Nuremberg Toy Fair / Spielwarenmesse 2025

What is Spielwarenmesse's Business Profile?

The Nuremberg Toy Fair is the central meeting platform for 14 industries and sectors. Among the attending specialists are:

Because of its importance to several industries and sectors, Spielwarenmesse attracts global and local companies. This includes brands such as Mattel, Bruder Spielwaren, and Purzmurzel. It also includes Accutime Watch Co, Hasbro, and Ricochet.

Event Highlights

Industry experts can network, close important deals, and gain recognition at the Spielwarenmesse. It also allows them to expand their field of expertise. Spielwarenmesse can help experts in achieving such objectives through its comprehensive support program.

The event schedule for the trade show includes several important sub-events. One of the main events in the schedule is the comprehensive exhibition. This is because the exhibition allows professionals to complete three important objectives. Networking with other professionals is one of the goals they can complete. Professionals can also gain recognition by showcasing their latest innovations at the exhibition. Experts can additionally conduct business by closing important deals at the exposition. To make finding suitable suppliers easier, the exhibition includes 12 product groups. The product categories are:

• Electronic toys
• Lifestyle Products
• Technical, educational, action toys
• School Articles, stationery, creative design
• Festive articles, carnival, fireworks
• Multi-Product Group
• Wooden and made from natural materials toys
• Games, books, learning and experimenting
• Model railways and construction
• Dolls and soft toys
• Sports, leisure, outdoor
• Baby/Infant Articles

There are several subdivisions in each segment. The following are the subdivisions for each product group:

• Wooden Toys, Toys made from natural materials

1. Wooden Toys and Articles
2. Toys made from natural materials
3. Craftworks

• Games, Books, Learning and Experimenting

1. Books
2. Non-book
3. Games
4. Learning and Experimenting

• Dolls, Soft Toys

1. Soft Toys
2. Dolls

• Multi-Product Group

1. Features manufacturers whose portfolios span more than one category.

• Baby and Infant Articles

1. Baby Toys
2. Baby Textile
3. Care & Food
4. Travel Systems
5. Home and safety products

• Festive Articles, Carnival, Fireworks

1. Fireworks
2. Festive Articles
3. Carnival

• Technical Toys, Educational Toys, Action Toys

1. Action Toys
2. Technical Toys
3. Educational Toys
4. Electronic Toys
5. Robot toys
6. RC toys
7. Other electronic toys
8. Electronic learning
9. Virtual play

• School Articles, Stationery, Creative Design

1. Stationery
2. Creative Design
3. School Articles

• Model Railways and Model Construction

1. Hobbies
2. Model Railways
3. Model construction
4. Accessories

• Lifestyle Products

1. Home & Decoration
2. Fashion & Accessories
3. Textiles
4. Gift Articles

• Sports, Leisure, Outdoor

1. Leisure
2. Outdoor summer
3. Outdoor winter

The Nuremberg Toy Fair also includes other valuable events. The various thematic areas found throughout the showgrounds are among the leading examples. Exhibitors can exploit these zones to present innovations to specific visitor groups. They can also aid in exhibitors gaining recognition. Tech2Play, ShowTime, Insights-X, Small Batch Manufacturers, and StartupArea are examples of such areas. Each thematic zone is dedicated to a specific product category or exhibitor type. For example, the “Electronic Toys” exhibitors congregate at Tech2Play.

The main showcasing zone for exhibitors in the Festive product group is ShowTime. It is a 200m2 area that features a show programme comprised of several sub-events. A catwalk show promoting new costume models is one of the main sub-events at ShowTime. Exhibitors of stationery and office supplies can be found at the Insights-X area. It is the location for such experts to display their wares and gain recognition. Small Batch Manufacturers is for model railway and construction companies. It has a specialised track where such professionals can show off their latest models. The StartupArea is the designated area for start-up companies. All thematic areas allow professionals to gain recognition regardless of their product group. This is because the zones allow them to present their newest products to a target group of visitors. This group features key decision-makers and investors. 

