In our June issue, Toy World’s Gabriela Jimenez speaks to numerous suppliers about the current trends in the Infant Toys category and covers some of the key launches for 2024. 

In the first 12 months of life, babies go through a crucial period of self-discovery and learning about the world around them. As a result, interactive and educational toys are popular within the Infant category, with parents interested in purchasing toys that will aid the development of essential cognitive and physical skills while incorporating play aspects. Mike Lynch, senior brand manager for leading Infant brand VTech, tells us that the increase in demand for toys that promote early development fuels the company to create products that will aid different developmental stages in infants.

While electronic toys integrating light, sound and movements are highly popular for early cognitive development, many parents still opt for traditional toys such as wooden blocks, pull-along toys and puzzles. Julia tells us that the team at Hippychick has seen plenty of interest in products such as Busy Boards and First Development Puzzles specifically designed to improve babies’ hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Many Infant toy suppliers have stepped up their game and now offer multi-functional toys that, besides providing educational benefits, will assist with other aspects of infancy. Teething, for instance, can be a difficult process for both babies and parents, and multiple toy companies are now incorporating teethers into their products to ensure that babies can soothe their gums during play and learning time. Ravensburger is one of the companies set to release a refreshing collection under its new Play+ brand, which launched on the opening day of this year’s London Toy Fair.

To help parents with day-to-day routines, a host of bathtime and bedtime products have been designed to soothe and comfort infants, promoting healthier habits and providing parents with some much-needed respite, and, as the Infant category is mostly driven by parent and gift giver purchases, many suppliers are also leveraging nostalgia as a way to appeal to consumers.

To learn more about the latest products across the category, as well as industry professionals’ reflections on the latest trends and how they’re keeping the category fresh, click here for the full article.