People of Play™ Shares Preview of Chicago Toy & Game Fair 2025 Activities

This year’s fair is packed with exciting exhibitor activations, live competitions, meet-and-greets, and more!

Chicago, IL | September 30, 2025 – The Chicago Toy & Game Fair (CHITAG) 2025, produced by People of Play™ (POP), a division of The Toy Association™, is just around the corner — taking place November 8 to 9 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL— and consumers can look forward to a wide range of exciting activations and family-friendly experiences.

This year’s fair will feature exhibitors including LEGO, Just Play, TOMY, E-Blox, The Op Games, Crazy Aaron’s, Smart Toys, Wigglitz, and many more, plus raffles, giveaways, and hundreds of live toy and game demos.

Here’s a preview of just some of the activations and highlights attendees can expect:

• Consumers can kick off Wishlist Weekend™ by browsing an online wishlist filled with products from the fair, providing a simple way for kids to check off their favorite toys and for families to get a head start on their holiday shopping!
• The Toy Foundation’s Toy of the Year® Awards Finalists will be revealed at CHITAG on Saturday, November 8! Stay tuned for the big reveal – and be sure to check out the amazing nominated products on display at the show.
• Join Goliath’s Super Power Sensory Hour, a sensory-friendly hour designed to welcome kids with disabilities and special needs, from 9 to 10 a.m. on November 8 and 9.
• Try your luck with the Pudgy Penguins Claw Machine for a chance to win a plush.
• Enjoy an A&W Root Beer Float and go head-to-head with influencer Dani Standring in A&W Root Beer and Gray Matters Games’ new game, the Root Beer Float Challenge.
• Discover tomorrow’s toy and game innovators as kids present their own creations at the Young Inventor Challenge® on November 8.
• Watch the Illinois Yo-Yo Competition, sponsored by Duncan Toys, throughout the day on November 9.
• Take part in Star Wars fun by taking photos with members of 501st Legion Vader’s Fist or testing your lightsaber skills with the Chicago Jedi.
• Meet Crazy Aaron, the inventor of Thinking Putty.
• Create your own stocking at Stocking Stuffer Central.
• Learn how to play Kendama and participate in contests.
• Meet and take photos with Benny the Bull, mascot of the Chicago Bulls basketball team, and Skates, mascot of the Chicago Wolves hockey team.

And more!

“Year after year, CHITAG has been a place where families come together to laugh, play, and discover the magic of toys and games,” said Mary Couzin, senior vice president and founder/leader of People of Play at The Toy Association. “This year, we’re elevating that experience with Wishlist Weekend, a brand-new way for kids to explore the hottest toys of the season and start building their holiday wishlists right on the show floor. With so many exciting activations, exhibitors, and surprises waiting, this year’s fair will be our most unforgettable yet!”

More details and additional activations will be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay up to date and purchase CHITAG tickets here. Companies interested in participating as an exhibitor can book their booth or sponsorship today.

About People of Play™  peopleofplay.com
People of Play (POP), a division of The Toy Association™, supports the global toy and game industry in promoting innovation, creativity, and connectivity. A one-stop source of community for industry professionals, aspiring inventors and people of all ages who love to play, People of Play hosts a play platform packed with resources and connection points as well as a wide range of events including the Chicago Toy & Game (CHITAG) Fair, the Toy & Game International Excellence (TAGIE) Awards, the Young Inventor Challenge, the Toy & Game Inventor Pitch and Innovation Conference, and more.

About The Toy Association™  toyassociation.org / toyfoundation.org / peopleofplay.com / thegeniusofplay.org / playsafe.org
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the business trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $155.7 billion, and its roughly 900 members drive the annual $42 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry's voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play's positive impact on childhood development. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, governments, consumers, and the industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.     

As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair™ in New York City; hosts marketplace activities at The Toy Building in Los Angeles; engages in state, federal, and international advocacy on behalf of its members; supports the inventor and design community through People of Play™ and its numerous assets and events, including the consumer-facing Chicago Toy & Game Fair; sustains the Canadian Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America's widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard. The Toy Association's philanthropic arm is The Toy Foundation™, a 501 (c)(3) children's charity that acts as the uniting force for the collective philanthropy of the toy industry. To date, The Toy Foundation has delivered the joy of play to 35 million children in need worldwide.

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