Presentation Transcript

The British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) was founded in 1944 to represent the interests of the British toy manufacturers and to raise standards of practice in the industry. Today, the members between them are responsible for over 95% of the British market for toys and games. The BTHA considers its most important duty is to promote the highest possible standards of safety in design and manufacture of toys and, in collaboration with the British Standards Institution (BSI), the world�s first toy safety standard was published in 1961. Since then the BTHA has been actively involved in improving safety standards and in 1989 launched the Lion Mark. The BTHA represents its members at national and international levels liaising with government bodies and the EU. The BTHA seeks to encourage conditions of free trade for its members� industrial and commercial operations which are worldwide in scope. SOURCES OF INFORMATION (Always send a large stamped addressed envelope when asking for leaflets etc.) The British Toy & Hobby Association, 80 Camberwell Road, London SE5 0EG, has a directory of most manufacturers and suppliers of toys, together with who produces what toys, plus many other useful addresses and information. Price for the 1999 HANDBOOK is �9.50 (includes postage). The following are available from the BTHA at �4.50 each: War Toys - A Review Play Value - A Review Toys and Play in Child Development (with Play Matters) Advertising Toys to Children in the UK The BTHA Inventor�s Guide - What to do if you have invented a toy - �10.00 The National Association of Toy & Leisure Libraries (Play Matters), 68 Churchway, London NW1 1LT, produces a useful directory of toys for children. The following publications cover toy safety: The Single Market - Toy Safety published by the Department of Trade and Industry - available from DTI, Room 301, 10-18 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0NN - free of charge. The Toy (Safety) Regulations 1995, available from all HMSO Bookshops priced �3.20 or by post from HMSO Publications Centre, P O Box 276, London SW8 5DT (0171 873 9090). Main libraries may be able to make toy standards available under reference BS 5665 and BS EN 71. Toy museums are dotted all over Britain and can sometimes help. The main museums include the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood, Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA, and the Museum of Childhood, 42 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1TG. Information for Students on the British Toy Industry & TradeDecember 1998Compiled by the  BTHA (British Toy & Hobby Association) and the BATR (British Association of Toy Retailers) students requiring more in depth information. They are advised to seek assistance from a good reference library able to access commercial reports by research companies such as Mintel, Euromonitor and others. Additional information covering retail and manufacturing firms, consumer research and much more is featured in a book, The Toy Industry in the UK 1997, published by the BTHA and also available through the inter-library service (ISBN No. 0902943 057). As regards students undertaking a project on toy design, we are only able to provide guidelines on the safety requirements in this leaflet. We are unable to assist in any technical way as toys can be made of many materials from paper, board, wood, plastic, metal or a combination of all of these. A book entitled GCSE Design and Technology: Resistant Materials by Colin Lever (published by Causeway Press Ltd, P O Box 13, 129 New Court Way, Ormskirk, Lancs L39 5HP) is aimed at students aged 14-16 taking this GCSE qualification and could be useful. T his leaflet has been compiled for use by both schools and colleges. It is not intended for business If you want information on the history of toys or board games, there are several excellent books available at most good libraries including some on how to make toys. And of course, toy museums should be visited if possible. If you are interested in designing toys for children with disabilities, you should write to a charity that deals with that disability, e.g. Royal National Institute for the Blind. When deciding what toy to design, you need to decide whether you are devising a 'teaching' toy or activity toy, the age range for the item and how children will play with the toy. That brings us to a most important fact, much of the information is on your doorstep. A visit to your local toyshop will show you what is popular with different age groups, what is already on the market and what toys are suitable for very young children. Finally, we hope this leaflet will help you with your project and wish you every success with your work. The British Association of Toy Retailers, founded in 1950, represents about 75% or more of the toy trade. Members include Toys R Us, Early Learning, Woolworths, Hamleys, Index, Littlewoods Home Shopping, Beatties, Safeway, Gamleys, Tesco. The Entertainer, Toyworld Group and all the independent shops who are members of the Toymaster and Youngsters buying groups, as well as many other small to middle-sized retailers of toys. The BATR represents its members at government and European level, voices the concerns