Children learn through play, which is why educational toys are so important. They can help your child learn new things, explore their creativity, and develop social skills. Educational toys are a great way to help children learn and grow. They can teach children about the world around them, how to count, how to spell, or even how to share.
These toys also help develop skills that children will need for their future careers like STEM skills, entrepreneurship skills, and creativity.
The benefits of educational toys include:
- Improving the skills of children
- Developing an interest in learning Fostering a culture of play and learning
- Establishing a connection between the home and school
Educational toys are an important part of the curriculum in India. Children learn through play and educational toys can help foster that interest.
Market Size of Educational Toys in India
The market size of educational toys in India is expected to grow from US$1 billion in 2018 to US$2.4 billion in 2026, while the global educational toys market is expected to grow from US$12 billion in 2018 to US$28 billion by 2026.
The key factors driving the growth of this market include:
- Increase in the number of globalization and digitization initiatives
- Mushrooming requirement for learning at home – over the school curriculum
- Growing demand for innovative learning solutions among parents and children
- Increased use of digital content delivery.
India has the second largest population of children in the world, which translates into a big potential for growth in this market. The Indian Council of Child Welfare reports an estimated 10-20% of children in India suffer from some form of learning or developmental disability. Indian schoolchildren spend an average of 12 hours per day in school, while they are at home, they spend 10-12 hours per day watching TV – a portion of this, if replaced with educational toys will have a effect on the mental and physical health of children.
India is an emerging market with several interesting educational toy companies starting up over the past few years. The Indian toy industry has been growing at a healthy rate supported by increasing disposable income and greater awareness about the importance of education in young children’s lives.
New Technology in Educational Toys
“Augmented reality” is a term that’s been around for some time, but it’s recently seen a resurgence of interest as a new generation of augmented reality tools and applications has become available. Educational toy companies are making use of the new platforms to create immersive, engaging experiences that allow children to explore content, solve problems and collaborate with others in new ways.
Meanwhile, the availability of affordable 3-D printing technology and other resources are driving the development of “virtual reality” or “VR” tools that allow users to immerse themselves in simulated environments.
VR tools can be used in a variety of ways in education, from training students for careers in high-tech fields to providing educators with new ways to visualize complex information. Educational toy companies are also beginning to create tools that combine AR and VR technology.
For example, Google has created an AR app that allows users to view 3D images on top of real-world objects through their phone’s camera lens. This is a useful tool as it provides a way for children to visualize objects from different angles and distances. Meanwhile, Google’s VR tool “Tilt Brush” allows users to paint using virtual reality—a technique that could be used in art classes.
As these kinds of tools become more widely available and easier for educators to use, we can expect more and more educational toy companies to experiment with combining AR and VR into new experiences for children.
Top 3 Educational Toy Categories
- Puzzles – Puzzles are a great way to teach children spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. They can also help children learn about shapes and colors.
- Books – Reading is an important skill that every child needs to be successful in school and life. Children love books because they provide them with an opportunity for imaginative play as well as teaching them new words and concepts.
- Blocks – Blocks are a classic toy that has been around since the early 1900s! They should be part of every child’s playtime because they provide lots of opportunities for
Conclusion
The Indian educational toy industry has grown from being almost negligible to a $2.4 billion dollar industry in a span of less than 10 years. India is considered one of the fastest growing toy markets in the world and continues to grow at a rapid pace. With an average family size of 5, it means nearly 3 million more children enrolling for classrooms in the next 10 years. These kids will need to be educated – resulting in a huge demand market for educational toys.