Looking for the best new toys and gear to send kids back to school? Toy Insider Editor-in-Chief Marissa DiBartolo stopped by Mornings with Maria on Fox Business Network to show off the smartest new toys of the year. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best toys of the spring and summer, be sure to check our complete Toy Insider Spring and Summer Gift Guide.
CODING CRITTERS (LEARNING RESOURCES)
- Meet the Coding Critters—your first coding friends!
- These interactive pets introduce preschoolers to critical thinking, problem-solving, and other STEM skills with the help of fun playsets, storybook coding adventures, and two interactive modes!
- Full-color 20-page storybook includes multiple fun coding challenges!
- Each uses 3 AAA batteries, not included.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $39.99
- Available: Amazon
SURPRISE RIDE STEM ACTIVITY BOX/MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION (FAT BRAIN TOYS)
- Learning Adventures Made Easy! Invented by sisters Donna and Rosy Khalife and featured in the Shark Tank television series, Surprise Ride is an innovative new way to inspire creativity and curiosity while distracting kids from their screens.
- Each kit explores another fascinating subject, from fantasy to science, includes all the project supplies, a reading book, a keepsake, plus simple step-by-step photo instructions.
- All you need is an open mind and a love of learning!
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $24.95 each
- Available: fatbraintoys.com
OOZE LABS SOAP & BATH BOMB LAB (THAMES & KOSMOS)
- In this pretend STEM scenario, kids are a chemist for a bath and body products company, and it’s their job to make and test different cosmetic products.
- Kids will use the tools in their laboratory to employ different scientific techniques and essential chemistry principles to make soaps and bath bombs.
- Try out different additives to affect the color, smell, and other qualities of the products you make.
- The 35-piece kit comes with 10 experiments and an instruction manual.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $29.95
- Available: thamesandkosmos.com, Amazon
OOZE LABS UFO ALIEN SLIME LAB (THAMES & KOSMOS)
- As lead chemist in their very own out-of-this-world laboratory, kids must identify UFOs — Unidentified Funky Oozes.
- They will set up and use their lab station to mix up batches of unidentified “alien” slime and conduct tests on them to analyze and investigate their special properties.
- The kit comes with 10 experiments, 28 pieces, and an instruction manual.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $29.95
- Available: thamesandkosmos.com, Barnes & Noble, Amazon
ARTIE 3000 (EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS)
- Say hello to Artie!
- This coding/drawing robot puts kids in control.
- The easy-to-use drag and drop programming can be used on a Mac, PC or tablet.
- As kids tell Artie what to draw next, they learn left-brain skills like basic programming, geometry, and math, while engaging the right side of their brains to create cool, colorful designs.
- The WiFi-enabled drawing robot comes with 4 modes of play: pre-programmed shapes, games, art for coloring, and freeform coding.
- It also comes with quick-start, FAQ instruction cards, 3 project cards, a built-in programming interface, and 4 washable colored markers.
- Ages: 7+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Amazon and EducationalInsights.com
MIMOPOWERDECK PORTABLE CHARGERS (MIMOCO)
- MimoPowerDeck is Mimoco’s top of the line portable power bank with dual outputs and 8000mAh capacity.
- MimoPowerDeck can charge even the most power hungry of smartphones, tablets, and other 5V devices.
- A power button, dual USB output, pass-through charging, and 4 LED charge indicators make this portable charger easy to use and love.
- Rep your love for Nintendo with any of these power decks, which come in several themes including the retro NES Controller, Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros.
- MSRP: $24.99
- Available: Amazon, entertainmentearth.com, and mimoco.com
NOTEBOOKS AND PLANNERS (INSIGHTS EDITION)
- Rep your fandom at school or work with Insights Editions’ pop culture-themed planners and notebooks.
- The line includes collections based on movie staples and hit TV shows, including Harry Potter, Mean Girls, Game of Thrones, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
- The journals feature designs inspired by iconic graphics and memorable quotes from movies and shows and include 192 ruled pages of high-quality paper, an elastic band, a ribbon marker, and a back pocket for storing keepsakes and mementos.
- The weekly planners show one week per spread with plenty of room to track and record homework reminders, test dates, study sessions, and more.
- The planners feature vibrant graphics and imagery from the films throughout and include a sheet of sticker tabs, a ribbon marker, an elastic enclosure, and a pocket for storing keepsakes and mementos.
- MSRP: Journals — $18.95; Weekly Planners — $21.99
- Available: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Indie Bound, Insight Editions.com
BACKPACKS AND COIN BAGS (LOUNGEFLY)
- Take your fandom on-the-go and to school with Loungefly’s backpacks.
- Pop culture themes include Harry Potter and X-Men.
- Nylon backpack features an interior laptop pocket and printed details.
- Printed nylon pouch doubles as a pencil bag.
- Coin bags are available in a variety of pop culture themes, including Harry Potter, Batman, and Gudetama.
- MSRP: Backpack-$44, Coin Bags- $10
- Available: Loungefly.com, Amazon
- Crayola’s Take Note! Line is a brand new suite of innovative writing tools designed to make colorful marks – just in time for back to school.
- The Take Note! line includes 2-in-1 Highlighter Pens, Permanent Markers, Washable Felt Tip Pens and Dry Erase.
- Using color for note taking is proven to aid in memory retention and can be helpful for organizing tasks.
- With Crayola Take Note! tweens and teens can take their creativity to a whole new level – and be more prepared for school than ever before! With the new formats and vibrant colors, they are not only ready for school but ready to boldly make their mark on the world they live in.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $6.99 – $12.99
- Available: Crayola.com and Amazon
INSULATED WATER BOTTLES (HYDRO FLASK)
- Keep life moving with Hydro Flask’s water bottles.
- The Hydro Flask 21-ounce Standard Mouth Bottle has an easy fit for a small shoulder bag, holds enough to keep you hydrated for hours without weighing you down, is durable with professional grade stainless steel, and has TempShield insulation to keep water ice cold up to 25 hours or piping hot up to 12.
- The Hydro Flask 32-ounce Wide Mouth Bottle is made with professional-grade stainless steel, a wider opening for faster fills, and TempShield double-wall insulation for a whole day in the backcountry.
- The Hydro Flask 12-ounce Wide Mouth Kids Bottle is small enough to fit comfortably in little hands and has TempShield double-walled vacuum insulation, 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel construction to keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours, and Flex Boot for extra grip.
- MSRP: Hydro Flask 21-ounce Standard Mouth Bottle — $32.95; The Hydro Flask 32-ounce Wide Mouth Bottle —$39.95; Hydro Flask 12-ounce Wide Mouth Kids Bottle — $29.95
- Available: HydroFlask.com
