• U.S. toy dollar sales jumped 17% year over year during the first half of 2026 — the industry’s strongest first-half growth in six years.
• Unit sales increased 12%, while the average toy selling price rose 4%, fueled partly by collectibles, trading cards, licensed products and fandom-driven play.
• Adults are driving the boom: toy sales to consumers 18+ grew 25%, while adult-only households represented 55% of toy sales through June.
• Teens are an increasingly powerful market, with purchases among 12- to 17-year-olds surging 33%. Combined, teens and adults generated nearly 60% of the industry’s dollar gains.
The U.S. toy industry delivered its strongest first-half performance in six years, signaling renewed momentum for the category as toys increasingly attract consumers well beyond the traditional kids’ market.
According to Circana data reported by Retail Dive, U.S. toy dollar sales increased 17% year over year during the first half of 2026, while unit sales climbed 12%. The average selling price also increased 4%, with collectibles, trading cards, licensed merchandise, and products connected to popular fandoms helping fuel demand. (Retail Dive)
One of the biggest stories behind that growth is the expanding importance of older consumers. Toy purchases among adults 18 and older jumped 25%, making adults the largest contributor to the industry’s overall gains. Teens are becoming an increasingly important audience as well, with sales among consumers ages 12 to 17 rising 33%. Together, teens and adults were responsible for nearly 60% of the toy industry’s dollar growth during the period. (Retail Dive)
For manufacturers and retailers, these numbers point to a toy marketplace that is becoming increasingly multigenerational. Collecting, nostalgia, fandom, gaming, licensing, and hobby-driven products are expanding the definition of who the toy consumer is. With adult-only households accounting for 55% of toy sales through June, opportunities to merchandise and market toys specifically to collectors, enthusiasts, gifters, and adult self-purchasers are becoming harder for the industry to ignore. (Retail Dive)
