Focus on Indian and educational toys at National Toy Fair 2021

School Web Desk

Chandigarh, February 18

The Government of India is conducting country’s first Toy Fair that will be hosted virtually over a period of four days between February 27 and March 2, 2021. The exhibitors include Indian businesses that are engaged in creating a learning & playing environment for kids like PlayShifu as well as NCERT, SCERTs, CBSE schools & teachers along with IIT-Gandhinagar, National Institute of Design and Children University in Ahmedabad.

Speaking about their participation in the event, Vivek Goyal, Co-Founder and CEO, PlayShifu, said, “The Indian toy market, estimated at approximately $1 billion, is growing by 10-15% every year. Educational/STEM toys account for over 30% of all toys. More parents are investing in smart toys that are both fun and educational. We are thrilled to have opportunities like the Toy Fair 2021 that help Indian companies ride these trends.”

The website for the India Toy Fair 2021 was launched on February 11 and will enable children, parents, teachers, exhibitors, etc. to register themselves to participate in the virtual fair which will showcase various facets of the Indian toy ecosphere. National Toy Fair 2021 is the first-ever digitally accessible exhibition & platform that will provide an opportunity to explore and buy a variety of toys from over 1,000 exhibitors across states and union territories. The attendees can also participate in insightful webinars, panel discussions & activities and can even grow their network with various stakeholders from the toy industry.

With reference to the education sector in particular, the knowledge sessions will include various experts who will focus on areas that are emphasised in the NEP 2020. Topics that will be covered in the virtual sessions will revolve around play-based and activity-based learning, indoor and outdoor play, use of puzzles and games to promote critical thinking and overall on how to make learning more engaging and enjoyable.

The government has also been making concerted efforts for the evolution of the toy industry in general. It was recently that the government collaborated with affiliate ministries and respective state governments as well as introduced the safety BIS certification that has been made mandatory from January 2021. Additionally, the state governments have also been contributing to this initiative by allocating land for dedicated toy parks and arenas.