ASTRA’s Insights: The Power of Community

by Sue Warfield, President, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)

Tariffs are the topic on every toy industry professional’s mind, and updates are coming every day — or, in some cases, every hour. With so much uncertainty and so much out of our control, how do we plan? How do we move forward? What can we count on?

We can count on our community. Whatever decision comes next from the White House, we will continue to feel the lasting effects of tariff volatility for the foreseeable future. But we’ve learned that being flexible, creative, and working together will sustain us, both in our businesses and in our personal lives, which, for the specialty toy community, are often one and the same.

At ASTRA, we remain consistent in our passion and belief that play is essential to the development and well-being of children as well as adults. We remain consistent in our efforts to support fair pricing for toys and the production of safe, quality toys. We remain consistent in supporting independently owned retailers, manufacturers of all sizes, independent sales representatives, inventors, and service providers who work to make things better and more efficient for all. We remain consistent in providing a great trade show, educational resources throughout the year, and multiple opportunities to gather, both in person and through our monthly Zoom roundtables.

As we continue to face challenges, we will continue to have uncertainties. This is why we need each other more than ever. We need to collectively voice how important toys and play are, not only to the overall development of children, but to people of all ages. Without play, we will see a decline in creativity, imagination, and innovation. Play is essential, and safe, good-quality toys are vital to play. 

As famed American psychologist Abraham Maslow said, “Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.” Instead of dwelling on what we cannot control, we should all focus on what we can do: Champion the power of play.

This is not the first disruption we’ve seen in the industry. Remember: we survived the threat of lead in toys, we survived the recession, we survived the pandemic, and we will survive the uncertainties we face today. At ASTRA, we do it through keeping consistent about our mission, harnessing the collective power of our community, and spreading knowledge about the importance of toys and play in our lives.

We will work together to survive and thrive. ASTRA is here to stay and we will continue to work with our play community as a whole to provide resources and support to get us through whatever challenges come our way. 

A version of this feature first appeared in The Toy Book‘s 2025 Specialty Toys & Gifts Issue. Click here to read the full issue!

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