The Toy Association is gearing up to unveil the biggest trends in toys, play, and youth entertainment for 2025, offering the global toy community actionable insights that can directly influence business growth and product development in the future.
The much-anticipated 2025 trends will be revealed during an exclusive presentation on day one of Toy Fair (taking place March 1-4, 2025, in New York City). Tailored for media, buyers, and other industry stakeholders, the session, presented by The Toy Association’s trends team, will spotlight key opportunities within the toy and play space and feature real-world product examples straight from the show floor.
For manufacturers and retailers, this is a prime opportunity to identify emerging consumer preferences and gain new data and inspiration for designing and marketing products that resonate with today’s toy shoppers.
Drawing from diverse sources, the trends team has spent countless hours examining the latest innovations in parallel industries —including entertainment, fashion, beauty, and tech — and analyzing data from a recent Toy Association-commissioned survey of U.S. parents’ toy and shopping preferences. With this information, coupled with insights drawn from meetings with 100+ companies of all sizes, the team has crafted a forecast that captures the essence of what will drive consumer demand in the coming year.
“Our trend-tracking work is a collaborative and thorough process,” said Kristin Morency Goldman, senior director of strategic communications at The Toy Association. “It’s about staying ahead of what’s happening across industries that influence the toy sector while deepening our understanding of the evolving interests of all toy lovers (kids and grown-ups). This includes looking at how toy consumers shop with sustainability, diversity, and STEAM and MESH learning themes in mind and continue to value timeless play patterns.”
For businesses in the toy industry, The Toy Association’s annual trends is more than an educational resource; it’s a tool for success. Companies are encouraged to consider these trends as they navigate Toy Fair’s eight football fields worth of playthings and throughout the year to refine product development and marketing strategies and garner additional media attention. Throughout the year, The Toy Association actively promotes these trends to global media to help enhance brand visibility and align products with consumer expectations.
There is still time for toy companies and brand owners interested in contributing to the trends presentation or showcasing their latest launches to connect with the trends team ahead of Toy Fair. For inquiries or to schedule a meeting, contact Maddie Michalik at mmichalik@toyassociation.org.
Additional details about the Toy Trends Briefing, as well as other educational sessions at Toy Fair, are available at ToyFairNY.com.
Curated by Jennifer Lynch, The Toy Association
