The application process for the "Native Toy" competition has been concluded at the National Centre

On March 4, the second meeting of the Organizing Committee of the All-Russian Competition "Native Toy" took place at the National Centre RUSSIA. The competition is organized by the Russian society Znanie in partnership with the Movement of the First. The committee members approved 177 toy and game concepts that have advanced to the next stage of the competition — the creation of models. In total, approximately 28.2 thousand applications from all 89 regions of Russia were submitted for the competition, which launched in November 2024.

The second meeting of the Organizing Committee was opened by Yelena Yampolskaya, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation and Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee of the competition. She shared details about the application process and highlighted the significance of the event, noting that the All-Russian Competition "Native Toy" was launched on the initiative of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.

"The first stage of the competition seemed very difficult for us, as the success of the competition depended on how much our citizens would want to create toys that reflect Russian traditional values. We could only provide information. However, our hopes were justified, as all regions of the Russian Federation participated. Applications were sent by enthusiasts and professionals, small and large companies, children and adults. In my opinion, the ideas are fascinating, and with their implementation, the range of products available on store shelves will expand significantly. But I emphasize, our task will be accomplished when the development of the native toy is centralized, its production is put on stream, and the toys themselves are in the hands of children," emphasized Yelena Yampolskaya.

The meeting was continued by the Chairman of the Board of the All-Russian Public-State Movement of Children and Youth "Movement of the First," Hero of Russia, and Co-Chair of the Organizing Committee, Artur Orlov, who noted that the large number of applications from all regions of Russia shows how well people understand the role of spiritual and moral values and generational continuity, embodied in toys, in the educational process.

The Minister of Education of the Russian Federation, Sergei Kravtsov, pointed out that when developing the new Education Development Strategy, it is crucial to consider the preschool period, as it is during this time that children form their primary moral and ethical values. Toys that align with traditional values and promote child development should not only be present in families but also in kindergartens. 

Photo: Konstantin Semenets / Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

"We need toys that raise and develop children according to our traditions. It is necessary to establish a list of games and toys that perform an educational role and should be present in preschool institutions. I would also like to emphasize that today there is a procedure for voluntary certification of toys and games. This mechanism is not sufficiently effective. I propose legislating the procedure for the expertise of toys. We are ready to consider this function, as we have the appropriate scientific institutions. This measure will allow us to support domestic producers," added Sergei Kravtsov.

Maxim Dreval, the Director General of the Russian society Znanie, summarized the results of the application collection and shared key figures of the competition. According to him, 2,100 applications were received from companies and entrepreneurs with experience in manufacturing various toys, and 26,100 applications came from individuals, including 3,300 from children.

The leaders in the number of applications approved for expert evaluation were Nizhny Novgorod region (623), Moscow (466), Moscow region (380), Penza region (360), Kirov region (359), St. Petersburg (342), Samara region (319), Krasnodar region (258), Donetsk People's Republic (233), and Saratov region (217). The competition for a spot in the next stage amounted to 159 applications per place.

"We saw a large number of interesting and vibrant ideas dedicated to the heroes of the Special Military Operation (SMO), historical figures of Russia, traditions and crafts of different peoples, and the achievements of our country. It is extremely important that the projects were submitted not only by companies and entrepreneurs with experience in the production of various toys and games, but also by children — there were about 3,000 such applications. The games and toys they dream of often focused not on fantastic heroes, but on serious topics related to Russia's cultural and historical heritage," noted Maxim Dreval.

The most popular category was "Story-Based Toys," with 4,104 applications passing the preliminary selection and expert evaluation. The competition projects, ranging from dolls to New Year tree decorations, were dedicated to characters from Russian folk tales, various professions, and heroes who live among us — participants in the SMO, healthcare workers, volunteers, astronauts, and others. The toy collections were related to the theme of natural resources and the beauty of Russia's regions, traditions, and cultures of the peoples of the Russian Federation, as well as the history of the country. The second most popular category was the one dedicated to board games, with 3,015 applications passing the preliminary selection and evaluation. The games in this category aimed to immerse participants in the atmosphere of the formation and development of Russian statehood, spark interest in the languages and history of Russia’s peoples, as well as the country’s achievements in science and technology, and its cultural heritage. The "Design and Technical Toys" category received 589 diverse applications, the "Multimedia Projects" category received 332, and the "Technical and Technological Toys" category received 195. 

Photo: Konstantin Semenets / Press Office of the National Centre RUSSIA

Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department and official spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, suggested expanding the geography of the competition through diasporas and various associations of compatriots living abroad. According to her, many of them are true custodians of traditions, as they raise children with toys and games they brought with them to preserve their national identity. The diplomat also proposed initiating the creation of an Association of Toy Museums and displaying native toys at major international platforms, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) and the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

Ivan Kulikov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, spoke about the planned measures of support for future winners of the competition from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. These measures include subsidies, preferential loans at minimal interest rates, assistance with licensing, and obtaining the status of a Russian manufacturer, which allows participation in state and municipal procurement. Additionally, regional funds have been recommended to create special programs for concessional lending to domestic manufacturers of children's goods.

All applications that advanced to the next stage were evaluated by an expert jury consisting of 322 specialists from various fields, including psychologists, educators, technologists, marketers, representatives of partner organizations, manufacturers and distributors of children's games and toys, and public organizations.

Now, participants in each of the five competition categories must develop models of their own games and toys, a process that will continue until May 16. A group of 65 project mentors will assist contestants in refining their concepts and provide consultations on development, production, material selection, and design. The outcome of this stage will be detailed blueprints and models of the games and toys.

Following expert evaluation, up to 75 projects will advance to the next round. Their creators will have the opportunity to produce a working prototype in a partner company's workshop. The competition will conclude with a large-scale children's games festival in September 2025, where experts, parents, and children will test the games and toys. Based on the results, up to five winners will be selected in each category, and their projects will be mass-produced and distributed through retail networks. The meeting’s results and the list of concepts that advanced to the next stage will be available on the competition's website.

Many organizations have officially supported the nationwide competition "Native Toy" ("Rodnaya Igrushka"). Among its expert partners are the Association of Children's Goods Industry Enterprises, the animation company YARKO, Soyuzmultfilm, and various Russian universities. The competition's official partners include the Ozon marketplace and the Detsky Mir Group of Companies. VK has become the strategic partner of "Native Toy" competition, while the Solntse TV channel serves as its media partner. Additionally, the competition is supported by technological partners, including manufacturers such as Mir Plastika, NORDPLAST, SMOLTOYS, Malyaviki Plush Toy Factory, Desyatoe Korolevstvo, Step Puzzle, Russky Stil', Vesna, Krasnokamskaya Wooden Toy Factory, Mir Hobby, Polesie Group of Companies, Mechta (Igramir), Nauchnye Razvlecheniya, and ToyRoy.