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Toy Fair 2011 A Few Thoughts
Feb. 17th, 2011 08:24 amToy Fair was held at the Javit’s center and other unknown locations through out New York this weekend. Toy Fair is where companies bring out their new toys and their not so new toys and show and sell to retailers who buy toys and the like. It is a pretty big show with lots to see and takes up the whole convention center plus a number of showrooms outside the center.
Peter has some connections with various toy companies for various reasons so we get to go. This year we started at the Hasbro showroom which was not at the Javit’s center and got to see the cool new toys and games coming to a store near you by fall of this year. And there are some really cool ones too. Also had some new games and some new versions of older games including a Disney Trivial Pursuit with a revamping of the rules to make it easier for younger kids to play and faster over all. They are also introducing more travel versions of their games. There were new Transformers to be seen along with My Little Pony toys that look like the Hub version of the ponies and more Littlest Pet Shop than you can shake a stick at.
One license they got back was Sesame Street and the toys they have based on them are truly amazing. Tickle Me Elmo has got nothing on what they will have coming out this fall. Think Guitar Hero for the preschool set with Elmo leading the band and you wouldn’t be far off. The interactive toys just keep getting more interactive.
After we toured Hasbro, Peter went home and I went onto the Javit’s center for the rest of the show. It took me about 4 hours of pretty constant walking to make it through most but not quite all of the show. There were one or two corners I missed and a couple of showrooms I didn’t venture into.
One thing I did like is that more of the toys I am seeing allow for more imagination and creativity than guide play. There were a number of dollhouses that were modular sections that you could put together in your own configuration. A lot of cardboard castles and houses that the kids could color and drawn inside and out. Some new craft materials that would be useful in costuming were there. A lot of craft kits allowing kids to build things from the ground up.
And of course there were puppets.
Melissa & Doug have a few new ones coming out including a very nice Mermaid. Folkmanis is trying out some Monsters that look really cool and are big enough for adult hands to play with. A number of other companies are throwing their puppets into the ring as well. There was the Puppet Company that had puppets with that slight muppet look to them. Silly Puppets reminded me of the Kids on the Block style puppets. They were big enough for adults hands and looked pretty sturdy. Sunny & Co Toys had both marionettes and hand and rod puppets for sale. They were much like Silly Puppets.
For the older kids and adults my pick was Puppet Heap Playthings, which had a unique look sort of Mr. Punch kind of Grand Guignol look (www.puppetheap.com). It is an interesting way to construct puppets and the fabrication of the fabric was fabulous. The only thing missing was Mr. and Mrs. Punch and baby. The artist for the pieces has a wonderful eye.
I am grateful I had the time I did at the Toy Fair.
Peter has some connections with various toy companies for various reasons so we get to go. This year we started at the Hasbro showroom which was not at the Javit’s center and got to see the cool new toys and games coming to a store near you by fall of this year. And there are some really cool ones too. Also had some new games and some new versions of older games including a Disney Trivial Pursuit with a revamping of the rules to make it easier for younger kids to play and faster over all. They are also introducing more travel versions of their games. There were new Transformers to be seen along with My Little Pony toys that look like the Hub version of the ponies and more Littlest Pet Shop than you can shake a stick at.
One license they got back was Sesame Street and the toys they have based on them are truly amazing. Tickle Me Elmo has got nothing on what they will have coming out this fall. Think Guitar Hero for the preschool set with Elmo leading the band and you wouldn’t be far off. The interactive toys just keep getting more interactive.
After we toured Hasbro, Peter went home and I went onto the Javit’s center for the rest of the show. It took me about 4 hours of pretty constant walking to make it through most but not quite all of the show. There were one or two corners I missed and a couple of showrooms I didn’t venture into.
One thing I did like is that more of the toys I am seeing allow for more imagination and creativity than guide play. There were a number of dollhouses that were modular sections that you could put together in your own configuration. A lot of cardboard castles and houses that the kids could color and drawn inside and out. Some new craft materials that would be useful in costuming were there. A lot of craft kits allowing kids to build things from the ground up.
And of course there were puppets.
Melissa & Doug have a few new ones coming out including a very nice Mermaid. Folkmanis is trying out some Monsters that look really cool and are big enough for adult hands to play with. A number of other companies are throwing their puppets into the ring as well. There was the Puppet Company that had puppets with that slight muppet look to them. Silly Puppets reminded me of the Kids on the Block style puppets. They were big enough for adults hands and looked pretty sturdy. Sunny & Co Toys had both marionettes and hand and rod puppets for sale. They were much like Silly Puppets.
For the older kids and adults my pick was Puppet Heap Playthings, which had a unique look sort of Mr. Punch kind of Grand Guignol look (www.puppetheap.com). It is an interesting way to construct puppets and the fabrication of the fabric was fabulous. The only thing missing was Mr. and Mrs. Punch and baby. The artist for the pieces has a wonderful eye.
I am grateful I had the time I did at the Toy Fair.
