It’s July. The sun is out, the ice creams are melting… and somewhere deep in the marketing departments of toy brands across the world, Mariah Carey is quietly being defrosted.

Because in the world of children’s toys, Christmas does not start in December. It starts now. The smartest brands are already deep into planning influencer campaigns, gift guide takeovers and festive hashtag strategies - all before the kids go back to school.

And they’re right to. With 89% of holiday shoppers influenced by social media content, and 42% planning to use social platforms even more than last year, this is no time to wing it. Toy brands that want to win Christmas 2025 must post, plan and play early, ideally in Q2 and Q3, to own wishlists before Halloween hits.

So let’s unwrap the ultimate social media strategy for the festive season, one toy trend at a time.

1. Influencer Marketing: Get on the Nice List Early

Forget elves. The real heroes of holiday magic are mumfluencers, dadfluencers and the pre-teen YouTubers who can turn a product into a playground must-have overnight.
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Brands like Moose Toys are already leading the way, working with a trusted network of vetted, family-friendly creators to build joyful, story-led campaigns well before the wrapping paper is even printed. Their approach to long-term partnerships brings consistency, creativity and credibility - the golden trifecta for conversion.
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✨ Toy Tip: Plan a two-wave campaign - one for hype and sneak peeks, the other for last-minute decision-makers. Consider creators across platforms and demographics to hit every corner of the family market.

And don’t be afraid to use adult influencers with family audiences. ZURU’s clever workaround for targeting restrictions used parent creators to safely and successfully reach younger buyers.

2. UGC Is the Real Star of the Show

Want scroll-stopping content that costs next to nothing? Let your community do the work. User-generated content (UGC) is the secret sauce of toy marketing: it feels authentic, earns trust and drives serious engagement.
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Fisher-Price thrives on Facebook thanks to nostalgic storytelling from parents, while LEGO’s social feed is basically a love letter to fan creativity. Whether it’s mini-builds, chaotic playtimes or proud parenting moments, real content resonates more than polished ads.
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But brands should not rely solely on organic UGC. Creating your own in-house user-style content, such as handheld videos of unboxings, play sessions or even pretend "reviews" by team members’ kids, adds to the authenticity while keeping the messaging aligned with your brand voice. Audiences can tell when something feels overproduced. Embracing imperfection can often be the most effective strategy.
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✨ Toy Tip: Launch a branded hashtag competition — think #MyToyStory2025 or #PlayItForward — and offer a prize for the most imaginative share. Feature fan content across your channels, alongside your own UGC-style clips, for maximum reach.
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3. Organic Social: Turn Your Feed into a Festive Playground

Your own channels are where your brand’s personality should shine brightest. For toy brands, that means being playful, warm, and full of festive energy.

Daily advent countdowns, behind-the-scenes design teasers, Q&As with toy testers, and TikTok dances starring your toys are all fair game. L.O.L. Surprise! mastered this approach by encouraging kids to turn unboxings into viral skits.
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✨ Toy Tip: Use your feed to build narrative. Don’t just show the toy. Show how it’s played with, who it’s for, and why it deserves to be under the tree.
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4. Paid Social: Supercharge Santa’s Sleigh

Organic content builds community. Paid social closes the sale.
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The best brands pair influencer videos with targeted ads for serious ROI. Case in point: KidKraft’s Meta ad campaign combined influencer content with shoppable placements and saw a 216% higher click-through rate than industry average, and completely sold out.
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✨ Toy Tip: Use retargeting to bring back hesitant shoppers who clicked but didn’t convert. Invest in TikTok’s native shopping tools. Think of paid as the sparkle on your content tree.

5. Plan Early or Miss the Sleigh

Let’s be crystal clear: if you’re finalising creative in November, you’re late. The brands that top DreamToys lists and influencer round-ups are the ones with their festive ducks in a row by July.
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Social strategy, creator briefs, video shoots and testing should all be wrapped (no pun intended) before the first leaf falls. That way, you can optimise what’s working and cut what’s not, without the panic.
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✨ Toy Tip: Treat Q2 as your prep phase and Q3 as execution. Use summer to test messaging, brief partners, and bank enough content to last until Boxing Day.
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Final Wrapping: Win the Scroll Before You Win the Sale

In 2025, children’s toy brands are not just competing on product - they’re competing on storytelling. Social media is the main stage for that performance, and the brands that rehearse early and show up often are the ones who steal the show.
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So here’s your checklist:

• Lock in creators early
• Encourage fans to be part of the fun
• Make your feed a festive destination
• Boost what performs best
• Plan like Christmas is coming in September (because it is)

The brands who take Q2 seriously will be the ones turning wishlists into orders come December. And with the right mix of strategy and sparkle, your brand can sleigh all the way.