For many children, the Sinterklaas period is the most magical time of the year. The Sinterklaas news, the entry and then the exciting build-up to Sinterklaas’ Eve. The search for the best presents and making wish lists is something they really look forward to. Jeroen Stroeve, toy expert at bol, was behind the Toy Trends 2024: ‘This year we see lots of cute toys, such as plush cuddly toys or interactive “pets” that like to be cared for. Cuddling and cute colours will prevail here. Here we also see the rise of the ‘Asia trend’, such as kawaii, which literally means ‘cute toys’. Interestingly, ‘dark’ and dirty toys are also a new emerging trend. ‘Think of creepy licences like Wednesday, but also slimy toys like Mega gross minis.’

Not only the little ones, but also more and more adults spend their free time playing. Jeroen explains: ‘The board game Hitster has grown enormously in terms of sales compared to last year. This is due to the addition of several Hitster variants and the success of the new Histster Bingo. There is a variant to suit every music lover. People also like to play quizmaster at home. In addition, toys from the LEGO brand, for example, are increasingly tapping into the adult market. This often involves more expensive, exclusive editions that often also serve as decoration or collector's items.’

These are the toy trends of 2024:

• Sweet, cute and cuddly
• Spooky: creepy and dirty
• Interactive: toys that want to be cared for
• Toys for young and old
• Quizmasters
• Advent calendars

All details can be found here:

The shop of Sinterkaas
For the sixth year in a row, bol launched The Big Toy Book and the accompanying Big Toy App. Through QR codes, augmented reality (AR) and videos, children can discover toys in detail, as if they were actually in front of them. This makes making wish lists even more fun and practical, as children can choose their favourite gifts more consciously. Through the Big Toy App, ‘assistant sinterklains’ can then gain insight into the toys children have put on their digital wish lists. This way, they know which toys the child is really excited about and can prevent mis-purchases and disappointments.

The Big Toy Book hit the mat in mid-October. Data from the app show that children have been scanning and making their wish lists in the past weeks. Children are also playing plenty of quizzes and other games in the app. The most scanned toy in the Great Toys App at the moment is MGA's Miniverse Make It Mini Spa.

Vorig jaar zagen we, mede dankzij TikTok, de Miniverse al terug in de speelgoedtrends. Van de Last year, thanks in part to TikTok, we already saw the Miniverse in toy trends. Of the adorable Squishmallows, we see no fewer than three variants returning in the top 15 most scanned toys: the Squishmallows Lopsang, Junie Yellow Banana and Wireless Headphones. Children are also seen pampering the super-soft cuddly toy Snackles Heidi. The interactive Bitzee ‘pets’ are represented at the top in both the Magicals and Disney editions. But the best-selling book of the Children's Book Week 2024, ‘The Adventures of Rutger, Thomas & Paco - The Safari’ is also on the wish list of many children.