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SECTOR GUIDE: WHEELED TOYS Ticket to ride


From scooters to bikes, skateboards to trikes and their accessories, wheeled toys is a consistently popular sector. Billy Langsworthy looks at some of the top products set to get kids moving


TOYS THAT get kids moving have always been a popular sector in the toy industry, and it shows no signs of slowing down. With bikes, trikes,


skateboards and scooters, children have a wide range of options available to them to hop on board and play in a healthy way. It’s this focus on being


active that several firms believe is key to the popularity of the sector. “Wheeled toys remain


perennially popular because they allow children to be active within a fun and controlled setting,” said Bigjigs marketing and PR co- ordinator George Poole. “Our balance bikes are


perfect because not only do they allow children to develop vital skills such as balance and coordination, they also allow the child to feel a sense of independence and freedom (albeit small).” And Poole believes the sector is becoming an increasingly important part of the Bigjigs portfolio due


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to its unique play offering. “It’s difficult to compare with other wooden toys say, a railway set, because each toy offers a different set of developmental factors and play values,” he adds. “Our wheeled toys, however, are becoming increasingly popular because they can be used inside and out which offers the parents an element of flexibility.”


And other firms that don’t directly make wheeled toys have also contributed to the popularity of the sector, like the TurboSpoke from Ernest the Bear Toys. The product adds motorbike sound effects to bikes, and TurboSpoke’s Tom Maxwell believes the sense of thrill provided by wheeled toys is something that will keep the sector thriving indefinitely. “Wheeled toys have a


great timeless appeal,” comments Maxwell. “They stir a sense of freedom and provide a thrill and exhilaration that is hard to match. They are a


wonderful platform for imaginative play, which is often overlooked but very real, and then there is the satisfaction that comes from the physical input required to make them work.”


It is a sentiment which is echoed by Firstbike director Simon Calvert. “For children, ride-on toys


provide that thrill you get with movement and gives them the chance to imitate older children and adults,” he tells ToyNews.


why Hy-Pro believes the sector remains an important one.


“I think wheeled toys continue to be popular for several reasons, but the core trends we see are that active play continues to top the agenda with many parents,” explains Kishan Tosar, marketing executive at Hy-Pro.


“This is linked with the


progressive way the wheeled market re-invents itself with compelling reasons to play and


For children, ride-on toys provide that thrill you get with movement. It gives them the chance to imitate older children and adults. Simon Calvert, Firstbike


“The bike will remain


ever-popular with parents, too, who know how important it is to get kids out and about having fun.” And the fact that


keeping children active is a key concern for parents is


exciting new wheeled sports such as new and improved skate parks, kids of all ages can get involved.” Elsewhere, Re:Creation


believes that the category is so lucrative for retail due


to the scope of age ranges that the products appeal to. “Kids grow up on them and it’s a fact that they love riding scooters and ride-ons,” Katy Fletcher, Razor brand manager at Re:creation tells ToyNews. “From when they are a


pre-schooler, whether it be a ride-on or a scooter to zoom around their garden or park, to growing up using a scooter to get to school. And teenagers now riding ramps on their customised scooters at skate parks. The ride-on category covers every age. “Parents love wheeled


toys, too, as they promote a healthy lifestyle for kids, it gets kids out and exercising without them even knowing they are, and of course, there is the sense of fun and freedom they provide. “This is a category where licences do little to keep kids’ interest, it’s about offering a fun experience, innovative features, cool designs and safe, quality products,” Fletcher adds.


November 67


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