Two tin cans connected by a string, resembling a homemade telephone.

Conferences

ITRA holds international conferences every 3-4 years.

We are pleased to announce that the 10th ITRA World Conference will be held 5-7 August, 2026 at Augsburg University in Augsburg, Germany.

10th ITRA World Conference banner featuring a whimsical cartoon character and text about "The Zeitgeist in Toys & Games," in Augsburg, Germany, August 5-7, 2026.

Throughout recorded history, toys and games have shaped and reflected who we are. As both carriers and changemakers of culture, they represent and influence the collective spirit of their times – the Zeitgeist.  The 10th ITRA World Conference provides opportunities to exchange, reflect on, and discuss the zeitgeist in toys and games. We welcome abstracts of completed research, case and design studies, educational and development projects, as well as ideas for future research in order to generate discussion and feedback.

For more information, including the Call for Papers and Submission guidelines >>

Past conferences:

  • 2023 9th World Conference – Toys Matter: The Power of Playthings – Rochester, USA.

  • 2018 8th World Conference – Toys and Material Culture: Hybridisation, Design and Consumption – Paris, France.

  • 2014 7th World Conference – Toys as Language and Communication – Braga, Portugal.

  • 2011 6th World Conference – Toys and Learning in Different Cultures – Bursa, Turkey.

  • 2008 5th World Conference – Toys and Culture – Nafplion, Greece.

  • 2005 4th World Conference – Play, toys and innovation – Alicante, Spain.

  • 2002 3rd World Conference – Toys, Games and Media – London, United Kingdom.

  • 1999 2nd World Conference – Toys as Communication – Halmstad, Sweden.

  • 1996 1st World Conference – Toys in Educational and Sociocultural Contexts – Halmstad, Sweden.

  • 1993 Founding meeting of ITRA – Netherlands