Book fairs are a great way to get students interested in reading and put some much-needed cash in the school budget…plus they’re just fun! Students love getting a little time off from class to go browse through the tables and racks filled with books, pens, pencils, erasers, bookmarks, toys, and more. Many teachers also enjoy buying some cute items for themselves or to give away as class rewards, especially cute novelty toys. In this post, we’ll go over some of the top novelty toys that schools should include in their book fair selections.
Squishies
Squishies are one of the most popular novelty toys by far. They can come in pretty much any shape and size you can think of, although many are animals or food items. Kids and adults love smashing these cute little stress relievers over and over, watching them spring back to their normal shape, then smashing them again! Many companies now offer squishies in collectible sets and mystery boxes to increase the anticipation and engagement.
Plushies
Plushies are really just the modern version of stuffed animals, but instead of just teddy bears or other animals, plushies come in all shapes and sizes. Food item plushies are very popular right now, especially trendy foods like sushi, avocado, boba teas, etc. Plushies are great to cuddle and snuggle for a little comfort, and may be a great solution for children who are extra timid or shy. Plushies also often come in collectible sets and mystery boxes.
Balls
Balls of all types have been a longtime favorite at book fairs. From hi-bounce balls to squeeze balls to knobby balls, you really can’t go wrong stocking the school book fair with a wide variety of novelty ball toys. Students can use balls to squeeze for stress relief or comfort, to play games with, as counting manipulatives, and more.
Animal & Food Figurines
We’ve already mentioned that many squishies and plushies are in animal or food shapes, but that’s not where this trend ends for novelty toys. Students love to purchase all types of animal and food figurines, such as small collectible figurine sets, mini kitchen sets, clip-on pieces for pencils and pens, push-on erasers, and more! There are some kids who have literally hundreds of these figurine pieces as part of their collection, and are always on the lookout for new figurines or collectibles to add.
Fidget Toys
Finally, all types of fidget and sensory toys are great options for book fairs. These types of toys have exploded in popularity in recent years, with many students and adults reporting that using these toys helps them with concentration, focus, and anxiety. These toys are made to offer sensory stimulation that is easy for the user to manipulate, and come in a variety of styles. Fidget cubes, squishies, squeeze balls, pop toys, putty and slime, soft dice, knobby balls, and noodles are all popular fidget toy styles that kids and adults love.