Kids may be small, but their preferences are anything but! Research shows children develop lasting tastes early, making their opinions on gifts and products significant. In 2025, young consumers are seeking items that reflect their individuality and interests, much like adults.
Themes and interests
Traditional favorites like unicorns, dinosaurs, fairies, and space remain evergreen, but kids are also embracing more unusual critters like capybaras, axolotls, and prairie dogs, thanks to their depiction in recent media. U.S. wildlife such as frogs, bees, raccoons, and possums is gaining popularity as kids learn more about the environment. Interests are extending to career-inspired themes, with baking, archaeology, and video game design emerging as favorites. Products tied to these hobbies, including baking accessories or toys themed around specific professions, are trending.
Functional and eco-friendly products
Practical items like backpacks, water bottles, and raincoats featuring fun motifs help kids showcase their personalities. Parents increasingly prefer interchangeable or adjustable products that grow with their children, reducing waste. Sustainability is becoming a priority, with eco-friendly materials like recycled plastics and biodegradable packaging gaining traction.
Toys that engage
Our building sets see reconstructed growth with toy sales increase by 25% in 2024. Building sets are ideal for toddlers, school goers, and preteen kids and have seen a fair share of wooden and magnetic sets made famous by eco-conscious parents. Another development is sensory play, where the non-toxic doughs, putties, and fidgets are made from recycled materials appealing to kids and eco-aware consumers alike.
Sustainability isn’t about happenstance; it’s a passion. It’s in the 2025 Gift Book Consumer Survey that 64% of shoppers are open to paying a premium for eco-friendly toys. This shift has done wonders for biodegradable packaging and more eco-friendly toy designs, making sure they will less frequently fill up landfills.
Into 2025, preferences by kids and sustainability are fashioning the market to the benefit of brands that fulfill the needs of both young consumers and their ecologically conscious parents.
