⁍ Mattel Inc reported a surprise rise in quarterly sales on Thursday.

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⁍ The toymaker’s shares rose 6% in extended trading.

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⁍ Parents have turned to playsets and games to keep children’s boredom at bay.

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– With schools closed due to the H1N1 virus, parents have turned to games and playsets to keep their kids busy—and that’s led to a 10% jump in Mattel’s third-quarter net sales, the biggest increase in a decade. The toymaker’s shares rose 6% in after-hours trading, reports Reuters. Barbie, for instance, saw a 29% rise in gross sales to $532.2 million, reports the Wall Street Journal. The company’s CEO says he expects Barbie play houses and fashion dolls to be “among the company’s best-selling toys” during the holiday season.