins C3 

Shopping Packs each come with more than 100 pieces. New sets include the Flower Shop and the Baby 

Shop. The assortment of Shopkins C3 Scene Packs expands to include the Fancy Boutique with 

Polly Perfume, Penny Purse, Prommy, and Beverly Heels; and the Burger Bistro with Fiona 

Fries, Cheezy B, Soda Pops, and Millie Shake. Each set features more than 

120 pieces. 

Shopkins C3 Food Fair Truck lets kids build up a hangout spot with 

a mini table and chairs for Taco Terrie, Frank Furter, Millie Shake, and Ice 

Cream Dream figures. 

Finally, the Shopkins C3 Deluxe Set Food Court is the largest new 

play set, featuring a pizza parlor and a sushi restaurant. The set includes 

Candy Apple, Candi Cotton, Suzie Sushi, Little Sipper, Banana Splitty, and 

Pretz-Elle figures. 

Additionally, The Bridge Direct will launch Infinity Linx, a new 

activity line targeted toward girls ages 5 to 8. Kids can design and 

create their own wearable statement jewelry with a collection of 

interconnecting pieces in different shapes and designs. From simple 

to intricate pieces, kids can put together endless different designs, 

take them apart, and recreate new ones. 


Activities & 

Construction 

SPIN MASTER 

Spin Master continues to grow its Kinetic Sand 

line of squeezable sand that never dries out. Suitable 

for kids ages 3 and up, the Kinetic Sand Sandcastle 

Set comes with 1 pound of sand with molds, 

tools, and a sandbox. The Kinetic Sand Limited 

Edition Beach Sand is 3 pounds of beach sand that 

feels wet, but keeps your hands dry. 

Spin Master also introduces Kinetic Sand Build, 

a new formula that holds its shape while kids play 

and doesn’t dry out. Made for kids ages 5 and up, 

the Kinetic Sand Build Bakery Boutique lets kids 

create an assortment of bakery treats using seven 

pieces and two colors of Kinetic Sand. 

New for the spring is Kinetic Foam, a Kinetic 

compound that is stretchy, leaves no residue, and 

dries so kids can keep their creations forever. Designed 

for kids ages 6 and up, the Kinetic Foam 

Single Pack comes in four different colors and can 

be stretched, wrapped, and modeled. The Kinetic 

Foam Multi Pack comes in three colors. Kids can 

create their favorite characters with The Powerpuff 

Girls Kinetic Foam and Marvel Kinetic Foam, each 

of which includes six Kinetic Foam Colors and five 

design templates. 

Kids can now bring the Build-A-Bear experience 

home with the Build-A-Bear Stuffing Station, allowing 

kids to stuff their own characters. Made for 

kids ages 4 and up, the kit will include skins, outfits, 

accessories, certificates, hearts, stuffing, a key, and 

a wish maker. Build-A-Bear Furry Fashions includes 

an additional 

skin, an outfit, 

accessories, 

a certificate, 

a heart, and 

stuffing for kids 

to make another 

bear. 

AMLOID 

Crayola Building Blocks, 

from Amloid Kids@Work, helps 

fuel kids’ imagination in a 

creative way. The 36-inch-tall 

Crayola Crayon Tube is perfect 

for builders of all ages. It is 

designed to provide kids with 

hours of fun-filled play while 

advancing cognitive skills. The 

tube is ideal for storage and 

makes a great decorative statement 

in any child’s room. 

This year, Amloid’s Crayola 

construction line will expand 

with new items that bring fun and excitement to the category while staying 

true to Crayola and its resonation with parents and kids. 

MINDWARE 

MindWare’s Science 

Academy Science Kits 

encourage hands-on, safe 

science experiences for kids 

ages 8 and up. The six interactive 

labs include soap, 

lip balm, perfume, volcano, 

slime, and eco forensics. 

The Piccalilly craft line 

includes décor kits that 

make it easy for kids to 

personalize their rooms 

with colorful, handmade 

accessories with no sewing required. The kits include Felt Flower Pouf, 

Latch-a-Loop Pillow, Pom-Pom Rug, and Chandelier, each designed for 


The Keva Maker Bot Maze lets kids experiment, innovate, and 

create with Keva planks. Kids can customize a pair of motorized robots, 

then construct mazes, tunnels, doorways, passages, and obstacles from 

the planks and connectors. The Keva Maker Bot Maze is designed for 


Big Dig Dino brings home the mystery and excitement of a paleontological 

dig. Kids can use the included tools to extract a dinosaur skeleton 

that is buried in plaster. Once the excavation is complete, kids can 

wash and assemble the hard plastic bones to form a complete T.rex or 

Triceratops dinosaur model. The Big Dig Dino is for kids ages 8 and up. 



KAHOOTZ TOYS 

Kahootz Toys will bring Spirograph to a younger audience this fall with Spirograph Jr. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the portable 

design station features a built-in Spirograph ring, which works with the included Spirograph wheels. The chunky designs make it 

easy for young kids to move the pieces, while the built-in storage makes clean up easy for adults. 

For kids ages 8 and up, Spirograph Shapes features new wheels in teardrop, heart, star, and other shapes. Kids can combine each 

wheel with the three new ring designs to create Spirograph art. The set includes three markers and is compatible with all existing Spirograph 

design sets. 

Kahootz will launch the Fashion Plates Superstar Deluxe Set this spring, featuring 

new superstar-inspired fashion designs. Kids can create their own star with the 

mix-and-match design plates, a portfolio case, and more. 

With the Action Plates Design Set, kids can create and color combinations of 

comic-style characters. Kids can choose and combine the different plates together 

into the Action Plates tablet, and with a few passes of the rubbing crayon, the design 

transfers to the paper. Each of the 18 double-sided rubbing plates features 

action-packed poses, super gear, gadgets, and more. 

The Play-Doh Classic Style Fun Factory is a vintage-style storage box with 

eight cans of real Play-Doh, along with a Classic Play-Doh Fun Factory play set, 

modeled after the original version first introduced in 1960. Shaped like an actual 

factory building, the set pumps out Play-Doh in fun shapes such as spaghetti noodles 

and I-beams for constructing buildings. It also features a built-in storage tray to 

hold all of the interchangeable shape plates. 


Activities & 

Construction 

LASER PEGS 

Laser Pegs Ventures launches the Light Up Pull Back Motor, which is included in 

the new Rally Cars Pull Back Runner kit. Kids can pull the model back, let it go, and 

watch as it zooms across the room. The 8-in-1 Rally Cars kit allows builders to create 

a Dune Buggy, a Rally Car, a Sand Racer, and more. Kids can add the exclusive 

Light-Up Pullback Motor to watch their creations speed away. Laser Pegs’ exclusive 

Zippy Do Power Base, 58 tinted construction bricks, and Light-Up Pullback Motor lets 

kids add light effects to their cars. 

Laser Pegs will also add new 6-in-1 Zippy Do Models to its line, including the 

6-in-1 Attack Chopper, which lets kids build the Chinook, News Chopper, Attack 

Chopper, and more. The Zippy Do Attack Chopper comes with a Zippy Do Light-Up 

Power Base and 82 tinted construction bricks. With the 6-in-1 Mustang, kids can build 

the Aurora Fighter, Executive Jet, Communications Jet, and three additional models. 

The Zippy Do Mustang comes with a Zippy Do Light-Up Power Base, two Laser Pegs 

light-up pieces, and 60 tinted construction bricks. The 6-in-1 Ladder Truck lets kids 

construct a Rescue Chopper, Crane, Loader Truck, and more using the included Zippy 

Do Light-Up Power Base and 92 tinted construction bricks. 

New 3-in-1 Zippy Dos let kids make three models in each kit using the included 

construction pieces and the Zippy Do Light-Up Power Base. New styles include Space, 

Construction, Rescue, Trains, and Jets. 

Laser Pegs also introduces the Starter Kit, perfect for kids who are ready for their 

first Laser Pegs set or for those who want to expand their light-up brick collections. 

The Laser Pegs Starter Kit comes with more than 200 pieces, allowing kids to construct 

dinosaurs, racecars, spaceships, helicopters, and more. It also includes 10 Laser 

Pegs and two Power Bases so kids can light up whatever they build. The Start Kit is 

compatible with all Laser Pegs kits, as well as other major construction kits. 

New to its core product line, Laser Pegs’ 4-in-1 

MPS Mini Bulldozer lets kids make a Mini Bulldozer, a 

Mini Crane, and more. The 12-in-1 Power Block Galactic 

Cruiser comes with more than 111 pieces so kids 

can create a Battlestar Cruiser, a Spaceship 5, an 

Escort One, and more. 

The Educational Series kit is packed 

with more than 39 games that help kids 

with addition, subtraction, multiplication, 

division, spelling, reading, 

writing, grouping, matching, 

and more. It 

includes 12 word 

blocks, 12 

letter blocks, 

and 12 number 

blocks. 

Kids can plug 

any of the 36 

blocks into the 

3-D Lite Board to light up their games and 

refine their STEM skills. 

Rally Cars Pull Back Runner


RAVENSBURGER 

The Sweetheart Storage Pencil Cup, from Ravensburger, lets kids assemble their very own pencil cup with this two-in-one plastic 

puzzle craft. Kids can find and snap together the sturdy, numbered pieces, then insert the included compartment to create a utility cup 

perfect for pens, pencils, art supplies, and more. It features a sweetheart design, 

has 54-pieces with easy-click technology, and measures 3.7-inches when complete. 

The Sweetheart Storage Pencil Cup is for kids ages 7 and up. 

The Sweetheart Storage Box is a plastic puzzle craft that kids can use to 

store letters, supplies, and treasures. Designed for kids ages 9 and up, the 216- 

piece premium puzzle measures 23 by 16 by 13 inches when complete. 

The Sweetheart Storage Jewelry Tree lets kids display jewelry on a handmade 

jewelry tree that they constructed themselves. Once done, kids can hang 

everything from jewelry to hair ties from the included hooks and branches of 

the tree. Designed for kids ages 8 and up, the set includes 21 accessories and 

measures 14 by 4.9 by 6.7 inches when complete. 

The My Deco Set Original Mandala Designer Classic gets creative with 

giftwrap. With this set, kids can create custom gift boxes by simply setting the 

guide on the included paper, picking a template, and tracing the design. Kids 

can then color and follow the simple instructions to fold their own original gift 

box. This craft is for kids ages 6 and up. 


FEATURE 

RUBIE’S COSTUME CO. TALKS 

HALLOWEEN 

Rubie's Costume Co.'s Executive Vice President Howard Beige 

discusses last Halloween's success and his predictions for 2016. 

How was Halloween 2015? Did it live up to expectations? 

Halloween 2015 was a winner! Retailers across the country had a 

very successful Halloween season and noticed a significant increase in 

sales the last week leading up to the holiday. As Halloween continues 

to grow in popularity, it’s now becoming a friends 

and family event for adults, kids, and even pets! 

The key to Halloween is parties and getting together 

with family and friends just to have fun. It’s the only holiday 

that nothing else is expected of you, but to have a good time—and 

Rubie’s is dedicated to making that happen! 

Will Halloween falling on a Monday this year adversely affect sales? 

With Halloween becoming more of a family and friends event, the 

day of the week Halloween lands on has become less important as 

children and adults alike enjoy dressing up and celebrating together. 

Aside from Star Wars, what were the top costumes for Halloween 

2015? What will be hot for Halloween 2016? 

The top costumes for 2015 were Star Wars, DC Comics, Marvel, 

Minions, Jurassic World, and Paw Patrol. As always, blockbuster 

movies had an incredible impact on what consumers were buying. 

For 2016 the best-sellers are predicted to be costumes based on Star 

Wars: The Force Awakens, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Captain 

America: Civil War, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spider-Man, 

DC Super Hero Girls, Suicide Squad, Ghostbusters, and Star Trek. 

Since there is a tremendous amount of characters to choose from, we 

predict Halloween 2016 to be extremely strong. 

How does the fashion industry impact your business? How closely 

does Rubie’s follow current trends when creating new products? 

Rubie’s has extensive product development resources with studios 

in New York, San Diego, and Phoenix. All of the studios follow the 

latest fashion trends very closely and incorporate them into every 

design. This is to ensure that when consumers are shopping for their 

Halloween costumes, they see familiar fabrics, trims, and design elements 

that they see when shopping for everyday apparel. 

What’s in store for Rubie’s this year and beyond? 

For continued growth of Rubie’s and its loyal retailers, we are 

dedicated to offering our customers the hottest licenses and generic 

products in the industry. As we celebrate our 65th anniversary, 

Rubie’s continually offers innovative products and a 

variety of styles for the whole family to enjoy to remain 

true to our founder’s vision. Moving forward, it’s our goal 

to make sure every consumer’s Halloween need is satisfied. 

With the third generation playing such an important 

role in our future, we’re confident Halloween at Rubie’s 

will continue to flourish for years to come. » 

Left to right Adult Kylo Ren and Batwoman by 

Delicious costumes, Wonder Woman pet costume 


FEATURE 

PRODUCT PREVIEW: 

RUBIE'S COSTUME CO. 

1. 2. 3. 

4. 

5. 

1. The Armored Batman costume from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice includes a padded jumpsuit with a pair of 3-D gauntlets, 

3-D boot tops, a belt, a cape, and a mask. 2. Catwoman from Delicious of NY includes a corset, a skirt, an eyemask, and a pair of matching 

gloves. 3. Also from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Adult Superman costume includes a padded jumpsuit with 3-D boot tops and 

a cape. 4. From Rubie’s Pet Shop Boutique, the Teddy costume includes a jumpsuit with a hood and a bow tie. 5. Also from Rubie’s Pet Shop 

Boutique is the Puppy Latte costume, which includes a shirt and a matching hat. 


FEATURE 

1. 

2. 3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

1. From Paw Patrol, the Rubble costume includes a jumpsuit, a headpiece, and a 

pup pack. 2. The Female Minion Costume is a printed hooded dress. 3. The T-Rex 

from Jurassic World by Rubie’s includes an inflatable costume with a built-in fan. 4. Finn, 

from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens collection, includes a foam-padded jacket with an 

attached top and pants with attached boot tops. 5. Also from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

collection is the Rey costume, which includes a top with attached wraps, a pair of pants, a belt, 

a cuff, and arm warmers. Also shown, but sold separately, is the Rey eyemask with hood. 6. The 

Super Deluxe Flametrooper from the Star Wars: The Force Awakens collection includes a foampadded 

jumpsuit with attached boot tops, a belt, and a two-piece mask. 7. The Wonder Woman 

costume includes a dress, a tiara, a pair of gauntlets, boot tops, an armband, and a belt. 

8. Marvel’s Ant-Man costume includes a jumpsuit with attached boot tops, a belt, and a mask. 


FEATURE 

IMAGINE BY RUBIE’S GETS 

DRESSED UP 

Executive Vice President Howard Beige talks about Rubie’s 

Costume Co.’s new Imagine by Rubie’s dress-up line. 

Rubie’s is best known for its Halloween costumes. Tell me about 

the Imagine division. What kinds of products do you offer and how 

does it differ from your Halloween products? 

Imagine is a division of Rubie’s Costume Co. solely dedicated to 

dress-up fun. Products are specially designed for everyday use and 

are constructed with that in mind. For instance, many of our best-sellers 

are muscle chest tops, capes, and accessories, which allow kids to 

wear some of their own apparel, assuring them to be comfortable in 

their own styles. Another wildly popular product is our dual character 

licensed capes. With this unique product the child can transform into 

Batman one day and Superman the next. Imagine’s goal is to encourage 

kids to dream, believe, and achieve through the art of imagination. 

Most Imagine products are packaged for gift-giving. 

What trends are you noticing in the dress-up category? 

The dress-up category continues to flourish year after year because 

it appeals to a child’s imagination. Star Wars and superheroes 

are a growing trend for both boys and girls. For boys, we anticipate 

Star Wars, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Captain America: 

Civil War, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to dominate the category. 

As for girls, we expect characters such as Rey from Star Wars: The 

Force Awakens and new DC Super Hero Girls to be on trend with the 

phenomenon of “girl power.” 

Do you see a growing demand for everyday dress-up and role-play 

products? How are you addressing this? 

We are absolutely seeing a growing demand for everyday dressup. 

Each Imagine product is a great gift idea all year long while particularly 

peaking during the fourth quarter. We are adding more than 

100 products to the 2016 Imagine Collection to address the demand 

for everyday dress up. 

Do you have any tips for toy retailers who carry dress-up and roleplay 

for kids? 

Regarding tips for toy retailers, Imagine gives different suggestions 

for the various channels of distribution. For the mass and 

mid-tier retailers that have limited footage in their toy department, we 

suggest featuring the most important categories, including the top 

licenses mentioned above. For boys, that would be the muscle chest 

tops, various capes, and cape/mask combos, including the reversible 

cape. For girls, the strongest licenses such as Wonder Woman from 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the DC Super Hero Girls 

should be on display. Generic characters such as fairies and princesses 

should also be predominantly displayed, as well as mid-priced dressup 

sets and accessories such as wigs and masks. 

How do you balance your Halloween divisions versus your Imagine 

everyday dress-up lines? 

As with all divisions of Rubie’s, Imagine is a free-standing division 

that has its own creative team, sales team, and warehouse with extensive 

product development on both 

the east and west coast. We also 

design Imagine products with 

fabrics and trims that are of 

apparel standards to differentiate 

ourselves from other 

costume companies. Like 

the other divisions under the 

Rubie’s group, they have all of 

the top licenses and strongly 

benefit from the leadership 

and expertise of David 

Beige and Renne Fink. 

How will the box office 

success of Star 

Wars affect Rubie’s 

lineup for Halloween 

costumes and 

for everyday dress 

up? 

The recent 

Star Wars: The 

Force Awakens 

film has broken all 

box office records and as of 

today has the No. 1 box office 

revenue in the U.S. of all 

time. With the astonishing 

success of this film, it will 

have a profound effect on 

what products consumers 

will demand this year 

and beyond. » 

Teenage Mutant 

Ninja Turtles Ninja 

Combat Box Set 


FEATURE 

PRODUCT PREVIEW: 

IMAGINE BY RUBIE'S 

2. 

4. 

1. 

3. 

5. 

1. From the DC Comics Collection, the Superman set includes a fiber-filled muscle chest shirt with an attached cape. 2. From Star Wars: The 

Force Awakens, the Rey set includes a shirt with attached scarf straps, an eye mask, a belt with an attached pouch, a wristband, and a pair of 

glovelets. 3. Also from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the Stormtrooper comes with a muscle chest shirt and a mask. 4. The Captain America 

set includes a fiber-filled muscle chest shirt and a matching mask. 5. The Wonder Woman set includes a tutu dress, a cape, a tiara, and a pair of 

arm gauntlets. 


July 13 • NYC • Majesty Yacht 

Get your brand in front of the 

most influential consumers! 

The seventh annual Sweet Suite event will welcome more than 400 

bloggers, 150 members of traditional media, and more than 60 toy 

companies to meet and mingle in an exciting party atmosphere. Get your 

top toys and newest products in front of the most influential consumers in 

advance of the holiday shopping season. 

Sponsorship packages available! 

Contact Laurie Schacht at: 

theteam@bloggerbash.com

Talkin' 


BANANAGRAMS 

CELEBRATES 10 YEARS 

The Toy Book chats with Rena Nathanson, president and “top banana” at Bananagrams Inc. 

Tell us a bit about Bananagrams’ history. 

How has the company evolved? 

Bananagrams grew from our family’s 

passion for games. We are all huge word 

game fans in particular, but hankered for 

something that was a bit faster, more fluid, 

and equally competitive that we could play 

together regardless of our ages: 7 to 75, at 

the time. So, with my late father Abe Nathanson 

leading the charge—and some luck, love, 

and hard work—Bananagrams was born. Ten 

years later and more than 7 million units sold, 

I’m proud to say that Bananagrams 

Inc. has ripened into an 

international game company 

with innovative 

offerings that are fun 

and portable, bringing 

people of all ages together 

for witty wordplay 

and downright silly gameplay. 

Bananagrams is celebrating its 10th anniversary 

this year, congrats! How will you 

mark this tremendous milestone? 

We are so excited for Bananagrams’ 10th 

“bananaversary,” as we fondly call it. We 

are supporting several events and creating 

new products throughout the year to mark 

the occasion, including the introduction of a 

special Bananagrams Party edition. Arriving 

this fall as a Target exclusive, our party 

version includes chaos-inducing new tiles 

that bring a bevy of devilish interactive elements 

to the original game. We’ll kick-off our 

bananaversary festivities by displaying some 

BIG banana fun on wheels at North American 

International Toy Fair. 

What is Bananagrams’ mission, and how 

does Bananagrams support education? 

Banangrams came to light, in major part, 

through a desire to help kids play with words, 

which ultimately enhances their appreciation 

of language and their grasp of spelling and 

literacy. We hear from our fans constantly— 

especially teachers, parents, and caregivers—about 

how our game helps enrich kids’ 

learning. 

This April, I am over the moon that we 

will host our first in-school Banangrams 

Challenge in the U.S. We launched the tournament 

in the UK last year to great success 

and saw more than 15,000 school children 

playing the game in classrooms. We hope to 

replicate and exceed that goal in the U.S., 

with the Banangrams Challenge becoming an 

annual fixture on both sides of the pond. 