of toy retailers and strives to improve the standards of toy retailing. In association with our colleagues at the British Toy & Hobby Association, our members are all Approved Lion Mark Retailers - that is they obey a strict Code of Practice on selling safe toys. The BATR retains a toy safety consultant to advise and visit members. PLEASE NOTE: All this information and more is on the internet at www.btha.co.uk and www.batr.co.uk The BTHA founded the National Toy Council as a forum for discussing issues for child welfare, particularly where play and the use of toys are involved. The summaries on this and the next page are taken from research reviewed by Jeffrey Goldstein, Professor of Social Psychology at University of Utrecht in the Netherlands for literature produced by the National Toy Council. Play is an essential part of growing up. Through play children learn about the world around them and it is, therefore, important to understand how valuable toys and play are in the development of the child. Children with access to a wide range of well-selected toys are more likely to be challenged and stimulated. Studies find that they reach higher levels of intellectual development, regardless of their sex, race or social class. Toys that stimulate mental development are appropriate for the child's abilities, responsive to the child's movements and provide feedback when manipulated. Whether playing alone or with others, quietly or with enthusiasm, play is the way children explore their world and create imaginary ones. Research shows that through play children learn how to plan and solve problems. Play encourages them to develop language and communication skills and to use imagination and creativity. Physical play helps them to develop agility, balance, co-ordination and fine motor skills. Playful children are happier, better adjusted, more co-operative and more popular with their peers than those who play less. Children also play for longer when a wide variety of toys are available. It is not necessarily the most expensive toys that provide the greatest stimulation and enjoyment. It is better to have four or five different toys than one very expensive toy. Children differ enormously in their rate of growth and development so toys should keep pace with children's changing needs and ability levels. Toys should be chosen that are fun for children to play with. To be fun they should match the child's maturity and challenge his or her skills. Go for products with lots of features, activities, bright colours, different textures and sounds. For play to be of benefit, children should feel secure and comfortable in their surroundings, with supportive adults present and a wide assortment of toys to play with. Children should be encouraged from an early age to get involved in the selection of their toys. Children should not be forced or pushed to play games that may be too difficult for them. There are many kinds of play: 1 Exploratory play - when a baby becomes aware of the world i.e. sounds, sights, wanting to touch and taste. 2 Constructive play - to discover how things work, to take them apart, put them together again and learn about size, weight, colour, shape and materials and texture. 3 Energetic play - to practise new physical skills so that the growing child becomes better at running, climbing and other required activities. 4 Modelling - to learn from watching others and copying them. 5 Pretend play - playing in a world of fantasy and imagination usually without any interference from parents or other adults. 6 Social play - learning to play with others where those you play with are more important than the game itself. 7 Skillful play - which requires care and practice. AGGRESSIVE TOYS AND PLAY Sometimes children's play can appear overly aggressive, causing parents to worry that the child will grow up to believe aggressive behavior and fighting are acceptable. But pretending to be aggressive is not the same as being aggressive. Aggressive games such as rough and tumble and pretend fighting with toy guns are all part and parcel of learning to understand and imitate the adult world. Real fighting is something else altogether and should not be praised or encouraged. While adults may sometimes confuse real and pretend fighting, research shows that children as young as five are able to tell the difference. People's opinion on what is an aggressive toy varies enormously but it is important to remember that a toy's appearance is less important than how it is used. In a child's imagination almost any toy or household item can function as a weapon if the game requires it! But there is no evidence to suggest that aggressive play will lead to aggressive adult behavior. How parents behave and their attitude towards violence has much more influence on a child than a toy - however fond of it the child may be. A further worry for parents is that toy weapons today look increasingly realistic. The toy industry in Britain has now adopted a policy of identifying toy guns with a brightly coloured plug in the gun barrel so that they will not be mistaken for a real weapon. If you disapprove of a particular toy, don�t buy it. Be careful to explain your reason for refusing as a forbidden toy can even be more attractive! Set