Pre-school - Making little ones smile

The Pre-School category is one of the largest and most diverse sectors of the toy market. With new licensed properties attempting to challenge the dominance of established brands such as Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig, along with a growing trend for sustainability, the Pre-School arena is as competitive as ever. Rachael Simpson-Jones speaks to a selection of the leading suppliers in the sector to find out how 2021 is shaping up.

Currently the No. 2 most-watched channel on YouTube, boasting 107m subscribers and over 97b views, Moonbug Entertainment’s CoComelon has taken the pre-school world by storm. The animated episodes, which range from anywhere between three minutes and hour-long compilations, follow JJ and his family as he learns how to navigate the world around him via music, songs, and nursery rhymes. Master toy partner Bandai was appointed in mid-2020, and since then has seen demand for toys soar. For Bandai UK’s managing director Nic Aldridge, this wasn’t a complete surprise – although he does admit its performance has surpassed even his predictions.

“I’d been watching the CoComelon success story build online for some time, from even before the channel renamed itself to CoComelon,” he explains. “I felt fairly certain that capturing the essence of life lessons through entertainment, and extending these to a physical pre-school toy range for children to enjoy at home, was going to be a huge success. But the reception from the trade, and the reaction from consumers, has exceeded even my expectations.”

I wanted to know what sets CoComelon apart from other pre-school properties; why is the channel so incredibly popular? As far as Nic is concerned, its biggest appeal is the fact it teaches kids the things that parents would want them to learn. He says: “I think the level of engagement that you get from the brand is one of the key differences. There are numerous videos on TikTok showing children of all ages running into a room when they hear the CoComelon opening theme. This engagement comes at such an early age too, with many of the videos supporting key parenting messages such as the importance of brushing your teeth, eating your vegetables, or taking a bath. As any parent well knows, these are often some of the most challenging times or activities of the day; having support in the form of these videos has really struck a chord with parents, as well as their kids. And when these messages are conveyed through song, what could be better?”

As music is central to the appeal of CoComelon, Bandai’s master toy range welcomes new First Act instruments for 2021, including a keyboard and xylophone. The company will also continue developing sets which focus on individual videos and songs from the channel, most notably the Musical Tractor, which arrives at retail in late spring. At the same time, Bandai will continue to build on its core plush and figurine lines, developing the depth of collectability in these ranges. Nic says: “At its heart, CoComelon is about learning, playing and singing, so the toy line is an extension of these themes and brings the on-screen to life.”

Other toy partners are also on board; RMS International’s new CoComelon range covers a wide variety of subcategories including wooden toys, puzzles, arts & crafts, bubbles and sensory items, while Diamant has created role-playing items including an ice cream machine and a slush maker. Its best-selling Glow Pad has also received a CoComelon makeover.

Another recent entrant to the pre-school arena, Ludo Studio’s pre-school show Bluey has got off to a very strong start in its home market of Australia, as well as the US, and has now arrived in the UK. Bluey follows the adventures of a lovable and inexhaustible six-year-old Blue Heeler, who lives with her dad, Bandit; mum, Chilli, and four-year-old little sister, Bingo. Ravensburger has been appointed the licensee for jigsaw puzzles, and is joined by master toy partner Moose Toys, which has already been garnering plaudits for its Bluey line. At the Australian Toy Association’s first Digital Awards Ceremony, the 2021 Judges Choice Award (0-6years) was given to the Bluey Pool Time Playset, while the Bluey & Friends Basic Plush won 2021 Plush Product of the Year.

“Bluey has won the hearts of children and their parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018,” says Logan Stone, head of marketing, Europe, Moose Toys. “The property’s huge appeal stems from its warmth, charm and honest portrayal of family life with young children. Kids adore how Bluey is all about play, but it’s also genuinely funny so the whole family can watch it together.”

Moose’s award-winning toys, which include the plush and play set named above, as well as figures, are being joined this year by the new Heeler Cruiser Vehicle and the Heeler Home play set, both of which feature prominently in the show. The Heeler Home, which comes complete with articulated figure and furniture perfect for imaginative Bluey story-telling, is Logan’s personal favourite. She says: “The Heeler Home has been one of the best-selling items in both Australia and the US; given its strong track record, we’re excited to launch this item in the UK. This will be our big Christmas driver for Bluey and will be supported with a dedicated TV campaign, as well as digital and influencer campaigns throughout Q4.”

