Trends: Fidget Toys are Hot

from ASTRA Toy Times July 2021

by Fahy-Williams Publishing

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If you haven’t noticed - and guessing by the overwhelming popularity in recent months - you definitely have, fidget toys are hot, hot, hot.

Don’t expect that trend to slow.

Fidget popper toys have been the rage for several months, and Scott Van Reeth of Streamline said he’s forecasting the trend to continue.

“It’s one of those things that you just don’t know the answer to,” Van Reeth said when asked if he thinks the trend will continue. “We’re ordering them as if it’s not going to (drop off) and then you pray that it doesn’t. I’m bringing them in like they’ll be hot for the rest of the year and I’m anticipating they’ll be hot through Christmas.”

In recent years, the fidget spinner was the rage, and the current popper craze looks to have similar results.

Several stores around the country have seen a steady stream of high schoolers and younger making frequent popper purchases this spring. With kids out of school for the summer, the hot streak may cool for a couple of months, but Van Reeth said he’s confident it will ramp again this fall.

“I can’t keep them in stock. It’s crazy,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the

same as the spinners. I think it’s a little bit better than that.”

Another toy keeping hands busy is the Tangle. Tangle owner Jan Marie Zawitz said they like to consider Tangle as “the original fidget toy.”

Tangle was first created in 1981 and the fidget masters are celebrating their 40th year in business.

“It’s quite coincidental that the fidget trend has aligned with us very nicely,” she said.

Zawitz said they started to notice the hot trend picking up steam last summer. Despite the length of fidget-toy popularity, Zawitz agrees that things are still trending upwards.

“I still don’t think it’s at its apex yet. I think the holidays are going to be huge,” she said. “It’s hot right now, but we’re just warming up for the playoffs. The holidays are going to be like the Super Bowl for us.”

If the popular term, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” is true, then Tangle is in good company. Over their 40 years in business, Zawitz said there have been several knock offs in the marketplace.

Tangle has a brand security team that works to prevent it.

“Whenever there is opportunity, people will seize it,” she said. “We’ve gotten a few that are out there, and they don’t come close at all in terms of how they move, how they’re built, and most importantly there’s the safety regulations on them.” ASTRA