Feature - Tech Toys

Pushing the right buttons

Technology in toys can be varied in its complexity and presentation, from subtle lights and sounds to programmable motion and interactivity, but generally speaking, it’s there for one of two core purposes – entertainment or education. Rachael Simpson-Jones asks how technology enhances play and learning, and whether you can have too much of a good thing.

The application of tech to toys is not a recent development – many readers will have had walking, talking robots and backflipping dogs in their toyboxes decades ago - but it’s fair to say the way it’s being applied is becoming ever more innovative, especially when it comes to education. Over the past year, more parents and caregivers than ever before have begun to appreciate that toys can genuinely boost learning outcomes, and this year they can choose from a raft of new offerings that introduce key concepts to kids from a young age, all through the power of tech.

Take, for instance, LeapFrog’s LeapLand Adventures, a plug-and-play games console for kids from just three years old. “LeapLand Adventures was designed to present young children with the essential learning skills needed to lay a foundation for later school success,” says Tiffany Sakaguchi, LeapFrog learning expert. “Throughout the game, children meet fun and educational characters who introduce letter names and sounds, teach counting, and present shapes and colours found in everyday items. To further the learning, the game also includes a Learning Centre in which kids can practise specific skills at their own pace.”

Technology has allowed Learning Resources to develop various coding products such as its bestselling Botley the Coding Robot and the Code & Go Robot Mouse, Coding Critters and Artie 3000. These products provide coding and STEM based learning opportunities, and, like all Learning Resources products, do so in an organic, stealthy way. The company is introducing two new coding products to expand its award-winning Coding Critters range. Called Coding Critters MagiCoders, new launches Blazer the Dragon and Sky the Unicorn capitalise on the popular dragon and unicorn themes still prevalent in the toy market. Both products are designed for ages four plus and incorporate a coding wand, spell book and play set, adding a new dimension to the younger end of Learning Resource’s coding range.

SmartLab, meanwhile, creates unique products for slightly older kids aged eight and over. All the company’s toys provide hands-on kinaesthetic learning and visually stimulating content. SmartLab weaves compelling technological elements into every product, across material science, chemical reactions, or auditory and tactile stimulation such as that found in kits like Smart Circuits, Archi-Tech Electronic Smart House, Tiny Circuits! and – a personal favourite – the Ultimate Squishy Human Body with SmartScan Technology, which lets kids place human organs on an innovative sensor to trigger facts, quiz questions, realistic ‘body sounds’ and more.

I asked SmartLab’s George Scott how the technology in the company’s products aids learning. He told me the best toys allow children to add their own individual insights, problem-solving skills, divergent thinking and perseverance to their play, which is why SmartLab toys allow for open-ended experimentation and repeat enjoyment. He adds: “SmartLab toys encourage children to experience wonder, test the unknown and increase their understanding through hands-on exploration. Each SmartLab toy comes with originally designed and innovative tech components; from slime and electronics to human anatomy, architecture, chemistry and robotics, offering playful learning experiences to delight and amaze any child.”

Tonies audio devices bridge the gap between learning and entertainment. As Lucia Kreuzer, UK & Ireland MD, explains, founders Patric Faßbender and Marcus Stahl started Tonies with the belief that audio can both ignite a child’s imagination and enable them to discover more. She says: “With children at the heart of everything we do, we wanted to create a way for children to experience the magic of storytelling in this digital age, stimulating their imagination and creativity. Our audio storytelling system enables young children to unlock a new world of exploration and curiosity, transforming the way in which they independently play and learn. We put a great deal of thought, research and work into the content that we bring to Tonies, and there is a huge amount of variety in our portfolio. We foster strong bonds between children and parents through the magic of storytelling, whether parents are introducing their children to classic stories such as the Famous Five, listening together to the latest blockbuster story, such as Frozen, or our wonderful music and educational content, including Peter and the Wolf or our How and Why Tonies.”

