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The toy and games market is experiencing a shift driven by economic pressures and changing consumer preferences. Parents remain the key decision-makers in toy purchases, significantly influencing trends across various…
US
Leisure and Entertainment
Retail
simple
US Traditional Toys and Games Market Report 2026
"Toys and games are doing better than "two dolls at Christmas", but the K shaped economy hurts. Parents and fandom collectors are still hanging on, ready to engage."
The toy and games market is experiencing a shift driven by economic pressures and changing consumer preferences. Parents remain the key decision-makers in toy purchases, significantly influencing trends across various toy categories, yet adults purchasing for themselves is an almost equal in occurrence. Economic challenges, including inflation and tariffs, have impacted consumer confidence, yet the market still shows resilience, implying growth in higher-value items. Gender differences remain evident, with men showing strong interest in franchises like Star Wars and Pokémon, while women drive purchases in arts and crafts. Retail dynamics highlight the importance of major retailers like Walmart and Amazon, though opportunities exist in diverse channels for reaching younger, budget-conscious families.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
Economic outlook and its impact on toy sales
Influence of parents in toy purchasing decisions
Gender differences in toy and game purchases
Growth in specialty toy categories
Consumer attitudes toward toy safety
The influence of media and advertising on toy sales
Retail dynamics and distribution channels for toys
Collapse All
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What you need to know
Outlook for traditional toys and games
Parents shop for their kids, but that’s not the full story for toys and games
Three-way tie in best value, but maybe not necessarily all at once
Tie-in associated media is more effective than advertising or social media
Inflation is putting a damper on younger toy and game buyers’ spending
Opportunities
Safety and value driving family play needs
Collectors and premium DTC channel growth
THE MARKET
Snapshot – market size and forecast
Consumers and the economic outlook
Despite tariffs, there is continued growth in the US toy industry
Graph 1: total consumer spending forecast for games, toys and hobbies, 2015-25
Global toy sales reached $111.8 billion in 2024
Graph 2: toy industry category sales, 2019-25
LEGO’s massive popularity allows it to crossover with many other intellectual properties beyond its own homegrown brands and franchises
Saying hello and goodbye to Toys “R” Us all over again
Pokémania is still alive and well
AI toys and a new era of toy safety
THE CONSUMER
Types of toys and games purchased
Parents are almost always the primary toy and game decision makers
Graph 3: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months, parents vs overall, 2025
Moms and dads have a few differences in what they gravitate towards, but none are off the table or an overwhelming favorite
Graph 4: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months for one’s own child, moms vs dads, 2025
Toys come with all sorts of age recommendations, but will find more success among these age ranges
Graph 5: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months, by age of children in the household, 2025
Connecting these toys to kids of these ages has a great chance for success
Graph 6: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months (select), parents of boys and girls 6-11, 2025
Graph 7: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months (select), parents of boys and girls 12-17, 2025
Recipient of toys and games
Parents shop for their kids, but that’s not the full story for toys and games
Graph 8: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months (NET), by recipient, 2025
Toy and game recipients often shape purchase category choices
Graph 9: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months, by recipients (NETs), 2025
Age of purchaser can often indicate whom they’re shopping for
Graph 10: toy and games recipients (NET), by age, 2026
Adults buying toys and games for themselves doesn’t stop at a certain age
Graph 11: toy and games purchased in the past 12 months for oneself, by age, 2026
Value-adds for toys and games
Three-way tie leaves brands with a mandate to be high-quality, replayable, and feature-rich; maybe not necessarily all at once
Graph 12: value adds (beyond price) for toys and games (any rank), by gender, 2026
Younger audiences are broader in their opinions of value additions
Graph 13: value adds (beyond price) for toys and games (any rank), by age, 2026
Parents shopping for kids have different expectations than adults shopping for their own interests
Graph 14: value adds (beyond price) for toys and games (any rank), toy buyer segments, 2026
Parents’ views on toy safety have generational influences
Graph 15: attitudes towards toy parts/construction materials (% agree), parents vs overall, 2026
Toy and games purchase influences
Inflation is putting a damper on younger toy and game buyers’ spending
Graph 16: attitudes towards rising prices (% agree), by age, 2026
Brand trust, word-of-mouth, and specifics request are key drivers
Graph 17: toy and games purchase factors (besides price), by age, 2026
Parents have stronger opinions on less-common purchase factors
Graph 18: select toy and games purchase factors (besides price), moms vs dads, 2026
Tie-in associated media is more effective than advertising or social media
Graph 19: sources of influence, 2026
Younger adults are more swayed by most influences
Graph 20: sources of influence, by age, 2026
Toy and games retailers
Anywhere families shop is a good place to sell toys and games
Graph 21: toy and games retailers, by age, 2026
Half of toy and game shoppers feel logistics are slipping on toy shelves
Graph 22: toy and game products I want to purchase are frequently sold out or not in stock at the retail stores I shop at (% agree), by age, 2026
Yes, of course brands should definitely work with major retailers
Graph 23: toy and games retailers, parents vs overall, 2026
Who had Kirkland-brand toys and games on their bingo card?
Graph 24: shopped for toys and games at a warehouse club in the past 12 months, by age and gender, 2026
Toy and games brands
Men are driving many toy brands/franchises purchased in the last 12 months
Graph 25: brands/franchises purchased in the last 12 months, by gender, 2026
Parents lead toy and games brands/franchise purchase activity
Graph 26: brands/franchises purchased in the last 12 months, parents vs overall, 2026
INNOVATION AND MARKETING
Lego smart bricks let toys talk to each other, and to kids
Love ’em or hate ’em, viral toys like Labubu have an impact
Graph 27: attitudes towards viral blind box toys (% agree), by age, 2026
All Middle Earth tabletop games under one roof
New crowdfunding record breakers crowned in the tabletop game space
APPENDIX
Report scope/Market definition
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology – US
Generation groups
Abbreviations and terms
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