The British Toy & Hobby Association has reported a major surge in attendance figures following its move to London. The 57th Toy Fair, which was sold out in December, took place in the Grand Hall at Olympia from 26th to 28th January 2010. Nursery Industry was there to report on its success...

Toy Fair is the only dedicated toy, game and hobby exhibition in the UK. This year organisers are expecting around 180 exhibitors ranging from the large internationals to the new start up companies, showcasing thousands of brand new toys, games and hobbies to the UK’s largest gathering of toy industry professionals.

New to the nursery market and launched at the London Toy Fair is the Dantoy range of quality plastic toys, distributed exclusively by Earlybird Toys. These are manufactured in Denmark and offer outstanding play value with no PVC and no phthalates using environmentally-friendly processes.

Another record year for internet spending, yet most independent retailers continue to make little headway with internet sales. Setting up products on their websites is time consuming enough and then managing stock between shop and website is fraught with difficulty.

Great Gizmos’ selection of pre-school toys is ideal for the nursery retailer looking for quality products, excellent service and generous margins.

The colourful Traditional Wooden Pin Puzzles are suitable for 18 months. There are four designs, themed around Farm Animals, Zoo Animals, Transport and Fruits and Vegetables with pictures from everyday life to encourage interaction and conversation. 

Brand new at the show this year is the fantastic Kiditec from Techno Bloxx; a brightly coloured, fun and unique construction system.  Sets are available for 10 months + and can be repeatedly rebuilt and redesigned, even to make a fabulous ride on toy!

Aurora is delighted to be launching a brand new range of nursery products at the 2010 Toy Fair.

Beautifully soft to the touch, beanbag style plush bears, bunnies, elephants in pastel shades and brightly coloured gingham.

New to the Toy Fair this year, Cheeky Rascals are excited to be exhibiting their wonderful range of Playgro pre-school toys as well as showcasing their newest product - the Wishbone Bike.

Playgro toys are brightly coloured, packed with fun activities and ideal for baby’s visual and mental stimulation.

Golden Bears nursery range sees more exciting products being launched at the 2010 Toy Fair.

Being introduced to the range are Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy cuddle harnesses which are designed to ensure safety whilst children are learning to walk with their favourite character. The harnesses are also made for comfort, as the plush toy faces the child so they are able to hug and interact with the character.

Flair’s pre-school collection of licensed creative play products is set to build on an already proven success story at retail with the addition of new licences and new formats in 2010 ideal for the nursery retailer.