Traveltoys
What are the most important attributes in a product designed for travel? Surveys fi nd that people want a travel toy to engage the child and hold their concentration, to allow parents to focus on navigating unfamiliar places. To avoid bored children at these critical moments, the item needs to be of strong construction to avoid breakages, and ideally won’t require batteries unless the toy stands on its own once the power goes fl at. David Torrance, managing director at Cozy
Time, said: “Travelling can be stressful for children, and parents are always in need of products that will make long journeys and airport delays more bearable and comfortable for them.” Following Cozy Time’s introduction of Funky Airheads, an infl atable animal neck pillow which scrunches up to six inches square, new Summer launches for 2013 include Funky Blanket Pals and Funky Travel Pals, which aim to make travelling more comfortable for children. Additionally, unless the item has the scope to
provide entertainment once you are home, it can be an expensive purchase. Vance Withers, group sales director at Worlds Apart, said: “We’re fi nding that customers are demanding more from their travel toys. They’re no longer content just to buy something that will be used on holiday and then sit on top of the wardrobe for the rest of the year.” Penny Amey, Trunki’s brand manager, agreed,
saying: “We’re careful not to market our products specifi cally for one purpose; all of our products are multi-functional. For example, our PaddlePaks are great for exploring the outdoors, as well as for
PaddlePak, from Trunki, are lightweight and made from water-resistant fabric making them ideal for swimming lessons and trips to the beach. There’s also a range of pocket money accessories to sit alongside the backpacks, including the crab purse and jellyfi sh grab bag.
school and swimming lessons.” Also, items such as Trunki’s ride-on cases don’t cause retailers the problem of having to fi nd seasonal space, as they are year-round products which are not reliant on a short window of opportunity. Other multi-use products include John Crane’s
YouTurns, new in the B line for 2013: the car seat toy can be fl ipped over to create a pillow. The company’s Trudi collection has also expanded with a new travel range including Trolley Backpacks which, as the name suggests, can be used as a trolley or backpack. David said that “a product that has a multitude
of uses is extremely benefi cial and is more likely to encourage a purchase providing it delivers value for money and satisfi es the consumer need for keeping a child entertained, distracted, comfortable and happy.” With this in mind, Cozy Time has developed the Funky Blanket Pals four- in-one toys; each converts from a soft pillow into a toy, a blanket, and a pyjama case. Cozy Time also has a new patent pending Travel Pals range, which turns a plush toy into a soft neck pillow, with a zip on its back to store money, passport or travel tickets. Adrian Whyles, general manager of University
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