In her 18th consecutive CBA convention, Dr. Mary Manz Simon delivered the latest news in children’s trends coupled with the wildly popular supplier product giveaway event Monday afternoon.

Emerging technology dominated the talk, but while e-books are surging in the general market, Simon says the app invasion is a big thing in CBA’s new kid products. The Beginner Bible from Zonderkidz is coming soon with a free app and free initial story pack.  Also, “Five Love Languages” author Gary Chapman made his first appearance at a children’s trend seminar, by introducing his Northfield Publishing book A Perfect Fit for Peyton, where five pets discover their personal love languages, with a free app and digital pop-ups. 

Reaching new types of families with children was a hot button with grandfamilies, involved grandparents who live miles away from their grandchildren; mombassadors, moms who are engaged in product information from various technologies before they even enter the store; and next generation dads, who are spending more time than ever with kids, being catered to with new marketing strategies and product releases.  

Supplier Bill Reese recommended that retailers implement 360 branding. He suggested that retailers pick a product and get behind it, even leaving it on display for more than two weeks to reach less frequent shoppers.  

While children’s icons such as Disney and Girls Scouts announcing drastic changes in their core product and marketing this year, Simon says the core Christian message in 2012 is still that “we are passionate about connecting children to Jesus Christ.”

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