10th ITRA Wold Conference - Registration

The International Toy Research Association (ITRA), founded in 1993, is devoted to the scientific study of toys and playthings in all their facets. ITRA brings together toy researchers from all corners of the globe (see www.itratoyresearch.org for further information). It organizs a conference every 3 years. 2026 is our 10th World Conference to discuss research, collaborate on international projects and exchange information with other researchers, students and leaders in the toy industry. 

The overarching theme for the 10th ITRA World Conference is "The Zeitgeist in Toys & Games". Throughout recorded history, toys and games have shaped and reflected who we are. They inspire our play and fuel our development, both as individuals and members of society, ready to face the unique demands of our time. As the world has changed, so too have our toys and games. We can observe them evolving, progressing, adapting, seemingly disappearing, and surprisingly reappearing over time. Yet they are more than mere reflections. Just as play creates and shapes culture, as Huizinga noted in Homo Ludens, toys and games create and shape our realities as well as our understandings of them. As both carriers and changemakers of culture,they represent and influence the collective spirit of their times – the Zeitgeist.  The 10th ITRA World Conference provides opportunities to exchange, reflect on, and discuss the zeitgeist in toys and games. We invite proposals from many different disciplines and professions. We also want to include all kinds of toys, games, playthings– physical, digital or hybrid – in our discussions.