Fiesta Crafts Interview


microchips and electronics will not aid a child’s development in the slightest. Development is all about interaction and learning through practice and play. It’s important that as parents we’re


aware of the importance of toys for our children’s development and that we choose those that will be most useful to them. We should also spend time playing with our children, as their developing brains need constant stimulation and engagement from us, their parents.


Are we seeing more interest in educational games? Yes we are. Similarly, games are a great way to learn, and the more educational the better, as a child will have fun learning through the game. With games, children don’t feel like they’re learning, which is often a good thing! They’re vital when it comes to learning as you go, and assist with a child’s development greatly.


How did coronavirus impact the business? It did have a significant impact. Initially there was much concern as everything shut down and, like all businesses, we did not know what was going to happen. Fortunately we found that our educational toys and games proved very popular during the lockdowns, which kept us busy. Since


then the demand for our toys has gone from strength to strength.


How has e-commerce developed the business? What is your experience with it? Many more customers have now set themselves up to buy online and it has become much more important these days. However, a combination of physical stores and e-commerce is working very well for us. Physical toy stores have always played an important role in the toy industry; think of how big and popular ‘Toys R Us’ stores were when they were open! For children, the feel of actually going to a toy store vs shopping for toys online is unmatched, however for adults and parents, online toy stores are essential in this day and age.


How has sustainability impacted the toy industry? Does this impact the type of materials you use? Every industry is impacted by sustainability, and the toy industry is no outlier. Today, there’s more focus on the materials used and on reducing unnecessary packaging. At Fiesta Crafts, we’ve always tried to use environmentally-friendly materials and we use very minimal plastics in our products, as


being as sustainable as possible is important to us as a company. It is making us even more mindful going forward.


What do you see for the future of toy development for children and babies? First of all, I think less plastic and more environmentally-friendly toys are going to become even more important than they already are today. With the idea of being as sustainable as possible so prominent in our world (and rightfully so!), I think it’s only natural that toys will develop and change along with every other industry doing their bit for the planet. A lot of individual toys are known for being wrapped and packaged in a lot of plastic, so it would be good to hopefully see this change sooner rather than later. As well as this, I think toys that give a lot


of play and educational value are going to continue being increasingly more popular. These toys have longevity, unlike ‘fad’ type toys that are equally as fun for children, but less beneficial when it comes to a child or baby developing the important skills as mentioned earlier. I think a lot of parents today are very clued into what the best toys are for their children and babies, which is absolutely amazing for their little one’s development.


Jan/Feb 2022 | toy news | 9


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