Playtime to the max: Snapshots from the 2019 New York Toy Fair

Welcome to the 2019 New York Toy Fair, the happiest place on Earth for both adults and kids! [credit:
Valentina Palladino ]




Every year, despite frigid temperatures and threats of snow, toymakers from across the country gather at New York City's Javits Center to show off their newest playthings. Companies big and small set up booths to showcase the year's most exciting forthcoming toys, and Ars wandered around most (although not all) of the 1.8 million-square-foot convention center to scope them out.

The Toy Fair takes up the entirety of the Javits Center, or four expansive floors that can and will mystify attendees as they walk through them. Around every corner are all-new stuffed animals, board games, collectibles and figurines, and of course, huge structures made by toymakers. We were particularly struck by the K'Nex area, which housed a fully functioning ferris wheel, a huge rollercoaster with zipping cars, and other moving creations, as well as a life-sized Lego Unikitty creation that appeared to be guarding one of the escalators.
We only spent one day at this year's Toy Fair (the entire show spanned the long President's Day weekend), but we managed to check out new additions to Funko, Lego, and Hasbro's already impressive toy families. The latter two companies have embraced new technologies more than ever before, both featuring connected toys that appear regular to the unknowing eye. Hasbro's new Star Wars Lightsaber Academy features a typical glowing lightsaber, but a customizable module inside the handle lets you choose the Master you want to 'train' you.
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