On the product front, we’re very proud to 

introduce MyFirst Banangrams. Packaged in 

a slightly greener, un-ripened banana pouch, 

MyFirst is intended for the younger gamer 

in order to further our (and their!) passion for 

wordplay. We’re showcasing the game at Toy 

Fair in our new booth location in the education 

aisle. 

How do you incorporate consumer feedback 

into your product lines? 

MyFirst is a prime example of how we 

integrate fan feedback into our games. In 

addition to a collection of mini-games that 

cater to a range of abilities, the tiles will 

feature lowercase letters, as well as common 

letter pairs, which—we learned from listening 

to countless educators and consumers—are 

truly difficult to find and are sought-after 

elements for games targeted at pre-readers 

and early readers. 

What else is new for this year? 

Last year we joined forces 

with UK-based game 

company Big Potato to 

distribute Linkee in the 

U.S. and Canada, which is 

a tremendously important 

new venture for us. We look 

forward to growing the Linkee 

brand this year, as well as exploring the 

expansion of our “Picked by Bananagrams” 

distribution portfolio. 

What does the future hold? 

Our bunch is thrilled with our games’ 

continued success and our growing family 

of dedicated fans. We will continue striving 

to ensure that Banangrams is a staple 

in everyone’s game collection, as well as 

expanding our portfolio both internally and 

with partners. 

I also plan to further our education mission 

by growing the Bananagrams Challenge, 

an event that teachers and students around 

the world look forward to, prepare for, and 

celebrate annually. It’s something that my late 

father and I talked about endlessly from the 

first day and it is so close to my heart. » 


Puzzles & 

Games 

MINDWARE 

MindWare’s Crazy Letters is a fast-paced word game that will 

leave everyone wondering which way is up. After one player rolls 

the die to determine a category and draws and displays a corresponding 

card, all players race to decode the letters. The first 

player to shout out the correct word wins the card and the first person 

to collect 20 cards wins the game. 

Qwirkle celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a deluxe 

version. Qwirkle Deluxe Edition includes four wooden tile racks, a 

Qwirkle pencil, and a score pad. Like in the original, players create 

rows and columns of tiles that share a common shape or color. To 

score, players place tiles that touch other tiles with matching attributes, 

or score a 12-point “Qwirkle” by creating a line of all six colors or shapes. 

Color recognition and motor skills get a workout with Thumpin’ Thingdoodles. Players spread out the ThingDoodles, spin to see which 

color is the target, and then thump away at it. ThingDoodles wrap themselves around the mallet when thumped. The first player to collect 

20 ThingDoodles is the winner. 

Pattern Play Revolution puts a spin on block play with five double-sided nesting rings that must be spun into the correct puzzle-solving 

position. The double-sided pattern cards are numbered in order of difficulty, ranging from beginner to expert. 

BLUE ORANGE GAMES 

In Dr. Eureka, from Blue Orange Games, players pick a challenge card, three 

test tubes, and six colorful balls to solve scientific formulas by moving materials 

from tube to tube without dropping them and positioning the balls as illustrated 

on the challenge card. This game is designed for kids ages 8 and up and can be 

played in a group or alone. 

In Fast Flip, created for kids ages 7 and up, the triangular cards have two 

sides: one with a collection of fruit and the other with a number or fruit by itself. 

Players race to find the match between the back of the stack and the front of the 

card they flip. Every Fast Flip game piece packs into a small tin. 

Top That is suitable for kids ages 6 and up. When one player flips the challenge 

card, players race to stack their props in a single stack following three simple 

rules: Objects printed in color must be visible on the stack, objects printed in 

gray must be hidden inside the stack, and objects not pictured must be kept inhand. 

The first player to correctly stack his or her objects wins. 

In Brix, designed for kids ages 7 and up, players place their pieces on top of 

each other to build a wall of bricks. The first player to align four in a row of their 

symbol or color is the winner. Each brick contains both the player’s symbol or 

color and those of his or her opponent. Each time a player adds a new piece, he or she risks helping opponents win the game. 

In Gigamons, players combine tiny Elemons together into their more powerful forms to summon the powerful Gigamon creatures, 

which are monsters that control the basic elemental materials of the universe. The game is suitable for kids ages 6 and up. 

In Rooster Run, made for kids ages 7 and up, players slide on rooster rings and start clucking like a chicken as they race to pick up 

earthworms. After players find their worms, they call out “Cock-a-doodle-doo” to end the round and score points for correct matches. 

In Vroom Vroom, designed for kids ages 4 and up, players roll wooden snails around the track and watch the rotating line on the shell 

to count steps. The first snails to inch across the finish line earn a place on the winners’ podium. The order of who rolls and the amount of 

dice thrown changes with each turn. 


Puzzles & 

Games 

R&R GAMES 

In Pickletter, from R&R Games, 

players compete to match the most 

letters before their opponents find 

their matches. In this game, designed 

for kids ages 7 and up, players can 

prove their opponents wrong if their 

letters don’t match up. 

Swipe Out, suitable for kids ages 

7 and up, is a game in which players 

race to swipe chips off the board to 

match a pattern on the Swipe Out 

card. If a player wins the card, he or 

she wins the round. Players must collect 

five Swipe Out cards in order to 

win the game. 

Showdown, designed for kids 

ages 10 and up, pits famous people and characters against each other in a battle. A possible 

round can include the Easter Bunny versus Ben Franklin for “best babysitter.” Players 

must try to get their picks to win the title. 

Time’s Up Title Recall Expansion Packs, for kids ages 10 and up, add new titles in TV 

shows, songs, movies, books, and more to the party game. During three rounds, teams try 

to guess as many famous titles in the Deck of Fame as possible. In round one, players can 

say or do anything. During round two, players can use just one word. In round three, players 

only use gestures and no words are allowed. 

THE HAYWIRE 

GROUP 

The Haywire Group brings back the 

card game Jukem Football and expands 

the line to include Basketball and Soccer. 

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, each 

game will offer a unique play experience 

that utilizes the plays and actions of each 

of the three sports. 

With Action Princesses, a cooperative 

game designed for kids ages 5 and up, 

kids can perform fun and silly actions in 

order to make their way down the stone 

path to the castle. Kids may find themselves 

quacking like a duck or kicking like 

a ninja to defeat the dragon. 

EDUCATIONAL 

INSIGHTS 

Wave of the Wand—A Cinderella Game, from 

Educational Insights, is a color-matching game designed 

for two to four players ages 3 and up. Each 

player receives a castle card and takes turns rolling 

the three colored dice in the Magical Wand 

Shaker. Players pick up tokens that match the 

objects and colors on the dice and place 

them on the designated areas of 

their castles. The first one to fill 

his or her castle with tokens wins 

the game and earns the glass 

slipper gamepiece. The 

game reinforces strategic 

thinking and color recognition 

skills. 


Puzzles & 

Games 

WINNING MOVES GAMES 

Brynk, from Winning Moves Games, requires kids to place pieces on a teeter-tottering base without 

sending the tower crashing down. Designed for kids ages 7 and up, Brynk comes with 42 plastic 

Brynk playing pieces and a game unit that doubles as a storage container. 

Brainspin is an ice-breaker and creativity game that forces players to open their minds and write 

down everything they see based on the card in play. Kids then have to convince their opponents that 

what they see is actually there. 

In Pass the Pigs Big Pigs, kids roll oversized foam pigs like dice in an effort to earn points. This 

game is designed for two or more players ages 7 and up. 

With snap-in letter tiles, Scrabble to Go is a twist on the classic game that allows players ages 8 

and up to pack up their board without disturbing the words already in play. 

Winning Moves Games brings the 1980s back with Upwords Classic, a word game for kids ages 10 

and up. An 8- by 8-inch game board grid and 64 letter tiles challenge players to think in this improved 

version of a classic. 

The Velveteen Rabbit Game captures the spirit of the cherished story as players’ rabbits venture 

around the board, collecting cards along the way, in a quest to become real. The game is designed for 

up to four players ages 4 and up. 

GEORGE & CO. 

A new twist on the original LCR Left 

Center Right dice game, George & Co.'s 

LCR Wild gives players the chance to 

choose their moves. The unpredictable play 

of the game creates an added twist of excitement. 

LCR Wild is designed for players 


FOXMIND GAMES 

FoxMind’s Maze Racers challenges players to not only build mazes, 

but also to make their way out of one. Each team uses the enclosed 

magnetic walls to build the most complicated maze and leave opponents 

scrambling to find their way out. Once the maze is built, Maze Racers 

becomes a race against time as each side swaps boards and attempts to 

steer a ball through the maze. Kids can play Maze Racers in rounds so that 

the fastest in two out of three rounds can claim victory. The game is designed 



Puzzles & 

Games 

PLAYMONSTER 

PlayMonster, formerly known as Patch Products, introduces a smaller line of Perplexus 

brainteaser puzzles called Perplexus Micro. The new collectible line debuts with two different 

themes, including Q-Bot, a 3.5- by 4-inch cube with an inner robot that makes up the 

maze, and Drakko’s, a 4.5- by 4-inch egg that contains a slithery dragon as its maze. Both 

games are designed for kids ages 8 and up. 

In Prove It, players bet who can do a task best. There are four categories: Mad Skills, 

Know-How, Fingers Crossed, and Buddy System. For example, a card may read, “Bet how 

far you can launch a card, flicking it finger-football style!” The two competitors bet back and 

forth until one person says, “Prove it!” to end the bet, prompting the other player to perform 

the task and earn the point. Prove It is designed for three to eight players ages 6 and up. 

Popalotsy challenges two to six players ages 8 and up to put colorful dice in the popper 

and let them fly. Then, it’s a race to match the color or number of ring cards to the dice and 

place the cards around the dice. The first player to get rid of their ring cards wins the game. 

Qubosity is a think-fast party game. Designed for two to six players ages 14 and up, 

players roll the big cubes to get nine categories, such as “reasons you call in sick” or “buffet 

foods,” and then press the timer to get a letter. Then, players take turns naming things in a category 

that start with that letter. Qubosity features 54 categories and 24 letters. 

SPIN MASTER 

Spin Master introduces The Wave, a hands-free interactive game experience. Players wave their hands over the game to control the colored 

lights to master five game modes. 

In Spot Five, each player flips over a fruit card from their deck. When five of the same fruit are face-up on the table, the player who rings 

the bell first wins the cards, and whoever has all the cards wins the game. 

Hedbanz Electronic is the electronic version of Hedbanz, the game of “What Am I?” The game unit will determine which game mode 

to play that round, direct the game, track time, and keep score. Hedbanz No Limits is an adults-only version of the game and includes dryerase 

cards for players to create their own clues. 

Spin Master will launch multiple licensed games this year, including Zootopia Race ’n Chase, the fast-paced game of catching criminals. 

Angry Birds Pig Island Smashdown 

Players race to find the criminals before they strike, and the player who stops the 

most bad guys from reaching the Zootopians wins. 

Kids can join Dory and her ocean friends in a game of hide and seek with the 

Finding Dory Magic Picture Search. Each player gets a dive mask that reveals 

hidden pictures on the game board, and when a character card is turned over, everyone 

must find the hidden character. 

Secret Life of Pets Home Before Dinner is a two-player tile game in 

which one player plays as Max and tries to build a path back to his 

apartment, while the other player plays as Snowball and tries to block 

Max’s way home. 

In the Disney Moana Race to Tafiti Game, players must work 

together to get tokens and make it to the island of Tafiti. Waves 

can knock players over and cause them to lose a token, but everyone 

wins if one player makes it to the end with a token. 

Angry Birds Pig Island Smashdown features a 30-inch 

game board with three games for kids to play. Kids can 

set up obstacles 24 ways and then roll Red to knock them 

down, or play Pig Bowling or Shuffleboard. 


Puzzles & 

Games 

ZING 

Kids can take their chances with Wet Head, Zing's new water roulette game. Kids 

can fill the Wet Head with water, strap themselves in, and spin the spinner. Players 

can either use the included spinner or download 

the free Wet Head Challenge mobile app, 

which offers challenging trivia questions and a 

recording feature that allows players to capture 

the game’s most memorable moments. 

CSE GAMES 

Fantasy Fantasy Baseball, from CSE Games, is 

a roster-building card game where players battle 

through a season of fantasy baseball with a roster 

of fantasy creatures. Instead of the typical fantasy 

baseball experience taking months to play, the entire 

Fantasy Fantasy Baseball experience is boiled 

down to 10 minutes per player. 

In Junk In My Trunk, the circus grounds are 

a mess after a great show. Clean up duties fall to 

the elephants who must remove the junk with their 

trunks. In this casual card game based on the classic 

Swedish game Vändtia, players try to get rid of 

all their cards as quickly as possible. 

10 Down is a new card game composed of 

sequencing and set collecting. Players draw and 

discard on each turn to create a run of 1 to 10, 

call “10 down,” and earn a point. Players can earn 

bonus points by making color runs of three or 

more with the same 10 cards. 

All of these games are designed for kids ages 

8 and up. 

CARDINAL 

INDUSTRIES 

Cardinal will add new licensed games 

and puzzles to its lineup this year featuring 

characters from Shopkins, Pokémon, 

Star Wars, Disney, Marvel, Nickelodeon, 

Paw Patrol, Dreamworks Animation, Miraculous 

Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, 

Universal Studios, Warner Bros., and 

more. The company will also launch a 

game based on the TV show Shark Tank, 

in which players must decide if a business 

idea is brilliant or a bust, and if they are in 

or out. 

Cardinal will launch new takes on 

classic games, including HedBanz, Toss 

Across, and Giant Uno. New puzzle offerings 

include Pixel Puzzles, which combine 

character pixel art with a puzzle built 

of plastic bits and pieces. 

Plus, the company will continue to 

offer the Top Trumps line of games, featuring 

brands such as The Secret Life of 

Pets, Finding Dory, Captain America: Civil 

War, Tsum Tsums, Star Wars: Rogue One, 

and more. 



EEBOO 

Cats at Work, from eeBoo, is a 1,008-piece puzzle 

illustrated by Monika Forsberg. It features images 

that build from the edges toward the center so kids 

can piece it together from all sides. 

Each cat features a unique style and personality, 

giving kids new elements to explore every time they 

look at the puzzle. 

MASTERPIECES PUZZLE CO. 

Ty Beanie Boos Garden Buddies 48-piece Fuzzy Puzzle, from MasterPieces 

Puzzle Co., is covered in flocking, resulting in a touchable, plush 

texture. Designed for kids ages 4 and up, the 21- by 15-inch puzzle features 

two Beanie Boo 

buddies. 

The Ty Beanie 

Boos 36-piece Fun 

at the Park Floor 

Puzzle features 

special die-cut Tyshaped 

pieces. The 

puzzle measures 

3 by 2 feet when 

complete, features 

seven Beanie Boos 

friends, and is designed 

for kids ages 

3 and up. 


Puzzles & 

Games 

BANANAGRAMS 

Bananagrams celebrates its 10th anniversary with Bananagrams Party, a twist on 

the original game. Bananagrams Party features Party Power tiles, which challenge players 

while they race to complete their word grids. From racing around the table to destroying 

an opponent’s word grid or tampering with their letters, the Party Power tiles 

add a new dimension to the original game. 

My First Bananagrams is a new edition of Bananagrams for younger players. The 

green Bananagrams pouch contains colorful lowercase letter tiles and a collection of 

games for kids with a wide range of reading skills and abilities. There are 10 curriculum-based 

mini games for early learners and word game challenges that grow 

in difficulty as the child’s skill level advances. The game also includes new 

double tiles of vowel teams, word families, and digraphs. 

Bananagrams is the North American distributor for Linkee, a 

tabletop trivia game for families. Players answer four 

questions and try to spot the link between 

the answers faster than the other 

teams. If they get it right, they win 

a letter. Collect enough letters 

to spell Linkee to win the game. 

More than one-third of the cards are 

user-generated, with contributors getting 

their name on their card and a free game 

in the mail. 

THINKFUN 

Kids can ignite their logic and sequential reasoning skills with ThinkFun’s Circuit 

Maze. The game challenges kids ages 8 and up to arrange the tokens and create a circuit 

that lights up the different colored beacons. The game features 60 challenges ranging 

in difficulty from beginner to expert. 

In Yoga Spinner, designed for kids ages 5 and up, players give the spinner a whirl 

and perform the pose on the corresponding yoga pose card. If the player can hold the 

pose for 10 seconds, he or she keeps the card. The first player to collect a card of each 

color is the winner. 

Balance Beans is a logic game and 

math game all in one. Players set up 

the Red Beans according to the challenge 

card, and then carefully place 

the beans on the seesaw to keep it 

from teetering. Balancing the seesaw 

is actually balancing an equation. As 

the challenges get harder, players will 

rely less on trial and error and more on 

math and reasoning skills. This beanfilled 

logic game helps introduce kids 

ages 5 and up to elementary algebra.


SMART TOYS AND GAMES 

Following its Three Little Pigs games launched last year, Smart Toys and Games 

introduces its new preschool puzzle game based on the Little Red Riding Hood 

fairytale. Kids can now help Little Red Riding Hood find the right path to Grandma’s 

house, but they must stay on the lookout for the wolf. This game comes with 

a picture book featuring the original story and 48 puzzle challenges designed for 


SmartCar 5x5 is a new variation of the classic SmartCar, featuring five 

wooden blocks and easier rules. SmartCar 5x5 features 24 challenges for kids ages 

Dinosaurs—Triple Trouble 

3 to 7 and 24 challenges for kids ages 6 to 9. The car is made of sturdy plastic and features spinning rubber wheels, so kids can play with or 

without the puzzle board. 

Dinosaurs—Triple Trouble challenges kids ages 6 and up to separate the plant-eating dinosaurs from the carnivores in this 

shape-matching game. Players compose the green islands on the blue surface, but must be careful that the three friendly dinos are separated 

from the three Tyrannosaurus Rexes. 

North Pole Expedition features 80 challenges and two play modes: an Eskimo kayaking in the water and an Eskimo spear fishing on the 

ice. Kids ages 6 and up can play the same challenge twice and discover a completely different solution. 

Smart Toys and Games will also add to its travel game lineup this year. Magnetic Travel: Deducktion challenges players ages 5 and 

up to place the three duck families so that all of the ducklings follow their mother. Parking Puzzler is a game of deduction that challenges 

kids ages 7 and up to find every car the right spot in the lot. In Penguin Pool Party, players ages 5 and up must place the penguins on the 

board and then place the pieces with ice around them. The game features 60 challenges for hours of on-the-go fun. 

New to the line of IQ logic puzzles, IQ XOXO involves filling the grid with the right X and O pieces. Players ages 7 and up use the 10 

double-sided pentomino pieces to solve 120 challenges. 

IQ Puzzler Pro offers 120 2-D and 3-D challenges in three playing modes. Players can use the inside orthogonal grid, 3-D pyramids, or 

use the outside for a diagonal grid. 


Puzzles & 

Games 

GRIDDLY GAMES 

Griddly Games introduces Rocket Lander, a family game designed for players ages 7 and up. Rocket 

Lander is a STEM-based dice game that challenges players to strategically plot a graph and a 3-D axis. 

The game takes players on an adventure through space and around the world as they escort their ships, 

search and overtake opponents, and defend the home turf. The game requires both 

strategy and luck to determine who will be the undisputed Rocket Lander. 

SET ENTERPRISES 

Set Enterprises Inc. is ready for gaming on the 

go with Mini Rounds of Set, Quiddler, Five Crowns, 

and Karma. The Mini Rounds come in pocket-sized 

click tins, and are shorter, faster versions of the full 

games. The Mini Rounds are designed for easy 

travel and each take about 10 to 15 minutes to 

play. 

The Set Mini Round provides a great way to 

introduce kids to the classic Set game. With just 

three features, it is easy to learn, and the roundshaped 

cards accent the visual perception of the 

game. The Quiddler Mini Round has four rounds 

to the game, which is half as many as in the original 

Quiddler. The Five Crowns Mini Round is a 

five-suited 

rummy-style 

game, and 

the Karma 

Mini 

Round is 

unpredictable, 

with a 

subtle strategy 

that gets 

players’ competitive 

juices flowing. 



RAVENSBURGER 

Buggaloop, from Ravensburger, is a follow-up to Bugs in the Kitchen. 

Buggaloop features a Hexbug nano V2, which hides in the hidden places of 

the 3-D game board, popping out unexpectedly to interrupt game play. 

In Hundreds of Horses, players must use their imaginations to match 

100 horse tiles with eloquent stories, phrases, and awards. Players secretly 

vote to earn tokens when they agree with other players on the same horse. 

The game is designed for kids ages 6 and up. 

Monkey Beach is an adventure game of pirates and treasure-seeking 

designed for preschoolers ages 3 and up. Players must feel for the hidden treasures and move them to the correct opening in the fabric 

island. On each turn, players select two cards to see which treasure to find and which opening to use. Players race to collect their treasures 

before the volcano erupts and the game ends. 

In Broom Service, players must gather roots, herbs, and fruit to brew their concoctions, and Drizzelda will help charm away the cloudy 

weather. Play the right card at the right moment, and win the game. Designed for players ages 10 and up, this game is the relaunch of 

Witch’s Brew, an Alea strategy game. 

