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The feverish festive rush for gifts that will make your child jump for joy, can be a real “nightmare before Christmas” for parents overwhelmed by the huge selection of toys on the market.
With Santa’s workshop going high-tech, the global toy market has experienced a 5.7% increase over the past year, driven by strong demand for interactive, tech-driven and sensory-stimulating toys.
In keeping up with the latest global toy trends, major retailers like Toys R Us, Mattel, Amazon, Makro and Game cater to diverse age groups with popular items like LEGO, gaming consoles, and collectable plush toys.
This year’s popular toys span across various brands and categories, including nostalgic items, high-tech toys, immersive experiences, kidult collectables, as well as eco-friendly toys that promote sustainability.
According to a recent survey by The Toy Association, we are seeing a revival and reinterpretation of toys from the 1990s and Y2K era as they gain traction among a new generation.
The American non-profit trade association for the US Toy Industry noted that nostalgia is becoming a crucial factor in the resurgence and growth of particular toy categories and brands, with Mattel serving as a notable example.
The global toy giant is championing sustainability by returning to its roots, reviving its 90-year-old wooden toy line, Fisher-Price, with a new Wood range, designed for children aged six months to five years.
Mattel’s mighty toy empire of course also includes iconic brands such as Barbie and Hot Wheels.
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According to Jennalee Callister, merchandise manager at Toys R Us, interactive and immersive play, nostalgia, and the collectables craze have all impacted this year’s toy trends, catering to people of diverse ages and interests.
“You can expect to see surprise collectable toys and remote-controlled ‘everything’ in stores,” she said.
Callister added that this year’s toy trends include an emphasis on signature fashion dolls, action figures, diecast cars, and new popular brands in anime.
“More than one in three adults purchase toys for themselves, and with this in mind, our Fan Vault caters to these needs.”
Amazon, which entered South Africa’s online retail market in 2023, caters for kids of all ages this festive season.
“LEGO is always a firm favourite, with new themes and iconic characters that are fun and engaging,” Amazon managing director of Sub-Saharan Africa, Robert Koen, said.
“So far, the Speed Champions F1 cars are proving to be popular, appearing in our Best Seller, Most Wished For, and Most Gifted lists.”
When it comes to immersive experiences, Koen said the Sony PlayStation 5 Slim Digital Console is one of the online retailer’s Top Rated gaming consoles, with Call of Duty Black Ops 6 one of the new hot gaming favourites.
Collectable plush toys are also a firm favourite, with the Squishmallows Wave Squad and the evergreen Disney characters dominating the wish lists of both kids and collectors.
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Makro is known for its Top Rated (toys) By Kids event where kids across South Africa pick their top 10 toys for the year.
At this year’s event in Durban, 250 kids between the ages of six and 12 were given the opportunity to test never-before-seen toys and help select this year’s Top 10 by rating each toy on how fun it was to play with; how well it worked; and if they wanted the toy for Christmas.
Top 10 Christmas toys at Makro and Game
Following this judging process, this year’s 10 Top Rated By Kids toys, are:
Young kids won’t be the only ones adding toys to their holiday wish lists.
According to The Toy Association, 89% of parents surveyed are toy shopping for grownups this holiday season, with 43% shopping for their spouse or significant other.
More than half of the men surveyed (53%) will also buy themselves toys, as well as 48% of millennial parents under the age of 40.
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