eToys Spots New Toy Trends at the 105th Annual Toy Fair
Green, Active and Tech toys top the list as 2008's must haves!
DENVER and NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2008 -- The toy experts at leading online toy retailer eToys.com, a member of The Parent Company, are on the lookout for the newest, coolest and most innovative children's products at the 105th American International Toy Fair. The eToys experts report the biggest trends for 2008 including going green, getting active and interacting online with sophisticated toys that make a playdate with traditional and virtual play.
Sneak Peak at 2008 Toy Trends:
*It's Easy Being Green
"For 2008, it's easy being green," said eToys spokeswoman, Sheliah Gilliland. "We're seeing environmentally conscious toys designed to make kids earth savvy. Many are made from sustainable or recycled materials."
- Inspired by the Discovery series of the same name, Planet Earth licensed products include a Monopoly: Planet Earth edition and a Planet Earth DVD board game.
- Blue Orange Games plants two trees for every tree used in its creative wooden games.
- The Planet Care line of preschool and plush toys by Toy Quest is made with 100% recycled and non-toxic materials.
*Get Up and Go With Active Toys
Continued concerns about childhood obesity mean more toys encourage kids to get out and walk, ride or just explore.
- The Kids Pedometer by Toy Quest encourages children to play harder, walk farther, and have fun.
- Playskool's Glide2Ride teaches children balance as they learn to ride a bike.
- The PetCam from Uncle Milton attaches to your pet encouraging you to get out and see the world with Fido or Fluffy.
*New Kids on the Cyber Playground
Clever new toys make the transition from traditional playground to cyber playground seamless.
- Disney Fairies and online play come together in Technosource's Disney Fairies Jewelry Powered by Clickables. The jewelry box, bracelets and charms allow girls to share information during play and connect in Disney virtual worlds.
- Dot Com Kids, plug and play avatars by Playhut's Go2Live brand, offer COPPA-compliant social networking and text messaging.
- Ty's Beanie Babies make a comeback with a 2.0 version that takes the Beanie Babies world online.
"We're excited about the innovation seen at this year's Toy Fair," says Gilliland. "As soon as the new toys for 2008 are available, toy shoppers can find them quickly and easily on eToys.com."
ABOUT THE PARENT COMPANY
The Parent Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: KIDS) is a leading commerce, content and new media company for growing families. The company provides comprehensive eCommerce and eContent resources to help families plan, play and grow. The company's toy business offers thousands of toys and children's products through its eToys.com web site, catalogs and strategic retail partnerships; and personalized dolls and accessories through its My Twinn.com brand. Through its baby business, the company is a leading online retailer of brand-name baby, toddler and maternity products sold through the BabyUniverse.com and DreamtimeBaby.com web sites. The company's luxury brands, PoshTots.com and PoshLiving.com, reach the country's most affluent consumers with luxury baby apparel and furnishings. With its content sites, BabyTV.com, PoshCravings.com and ePregnancy.com, The Parent Company has established a recognized platform for the delivery of content and new media resources to a national audience of expectant parents. The Parent Company is a market-leading digital content and eCommerce company focused on parents.