Thomas the Tank Engine Counting Train is a 21-piece shaped puzzle that features Thomas carrying all kinds of cargo. The puzzle is designed 



Dolls & 

Plush 

Make It Pop 

Street Couture 

JAKKS PACIFIC 

With Magical Wand Cinderella, from Jakks Pacific, kids can wave the 

Fairy Godmother’s magical wand to transform Cinderella’s look. Kids can 

wave the wand longer and create a colorful light show on Cinderella’s 

dress, and have her sing “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” or “A Dream Is a Wish 

Your Heart Makes.” The doll also says more than 20 phrases and is designed 


Make it Pop is a new high school musical comedy for kids ages 6 to 11 that 

follows three girls—Corki, Jodi, and Sun Hi—as they come together to form a 

band. Jakks will launch a full doll line featuring the three girls in multiple styles, 

including Street Couture, Performance “Prom Perfect,” and Performance 

“XO-IQ, the Deluxe Experience.” Each doll stands 10.5 inches tall and includes 

two accessories. 

Girls can play out the astronomical adventures of Disney Star Darlings with 

Star Darlings Starland fashion dolls. Sage, Leona, Libby, Scarlet, and Vega are fully poseable dolls with shimmer skin and sparkly Royal Reflection 

eyes. Each doll comes with a musical instrument. 

Jakks will also release the Disney Star Darlings Star-Rock Musical Stage, which includes a Sage doll. The set also features five doll 

stands to create a full band and plays three Star Darlings songs. 

ADORA 

Adora’s new dolls and accessories encourage imagination and role play. The Enchanted doll has brown hair, dark eyes, and an empire 

waist dress with touches of pink. 

Curls of Love has brown eyes and playful curls. She wears a pink polka-dotted dress with tulle on the bottom, matching pigtail bows, 

and ballerina style shoes. 

Honey Bunch has honey brown eyes and dark chocolate hair that enhance her classic look. 

Cutie Patootie is ready for the summertime with her bright pink matching sandals and pigtail bows. She has 

dark black hair and bright blue eyes. 

BathTime Baby-Kitty is a new Adora BathTime baby accessory. Kids can play with this 13-inch doll in the 

bath or the pool. Each BathTime baby comes with its own washcloth and removable animal-themed bathrobe, 

and has a swimsuit-printed QuikDri body. They are designed for kids ages 1 and up. 

The PlayTime Floral Romper is designed for the Adora PlayTime babies, which weigh approximately 12 

ounces and are 13 inches long. Each handmade doll is lightly baby powder-scented and made of Gentle 

Touch Vinyl. Adora PlayTime babies also have a cuddly silky-smooth body and a beanbag weighted bottom, 

which gives them a lifelike feel. They are designed for kids ages 1 and up. 

The GiggleTime Boy and Girl come with a baby carrier for kids on the go. The babies have a removable 

giggle mechanism so they giggle when kids give them a hug. GiggleTime babies are also made with 

baby powder-scented vinyl to give a real baby feel and are 100-percent machine washable. They are suitable 

for ages 2 and up. 

BabyTime Rainbow Dolls are swaddled in a newborn embroidered onesie and have weighted 

bodies. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, each doll comes with a soft blankie and feeding bottle. 

The floral-printed 4 in 1 Play Set can be used as a high chair, swing, carrier, or seat. It’s designed 


The Baby Doll Bed comes with a soft, pink blanket and a matching floral pillow so kids can 

put all of their dolls to bed. It is intended for kids ages 2 and up. 

Adora by the Shore is this year’s Adora’s Designed by Kids for Kids program winner. The 

newest “Young Designer” helped design a beach-themed outfit for Adora 18-inch dolls. 

PlayTime Floral 

Romper 


Dolls & 

Plush 

GUND 

Gund’s Sleepy Seas line is available in three designs: green turtle, blue whale, and pink octopus. 

When kids press the tail, ambient music plays for 30 minutes and shuts off again at the push 

of a button. Sounds include ocean waves, bubbling water, and spa-like music. A touch-and-close 

fastener loop allows for attachment to car seats and strollers. 

Safe for kids of all ages, Gund’s Flappy the Elephant Animated Plush allows kids to enjoy two different 

play modes. They can press the left foot to play an interactive game of peek-a-boo, and the right to 

hear the song “Do Your Ears Hang Low.” Its ears move and flap during play. 

Lolo Teddy Bear is a 12-inch seated polar bear plush designed for kids of all ages. Marley Monkey is 

a gorilla plush that features distinctive tipped plush material for added softness, and surface-washable 

fabric that allows for easy cleaning. 

Flappy the Elephant 

Animated Plush 

Nordic Deer 

HANSA 

Hansa’s Nordic Deer features “true to life” 

realism and custom-designed fabric and accessories. 

The new Chihuahua includes a coat, 

a leash, a posable frame, and soft fabrics. The 

Snow Leopard raises awareness of the need 

to protect this endangered species. 

Hansa introduces its new Luxury Home 

Décor Collection, which allows animal lovers 

of all ages to take a “walk on the wild side” 

with unique, custom-designed accents. 

MADAME ALEXANDER 

Madame Alexander’s Madamoiselle Pussycat and Mon Cherie Pussycat dolls feature 

taffeta and organza dresses and headbands. 

The company introduces a line of DC Comics 8-inch collectible dolls. The DC 

Comics Harley Quinn doll is a bubbly and psychotic super villain that loves causing 

joke-themed trouble. The DC Comics Supergirl hails from Krypton and is the most 

powerful teenager on the planet, and DC Comics Wonderwoman is the full package 

of beauty, brains, and brawn. 

Madame Alexander’s Wendy Loves Minnie rocks the polka-dot fashion trend. 

Madame Alexander unveils a Disney-inspired line of 18-inch dolls, including Disney 

Ariel, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Belle. Disney Ariel will go from under the sea to 

little ones’ hearts, while Disney Cinderella will put a smile on their faces. Kids can let 

their hair down alongside Disney Rapunzel for creativity and a life full of adventure. 

The Dorothy and Toto doll reminds kids there’s no place like home. This 18-inch 

Dorothy doll with ruby slippers and Toto in hand is great for Wizard of Oz fans. 

Kids can speed into fun and hit the raceway with the Madame Alexander sponsored 

NASCAR dolls. The 18-inch Danica Patrick doll, decked out in a Nature’s Bakery 

fire suit, will also race into kids’ hearts. 

18-inch Disneyinspired 

dolls 


Dolls & 

Plush 

BLIP TOYS 

Blip Toys will distribute Russ plush this year. For more than 50 years, Russ 

has hand-crafted traditional plush bears, classic plush, and collectible plush. 

Russ plush are designed for kids of all ages and can be used for play, collecting, 

and gift-giving. 

HASBRO 

Kids can feed Hasbro’s Furreal Friends Pax, My Poopin’ Pup his treats 

one at a time. When they pull back on the leash to make him sit, and then 

release the leash, they’ll see Pax has left something behind. Designed for kids 

ages 4 and up, Pax comes with a detachable two-part leash, nine treats, and a 

clean-up bag. 

Kids can nurse their Baby Alive Better Now Bailey Doll back 

to good health with extra love and care. When it’s time for 

baby’s check-up, kids can pretend to check her temperature 

with the thermometer and look into her ears with the scope. 

Put the stethoscope up to her chest and pretend to listen 

to her heart as it shows how Better Now 

Bailey feels with a happy, sad, 

or sleepy face. Feed the doll 

her bottle and she wets her 

diaper. She wears a removable 

outfit and comes with 

a bottle, a stethoscope, a 

thermometer, a scope, and 

a diaper. The doll is available 

in three ethnicities and 

is designed for kids ages 3 

and up. 

Furreal Friends 

Pax, My 

Poopin’ Pup 

Lolli 

CUDDLE BARN 

Big Brother and Big Sister Bears, from 

Cuddle Barn, have cute sayings to help ease 

kids’ anxiety about the arrival of a new baby. 

Designed for kids ages 18 months and up, this 

year-round item is perfect for hospitals, gift 

shops, boutiques, and drug stores. 

Designed for kids ages 2 and up, Bingo 

is a puppy with a red bandana that claps his 

hands and flaps his ears to the classic song 

“Bingo Was His Name-O.” 

Mary’s Little Lamb is wearing a floral patterned 

dress and sways her head to the classic 

preschool song “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” 

Designed for kids ages 2 and up, she holds a 

shepherd’s crook and wears a pink bow. 

Brightly dressed in her blue checkered 

dress and yellow head bow, Lolli is a bear with 

an old-fashioned style as she licks her swirl lollipop 

and bops to the song “Lollipop.” Sporting 

a bright blue cap and striped shirt, Scoops 

is an adorable bear that loves to lick ice cream 

and bops to the classic song “How Sweet It 

Is.” Lolli and Scoops are both designed for 



Dolls & 

Plush 

PILLOW PETS 

The Pillow Pets Dream Lites line, from CJ Products, now includes characters 

from Paw Patrol. The adventurous rescue pups, Chase and Marshall, 

act as a night-light that turns kids’ rooms into a starry sky with the press of a 

button. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the licensed Dream Lites will project 

Chase or Marshall’s paw print alongside the stars and feature four light 

options. 

Pillow Pets folding plush and Dream Lites will also feature characters 

from DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming comedy, Trolls. Pillow Pets Folding 

Plush will incorporate Poppy’s hot pink up-do and signature flower, Branch’s 

mop of hair and Guy Diamond’s luminescent poof of gray. The Dream Lites 

turn the folding plush into a night-light, illuminating the Trolls’ playful icons 

and star patterns onto the ceiling. Alternating hues of amber, blue, and 

green light set the scene for a peaceful night’s slumber. 

Pillow Pets Dream Lites 

AURORA WORLD 

Aurora World will add sound to its Raggedy Ann and 

Raggedy Andy dolls. Kids can hug their hearts to hear 

them say, “I love you.” Both dolls are dressed in blue 

gingham outfits with grosgrain ribbon and ric rac. 

Aurora’s My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic line has 

four new characters in new color combinations with each 

one sporting their own unique cutie mark. 

The new Hush Puppy line features 5-, 10-, and 18-inch 

plush with droopy ears. There is also a clip-on version 

available so kids can take their puppy on the go. 

No two designs in Aurora’s Miyoni line are exactly 

alike. The Red Panda is modeled after the endangered 

species, which is a cat-size 

cousin to the black and 

Hush Puppies 

white giant that shares its 

name. It features a big, 

bushy ringed tail that is 

used as a wraparound 

blanket in the cold. 

Aurora’s Gnomes 

collection features five 

styles that come in three 

sizes. Gnomes are made 

with super soft fabrics, 

a large fluffy beard, and 

beady eyes. 

FOLKMANIS 

Folkmanis Puppets expands its line with the Black Dragon puppet, 

designed for kids ages 3 and up. The puppet features unique drawstring 

animation and comes to life with movement in the mouth, forked tongue, 

and arms. 

The Folkmanis French Bulldog puppet features bat-like ears and a 

wrinkly face. Kids can fool their friends with their new lifelike lapdog. 

The Monarch Life Cycle 

puppet teaches children 

about metamorphosis 

as it changes from a 

caterpillar to a chrysalis to an 

adult monarch butterfly. 

New full-size hand 

puppets also include 

a playful African Lion Cub, 

a classic Brown Bear Cub, a 

Guinea Pig, a Loon, a Slow 

Loris, a soft Sniffing Rabbit, and 

a Raccoon. Plus, the Giant Clam 

with a pearl inside and the retro, twohanded 

Yellow Beaked Crow will join the line. 

Folkmanis will also offer new Mini Duckling 

and Mini Opossum finger puppets for easy, 

on-the-go fun. 

Black Dragon puppet 


Dolls & 

Plush 

THE BRIDGE 

DIRECT 

The Bridge Direct expands 

its line of Strawberry Shortcake 

dolls with Strawberry Shortcake 

Fashion Dolls with Pets. 

Each sweet-scented, 6-inch 

doll comes dressed in her iconic 

fashion and includes a pet and a 

styling comb. Two new characters 

have joined the collection: Raspberry 

Torte with her pet 

Chiffon, and Plum Pudding 

with her pet Pitterpatch. 

The dolls and pets are designed 


Raspberry Torte and Chiffon 

WILD REPUBLIC 

Part of Wild Republic’s Cuddlekins 

brand, Colorkins are 12-inch 

plush featuring multi-colored, textured 

fabrics with special touches on 

their paws, ears, and eyes. Animal 

options include a bear, a dolphin, 

an elephant, a giraffe, 

a harbor seal, a hippo, a lion 

cub, a penguin, a sea turtle, 

and a wolf. The Cuddlekins 

brand also expands this year with 

5-inch plush pals. 

Little Biggies are 30-inch 

realistic plush animals that are 

over-stuffed and sit in an upright 

pose. Wild Republic’s 

Sweet & Sassy 

plush line goes big 

this year with a new 

jumbo 30-inch size. 

MGA ENTERTAINMENT 

Project Mc² Doll with Experiment—Adrienne’s Perfume, from MGA Entertainment, lets kids perform an experiment at home with 

Adrienne Attoms, Project Mc 2 ’s culinary chemist, to make their own perfume using only household ingredients such as rose petals and 

vanilla. The articulated Adrienne doll is dressed in her undercover spy outfit and includes sunglasses, spy disguise glasses, a 

purse, and a beaker-shaped comb. With McKeyla’s Invisible Ink Pen, kids can perform a new experiment at home with 

Project Mc 2 ’s team leader, McKeyla McAlister. Kids can make their own invisible ink pen using household ingredients 

such as baking soda and water. Bryden’s Light Up Bracelet lets kids make their own light-up bracelet with Bryden 

Bandweth, the tech genius. The experiment teaches kids how to complete circuits to make the bracelet’s hidden wires 

light up. Kids make their own wind-up pet robot using common household ingredients such as a strawberry or 

marshmallow with Camryn’s Wind-Up Pet Robot. The Project Mc² line is designed for kids ages 6 and up. 

The Lalaloopsy Hair Dough Doll lets kids fill the Lalaloopsy doll with dough, insert one of several 

styling caps into her head, and watch her hair grow. Then kids can trim the doll’s hair or style 

it in silly ways. The doll comes with three different hair colors and hair clips. 

Kids can hold the cuteness of Lalaloopsy in the palm of their hand with the Mini 

Lalaloopsy Style ‘n Swap dolls. Minis have removable wigs, clothes, and shoes. Lalaloopsy 

Minis Style ‘n Swap Deluxe Packs come with two dolls and more than 20 accessories. 

Kids can swap out clothing, wigs, and shoes. They are available in princess and 

mermaid themes. Lalaloopsy Minis Style ‘n Swap Playsets let kids display wigs and 

outfits in salons and boutiques. 

Kids can store all of their Lalaloopsy Minis in the Lalaloopsy Minis Style ‘n Swap 

Carry Along Playhouse. The playhouse has five different areas, holds up to 16 Mini 

Lalaloopsy Dolls, and comes with an exclusive doll, Cinder Slippers. The Lalaloopsy 

line is designed for kids ages 4 and up. 

Giraffe Colorkins 

McKeyla’s Invisible 

Ink Pen 


Dolls & 

Plush 

ARKLU 

The Special Edition Gold Collection Stargazer 

Lottie doll, designed by 6-year-old Abigail 

as a part of the Gold STEM Collection, is a 

collaboration with the European Space Agency. 

It comes with a telescope, a tripod, solar system 

collector cards, and an additional sheet featuring 

notable women in astronomy. The doll 

features a dark blue velvet bomber jacket over 

dungarees, a long sleeve T-shirt, sturdy brown 

boots, a hat, and a scarf. 

The Special Edition Gold Collection Fossil 

Hunter Lottie doll is a collaboration with 

TrowelBlazers, an international team of women 

archaeologists, paleontologists, and geologists. 

Fossil Hunter Lottie includes Lottie’s magnifying 

glass, a trowel, a geology hammer, ammonite 

fossils, a set of special collector cards about the 

British female fossil hunter Mary Anning, and an 

additional sheet featuring other women in paleontology. 

She wears a vest, cargo shorts, a polo 

shirt with ammonite design, a baseball cap, and 

boots. A rucksack holds Lottie’s ammonite fossils 

and tools. The Fossil Hunter and Stargazer Lottie 

dolls are designed for kids ages 3 and up. 

Special Edition Gold 

Collection Stargazer Lottie 

Storytime Huxley 

CLOUD B 

Cloud b’s My Buddie Bernie is the first Cloud b plush to feature interactive, 

voice-activated, talk-back engagement to help kids transition from playtime to 

sleep time. In playtime mode, Bernie replies when kids talk to him. At bedtime, 

Bernie changes to sleepy phrases for about five minutes until he says “Goodnight,” 

sings a lullaby, and snores. My Buddie Bernie is designed for kids ages 3 and up. 

Beebop uses Bluetooth technology to play songs from personal playlists, lighting 

up along with the beat. 

Storytime Huxley is a bow-tie-attired bear that tells five different classic bedtime 

stories. Kids can press his paw to pick and play any story as many times as 

they’d like. Huxley comes with an illustrated storybook and has interactive questions 

to help keep parents and kids engaged, and also features an auto-shut-off 

timer and volume controls. 

Iggy Monster projects multicolored lights that change from red to green and 

blue. As Iggy casts a show on the ceiling, his belly lights up with a soothing warm 

glow. Iggy Monster comes in a knit-like textured plush and features a 45-minute 

shut-off timer. 

Cloud b and Rainbow Loom partnered to make SuperMax the Turtle even 

more special. Kids can now create a Rainbow Loom cape for their little superhero. 

The new gift set includes the star-projecting SuperMax and all the materials kids 

need in this special-edition Rainbow Loom kit. SuperMax projects a starry gaze 

onto the ceiling while cycling from blue to green and red. An included booklet features 

the story of SuperMax the Turtle. It’s recommended for kids ages 8 and up. 

Inspired by Sleep Sheep, Peaceful Panda is a soft gray and white and features 

eight soothing sounds to help children drift off to sleep. Peaceful Panda comes 

with a storybook and an adoption certificate. The removable sound box enables 

parents to set it to automatically turn off the peaceful sounds after 23 or 45 minutes. 

This plush panda has a Velcro strap to attach to a crib, a bed, or a diaper bag. 

Sweet Dreamz On the Go is an all-in-one baby soother. Each cat character 

features eight soothing sounds and melodies and their faces will light up with an 

amber glow. A built-in sensor works to reactivate the soothing sound if baby wakes. 


Dolls & 

Plush 

GENESIS 

My Friend Cayla Party Time, from Genesis, is a 

new twist on the My Friend Cayla doll. Like the original, 

Cayla is an 18-inch fashion doll that talks with 

and understands kids, plays games, reads stories, 

and shares photos from her photo album, but 

now, she can recognize and talk about her accessories. 

Kids can place Cayla’s accessories 

in her hand and she will discuss and describe 

each item. In addition to her Party Time accessories, 

Cayla also has kitchen, hair salon, 

and beauty accessory packs that she can talk 

about. My Friend Cayla is designed for kids 


JUST PLAY 

Just Play’s new Mermaid Magic Princess Sofia, 

based on the Disney Junior series Sofia the First, turns 

bathtime into a royal underwater adventure. Kids can 

press Sofia’s amulet for music and lights. Mermaid 

Magic Princess Sofia sings, lights up, and sparkles, 

and her tail flutters through the water. Designed for 

kids ages 3 and up, she also comes with a removable 

seashell tiara and a hairbrush for hair play. 

The Glow-A-Lot Care Bears glow in the dark. Kids 

hold the Care Bears up to a light to activate the feature, 

then turn off the lights and watch the Care Bears 

glow. No batteries are needed, as the magic is in the 

fabric. Kids can collect all the Glow-A-Lot Care Bears: 

Love-a-lot, Bedtime Bear, Wish Bear, and Sweet 

Dreams Bear, all designed for kids ages 2 and up. 

DREAM FRENZ 

Dream Frenz combine the play experience of a doll with the 

comfort of a plush. With an oversized, soft head and a tiny body 

that tucks inside, Dream Frenz is a cuddly plush pillow, toy, and 

companion. The characters are multi-cultural and designed to 

appeal to both boys and girls. Dream Frenz come in 10 different 

characters and are designed for kids ages 3 and up. 


Dolls & 

Plush 

BEVERLY HILLS 

TEDDY BEAR 

Surprizamals, from Beverly Hills Teddy Bear, are collectible 

pop-out play friends that hide in Surprizaballs. With more than 

60 to collect in the first wave, Surprizamals are made of soft 

plush and come in three styles: Wacky, Cuties, and Mini. The 

first wave also includes must-have chasers and ultra-rare Surprizamals 

pets. Surprizamals are designed for kids ages 3 and up. 

Kids can create mess-free glowing works of art with the 

Glow Crazy Doodle Dome. This convenient pop-up tent is 

easy to set up and features a built-in Glow Canvas that lets 

kids doodle with glow light for glow-in-the-dark fun. They can 

close the flap and create exciting designs with the Wide Beam 

Glow Wand, use stencils to trace fun shapes, or put on a light 

show. The Glow Crazy Doodle Dome is available in single- and 

dual-person sizes and multiple colors. Designed for kids ages 

3 and up, each includes a built-in Glow Canvas, a Wide Beam 

Glow Wand, four stencil sheets, and a Doodle Dome carry bag. 

Surprizamals


IMPORTS DRAGON 

Imports Dragon’s Shopkins plush toys are a great way for 

kids to cuddle with their favorite Shopkins characters. Made with 

super soft material, they come in 

multiple sizes and varieties. 

The 3.5-inch Plush Hangers 

are soft characters attached 

to a small, plastic clip. They 

come in a blind bag. The 

4.5-inch Key Chain 

Plush are great for 

attaching to backpacks 

and purses. 

