What are the biggest trends in the toy industry this holiday season? Toy Insider Editor-in-Chief Jackie Breyer stopped by CNBC’s Power Lunch to talk about some of trends behind the season’s hottest toys. 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.
TEDDY RUXPIN (WICKED COOL TOYS)
- Parents and grandparents will remember everyone’s favorite storytelling bear from the 1980s.
- Introducing the new 14-inch Teddy Ruxpin animatronic bear. He’s totally lovable, and brings magic and friendship to storytime with oodles of interactive technologies and features.
- Teddy Ruxpin enjoys telling tales and singing songs with friends, making him the perfect companion for both little ones who love hearing stories, as well as older children just starting out on their reading journey.
- He has colored LCD eyes with more than 40 different animations, and an animatronic mouth that syncs to Teddy’s speech.
- Touch sensors allow kids to control the story and songs.
- Teddy features three original pre-loaded stories, including seven sing-along songs.
- There are two Modes of Play: with or without the free Teddy Ruxpin app (app is secondary). View the digital books to read along with Teddy using the storytime app, or kids can enjoy listening to TR’s stories without the app, anytime anywhere.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $99.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
LUVABELLA/LUVABEAU (SPIN MASTER)
- Luvabella is a loveable, life-like baby doll that comes in a variety of girl and boy doll options in different ethnicities.
- Children can care, nurture and play with Luvabella and Luvabeau using the doll’s interactive accessories and pacifier.
- From feeding time with her spoon, play time with her Lamby, to nap time with her bottle, Luvabella will respond with natural reactions. Kids can watch her laugh, blink, purse her lips, and more.
- Feed her with her spoon and she’ll begin to chew and learn new food words.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $99.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
L.O.L. SURPRISE! TOTS (MGA ENTERTAINMENT)
- Discover 7 layers of surprise in each L.O.L. Surprise Pets! As you unbox each layer, a new surprise is unveiled, hinting at which L.O.L. Surprise Pet you’re going to get! L.O.L. Surprise Pets include puppies, kitties, bunnies, and ultra-rare hamsters. Match the pet to the L.O.L. Surprise Doll to complete the family.
- Now there’s a new way to unbox your accessories! Scoop in the litter box for surprises, feed your L.O.L. Surprise Pets with the water bottle, or bathe them to find out if they cry, spit, tinkle, or color change.
- Ball becomes a purse carrying case, hang out and bath playset.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $9.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
- Inspired by the online viral whisper challenge sensation, the Hearing Things game is all about the challenge of reading lips while laughing hysterically.
- To begin, players are divided into two teams. One player places the speech-cancelling headphones over their ears and does their best to guess the phrase on the cards by reading their teammate’s lips. Once the player guesses the phrase correctly, the teammate draws another card and keeps going until the timer runs out.
- The active team tries to earn as many cards as possible, but if a player passes on a card, the opposing team automatically earns that card – the team with the most cards at the end of the game wins!
- Includes one set of game headphones with built-in sounds and timer, 150 cards, and instructions. Batteries not included.
- Ages: 12+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, HasbroToyShop.com, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
- Ultra Dash is a fast-paced action game that uses lights and targets to encourage children to test their speed, skills, memory, and teamwork.
- The active play game provides a thrilling rush of excitement as kids race to match the color of the flashing light on their tagger to the color of the targets!
- Colors flash randomly and players can change their target course, so it’s a different game each time!
- Designed for one or more players or teams, ages 6 and up.
- Age: 6+
- U.S. MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Target, Toys R Us, Walmart
VEX ROBOTICS SWITCH GRIP (HEXBUG)
- Assemble an imaginative blaster with the VEX Robotics SwitchGrip Launcher. Fill your loader with ammo and perform the launcher’s signature pumping action to send projectile balls flying over 30+ feet!
- 7 balls included.
- 100+ snap together pieces.
- STEM based construction, promotes basic engineering skills.
- Ages: 14+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys R Us, Hexbug.com
