In the Spotlight: Toy Fair 2008

Roll Out the Green Carpet!

By Julie L. Jones
March 2008

It’s more than 320 days until Toy Fair hits again, so while you wait, check out TDmonthly Magazine’s extensive coverage of the latest toy show that, once again this year, took New York by storm.

UPDATE: See TDmonthly's April report on "Toys to Watch in 2008."

SEE TOY FAIR UP CLOSE

Didn’t see all 1,300+ exhibitors at the show? Don’t worry …TDmonthly’s Toy Videos take you right to the scene, into the booths of more than 120 manufacturers as they demonstrate their latest and most popular toys. From cloud b’s Twilight Sea Turtle to Intellitoys’ smart-e-dog from Kids Preferred, see how toys really function, and decide if they’re right for your store.

And watch out for portions of TDmonthly’s Toy Fair documentary, “Toy Frenzy! Only the Fun Survive,” in our April issue.

AT THE TOP

What’s hot in hobbies, and what put the “special” in Specialty Source this year? If you’re looking to fill a particular category in your store, or just want to check out some of the newest toys, take a look at TDmonthly’s varied top-10 lists from the show:

TDmonthly's Top 10: Upper Level
TDmonthly's Top 10: Lower Level
TDmonthly’s Top 10: Specialty Source
TDmonthly's Top 10: Games
TDmonthly's Top 10: Plush
TDmonthly's Top 10: Artsy Toys
TDmonthly's Top 10: Hobby and R/C

TELLING TRENDS

TDmonthly is fully expecting Eco-Bots at Toy Fair ‘09, judging from the barrage of eco-friendly toys and armies of robots that hit the show in February. No one had to look far to see games and dolls and baby products with a “green” slant, and wooden toys and items manufactured in the U.S. also made their marks in the throes of recall recovery. Getting fit with fun struck a chord with several toymakers, and the pairing of plush and other toys with online play is only getting stronger. Read more in “Top Trends of Toy Fair.”

WHAT ELSE?

ASTRA’s “Share-the-Fair” yielded a list of products that impressed specialty retailers at the show, and exhibitors had a lot to show (and tell) when it came to their new toys.

The good news? There’s even more! Check out TDmonthly’s Notable and New Toys to see products that have been added to our site over the past four months. More than 130 products have been uploaded since Toy Fair ended, and many more are on the way.

If you missed our day-by-day Toy Fair coverage, see the stories mentioned above, plus photo reports, in TDmonthly’s Toy Fair Highlights.