The 8- and 12- 

inch plush are 

the largest 

sizes and 

great to 

snuggle up 

with. Each 

plush is designed 

for kids 


12-inch plush 

LOVEE DOLL 

Little Singing Chef, from Lovee Doll, is a toddler doll 

designed for kids ages 3 and up. The doll sings five different 

rhymes, plays educational and motivational music, and has five 

activation points. The doll aims to inspire kids to understand the 

importance of healthy food. An English-speaking doll, a bilingual 

doll that speaks English and Spanish, and an African American 

doll are available for purchase.

Vehicles & 


Nintendo Mario-Copter 

CARRERA 

Carrera’s Nintendo Mario-Copter features Mario flying on a gyro-stabilized quadrocopter 

that’s nearly 12 inches across and features protected rotors. The 2.4 GHz flight 

control system allows for precise control over the quadrocopter and has a flight 

time of about 7 minutes with a 60-minute recharge time. Designed for kids 

ages 12 and up, this quadrocopter is ready to fly right out of the box. 

Carrera’s GO line will introduce the Disney•Pixar Cars Carbon 

Racers slot car set. The new set features specially designed 

decorations of the Lightning McQueen and Francesco Bernoulli 

cars, and has everything kids need to start racing. 

Designed for kids ages 6 and up, the set comes with a pair 

of cars, controllers, accessories, and more than 14 feet of 

slot car track. 

PLAYMATES TOYS 

Playmates Toys introduces its T-Sprints line, a new figure 

and wheels play pattern. The motorized mini T-Sprints can 

quickly take off using a unique flywheel—just rev up the figure, 

drop it into the vehicle, and watch it go. 

The T-Sprints line features the T-Sprints Single Pack Figure 

and Vehicle Assortment—including Lickety Split Leo with Shellraiser, 

Mad Motion Mikey with Party Van, Rapid Assault Raph with 

Stealth Bike, Dasher Donnie with Patrol Buggy, and more—and the 

T-Sprints 2-Pack Figure and Vehicle Assortment, featuring Lickety 

Split Leo with Shellraiser and Supersonic Shredder with Shreddermobile, 

Mad Motion Mikey with Party Van and Rapid Assault Raph with Stealth Bike, and more. 

Dino-themed 2.5-inch Figure 2 Pack 

Assortment, Leo & Triceratops 

The T-Sprints line also includes the T-Sprints Sewer Dual Playset, which features an exclusive Leo T-Sprint and a Shellraiser vehicle 

shell. Kids can rev up T-Sprints Leo and send him sprinting through the sewer, racing past mutant Shredder, dropping down in the escape 

tunnel, and escaping in the Shellraiser. The play set is compatible with all T-Sprints figures and vehicles. 

Playmates Toys will also add to its Mutations line with new products that let kids change their articulated action figures into the vehicles 

from the TV show in just a few steps. The new Ninja Turtle Figure to Vehicle Assortment includes Leonardo to AT-3, Raphael to Stealth 

Bike, and Michelangelo to Patrol Buggy. 

Playmates Toys’ Half Shell Heroes line, designed with bright colors and friendly expressions to engage preschoolers, expands with the 

Dino-themed 2.5-inch Figure 2 Pack Assortments. Each pack includes a 2.5-inch Turtle dressed in a caveman style and a fully poseable 

dinosaur. The collection includes Leo & Triceratops, Donnie & T-Rex, Mikey & Brachiosaurus, Raph & Pteranodon, and more. 

The Dino-themed Vehicle with Figures Assortment features a 2.5-inch Turtle action figure dressed in a caveman style and a fully posable 

dinosaur. The collection includes Battle Action Stegosaurus with Michelangelo, Battle Robo Raptor with Triceraton, and Wing Attack 

Pterodactyl with Raphael. 

With the T-Rex Vehicle with Donatello, young Turtles fans can send Donnie on wild adventures. The T. rex dinosaur is fully poseable 

with a fierce chomping attack and also features a saddle so that Donnie can ride him. The set includes a 2.5-inch Donatello action figure 

dressed in a caveman style. 

The new Half Shell Heroes toys are inspired by the Nickelodeon TV special Half-Shell Heroes: Blast to the Past, which takes the Half 

Shell Heroes back in time to a prehistoric era for a wild adventure. 


Vehicles & 


LITTLE KIDS 

Little Kids introduces six new 

Moji characters to its lineup. 

Feelin’ Happy Go Lucky is 

always joyous. He loves to cook 

and sing, and has a strong paternal 

instinct. Feelin’ Bold & Bratty is 

full of attitude, but kids will love 

her anyway. She’s sweet, but watch 

out for that sour. Feelin’ Pretty & 

Pouty is ditzy, pretty, and loveable. 

Feelin’ Abuzz with Excitement is 

part alien, part bug, and part adorable. 

He chitters, chatters, clicks, 

and ticks. Feelin’ Rock ‘n Roll is the 

king of rock and roll. He’s always 

loud, upbeat, and ready to party. 

Feelin’ Double Dog Daring is 

small, but tough. He is daring, bold, 

and talks a big game. 

IAMELEMENTAL 

IAmElemental reveals its second series of female action figures: the Wisdom series. 

Suitable for kids ages 4 and up, the series includes seven 4-inch articulated action figures 

based on the Elements of Power—powers that already exist within kids. The figures include 

Creativity, Ingenuity, Curiosity, Logic, Exploration, Mastery, and Oblivion. The design of Series 

2/Wisdom draws inspiration from ancient Greek and Roman warriors, as well as modern 

superheroes such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai and Emily Blunt’s fictional 

character Rita Vrataski in Edge of Tomorrow. 

TOY STATE 

Dino Hauler T-Rex, from Toy State, lets kids bring prehistoric dinosaur adventure to the 

living room floor. Suitable for kids ages 3 and up, this truck hauls a ferocious dino who is trying 

to escape, and kids can get in on the action with light effects, sounds, music, and motorized 

drive. 

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Party Van R/C is designed for kids ages 6 and up. 

Featuring full-function steering and an easy-to-use controller, kids can show the enemies 

who’s boss with this Turtle-power packed R/C. 

Kids can take Barbie on a roadtrip with the Barbie Convertible 

R/C, designed for kids ages 3 and up. This simple-function 

R/C convertible can seat two Barbie dolls and 

has a wheel-shaped controller. 

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, 

VelociTrax is a full-function R/C 

featuring fast and futuristic 

styling. It can perform 

360-degree spins and 

has ultra-maneuverability, 

allowing kids to race 

through any terrain and 

over obstacles. 

Barbie Convertible R/C 


Vehicles & 


Batman v Superman 

Twin Pack Metals 

4-inch Figures 

JADA TOYS 

Jada Toys’ Batman, Armored Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and 

Twin Pack Metals 4-inch Figures are collectible, stylized pop-culture figures 

based on the upcoming film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. 

Each figure is more than 50 percent die-cast, weighing more than half a 

pound, with quality paint and craftsmanship. 

Additionally, the Batman Metals 6-inch Figures feature light-up 

eyes and extra die-cast armor. The Batmobile Model Kit is a prepainted 

die-cast model kit that features opening doors and a detailed interior. 

This collectible car takes styling cues directly from Batman v Superman: 

Dawn of Justice. 

LIONEL 

Lionel Mega Tracks is a rail system from Lionel that allows kids to design and build their own race courses. Designed for kids ages 8 and 

up, the line introduces TwisTrack, which allows kids to twist the track to create their own stunts and layouts, and a new clamp and construction 

system for kids to build anywhere, including on the floor, or attach to furniture. Once the layout and stunts are built, kids can use the 

handheld remote control to send the rail racer vehicle into high-speed action. 

The Mega Tracks Corkscrew Chaos Pack includes 20 feet of track and 55 construction pieces, while the Mega Tracks Stunt Packs 

include 12 feet of additional track and more than 20 construction pieces to build additional stunts. The Stunt Packs are available in Twisted 

Tower and Tornado Mountain assortments. 

Lionel’s ready-to-play sets feature some of kids’ favorite brands. Designed for kids ages 4 and up, the battery-powered sets feature 24 

curved and eight straight plastic track pieces for various layout options and an R/C remote that allows the train to go forward and reverse, 

sound a whistle, and ring a bell. 

The Mickey Mouse Express Ready-to-Play Set lets kids help with Mickey’s special delivery and spread Christmas cheer. It features 

Mickey driving a general-style locomotive, a present-filled tender with Donald Duck, a boxcar, a center-cupola caboose, and Disney-specific 

train announcements. 

The Polar Express Ready-to-Play Set showcases children’s shadows as they sit in the passenger cars drinking hot chocolate. The set 

features a steam locomotive and tender, a passenger coach, and an observation car. The train plays “All Aboard the 

Polar Express” when kids press a button. 

With the John Deere Freight Ready-to-Play Set, little farmers can transport the equipment that helps the land 

grow. The set includes a general-style locomotive and tender, a boxcar, and a center-cupola caboose. 

Designed for kids ages 14 and up, Lionel’s O-Gauge ready-to-run train sets come equipped with a LionChief 

remote control that allows users to adjust the train speed, sounds, and direction from up to 60 feet away. 

The “Mickey’s Holiday to Remember” Disney Christmas Set includes a 4-4-0 general-style 

locomotive with wood tender, a boxcar, an animated gondola, 

a square-window caboose, and a combination of 

track pieces. When the car is in motion, Mickey and Minnie 

figures circle the gondola. 

The Hogwarts Express LionChief Set includes a 

4-6-0 locomotive, two passenger coaches, a combination 

Hogwarts Express LionChief Set 

car, and a combination of track sections. Both the “Mickey’s Holiday to 

Remember” Disney Christmas and Hogwarts Express sets feature puffing 

smoke, operating headlights, and sound effects. 


Vehicles & 


MAISTO 

The Maisto Tech Cyklone360 is a radio-controlled motorcycle with spinning action, 

including 360-degree turns. The rear wheels twist and turn and the LED light changes 

color while driving. Designed for kids ages 8 and up, the Maisto Tech Cyklone360 is 

approximately 8 inches long and comes with a pistol-grip controller. 

Each of the Maisto Tech 1:10 Desert Rebels R/Cs is a rugged off-roader with realistic 

details and weathered decoration. The pistol-grip controller provides full-function 

radio control. A lightweight—but tough—vac-formed body has extra details 

for realism. Designed for kids ages 8 and up, the vehicle has blocky-treaded offroad 

tires that provide lots of grip. 

The MaistoTech Ford GT NAIAS R/C is a replica of the Ford GT exotic car that 

Maisto Tech Cyklone360 

debuted at the North American International Auto Show. Offered in 1:14 and 1:24 

scales and designed for kids ages 8 and up, each has full-function radio control and an easy-to-use pistol-grip controller. 

The Maisto 1:24 Off-Road Kings die-cast are true 1:24-scale custom trucks with off-road accessories and off-road tires, featuring custom 

wheels and paint. Styles include the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor, and the 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. 

Each has opening doors and an operating hood or tailgate. 

The Maisto 1:64 Harley-Davidson die-cast have authentic Harley-Davidson decorations and come in assorted styles including Chevrolet, 

Ford, and Volkswagen classics. Customized details include aftermarket wheels and tires in addition to the Harley-Davidson graphics. 

SPIN MASTER 

Spin Master adds to its Air Hogs line of R/C, free-flying, and air-powered toy drones, airplanes, helicopters, rockets, and cars. The Razor 

Race Heli, made for kids ages 8 and up, speeds across the ground or soars through the air. The built-in gyro provides stability and precise 

control as kids speed across the ground or fly over obstacles. Mission Alpha uses a crane to lift and move objects, and has a three-channel 

control and gyro stabilization to fly in the air or drive across the floor in ground mode. 

The Helix Race Drone has a racing-inspired design to maximize speed. Designed for kids ages 10 and up, this quadcopter can switch 

between beginner mode and advanced mode and has a durable exoframe to protect rotors from bumps and crashes. The Helix Sentinel 

Drone can stream live video straight to a smart device for kids to see from the drone’s point of view. The Air Hogs goggles give an immersive 

first-person view and lets kids fly the quadcopter even when it’s out of site. It also features height lock sensors to automatically maintain 

altitude while avoidance sensors steer the drone away from incoming obstacles. 

The Air Hogs Thunder Trax is an all-terrain vehicle that can go through snow, sludge, and mud. With 

the push of a button, it transforms from a tank to a high-speed boat. 

The Air Hogs Star Wars line now includes the Death Star Battle RC, which comes with 

an X-Wing quadcopter and a flying Death Star that hovers autonomously ahead. Kids must 

avoid the Death Star’s attacks and fire back with the X-Wing’s blasters. The 74-Z Speeder 

Bike Drone features a built-in sonic height lock system that holds its altitude. The sensors 

also automatically adjust the height to avoid any oncoming obstacles, and kids can 

release the height lock with the push of a button. 

The RC Tie Advanced X1 features ducted twin motors tucked inside the body to 

provide a streamlined authentic look and flight lift. The XL Millennium Falcon Quad is 

equipped with front and rear lights, authentic sounds, a detailed cockpit scene including 

Han Solo and Chewbacca. Both vehicles have a 200-foot range. 

The Air Hogs Star Trek Enterprise NCC-1701-A has an integrated light system, 

more than 10 authentic sounds, and advanced quadcopter technology. It also includes 

a 50th anniversary collector’s display stand. The Air Hogs Remote Control Batwing 

Air Hogs XL Millennium 

Falcon Quad 

has a range of up to 250 feet. It is built with landing gear and includes LED thruster 

lights for an authentic look. 


Vehicles & 


ODYSSEY TOYS 

The Starblade is a high-tech quadcopter with 40 LED lights, 

so kids fly during the day or at night. The Starblade is 2 feet long 

and features gyro technology 

for indoor and 

outdoor flying. 

Odyssey Toys’ 

Turbo Runner NX is 

a miniature version of 

the Sky Runner NX. 

Transitioning from flight 

to running mode, the 

Turbo Runner NX can 

dart across walls and 

run down staircases. 

Kids can learn the various 

trimming controls 

to perform stunts. 

Starblade 

BANDAI 

Bandai America showcases 

its toy line for the new 

animated series Miraculous. 

Bandai is the master toy 

partner for this CGI-animated 

TV series, from 

Zag Heroez, about a 

young girl who taps 

into her superhero 

powers and optimism to 

save Paris from the evil 

Hawk Moth. A complete 

line of toys includes an 

action figure, role-play 

items, plush pets, and 

fashion dolls and is set 

to launch this fall. 

Miraculous Ladybug 

action figure 



NKOK 

With the upcoming Ghostbusters film in theaters this year, NKOK will launch three new 

Ghostbusters vehicles. The next generation Ecto 1 will be available as both a full-function 

R/C, and fully interactive battery-operated ghost catcher. Both vehicles feature Slimer on 

the roof—which lights up on the R/C version—as well as original sound effects and 

music. In addition to the next generation of animated Ecto-1s, NKOK will also introduce 

the classic 14-inch L Classic Ecto-1 R/C with working lights and sounds. 

Two types of R/C vehicles will soon get a high-definition Realtree camouflage 

treatment: the 1:8 scale Extreme Machine amphibious monster truck and the 

13-inch high-performance Rock Crawler. The 1:8-scale Realtree Extreme Terrain 

vehicles will be available in three body styles: new Ford F-150, F-150 SVT Raptor, and 

2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. These super monster trucks are powered by dual high-torque motors 

and can perform on almost any terrain: grass, mud, rocks, sand, and even snow. Massive EVA tires 

allow these trucks to drive in and out of water. They can go down stairs, up curbs, and over almost 

any obstacle. 

The innovative suspension system on the 13-inch long R/C Realtree Rock Crawler allows for new 

rock-crawling abilities. With the rugged body of a 2015 Jeep Wrangler or 1970 Ford Bronco, these 

Realtree Rock Crawlers have powerful motors, grip tires, and a classic, stylish body. 

Realtree Rock Crawler 

Jeep Wrangler 

NKOK also developed a line of R/C vehicles designed for kids ages 3 and up. The company will introduce three one-of-a-kind full-function 

vehicles: Ford Mustang GT, Ford F150, and Jeep Wrangler. Each vehicle features real working lights, sounds, and forward and backward 

motion. 


Vehicles & 


BORGFELDT 

CANADA 

The LiteHawk Click, 

from Borgfeldt Canada, is a 

1.5-inch micro drone. The 

2.4 GHz R/C system lets kids 

fly without the fear of losing 

signal. Kids can fly multiple 

drones with their friends at 

the same time. Each drone 

comes completely assembled 

and includes batteries 

and a USB charge cord. The 

LiteHawk Click is designed 

for ages 10 and up. 

TREE HOUSE KIDS 

Tree House Kids expands its Imagination Adventure series 

with the 2017 Ford Raptor. The vehicle features a working tow 

winch, opening doors, and a tailgate. The toys in this series are 

built in 1:18 scale. 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Big-Fig 

JAKKS PACIFIC 

Jakks Pacific will expand its Big-Figs Colossal line of oversized action figures with the Teenage Mutant Ninja 

Turtles Leonardo 48.5-inch figure. The figure features five points of articulation, a weapons belt, and two removable 

ninja swords. Straight out of Halo 5 comes the Big-Figs Massive 31-inch Master Chief action figure. 

Master Chief has seven points of articulation in his neck, shoulders, wrists, and waist, and a special bicep articulation 

point that allows him to be displayed in his iconic, two-handed, rifle-wielding pose. Jakks will also have 

an assortment of Big-Figs based on Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, including Batman, Superman, Mech 

Suit Batman, and Wonder Woman. The Star Wars: The Force Awakens Big-Figs Assortment will include 20-inch 

Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, Poe, Storm Trooper, and Captain Phasma figures, as well as a 31-inch Kylo Ren and 31- and 

48-inch Stormtroopers. All of the Big-Figs are designed for kids ages 3 and up. 

The Max and Friends Cliff Climber uses “reaction traction” to climb over a variety of obstacles. When 

there’s an object in the way, the truck’s back wheels will open up to give it the traction it needs to climb up 

and over. Just like the original Max Tow, Cliff can push and pull up to 120 pounds. Designed for kids ages 6 

and up, Cliff also features a variety of phrases and sound effects. 

Jakks Pacific will also release a line of toys based on the upcoming film Warcraft, from Legendary Pictures 

and Universal Pictures, based on Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft video game. The line includes 

multiple scales of collectible figures representing both the Horde and the Alliance, including 2.5-, 6-, 

and 18-inch figures, Jakks’ Big-Figs large-scale figures, and role-play toys. 

New figures will join Jakks’ World of Nintendo toy line, including 2.5-inch limited articulation figures from 

Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Pikmin, Splatoon, Donkey Kong, and Animal Crossing. New 

4-inch figures feature up to 13 points of articulation and include characters from Star Fox and more. 

Jakks’ XPV line of Xtreme Performace Vehicles feature R/C vehicles with a variety of different styling and 

functions. The XPV Marvel RC Bumper Car Bashers let kids drive the bumper cars and see who can give out 

the most bumps, Spider-Man or the Hulk. 



SILVERLIT 

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, Silverlit's Nano Falcon 

Team Mission includes a Nano Falcon and an R/C 

truck. Kids can open the tailgate and 

watch the landing pad slide out. 

They can launch or land their helicopter, 

and with the press of a button, 

they can close the tailgate and 

drive on. The three-channel Nano 

Falcon is designed to be easy to fly. 

The truck is full-function with an 

IR remote. 

BACHMANN 

Bachmann’s Blue Lightning HO-scale locomotive combines 

classic train sets with smart device technology. Kids can control the 

train using the free E-Z App, which allows users to alter the speed, 

direction, lighting, and sound from an iOS device. The train set includes 

an E-Z App-equipped FT diesel locomotive, three cars, snapfit 

E-Z Track, and a power pack. Designed for kids ages 14 and up, 

users can operate the locomotive from up to 100 feet away thanks 

to Bluetooth technology, which also allows sound from the train to 

come through the iOS device itself. 


Want to Reach 

Millions of Consumers 

During the Holiday Season? 

as seen in 

• Holiday Gift Guide in the 

November issue of Woman’s 

Day magazine, read by nearly 

21 million* consumers (*MRI 

Spring 2015) 

• Extensive Online Presence 

A comprehensive companion website, toyinsider.com, 

features product reviews, demo videos, 

direct-to-retail links, and guest blogger contributions. 

• Widespread Media Coverage 

Laurie Schacht, the Toy Insider Mom and the Toy Insider 

Team, appeared in more than 250+ National and Major 

Market TV segments, along with hundreds of print, 

radio and online features. 

• Social Media Coverage 

Social media brand promotions on Facebook, 

Instagram, Twitter, and more. 

toyinsider @thetoyinsider @thetoyinsider 

To participate in the 11th Annual The Toy Insider contact: 

Jonathan Samet —(212) 575-4510 x 2321, jsamet@adventurepub.com 

Laurie Schacht — (212) 575-4510 x 2320, thetoyinsidermom@gmail.com 

www.toyinsider.com

OY FAIR 

TOY FAIR 

TOY FA 

Y FAIRTOY FAIR 

2 0 1 6

SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS |ASTRA’S INSIGHTS 

HOW TO GET VISITORS 

TO YOUR EXHIBIT BOOTH 

Suggestions from Specialty Retailers 

by KIMBERLY MOSLEY, president, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association 

ALMOST 1,200 EXHIBITORS, HUNDREDS 

of thousands of toys, games, and children’s 

play materials, and nearly 425,000 square 

feet of exhibit space. That’s what thousands 

of toy store owners and buyers in comfortable 

shoes have ahead of them when they 

walk into the Javits Convention Center to 

start their annual four-day sojourn at North 

American International Toy Fair. Those same 

retailers will have two days in June—prime 

time for specialty toy stores’ buying cycle—to 

check out 400 exhibitors on the show floor at 

the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association 

(ASTRA) Marketplace & Academy. 

