The U.S. toy market generated $30.3 billion in retail sales in 2025 and accelerated sharply in H1 2026, posting its strongest first-half performance in six years.
Dollar sales grew 17% in H1 2026, driven by 12% unit growth and a 4% increase in average selling price, signaling broad consumer demand rather than inflation-led revenue gains.
Games & Puzzles reached $4.9 billion in 2025, growing 37% year over year, then accelerated to 45% growth in H1 2026, fueled by trading cards and collectibles.
Licensed toy sales increased 24% in H1 2026, representing 39% of total U.S. toy sales, with Pokémon alone generating $2.5 billion in 2025, up 87% year over year.
Adults ages 18+ drove 25% sales growth in H1 2026, leading to teens and adults together accounting for nearly 60% of incremental industry dollar gains.
Explorative & Other Toys grew 58% in H1 2026 because collectibles, sensory products, and sports-licensed items attracted consumers across multiple age groups.
The U.S. toy market is entering the second half of 2026 with its strongest momentum in years. Dollar sales increased 17% from January through June 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while unit sales grew 12% and average selling price (ASP) increased 4%. According to Circana's latest U.S. toy industry report, this was the industry's strongest first-half performance in six years, with trading cards, collectibles, licensed products, and fandom-driven play helping drive growth.
The acceleration builds on a return to growth in 2025. Full-year U.S. retail toy sales reached $30.3 billion in 2025, up 6% from 2024, according to Circana Retail Tracking Services. Circana's broader Checkout measurement, which projects the total market to 100%, put the 2025 U.S. toy market at approximately $45.6 billion.
The latest 2026 figures suggest that the recovery has moved into a stronger growth phase. Unlike the earlier rebound, H1 2026 growth was supported by a 12% increase in units alongside a more moderate 4% increase in ASP. That points to stronger underlying consumer demand rather than growth being driven primarily by pricing.
The composition of that growth is changing, too. Trading cards, collectibles, licensed products, games, building sets, sensory toys, and hobby-oriented products are attracting consumers across age groups, while adult shoppers continue to expand the addressable toy market.
Adults ages 18 and older recorded 25% sales growth in H1 2026, making them the largest contributor to industry growth, while teens ages 12–17 were the fastest-growing recipient group at 33%.
This report examines the latest U.S. toy sales statistics, market size, category performance, pricing trends, consumer demographics, licensing, retail channels, and the operational implications for toy brands and retailers in 2026.
The U.S. toy market is accelerating: Dollar sales increased 17% in H1 2026, the industry's strongest first-half performance in six years.
Unit demand is driving growth: Unit sales increased 12% in H1 2026, while ASP increased 4%. This represents a healthier volume contribution than a market where revenue growth depends predominantly on higher prices.
2025 remains an important baseline: Full-year U.S. retail toy sales reached $30.3 billion in 2025, up 6% year over year.
Games and puzzles are leading the market: Games & Puzzles grew 45% in H1 2026, while Explorative & Other Toys grew 58%. Building Sets also increased 22%.
Licensing remains a major growth engine: Licensed toy sales increased 24% in H1 2026 and represented 39% of total toy sales, up two percentage points from the previous year.
Adults are fueling demand: Toy sales for recipients ages 18+ increased 25%, while teens ages 12–17 recorded 33% growth. Together, teens and adults generated nearly 60% of the industry's incremental dollar gains in H1 2026.
Kidults remain a structural opportunity: Adults account for roughly one-quarter of U.S. toy sales, spanning collectors, gamers, puzzle fans, parents, and seniors.
Cultural moments are becoming commercial moments: Sports properties, including FIFA, MLB, NFL, and NBA, were meaningful contributors to the 2026 toy market.
Together, these trends point to a U.S. toy market that has moved beyond its 2025 recovery and into a more broad-based 2026 growth cycle—one increasingly shaped by fandom, collecting, licensing, hobbies, and products that appeal across age groups.
We analyzed the latest U.S. toy market data published by Circana and The Toy Association, combining full-year 2025 sales data with the latest 2026 market performance, category trends, consumer insights, and industry developments. We also reviewed relevant reports and supporting industry sources to identify emerging trends and provide context for the market's growth.
Circana's Retail Tracking Services show that U.S. retail toy sales generated $30.3 billion in 2025, representing 6% growth from 2024. The retail tracking service covers 68% of the U.S. toy market. Circana's Checkout measurement, which provides a broader view of the market, estimated 2025 U.S. toy sales at approximately $45.6 billion when projected to 100% of the market.
The 2025 recovery was meaningful because both units and prices contributed to growth. Annual dollar sales increased 6%, units increased 3%, and ASP rose 4% in 2025. H1 2026 strengthened that trajectory considerably: dollar sales grew 17%, units increased 12%, and ASP rose 4%.
