Collecting the new Disney Tsum Tsum soft toys

When we were in Disneyland Paris in March I spotted some funny-looking soft toys, which resembled different Disney characters. I didn’t quite get it then, but a few weeks later the soft toy collection suddenly appeared in UK Disney Stores and I realised they were called Tsum Tsums and were pretty sweet soft toys.

Tsum Tsums are stackable and collectible soft toys featuring Disney characters like Minnie, Mickey and Donald, and they have been a hit in Japan where they were originally developed. They have their very own app, which looks truly addictive and was downloaded four million times in Japan in four days after launch.

I could see many dads and children getting really into the Tsum Tsum app game, and mums like me and children are also set to get hooked on collecting the soft toys. I got so fascinated with them that I found myself in a Disney Store on my own one day asking for Tsum Tsums, as I had received one in a press kit and I soon got more into the idea of why these were fun to collect.

Tsum Tsums come in three sizes and the mini Tsum Tsums are only £3, making them ideal for party bags, stocking fillers and similar. Baby Girl, who is 2.5 years old, was very excited about receiving her first mini Tsum Tsum and later going to the Tsum Tsum launch party with me. She’s now lining up the three Tsum Tsums she’s received in her bed at bedtime.

But the Tsum Tsums are also for much older children–who I’m sure like the collectible aspect–and the product range is aimed largely at eight to 12-year-olds.

Tsum Tsum means “Stack, Stack” in Japanese, and a small selection of Tsum Tsum soft toys have been available at Clintons stores since February 2015. In the first five weeks Clintons sold enough Tsum Tsums to stack to the height of The Shard 20 times over. The Disney Store Tsum Tsum range is broader and launched with 34 Disney characters. On the first Tuesday of each month an additional new character will be released. The Disney Store in Harrods does not sell Tsum Tsums, but they are available in other Disney Stores.

Tags: Cuddly toys, Disney, Shopping, Soft toys, Tsum Tsum, Tween