Outdoor Toy Market

• According to NPD, the US outdoor toy market has seen a recent surge in growth, due to COVID-19. April 2020 dollar sales of outdoor toys grew 51% compared to April 2019 and was responsible for 53% of total toy category growth.
• Top growth categories include playground equipment (81% increase), skate/skateboards/scooters (107% increase), ride ons (78% increase), and water/sand toys and accessories (47% increase). Sports activities and games grew 25%.
• The category was driven by families with children, who were motivated by the desire to keep children active and engaged.

Lawn Space and Urban Backyards

• Homeadvisor reports the average US lawn size is about one-quarter acre (10,871 square feet).
• Arizona, California, and Nevada feature the smallest backyards with an average yard in California 5,575 square feet.
• The median lot size in Boston is less than 5,000 square feet, resulting in a small backyard.
• With younger consumers renting and living in urban areas, there is movement away from large backyard spaces.

Trends in City Gardens and Outdoor Toys

• A Yardzen survey found that people are looking for relaxing backyards, "playscapes" for children, and "petscapes" for pets.
• Half wanted kid-friendly yards, but did not have space for large outdoor toys or freestanding play structures, opting instead for smaller toys (like slides) built into the landscape.
• The same survey found a trend toward more outdoor gardening, driven by young adults 23-38. 20% of the millennial population reports gardening as a pursuit.
•  Urban backyards can leverage vertical planning for outdoor play (e.g., sandbox under the swings).
• Some trends in outdoor play structures include incorporating tech into play structures (interactive games and challenges), those that allow for cognitive interactions, and outdoor toys and structures that allow for parents and kids to play together.

•  Sustainability in outdoor toys (and toys in general) is a top trend. "Micro Kickboard", a scooter company, buys used fishing nets for use in their scooters.
•  Trends in small-space gardening include herb gardens and hanging gardens.

Example City Gardens and Backyards

• New York City garden types include open backyards (which include room for birthday parties or scooters), landscaped gardens, and event spaces (which provide room for things such as outdoor kitchens).
• In Boston, efficient use of space in small backyards and gardens is key. A slide, rock wall, and ladder allows toys to be used in a small space, while still allowing room for adults.

Summary of Early Findings Relevant to The Goals

• In this first hour, we were able to establish that the outdoor toy market is growing, with a key demographic being families with children.
• While we were not able to find an exact average size of outdoor urban backyards/gardens, it does appear that many are making efficient use of small spaces, and that with millennials moving to urban areas backyard sizes in general may be trending downward.
• We also found information that millennials are gravitating toward gardening.
• We did not find a direct link between trends in outdoor toys and urban gardens, but we found several examples of homeowners in specific cities that are making use of outdoor space, for uses that include incorporating outdoor toys for children.
• We did uncover a number of articles highlighting "top" outdoor toys. While these 'top' lists were not specifically focused on outdoor living, future research may provide visibility into their applicability for urban gardens and backyards.
• Recommendations consider the information we were able to find in early research.
• In addition to this public search, we scanned our proprietary research database of over 1 million sources and were unable to find any specific research reports that address your goals.