Barbie

“As leaders in the dolls category, we’ve always known that doll play has a positive impact on kids, but up until now, we have not had neuroscientific data that demonstrates these benefits,” said Lisa McKnight, SVP and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel.

Leading up to the Mojo Nation pitch, we caught up with Ravensburger’s Benn Bramwell, Senior International Product Manager for Children’s Games, and Leah Smith, Junior Product Designer.

We caught up with Tim Kilpin, President at PlayMonster, to find out more about his journey in the industry to date, and why PlayMonster’s latest launch – Snap Ships – is something special.

“I believe that finding ways to build brands that offer quality play experiences for families and kids today is more important than ever and I am excited to be part of that,” said Kilpin.

“Our work over the past two years to develop a flexible and results-oriented organisation is serving us well during this time,” said Mattel CEO Ynon Kriez.

New dolls are inspired by Rey, C-3PO, Chewbacca and a Stormtrooper.

Games and Puzzles enjoyed growth of 55%, Outdoor & Sports Toys was boosted by 22%, Building Sets sales jumped 20% and Arts & Crafts enjoyed a sales increase of 13% during Q1 2020.

“We are also prototyping personal protective equipment such as face shields for our heroes in the healthcare profession,” said Mattel president Richard Dickson.

As Hands On Design celebrates its 20th anniversary, we caught up with Maria and Adriana to learn more about how they got started in the world of toy design.

“This year’s DreamToys top 12 selection is an exciting mixture of the year’s biggest brands and kids favourites that will delight children up and down the country this Christmas,” said Gary Grant, chair of the DreamToys selection committee.