Read the issue today for the latest from Bigjigs Toys, a London Toy Fair 2026 sneak peak with the BTHA, what we learned at BLE, and much more
The November issue of Toys n Playthings is now available to read online here.
This issue, Bigjigs Toys takes our cover and shares a host of insight into the ethos behind the long-term success of it evergreen products. Founder and Managing Director Liz Ireland shared how the team keeps product faithful to that vision yet fresh, how recent expansions and acquisitions strengthen the company’s product offering, and what exactly makes a Bigjigs toy and Bigjigs toy. There’s a great deal to learn about the company and it’s upcoming product slate – and why it continues to thrive 40 years since its founding.
We also caught up with the BTHA’s Senior Communications & Events Manager, Rebecca Deeming-Mitchell, as the countdown to Toy Fair 2026 begins. There are less than three months until the show opens its doors, and with a new app launching to make everyone’s time at the show stretch that little bit further, there’s plenty to look forward to. Find out more about the digital companion, plus how they’re going the extra mile to support new newcomers and start-ups in the Gold Zone, on page 32.
First-quarter ranges is the big product focus, with an early look at what’s coming in the first few months of 2026 from some the biggest suppliers to the UK and Ireland. Plus we take a look at the fashion and beauty segment, as popular as ever with kids – and now at younger ages than ever.
In the world of retail, Hobbycraft’s Senior Buyer Joseph Pulfrey talks toy expansion, and the surprising products that perform at the arts and crafts chain. And in a heartwarming story of an industry pulling together, Gwen Ottenberg recounts the grand reopening of her US indie store Imagine That Toys after a devastating fire swept threatened to end it all.
All that, plus news and views from across the the industry, a host of fresh and best-selling product (ever-important, even this late in the year), and the popular Toy Testers, who take Just Play’s innovations for a spin.
