Play is at the heart of all children's succesful development
How children play, and the toys and tools they use to play, have been the subject of numerous studies and research papers.
We’ve listed some of the current thinking about toys regarding age, gender and age appropriateness.
In this section we’ve also listed some industry statistics that you may find useful.
All of the information contained in this section may be used by schools or other bodies, but please note, we’re unable to send hard copies of this information through the post.
The Toy Industry Calendar
Within the UK, two big events dominate the toy industry calendar, both with the aim to drive awareness about toys, but in very different ways.
In November the TRA organises and runs DreamToys, designed to showcase the very best toys that are judged to be the ‘must have’ dream toys of that year. There’s a seperate section on DreamToys where you can see past and present winners.
In January, the British Toy and Hobby Association holds the Toy Fair, a trade-only exhibition in London which is designed to showcase the toys that will become available throughout that year.