Toys standing the test of time with Scottish children

A Glasgow shopping centre has revealed that today’s toddlers would rather play with the toys their parents loved as children – with LEGO, action figures and dolls, such as My Little Pony, proving to stand the test of time.

The findings are released following a poll of parents in Scotland and a toy testing workshop, carried out by Silverburn’s Toddler Toy Testers.

When reminiscing about their own experience playing with toys, over half of parents in Scotland (54%) believe they spent two-three hours a day playing with their toys – the same amount of time they believe kids today spend staring at a screen.

However, according to the study by Silverburn, many of the big sellers from yesteryear remain relevant and are just as popular amongst children of today. LEGO came out on top as the toy brand that has best stood the test of time (75%), followed by action figures (34%), dolls (33%) and Play Doh (27%), all proving to be as loved today as they were for the last generation.

Top five toys that have stood the test of time in Scotland –

1, LEGO, 75%

2= Action figures, 34%; Dolls, 34%

4, Play Doh, 27%.

5, Scalextric, 25%.

In fact, more kids today own a nostalgic My Little Pony than they did approximately 15 years ago, whilst almost half of children in Scotland (48%) currently now own some form of LEGO, action figures and dolls (22%) and Play-doh (26%), which many adults would class as the staples of their early years. So, when faced with shelves of unrecognisable and colourful toys, don’t fear – just stick with what you know and love.

Youngsters still love to play with action figures

To put the research to the test, Silverburn challenged a group of kids to be its official Toddler Toy Testers and put a selection of both new and classic toys through their paces, to identify which are the ones they really want to play with.

Five tots dunked, dipped and chucked a selection of today’s top toys, including Hatchimals, Avengers Action Figures, My Little Pony, LEGO and a Smiggle Super Spring. My Little Pony came out on top as the favourite toy played with by the testers because of its durability and cuddle-factor.

So, what makes these toys special enough to pass the tests of today’s toddlers as well as parents? According to the study, 52% in the region believe that physical durability is key. If a toy is unable to survive being thrown around and fought over, it is unlikely to see much play time.

Design is also key, with 45% arguing that a toy must have a classic design to be a success with the next generation. Simple (48%) and rewarding (39%) were also identified as crucial characteristics of the greatest and most iconic toys.

David Pierotti, general manager at Silverburn, said: ‘Wherever shoppers are searching for toys in Silverburn, they will come face-to-face with the huge selection. So, we wanted to help by not only revealing what the popular toys are this season, but also put anyone buying a present for a child at ease when it comes to understanding what kids in Glasgow love today.

‘What is great about the research and results from the Toddler Toy Tests is that it shows us that today’s children actually prefer the toys that we adults loved ourselves as children. Whilst iPads and computers are popular these days, comfort can be found in the nostalgic My Little Ponies and cuddly toys of the world.’