After surveying indie toy stores in the US to identify which products customers are coming in for the most, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has unveiled a list of new trends it believes will drive toy sales in the specialty retail channel this year. 

Kicking off the forecast is a rise in demand for Kawaii plush toys, which are starting to migrate into other categories like activity kits, impulse items and accessories. Sanrio is leading the charge at retail with its portfolio of cute characters including My Melody and Cinnamaroll. The company also signed a co-branding deal with CloudCo Entertainment last month to launch a wide range of products for kids and families featuring the Care Bears and Hello Kitty. 

The LEGO Group may be king of the building toys category, but ASTRA says consumers are looking to expand beyond bricks and experiment with new materials including wood, tubes and magnetic tiles to maximize their creativity. Coinciding with this trend, parents are on the hunt for more sustainable toys that can deliver several years of play value. 

Radio-controlled toys such as cars, helicopters and robots are also poised to make a comeback in 2024 as families gravitate towards classic play patterns that also feature some form of technology. Last year, Spin Master acquired the Hexbug robot insect range in a move to bring the rest of its brand portfolio into this category, and Hasbro’s relaunched Furby line was one of the toyco’s top performers during the holiday season. 

For reference, ASTRA predicted that social-emotional learning toys, stress-relieving fidget products, tween beauty kits and accessible versions of classic table games would be the top trends to watch for at specialty retail last year.