Sales of boardgames and jigsaw puzzles soared 240% during the first official week of coronavirus lockdown in the UK as families turn to traditional pursuits to while away the hours stuck at home.

Monopoly Classic was the best selling game with Cluedo, Scrabble and card games Uno and Dobble also in the top 10, according to market research firm NPD Group.

Frédérique Tutt, global toy market expert for NPD said the boardgame trend in the UK followed a similar pattern to other countries in lockdown. “It’s interesting to see the classic games of Monopoly, Scrabble, Cluedo and Uno on this list. These ‘standards’ have shown us over and again that they can stand the test of time when reinvented and so it looks like they’ll continue entertaining generations of Britons as householders look to release stress and tighten family ties during these challenging times,” she said.

NPD said complex construction kits such as Lego’s Technic sets for a Bugatti and a Land Rover Defender were also among the top-selling toys, withtotal building set sales up by 59%.

Rachael Larkman, a toy buyer for John Lewis, said that Lego sales at the department store had risen threefold in the past two weeks: “There is a growing demand from parents for toys which provide an educational element to play,” she said.

Tutt said the high price of the top-selling kits – which cost up to £233 for the Bugatti – and their complexity meant they were more likely to have been snapped up by adults for their own use than as gifts for children.

“We’re seeing a clear ‘kidult’ and adult trend here. Perhaps some of the buyers are grabbing the opportunity to use their newly found spare time to achieve a long-term dream to build one of these cars in Lego,” she said.

Parents struggling to entertain kids with something at least partly educational have also nearly doubled sales of art and craft materials, including slime and dough kits.



The latest evidence of a surge in toy sales comes after John Lewis said demand for jigsaws last week was higher than at Christmas, which is usually the annual sales peak. More than half of the retailer’s stock of puzzles – including all the 1,000-piece ones – had been sold.

Online retailer Outdoor Toys has also reported strong sales of swings, climbing frames, trampolines and football goals as parents tried to keep their children away from screens.

1 Monopoly Classic, Hasbro

2 L.O.L. Surprise! Hairvibes, MGA Entertainment

3 Dobble, Asmodee Editions

4 L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Lights, MGA Entertainment

5 Technic Bugatti Chiron Construction Kit 1:5, The Lego Group

6 Scrabble Original, Mattel

7 Technic Land Rover Defender 2573 pieces, The Lego Group

8 Cluedo, Hasbro

9 L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Doll, MGA Entertainment

10 Uno Original, Mattel