clear guidelines for the use of toys and for the use of toys and be consistent and firm. It helps if parents occasionally participate in their children�s rough and tumble play. Play is the one way children have of understanding the world of adults. Someone once said that if you gave footballs to 100 girls and dolls to 100 boys, within an hour the boys would be kicking the dolls around and the girls would be nursing the footballs. It is generally true that boys are more active than girls and girls are more nurturing than boys but it is the toy that guides play. It is true that "boys will be boys" but it also true that dolls will be dolls and footballs will be footballs! Boys and girls are alike in basic ways but from around two or three years of age they begin to differ in their choice of toys. Why? Children often choose toys to win approval from their playmates. They choose toys which are seen as acceptable. Many of the differences, however, are learned, especially from parents. Many parents, for example, are worried that boys might develop "feminine" traits through playing with dolls or domestic toys but there is no research to prove this. Adults are sometimes put off by the packaging of toys, avoiding those which directly suggest "boy" or "girl". It is important to look beyond the packaging. Both sexes need a variety of play experiences to develop skills and attitudes. In recent years girls' play has become more like that of boys�. They identify with superheroes, play more adventure games and enjoy trucks, space toys and chemistry sets. The important thing to remember is to allow children to play with lots of different items and not inhibit their choice of toy. TOYS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS CHILDREN AT PLAY THE VALUE OF PLAY A LOOK AT TOY SAFETY What is a toy? It is any product or material designed or clearly intended for use in play by children of less than 14 years of age but excludes items such as toy steam engines, detailed scale models for adult collectors, folk dolls and sports equipment. The CE mark that you see on toy packaging, together with European Union address of the first supplier, is meant to give toys the right of circulation across the Community and is a declaration that the toy satisfies the essential safety requirements of the EU toy safety directive. This mark is for enforcement purposes only and is not meant to indicate to the consumer that a toy is safe or of good quality, but is required to appear on all toys. The Lion Mark (see page 1) is used exclusively by members of the British Toy & Hobby Association to indicate that their toys are made to current British and European standards and that they are following the BTHA Code of Practice. Toy warnings: A new symbol indicates that a toy is not suitable for children under 3 years of age. With this symbol there must be reference to the hazard, e.g. �because of small parts� which might cause choking. Toy accidents: Rarely does a toy itself cause an accident. The quality and safety of today's toys ensure that. Of all accidents that occur in the home, those that are toy-related represent just 1.5% - and not all of these affect children. Many accidents are caused by toys left lying on the floor for an unwary adult to trip over. European Standard EN71 consists of six parts covering mechanical and physical properties of toys, flammability, specification for the migration of certain elements (toxicity), specification for experimental sets for chemistry and related activities, chemical toys (sets) and other experimental sets, and graphic symbols. The standard for electrical toys is EN50088:1996 USEFUL TIPS FOR MAKING SURE OLD TOYS ARE STILL SAFE: Always check toys for sharp points and rough edges, and with soft toys, make sure noses, eyes and hair cannot be bitten off or pulled off by inquisitive little fingers. Broken toys can be dangerous. Make regular checks in the toy box. The BTHA has produced a Toy Safety Video featuring the Lion Mark and some helpful safety hints around the home. The video is available for purchase for �6. Please write to: Kirsten Monks, GCI Group, 1 Chelsea Manor Gardens, London SW3 5PN(cheques payable to GCI London) An unsuitable toy may seriously injure a young child.  Age Labelling: check age guidance instructions on the packaging. Age labelling is the manufacturer�s guide to the consumer as the suitability of the product for a particular age group. This may be referring to the child�s mental and physical ability. For example, a toy marked aged 4-6 years is pitched for those ages where awareness and interest begins at the younger end and tails off at the higher end. However, it is critical that parents should not confuse this age grading with an age warning. If the toy is unsuitable for young children under 3 years it may, for instance, contain small parts. When the manufacturer warns �Not suitable for children under (age specified)� and/or the pictogram is displayed (see �A Look at Toy Safety�) this is not an age label, but a warning and parents should observe this.  