TOP TOY TRENDS UNVEILED AT TOY FAIR®

Trends Set to Shape 2025 Include "Newstalgia Trip"; "Collectible Cravings"; and "It's My Vibe"

NEW YORK, March 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The hottest toy and play trends of 2025 were unveiled today by The Toy Association^™ at its 119^th Toy Fair^®, taking place at the Javits Center in New York City. As families seek meaningful and engaging experiences, toymakers in 2025 are responding with products that embrace personalization and value, bridge the generation gap, and support the healthy development of children everywhere.

"In response to today's conscientious consumers, toymakers are delivering long-term value, enhancing play experiences, and designing products that resonate across generations," said Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. "From products that boost emotional and social learning to collectibles that fuel fan engagement, the toys on display right here at Toy Fair – many of which will be out in time for the 2025 holiday shopping season – reflect how play continues to be a powerful force at every stage of life."

The trend findings below are based on extensive, year-round meetings held by The Toy Association's trends team with toy companies of all types and sizes, as well as Toy Association-commissioned research¹ on U.S. parents' views on toys, play, shopping habits, and budgets. The research was presented today during a "Toy Trends Briefing" for Toy Fair media, buyers, and other show guests.

A summary of the top trends follows:

From MESH to STEAM 
…and Everything in Between
Most U.S. parents favor toys that help kids build a skillset (58%)*, with 56% of parents looking for toys that encourage outdoor/active play and 60% seeking toys that build STEAM skills, like coding and art. The majority of Millennial parents (63%) also consider how toys help promote mental, emotional, and social health when choosing playthings for their children. Play can be a powerful tool in helping kids (and grown-ups!) regulate emotions, de-stress, and refocus. This year, expect to see a new wave of playthings that encourage movement and learning, incorporate fidget-friendly fun, and soothe the senses in new ways.

It's My Vibe 
Scoring Aura Points with Kids through Personalized Play
Just as algorithms on top social platforms are personalized to cater to each user's unique interests, toymakers that customize play experiences to different lifestyles and preferences will score the most aura points with kids in 2025. This approach focuses on customizable toys and personalized shopping experiences (in-store or online) that draw kids in and allow them to showcase their personality and unique sense of style. With the vast majority of parents of elementary-school-aged kids (69%) stating that their purchase decisions are influenced by other kids asking for a toy they first saw advertised online or posted by an influencer on social media, toy companies are offering more inclusive representation and personalized products to empower young people and deepen kids' connections with their favorite brands.

A Reason to Celebrate! 
Toys for all of Life's Seasons, Celebrations, and Occasions
Families are purchasing toys to celebrate all of life's occasions, from global sporting and entertainment events and experiences to seasonal celebrations. In 2024, Halloween began ramping up in July— six weeks earlier than in 2019, while Taylor Swift's Eras Tour created new opportunities for toy retailers to lean into the fandom in celebration. From the Super Bowl and the World Cup to Valentine's Day and Halloween, and every reason to celebrate in between, these occasions create new opportunities for toymakers to help consumers commemorate and relive their favorite moments and make memories together. 

Newstalgia Trip 
Toys Blending Past, Present, & Future 
Toys and games that blend past and present are bridging the generation gap. With 73% of parents saying they have purchased toys for themselves, 61% said they did so to connect with their child. Close to half collect or play with toys as an adult to relive fond childhood memories (49%) and 40% do so because they enjoy playing with their kids with the toys they used to play with as a child. From re-releases of old classics for original fans, to new spins on old favorites to appeal to a new generation of fans (via different play patterns or tech integrations), expect to see a resurgence of "newstalgic" toys in 2025.

Collectible Cravings  
Fueling the Chase for High-End Collectors & Casual Fans
From micro minis to high-end items, the world of collectibles is constantly evolving to meet the interests of kids and adults. Emphasizing the opportunity in the category, collectible toy sales grew nearly 5% globally in 2024, fueled by on-trend small collectible figures, trading card games, and plush toys, according to Circana. This trend underscores how toymakers are looking at new approaches and unique products that not only draw newbie collectors in but also appeal to high-end toy collectors and keep tween/teen audiences engaged in play. Social media (from TikTok to Reddit) also continues to fuel the chase for the next must-have collectibles.

Entertainment Update 
The Evolution of Licensing in the Toy Space
Toy licensing remains a major opportunity for toymakers, with 76% of Millennial parents reporting they enjoy playing with toys with their kids based on shared entertainment interests, including toys based on movies and entertainment franchises (47%), gaming (35%), anime and manga (30%), and social media personalities (21%). 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for entertainment and licensed toys, with many rising fan-favorites driven by streaming and digital worlds. Multiple perennial favorites returning to the big screen this year also have a history of translating into strong toy sales, such as a new installment of Jurassic World and part two of Wicked; new takes on How to Train Your Dragon, Snow White, Lilo & Stitch, and Superman; plus, the first-ever Minecraft movie.

Additional information about these trends is available on-site at the Toy Fair Press Center (through 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4 on the show floor, Level 3, Booth 3145) or via e-mail to The Toy Association's public relations contact listed on this release. A video of the presentation will be available for viewing at ToyAssociation.org/trends in the coming days.

About The Toy Association^™ toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org / peopleofplay.com / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org

Founded in 1916, The Toy Association^™, Inc. is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $157.5 billion, and its roughly 900 members drive the annual $42 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, governments, consumers, and the industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.    

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair^™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; supports the inventor and design community through People of Play™ and its numerous assets and events, including the consumer-facing Chicago Toy & Game Fair; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation^™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 33 million children in need worldwide.

¹ A 2024 Toy Association survey, conducted by Wakefield Research, gauged 1,000 U.S. parents' attitudes about toys, play, and shopping habits and budgets.

Toy Fair Online Press Room

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SOURCE The Toy Association