Another micro-event that provides recognition is the ToyAward. It is an international reward that recognises innovations that promote industry growth. Many participants observe the ToyAward competition, including accredited media representatives. This raises brand awareness for both the winners and the participants. Winners can additionally take advantage of year-round digital media advertising. Such advertising is part of the honours first-place competitors earn. There are five permanent categories in the ToyAward, as well as one novel division. Startup, Teenagers & Adults, SchoolKids, PreSchool, and Baby & Infant are the five permanent categories. Startup is a division that honours the innovations of aspiring professionals and businesses. Teenagers & Adults is for innovations that focus on children aged 10 and up. SchoolKids recognises and rewards innovations that target children aged 6 to 10. PreSchool is the category for innovations targeting children aged 3 to 6 years old. Baby & Infant is a category for innovative products that focus on babies. Each nomination for the ToyAward is rated based on six criteria. The criteria are: 

• Originality
• Workmanship & quality
• Comprehensibility of the product concept
• Safety
• Play fun
• Prospects of shop success

The ToyAward additionally includes a novel category known as Sustainability. It is a division that honours high-sustainability innovations. The category is a recent addition that reflects the industry’s present intentions. Like the five permanent divisions, Sustainability also has a set of rating criteria. The criteria are: 

• Renewable energies
• Renewable resources
• Playing and learning content
• Circular packaging
• Circular product

The Circular Packaging and Product criteria study the official product website. The level of renewability and recyclability of packaging is measured by Circular Packaging. When the website informs about two of the following, the nominees meet the criteria: 

• Material and product recyclability;
• The later use of the packaging materials is suitable for their type. Also, they must contain a recycling scheme licence and adhere to local regulations;
• Use of recycled raw materials;

The life cycle quality of the nominated innovation is measured by Circular Product. The criterion is present when the website contains states at least two of the following:

• Recyclability;
• Guarantee statements or take-back obligations to ensure repairability or lifespan
• Use of recycled raw materials;
• Take-back scheme services;

Learning and playing content measures the nominee’s educational and communication quality. The innovation meets the criterion when it features at least two of the following:

• The explanation about climate change is understandable;
• The explanation about biodiversity is understandable;
• The explanation about circular economy is understandable;
• The explanation about renewable energies is understandable;

The criterion “Renewable Resources” measures the amount of used renewable resources. When at least two of the following conditions are met, the nominated meet this standard:

• At least 30% of the material components were created using renewable resources.
• EN/DIN/TUV standards are followed during the biogenic resource content certification process.
• The origin of the biomass prevents negative effects such as deforestation.
• The biomass origin is verifiable and the supply chain follows PEFC/FSC guidelines.
• The use of renewable resources is clearly stated on the official website. The same applies to the production location and standard statements.

Renewable energies measure how much renewable energy is used by the nominated product. At least two conditions must be met for the innovations to meet the criterion:

• Renewable energy sources compensate for at least 50% of the total consumption;
• The ISO 50001 standard is followed during the use of renewable energy sources. It also certifies the origin of such sources.
• There are clear statements about the use of renewable energy sources.
• Energy efficiency is at its highest, and the energy consumption is at its lowest possible.

Professionals should also consider Spielwarenmesse as a means to expand their knowledge. They can achieve such aims by participating in several sub-events. Sub-events they should consider are Toys meet Books and ToyCity. They should also not overlook Toy Business Forum, ToyAcademy, and TrendGallery. Toys meet Books is a display area with a variety of themed worlds. It is an important location for booksellers seeking to add toys to their inventory. For the task, they gain inspiration from the showcased products relevant to the publishing industry. Such include various showcased book and toy combinations. The Toys meet Books sub-event also includes a micro-event known as The Toys meet Books Talks. The Talks consist of a series of interviews. During these interviews, leading experts provide information on a variety of topics. The internal workings of the toy industry are among the example topics attendees can look forward to. 

One of the unique sub-events in the schedule is the ToyCity. ToyCity is a special tour that presents Nuremberg’s toy manufacturing history. During the Tour, professionals can gain inspiration which they can use for new product developments. The tour features many interesting destinations including doll doctors, museums, and shops. Among the leading locations visited during ToyCity is the German Games Archive. It is the storage location for over 30 000 games, famous game designer legacy wares, and 7000 books. The tour also includes as a popular destination the German National Museum. The Museum is the hosting location for a display of over 20 000 historical toys. Highlights of the display include four 17th-century dollhouses and unique historical paper theatres. There are also toys from several historical periods, such as the early 20th century.

Professionals should consider attending the Toy Business Forum. It is a valuable sub-event that can help them in learning about the latest trends. It can also aid them in discovering the latest market developments. Experts should also consider attending the Forum to learn valuable marketing strategies. Several seminars comprise the Forum. During the seminars, a leading expert presents their latest findings and experiences. This allows professionals to expand their field of expertise.

