Last Updated on December 23, 2019 by Danielle
At the 2016 London Toy Fair, we discovered some insights from the event.
We are always looking for cool Christmas gifts for kids. At The London Toy Fair, there was a growth in STEM toys, tech and app-enabled toys, and we saw the rise of virtual reality (VR).
STEM Toys
STEM, or Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, toys have emerged as an interesting new category not too long ago. There was an amazing assortment of new STEM toys on display at the show. STEM toys are not designed only for boys and geeks. They can be enjoyed by both boys and girls. Some of the more interesting sets involved chemistry, biology, and physics. Also, there were some great electronics kits that combined physical components, digital control, and programming.
Tech/App-Enabled Toys
Nowadays more and more toys are adding value with an app component. In the past, we’ve experienced our fair share of bad app toys. However, this year we are seeing some great ideas on display at the Toy Fair. Some of the new tech and app-enabled toys include: a toy that allows kids to code to drive physical components, follow simple instructions to weave bracelets, and create stop animation movies or add slick digital magic to their magic shows.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality (VR) has arrived and the market is anticipated to explode in the years to come. Google Cardboard is an inexpensive VR headset. At the London Toy Fair, there were virtual reality games for both educating and entertaining. With some of these new VR headsets, you don’t get that motion sickness that you used to get in the past and the visuals and effects are simply mind-blowing. VR has many applications beyond gaming and it will be exciting to see what the creative minds can develop to take advantage of the new hardware.
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