How can manufacturers break through all 

the competition to get buyers to visit their 

booths? Recently, ASTRA retailers were asked 

what toy makers and sales representatives 

should and should not do to get their attention. 

Here is their collective advice for Toy 

Fair exhibitors: 

• Please don’t call: Retailers say the volume 

of vendor calls they receive prior to the show 

can be overwhelming. Such calls are often 

disruptive and almost always ineffective. 

Busy as they are, store staff does not retain 

anything about booth numbers or products. 

Email is a better choice, but only if it gives 

the store owner a reason to read it—for example, 

include links to an up-to-date website 

with a featured product or a special discount 

and an easy-to-access sell sheet. 

• Respect our time: Toy Fair and the ASTRA 

Marketplace are hectic for retailers who are 

trying to see acres of products. Many have 

their own system for working the show: a 

quick scan on the first day—no interest in 

long conversations—then return visits to 

booths with products of interest on subsequent 

days. Conversations that get to the 

point (save the story of your company’s history 

for after hours at ASTRA) are appreciated. 

Don’t expect buyers to make many appointments 

or stand in line. 

• Make it easy to do business: Store owners 

are anxious to work their plan for the show. 

What can you do to help the retailer focus 

on your product, and then keep moving? 

Your customers suggest you make it easy to 

see the cost of each product without waiting 

in line to talk to a salesperson just to get 

that information. Is a price list and business 

card available to easily grab in your booth? 

Are your specials posted in your profile on 

ASTRA’s website? 

• Show the flag for ASTRA: If your company 

is an ASTRA member, ASTRA retailers say 

they want to be able to see that when they 

walk by your booth. It will make them more 

likely to drop in and say hello and check out 

what you’ve got. Store owners point out 

that ASTRA manufacturers tend to be easier 

to work with because they understand the 

specialty toy industry and the challenges 

brick-and-mortar stores face. ASTRA provides 

manufacturer members with a packet of materials 

at Toy Fair—including a “Proud ASTRA 

Member” sign, so put it to good use. 

• Promote by word of mouth: Retailers 

want to find hot new products to refresh their 

stores. Highlight your newest and most interesting 

products in your pre-show email and 

merchandise your booth so those products 

cannot be missed by retailers walking by 

your booth. Encourage visitors to your booth 

to talk about those products to their fellow 

ASTRA retailers and suggest they nominate 

them for ASTRA’s Share the Fair list of not-tobe-missed 

products. 

• Make an offer: A great way to entice 

buyers to visit your booth is to offer some 

show specials. Enough said. Post them on the 

ASTRA website and in ASTRA’s Passport to 

Savings booklet for retailers. 

• Feed us: For retailers on their feet (remember 

the comfortable shoes) for hours, 

a complimentary cup or bottle of water is a 

welcome refreshment and a good reason to 

come into your booth to talk with you about 

your products. Toward the end of the day, 

when they are hungry and tired of the lines in 

the food court for overpriced snacks, a snack 

available in your booth may start a mutually 

beneficial business relationship. 

Manufacturers: don’t miss conversations 

between ASTRA retailers, sales representatives, 

and manufacturers on important topics 

like this. Join ASTRA and participate in the 

online community ASTRA Connect, which 

includes an all-members’ ongoing discussion 

board. Visit www.astratoy.org to learn more. » 

Kimberly Mosley, president of the 

American Specialty Toy Retailing 

Association, is an experienced, 

award-winning, results-oriented 

association executive with a long 

track record of success in managing 

association operations, developing 

innovative programs, and growing revenue. 


Specialty 

Sophia's Medical Kit 

SOPHIA’S 

Sophia’s Medical Kit for Dolls & Plush 

is sized for kids to check the vital signs of 

their favorite doll or stuffed animal. The 

10-piece set includes a stethoscope, an 

otoscope, a thermometer, a syringe, a 

blood pressure cuff, an elastic bandage, 

a medical record chart, a clipboard, and 

a pencil. The stethoscope, otoscope, and 

thermometer all light up, and the entire set 

fits neatly into a medical bag for on-the-go 

play. 

Sophia’s Sports Equipment Set turns 

any 18-inch doll into a three-sport athlete. 

This six-piece set comes with a field hockey 

stick and ball, a lacrosse stick and ball, a 

set of shin guards, and a basketball. The 

Sports Equipment Set helps introduce the 

concept of team athletics and provides 

hours of interactive and interpretive roleplay. 

The set couples with Sophia’s 3-Piece 

Sports Uniform Set, which consists of a 

tank-top uniform, matching shorts, and an 

argyle-patterned skort. 

SCHLEICH 

Kids can have an epic dinosaur adventure with the Giant Volcano, from Schleich. 

This volcano has numerous play functions and features, such as breaking through the 

stones on the side of the volcano with the exclusively painted T. rex. 

The Pick Up Truck and Trailer is a vehicle for Schleich Horse Club horses. Kids can 

transport anything a horse rider needs—animals, food, transport boxes, and more in 

the truck’s large bed. The set includes a truck, a trailer, a driver, a horse carer, a horse, 

hay, feed, a saddle, and a blanket. 

After kids transport their horses with the pickup truck and trailer, they can have the 

riders practice their jumps or groom the horses at the Horse Club Riding Center. The 

riding center can also transform into an open riding arena just by moving a few parts. 

It comes with hay racks, drinking troughs, and a tack holder. 

Kids can also tend to their horses with the Schleich Horse Stable. Stables are 

where horses can be groomed, currycombed, and fed. The Horse Stable includes 

everything necessary to care for horses, including food, hayracks, and drinking 

troughs. 

Schleich’s Big Red Barn has room for all of kids’ favorite Schleich farm animals. 

With all the features of a life-size barn, this is the perfect place for cats, cows, horses, 

pigs, and more. It features a working crane to lift hay to the upper level of the barn. 

Kids can use the farmer to transport hay or climb up the ladder to stack hay in the 

upper level. 

The Big Adventure at the Watering Hole gives kids a glimpse into the life 

that flourishes at the watering holes of the savannah. From big cats to crocodiles 

to giraffes, all different kinds of animals come to the watering hole. The Schleich 

watering hole includes a waterfall, a river, and African animals, and it can be rearranged 

in numerous ways. 

All of these products are designed for kids ages 3 to 12. 

Giant Volcano 

On the Cover: Creativity, from IAmElemental’s Series 2/Wisdom line of action figures. Learn more on page 204. 


Specialty 

SCHYLLING TOYS 

Schylling Toys is now the exclusive U.S. distributor for nanoblocks and Paper nano, by Kawata Ltd. 

Japan. Nanoblocks are the original micro-sized building blocks for the builder looking for increased challenge 

and detail in their creative building. With 3-D detail, the nanoblock line has more than 100 products, 

with 25 products new to the U.S. market, including mini collectibles, Sights to See architectural 

landmarks, and an Advanced Hobby series. The line is offered at lower price points and in smaller 

case packs to improve merchandising flexibility. 

Paper nano is a unique, small-scale, highly detailed paper crafting and construction line. Paper 

nano lets builders build models of famous landmarks with laser-cut precise pieces. 

Schylling also introduces Steel Works, a construction line with real steel parts, wheels, nuts, 

and bolts, as well as all the tools builders need to create. Detailed instructions will guide kids 

through the creation of cars, trucks, hot rods, and dramatic buildings. Wheels, gears, and relays 

help them build intricate mechanical movements. 

Scentos are scented markers, pens, and pencils with wacky collectible characters in different 

colors and scents. They all come with durable tips and are easy to hold and control. The line 

includes Scentos Sugar Rush, candy-scented stationery pens and erasers, and Scentos Dough, a 

modeling compound in different colors and scents. 

Twistios are activity kits that let kids create 3-D creatures with just a few simple twists. The 

brightly colored chenille pieces are easy to twist, mold, and shape into an array of creatures. 

nanoblocks 

DOUGLAS CO. 

Douglas Co.’s Douglas Baby line will see the debut of five new Baby Gift ensembles. The Baby Gray Elephant Set includes a Plumpie, 

a Lil’ Snuggler, a Sshlumpie, a Musical Plush Toy, and Douglas’ newest fabric Bedtime Book, Little Elephant’s Blankie. The coordinating 

pieces of the Baby Elephant group are gray with yellow accents. 

Douglas’ New Blue Dog has the same five coordinating ensemble pieces in the set. He is powder 

blue with dark navy blue accents and a micro striped belly with a belly button. He comes with a 

Fun with Little Puppy book. The new additions for the Tan Dog are the Plumpie, the Lil’ Snuggler, 

and the Sshlumpie. The new additions for the Pink and Blue Bear are a Plumpie and a 

Schlumpie. The Pink and Blue Bear also share the book Goodnight Little Bears. 

Color Stripe Collection is Douglas’ latest collection of plush. Frog is lime green with a purple 

on lavender striped middle and paw pads. Cat is purple with gray accents and a purple and berry 

geometric patterned midsection. Dog is blue with navy accents and a multi-colored striped middle. 

Monkey is caramel brown with a yellow and gray tummy, paw pads, and ear lining. Elephant is all 

gray with a black and white striped belly and paw pads, and neon green ear lining. Lion is gray with a 

multi-colored striped belly and paw pads. His hair is long and slicked back. Each of these characters has embroidered 

facial features and sparkling eyes, and stands 20 inches or 11 inches when sitting. 

Douglas Co.’s Christine Clarke will design a collection of fashion accessories for older girls up to age 9. 

The Boho Collection features hues of purple, pink, turquoise, yellow-orange, and blue. The crossbody bag 

is trimmed in natural fringe, and the Sak Pak has the same fringe features. The wristlet has a similar natural 

rick rack trim on the bag’s edge. All three bags have a natural carry handle. 

The Glitz Garden Collection features a floral pattern of orange, pink, green, turquoise, and gold. 

The bags are corded in turquoise and have an orange pom-pom trim. 

The Pop Fruit Collection features a light turquoise design with tiny fruit print featuring pineapples, bananas, 

strawberries, and cherries in bright shades. Each bag features hot pink cording and large pom-pom trim. 

The Seaside Sparkle Collection features nautical navy and white designs. Each bag has a pink and silver 

Color Stripe 

Collection Elephant 


embroidered starfish and is trimmed in pink and white striped fabric.

Specialty 

LEARNING RESOURCES 

Learning Resources will add New Sprouts Puppy Play to its New Sprouts line. This 

set features a plush puppy with a collar, a doggy bed, a bowl, a bone, a brush, and a can 

of dog food. Designed for kids ages 2 and up, Puppy Play reinforces letter recognition, 

everyday vocabulary, and creative role play. 

With the Robot Mouse STEM Activity Set, kids can program their mouse 

to find the cheese. By customizing the maze with the 16 board pieces and 25 

wall tiles, kids get an introduction to the concepts of coding, programming, 

and logic. 

The Primary Science Shining Stars Projector beams images 

of space onto any surface for a close-up view of stars, planets, 

and more. The projector comes with three discs featuring eight 

images each. 

The Mental Blox P.O.V. game challenges players to complete 

3-D puzzles from different visual perspectives. Designed for players 

ages 5 and up, the set includes 15 colorful shapes and 40 puzzle cards. In this 

game, players use spatial, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. 

The colorful, realistic groceries in the A to Z Alphabet Groceries Set introduce early language skills, 

letters, and imaginative play. Each of the 26 groceries is labeled with a letter, a word, and a colorful picture. 

New Sprouts Puppy Play 

EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS 

A new telescope and circuits and science sets, from Educational Insights, introduce new ways to 

combine learning and play. The IllumiCraft set, designed for kids ages 7 and up, helps explain the 

fundamentals of electricity and circuits. With six new sets, electronic components, a guide, a designyour-own 

journal, and decorative materials, kids can create simple circuits and customize them with 

light-up crafts. 

The GeoSafari Jr. My First Telescope offers an up-close exploration of the moon for kids ages 

4 and up. The telescope has a built-in finder scope that makes it easy for kids to find the moon, and 

a 6x magnification that provides a clear view. Chunky focus knobs help with grip for little hands and 

comfortable goggles keep the child’s eyes focused on the right spot. The telescope also features 

a glow-in-the-dark illustration of the phases of the moon, a fully adjustable tripod, and folding legs for 

tabletop viewing. 

The GeoSafari Wearable Adventure Tool Wrist Band, designed for kids ages 6 and up, offers science-fueled 

fun for outdoor adventures. The wrist band features a hinged dome for collection and display, a 

rotating bezel with an analog counter to track findings, an LED light, a 5x removable magnifier, a compass, 

and a signaling mirror. The band is comfortable to wear and ideal for camping trips, hikes, bird watching, 

and even backyard exploration. 

Educational Insights expands its Dino Construction Company line of Jurassic vehicles with Turbo 

the Triceps Police SUV, Cyclone the Pteranodon Helicopter, and Blaze the Plesiosaurus Fireboat. 

Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the trio will allow kids to engage in imaginative play indoors or 

outdoors. Cyclone the Pteranodon Helicopter features rotating chopper blades, moveable wings, 

jaws that open and shut, a tail that pivots up and down, and a Dino-man action figure. 

The Hot Dots Jr. Ultimate Science Set features three illustrated non-fiction books—Dinosaurs, Sharks, and 

Space—written for kids ages 3 to 6. The books offer science trivia with 11 learning activities to help kids prepare 

for success in school. The Talking Hot Dots Pen lights up and features 17 speech and sound effects. 

GeoSafari Jr. 

My First Telescope 


Specialty 

Build Your Own Robot 

THE ORIGINAL TOY CO. 

With Build Your Own Robot, from The Original Toy Co., kids can construct two 

wooden robots for imaginative outer space play. The robots snap together for an easy 

build. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, this kit includes 12 pieces in total. 

The Hamburger Shack is a collection of six hamburgers constructed out of solid 

wood featuring a realistic hamburger bun, a burger, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. These 

burgers provide imaginative play for young chefs. 

Wooden Numbers are brightly colored, stand-up numbers that teach kids color and 

number recognition, while the wooden Ice Cream Sundae Stacker provides kids with 

imaginative ice cream play. 

La Newborn 

JC TOYS 

JC Toys will introduce the updated 

9.5-inch Mini La Newborn, featuring delicate 

knitted outfits and new face sculpts. 

Designed for kids ages 2 and up, the Mini 

La Newborn is designed for small hands. 

The 15.5-inch La Newborn Soft Body 

doll line will also get new updated designs 

this year, including new accessories. Two 

new colors—white and blue—will join the 

line of soft body dolls and blankets. 

JC Toys’ original 15-inch vinyl La 

Newborns are sculpted with lifelike detail. 

The company will add three new dolls with 

soft outfits to this line. 

The 17-inch La Newborn doll is life size 

and features realistic details in both the 

hands and feet. 

HIPFITS 

HipFits will offer 21 

different choices of minidress-styled 

charms that 

are tethered to a heartshaped 

clip. The 4-inch 

dress charms are soft to the 

touch, gel-filled, and fun to 

squeeze. They can be clipped 

to different styles of bags, 

including backpacks, purses, 

totes, and more. The collection 

encourages sharing, 

trading, and collecting. 

The company supports the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and has designed three 

special pink dress styles: Cotton Candy, Sweetheart, and Taffy. These dress charms are not 

only fun and unique, but they also provide budding and experienced fashionistas a way to 

stylishly show support for a great cause. 



ADORA 

The new Adora Baby Fairies are made to fit on any stroller or car seat. 

Made of ultra-soft microfiber plush, each has a rattle inside that will keep 

infants entertained. The crinkle material on their feet, bodies, and wings will 

create fun sounds for infants to enjoy as well. These Baby Fairies are available 

in two colors, are machine-washable, and are designed for infants of all ages. 

Adora’s new Fab Fairies are made of ultra-soft microfiber plush with 

shaped fairy faces. Now available in three colors and accented with a flower 

applique, these Adora Fairies are designed for infants of all ages. 

My 1st Adora Baby Boy has an ultra-soft squeezable body for hugging and 

toting. Designed for kids ages 1 and up, his removable clothes and magnetic 

pacifier encourage kids to nurture and role play. 

Adora’s Mixxie Pony enhances motor skills and learning. Its 11 pieces 

include interchangeable legs, a pony body, decorative leg bands, a tutu, a 

unicorn headband, and other pony accessories. Mixxie Pony is intended for 


Mixxie Pony 


Specialty 

EASTCOLIGHT 

The Galaxy Tracker 525 Smart Telescope, 

from Eastcolight, is an intelligent star-tracking 

system for real-time motion tracking and 

constellation finding. The smartphone adaptor 

allows users to capture photos and video. The 

telescope features 20mm, 10mm, and 4mm eyepieces for 105x, 

210x, and 525x magnification. 

The 66-Piece Deluxe Microscope Set with Metal Die Cast Body lets kids 

experiment with a microscope with a magnification of 200x, 600x, and 1,200x. 

The die-cast body increases viewing stability. The microscope comes with a 

pair of tweezers, two prepared slides, 10 blank slides, and other accessories. 

The Sugar, Salt, Soda, and Food Colour Combo Set provides kids 

with experiments using sugar, salt, soda, and food coloring to explore the 

fun of science with materials found in their own kitchens. 

Galaxy Tracker 525 Smart Telescope 


Reeves International’s Stablemates Deluxe Stable Set is 

a seven-stall natural wood stable with a special tack room for 

Breyer’s Stablemates horses. It includes a grey Peruvian Paso 

Fino, a red Roan pony, 12 pieces of fencing, a feed bag, a 

water trough, a hay bale, and a 5- by 7-inch sheet of stickers 

to personalize the stable. The roof lifts back for easy access 

inside. It’s designed for kids ages 4 and up. 

American Pharoah is a 1:12-scale replica of the horse 

that won the Triple Crown, becoming only the 12th horse to 

do so in 120 years. This horse comes with a saddle blanket 

and measures approximately 9 inches long and 6 inches high. 

American Pharoah is for kids ages 4 and up. 

Stablemates Deluxe Stable Set 

The Scribbles Color and Wash Pony Set includes everything 

a child needs to color and decorate Scribbles, including 

two double-sided markers. Soft and huggable, Scribbles is machine-washable, dryer-friendly, and designed for kids ages 3 and up. 

Pocket Box Dogs are realistic, handpainted, micro-mini dogs. They represent 24 different breeds and each blind bag contains a dog, a 

puppy, a sticker, and a dog bowl packed in their own mini-home. Each set includes 48 assorted pieces in a convenient counter display. The 

Pocket Box Dogs are for kids ages 4 and up. 

The Carltonlima Emma Royal Fell Pony is modeled after Carltonlima Emma, the trusted mount of Queen Elizabeth II. The Fell Pony is 

one of Britain’s most loved native breeds and is part of Breyer’s new British Breeds Collection. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of 

each model will be donated to the Fell Pony Society and Girlguiding. This toy is for kids ages 8 and up. 

Valegro Reigning Olympic, World, European, and World Cup Champion was designed in honor of Valegro and rider Charlotte 

Dujardin, the only pair in history to hold concurrent championship titles at the Olympics, World Games, European Championships, and 

World Cup. Breyer’s Valegro is shown performing an elegant pirouette, and comes with a small base. Valegro is meant for kids ages 8 and 

up. All of the above mentioned products are part of the Breyer Animal Creations line. 

Marvin’s iMagic Interactive Box of Tricks contains magical props that combine with the unique Marvin’s iMagic app to unveil smart 

magic effects. It shows augmented reality magic tricks, uses interactive props, and is designed for kids ages 8 and up. 


Specialty 

INTERNATIONAL 

PLAYTHINGS 

The Calico Critters Seaside Ice Cream 

Shop, from International Playthings, 

comes with Sandra Sandy Cat, a spinning 

ice cream scoops hideaway, a counter with 

ice cream in a variety of flavors, and more. 

The Calico Critters Hot Dog Van 

includes waffle fries, pretzels, and more. 

The tires and steering wheel rotate and 

the van features a grill and counter. 

Game Zone Crazy Café challenges 

players to pull a tablecloth without letting 

the dishes fall. Players spin and add dishes 

to the table, and when the spinner lands on 

“pull,” the player must pull the tablecloth 

off the table as quickly as possible. The first 

player who removes the tablecloth without any dishes falling wins 

the game. 

With the Aquabeads Ultimate Design Studio, kids can use 

beads to create a dolphin, a teddy bear, or a unicorn. They select 

a design template, place the layout tray over the template, and 

use the bead pen to create a design. Then, they spray it with water 

and the beads will stick together. All of the supplies can be stored 

in the portable design station. This set contains more than 1,200 

beads, the portable design station, a deluxe bead pen, and more. 

Aquabeads Beginners Studio has more than 800 jewel and 

classic beads and lets kids play and create with different design 

templates. 

Quercetti Mona Lisa Pixel Art lets kids create the next great 

masterpiece. The set includes 10,800 pixels in six colors, a frame, 

and more. This art kit is designed for kids ages 9 and up. 

