CTJPA’s 4-in-1 EXPO In Shanghai-Reports Record-Breaking Results
The China Toys & Juvenile Products Association (CTJPA) has posted official, final results for the Shanghai expo, ended October 23—and the numbers are indeed impressive.
The “Four-Expo-in-One” 2026 became the world’s largest trade show in the toy and children’s businesses.
The event included four events—the 2026 China Toy Expo (CTE), China Kids Fair (CKE), China Licensing Expo (CLE) and China Preschool Expo (CPE) ran concurrently in Shanghai. If you didn’t wear comfortable shoes, you were surely out of luck, as the dramatic show covered 230,000 square meters of exhibition space and brought together 2,667 exhibitors from 42 countries and regions, especially manufacturers from more than 30 production hubs. With 667 overseas visitors and 17 overseas pavilions, participation increased a whopping 54.5%, cementing the show’s position as one the most important trade shows serving the industry.
In addition, the three-day physical expos attracted 130,184 buyers including 12,380 from overseas buyers, up 11.7% year on year. The event underscored China’s dynamic economy and extensive market potential.
Visitors to the shows were enthusiastic about them—and the potential for developing business as a result of their participation. Jeremy Rosenblatt, CEO of Super Pals World Limited, said his firm is developing a children’s character range to be distributed initially in the UK and later around the world. Attending the China Toy Expo for the first time and visiting China for the first time, he found four or five four to five prospective exhibitors and held follow-up meetings during the show. He commented that the China Toy Expo is enormous and highly impressive after touring several halls.
Eba Saint Nobel Aka, from the Canadian company Montessori Toys visited the show for the first time. His company develops smart games for children, and he said he was “amazed” by innovative products from Chinese suppliers, particularly those from Shenzhen. He identified several potential products. In particular, he commented on AI toys, which had a dedicated display area. Like many, he suggested that AI will be a transformative force in the children’s industries in the next seasons.
Where the Trends are Happening
Greg Ahearn, President and CEO of the U.S. Toy Association and other overseas visitors commented on the emergence of trends at the show. Certainly, walking the halls, it’s easy to see where the exhibitors are investing in product and IP development—and where they are betting the industry is growing.
Easily one of the most important takeaways from the China Toy Expo is the emergence of Chinese brands, unique IP, and a major expansion of licensing in all merchandise categories.
The collectibles trend shows no signs of slowing down. Indeed, more and more innovative products are attracting a wider range of consumers, significantly opening up merchandising and IP potential.
Groundbreaking design was front and center. Chinese design is world-class. The creativity was impressive, and such elements as cross-industry collaborations with fashion, art, and lifestyle brands highlight a growing global trend that is redefining an a very basic level what a toy means in 2026.
At the Kids Expo and the Preschool Expo, exhibitors were leaning into advanced materials, broad functionality and the integration of technology (often in the background) to enhance user experience.
The Licensing Expo provided strong insight into how that sector is evolving. There were more than 2,700 individual IPs on display at the show. As with toys, the audience is broadening and “aging up.” In other words, everyone wants to play. Sports licensing remains strong and growing, but one of the most significant developments in this sector is the rise of homegrown IPs and virtual character IPs.
It’s a compelling demonstration of the shift in this sector. Virtual character IP is booming, becoming a new driver of fandom. At the same time, opportunities for what might once have become smaller properties have boomed. Notably, Chinese IPs are finding worldwide audiences.
Global Participation
These have become global shows—and an essential platform for the industry. The attendees’ and exhibitors’ lists read like a Who’s Who of the entire toy, licensing and kids industries.
From Hasbro to Mattel, Spin Master, Funko, Pop Mart, Universal, Disney, UPPAbaby and so many more, this is an important opportunity to get an extensive look at where the industry is and where it’s going all under one roof. Well, actually under a few roofs.
As companies continue to assess trade shows and trade show participation, these four shows are essential to the business.
CTJPA’s 4-in-1 EXPO will be held on October 20 – 22, 2027 in Shanghai.For more information, contact: helen_zhang@tjpa-china.org
Show sites:
CTE (Toys): www.china-toy-expo.com
CKE (Baby Products): http://www.china-kids-fair.com
CLE (Licensing): www.china-licensing-expo.com
CPE (Preschool Supplies): http://www.china-preschool-expo.com
Featured and first image courtesy CTJPA, other images by Christopher Byrne
