2025 was the year kids pressed pause on screens and dived headfirst into tangible, hands-on play.
With a world full of uncertainty, from global crises to school pressures, children found comfort, creativity, and control in toys and collections. This wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a shift that reflected deeper needs for identity, mastery, and fun.
Circana’s data confirms it: for the first time, all G12 countries, including the US, UK, France, and Germany, saw growth in the toy market. Global sales rose by around 7% in 2025, and forecasts suggest the market could reach between $136 billion and $149 billion by the end of 2026 [1]. Four key categories are driving this momentum: Collectibles (the fastest-growing segment), Games & Puzzles (boosted by the Pokémon trading card craze), Building Sets, (Hello, LEGO Icons and Formula 1 themes!) and Licensed Toys tied to major IPs like Marvel, Star Wars, and Minecraft.
At Beano Brain in our annual study of the Top 100 Coolest Brands we can break down how this trend unfolded across the year by the brands that are called out by kids.
Around April, mentions of Barbies, LEGO, and Squishmallows began to spike. Kids were facing a lot: SATs, news of wars, and political uncertainty. In response, toys became a safe, offline escape.
Hands-on play gave children control, stability, and reassurance. Stacking LEGO bricks, arranging Squishmallows, or sorting collectibles wasn’t just fun - it was therapeutic. In a world that felt unpredictable, kids found comfort in the tangible and the familiar, a small corner of order amid global chaos.
By June, as school pressures eased, kids shifted from comfort to self-expression. Hobbies and collections became a way to explore identity, from trading cards and building sets to makeup kits and themed collectibles.
Curating a personal collection wasn’t just about fun: it gave kids ownership and personal agency. Choosing, displaying, and organising their “my thing” allowed them to define themselves on their own terms. Licensed toys in particular merged personal interests with cultural touchpoints, turning play into a medium for creativity, individuality, and confidence.
3. Freedom to Play – Summer’s Offline Adventures
The summer holidays brought the ultimate playground: time and freedom. Digital interactions persisted but started to wane, partly due to the breaking of peer-to-peer bonds, and ongoing chatter around online safety and device addiction. Gaming lost some novelty (literally played out!), and kids naturally gravitated back toward offline play.
This was a period of deep engagement. Collections, LEGO sets, and trading cards became tools for social connection, storytelling, and personal challenge. Play shifted from passive consumption to active creation, giving kids agency, focus, and meaningful offline engagement during a season designed for exploration.
From comfort in spring, to self-expression in early summer, to freedom in the holidays, 2025 highlighted a clear trend: kids are returning to analogue play as a way to navigate a complex world. Collecting, building, and hands-on activities aren’t just entertainment, they’re tools for growth, control, and identity.
The Summer of Analogue Play proves one thing: even in a digital age, the simplest forms of play leave the biggest mark. Tangible, creative, and deeply personal, this kind of play is shaping how the next generation learns, relaxes, and expresses themselves - one LEGO brick, Squishmallow, curated collection or trading card at a time.
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