SmartLab Bing Bang Bounce Action Reaction 

Challenge helps kids learn about trajectories, angles, force, 

and momentum. They can transform five launchers and 

targets into an obstacle course. This set is for ages 8 and up. 

The SmartLab Crash Test Lab turns crashing into a 

science lesson. The dummy’s electronic sensors respond to 

impact. Kids can create different crash scenarios and test the 

results. This set is intended for kids ages 8 and up. 

Designed for kids ages 3 and up, Imaginetics Fun at the 

Stables is a magnetic play set that lets kids take care of horses 

with the included play board and magnet sheet. 

Imaginetics My Train Station is a magnetic play set that allows 

kids to play with the magnetic trains in the trainyard with the 

included play board and magnet sheet. It is intended for kids ages 

3 and up. 

AEROMAX 

Kids can slip into Aeromax’s Robotic Engineer Shirt 

and design something great. The lightweight top is 

easy for kids to put on by themselves, and features a 

hook and loop closure. Parents can print out the child’s 

name and place it in the clear pocket for a personalized 

touch. The shirt has graphics on the front, back, and 

sleeves. It fits most kids ages 3 to 6. 

The Robot Helmet is a great pairing for the 

Robotic Engineer Shirt. It has a moving visor and 

features an exposed gear graphic on the back. It fits 

most kids ages 1 to 10. 

The Rocket Scientist Lab Coat is ready for lift 

off and will help future scientists look the part. This 

NASA-inspired white lab coat is made of a highquality 

polyester/cotton blend. “Rocket Scientist” is 

embroidered in all caps above the pocket on the left 

side, and a colorful NASA patch is stitched on the right 

side. It comes in sizes 4 to 6, 6 to 8, and 8 to 10. 

Aeromax’s STEM Lab Coat is perfect for budding 

scientists in every area of expertise. It’s a threequarter-length 

lab coat with two roomy pockets and 

comes in both child and adult sizes. 

The Flight Jacket is lightweight and has sewn 

patches, pencil pockets, and a zipper. It is available 

in youth sizes small and large, and adult sizes small 

through XXL. 

The Tangle Free Toy Parachute is now available in 

a flashing, light-up version. It has no strings to tangle 

and doesn’t require assembly. It comes in red, blue, 

and green, and is suitable for kids ages 3 and up. 

Sky Scrapers Silver 

Streak Edition is 

able to leap 

a 10-story 

building with 

the pull of a 

string. It soars 

more than 100 

feet without 

batteries. Kids 

simply pull the string and 

watch it fly through the 

sky. Each packet includes 

a launcher and three 

flying discs. 

Robotic Engineer Shirt 



THAMES & KOSMOS 

Happy Atoms, from Thames & Kosmos, is a physical and digital kit that lets kids 

discover the world of molecules in an intuitive, hands-on way. Using a set of 52 atom 

models representing 16 different elements, kids can stick the atoms together with magnets 

and the rubbery arms to assemble their own molecular models. They can then snap a 

picture with the included iPad app, which uses image-recognition technology to identify 

the molecule, then shares detailed information about more than 120 of the most important 

molecules, such as the usage, properties, hazards, formula, and structure. Designed for kids 

ages 8 and up, Happy Atoms will officially launch with an Indiegogo campaign this year. 

Code Gamer is a kit that gives kids a step-by-step introduction to programming. 

Using the gamepad and the four interchangeable sensor modules, kids can play through a 

video game app on their tablets. In each level of the game, they learn a piece of Arduino programming 

language, use it to solve puzzles and challenges, and progress in the game. 

The Geckobot is a wall-climbing robot that has a motorized air suction system that enables it to walk vertically up and down perfectly smooth 

surfaces, such as glass, plastic, whiteboards, and glossy laminates. The battery-powered motor drives an innovative gear system that produces a 

rotating motion making the legs move back and forth and up and down, mimicking a real gecko—two of the feet are touching the wall while the 

other two feet are lifted off of the wall, in an alternating motion. When the Geckobot’s tongue hits an object in front of it, it triggers the motor to go 

in reverse, thus causing the model to walk back down the wall. Kids can build six other models and conduct experiments with suction to learn about 

air pressure and the mechanical physics of this unique device. They can also build models of an industrial robotic arm with vacuum suction cup grippers, 

a car with suction cup wheels, an octopus with suction cup arms, a crawling insect, a window cleaning robot, and a vacuum holder device. 


Specialty 

SMARTLAB TOYS 

SmartLab Toys will launch new science kits, 

games, and gadgets to make science interactive and 

fun for kids. 

The Ultimate Secret Formula Lab is designed 

for kids ages 8 and up and includes a 32-page lab 

book with instructions for conducting more than 40 

experiments that teach chemistry, fluid dynamics, and 

pressure. Kids can learn about crystal critters or a CO 2 

detector using the lab. 

The Sew Science: Cuddly Critters & GloBots 

is a do-it-yourself electronics kit designed for kids ages 8 and up. The kit contains LED 

lights, batteries, and conductive thread to construct a light-up felt plushies circuit. Kids can 

choose to create a family of robots or forest friends that light up when they hold hands. 

The Smart Circuits Games & Gadgets Lab, designed for kids ages 8 and up, lets kids 

explore unlimited electronic projects. Kids can use 10 smart modules and a 48-page lab 

book to learn about electronics, light, and sound, and create working games. 

HABA 

In Haba’s Karuba, the treasure hunters have reached the island of Karuba and can go on 

the hunt for hidden treasures. Players try to lead their expedition team along the smartest 

route through the jungle trails. They must pay attention to the other players and keep an eye 

out for gold and crystals along the way. This puzzle game is designed for two to four players 


Cubes Puzzle Garden Animals are little printed cubes that combine into the frame to 

form one of six cute animals: a beetle, a frog, a bird, a fish, a hedgehog, and a mouse. The 

Cubes Puzzle is meant for children ages 2 and up. 

The Pegging Game Bobble Caterpillar is a puzzle that fosters color recognition and 

fine motor skills. The shape and length of the caterpillar change depending on how the 

nine pieces are put together. This puzzle is designed for kids ages 2 and up. 

In Tambuzi, in the oppressive heat of the savanna, animals are performing a rain 

dance for the weather god Tambuzi. Suddenly, a thunderstorm starts gathering and 

players must take cover, but not everyone can find a spot. When the sound stops with a 

sizzling lightning bolt, the animal without a hut is eliminated. The goal is to avoid being 

struck by a lightning bolt and have the most points at the end. This lightning fast game is 

intended for two to four players ages 6 and up. 

Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the Ball Track 

Bathing Bliss Water Course makes bathtime fun. The 

water ball with rattling integrated balls zips around 

the spiral curve, plops into the seesaw bucket, and 

tumbles out on the other side. Children can determine 

the ball‘s course themselves, as the water track 

elements can be rearranged. 

The Sand Monster Mold Set lets children create 

sand monsters with individual, detailed molds. This 

toy is intended for kids ages 3 and up.


GREEN TOYS 

Kids can whip up a batch of pretend sweet treats with the Green Toys Cupcake 

Set. Little bakers can practice colors and counting, develop fine motor skills, and 

host make-believe parties for their stuffed animals and friends. This 16-piece mixand-match 

set meets FDA food contact standards and includes frosting, cakes, and 

cupcake liners for five complete cupcakes, plus a cake stand display. 

Fun and learning fit together with Green Toys Puzzles. The colorful Dump Truck, 

Garden, and Tea Time puzzles are designed for toddlers developing fine motor skills and 

hand-eye coordination. These durable, four-piece sets feature easy-to-hold, 3-D pieces 

that encourage imagination and pretend play. Children can easily identify the shapes of the 

pieces, building cooperative play and communication skills as they ask for a wheel, a cupcake, 

or a flower to complete their masterpiece. 

Rescue Boat & Helicopter 

The Green Toys Rescue Boat & Helicopter is a two-in-one toy kids can play with on land or in water, with a bright yellow helicopter nestled 

on the back deck of the red and white rescue boat. The set also includes two characters—Captain Duck and Pilot Bear. 

The Green Toys Character Pack features a yellow Captain Duck, orange Pilot Bear, green Construction Dog, and blue Conductor Bear 

that fit with any Green Toys vehicles that include a character. 

All of these Green Toys products will be available this spring, and are made in the U.S. from 100-percent recycled plastic with no BPA, 

phthalates, or PVC. They are dishwasher-safe and packaged with recycled and recyclable materials printed with soy inks. 


y RICHARD C. LEVY, president, Richard C. Levy & Associates, LLC 

LIFE’S A PITCH, AND 

nowhere does a pitch need 

more energy than when 

presenting new product 

opportunities. The pitch 

not only has to be powerful, 

but it also needs Post-Pitch 

Propulsion: the ability to survive 

after you have departed. 

The pitch must be honest, though a little 

BS is OK—after all, it takes fertilizer to make 

a garden grow. People in this industry understand 

showmanship, embellishment, and 

passion, but seasoned executives have BS 

meters, and they will let you know if you start 

to pin the needle. Remember: This is a business, 

and a lot rides on decisions, so tell the 

truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 

truth. Integrity only has one level. 

If you think you are avoiding a problem 

that might be a deal-breaker by hiding or 

fudging a flaw or quirk in your concept’s origin, 

ownership, technology, or performance, 

you are wrong. If you’re not honest up front, 

you’re asking for trouble down the line when 

the hidden issue arises, which it surely will. 

Presenting new playthings in the current 

atmosphere of economic despondency, 

risk-averse manufacturers, and a fragmented 

retail marketplace takes more than creative 

talent and innovation. When pitching, you 

should command the attention of everyone 

within your cry and gaze. If you do, distractions 

and interruptions will be ignored, and 

your audience’s eyes will not glaze over with 

ennui. How do you accomplish this? Here are 

some pointers: 

1 

Try for face-to-face presentation. Products 

are best demonstrated in person by 

LIFE’S A 

PITCH 

TIPS FOR PITCHING A NEW PRODUCT 

their inventors, rather than by agents. This 

way, you can quickly answer questions and 

avoid any potential de-railings. 

2 Pitch to senior executives, if possible. 

Lots of people can say “no,” but only a few 

can say “yes.” 

3 If you do not have a relationship with the 

executives, begin with a short brief on your 

most recent and significant accomplishments 

and any other personal morsels that help establish 

your credibility. 

4 Include objective information about your 

concept. For example, show off results of a 

patent search, focus group testing, and/or 

competitive product data. 

5 Demonstrate a “looks like, works like” 

prototype. Do not assume people can imagine 

anything, because most of the time, they 

can’t. Prove your product’s value by showing 

it off firsthand. Keep in mind, perception is 

product. 

6 Take nothing for granted. The worst 

thing that can happen is an executive’s inability 

to use and/or explain your product after 

you depart. Leave behind written and/or 

visual instructions. You need a well-informed 

internal champion if the item stands a chance 

of surviving exposure to multiple committees. 

7 Be specific, and detail your item’s 

unique features and advantages over existing 

products. Don’t forget to also define its appeal 

and its target consumer. 

8 Suggest trademarks and share any patent 

search results. Intellectual property is 

important. 

9 Pitching isn’t enough, so pitch in, too. 

With personnel cutbacks and increased workloads, 

the more you can offer to support the 

development of your concept, the better. 

Plus, if there is an issue, you can hopefully 

resolve it before things get out of control. It 

is better to be proactive than reactive. 

10 Always have a call to action at the end 

of a presentation. Make sure everyone knows 

what happens next, who is to do what, and 

when things need to happen. It’s also important 

to know when to wrap things up. Many 

inventors suffer from “sellitus” and do not 

know when to get off the stage. 

If you have more than one prototype, 

consider a “multiple submission,” as in pitching 

your product to more than one licensee 

at the same time. There are no set rules for 

this practice, and the decision is made easier 

if you have intellectual property protection. 

However, if you do opt for a multiple presentation, 

don’t keep it a secret. 

If you are asked to hold off further presentations 

until a company has a chance to 

review your item in more detail, set guidelines. 

In all fairness, some products require 

more time to be fully vetted than others. 

If the company asks for an unreasonable 

amount of time, seek an option payment. 

Time and earnest money are negotiable. 

Lastly, always remember that new ideas 

are fragile. As ad man Charlie Brower puts it, 

“A new idea is delicate. It can be killed by a 

sneer or a yawn; it can be stabbed to death 

by a quip and worried to death by a frown on 

the right person’s brow.” » 

Richard C. Levy specializes in 

collaborative invention, product 

development, and licensing. A 38- 

year industry veteran, his licensed 

products include one of the bestknown 

and successful toys of all 

time, Furby (Hasbro). Along with 

Ron Weingartner, Levy co-authored Toy and Game 

Inventor’s Handbook. 


Infant & 

Preschool 

Black + Decker 

Power Tool Workshop 

JAKKS PACIFIC 

The Black + Decker Power 

Tool Workshop, from Jakks Pacific, 

is an all-in-one workbench 

that includes a battery-operated 

drill press, a miter saw, and a 

bendable flashlight. Kids can use 

the 75 included tools and 

accessories to build their 

own tool caddy. The set is 


From the PBS show Daniel 

Tiger’s Neighborhood comes 

the Deluxe Electronic Trolley. 

Designed for kids ages 3 and 

up, the trolley is motorized, has 

lights and sounds, and features 

two songs from the series and 

12 character phrases. It also includes two figures, accessories, 

storage space, and a handle for on-the-go fun. 

The Disney Princess Belle Musical Tea Party Cart features 

a tea cart kids can push along as it plays “Be Our Guest” from 

Beauty and the Beast. The car includes a teapot with a lid, two 

tea cups, two spoons, and invitations for a magical tea party. 

AULDEY 

TOYS 

Designed for kids 

ages 3 and up, the 

Super Wings World 

Airport Playset is 

a 35-inch scale play 

set with electronic 

sounds and lights 

that allow kids 

to recreate their 

favorite Super 

Wings scenes with 

mini-transforming 

characters Jett and 

Donnie. Kids can 

attach them to the 

fly-around balance 

bar and spin them 

to circle the World 

Super Wings World Airport Playset 

Airport before landing, and load Jett into the elevator and lift him 

up to the Control Tower. Kids can also flip open the base compartments 

to reveal a rotating luggage carousel and a cargo scale, and 

press buttons to hear commands from the Control Tower. 

The Super Wings Pack ‘n Go Playset is a full-featured New 

York-themed play set with ramps, lifts, and turnstiles. Kids can take 

the mini transforming Jerome figure to explore the sights, including 

the Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Jerome transforms 

from plane to bot-mode in three steps and the play set folds into a 

take-along package with a carrying handle. 

On the Night You Were Born 

DEMDACO 

DEMDACO will introduce an exclusive collection of gift products inspired by The 

New York Times bestseller On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman, which 

imagines the world standing still to take note of a baby’s birth. The line features 

baby room décor and toys that capture the book’s spirit and the “You are loved!” 

message. The collection features plush toys, a soft storybook, and keepsakes, including 

frames, figurines, a growth chart, and a musical water globe. 

Posh & Precious features a fashion-trending houndstooth pattern and upscale, 

modern styling in plush gift sets. The modern design combined with classic pinks and 

blues is targeted toward young, contemporary audiences. 

The Light Up Musical Turtle lights up and projects colored lights while playing 

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Braham’s Lullaby.” Press the dome to turn it on, 

off, and switch between songs. It also features an auto shut-off. 


Infant & 

Preschool 

THE BRIDGE DIRECT 

The Bridge Direct brings back The Fisher-Price Classics Village 

Playset, which offers kid-powered play based on familiar 

destinations around town, such as the fire station, post office, 

and café. Features include sliding doors, a ringing siren, a rolling 

fire truck, and multiple figures. 

The Fisher-Price Classic Tap ’n Turn Workbench engages 

kids as they learn about colors and shapes while practicing their 

hand-eye coordination. Kids can use the included hammer to 

pound down the six colorful pegs, then flip the workbench over 

and hammer them down again from the other side. 

Both Fisher-Price Classics items are designed for kids ages 2 

and up. 

PLAYMONSTER 

The OK to Wake! Owl, from PlayMonster (formerly 

Patch), is a huggable sleep buddy. The owl acts as a nightlight 

and emits a soft glow that changes color to let kids 

know when it’s time to get out of bed. The 6-inch owl also 

speaks to children and plays soothing lullabies. 

Mirari Glow to Sleep helps babies establish a circadian 

rhythm and sleep routine. The 

music and sounds are meant 

to help a baby adapt to a 

24-hour cycle, and it can be 

customized with songs, stories, 

and messages using 

a Bluetooth compatible 

device or SD card. The 

gentle LED lights help 

soothe babies, but can 

also be turned off to 

create a dark room. 

Fisher-Price Tap ‘n Turn 

Workbench 

INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS 

The Earlyears Baby Bowler gives kids ages 6 months to 2 years an introduction to 

bowling. It includes three reversible pins and a ball made of colorful, machine-washable 

fabric. The fronts of the pins are brightly colored frogs, chicks, and bunnies, while the 

backs feature pandas, penguins, and puppies. 

The Earlyears Pop Up Puppy Ball Pit includes colorful balls that makes a cozy, 

fun place for babies to play and explore. The puppy pops out of a nylon travel 

bag and is fast and easy to set up. Adults can insert four foam posts into the side 

pockets and place the 10 balls into the pit for playtime. The ball pit is designed 

for kids ages 1 month to 2 years. 

Quercetti Migoga Junior is a child’s first marble run. The large, chunky marbles 

are easy to set up and kids can play with a marble track made especially for 

them. The marbles are 1.5 inches in diameter and some make a rattling noise. The 

set is designed for kids ages 18 to 21 months. 

Shape Sorter Truck 

The Viking Toys Cement Truck measures 10 inches and includes one figure. The Cement Truck is designed 

for kids ages 1 and up. The Shape Sorter Truck has a shape sorter so kids can match four different shapes into the correct 

spaces. It’s designed for kids ages 1 and up. 

The Kidoozie Counting Pogo Jumper counts every jump digitally while making fun squeaking noises. The Pogo Jumper supports 

up to 250 pounds and its stretchy bungee fits any height. This pogo is designed for kids ages 3 and up. The Kidoozie King Size Medieval 

Castle includes a carry case and assembly instructions. 



Better Builders Grippies 

GUIDECRAFT 

Better Builders Grippies, from Guidecraft, 

combines tactile exploration, magnetic play, 

and an introduction to the basic principles of 

engineering and geometry. Grippies’ magnetic 

rod and ball configuration provide a 

secure, easy set of construction options. The 

20-piece set features four soft matte textures 

in bright colors, and is suggested for kids 

ages 18 months and older. 

LEGO 

New to Lego’s Duplo line of building toys for toddlers is the 28-piece Tow 

Truck, designed for kids ages 2 and up. Kids can hook up broken down cars to 

the tow truck, take them to the garage, and help repair them. Kids can place the 

car on the turntable and use the wrench, fuel, and other accessories to get it in 

tip-top shape. 

Designed for kids ages 18 months and up, My First Caterpillar features 19 

colorful Duplo bricks and building cards that let kids change the caterpillar into 

a butterfly. Kids can use the special decorated bricks to count an apple, two carrots, 

and three flowers, enhancing their counting skills as they play. 

Kids can make their way through the Lost 

Temple to recover the Sword of Fire with 

My First Caterpillar 

Lloyd in the Lego Juniors Ninjago Lost 

Temple set, designed for kids ages 4 

and up. This 172-piece set features lava, 

saw blades, and a swinging axe. 


Infant & 

Preschool 

Spin & Sway Teddy 


Tolo Baby is a part of Tolo’s new nursery and gift collection for infants from Reeves. Shake 

Rattle and Roll uses sound, movement, and color to provide visual and auditory stimulation for 

babies. It squeaks, and shaking sends candy-colored beads cascading through. 

Shake Rattle and Roll is designed for babies 3 months and up. The Twist and 

Turn Rattle is a lightweight, easy-grip rattle that is textured and intended for 

teething. The rattle is for ages 3 months and up. Stacking Activity Shapes is a 

stacker that is four toys in one. The large cube has a spinning color wheel inside, 

the hexagon contains a ball, the triangle has colored beads and safety mirrors, 

and the ball on top is a squeaker. Each can be enjoyed separately or stacked to 

create a tower. 

Reeves’ Tolo line also introduces Spin and Sway Teddy. This bear in a boat provides 

baby with rolling, spinning, rocking fun. Pop Up Chickens are chicken characters 

with squeaky feet. Babies can push down on the body and the head pops up, or they can 

push down on the tail and a chick pops out. My First Scales includes six colored shapes all combining 

different rattle sounds. The eyes close when the scales are off balance. It features mirrored surfaces 

and encourages an understanding of balance and weight. Reeves’ Wow line includes Fireboat Felix, a fire rescue boat suitable 

for play in the bathtub. Babies can squeeze the turtle button to squirt water from the four jets on the side. It includes a fire rescue boat 

and a firefighter figure. Mary’s Day Out is a push-along horse and cart that makes a clippety-clop sound. The horse detaches from the 

cart and the figure can ride it. It includes a horse, a cart, a farm girl figure, and a lamb. Richie Race Car is a friction-powered race car 

with realistic engine sounds. It includes a racing car, a driver figure, and a racing barrier with a go/stop sign. 

