Toy Fair 2013 kicks off February 10!

Despite the big Northeast snowstorm, I made it to New York City for Toy Fair 2013.  It was a day later than planned, but in time for the kick-off on Sunday, February 10.

The American International Toy Fair, now in its 110th year, is sponsored annually by the Toy Industry Association, a non-profit organization.  Buyers, manufacturers, and the press will be on hand for four days at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, trying to determine products and trends that will drive the toy business in 2013. In addition to being able to browse and talk with over 1,000 exhibitors, attendees have opportunities for education, industry updates, and networking.

There's always a lot of hype about hot toys, and big companies with mass offerings tend to take the news spotlight.  While many of these items are fun and flashy, they often do not fit the mission statement of Fundamentally Toys. I'll be making the rounds and looking for toys that help children develop a wide range of abilities from reasoning to math to social skills - in addition to having FUN!

I'm encouraged to be hearing some pre-fair discussion that a major theme of this year's Toy Fair is a re-focus by toy makers toward classic, traditional toys and games.  I'm excited to see what's in store!