From bikes, trikes and scooters, through to water play, mud kitchens and products encouraging a love of nature, the outdoor toys and garden play category is blooming. PreschoolNews.net takes a closer look.
We’re officially into springtime, the days are getting longer and the nights lighter, and hopefully warmer and sunnier weather is on the way. It’s the perfect time for retailers to begin maximising the wealth of outdoor toys and garden play products available for preschoolers.
“Summer should be all about movement, excitement and fun – products that inspire kids to get outdoors and explore will continue to shape this category, helping families make the most of the season together,” says Dave Poulter, md at MV Sports. “A great outdoor play product needs to be engaging, safe and connected to what children love. Parents and preschoolers are looking for toys that provide hours of fun, encouraging active play and outdoor exploration.”
“Our outdoor play range has expanded significantly over the past year, not only with the addition of new products but also with exciting upgrades to some of our best-loved outdoor toys,” says Mike Bird, account manager at Hippychick. “One of our standout successes has been the Trybike, with the launch of the new matte colour range proving extremely popular. Kites are a staple in our outdoor toy collection, with fantastic options from both Vilac and Classic World capturing children’s imaginations. Another consistently strong performer has been the Vilac Classic Cars.”
Liz Ireland, founder and md at Bigjigs Toys, believes that outdoor toys have broad appeal across every season and would always advise retailers to stock them all year round. “Outdoor and gardening have remained solid categories for us year-round, and we’ve seen consistent demand across our range,” she tells PPS. “From our experience, parents are increasingly looking for toys that encourage kids to be active and engage with nature. In particular, items that inspire children to get involved in gardening, like our child-size hand tools and watering cans, perform really well. Other strong sellers include our silicone Activity Buckets and Eco Spades, reflecting a broader trend of families embracing sustainability when it comes to nature-based play.”
You can read more from Dave, Mike and Liz, as well as viewpoints from Simba Smoby, Toynamics UK & Ireland, Wilton Bradley, United Wheels, Micro Scooters UK, Berg and Robert Frederick in the dedicated feature in the latest issue of Progressive Preschool magazine.
