“The growth we’ve seen in the toy industry speaks to the fact that parents are willing to put their children’s happiness above all else,” said The NPD Group’s Juli Lennett.

“By introducing children to Dr. Maya Angelou’s courageous story and written works through doll play, our goal is to spark conversation and awareness with children and their families,” said Lisa McKnight, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel.

Frances Cain on A Girl for All Time, Dragons’ Den and dolls with purpose.

Off the back of a successful Kickstarter campaign for their latest game, Crash Octopus, we caught up with itten President Naotaka ‘Shima’ Shimamoto to find out more about his approach to design.

The new Laugh & Learn line includes a boombox, a mixtape and a hand-held gaming device.

“Unifying the two companies with the PlayMonster brand gives us unique scope to align famous brands and further extend our business relationships internationally,” said PlayMonster UK MD Adrian Whyles.

We caught up with Mat to find out more about his history in the world of toy design and what Phase Two is looking to bring to the industry.

Recycle to Read will engage consumers to recycle toys and reward participating schools and communities with books and reading resources to improve children’s literacy.

“I will be asking a lot of questions and doing a lot of listening to make sure I can be the best possible champion for the value that great design adds to the UK economy and all our lives, in so many ways,” said Moll.

“We’re starting off the new year with the first ever Supercross toy line, recreating the adrenaline and excitement of the popular live events at home, introducing play opportunities never before seen in Supercross license history,” said Adam Hyman, Spin Master’s Vice President of Marketing.