# 3D-Printed Play Catering individuality, printed toys offer children quick and customized play. By [Tana Makmanee](https://www.trendhunter.com/tmak), SVP, Research Services at Trend Hunter | Published Jun 4, 2014 | Category: [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/life-stages) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/printed-play ## Key Figures - Trend score: 2.6/10 - Evidence articles: 6 ## What is the 3D-Printed Play trend? **3D-Printed Play:** As children grow, so too do their interests, resulting in wants and desires that are continuously changing. Providing sources of play that are more accommodating to diversified tastes, 3D-printed toys combine tangible sources of entertainment with customized technology, speaking to a shift towards more instantaneous, yet individually tailored sources of engagement. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 6 featured examples - Articles from: Apr 4, 2013 to May 15, 2014 - Published: Jun 4, 2014 - Patterns: [Convergence](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/convergence), [Acceleration](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/acceleration) - Megatrends: [Multisensation](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/multisensation), [Gamification](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/gamification), [Many to Many](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/many-to-many) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Alpha, Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Themes within the 3D-Printed Play trend ### Customizable 3D Printing 3D printing technology has evolved so much that it is now able to produce customized toys on-demand. ### Interactive 3D Printing 3D printing technology has advanced to a point where entire objects can now be turned into interactive speakers that are capable of emitting sound. ### Soft 3D Printing While the focus on 3D printing has been on plastic toys so far, a new technique in soft 3D printing has been discovered, which could have huge implications for the production of soft toys. ## What the 3D-Printed Play trend means for industry ### For Toy Industry A growing number of companies are using 3D printing technology to produce toys, making it possible to print anything from separate building blocks to fully formed action figures and dolls. ### For Education Industry 3D printing technology is being used to teach children science, programming, design and other skills in more engaging and hands-on ways than traditional classroom learning. ### For Marketing and Advertising Industry 3D printing technology has made it possible for companies to create customized and unique promotional products that stand out more than traditional marketing merchandise. ## Trend signals for 3D-Printed Play Trend score 2.6 out of 10, from popularity 46%, activity 26%, freshness 8%. - Popularity: 46% - Activity: 26% - Freshness: 8% ## Examples of the 3D-Printed Play trend 6 featured examples from Apr 4, 2013 to May 15, 2014. - [Demonstrative 3D-Printing Storybooks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/leo-the-maker-prince): 'LEO the Maker Prince' Explains & Shows 3D-Printing to Kids (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: Developing 3D-printing educational tools and materials for children can innovatively transform education and open a new market for manufacturers and education consultants. - [Playful 3D Printers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clay-printer): ThinkGeek's Play-Doh 3D Clay Printer is the Ultimate Children's Toy (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: The Play-Doh 3D clay printer is poised to disrupt the toy industry, providing opportunities for companies to develop more educational and interactive toys that incorporate 3D prin… - [Soft 3D-Printed Plushies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-printed-toys): These Experiements with 3D Printed Toys Could Revolutionize Production (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: Soft 3D-printed toys using wool/wool blends could open up new possibilities for toy manufacturing, making production more efficient and unique. - [3D-Printed Puppet Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3d-toy): MakerBot Now Offers a Printable 3D Toy of Sesame Street's 'Snuffy' (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: The use of 3D printing in toy manufacturing has the potential to revolutionize the industry and create new business opportunities. - [Shapely 3D-Printed Speakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/speaker-design): Disney Research Turns Any Object into a 3D-Printed Speaker Design (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: The technology behind 3D-printed speakers brings disruptive innovation to the audio industry by offering new ways to design and produce speakers. - [3D-Printed Teddy Bears](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3dprinted-teddy-bear): Disney Research Uses Technology to Create Custom Stuffed Animals (Category: Life-Stages) Implication: The 3D-printed teddy bear represents a huge opportunity for disruption in the toy industry, particularly for companies like Build-a-Bear. ## Recent trend clusters - [Automated Upkeep](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/automated-upkeep) (Tech) - [Serial Snacking](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/serial-snacking) (Lifestyle) - [Autumn Teasers](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/autumn-teasers) (Business) - [Ambient Assistance](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/ambient-assistance) (Tech) ## Trending in Life-Stages - [Mini Clog Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cars-x-crocs-blind-box) - [Thoughtfully Designed Lunchboxes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/glacier-lunchbox) - [Larger-Format Brainteaser Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kanoodle-party) - [Historical Character Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/polly-pocket-x-american-girl) All articles: [Life-Stages](https://www.trendhunter.com/life-stages)