Numerous other companies are also using tech to bolster the entertainment offered by their toys. Scalextric Spark Plug, for example, lets racers control their car wirelessly using a smart device. As Martyn Weaver, Scalextric head of brand explains, Spark Plug is very much a complement to traditional Scalextric gameplay, rather than an evolution of it. “Spark Plug offers different ways for racers to control their car based on how different generations choose to interact with the product,” he says. “We’ve noticed when doing outside events that a good number of children don’t hold the hand controller like a gun - they turn it around and push the trigger with their thumb instead. It’s common for children to control things with their thumbs but not all our consumers are children; very often, Scalextric is raced by adults and children at the same time. This is why SparkPlug is so versatile. You can race a SparkPlug-controlled Scalextric car next to a car controlled by the more conventional hand controller, and the reaction times will be the same. The racing of cars is the core element of the Scalextric play pattern. SparkPlug not only delivers this, but also offers optional extras that can be incorporated such as personalisation, sound, battle game-play and interactive team play.”

Scalextric came into being in the 1950s and its appeal among older consumers remains strong to this day. I was therefore keen to know how easy it is for older racers, who may have been enjoying Scalextric in its original form for decades, to play using the Spark Plug technology. Martyn is quick to reassure me that while some will take to it quicker than others, the core play pattern of racing cars has been kept simple, whether a person chooses to control their car via an app or a traditional hand-controller. He also says that while maintaining the appeal of a product such as Scalextric requires innovation, the innovation has to be optional when traditional or nostalgic toys are involved. He comments: “Brands like Scalextric have a huge pedigree and history, which is naturally seen as a positive, but legacy can complicate evolution and innovation. The key to maximising on this lies in recognising the different consumer wants and needs, then producing different products for the different segments.” Character Options’ marketing manager Mark Hunt notes that while today’s kids tend to be tech savvy, it’s important not to overcomplicate a toy or make them too difficult to operate. In his opinion, kids want to be fully in control of their play, and therefore prefer tech toys that are responsive, interactive, easy to use, and, most importantly, fun. He says: “Not all tech solutions transfer into toys; we’ve seen a lot come and go. The blend of tech and play needs to be seamless and not disruptive. Yes, kids today want the latest tech at their fingertips, but they also need toys that will stimulate their thirst for imaginative play and fantasy play.”

Ticking these boxes for 2021 is Squeakee the Balloon Dino, who launches for autumn/winter. The successor to Squeakee the Balloon Dog, which many readers will have seen at Toy Fair 2020, this new toy – affectionately known as B-Rex – boasts 70+ impressive features that will let kids build a relationship with their own electronic pet dinosaur/balloon animal hybrid.

Mark is also aware that as higher ticket items, often bought by parents and grandparents, tech toy marketing needs to cover a number of bases. “There needs to be promotional activity within the kids’ space, across all mediums where they are spending their dwell time -TV, YouTube, gaming sites and so on,” he explains. “Parents also need to be targeted with specific messages. This is where TV placements like How to Spend it Well at Christmas can be beneficial, as they help to showcase the play value of a toy, its educational benefits and whether it’s family friendly. This messaging is important; you have to engage the adults making the purchasing decisions.” The cost of tech toys also impacts in-store ranging, where consumers must be drawn in by the benefits and play value offered by a toy rather than being put off by the price tag. Learning Resources’ coding range, for example, lends itself well to experiential events or demonstration tables where retailers and shop assistants can showcase what the toys are capable of, how accessible (and fun) they are, and the play value they offer.

The company has also successfully implemented bespoke display units with video screens for stores and situations where experiential is not possible. Tonies, too, turns to screens at retail, having found a digital display with subtitles at POS helps to show and tell the Tonies story in a way that resonates with consumers. Lucia tells me the company has also recently started to use QR codes on displays in-store. Consumers can quickly and easily scan the code on their phone to listen to samples of Tonies audio content or watch ‘How to’ videos that explain how Tonieboxes work.

She adds: “We’re currently working on a rollout of new POS displays and can provide a Toniebox that retailers can use as a working demo. In terms of marketing support, we have a structured retail promotion calendar in key periods like Back to School or Black Friday. We build story-led marketing campaigns around these periods and invest in driving these campaigns in retail with digital assets, social media awareness and supported discount pricing. We will also be undertaking field marketing and training days each month with select retailers to drive brand advocacy with retail staff, to give us an opportunity to present new portfolio launches and do some Tonies merchandising in-store.” Over the next pages, Toy World brings you a selection of the latest impressive tech toys which will be bringing fun and learning to kids over the coming months.