August 12, 2026 – The U.S. toy industry delivered its strongest first-half performance in six years, with dollar sales increasing by +17% from January through June 2026, compared to the same period last year, according toCircana, LLC. Unit sales grew by +12%, while average selling price (ASP) increased +4% — led by high demand for trading cards, collectibles, licensed products, and fandom-driven play
“The first half of 2026 demonstrated that the toy industry’s growth story reflects both the extraordinary performance of trading cards and strength across several other key areas of the market,” saidKristen McLean, vice president of client insights for Circana’s Entertainment Knowledge Group.”Beyond trading cards, consumers continued to gravitate toward collectibles, sensory toys, licensed products, and hobby-oriented play, underscoring the broad appeal of toys despite ongoing affordability pressures. These trends are helping expand toy engagement across a much wider consumer base than the industry has historically served.”
Eight of the 11 toy supercategories posted dollar growth through June, led by Games & Puzzles (+45%) and Explorative & Other Toys (+58%). Growth was fueled primarily by trading cards, collectibles, and sports-related products. Building Sets (+22%), Arts & Crafts (+20%), and Action Figures & Accessories (+10%) also posted healthy gains across dollars, units, and pricing, highlighting consumers’ continued willingness to spend on engaging and collectible experiences.
Licensed toys continued to outperform the broader market, up +24% and accounting for 39% of total toy sales – an increase of 2 share points versus last year. Sports-related properties emerged as a defining theme of 2026. Driven by global soccer enthusiasm,the FIFA™ property became one of the industry’s biggest breakout successes, and other sports properties including MLB, NFL, and NBA also posted meaningful gains.
At a demographic level, the toy industry’s growth continues to be fueled increasingly by older consumers. Adult-only households accounted for 55% of toy sales and grew +16% through June, slightly outpacing households with children. Recipient trends tell a similar story. Toy sales for adults ages 18+ grew +25%, making them the largest contributor to industry growth. Meanwhile, teens aged 12-17 were the fastest-growing recipient group, with sales increasing +33%. Together, teens and adults generated nearly 60% of the industry’s incremental dollar gains in the first half.
“We’re seeing toys increasingly function as hobbies, fandom ecosystems, and social experiences rather than traditional children’s products,” McLean said. “That’s expanding the consumer base and creating new opportunities for manufacturers and retailers that understand how to engage collectors, enthusiasts, gifters, and self-purchasers.”
Holiday Outlook
As the holiday season approaches, collectibles, licensed products, gaming-related properties, building sets, sports-themed items, and other hobby-oriented categories are expected to remain key growth drivers. Planned gifting behavior may further support toy demand – Circana found that 95% of gift purchases involve advance consideration and only 5% occur as pure impulse purchases. However, affordability pressures, tariffs, inflation, and emerging price increases remain important factors to monitor.
“The toy industry heads into the holiday season with strong momentum,” McLean said. “The industry’s ability to maintain relevance through licensing, fandom, collectability, and community-driven engagement has positioned it well for continued growth, but pricing and affordability will remain important watchpoints as we move through the balance of the year.”
Circana is a leader in providing technology, AI, and data to fast-moving consumer packaged goods companies, durables manufacturers, and retailers seeking to optimize their businesses. Circana’s predictive analytics and technology empower clients to measure their market share, understand the underlying consumer behavior driving it, and accelerate their growth. Circana’s Liquid Data® technology platform is powered by an expansive, high-quality data set, and intelligent algorithms trained on six decades of domain expertise. With Circana, clients can take immediate action to future-proof and evolve their growth strategies amid an increasingly complex, fast-paced, and ever-changing economy.
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