The difference matters. In 2025, the market was returning to growth after two years of stagnation and decline. In H1 2026, unit growth became an even more significant contributor to the market's performance, suggesting stronger consumer engagement across categories rather than growth being driven primarily by price increases.
For brands and retailers, this creates a stronger baseline for assortment planning—but it also raises the importance of identifying where that growth is concentrated.
| Metric | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | H1 2026 |
| U.S. retail toy dollar sales | $30.4B | $30.6B | $28.4B | $28.5B | $30.3B | #ERROR! |
| Units sold | — | — | — | — | 0.03 | #ERROR! |
| Average selling price | — | — | — | — | 0.04 | #ERROR! |
| Games/Puzzles | $3.6B | $3.6B | $3.6B | $3.6B | $4.9B | 0.45 |
| Building Sets | $2.7B | $2.9B | $3.2B | $3.7B | $4.3B | 0.22 |
| Explorative & Other Toys | $2.3B | $2.6B | $2.3B | $2.6B | $3.1B | 0.58 |
| Licensed toys | — | — | — | — | — | 0.24 |
| Adult recipients | — | — | — | — | — | 0.25 |
| Teen recipients, ages 12–17 | — | — | — | — | — | 0.33 |
The U.S. toy market's category mix has shifted considerably since the pandemic period. The latest full-year Circana data shows Games/Puzzles emerging as the largest toy category in 2025, generating $4.9 billion in sales and growing 37% year over year. Building Sets generated $4.3 billion, while Explorative & Other Toys generated $3.1 billion.
The 2025 full-year category picture was:
Games/Puzzles: $4.9B, +37%
Building Sets: $4.3B, +15%
Explorative & Other Toys: $3.1B, +20%
Outdoor & Sports Toys: $4.0B, -6%
Infant/Toddler/Preschool Toys: $3.3B, -3%
Dolls: $2.5B, -7%
Plush: $2.4B, -8%
Action Figures & Accessories: $2.1B, +6%
Vehicles: $1.9B, -1%
Arts & Crafts: $1.5B, +5%
Youth Electronics: $0.4B, +1%
H1 2026 shows that several of the categories that drove 2025 growth have accelerated further. Eight of Circana's 11 toy supercategories posted dollar growth through June.
Games & Puzzles posted 45% dollar growth in H1 2026. Trading cards, collectibles, and sports-related products were among the primary contributors to growth.
The category's trajectory is particularly notable. It grew 37% in full-year 2025 and then accelerated to 45% in the first half of 2026, making it one of the clearest indicators of the market's shift toward fandom, collecting, and hobby-oriented play.
Explorative & Other Toys recorded the strongest category growth in H1 2026 at 58%. Growth was fueled by trading cards, collectibles, and sports-related products.
This follows 20% full-year growth in 2025, reinforcing the category's transition from a relatively broad segment into an increasingly important home for collectibles, sensory products, and emerging play formats.
Building Sets grew 22% in H1 2026, following 15% growth in 2025. Circana identifies continued strength across dollars, units, and pricing, highlighting consumers' willingness to spend on engaging and collectible experiences.
Arts & Crafts increased 20% in H1 2026, another sign that creativity and maker-oriented play remain relevant in a market increasingly shaped by hands-on experiences.
Action Figures & Accessories grew 10% in H1 2026, supported by continued demand for licensed and collectible products.
The broader takeaway is clear: the strongest categories increasingly combine play with fandom, collecting, hobbies, creativity, or social relevance.
The relationship between price and volume has become particularly important in 2026. In 2025, U.S. toy dollar sales grew 6%, units increased 3%, and ASP rose 4%. In H1 2026, dollar sales accelerated to 17%, units increased 12%, and ASP rose 4%. This means unit growth accounted for a much larger part of the 2026 expansion than it did during the earlier recovery.
At the same time, consumers continue to show willingness to spend on premium products when the value proposition is clear. In 2025, toys priced between $30 and $69.99 grew 18%, the fastest growth among price segments. Products priced at $20 and above collectively gained nearly four points of dollar share.
The implication for brands is not simply to raise prices. Instead, premium products need to offer clear differentiation through collectibility, licensed IP, richer builds, design, functionality, or experiential value.
Licensed toys are becoming an increasingly important component of U.S. toy-market growth. In H1 2026, licensed toy sales increased 24% and represented 39% of total U.S. toy sales, gaining two percentage points of share from the previous year.
Sports emerged as one of the defining licensing themes of 2026. Circana identified FIFA, MLB, NFL, and NBA properties among the sports-related properties contributing to growth.
The 2025 data provides useful context. Pokémon generated $2.5 billion in U.S. toy sales in 2025, up 87% year over year, becoming the first property in at least 20 years to surpass $2 billion in annual U.S. toy sales. The pattern is broader than individual franchises.
