Goliath completes Fun Promotion acquisition Toys and games manufacturer Goliath has completed the acquisition of Fun Promotion from Toi-Toys International. Fun Promotion has been creating novelty toys since 1978 and is best known for Magic Twisty - a product that has sold more than 20 million units in 30-plus countries. Other successful products include the rainbow rope Ztringz, Skippy Dance, and Super Balloon. The business was acquired by Toi-Toys in 2020. Toi-Toys CEO Rob Rooijackers said: “As we will be focusing more on products under our own brand name in the future, we believe Goliath is a better fit to further develop the legacy and brand of Fun Promotion.” Goliath has acquired Tucker Toys, Britz’n’Pieces, Wahu and Vivid in recent years. CEO Jochanan Golad commented: “We expect impulse products and retail business to be completely back to normal by spring 2022. We will be launching a range of exciting new products under the Fun Promotion portfolio and further strengthening its excellent in-store marketing strategy and relationships with retailers and distributors.”
TRENDS: KIDS CAN’T WAIT TO PLAY THIS SUMMER This summer will be all about making up for lost play time, according to The U.S. Toy Association’s senior communications specialist Kristin Morency Goldman Families missed out on so much last summer due to Covid-19, and with online learning, face masks, and social distancing, the past school year has been anything but easy. This summer will be all about making up for lost time, according to a recent survey commissioned by The U.S. Toy Association’s Genius of Play initiative and conducted by OnePoll. When asked what their ideal summer would look like, 2,000 parents and their children (aged from five to 14) said this summer should include five pool parties in the backyard, three road trips, and five trips to the beach. The average child also included three trips to amusement parks in their plans - and wished for five new toys to play with. Thankfully, families should be able to deliver on their kids’ requests. Read on for some toys and games that will keep kids active outdoors - or entertained inside on a rainy day - all summer long: Obstacle Course in a Box from Endless Games: Designed to play inside or outside, this comes with physical challenges to keep you moving. It features 27 floor tiles, a stopwatch, a jump rope, and a booklet filled with obstacle course ideas. Slackers Swingline from B4 Adventure: Set up the ultimate challenge in your backyard between two trees. The set includes a ninja line, mesh swings, a steel monkey bar, and gym rings. Wing Ball from Hog Wild: Wing Ball can reach speeds of 88mph. Air will pass through this tube-shaped toy to help lift it and create spirals.
Fun on the farm with Britains Agricultural toys and collectables brand Britains is marking its centenary year by teaming up with the Rural Life Living Museum in Farnham, Surrey, to create an experience for the whole family - just in time for summer. The Museum features a collection of old rural buildings, tractors and farm equipment, complete with its own small railway. Launched on 20 June, visitors are being treated to a specially designed Britains-inspired toy trail where Britains products will be ‘hidden’ around the site, challenging families to spot them along their route. The experience will run until 12 September, and the team have designed a fun activity sheet to keep children entertained throughout the day. There are plenty of photo opportunities available to capture memories, and visitors can upload their best snap with the Britains frame to Facebook or Instagram to be in with a chance of winning one of Britains’ Farm in a Box toys.
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Articulate from Tomy: Articulate is a team game of rapid descriptions. Players describe as many card entries as possible in 30 seconds. The first team to move around the board wins. I Wish I Didn’t Know Family Edition from What Do You Meme?: Players draw trivia cards while the rest of the group competes to guess which answer is correct. Once everyone has guessed, the judge reveals the correct answer and awards one point to those who chose correctly.
Founded in 1916, The U.S. Toy Association is a not-for-profit trade association representing businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The U.S. toy industry has an annual U.S. economic impact of $97.2 billion and its 1,000-plus members drive the annual $27 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Association serves as the industry’s voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and the media. It has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on programmes to ensure safe and fun play. The organisation produces the world-renowned Toy Fair New York and Toy Fair Dallas; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America’s widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.
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