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UK toy sales are enjoying their best year in a decade.

Research firm Circana reports that the number of toys sold in the UK so far this year is 17% higher than at the same point in 2025, the fastest growth for ten years.

Debate about screen time has helped traditional, hands-on products such as squishies, stickers and building sets, while connected toys make up less than 1% of sales.

Retailers are now looking ahead to Christmas, when nearly half of annual sales take place and up to 23 toys are sold every second.

This growth has happened even though many households are under cost-of-living pressure, which has reduced their disposable income. Some of the strongest growth has been in toys priced between £5 and £10, suggesting that families are watching their spending closely.

Toys aimed at older customers are also doing well. Kidults, a market segment of people over 12 who buy toys and games, often for themselves, increased the value of their sales by 22% in the first half of the year. Even so, toys for children still make up most of the market.

An AI teddy bear, marketed for children as young as three, reportedly gave an unsuitable reply to a question, according to a BBC investigation. This raised concerns about product safety.

Industry experts advise shoppers looking for bargains to buy from reputable traders, so that toys are genuine and safe.

One in five parents of three to nine year olds say the chance to play together as a family affects what they buy.