The Toy Association's 2026 trend report notes that licensing now accounts for more than one-third of U.S. toy sales, with cultural moments such as the FIFA World Cup, Winter Olympics, streaming content, and viral fandoms creating opportunities beyond the traditional movie-release cycle.
For manufacturers and retailers, this means licensing calendars need to connect with assortment planning, content releases, social campaigns, inventory commitments, and fulfillment readiness.
The U.S. toy audience is increasingly multigenerational. In H1 2026, toy sales to adults ages 18+ increased 25%, making adults the largest contributor to industry growth. Meanwhile, sales to teens ages 12–17 increased 33%, making them the fastest-growing recipient group.
Together, teens and adults generated nearly 60% of the industry's incremental dollar gains in the first half. At the household level, adult-only households accounted for 55% of toy sales and grew 16% through June 2026, slightly outpacing households with children.
The structural opportunity extends beyond 2026's growth figures. Kidults account for roughly one-quarter of U.S. toy sales, according to Circana, spanning collectors, gamers, puzzle fans, parents, and seniors.
The Toy Association also found that 81% of parents in 2025 were likely to add a toy or game for themselves to their holiday shopping list, up from 72% the previous year.
This changes how brands should think about merchandising. Products can no longer be segmented purely by child age. Collector value, nostalgia, display appeal, hobby value, and self-purchase can be as important as traditional play value.
The Toy Association's 2026 trend research highlights several shifts that help explain the latest sales data.
Adults now represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the toy market. Products are increasingly designed around play value alongside display appeal, nostalgia, premium finishes, and collectibility.
Consumers are showing interest in lower-tech and no-tech play experiences that provide tactile, calming, and sensory experiences. The trend reflects a desire for play that creates a break from constant digital stimulation.
Creator culture is influencing demand for products that encourage building, designing, customization, and making. The Toy Association reports that 78% of parents want more toys that help their children develop skills such as creativity and problem-solving.
Toys are increasingly becoming personal and shareable objects. More than half of U.S. parents (52%) reported purchasing a blind-box toy for themselves or their children in the previous year.
Nostalgia continues to influence demand, but heritage toys are increasingly being discovered by consumers who did not necessarily grow up with them. Pinterest Predicts 2026 reported a 140% increase in searches for 2000s-era kids' toys.
Licensing is increasingly being shaped by cultural moments rather than only traditional entertainment release cycles. Sports events, streaming content, viral fandoms, and social-first trends can all create opportunities for toy brands.
E-commerce remains critical for product discovery, preorders, collectibles, and fandom-driven purchases, while physical retail continues to support product trial, gifting, and seasonal shopping.
The changing nature of demand creates a new operational challenge: a product can move from niche to high-demand quickly when a franchise, cultural moment, creator, or social trend takes off.
That makes demand sensing and fulfillment agility increasingly important. Brands need to monitor sales velocity while ensuring that inventory, warehouse capacity, carrier capacity, and customer communications can scale with demand.
Social discovery is also becoming more relevant to toy demand. The Toy Association's 2026 research highlights creator culture and social sharing as important forces shaping product discovery and consumer behavior.
For toy brands, the implication extends beyond marketing. A product that gains traction through social content can create sudden demand spikes that traditional forecasting models may not anticipate.
The holiday season remains particularly important because toy purchases are heavily tied to gifting. Circana found that 95% of toy gift purchases involve advance consideration, while only 5% occur as pure impulse purchases.
That gives brands an opportunity to influence demand before the peak season—but it also means that inventory and fulfillment decisions need to be made early enough to support the gifting window.
The historical view should now use the latest 2021–2025 Circana retail tracking series as the full-year baseline, with H1 2026 growth layered on top.
The latest series shows U.S. retail toy sales at $30.4 billion in 2021, $30.6 billion in 2022, $28.4 billion in 2023, $28.5 billion in 2024, and $30.3 billion in 2025. The 2026 overlay should highlight +17% dollar growth, +12% unit growth, and +4% ASP growth through June.
This creates a much clearer story for the visual: a relatively flat market through 2024, a return to growth in 2025, and significantly stronger momentum in the first half of 2026.
Action figures and accessories
Building sets
Games and puzzles
Plush
Vehicles
Youth electronics
Explorative and other toys
Collectibles
Trading cards
Sensory toys
The strongest growth areas in 2026 increasingly connect traditional play with fandom, collecting, hobbies, creativity, sports, and cultural moments.
FIFA, MLB, NFL, NBA, Pokémon, and other entertainment, sports, and gaming properties are examples of the IP ecosystems influencing demand in 2026.
Balance e-commerce discovery and speed with physical retail experiences. Maintain enough assortment flexibility to respond to sudden demand from entertainment releases, sports events, social trends, and collectibles.
