RIYADH: Taq Taq Taqqia, Wahid Tish Ithnain Tish, and Hada Raja Bada Raja — children hide, chase one another, and find joy and competition in the simplest of ways. This was how games were played in the past: free, easy to access, and full of fun.
Today, the scene has changed; as Fortnite soldiers now carry out these tasks with repeated button presses, while in Minecraft, players collect blocks, build houses, and craft tools behind a screen. Despite the cost of these devices, few Saudi homes are without them.
Between physical play and digital entertainment … traditional games in the middle
Between an era when children played simple physical games and a time dominated by electronic entertainment lies a middle ground: traditional children’s games. But what is their fate?
A field visit to Riyadh’s Al-Suwailim Street, which included wholesale and retail game shops, saw Al-Eqtisadiah gather insights from shop owners about the demand for traditional games.
One toy seller with 22 years of experience said: “The market is weak,” although demand for electric scooters, known as drift boards, and bicycles remains good.
Another shop owner, active in the market for 15 years, confirmed that sports-related toys still maintain a strong presence.
The shop owner added that demand remains high for toys suitable for children aged one to five. However, the owner added, interest declines as children grow older and shift toward electronic and mobile games.
Awadh Al-Otaibi, assistant professor of sociology at King Saud University, told Al-Eqtisadiah that the spaces available for free play have shrunk compared to traditional homes with wide courtyards.
He added that this has contributed to a decline in group physical games at home and an increased reliance on electronic or solo play.
Meanwhile, a market veteran with 18 years of experience said: “My business used to rely mainly on schools and Quran memorization centers that bought in bulk, but demand has noticeably declined over the past five years.”
He added that the number of his school clients has dropped from around 20 to just three to five, highlighting a decline in demand even from educational institutions.
Traditional toys decline as electronic games gain popularity
Saudi imports of children’s toys, including bicycles, scooters, cars, dolls, and other physical items, fell by 3 percent, reaching SR789 million ($210.4 million) in 2023, compared with around SR765 million the previous year, according to the General Authority for Statistics.
Despite the drop in import value, wholesale activity has grown substantially over the past four years, with registered trade records increasing by 168 percent, from 4,700 in 2021 to about 12,600 by the third quarter of 2025, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
Meanwhile, another shop owner noted that most games have become digital and internet-connected, with even group games played via smartphones and tablets, reducing children’s interest in tangible, traditional toys.
Imports of electronic games, including gaming devices and video machines, excluding paid games, rose to about SR1 billion in 2024, up from approximately SR980 million in 2023.
According to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, Saudi Arabia imported more than 1 billion kg of traditional toys between 2015 and mid-2025, while exports totaled about 29 million kg over the same period.
Families prefer traditional toys … children say no
A survey conducted by Al-Eqtisadiah on families and children aged one to 12 showed that families overwhelmingly favor traditional toys.
Some 87 percent of participating families said they prefer buying traditional toys, citing their role in developing skills, imagination, physical activity, and keeping children away from screens.
However, children themselves preferred electronic games, with 73 percent choosing them over 27 percent for traditional ones, reflecting family purchasing trends, as 53 percent of families buy electronic games compared with 47 percent for traditional toys.
Al-Otaibi said the type of games or toys a child plays with is influenced by parental involvement, which has a stronger effect on traditional games, adding that the gap grows with digital play, busy parents, and generational digital divides, increasing the distance between children and their families.
A sector struggling locally and globally
The decline of traditional toys is not unique to Saudi Arabia, as the bankruptcy of Toys “R” Us, one of the world’s largest toy retailers, marked a turning point, ending seven decades of global operations amid the rise of electronic games.
In May 2024, the Riyadh Commercial Court appointed a bankruptcy committee to oversee the administrative liquidation of Al-Hussain Toys, one of the country’s largest traditional toy retailers, even as its branches continue to operate.
China leads Saudi toy imports
China remained the top supplier of children’s toys to Saudi Arabia, despite a decline in import value from about SR705 million in 2023 to around SR693 million in 2024. The Czech Republic ranked second, followed by Hungary.
Vietnam, in fourth place, saw a sharp 53 percent decline in 2024 compared with 2023. China also led electronic game imports in 2024, followed by Japan and Vietnam.
Most families, estimated at 86.7 percent, buy toys from physical stores, while 13.3 percent rely on e-commerce platforms.
The future in small hands
Commenting on the future of children’s toys and games, Al-Otaibi said it is difficult to predict from a technological standpoint, but he expects a shift toward digitized, highly interactive games incorporating virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence.
While Fortnite, PUBG, and Call of Duty may enter the world of children’s entertainment activities, their influence has yet to shake the foundations of traditional play, and the outcome still rests in the “small hands” and the taps of their fingers.
