Toys

Implications - Toys that are conducive to tactile building activities improve motor skills and spatial understanding. Updating these for the increasing necessity of digital skills means adding an interactive component. This increases the engagement of the toys, while also contributing to the development necessary in the digital age. [More]

Implications - Progression into parenthood sees health-focused Millennials looking to parallel their devotion to fitness into their children’s lives. As a result, brands pull ideas from technological markets, such as virtual reality, as a way to offer innovative new solutions to traditional activities of play. Younger generations growing up in the digital age understand the importance of being digitally connected in all facets of their lives. [More]

Digital toys are incorporating musical features into their functions in order to enhance user experience. The infusion of music into toys with varying digital functions enhances engagement with them on a multi-skilled level. This shift speaks to the cultivation of both intellectual and creative skills on parents' end, especially as Millennial parents reveal a focus on wanting to raise well-rounded children who have the flexibility to experiment. [More]

Implications - In an effort to make brick and mortar retail spaces more of a destination for families, brands are offering in-store customization of toys and products for kids. Encouraging the children of maker parents to add their own personal touch to a product and make it truly unique to them, these brands are creating memorable moments for families to share in, enhancing engagement within the retail space. This interactivity appeals to the Gen Z demographic as they are interested in taking their world into their own hands and creating rather than passively buying. [More]

Implications - Though a fairly new development within the toy industry, STEM as a form of educational play is expanding, moving into larger toy brands by way of film-branded pieces. This is a positive development as the familiarity of these characters creates engagement with kids who don't find learning fun. [More]

Implications - The youth generation is more engaged with their devices than any generation before them. This creates concern among parents for their children's physical well being; as a response, toys that encourage physical play are integrating a monitoring component. The gamification component appeals to digital-age children, while tracking alleviates the concerns of parents. [More]

Implications - An under-discussed side effect of play is relaxation. This is boosting the adult desire for mindless enjoyment by way of small, tactical toys, while also boosting mindfulness components in toys targeted toward children. Stress is high in the digital age due to the frequency and volume of content consumption, making incremental relaxation more necessary than ever. [More]

Implications - One barrier to learning the STEAM practices is the lack of tangible outcome or incentive. Alleviating this, educational toys that treat the learning process as a means to a tangible end, such as building a robot or conducting an experiment, both attach a tangible prize and boost playtime engagement. This shows a less literal approach to gamification that focuses on personal satisfaction. [More]

Implications - The biggest challenge with teaching kids and adults how to become involved in the STEM practices is the potential tediousness of learning such a technical skill. Implementing a personified character into the process adds more human interest to the process. The strategy simultaneously boosts memorability of the toy or learning system, while making it more impactful. [More]

Implications - Skills like coding and engineering are more in-demand in the digital age. Parents are preparing their children for this through educational toys, but education on STEM practices is useful for those of all ages. Subscription kits that teach STEM open education up to all ages while also enabling streamlined learning. [More]