Prioritize categories with demonstrated 2026 momentum, particularly Games & Puzzles, Explorative & Other Toys, Building Sets, Arts & Crafts, and Action Figures & Accessories. At the same time, maintain flexible replenishment for products capable of sudden viral or fandom-driven demand.
Avoid overcommitting inventory to trends without evidence of sustained demand. Use sales velocity, category performance, property momentum, and regional demand signals to adjust replenishment.
The 4% ASP increase in H1 2026 shows that higher prices are still contributing to market growth, but the 12% increase in units indicates that volume is doing much more of the work than it did during the earlier recovery.
Brands should therefore protect premium price points where products offer clear value while maintaining accessible options for value-conscious shoppers.
Build campaigns around licensing, fandom, creator content, social discovery, and cultural moments.
The 2026 data shows that sports, trading cards, collectibles, and licensed properties can generate demand well beyond traditional children's entertainment cycles.
Stress-test supply chains ahead of the holiday season against demand spikes, inventory imbalances, freight constraints, and rapid changes in product popularity.
For brands selling across multiple channels, real-time shipment visibility, accurate delivery estimates, proactive exception management, and flexible carrier allocation become especially important when demand is concentrated around narrow gifting windows.
The U.S. toy market has moved beyond its 2025 recovery and into a stronger growth phase in 2026. H1 2026 delivered 17% dollar growth, 12% unit growth, and 4% ASP growth, making it the industry's strongest first half in six years.
The growth is not evenly distributed. Games & Puzzles, Explorative & Other Toys, Building Sets, Arts & Crafts, and Action Figures & Accessories are leading the category expansion, while licensed products, trading cards, collectibles, sports properties, and fandom-driven play are changing the composition of demand.
At the same time, the consumer base is expanding. Adults and teens are contributing a growing share of incremental demand, while kidults, collectors, hobbyists, and self-purchasers are turning toys into products that sit at the intersection of play, entertainment, identity, and community.
For brands and retailers, the opportunity is to connect demand intelligence with faster merchandising and stronger operational execution. A product can gain momentum because of a movie, a sports event, a viral trend, a collectible franchise, or a long-running fandom. The brands that can recognize that demand early and fulfill it reliably will be better positioned to capture it.
The 2026 U.S. toy market is not simply recovering. It is becoming more dynamic, more multigenerational, and more responsive to culture. For toy brands, the next competitive advantage will come from turning those demand signals into the right assortment, inventory, and customer experience at the right moment.
The U.S. toy market is showing strong growth in 2026. U.S. toy dollar sales increased 17% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while unit sales increased 12% and average selling price rose 4%. The full-year 2025 U.S. retail toy market was valued at $30.3 billion.
Yes. U.S. toy sales increased 17% in dollar value during H1 2026, marking the strongest first-half performance for the industry in six years. Unit sales also grew 12%, indicating that the 2026 growth is being supported by stronger purchase volume as well as pricing.
Explorative & Other Toys, Games & Puzzles, and Building Sets are among the fastest-growing U.S. toy categories in H1 2026. Explorative & Other Toys grew 58%, Games & Puzzles grew 45%, and Building Sets increased 22% during the period.
The U.S. retail toy market generated $30.3 billion in sales in 2025, representing 6% growth from 2024. A broader measurement of the market estimated total U.S. toy sales at approximately $45.6 billion when projected across the full market.
Yes. Adults are becoming an increasingly important part of the U.S. toy market. Toy sales to consumers aged 18 and older increased 25% in H1 2026, making adults one of the largest contributors to industry growth. The trend is being driven by collectibles, games, building sets, trading cards, nostalgia, and fandom-oriented products.
Licensed products accounted for 39% of U.S. toy sales in H1 2026, with licensed toy sales increasing 24% compared with the same period in 2025. Sports, entertainment, gaming, and other fandom-based properties are increasingly influencing toy purchases.
Collectibles and trading cards combine fandom, scarcity, social discovery, and repeat purchasing, making them particularly well suited to today's toy market. Their appeal also extends beyond children to teens and adults, helping expand the overall consumer base for toys.
Major U.S. toy market trends in 2026 include fandom-driven purchasing, collectibles, trading cards, licensed products, adult consumers, sensory play, nostalgia, creator-led discovery, and cultural events such as major sports tournaments. These trends are expanding the toy category beyond traditional children's play.
The U.S. toy market moved from relative stagnation into a stronger growth cycle. Retail toy sales increased 6% in 2025 after a relatively flat 2024, followed by 17% dollar growth in H1 2026. Unit growth also accelerated, rising from 3% in full-year 2025 to 12% in H1 2026.
The growth creates opportunities but also increases the need for accurate demand forecasting, inventory flexibility, fast fulfillment, and reliable delivery experiences. With demand increasingly influenced by viral trends, licensing, sports, and collectibles, toy brands need to be able to respond quickly when a product suddenly gains popularity.