Looking to get the year’s hottest toys and gifts before it’s too late? Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht stopped by WGN in Chicago to talk the most in-demand toys of the holiday season. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for our complete rundown of the best gifts for the holidays, check out our complete holiday gift guide.
MCLAREN 570S PUSH SPORTS CAR (STEP2)
- This realistic luxury push car in Ventura Orange features the innovative styling of the McLaren 570S sports car plus Whisper Wheels and an easy-fold handle for quick storage and transport.
- A large storage area under the seat, multiple cup holders, and a pretend flat-bottom steering wheel with electronic sounds.
- Ages: 18-48 months
- MSRP: $79.99
- Available: Amazon, Step2.com
PONY 6V PLUSH RIDE-ON (DYNACRAFT)
- This Unicorn ride-on makes real unicorn sounds.
- It has soft plush material with a light up horn, realistic reins, and unicorn hair.
- A play stable included.
- The unicorn reaches a 2.5 MPH max speed and has a 6 volt battery and charger included.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $149.99
- Availability: Walmart
SCOOP & LEARN ICE CREAM CART (LEAPFROG)
- This toy ice cream cart delights and surprises with a range of buttons, lights, sound effects, music, and fun phrases.
- It features eight scoops of ice cream, three toppings, and three flavors of syrup to teach kids 10 colors and flavors.
- Kids can create tons of delicious looking and imaginative combinations.
- Insert an order card into the slot on top of the cash register, then build the customer’s order in the correct sequence to help build memory and sequencing skills.
- Use the magnetic scooper to scoop the ice cream and learn colors, then complete the order by adding toppings and pretend syrup. Kids will love pressing the pump to add pretend syrup as they count along from 1 to 10.
- Ages: 2+
- MSRP: $39.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Walmart.com
LIGHTSEEKERS STARTER KIT (TOMY INTERNATIONAL)
- Lightseekers is an action-adventure role playing game built for mobile devices that fuses together fantasy and reality, integrating video games and smart action figures with the latest in artificial intelligence, augmented reality, interactive trading cards and more.
- The mini-computer, known as the FusionCore, is embedded within each action figure and is the “brains” behind the smart connected toys.
- Players can take their experience to another level, adding physical accessories to their figures and scanning trading cards with the Lightseekers game app to customize their gameplay.
- Add smart action figures with interchangeable weapons you can level-up.
- Scan augmented reality trading cards that give you special in-game abilities.
- Connect motion-controlled flight packs that turn your figure into a game controller.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Toys “R” Us
LOG CABIN 87 PC SET (MAGFORMERS)
- Go on a forest adventure with Magformers Log Cabin 87Pc Set. Use Magformers building techniques to create cabins, treehouses, and more.
- Kids can decorate log cabins by clipping in balconies and walls. Add windows, ladders, lay turf, build fences, and plant trees.
- Kids can perfect their building techniques as your create different objects with the blocks.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $99.99
- Available: Amazon, Nordstrom, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
FURREAL ROARIN’ TYLER, THE PLAYFUL TIGER (HASBRO)
- Kids can bring home an adorable baby tiger to love, play with, and care for as their own.
- Make a noise or give a loud jungle roar and Tyler will roar back in response.
- Kids can enjoy playtime with him using his play chicken.
- Tyler features more than 100 sound and motion combinations with sensors on his forehead, back, and muzzle allowing him to respond to touch in fun ways.
- Kids can pull him up close to snuggle thanks to his posable back legs, or nuzzle his cheek and he’ll respond with expressive eyes, sounds and tail movements.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $129.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart, www.hasbrotoyshop.com
3DOODLER START ROBOTICS PEN SET (3DOODLER)
- The Robotics Pen Set is the perfect toy set for a budding roboticist and engineer.
- Kids can follow the step-by-step Activity Guide included to create simple robots, two legged, four-legged and six-legged walking or crawling robots!
- This 3-D printing pen and its creations are not hot to touch and use BPA-free plastic, making it completely safe for kids to use.
- The pen nozzle and plastic can safely be touched with no burn risks.
- As a tactile learning toy, the 3Doodler Start inspires creativity, design, planning, building, and spatial understanding.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
DRONE FORCE: ANGLER ATTACK (ALPHA GROUP US)
- The Angler Attack is a toy drone made especially for children.
- It features one-touch takeoff and landing for both easy indoor and outdoor flight.
- The LED lights help make nighttime flying easier.
- The drone is shaped like an Angler fish exoskeleton shell.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $59.99
- Available: Amazon, Toys “R” Us, K-Mart, Kohls, Meijers