The most vital toy manufacturing trends receive their presentation at TrendGallery. Each trend is presented by a leading trend scout. This allows professionals to learn about various trends and potential markets. It also allows them to gain new perspectives on future product development. Experts should consider attending ToyAcademy. This is because it allows them to learn about digitalisation, sustainability, markets, and retail trade. The sub-event can help in completing such a goal by providing a series of presentations. Each presentation features international experts discussing subjects such as new market developments. 

Professionals from several industries should consider attending the Nuremberg Toy Fair. This includes professionals such as:

Nuremberg Toy Fair takes place every year for five days. Its visiting hours are between 9 am to 6 pm. NürnbergMesse GmbH and Spielwarenmesse eG hosts the event at Messe Nuremberg. The event most often occurs in January or February.

Messe Nuremberg is among the leading event centres in Nuremberg. The venue is a public exhibition site with a convenient and accessible location. This is because of the various bus, train, and metro stations that are within walking distance of the mess. Because of its location, travelling to the venue via public transport tends to save time. For instance, the U1 metro line allows you to reach the messe from the central railway station in 8 minutes. Likewise, the same metro line, as well as the U2 one, enable reaching the centre from the airport in 20 minutes. 

Nuremberg is one of Germany’s main tourist and exhibition locations. It is a large city with a well-developed public transportation system. The network includes many bus, train, metro, and car connections. This allows you to travel to a variety of nearby destinations, including Erlangen. By taking the various buses, trains, or metro, you will often save time and travel in comfort. For example, you can travel to Erlangen in 19 minutes by taking the ICE509 bus line. Likewise, the RE16 bus line allows you to reach Schwabach in 11 minutes. The well-developed public transport system also saves time when travelling around Nuremberg. The U2 metro and bus 7 lines, for example, allow you to reach the Sudstadt district from the airport in 25 minutes. Likewise, the bus 30 line enables reaching the city centre in 10 minutes from the terminal.

Nuremberg offers a diverse range of dining and lodging options. For instance, in districts such as the Altstadt, there are over 300 available hotels and hostels. Guesthouses and apartments are also suitable lodging options and can be found in locations such as the Sudstadt. You can also stay in nearby cities like Erlangen. Cafés, clubs, bars, and restaurants are all available as dining options. Messe Nuremberg is also a suitable dining alternative because of its catering services.

The annual Nuremberg Toy Fair attracts over 60 000 participants. The 2020 edition of the fair, for example, attracted 63500 visitors and 2,843 exhibitors. Trade delegates from 136 countries attend the fair. Germany, Italy, Spain, the United States, and Belgium are among the represented countries. They also include France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. China, Poland, Austria, and the Czech Republic additionally attend the fair. South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Thailand, and Sweden are also among the visiting nations. Representatives from a variety of industries and sectors attend Spielwarenmesse. The industries and sectors that take part include:

• Book trading;
• Confectionery/Foods and Beverages;
• Gaming;
• Cosmetics;
• Toy manufacturing;
• Textiles;
• Advertising;
• Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation;
• Retail trade;
• Sports goods;
• Education;
• Fashion;
• Publishing;
• Stationery.

Nuremberg Toy Fair 2020

The 2020 edition of the Nuremberg Toy Fair signified a new attendance record for the event. Taking place between 29.01.2020 and 2.02.2020, the Fair received over 60 000 attendees. This included 63500 visitors who visited Messe Nuremberg to examine 120 000 innovations. 2843 exhibitors presented the innovations. Attendees represented 136 countries during the live exhibition. Among the highlights of the edition were Toys meet Books’ third instalment. 

Nuremberg Toy Fair 2022

The 2022 edition of Nuremberg Toy Fair took place on the digital platform digital.speilwarenmesse.de between 02.02.2022 - 06.02.2022. The edition which featured 642 exhibitors and 10,813 visitors was held in a digital format because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nuremberg Toy Fair 2023

The 2023 edition of Spielwarenmesse occurred as a live event without implemented Covid-19 safety measures. This was due to the removal of the country's domestic pandemic-related restrictions. The event was attended by over 2 100 exhibitors from 69 countries and 58 000 visitors from 128 nations. 95% of the exhibitors rated the event as important to take part in, and 92% expressed high satisfaction from their participation. Additionally, 83% have confirmed their attendance in the next rendition.

Nuremberg Toy Fair 2024

The 2024 edition of Spielwarenmesse featured a 10% increase in the number of attending exhibitors. This was due to the event receiving 2,354 exhibiting companies from 68 countries. 97% of the group rated the event as influential for their business, 90% were pleased with their participation, and 84% will attend the next format. Their wares were examined by 57,000 visitors from 125 countries.