Teens and tweens can be notoriously hard to shop for. Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht stopped by Good Morning Arizona to show off her favorite toys for those older kids on your holiday shopping list. For more on the products featured in this segment, check out the notes below, and for a full rundown of the best toys of the year, check out our complete holiday toy guide.
Real Cooking Ultimate Baking Starter Set (Skyrocket Toys)
- The Ultimate Baking Starter Set includes real cooking tools and two perfectly proportioned mixes to make eight scrumptious Sprinkle Surprise Cupcakes and eight tasty Tuxedo Cupcakes, complete with edible toppings and decorations.
- The set contains kid-friendly equipment, including two mixing bowls with an interchangeable suction base to keep it stable, a unique egg cracker that allows kids to crack eggs without the mess, and a silicone mini cupcake baking sheet.
- Perfectly-sized cooking utensils include three measuring scoops, one scraper, one whisk, sixteen cupcake liners and four pastry bags with coupler tip to expertly frost cupcakes with a swirl.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Target, Toys “R” Us
Nintendo MarioKart 8 Quadcopter (Carrera of America)
- Mario has his own quadrocopter with anti-gravity mode!
- Based on MarioKart 8, it features a six-axle gyro system for flight stability, a protective cage for the rotors, and 2.4 GHz technology for up to seven minutes of flight.
- It has beginner and advanced modes, and a rechargeable battery.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $99.00
- Available: Amazon, Toys “R” Us
- With endless ways to play, Mebo fosters STEM skills and creative open-ended play.
- Control Mebo through an intuitive, free to play app for iOS and Android devices. Drive Mebo anywhere in the house to pick up snacks, spy on people, or even have conversations with them.
- See what Mebo sees with the built-in POV camera, which streams live in HD. Lift and move items precisely with Mebo’s articulated arm and gripping claw.
- Speak through Mebo with the two-way audio and microphone, listen in on others, or even play music.
- Six wheels let Mebo turn on a dime, and go anywhere as directed. Connect directly to Mebo’s hotspot to access Mebo remotely.
- Bring Mebo’s personality to life with a custom sequence designed from pre-set animations like 360-degree spin, head shake and arm wave!
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $149.99
- Available: Walmart
Razor Hovertrax Smart Scooter (Razor)
- With a revolutionary auto-balance function and quick change, swappable battery packs, these hands-free, electric ride-ons will get the attention of fans nation-wide.
- The DLX versions come with high-end finishes and a never before seen LED light show.
- The Hovertrax is a two-wheeled dual platform device that uses gyro-sensor technology to sweep riders along with a shift of their feet—forward, backward, around corners, or in a 360-degree spin.
- Dual hub motors give riders a smooth and quiet ride for 60 minutes of fun. The product includes shatter-resistant polymer frames, anti-slip foot platforms, and rubber wheels with aluminum hubs.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $459.99—$599.99
- Available: Toys “R” Us, Amazon, Target, Walmart
- Get ready to be doubled over with laughter with this ridiculous mouthpiece challenge game!
- The Speak Out game brings friends and family together for laugh-out-loud fun as players try to say different phrases while wearing a mouthpiece that won’t let them shut their mouth.
- The laughter continues as players try to decipher what in the world their teammate is trying to say, and must correctly guess the phrase in order to earn the card.
- The team with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
- Ages: 16+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us
