SMART

Tuesday Blog Post 

Author: Karen Clarke, Brand Director of Smart Toys and Games.

 

My name is Karen Clarke and I am the UK Brand Director at Smart Toys & Games.

 

Smart Toys and Games is home to nine exciting award-winning educational brands including Smart Games; the worldwide leader in multi-level logic games, SmartMax; the pioneering pre-school magnetic construction system for young children, and GeoSmart; the future of geomagnetic play. Other award-winning brands in the portfolio are Happy Cube, Smartivity, True Balance, All Jigsaw Puzzles and WOW! Toys. 

 

What is your favourite part about working in the toy industry?

 

Being part of a vibrant community that takes pride in creating products that children will enjoy and learn from. Helping children to improve their social skills through play whilst generating happy memories that will stay with them for life.

 

At Smart, we believe in game-based learning and by playing with our toys and games everyone can unlock their potential whilst having fun.

 

Give us the inside scoop, what products are you launching at Toy Fair 2025?

 

Whilst the details are under lock and key until the doors open on the first day, we have a very exciting line up of new SmartGames including a new collection of our best-selling IQ® range together with new head-to-head battle games and travel games. There will be new SmartMax sets to add to the collection and we will be unveiling the new WOW Toys range that will be hitting the shelves in 2025.

 

What trends do you predict for the Toy Fair industry in 2025?

 

The demand behind the Kidult category is so strong that this sector is sure to continue to grow over the next year. As companies continue to progress their environment & sustainability policies, we are sure to see more products entering the market that are designed for longevity with a powerful environmental message behind them.  

 

How many years have you exhibited at Toy Fair? Any favourite memories?

 

2025 will be our 10th year and every year, I still get excited to hear the buzz you hear once the doors are opened every morning, plus meeting with so many of our lovely customers throughout the show and enjoying seeing their smiles as they test out our new toys & games.

 

Stand-out moments were of course SmartMax Roboflex receiving a Hero Toy award in 2022 and then SmartGames IQ® Gears being accredited as a Hero Toy in 2024.

 

What is your favourite toy?

 

Difficult to pick just one, but I am a huge fan of Rainbow Designs’ Peter Rabbit and Disney collections. I have purchased many items from both ranges over the years and they are always received with a smile!

 

What’s your favourite Toy craze, past or present?

 

Growing up, I had quite a few Fisher Price Classic toys in my cupboard. Creative play was a big thing in my house and playing shop with the Cash Register whilst listening to the Music Box Record Player and pulling Snoop n’ Sniff along always brings back fond memories.

 

What top tip would you give to a fellow exhibitor or visitor attending their first Toy Fair?

 

Enjoy every second of Toy Fair as you network with the toy community and establish new connections. Be sure to wear comfy shoes and have a bottle of water to hand as this will be your best friend after all the talking!