The Tonka Die-Cast Hitch ‘Em Up Assortment lets kids tow and haul like a pro. These free-wheeling 4x4 vehicles feature a tow-behind 

trailer to carry another vehicle. Vehicles are 1:55 in scale. Choose from eight styles: Pickup and Horse Trailer, Pickup and Motorcycles, 

Pickup and ATV, Pickup and Boat, 4x4 and Horse Trailer, 4x4 and Motorcycles, 4x4 and ATV, and 4x4 and Boat. 

TOMY 

TOMY’s Lamaze infant toys promote together-time with parents and offer activities that encourage babies to learn and explore on 

their own. New to the Lamaze line this year is the Mix & Match Caterpillar, featuring eight different stuffed plush segments. Kids can 

match the Velcro colors to arrange it in the correct order or rearrange it in any order. Designed for kids ages 6 months and up, the segments 

feature a chime ball, a squeaker, a rattle, and crinkles. Kids can help Flip Flap find his fire in this soft discovery book in Lamaze’s 

Flip Flap Dragon Soft Book. Colors, textures, and crinkle awaken baby’s senses. 

The Monster Treads 2X Scoop Tractor joins TOMY’s line of John Deere toys. Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the monster-sized 

tractor features oversized tires and suspension, as well as a heavy-duty lever that controls the front and rear loaders. The John Deere 

Battery Operated 6V Gator is equipped with two removable water bazookas, lights, sounds, and an MP3 player. Designed for kids 

ages 3 and up, this off-road Gator is ready for any adventure. The John Deere 7-inch Plush Johnny Tractor & Friends assortment 

includes plush versions of Johnny Tractor, Correy Combine, and Callie Gator. Designed for kids ages 18 months and up, the plush feature 

lenticular eyes plus detailed stitching and graphics. The pieces connect together for pull-along play. 

TOMY’s Gear Force Horsepower is a line of stylized vehicles that take preschool vehicle play to a new level with figures, lights, 

sounds, and accessory play. The Police Mustang is ready to stop crime with its engine 

mods, rear spoiler, and fugitive gripple claw. Complete with lights, sounds, and firing 

missiles, this Mustang includes a police hero figure and his trusty companion. The 

Camaro SS features tons of removable racing accessories, including 

a drag bar, a spoiler, and a modified engine. It features lights and 

sounds. The Horsepower Ford Raptor features tons of accessories 

that can be recognized once attached. Other features include lights, 

sounds, and a working winch and tow arm. This vehicle includes a 

Mix & Match Caterpillar 

hero and a buddy. 



RUBBA 

DUCKS 

Building on its core line 

of themed Rubba Ducks 

collectibles, the Get 

Lucky Blind Bag Program, 

from Rubba Ducks, 

gives kids the opportunity 

to test their luck. Each 

small bag or foil box contains 

a 2-inch Rubba Duck key chain inside, and kids won’t know 

which one they have until they open the package. If a bonus 

Lucky Duck is in the bag, the winner can go to the Rubba 

Ducks website to enter a code and win a prize. 

HEXBUG 

Hexbug’s new Nano Junior line allows kids as young as 18 

months to play with robotic bugs. The line features a macro-sized 

version of the Hexbug Nano designed 

with toddlers in mind. Featuring 12 

legs and a soft body style, this 

robotic creature will get toddlers 

up and crawling as it scurries 

around using Hexbug’s vibration 

technology. 

The Hexbug Cuddlebot Honey 

Bee and Fire Fly are soft, round 

playmates that scurry around using 

Hexbug’s vibration technology. 

Hexbug Cuddlebot Honey Bee 

SPIN MASTER 

Spin Master expands its Paw Patrol line with a jungle-themed play set. The Jungle Headquarters Playset transforms from a Monkey 

Temple into a Jungle Headquarters for Ryder and the pups as they travel through the jungle. It features lights, sounds, trap doors, control 

panels, slides, an elevator, and more. The play set comes with the new pup Tracker and his jungle cruiser. 

The Air Rescue Pups figures sport their new Air Rescue flight packs and uniforms. Each pup comes with a new pack with flying gear 

and kids can transform their backpacks to flight packs with a press of their badges. Kids can take their missions outside with the Air 

Patroller, the mobile headquarters for the Air Rescue pups. It transforms from helicopter mode with rotating engines to jet mode to 

launch the pups to their next destination. 

The Ionix Jr. Paw Patroller lets kids build the Paw Patrol headquarters-on-wheels with 38 bricks, a cab with storage, a trailer, and a 

Robo Dog. Farmer Al’s Roll Patrol Starter Set comes with an exclusive Farmer Al Rescue Racer, a barn with a transformation feature, 

a Rocky mini figure, and a track. The Roll Patrol Rescue Train Set is an exclusive motorized Train Rescue Racer that transports Rescue 

Racers around the track. This train set also comes with a station platform to board the train, a tunnel that transforms, a Rubble mini figure, 

and the track. The Roll Patrol Deluxe Lookout Tower Playset comes with a Lookout Tower that spins and launches exclusive Rubble 

and Ryder Rescue Racers into action. The Lookout Tower Playset also includes Chase and 

Marshall mini figures, and the tracks link together with Farmer Al’s Starter Set and the Train 

Ionix Jr. Paw Patroller 

Rescue Set to create the world of Roll Patrol. 

The Charmhouse Playset includes a 3-inch figure, four rooms with a fliptop 

cauldron, a working swing, and a swivel staircase. The figure can also fly 

around the Charmhouse on her magic cloud. 


THEY ARE WOMEN, 

HEAR THEM ROAR 

Women in Toys, Licensing, and Entertainment Celebrates Growth, Success, and 25 Years 

by GENNA ROSENBERG, vice chair, WIT Executive Committee, principal at GennComm 

TWO WOMEN IN THE TOY INDUSTRY 

walk into a restaurant... 

What may seem like the start of a joke 

is anything but. It’s the beginning to how 

one of the most popular, influential, and 

successful women’s organizations in the toy 

industry was created. 

Years ago, groups of women would get 

together for dinner and networking. While 

there were women in the toy business 

in various positions in the industry, there 

weren’t many opportunities to network, 

exchange ideas, and learn from each other. 

After years of informal dinners and chats, 

Susan Matsumoto and her “founder in 

crime” Anne Pitrone decided to formalize the 

get-togethers, and in 1991 Women in Toys 

(WIT) was born. 

Much like rearing a young child, those 

early days were exciting and exhausting, 

but well worth it. “In the beginning, there 

was such a feeling of camaraderie and 

power, when all these women from different 

segments of the business and country got 

together,” explains Matsumoto. “The more 

we met, the more we wanted to meet again, 

and women started bringing others. It was 

really an exciting time.” 

As WIT continued to grow, the proverbial 

village took over. Women from all over the 

country got involved and created national 

chapters and committees, addressing issues 

affecting women in the industry ranging from 

empowerment to corporate development, 

research, scholarships, and much more. Over 

time, the group expanded even further, 

adding international chapters and giving 

women from all corners of the world the 

opportunity to achieve professional success. 

If you’re a parent, you know the old 

saying: “You turn your back one day and your 

child is all grown up.” As Women in Toys hits 

the quarter century mark, it is clear just how 

much this group has grown. 

Companies of all sizes and all aspects of 

the industry have taken notice. Membership 

is as high as it has ever been. Each year, 

companies such as Mattel, Hasbro, Disney, 

Nickelodeon, Bandai, Wicked Cool Toys, 

and many others pledge their support in 

numerous and various ways. The Women in 

Toys Wonder Woman Awards—the prestigious 

awards gala that recognizes leaders, 

pioneers, innovators, and shining stars in the 

industry—has become a must-attend event 

during North American International Toy Fair 

in New York City. 

With an eye on the future, the women 

WIT's board members toast at the 2015 Wonder Women Awards Gala 

WIT Founders Anne Pitrone and Susan Matsumoto 

guiding the WIT ship have a clear course for 

success. WIT recently announced the hiring of 

Mary Kay Russell as executive director. With 

WIT’s tremendous growth over the past 25 

years, the position was created to help WIT 

achieve its mission, manage day-to-day operations 

of its committees and volunteers, and 

provide guidance on infrastructure growth for 

WIT’s future. 

There’s also a new executive committee 

on board, which includes some of the industry’s 

most accomplished leaders: Chair Ashley 

Mady, president at Brandberry; Vice-Chair 

Genna Rosenberg, principal at GennComm; 

Second Vice Chair Nancy Zwiers, CMO at 

Spin Master; Secretary Deb de Sherbinin, 

founder/CEO at KidSmart; and Treasurer 

Shannon Gray, global director of operations 

and logistics at WABA Fun. 

“Each year, we’re surpassing goals, and 

I’m beyond proud of everything this group 

has been able to do together,” says Ashley 

Mady, WIT president since 2014. “Our growth 

is really a testament to the commitment of 

these women over the past few decades.” 

It’s not over-reaching to express just how 

influential Women in Toys has become. As 

Matsumoto explains, “One of my proudest 

accomplishments was working with Anne 

Pitrone in founding Women in Toys. The 

talent and efforts of all the women who 

have expanded this organization have been 

remarkable, and I’m grateful that they took 

that kernel of an idea and grew it to be the 

outstanding organization it is now.” » 


OUTSIDE THE BOX 

FROM THE INSIGHT OUT: 

PACKAGE DESIGN LIKE 

NO OTHER 

by TED MININNI, president and director, Design Force Inc. 

DESIGN ADDS SUBSTANTIAL VALUE AND 

equity to consumer products brands. While 

that’s true, I’m the first to admit that it all 

depends on how well-conceived and realized 

the design solution is for each brand. Not 

every one is a resounding success at retail, 

likely because the product or package 

design is not optimal, rendering it invisible 

to consumers, or the brand is not well-marketed. 

Yet, many smaller brands have limited 

marketing budgets and still do well at retail, 

which brings us back to the importance of 

product and package design. 

As a result of fast-changing market 

conditions and restless consumers who 

are always eager for something new and 

exciting, design experts and brand marketers 

are endlessly looking at the manner in which 

they conduct research and tap into every 

new technological tool. Many are talking 

about their proprietary methodologies in 

approaching the design process. These ideas 

may have some merit, but the bottom line is 

that the most effective design solutions aren’t 

uniquely focused on the new and exciting, 

but rather on delivering emotionally satisfying 

experiences. We can only achieve that if 

we truly understand consumers. 

NO SHORT CUTS 

A true understanding of consumers 

comes from years of learning in the 

trenches, experience, and intuition. 

There’s no substitute for these assets. It 

also comes from honing in on specific 

industries and design disciplines in a deep 

and meaningful manner. All this directly 

leads to an understanding of how to 

research and discern what matters most 

in the divulged information. This level of 

expertise leads to insights that change the 

way we look at things because we begin 

to see things as the consumer does, leading 

to flashes of invaluable insights. These 

are the assets that, when taken together, 

lead to design solutions that add tremendous 

value for brands. 

DESIGNING FROM THE 

INSIGHT OUT 

Henry David Thoreau once said, “It’s 

not what you look at that matters, it’s what 

you see.” The consumer for whom a product 

and package is designed is the most important 

consideration. Not only do we need to 

see what they see, but we also need to feel 

what they’re feeling and respond to the most 

human of elements that drives them as people. 

Knowing the brand and its audience— 

and how to align the attributes of the former 

with the desires and emotional needs of the 

latter—translates to being able to deliver 

optimal design solutions. This deeper understanding 

enables design teams to create a 

visual expression of the brand that speaks to 

the consumers’ core desires and satisfies their 

emotional needs. 

While product design matters a great 

deal, the first thing consumers see is packaging. 

In essence, the package is the product 

when consumers approach the retail shelf. 

When brand owners put substantial effort and 

financial resources into the design of their 

products, but then rush the package design 

process or underfund it before going to market, 

they dramatically short-change the odds 

of being successful. 

If packaging doesn’t set the stage for a 

meaningful experience between the consumer 

and the brand, the brand itself utterly fails. 

The most important contribution of package 

design is strengthening the consumer’s ties to 

the brand, because it offers emotional benefits 

that competing product brands do not. 

Packaging that becomes a part of the 

product is desirable, not only because of 

its increased functionality, but also because 

it continues to leverage consumers’ emotional 

satisfaction with the brand with each 

interaction. It is also the utmost expression 

of sustainability. Toy packaging is a great 

example. When it is used over and over again 

to store toys, we have achieved the ultimate 

in functionality, as product and packaging 

become one. 

The Fisher-Price Imaginext brand does a 

masterful job in this regard. The Imaginext 

Ultra T-Rex was one of the top 15 holiday 


OUTSIDE THE BOX 

toys at Toys “R” Us. A product image is on 

the package, superimposed over a primordial 

landscape, clearly appealing to the dino-loving 

demographic, ranging from toddlers to 

early tweens. Verbal brand communication 

matters to the product’s success, with claims 

that the T. rex “walks and stomps” and 

“stands and roars.” Kids are invited to lift the 

fifth panel so that they can see T. rex stand at 

its full height of 2.5 feet. With LED-lit eyes, 

spikes, and a chest that shoots boulders 

as projectiles, this T. rex has all the special 

effects that delight kids. 

The packaging is highly functional 

because it suggests that it should be 

retained and used to store the Ultra T-Rex 

and its small parts. But the ultimate value 

of this packaging lies in the depiction of 

the toy and its “special effects,” which 

feed the story in children’s minds and 

suggest new possibilities each time 

kids take the toy out to play. 

LICENSE, BUT 

DON’T LOSE THE BRAND 

IN THE PROCESS 

Licensing a brand is not a small 

undertaking and it demands a great 

deal of expertise. While many property 

owners dream about licensing, 

many licensed brands minimize their 

chances of being successful without 

putting style guides for its licensing 

program and package design system 

in place. If these assets don’t exist, 

or if they are not expertly designed, 

licensed products have a high likelihood 

of failure. Even if they don’t 

fail, they will never maximize their 

potential because the core brand 

isn’t fully leveraged at retail. 

OYO Sports has been successfully 

licensing highly authentic products 

for the National Football League 

(NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), 

National Hockey League (NHL), Major League 

Soccer (MLS), and National Collegiate 

Athletic Association (NCAA) since 2011. But 

because each league, and each team within 

these leagues, has its own packaging requirements, 

the licensed brand had no visual 

cohesiveness or consistent representation at 

retail. 

When we began to refresh their licensed 

product packaging program, our primary 

goal was to create a single, common look for 

all OYO Sports packaging—one that would 

accommodate each league and its teams 

while also emphasizing OYO Sports in a 

consistent manner. It was important to create 

a new package design system to reflect OYO 

Sports’ brand values as well as selective 

visual and verbal cues that meant the most 

to sports fans. We knew that would establish 

incredible value and equity for OYO Sports as 

the brand began to consolidate its power in 

the marketplace. 

The company recently released its redesigned 

NHL packaging 

via its new hockey rink sets to acclaim from 

kids and hockey players alike. The authentic 

and realistic details of the new rink sets 

presented in new packaging for the 30 NHL 

franchises resonate with fans. They capture 

the excitement of the sport and the genuine 

appeal of its great star players. New 

York Islanders winger Kyle Okposo made 

an appearance at the NHL store in Manhattan 

in mid-November when the products 

launched, signing autographs and engaging 

kids in hockey games. There was a “thumbs 

up” from everyone who built the rinks and 

participated. 

There’s nothing more gratifying than 

leveraging the licensed brand on packaging 

by hitting the sweet spot with sports fans. It 

comes from knowing and understanding each 

sport intimately, and years of working with licensed 

consumer products for sports brands. 

It comes from being fans ourselves: what 

thrills us thrills the audience for each sport. 

As OYO Sports rolls out products for its 

other licensed sports brands in the new package 

design system, it will give full expression 

to the values of each league and its teams, as 

well as those of OYO Sports. By leveraging 

emotive visual brand communication that 

fans of various sports leagues and teams 

respond to, and by using selective verbal 

communication, we are confident that the refreshed 

licensed product packaging program 

hits the mark. More importantly, it gives the 

OYO Sports brand a competitive 

advantage, making 

an impact that will ensure 

the creation of legions of 

dedicated, loyal fans. 

THE BEST PART OF 

INSIGHT OUT 

PACKAGE DESIGN 

Teams of designers have 

the power to create meaningful, 

enduring relationships 

that have a lasting impact 

between brands and consumers. 

We can shape the 

experiences that bind them 

together in satisfying, emotive 

interactions because we 

share in these experiences. 

We are people designing for 

other people, and our deepest 

joy comes from successfully 

establishing a connection 

between consumers and brands. When 

we have a deep understanding and respect 

for both, we can make magic happen. » 

As president and creative director 

of Design Force Inc., Ted Mininni 

sets the standard for research and 

design development for the consultancy, 

while guiding his team to 

achieve their clients’ goals through 

expert creative strategies. 


Talking seo 

NO-FAIL TIPS 

TO BOOST SEO 

by JEREMY POUND, co-founder, CEO, Juicy Results 

SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO) 

is the process of improving the likelihood 

that your web pages will display in a search 

engine’s “natural” results. When a consumer 

searches for a term or phrase that is related 

to your business, you want your website to be 

found on the first page of Google. The person 

searching finds the answers or products 

they want, and you get the chance to gain a 

new customer. 

Here are some tips that will help any website 

increase its rankings: 

CONSISTENTLY PUBLISH 

FOCUSED CONTENT 

Creating compelling content on a regular 

basis is the most valuable SEO activity, but 

you need to have a plan in place to keep the 

content focused on the keywords for which 

you hope to rank. For example, if your product 

line features many bath toys, consider 

these topics: How should parents use your 

toys to make bathtime fun? What is it about 

this cleansing ritual that drives so many children 

crazy? Are there other helpful tips for 

making bathtime fun that don’t require your 

toys? You could answer each of these questions 

with a quick blog post, or create a series 

of articles around each of these topics. 

Search engines want to connect users 

with the best answers to their problems. 

When they see that your website consistently 

publishes new content over a long period of 

time about a specific topic, they will begin 

to consider your website an authority on that 

topic and ultimately rank the site’s pages for 

queries related to that topic. Make sure to 

work some of your target keywords into the 

titles of the new pages or blog posts to get 

the full SEO effect. 

EXPAND TO VIDEO 

Does tip No. 1 sound like more writing 

than you care to commit to? Well, then this 

second tip might just be music to your ears. 

Video content can be just as effective as 

written content in expanding your website’s 

search engine visibility. When you add video 

to your text content, you’ve really got a potent 

cocktail for ranking! 

For many search queries, Google will 

show videos above the web pages that return 

on the first page of search results. This is especially 

true for queries that start with “How 

to…” 

Don’t avoid this tip just because you have 

no previous experience with video production. 

The search engines can’t really tell the 

difference between a smartphone video and 

a full-blown Hollywood production. The important 

attributes that will cause you to rank 

are the file name, the title, and how you describe 

the video when you upload it to your 

website, YouTube, or both. More than 100 

million people watch videos online every day. 

Surely some of them are hungry for your toys 

and games! 

CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA BUZZ 

Social media websites can connect your 

products with new customers all on their 

own. In addition to their built-in audience, 

some of these social media channels seem to 

boost your rankings and authority with search 

engines. Platforms such as Pinterest, Twitter, 

and Facebook can also expand your search 

visibility, as can Google’s own social network, 

Google+. 

Search engines use popularity as one of 

many factors in determining which pages 

to rank. Sites that have a lot of “buzz” tend 

to climb in rankings. The thinking from the 

search engine’s point of view is that if people 

are liking, sharing, pinning, tweeting—or 

whatever-ing—your pages on social media, 

then your content (and by association your 

products and brand) are worth indexing and 

serving up in search results. 

Have some fun with creating your new 

web pages and videos, especially since 

you’re in the toy business. People love to 

share fun and clever things on social media 

with their networks. This increased exposure 

cannot only lead to direct sales, but can also 

boost your search engine visibility. 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER 

These three tips can be assembled into a 

complementary process that makes each activity 

even more effective. 

The time-tested way to build a search engine 

presence is to create unique and compelling 

content around your products that are 

aimed at helping your ideal customers solve 

their problems. Publish this type of content 

on your website regularly and share it on social 

media channels. Doing this over time will 

build credibility with the search engines and 

improve your position in the rankings. 

Success may not come overnight, but 

following this process over time will result in 

new customers discovering your products via 

search engines and social media. » 

Jeremy Pound is the co-founder 

and CEO of Juicy Results, the 

Internet marketing agency for the 

Fortune Five Million. He is also the 

author of The Bootstrapper’s 

Guide to SEO. 


RAISING THE BAR 

THE BATMOBILE THREATENED: 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS 

TO THE RESCUE 

by HOWARD N. ARONSON, managing director, Lackenbach Siegel LLC 

SOMEONE STOLE THE BATMOBILE! 

Well, tried to anyway—until a U.S. Court of 

Appeals banged the gavel and ruled that DC 

Comics owns the copyright to the Batmobile. 

The court found that Mark Towle, a maker 

and seller of Batmobile replicas, infringed DC 

Comics’ copyright by creating unauthorized 

replicas of the car as it appeared in the 1966 

TV series and the 1989 movie. 

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 

Though amusing to some, the case is a 

heads-up to toy companies that Copyright 

law protects their intellectual 

property (IP) as well as the 

intellectual property of 

others from unauthorized 

use. This 

protection extends 

to inanimate objects 

as well—such 

as the Batmobile, 

which is the IP of 

DC Comics. 

