Feature
Wooden Toys
Traditional
treasures
As wooden toys continue to grow in popularity, Sam Giltrow speaks to a selection of suppliers to find out what is fuelling this trend and how they are continuing to innovate in this sector.
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any of us have something wooden in the attic which we, or our own children, played with when younger - a wooden dolls house, a push along truck with building blocks or a ride-on wooden car. With timeless appeal, these items have become treasured heirlooms to pass down to siblings or even new generations. Indeed, many wooden ranges have evolved into stylish additions to the playroom, some even coming with technological elements to keep today’s tech-savvy youngsters happy. David Allan, MD at Toynamics UK & Ireland, says the rise in popularity of the wooden category is a real opportunity for retailers. “Shoppers, from parents to grandparents and gift givers, are less likely to spend on disposable toys, and more likely to invest in longerlasting heritage type toys,” he tells Toy World. “I expect retailers will see a rise in popularity of wooden toys this year across railway, role-play and infant, fuelled additionally by consumer demand for more sustainable toys. The durability and quality of wooden toys offers longevity, which makes them great value for money, as well as desirable items that can be passed down through the family.” Toynamics says its traditional themed toys such
as dolls houses, railway and wooden infant toys continue to sell well. The company recently launched a substantial digital marketing campaign for its Hape Railway range, working with a mix of TV celebrity parent and influencer talent with target age children to showcase the brand. Hape is the world’s largest manufacturer of toys made from renewable raw materials, also using rice, fasal and bamboo as well as wood. Reflecting environmental lifestyle shifts, some of the new toys carry an eco-sustainability theme through their design, such as the Gearhead Stunt Garage, which features a solar electric car charging point instead of a petrol station. Tapping into an increased demand for tech in toys, the company has also introduced electronic features into its traditional Hape wooden toys, such as the new Rock and Slide Dollshouse, which has interactive sensors. When a doll is placed on a sensor, it triggers the sound of a particular feature or accessory in the house, such as the toilet flushing or music playing. “With Hape, we keep an eye on the trends and use classic designs with modern twists that could be adding in an interactive element or a green living feature,” explains David. “We want to keep our toys relevant
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and appealing to children and their parents, adding play value too. We have very strict testing criteria and every new Hape toy is sent to a variety of child testers. If toys do not pass the play test, they will not be sent to production.” Toynamics has enjoyed a good first half of 2022 and David hopes this momentum will continue with a raft of new product launches in the second half of the year, including additions to the Hape Railway collection. A key new introduction is the new Hape Mega Metropolis Bucket Set: an 80-piece wooden railway set containing scenery with bridges, rails, restaurant, shops, construction site, fire station, airport, people and vehicles. The company will support retailers by continuing its Toy of the Month incentive, which provides discounts on certain lines, while in-store support is available for lines such as Hape Railway, which includes gift with purchase and assets for colouring competitions, as well as in-store play tables. Also keeping up with the demand for wooden toys which incorporate the appeal of technology is Ravensburger, with the Brio brand of wooden trains and tracks. The Brio Smart Tech Sound lines allow kids to record sounds and control, stop, start or reverse,
