Feature - Outdoor Toys

Exploring the outdoors

Despite the UK having another rather disappointing summer, weather-wise, there have nevertheless been some bright spots in the outdoor toys category, while new trends are continually refreshing the sector. Gabriela Jiménez García speaks to several leading outdoor suppliers to learn more.

British summers are famous for being unpredictable, and this year was no exception. The spring and summer of 2024 saw a mix of rain and sunny spells, much like the previous year. Spring was wetter than usual for most of the UK, and temperatures in June and July were below average. Thankfully, August brought drier weather and temperatures briefly reaching up to 34 degrees in some areas, ending summer on a high note. Despite the unavoidable ups and downs with the weather, numerous outdoor toy suppliers have described 2024 as a relatively successful year overall, reporting growth across the category - which in turn suggests that when the weather was good, customers made the most of it.

Andy Griffin, Marketing manager at Reydon Sports told Toy World that the company had an extremely busy summer, with turnover beating 2023’s end results. Despite a quiet start to the year, a healthy end to Q3 and Q4 was very much the objective. “Reydon did have a shakier start, due to a quieter period in the market overall. However, the hard work done in Q1 and Q2 at Toy Fair, the Toymaster Regionals and the Harrogate May Show led to hugely positive results this summer. Overall, our turnover is up as a company so far in 2024, and we hope to continue this going into Q4,” he explained.

The company's exclusive partnership with Nerf Sports has led to excellent results this year, with a significant commitment made from customers during the Toymaster Show in Harrogate. Looking ahead, Reydon is thrilled about its most recent launch of the PrecisionPlay Junior range, featuring training equipment and toy products for young kids and teens. The PrecisionPlay collection joins the already established brand Precision Training and aims to engage younger audiences by ‘kiddifying’ training equipment that the pros use and bringing more active play to the garden. According to Andy, several multinational retailers have already committed to the range for Q4 and are investing more marketing efforts into it for the new year. Likewise, Toynamics has reported a successful spring/ summer trading period, experiencing double-digit growth in its Hape Outdoor category, which has become the fastestgrowing category across the Toynamics group. “The Hape Nature Fun collection continues to be a strong range for us, but the addition of larger outdoor Hape items including the Mud Kitchen and Outdoor Art Easel have really shone through,” explained Emma Damerell, Brand manager at Toynamics. “As Hape is known for its high-quality wood items, it makes sense that customers trust us to provide robust high-quality wooden outdoor items that will stand the test of time.”

Due to the increasing environmental awareness among consumers and their growing preference for toys that combine sustainable materials with a sturdy design that will offer longevity, many outdoor toy suppliers are striving to meet this demand. Simba Smoby is just one of the toy companies working to provide outdoor products that offer durability, while also featuring eco-friendly materials. The supplier has recently launched the Smoby Life range, which provides families with the same great quality, durability and aesthetic for which Smoby is best known, all while offering a more sustainable choice. The Smoby Life Jura Lodge Playhouse and XL Slide have been the first two SKUs to launch and, following a positive response from consumers and retailers alike, the company has pledged to make almost all its playhouses, slides and activity toys using recycled plastic going forward.

“We are refreshing a large number of our products into our Smoby Life range at a time when we know consumers are more environmentally conscious,” said Sophie Bryan, Brand manager at Simba Smoby. “The Smoby Life range marks a new direction for us, with all items using largely recycled plastic in our productions. Smoby continues to operate a zero-waste facility in France, but we are now excited to extend that environmental commitment to use a lot less virgin plastic and roll out the wider Smoby Life range from spring.” Despite the later start to the season due to poor weather and cautious consumer spending, the company has seen huge success in its outdoor portfolio with growing and ongoing demand even beyond peak season. These strong sell-through rates have left retailers confident for spring/ summer 2025 season purchases.

Looking ahead to 2025, Simba will launch the outdoor Smoby Mud Kitchen featuring 89% recycled plastic and 11 different weather-resistant accessories for different play opportunities. “There are currently no other products in the market offering a mud kitchen made from durable plastic with the number of accessories and level of play value ours has,” added Sophie. Simba Smoby will support this range with a high-profile media campaign next year.

Also encouraging exploration, problem-solving and social interaction in toddlers, while supporting early STEM activities, Commotion is expanding its eco-friendly Tickit range of Translucent Colour play sets with Flexi-Tubes and Pouring Bowls.

Micro Scooters is taking major steps to provide customers with outdoor products that will not only be practical, durable and appealing, but also environmentally safer. “One clear trend is the continued demand for eco-conscious, sustainable and well-built quality products,” said Ben Gibson, Managing director at Micro Scooters. “Parents are looking for toys that last, are safe and have a lower environmental impact. In the past 18 months, this has taken on a higher purpose with the benefits of a circular economy becoming more pronounced. At Micro, we have been on this journey for nearly a decade – we don't claim to be perfect in terms of our environmental impact, but as a B Corp and Carbon Neutral certified brand, we think we are well on our way.”

Reydon Sports’ Andy Griffin notes that light-up toys have become increasingly popular and expects this feature to be in high demand during the Christmas season and into the new year because of its appeal to younger audiences. Several suppliers have expanded their product lines to include a variety of illuminating outdoor products, with scooters, bikes and quads specifically designed to attract younger consumers. MV Sports has unveiled a new collection of Spidey and His Amazing Friends ride-ons that feature lights among their impressive features. Included in the range is the Electric Bumper Car Ride On, which includes LED lighting and horn sounds, dual direction and speed joystick control, along with 360° rotation. Also joining the collection are the SAHAF 12" Balance Bike and the Mini Go! Tilt Scooter, both designed to ‘wow’ pre-schoolers with their motion-activated light-up wheels.

United Wheels is brightening its product range with new battery-powered bikes and ride-ons that come with illuminating features. One of the newest additions to the Huffy line up is the Spider-Man 12" Bike, including a Spider-Man mask with light-up eyes and sounds. The Frozen Bubble Quad 6V Battery Ride-On, which features lights, sounds and the ability to blow bubbles, has also been added to Huffy’s range, providing powered play for toddlers and young children. Meanwhile, Micro Scooters is looking forward to the upcoming launch of the Glow Range of Mini and Maxi scooters. “They are special as they, in effect, offer two scooters in one; with a soft glow during the day and a bright, see-in-the-dark, glow on darker days,” highlighted Ben Gibson. He tells us that accessories like helmets, lights and bells are becoming more and more important to both consumers and retailers, providing a raft of add on purchases.

Some suppliers have picked up on the emerging trend of group gameplay and are revamping their portfolios accordingly. As Tossit enjoys growing demand for its multiplayer suction darts game, in response to customer requests for more Tossits to be included in a set, the company has increased the number in each box to 26, allowing 4-6 players to participate.

“We have seen the rise of outdoor group gameplay, and we expect this trend to continue to develop,” commented Toynamics’ Emma Damerell. “With trends like Pickleball growing over Europe, we predict there will also be growth within gameplay that span across children to adults.”

The company has expanded its presence in the outdoor gameplay sector by launching two new brands: Trelines and Do-U-Play – both owned by Hape Holdings and aimed at an older age. The Trelines range features a modern and highly practical design, offering an alternative to larger outdoor play items. The products in this range can be packed away, enabling Toynamics to target a new type of customer who seeks fun and compact outdoor play gear that can be easily dismantled when not in use. Meanwhile, Do-U-Play has already seen plenty of success with the 30-inch Jumbo Soccer Ball becoming a best-seller this year.

Over the next few pages of editorial, Toy World details a wide range of products from suppliers in the outdoor toys category that will be hitting shelves next Spring.