“As Batman so 

sagely told Robin,” 

(in Batman: The Penguin Goes 

Straight, March 23, 1966 broadcast) the 

court said, “in our well-ordered society, protection 

of private property is essential.” 

IT’S NO JOKE 

The not-so-comic result for the replica 

maker could have been heavy damages and 

attorney fees, since the copyright statute 

allows the court to award such fees, but a 

settlement between the parties resolved the 

issue of damages. Another take-away for toy 

companies is that copyright issues are never 

as simple as they might appear, and an IP 

counsel should be consulted before undertaking 

any product or service launch that 

could be viewed as copying another work. 

THE BACKSTORY 

DC Comics is the publisher and copyright 

owner of the Batman comics, which tell the 

story of the famous superhero Batman, “the 

Caped Crusader,” who from his first appearance 

in 1939 protects Gotham City from villains 

with assistance from boy wonder Robin. 

The Batmobile may appear as just a car to 

the non-legal eye—but it’s actually 

a character, just like Mickey 

Mouse. And it doesn’t 

matter that, unlike 

Towle’s replica of the Batmobile from the 1989 

motion picture Batman 

Mickey Mouse, the Batmobile has changed 

in appearance throughout the years. It’s still 

protected by copyright laws. 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth 

Circuit said that the Batmobile—even though 

not a person or an animal of any kind—is still 

a character that can be protected by copyright, 

just as much as Batman and Robin. So, 

replicas of the famous car infringe the DC 

Comics copyright of the Batmobile character 

because they are unauthorized derivative 

works of the car. The legal issues were a bit 

tricky to settle, but now that one appeals 

court has resolved them, be on guard—because 

you’ll be expected to know that unauthorized 

replicas likely infringe comic book 

characters. (Unless the Supreme Court rules 

otherwise—Towle has petitioned the Court 

for review of the decision.) 

THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS 

The Batmobile is entitled to copyright 

protection, 

which extends 

not only to an 

original work as 

a whole—such 

as the Batman 

TV series or 

movies—but 

also to sufficiently 

distinctive 

elements, such 

as characters 

contained within the 

work. However, not all 

comic book, TV, or movie 

characters are entitled to copyright 

protection. There is a three-part test that a 

character must meet in order to be protected 

by copyright laws: 

1. The character must generally have 

“physical as well as conceptual qualities.” 

2. The character must be “sufficiently 

delineated” to be recognizable as the 

same character whenever it appears i.e. the 

character has to display consistent, identifiable 

character traits and attributes (but not 

necessarily the identical appearance). 

3. The character must be “especially distinctive” 

and “contain some unique elements 

of expression.” Stock characters (the court 

gave the example of a magician in a standard 

magician garb) wouldn’t pass this part of the 

test. So, a character can be an object, not a 

person or an animal, and protected by copyright 

if it can pass the three-part test. When 

the court applied the test to the Batmobile— 

the car was established as a character. 


“IT’S NOT WHO I AM 

UNDERNEATH, BUT WHAT I 

DO THAT DEFINES ME.” 

The court explained that the Batmobile 

has “physical as well as conceptual qualities,” 

because it was graphically depicted in comic 

books, the TV series, and movies. So, the 

Batmobile is not “a mere literary character.” 

The Batmobile is also recognizable as the 

same character every time it appears. In other 

words, since its first appearance in 1941, 

whether in a comic book, on TV, or in a movie, 

the Batmobile kept “distinct physical and 

conceptual qualities” intact. The Batmobile 

has been consistently “bat-like in appearance, 

with a bat-themed front end, bat wings 

extending from the top or back of the car, 

exaggerated fenders, a curved windshield, 

and bat emblems on the vehicle.” 

BATMOBILE CHARACTERISTICS 

In addition, the court explained that when 

the Batmobile appears, it displays the same 

character traits and attributes: 

1. A crime-fighting car with powerful and 

sleek characteristics that allows Batman to 

maneuver quickly while he fights villains. 

2. It waits like an impatient steed straining 

at the reins, shivering as its super-charged 

motor throbs with energy, before it tears after 

the fleeing hoodlums. 

3. Sometimes it leaps away and tears up 

the street like a cyclone. 

4.Twin jets ignite and flash out with 

thunderclap force, and the miracle car of the 

dynamic duo literally flies through the air. 

5. It has jet engines and flame-shooting 

tubes that undoubtedly give the Batmobile 

far more power than an ordinary car. 

6. It has the ability to maneuver, which far 

exceeds that of an ordinary car (like using its 

reverse thrust rockets to perform an emergency 

bat turn). 

7. It can enter Batmissile mode—shedding 

all material outside [the] central fuselage, 

with wheels and axles that can fit 

through the narrowest openings. 

8. It has up-to-date weapons and technology, 

a dashboard phone with a hotline that 

connects to the police commissioner’s office, 

an alarm that keeps the Joker from stealing 

the Batmobile, a mobile crime lab inside the 

Batmobile, a Batscope with a screen, a Batray, 

machine guns, and bombs. 

These qualities proved to the court that 

the Batmobile displays consistent, identifiable 

character traits and attributes, and 

fulfilled the second requirement for character 

status. The court said that the Batmobile is 

“especially distinctive,” possesses “unique 

elements of expression,” and is not a stock 

character. The Batmobile’s name and role as 

Batman’s loyal steed fulfilled this last item 

on the court’s checklist, entitling the car to 

copyright protection as a character. 

THE FINAL VERDICT 

The court shot down Towle’s argument 

that the Batmobile has been shown without 

“bat-like” features. For example, in a comic 

book, the Batmobile appeared as an armored 

tank, and in a movie the Batmobile became 

a Batmissile. The court said that changes like 

these are similar to costume changes and 

don’t alter the Batmobile’s innate characteristics. 

In fact, they emphasize the Batmobile’s 

ability to adapt in order to fight crime. 

Once the court decided that the Batmobile 

is a character, Towle’s only argument was 

that DC Comics didn’t own the copyright, 

because it had assigned some of its rights in 

its Batman works. The court found that transferring 

rights to produce derivative works, as 

DC has done over the years, didn’t transfer 

its underlying rights to the Batmobile character, 

because a copyright in a derivative work 

“must not in any way affect the scope of any 

copyright protection in that preexisting material.” 

When Towle copied a derivative work 

without authorization, the car maker infringed 

the copyright of DC Comics, the original 

copyright owner in the underlying work (the 

original Batmobile character), by assuming 

that the replica also copied the original work, 

which the court established that it did. 

Finally, although the parties stipulated 

that each side would bear its own costs and 

attorney fees, they agreed upon damages of 

$70,000 to settle the matter. The result could 

have been much worse for the replica maker, 

because the copyright statute allows for 

awarding the attorney fees. » 

Howard N. Aronson has provided 

legal counsel to toy companies for 

the past 30 years. He is the managing 

partner of Lackenbach Siegel 

LLP, an intellectual property law 

firm recognized for its nine decades 

of handling toy companies. 

WHAT QUALIFIES AS A 

DERIVATIVE WORK? 

RAISING THE BAR 

Batmobile depicted in the 1996 TV series The Batman 

Towle’s replica of the Batmobile depicted above 

Under the Copyright Act, a ’derivative 

work’ is a work based upon one or more 

preexisting works, such as a translation, 

musical arrangement, dramatization, 

fictionalization, motion picture, sound 

recording, art reproduction, abridgment, 

condensation, or any other form in which 

a work may be recast, transformed, or 

adapted. For example, a work consisting 

of editorial revisions, annotations, elaborations, 

or other modifications which, 

as a whole, represent an original work of 

authorship, is a derivative work according 

to the Copyright Office. In order to be 

copyrightable, a derivative work must 

incorporate some or all of a preexisting 

“work” and add new original copyrightable 

authorship to that work. For example: 

• A motion picture based on a play or 

a novel 

• A translation of a novel 

• A revision of a published book 

• A sculpture based on a drawing, a drawing 

based on a photograph, or a lithograph 

based on a painting 

• A drama about John Doe based on the 

letters and journal entries of John Doe 

• A musical arrangement of a preexisting 

musical work 

• A new version of an existing 

computer program 

• An adaptation of a dramatic work 

• A revision of a website 


continued from page 118 

difference that makes it special, and that’s what we found with our 

most recent acquisition of Roominate. 

What inspired the acquisition of roominate? How will this acquisition 

impact PlayMonster? 

With the acquisition of Roominate, a line of toys designed to 

open up possibilities for kids by showing them that creativity and 

engineering are fun, PlayMonster expands into the STEM (Science, 

Technology, Engineering, Math) category. 

STEM is one of the fastest-growing categories in the toy industry 

today. What makes Roominate different is that not only do 

parents like it because it delivers on the principles of STEM, but 

kids love it because it’s so much fun they want to play with it over 

and over again. The founders of Roominate did a fantastic job of 

designing this line with the help of kids so that the fun is new every 

time. What good is a STEM toy if it’s not fun and kids don’t want to 

use it, right? 

In an age where kids are spending more time with technology 

at younger ages, how are you helping kids and families spend 

more time playing together? 

We make fun games and toys that promote interaction and 

quality time by playing with friends and family. We are champions 

of play because play brings people together with laugh-out-loud 

fun, and that’s important in today’s high-pressure world. We offer a 

fun way to escape stress and “screen time”and consumers clearly 

seem to be responding to that, as evidenced by not only by our 

increasing sales, but also by all of the awards and accolades our 

products have received recently. In the last six years alone we have 

had eight TOTY (Toy Industry Toy of the Year) award finalists across 

multiple categories—that’s a huge accomplishment for us, as well 

as a great honor. 

What are your future plans and expectations? 

We expect to continue to achieve high growth as PlayMonster 

by continuing our momentum and building on what’s been 

successful for us, and so far that’s two very essential things: The 

first is providing great play for all ages, not just for kids or adults or 

infants, but for everyone. The second is providing high-quality play 

that stands the test of time and offers a remarkable play experience, 

not games or toys that will only hold interest for a few days. 

These two ingredients, plus scaling up our marketing and advertising 

on digital media and TV, will be our key to continued growth. 

Last year we promoted one item, Chrono Bomb, on TV, and this 

year we plan to promote several more, including our popular kids’ 

game Yeti in My Spaghetti. So we’re definitely Yeti—oops, I mean 

ready—for an exciting new year! » 

continued from page 136 

In the past, Kurio partnered with major players in the app 

world. Are you open to working with new licensing partners 

going forward? 

On the Kurio side in the U.S., we’ve partnered with everyone 

from Angry Birds to Fruit Ninja, and from Disney to YouTube Kids. 

In Europe, KD Group has a strong portfolio of premiere licenses 

and is the preferred electronic toy licensee for major brands 

including Peppa Pig, Fireman Sam, Disney, Barbie, and Monster 

High. We recognize the importance of licenses and are very interested 

in growing our licensed product portfolio in the U.S. 

What is your focus for this year? What can we expect to see 

from KD Group in the future? 

We see a great opportunity for market share gain with Kurio 

this year, given the troubles our main competitors have seen. We 

will continue to stay on trend and align with what is driving the 

business. For example, we are the first company to offer Windows 

two-in-one options for kids. We are also very focused on the importance 

of offering a strong value to consumers. 

Additionally, we’re excited to expand our Kurio range to include 

Kurio Watch, a real-working Bluetooth smartwatch designed 

especially for kids. It combines all the basic watch functions (alarm, 

calendar, calculator, etc.) with music and video players, a front-facing 

camera for taking selfies and videos, messaging capabilities, 

an activity tracker, and mini games using motion sensors. 

On the toy side, we’re eager to further expand the reach of our 

KD line of successful European-designed educational toys in the 

U.S. Developed in conjunction with childhood learning professionals, 

the toys offer kids ages 6 months and up stimulation through 

different shapes and learning themes. Many of the KD toys are 

bilingual and also double as role-play items. Ranges include: iLOL, 

a “my first” series of toys for infants; Toddly Fun interactive toys; 

Silly Sam & Friends toys featuring silly characters in the form of 

everyday household items, such as a flashlight and a coffee maker; 

Cheeky Tunes musical instruments; and My Bath Time waterproof-guaranteed 

tub toys. 

Under our Tech-Too brand, we have a new range of realistic, 

pretend, touch-sensitive toys that look just like mom and dad’s 

electronic devices, featuring a smart TV, remote controls, a smartphone, 

a two-in-one tablet, a notebook, and a camera. 

We’re also introducing a new range of nightlights for infants 

and small children with a cute ghostlike character called Tinyboo, 

who helps comfort kids who may be afraid of the dark. The nightlights 

utilize LED technology and come in different forms and 

functions, from a basic Mini Light that makes the perfect bedside 

companion; to a Baby Light that doubles as a rattle; to a Lantern 

that brightens to guide young children throughout the home; to a 

Huggy Plush toy that has a special cuddle sensor built in. » 


INDUSTRY MARKETPLACE 

Classifieds 

Playtime Sales & Marketing Co. LLC 

A Toy Manufacturers Sales Representative 

Corporate Office 

331 Piermont Road 

Norwood, New Jersey 07648 

TEL: 201-784-7727 FAX: 201-784-1912 

E-MAIL: murraybass@playtimesales.com lensoyka@playtimesales.com 

The Playtime Sales & Marketing Company, LLC. is a Toy and 

Electronics Manufacturers sales representative organization. Our 

prime focus is to represent Toy and Electronics Manufacturers to 

the Mass Market Retailers. The principals of our Company are Len 

Soyka and Murray Bass. Our only vocation has been in the Toy Industry. 

We are dedicated toy professionals. 

Our geographical areas of sales coverage and accounts include: 

• NEW ENGLAND…Connecticut North to Maine and Upstate N.Y. 

Accounts… CVS Drug, BJ’s Whle Club, Benny’s and TJ Maxx, 

• N.Y. METRO…N.Y. City and New Jersey. Accounts… Toys R 

Us and their DOTCOM and Global Divisions, FAO Schwarz, Xmas 

Tree Shops, Shepher Distributors, Burlington Coat Factory, Buy Buy 

Baby, Marlon Creations, Party City, National Wholesale, Bed, Bath 

and Beyond, Steven’s Intl., TRU Express and NY area Supermarket 

Chains. 

• MID-LANTIC…Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., Northern Virginia 

and Western Ohio. Accounts…Rite Aid Drug, Group Sales, 

Boscov’s, Omni Global, 5 Below, Dollar Tree, Variety Wholesale and 

Big Lots. 

• K mart USA // JC Penney Catalog // Universal Studios Orlando 

// Gordman’s // Target and Walmart 

• CANADA…Walmart, Toys R Us, Canadian Tire and Costco 

We employ a staff of 5 toy sales specialists. Our contact information 

is listed on our above shown letterhead. We welcome your inquiries. 

® 

To place a classified ad, please contact Bill Reese 

212-575-4510 x2322 

breese@adventurepub.com 


Advertiser Index 

Adora.........................................................191 

Aeromax ...................................................219 

AG Entertainment......................................107 

ALEX Toys.............................................. 10–11 

American Plastic Toys..................................99 

Amloid.......................................................143 

ASTRA.......................................................227 

Auldey.......................................................203 

Aurora World ............................................199 

Bachmann Trains................................ 210–211 

Bananagrams.............................................173 

BERG USA.................................................231 

Beverly Hills Teddy Bear Co. ....................127 

Blue Orange Games..................................177 

The Bridge Direct...................................... 4–5 

Carrera of America................................ 28–29 

ChizComm............................................. 44–45 

ClickBlock..................................................150 

Coyne PR...................................................135 

Cuddle Barn..............................................193 

D Now ......................................................129 

DEMDACO................................................252 

DGL Group............................................ 26–27 

Diggin Active ............................................121 

Douglas Company.....................................225 

Duncan Toys Company..............................137 

Dynacraft BSC................................. 30–31, 33 

Eastcolight............................................. 46–47 

Elf Magic....................................................223 

Entertainment One Family........................111 

Folkmanis.............................................. 14–15 

Foxmind Games........................................179 

George & Co. ...........................................185 

Geospace International.............................230 

Glitek...........................................................67 

Gund..........................................................200 

HANSA Creation.......................................217 

Hasbro....................................................... 1–2 

Haywire Group..........................141, 171, 189 

HEXBUG......................................................21 

HipFits.......................................................123 

IAmElemental............................................213 

Iconix/Peanuts Worldwide..................... 50–51 

Imperial Toy...........................................81, 83 

Imports Dragon.....................................85, 87 

International Playthings.............................147 

Intrepid Investment Bankers......................169 

Jada Toys............................................... 48–49 

Jazwares......................................................89 

JC Toys Group...........................................195 

Kahootz Toys.............................................151 

KD Interactive............................................131 

Kids Wish Network....................................247 

Laser Pegs.................................................139 

Little Kids ..................................................103 

Madame Alexander Doll Company...........187 

Magformers...............................................153 

Maisto/Bburago......................................... 8–9 

Mindware...................................................183 

Moose Toys.................................................19 

NKOK.................................................... 24–25 

NPD...........................................................243 

The Orb Factory Ltd..................................154 

Odyssey Toys.............................................205 

Office Oxygen...........................................128 

The Original Toy Company........................221 

Pacific Play Tents.......................................117 

Party Animal..............................................209 

Percyvites...................................................133 

Pillow Pets.................................................201 

PlayMonster ..............................................175 

Play Visions............................................ 42–43 

Playmobil USA...........................................145 

Redwood Ventures......................................95 

Reeves International..................................149 

Regal Logistics...........................................113 

Rubie’s Costume Company.............. 157–159, 

161, 164–165, 167 

Rubik’s Brand.............................................184 

Sakar International.......................................71 

Schleich USA.............................................109 

Set Enterprises..........................................182 

Silverlit.......................................................207 

Smart Toys and Games......................155, 181 

Sony Pictures Entertainment.....................105 

Sophia’s.....................................................197 

Spin Master........................................... 16–17 

Sunrights....................................................125 

Super Impulse...........................................119 

Tangle Creations..........................................93 

Tech 4 Kids..................................................91 

Thames & Kosmos................................. 22–23 

TOMY........................................................ 6–7 

Toy Industry Association............................239 

Toy State................................................ 12–13 

Turner Media Group/CNE.........................115 

UCC Distributing .................................. 36–41 

VTech...........................................................59 

Wicked Cool Toys........................................35 

WinFun USA..............................................235 

WTHRA......................................................229 

Zing Brand Toys...........................................65 

Zuru.............................................................97 

The ad index is published as a courtesy. While every effort is made to be accurate, late additions and changes in layout may result in errors or omissions. 


FLASHBACK 

FLASHBACFEBRUARY 1996 

1 

Tyco Preschool has revitalized 

the successful Sesame Street plush 

category with a new assortment of 

characters. Tyco Preschool’s new line 

of Sesame Street plush includes Tickle » 

Me Elmo for children ages 18 months 

and up. Every time kids tickle him, Elmo laughs 

harder and harder until his whole body is shaking 

with laughter. A Sports Talk Plush assortment, 

Musical Babies assortment, and a Spanish/English 

Ernie also highlight the collection. 

TRENDMASTERS LAUNCHES 

GUMBY TOY LINE 

Gumby, the 40-year-old clay boy, is 

back in a line of toys from Trendmasters. 

The line includes three play sets, large 

Gumby bendables, talking and non-talking 

figures with movable arms and legs, “colorme” 

plush toys, fun straws, key rings, and 

miniature superflexibles of Gumby, Pokey, 

Prickle, Goo, Minga, and the Blockheads. 

SCHOLASTIC FOCUSES ON 

TWO PROPERTIES FOR TOY 

FAIR 1996 

With the Goosebumps TV series on the 

Fox Network, Scholastic has entered into an 

agreement with Fox Family Films for a feature 

film release. 

For The Magic School Bus, Scholastic 

has assembled a line of licensed product 

that includes a toy line from the Hasbro Toy 

Group featuring play sets, dolls, and plush 

products; CD-ROMs from Microsoft; and 

home videos from WarnerVision. 

Tyco heats up the science category with Kodak 

for Kids, a new collection of cameras and microscopes 

designed for children ages 8 and up. 

Kodak for Kids Special Effects Camera allows 

children to create visual effects with this two-in-one 

camera. Just snap on the special effects wheel and 

choose from four different effects: multi-image, 

triple image, softening, and starbursts. The 

wheel detaches easily, so kids can use 

the camera as a stand-alone 

110-speed unit. 

2Flash Gordon—The Animated Series 

has secured two licensees for its fall rollout. 

The master toy license has been awarded to 

Playmates Toys by Hearst Entertainment, while 

the home video worldwide rights have gone to 

Live Entertainment. 

In addition to the new animated series and 

fully integrated worldwide marketing campaign, 

Hearst Entertainment is developing a live-action 

Flash Gordon theatrical motion picture for 

Mandalay Entertainment, planned for a summer 

1997 release. 

» 

3» 


NEW 

COLLECTIBLES 

STACK 

UP 

ADULT 

COLORING 

BOOKS » 

CREATIVITY NEVER 

GETS OLD 

SPOTLIGHT ON 

SPIELWARENMESSE 

THE VOICE 

REACHING BOTH CONSUMER & TRADE 

SWEET SUITE 

HOLIDAY OF PLAY 

July 13-14, 2016 • Majesty Yacht, NYC Fall 2016 

CONTACT: 

Jonathan Samet or Laurie Schacht 

Tel: 212-575-4510 

toybook.com toyinsider.com 

sweetsuiteevent.com

The Toy Book - 2016 NY TOY FAIR EDITION

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