Looking to have a great holiday season on a budget? Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht stopped by NBC in Dallas to show off some great toys for under $50. 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 holiday season, be sure to check our complete Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide
DESIGN & DRILL MY FIRST WORKBENCH (EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS)
- Little builders get busy with a workbench and tool set designed just for them!
- Hammer nails and drill bolts directly into the bench to create colorful patterns for hours of unplugged play.
- Develops fine motor skills, practices patterning (a key early learning skill) encourages creativity, supports STEM: introduces tools, promotes interest in engineering.
- Includes workbench with storage drawer, 120 colorful bolts and nails, and guide with 10 patterns.
- Motorized mini-drill and kid friendly hammer.
- Requires 3 AAA batteries (not included).
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $49.99
- Available: Amazon
- Dolls really cry when you remove her pacifier.
- She will shout and cry until you replace her paci or rock her to calm her down.
- Each doll comes with an attached pacifier and a removable animal print onesie.
- Just add water for real tears.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Amazon, Target
STARSHINE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS UNICORN (VTECH)
- Go on an enchanted adventure with Starshine the Bright Lights Unicorn.
- Place the seven charms on any of the three magic hearts to see her horn light up and hear colors, objects, and phrases in English or Spanish.
- Use the charms to answer quiz questions or add sound effects to create your own special song.
- Squeeze the unicorn’s tail to see her beautiful wings flap and hear whimsical phrases and sound effects that encourage imaginative play.
- Starshine’s majestic hooves feature wheels so you can push her as you head off on your next adventure!
- Ages: 18 MOS.+
- MSRP: $24.99
- Available: All major retailers
BEAKER CREATURES (LEARNING RESOURCES)
- Beaker Creatures is a new line of science-themed collectibles from Learning Resources that combines the thrill of collecting with hands-on science experiments that build skills and spark curiosity.
- Includes 35 collectible characters from five different families for children to discover, classify, and explore.
- Beaker Creatures is founded in real science, from the fizzing Reactor Pods that reveal the creatures to the classification cards that help children identify their creatures.
- Beaker Creatures sets also double as working lab sets, complete with included science experiments that encourage hands-on learning.
- Each Beaker Creature also comes with facts and quizzes about real- world creatures and phenomena that sparks curiosity in the world around us.
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $24.99 for the complete Science Lab which includes two dissolvable collectible eggs / $4.99 for individual eggs
- Available: Amazon
COMPOUND KINGS GLITZY SPA (WE COOL TOYS)
- Who doesn’t want to stick their hands and feet in Glitzy Slime!
- Includes over One Pound of Super Stretchy Purple Glitzy slime.
- Has a vibrating motor to roll your feet and hands into.
- Squish and Drip, Poke and Pop, kids love the feeling of Compound Kings slime and the Glitzy Spa.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Target