From new properties to evergreen brands, 8th Wonder continues to go from strength to strength by signing deals with Mattel and MGA Entertainment that have resulted in the development of new toy ranges for Fisher Price and Little Tikes. Both are consumer favourites in the pre-school space, with timeless appeal that spans multiple generations and has earned them the trust of parents across the globe. The Fisher Price launch range, hitting retail from autumn/winter, focuses on games, activities and music, with wooden stacking toys, skittles and instruments starting at attractively affordable RRPs, while the Little Tikes range, also for autumn/winter release, offers role-play options from shopping and cooking to cleaning up (and even doing laundry).

“It’s amazing to be working with both Mattel and MGA,” enthuses Andrea Gornall, senior product & business development manager, 8th Wonder. “Both brands have strong heritage and brand awareness, which makes them perfect additions to our growing portfolio. Welcoming Fisher Price to our range serves to strengthen our position in the pre-school category even further, while working with Little Tikes gives us the opportunity to develop products that fit in other toy categories in addition to pre-school, such as roleplay. These deals open up a lot of possibilities and will massively broaden the appeal of 8th Wonder toys among consumers.”

Noting the need to avoid cannibalism, 8th Wonder’s design team has curated each toy range to ensure they complement the master toy offerings of each brand, while remaining distinct from one another and having their own voice in the marketplace. Sustainability is also at the heart of these toy offerings; all are made from FSC certified wood, which, as well as giving consumers piece of mind (and value for money), offers retailers the opportunity to showcase new eco-friendly toys instore, from two of the most iconic and well-respected pre-school brands in the marketplace. 8th Wonder’s marketing plans will, for now, focus on trade and consumer press, but social media campaigns will also be used to raise awareness. The company’s retail partners will also be consulted on bespoke activity to drive sales in-store.

Sticking with eco-friendliness for a moment, we’re also seeing the emergence of new wooden pre-school ranges that will appeal to eco-conscious parents. Based in Northern Ireland, Sawdust and Rainbows creates beautiful indoor climbing frames from sustainably sourced wood that help kids hone their gross motor skills and challenge themselves physically. Rex London, meanwhile, is launching its new wood-mounted xylophone this year. The xylophone features the elephant from Rex’s Wild Wonders range, which also includes a wooden balance game that challenges kids to stack the charming flora- and fauna-themed pieces, helping to develop hand-eye coordination and gross motor skills. Best-selling wooden lines from Hape continue into 2021 too; retailers can choose from a raft of products to complement any in-store eco-section, including musical toys, push & pull toys, walkers and educational offerings, with favourites such as the Rainbow Pounder, Noah’s Ark, Shape Sorting Box and Activity Cubes benefitting from support throughout the year. Golden Bear is also enhancing the sustainability of its pre-school ranges by introducing a line of Hey Duggee plush that’s well on its way to being made of 100% recycled materials. All the filling used for the company’s plush toys is already made from recycled plastic bottles, a decision that was taken a number of years ago, but for 2021 things are being taken a step further with the introduction of Duggee outer materials also made from recycled polyester. Hey Duggee is one of Golden Bear’s two fastestgrowing brands - the other being Bing - and forms a major part of the company’s launch plans for this year. Highlights include the Hey Duggee Interactive Clubhouse, Toothbrush and Handwashing Time with Duggee (which will also surely be a winner with parents), and Spin and Groove DJ Duggee. The Bing line-up, meanwhile, welcomes Musical Dancing Bing and Bing’s House. Golden Bear’s wider licensed portfolio also includes popular pre-school favourites such as Love Monster, In the Night Garden, Waffle the Wonder Dog and Mr Tumble, properties that allow the company to do what it does best - create products that inspire, encourage imagination, and, ultimately, are fun to play with.

“Quality, safety and reliability are top priority for pre-school parents, and we have an unrivalled reputation in this area,” says MD Barry Hughes. “In addition to this, we pride ourselves in really getting under the skin of our pre-school licences, transforming much-loved kids’ TV characters into high quality toys that are totally on-brand, and that children love.”

He adds: “We have developed plans to support all our brands via digital, social, and influencer outreach, which will in turn drive traffic directly to retailers. TV advertising, PR campaigns and collaborations with licensor activations are also part of the bigger picture, with a calendar of activity spikes throughout the year.”

Back at Bandai, the focus is firmly on digital, reflecting CoComelon’s online origins. The company will be targeting parents, guardians, and gift givers, and says digital mediums and social platforms are the perfect vehicle with which to communicate key messaging. Nic adds: “We will of course be marketing to the end consumer with over the shoulder parental co-viewing in mind, but CoComelon presents us with a very exciting opportunity to really test the limits of the digital frontier.”

He continues: “We also have some extremely exciting retail activations in the pipeline for this year which we can’t wait to bring to market. These are set for later in the year, when we hope all our retailers will be open again and ready to take up these opportunities.”