Mari is a friend I met in the blog world. We haven’t actually met in person, but it’s all the same in the blogosphere right? Anyway, Mari is an expert in the toy industry. She has worked in the toy industry designing toys and accessories for over 12 years. She also writes a blog called Small for Big featuring the latest toys, kids decor and accessories. I asked her to share with us the top 10 trends she is seeing in the toy industry in 2010. This is Mari and she simply said…

Now that it’s March, lots of toy manufacturers are breathing a huge sigh of relief (unless you’re in sales, where the ball is finally rolling). The big trade shows for 2010 are all wrapped up and the new products revealed. Though consumers won’t see a lot of the results for months yet, we can still get some sneak peeks!

The good news? Current trends may fall on opposite ends, but they appear to be balancing each other out. On the one hand tech is growing, but at the same time wood toys are exploding. While online toys are still important, there is also a big resurgence in toys that spark the imagination the old-fashioned way. Next week I will be highlighting some of my favorite new toys debuting this year on my site, Small for Big.

1. Eco-friendly. No surprise, right? But what is new is that we are finally seeing multiple companies, large and small, acknowledging this movement. Now we can find everything from eco-plastic made of sawdust such as Sprig Toys to battery-less light-up toys. Stuffed animals and dolls are joining the mix too with a bigger range of recycled fabrics and eco stuffing materials.

{image by Sprig Toys}

2. Wood toys. We are seeing to an exploding range of wooden toy options. No, really. There seems to be wood toys everywhere these days with the number of brands and variety of toys growing all the time. It is a great time to get into wood. Melissa & Doug and Haba are just a few examples.

{image by Haba}

3. Forest themes. Birds, owls and rabbits. Oh my! This trend is combining several things in one. It pulls from the retro 70’s vibe we are all loving. But it also ties right into the environmental trend as well. Plus, it is providing a great theme alternative to the multitude of garden, jungle/zoo and ocean themes out there already.

{image by Lambs and Ivy}

4. Classic Toys. Nostalgia is a huge factor with a lot of product trends right now. It has been going strong in toys for some time. Companies are feeding on a consumer’s growing need to connect with the product. They do it by either tapping old brands that parents remember from their own childhoods or highlighting the handmade, homegrown aspects of a new product. Just look at the resurgence in handmade goods, and the interest in small companies with a personal story.

{image by Hasbro}

5. Tech toys. Technology and toys is growing in multiple directions. First, they are smaller in size. Just like flat-screen TVs, toys are using more complicated gadgetry in much smaller packages. For example, RC vehicles are seeing some really cool advances. Second, video cameras are being added to everything.

{image from Toys 'R Us}

6. Virtual + reality. While we love what we can do online, in the world of toys it is all about the combo. Whether taking a toy with you in the car, around the yard or to the computer, the big brands are trying their hardest to make their toys impossible to put down in any situation. Just look at the upcoming Fisher Price iXL. It’s a touch screen educational gaming device (pictured below).

{image from Gadgetwise NY Times}

7. Focus on affordability. Luckily toy companies want you to buy their products. So they’re realizing now is the time to focus on the affordable toys, not the $300 horse. Though you may not notice it directly, lots of new introductions this year are focusing on an under $30 price tag.

8. Multi-functionality. Directly tied to affordability, toy concepts are working harder for you than ever before. Expect to see more toys that do multiple things for a variety of age ranges. This way you can get one toy that will last you and your wallet longer.

{image by Playskool}

9. Active playing. Traditionally “active play” refers to the great outdoors. Or at least indoor toys that make your kids wiggle and bounce. This year I’m seeing it used to encompass all kinds of activity-focused toys– crafts, science, construction, brain games and such. A lot of hands-on brain activity helps balance all of those tech and online toys.

{image by Crayola}

10. Construction Innovation – Connected to active playing, I’m seeing some crazy new options in the world of building blocks and construction toys. Though few of them will never rival Lego’s monopoly and versatility, many of them are amazing mind benders and imagination generators.

{image by Fat Brain Toy Co.}