Why are some toys not suitable for children under 3 years? Besides obvious reasons such as the size or mental abilities of the young child, the other reasons are that safety regulations demand that the parts used in toys for children under 3 years must pass the Choke Hazard Test. The dimensions of this small test cylinder are critical, having been specifically designed to reflect the size of gullet in a child of 3 years and under. This test has dramatically reduced the incidence of choking on small items. The Choke Hazard test does not apply to toys for the over-threes. �Under Supervision� This phrase is featured on those toys (for example, those played with in water) which expect some form of adult involvement. It implies that while the manufacturer has made the product to the required safety standards, the product should not be used without adult supervision as the child might misuse it in play and therefore transform a safe toy into a dangerous one. Toy of the Year 1965 - 1997 Winners 1965-1996 1965 James Bond Aston Martin die- cast car 1966 Action Man 1967 Spriograph 1968 Sindy 1969 Hot Wheels cars 1970 Sindy 1971 Katie Kopykat writing doll 1972 Plasticraft modelling kits 1973 Mastermind - board game 1974 Lego Family set 1975 Lego Basic set 1976 Peter Powell kites 1977 Playmobil Playpeople 1978 Combine Harvester (Britains) 1979 Legoland Space kits 1980 Rubik's Cube 1981 Rubik's Cube 1982 Star Wars 1983 Star Wars toys 1984 Masters of the Universe 1985 Transformers (Optimus Prime) 1986 Transformers (Optimus Prime) 1987 Sylvanian Families 1988 Sylvanian Families 1989 Sylvanian Families 1990 Teenage Mutant Turtles 1991 Nintendo Game Boy 1992 WWF Wrestlers 1993 Thunderbird's Tracey Island 1994 Power Rangers 1995 POGS 1996 Barbie 1997 Teletubbies 1998 - to be announced at the BATR Toy of the Year Dinner, January 31st 1999 Toys for different agesBabies (0 - 12 months)Rattles, squeaky toys, ball, chimes and bellsToddlers (1 - 3 years)Pull along toys, soft toys, dolls, finger paints and large crayonsPre-school (3 - 5 years)Hand puppets, construction kits, train sets and puzzles(5 - 7 years)As well as all the toys listed above, bat and ball games, pencil sets, colouring kits, craft and hobby kits and musical instruments Guidance on Toys for Children Under 3 Years UK Toy Market 1997 TOTAL SALES (ex-video) �1.66 billion (1996: �1.67b) Total UK Toys & Games Market Size by Volume 189.2m (1996:199.5m) Total UK Toys and Games Market (�M) Activity Toys �288 (-3%) Infant/Pre-school �269 (-1%) Games & Puzzles �196 (N/C) Dolls �194 (-6%) Vehicles �141 (+1%) Male Action �145 (-5%) Ride-ons �100 (+2%) Plush (soft toys) � 75 (+17%) All Other �256 (+6%) All information in this section by kind permission of NPD Consumer Panel Service ATTENTION SCHOOLS! To reduce the necessity of requests from the same school students, if you need a quantity of these information leaflets for your class, please photocopy. There is no restriction on the number of copies for use. Commercial use is restricted. Or you may print from the batr website www.batr.co.uk Around 55% of all toy sales take place in the last quarter of the year, and much of that is concentrated in the last four weeks running up to Christmas. Approximately �831 million was spent on traditional toys and games in the final quarter of 1997, mainly in the last 4 weeks! The average price for a toy in 1997 was �9.30. Boys under 14 on average had �153 spent on each of them, while girls under 14 received on average �141 (this excludes video games). Source: Trade What Top 10 Factors People Consider Important When Buying Toys 1.Toy safety 2. Educational toy 3. Price 4. Durability of the toy 5. Well designed 6. Toy the child specifically wanted 7. The brand/manufacturer's name was well known 8. The toy was unlikely to go out of fashion in the near future 9. It was a toy you could add to or buy accessories for (e.g. Lego, Barbie) 10. It was a toy suitable for various age groups Source: BMRB/Mintel Why does a popular toy suddenly become difficult to buy at Christmas? Last year it was the Teletubbies. You may remember people queuing all night to buy Po. The toy industry can easily get its fingers burnt if it over-orders, so both suppliers and retailers are cautious. The toy fairs are in the first three months of every year, so orders are placed before a film or TV series is even released. Who can be sure just how successful it will be? Even if you are sure, just how big will BIG be - would you order 1000 items or 10,000 items? It�s all a bit of a gamble! Toy Trends We receive a number of requests for information concerning toy trends, so here are a few pointers: Children are getting older younger - that means they grow out of toys earlier. They also have a growing range of non-toy merchandise to chose from such as CDs, fashion trainers...even fast food competes for their pocket money! Board games - family orientated games appear to sell best. Top sellers last year included Monopoly, Jenga, and Buckaroo. What sells the most by volume through the year? A small tin of enamel paint for modellers is the real #1 when it comes to sales by units, according to the research company NPD. The most popular toy football figure in 1997 was Man-U's Peter Schmeical! Published by: BRITISH TOY & HOBBY ASSOCIATION 80 Camberwell Road London SE5 OEG BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF TOY RETAILERS 24 Baldwyn Gardens London W3 6HL The BTHA and the BATR thank NPD for providing this information.