Dragon Bow, made by Hong Kong-based Playable Creation, has sensors on each side of the bow, connected to a smartphone mounted on the crossbow via Bluetooth. This enables you to shoot dragons flying around on the phone’s screen by aiming with this real (well, toy) crossbow.

Of course, combining tech and kids hasn’t been without controversy. For one thing, most experts agree that small children should have limited screen time. Many have also questioned whether the smart Furby-like toys equipped with voice recognition capabilities can match the benefits of simple human interaction. Others have pointed out that various connected devices like toys and kiddie smart watches can put a child in danger of private data leaks.

But for many parents, the possibility of educating kids through play is a tempting one. Not long ago, educators were highlighting the need to teach kids STEM subjects. Now, the number of topics has widened, turning it into STREAM: Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

A sizable number of exhibitors at the fair offered so-called STREAM toys. And many toy makers believe that they can help kids understand the magic behind tech.

According to Pearl Tam from Hong Kong company Edu-Science, coding games are another hot trend. Their latest product has kids use simple plastic blocks to write out commands for its robot, CHR1S.

“It’s not just for developing skills, it’s also for preparing them for future jobs,” said Tam, adding that coding games can help develop logical thinking.

That coding is popular was also apparent at the fair, with dozens of companies offering some type of coding game -- including one with robotic snails, of all things.

It seems that many parents are hoping their kids will go into tech. Maybe they’re even hoping to turn out to be coders, like this one who hacked a Furby to recite Argentinian writer Jorge Louis Borges.