Train your Brain- learning the easy way

Brain jogging for children – that is what the“ Train Your Brain“ trend promises. In order to make the brain of little ones fit for life, it can be trained like a muscle. And in a playful manner, too. It is not only the learning of cognitive skills that is at the heart of it all – it also aims to promote free thought and play.

Even if it is difficult to believe: playing is hard work for kids! Childhood is a phase during which individuals learn so much, and especially so many fundamentals, as they never will again throughout their life. In addition to motor coordination or social skills, acquiring and expanding cognitive capabilities are at the very top of the " to-do lists " of children. This may sound tedious and bleak, but in an ideal scenario, this need not be the case- notably if children learn all of this as a by-product while doing things that they enjoy.

And this is where“ Train your Brain” kicks in: toys that actively motivate children to train their brain, to learn and to evolve their cognitive skills- without fingerwagging or having to do boring tasks, simply by losing themselves in the toy with total fun.

The fact that more and more parents respond enthusiastically to these products makes the“ Train your Brain” trend so interesting for the industry and the retail trade. Parents want to encourage and support their children, but in a playful manner, without pressure. Toys should be a source of joy for the kids yet at the same time be meaningful. They should challenge children and motivate them, but most definitely not bore them or even discourage them.

Everyday Hero

Who would not like to be a hero of everyday life? From social projects through to the realization of a great business idea via empathic interaction, there are many possibilities. What is important is pursuing one‘ s goals and dreams. Children should also be encouraged to do this. And they should be given the skills they need so that they can leave a positive mark on society.“ Everyday Hero” will awaken the hero in you, too.

“ Everyday Hero” is a trend that describes a generation of toys providing children with the tools to become amazing little people while boosting their confidence. In one way, toys that give them the power to be more socially and

emotionally aware so that they are more charitable and involved in the different issues that affect our planet.

In another way, toys that allow them to explore their own interests while encouraging them to believe in themselves and their dreams, no matter their gender. Products that assist them to accomplish things just like professional cooks, builders, designers, programmers, scientists, etc.. Sometimes these toys encourage them to take it a step further by guiding them into becoming“ kidpreneurs”, from all sorts of disciplines.

More than ever, toys are giving children the opportunity to create and program their own toys. They can decide their own personal ways of playing, which is a great way to engage them in activities with lots of fun and educational potential.

Children can do a lot if we provide them with the right opportunities. Toys can be a great source to help children become amazing, become real“ Everyday Heroes”.

Design to Play

Toys are there to be played with. And they should be visually appealing, too. Design is becoming increasingly important. We are increasingly allowing ourselves to be inspired by the art world and designers from other industries that give colour and design completely new twists. Thus, a toy can also become a design object. Let yourself be inspired by Design. o Play.

Especially in the United States, the industry celebrates toy inventors: toy designers, mainly seen as technicians, are not so popular. Design is however becoming increasingly important for toys, as the consumers’ needs grow to higher levels of sophistication. Adults appreciate objects which look up-to-date and are visually attractive while children wish to own playthings which meet their aesthetic tastes. Toy designers therefore may take into consideration not only the history of the toy industry but other businesses – such as electronics, automotive or space – or modern art for inspiration. At the same time, contemporary

artists create their own deconstructed versions of toys or use toys to physically compose their artworks.

This trend will continue to grow. To be really effective, design in toys should however go beyond aesthetics and be able to define the concept of a product which is going to be employed by a child with the aim to play, which means: to imagine, to interpret reality, to define rules and to develop skills. Combining form and content, design in toys must represent a project that puts the child at its centre and brings added values to his / her play experience.

Responsible for content: Dr. Maria Costa, Daniele Caroli Axel Dammler

Members of the TrendCommittee 2016 of Spielwarenmesse ®