Aging population triggers demand for 'senior toys'

The 82-year-old, who has severe hearing loss, usually required the family to shout into her ear. Yet, sitting side by side with her granddaughter and taking turns playing a whack-a-mole game, her face was full of laughter.

"She told me the toys are so wonderful. That warm family vibe is the real point of the toy," Guo said.

For decades, China's massive toy industry focused exclusively on children. Now, e-commerce platforms are flooded with hundreds of products marketed as elderly toys — ranging from no-pick-up table tennis sets and color-sorting games to memory books and grip balls.

On the product pages, stores say the toys are designed to kill time and keep minds sharp.

Guo discovered them by accident while scrolling online.

"I saw a table tennis set with no need to pick up the ball. Since my grandmother needs help while walking outside and spends most of her time indoors, I thought: why not bring the fun inside?

"I wanted to let them experience a bit of what we young people are into. That's where it all started," she said.