Summer’s on the way and we’re heading fast into the 2nd quarter toy calendar. CLICK HERE to Read It’s the May highlight of the year and we’ve got the full Toymaster preview bursting with must-sees and not-to-be-missed product highlights including an informed chat with Paul Reader and Brian McLaughlin and what’s been happening at the heart of the Toymaster headquarters. Talking of shows, we’re halfway between 2023 and 2024 London Toy Fair so what better time to catch up with BTHA’s 80th anniversary celebrations. Roland Earl, shares his thoughts with us on its past, present and future – and eac ..read more

Rubies is adding to its pre-school range by partnering with Acamar Films and bringing an everyday dress-up collection for its multi-award-winning Bing! Animation. The new Bing range will be available to pre-order toward the end of this year, perfect for retailers looking to stock up on the latest toddler costumes that provide little ones with endless fun all year round. These costumes will be designed for everyday role play, which is essential for the development of the little ones’ imagination. Bing offers a shared experience between grown-ups and preschoolers, providing the tools to support ..read more

As the May half term approaches, Hamleys, the famous London toy shop has announced the return of its Hamleys & Friends campaign. Bigger and better than ever it promises an unforgettable experience for families and children alike. There will be the chance to make friends with Ringmaster, Ragdoll, Toy Soldier, and the rest of their pals and enjoy friendship bracelets, stickers, and colouring sheets as well as participate in heart-warming meet-and-greets, captivating puppet shows and vibrant parades. Guests can also embark on thrilling in-store adventures, braving fears to rescue a dragon, wh ..read more

Casdon has donated a variety of its best-selling role-play toys to Little City to bring its toys into into real life settings, giving them the tools to be a grownup for the day.  Casdon creates mini versions of well-known household items that adults use in the home. Children attending the Little City sessions this year will be able to enjoy playing with a wide range of Casdon’s best-selling pre-school role-play toys including its Dyson vacuum cleaners, the Henry & Hetty cleaning lines and more.  ‘We’re so excited to be collaborating with Little City, the partnership feels l ..read more

Jeff Jackson joins with a wealth of play and entertainment channel experience. TOMY International announced that Jeff Jackson will be joining Fat Brain Toys as Executive Vice President effective immediately. Building upon their success, Jeff will be working alongside founders Mark and Karen Carson to further their vision for growing the Fat Brain brand.  Jackson joins Fat Brain Toys as a seasoned executive in the toy industry. He has over 25 years of progressive commercial leadership experience in eCommerce, marketing, sales, and strategic brand development. Jackson held several leadershi ..read more

The seasonal showcase for toys, gifts and home, Autumn Fair, has announced an exclusive partnership with Faire, Europe’s wholesale marketplace.  Faire will help Autumn Fair’s exhibitors take orders on its platform from retailers attending the show. The collaboration will bridge online and offline wholesale for the first time in the UK and simplify the buying process for up to 20,000 independent retailers.  Retailers at Autumn Fair will gain access to Faire’s extensive global network of brands, helping them to discover unique products, streamline their buying process and benefit ..read more

Sambro International has announced a new contract partnership with Paramount Consumer Products, to deliver a range of plush and novelty collectable toys for Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants. The range will ready for launch in time for the 25th anniversary of the popular franchise, and Sambro will launch an initial portfolio of seven product lines across key UK and EU retailers including B&M, AS Watson, Very and Forbidden Planet, amongst others.   The toys will include a selection of 30cm plush characters from the animated series, including SpongeBob himself, Squidward, Pa ..read more

Quoridor has received over a billion views on TikTok, making it a viral sensation. And it’s about to get a Pac-Man make-over Two gaming classics join forces in Quoridor Pac-Man, which is coming to the UK in June 2024. This brings the legendary arcade game to tabletop form. Quoridor is an abstract strategy game, first launched in 1997 and designed by Mirko Marchesi. It has seen a recent UK re-release through Hachette Boardgames UK. “Quoridor is one of the greatest abstract strategy games ever made, with legions of fans across the world” Rob Trounce, marketing manager at Hachette Boardgames UK ..read more

TikTok is to be banned in the US after both major political parties called for ByteDance to sell the app to a non-Chinese company. The legislation has already been signed into law by President Joe Biden. The legislation and potential ban is not something that’s affecting the UK directly. Yet. But it may require the toy business to be ready to pivot, something it’s had to do several times already – because kids’ desire to find out about cool stuff and share it will remain a constant.  TikTok has become a major communication platform for toy companies and, like YouTube, has taken a bit ..read more

As we enter the five-month countdown to Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) 2024, 157 companies have already been confirmed to exhibit, including six first timers – 24h Le Mans, The British Museum, Animaj, Cardio Bunny, Merchantwise Group and Unicast.   BLE event director, Ella Haynes said: “The exhibitor list is already showing some amazing brands from across all categories which is a testament to the event’s strength within the European licensing industry – it is quite simply the only place for European retailers, manufacturers and brand owners to meet, do business and sign deal ..read more