A Creative Exhibition Presence for Canal Toys at The Toy Fair 2026.

The Client

Canal Toys is an international toy company specialising in the design, manufacture and distribution of innovative arts and crafts and youth electronic toys. Their mission is to deliver engaging play experiences that inspire creativity and self-expression in children.

Their portfolio includes well-known brands such as Photo Creator, Studio Creator, So Slime, Style4Ever and So Science, all of which needed clear representation within a single exhibition space.

DELIVERABLES

Exhibition Stand Design
3D Visualisation
Graphic Design
Large Format Print
Fabrication

The Brief

For The Toy Fair 2026, Canal Toys required a bold, engaging exhibition stand that would showcase their diverse product ranges while guiding visitors clearly through the space. As one of the most high-profile events in the toy industry, attracting media attention and on-site presenters such as Maddie Moate, the stand needed to deliver both visual impact and practical functionality.

The Solution

Following several months of close collaboration, we developed a stand concept that delivered a clear and cohesive visitor journey across the 91m² space.

The design process began with hand-drawn illustrations (above), evolving into detailed 3D renders produced by our award-winning artists. This approach allowed Canal Toys to visualise the stand early on and refine the layout to ensure each product range was given its own moment within the overall design.

The final concept featured a series of dedicated product zones, enabling visitors to easily explore Canal Toys’ varied offering while maintaining strong brand consistency throughout the stand. As an example, the dedicated Creator Zone for youth electronics features custom-built lozenge displays incorporating LED lighting within each pod, integrated glass shelving for product placement, and 15.6” screens showcasing product-specific content. Together, these elements delivered a fully immersive experience.

Alongside the 3D visualisations, Heckford produced detailed floor plans and internal elevations to carefully plan every element of the stand. This ensured that display pods, product features and graphic elements worked seamlessly together, creating a cohesive layout designed to maximise visual impact and enhance the visitor experience from every angle.

Design & Build

Once the design was signed off, our workshop team began the fabrication of the 24 bespoke, hand-built display pods, each tailored to specific product lines.

Each pod was designed to balance durability with visual appeal, ensuring the stand performed effectively throughout the busy exhibition period.

In parallel, our in-house studio worked closely with Canal Toys’ head office to develop bespoke graphic artwork and produce striking SEG banners, delivering strong visual impact and reinforcing brand identity across the entire stand.

The Result

The finished stand successfully showcased Canal Toys’ extensive product portfolio in a way that was engaging, easy to navigate and visually cohesive. The combination of bespoke build, considered layout and high-quality graphics ensured Canal Toys stood out at one of the industry’s most publicised events.

Watch the video and view the images below of the finished exhibition stand.

For more information about this project or any of Heckford’s services, get in touch today. Call us on 01772 884444 or click the ‘Get in touch’ button below!

Take a look at the videos from the official Toy Fair You Tube channel and from EduTuber Maddie Moate’s instagram below to find out more about the Toy Fair 2026!