Category
Life-Stages
Constructible Franchises
Trend cluster
Category
Unexpected
Play
Kids activities are reinvented with unexpected artistic touches.
2.0
Trend score
Trend
What is the Unexpected Play trend?
Unexpected Play: Expanding children's imaginations, brands are heightening traditional activities like drawing by using unorthodox techniques. Allowing kids to creatively color on toy cars and even shoes, brands are allowing young consumers to engage in rule-breaking behavior in a regulated yet creative manner.
Trend themes
Themes within the Unexpected Play trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Unorthodox Kids Activities
Brands are heightening traditional activities like drawing by using unorthodox techniques to expand children's imagination.
02
Customizable Products
Products that can be personalized or customized by the user, particularly children, are becoming popular as they promote creative thinking and imagination.
03
Interactive Toys
Toys that allow for interactivity, such as cars that kids can customize or shoes that allow for artistic expression, are becoming more popular as they encourage children to play creatively.
Industry implications
What the Unexpected Play trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Children's Toys and Activities
Brands that cater to children's toys and activities can explore creating products that are designed to encourage creativity and imagination, such as customizable toy cars or shoes that can be drawn on.
For
Educational Products
Educational brands can explore creating interactive and personalized products that allow children to learn about their surroundings in a fun and engaging way, such as personalized neighborhood maps.
For
Retail and E-commerce
Retail and e-commerce businesses can explore adding customizable and interactive products to their inventory, particularly for children's products, to meet the demand for personalized and creative items.
Trend signals
Trend signals for Unexpected Play
Trend score 2.0 out of 10, from popularity 22%, activity 29%, freshness 8%.
Popularity22%
Activity29%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial (not a primary audience)
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Evidence
Examples of the Unexpected Play trend
4 featured examples from Jun 10, 2013 to Sep 5, 2014CategoryAutos
Customizable Child Cars
The Toyota Camatte Lab at the Tokyo Toy Show 2014 Showed Off Interactivity
The customizable child car trend presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for the toy industry to create more engaging and interactive toys.
CategoryLife-Stages
Art-Displaying Kids Shoes
Monkies are Drawing Shoes for Kids That Encourage Spontaneity and Art
Opportunity for footwear companies to tap into the market of customizable and interactive shoes for kids.
CategoryLife-Stages
Doodle Light Projectors
The Crayola Sketcher Projector is a Great Gift for Your Little Artist
Toymakers can capitalize on the trend of interactive drawing toys and integrate technology for enhanced user experience.
CategoryLife-Stages
Personalized Neighborhood Mats
The 'I Am Here' Map Familiarizes Kids with Their Surroundings
The personalized play mats trend presents an opportunity for companies in the personalized products industry to expand into children's products.
