Hamleys, the finest toy shop in the world, and India’s leading toy retailer for children announced the Top 10 Toys for Christmas 2021, unveiling this collection for the first time in India. The much-coveted list of the season’s most exciting toys was unveiled by Neha Dhupia amidst a magical, festive party for leading mommy influencers and their children, at the brand’s first ever concept store – Hamleys Play at Jio World Drive BKC. Christmas “in-person” is back this year and playing together will be at the heart of every family’s Christmas celebration. Putting ‘playtime together’ back on the table this festive season, the toys include a range of educational, magical and traditional products, seeing children exploring their imagination. With kids having spent the majority of the past few years indoors and engaging with virtual platforms and screens, this Christmas collection prioritises in-person role play and creativity, allowing kids to create imaginary worlds and bring back the magic of believing in Christmas.
Speaking about the launch which was held at the world’s first Hamleys Play Store, Kinjal Shah, Group Vice-President at Reliance Brands Limited said, “Hamleys – The Finest Toy Shop in the World, in India, has grown to be recognized as a trendsetter for all new experiences to look out for children. The brand sees high potential in the diverse Indian market and plans to launch 100+ stores in the coming year expanding the reach to 250+ stores in India by March 2023. This has been a special year for us, our brand-new concept store Hamleys Play – which focuses on the fun and play concept opened its first store in the world at Jio World Drive, Mumbai. Going by the response to the new concept, we are set to expand this concept to all major cities in India in the coming year.”
Top toy trends for this season include AI enabled learning gadgets, dollhouses for immersive play, and reversible plush toys amongst other products. These festive season’s must-haves combine clever Edu-tech and fantasy to build, role-play and create and include –
• Super learning robo MIKO 3
• Pioneer Drone
• Hi-Life Playful Furnished Dollhouse
• Infiniti Hoverboard
The launch of their much-awaited Christmas Top 10 Toys in the country is part of Hamleys India’s strategy to create more meaningful and authentic connections with the Indian consumer, and strengthen their position as the premium destination for toys and recreational products for children in India. Interestingly, the past year and pandemic circumstances have also seen an increase in “Made in India” products being added to the Hamleys’ portfolio, resulting in a growth of opportunities for Indian toy manufacturers to showcase their unique products. The Shifo Tacting Coding Game is one such example of an Indian product that has been making waves globally, combining simple coding with storytelling and play.
‘Product is the core to the brand Hamleys. Product Innovation & Newness has always been the key to deliver the Magical Hamleys experience. Presently, the brand has a sharp focus in sourcing products from India and giving a push to Make in India products, adds Manu Sharma, Group Vice-President at Reliance Brands Limited.’ He further added, “The Hamleys Christmas Top 10 launch has always been one of the most awaited events of the year, we are extremely excited to present this year’s Christmas top 10 which has a mix of Robotics to Educational Toys to Science to Board Games & more. From the bestselling Miko 3 to our own Made in India innovation DIICII, to our very own screen free storyteller Super buddy, there is something for everyone this Christmas at Hamleys.”
There’s truly something for kids of all ages (and maybe even some that may excite the adults). With tech enabled toys and gadgets taking over the world by storm, Hamleys has made a conscious effort to include the nostalgic and conventional board games in its Christmas Top 10 with the likes of DiiCii Brainvita and Sling Puck. The Ultimate Insta Glam Kit is going to be every fashionista’s dream come true with a cosmetic set filled with possibilities and non-toxic products! The Christmas Top 10 Toys Collection are available at Hamleys Toy Stores across the country, as well as on their website www.hamleys.in starting December.