London’s Toy Fair takes place from 24-26 January and will welcome more than 260 companies exhibiting thousands of products to visitors including retailers, buyers, media and the wider industry.

Toy Fair reveals exclusively to Nursery Online the key preschool toy trends to watch out for in 2023, predictions for the nursery toy industry this year and which toy brands you can expect to see at the trade show.

What are the key nursery toy trends to watch out for in 2023?

2022 was a huge year for infant, toddler and preschool toys accounting for 24% of toy sales in Nov 2022 compared with 20% of toy sales in November 2019, with new licences like Cocomelon, Bluey and Gabby’s Dollshouse driving the growth . This growth is likely to continue into 2023 with hundreds of new preschool character toys being showcased at this year’s Toy Fair. So be sure to watch this space!

Another category that saw huge growth in 2022 is Talking & Sound devices with this market up 69%. The wooden toy category is also up by 2% with consumers looking for more sustainable and environmentally friendly toys that also last the test of time. These categories are predicted to continue to grow in 2023 with consumers focused on the environment and reducing screen time.

Any other predictions for the (nursery) toy industry this year – and any big changes we’re likely to see?

Online sales for this category are likely to grow as the big specialist retailers move to online only. Online currently counts for 46% of sales for Infant, Toddler and Preschool toys. Again, Licensing is likely to make some waves in this market with so many exciting toys being released this year, there will be plenty of licensed preschool toys being showcased at Toy Fair.

What can visitors expect from this year’s fair?

Approximately half of the exhibitors have preschool toys in their collections this year. We have a broad range of exhibitors showcasing preschool product including Golden Bear Toys, Juratoys UK Ltd, KEEL TOYS, Mood Bears, Casdon and Rainbow Designs Ltd. Visitors definitely need to make sure they pay a visit to the Greenhouse Area for new and innovative products from smaller and exciting start-up companies. They will be able to meet with exhibiting companies like Happy Little Doers, who will be showcasing a variety of games and activities for preschool children.

https://www.toyfair.co.uk/