What are the hottest toys of 2017? We have the inside scoop! Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht stopped by NBC in Dallas to show off some of the must-have toys and gifts for 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.


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

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

JOJO SIWA CD + G KARAOKE MACHINE (EKIDS)

  • This karaoke machine is inspired by the teen and tween sensation JoJo Siwa!
  • Kids can access their music library and stream content with voice control.
  • Users Connect to the TV and sing their hearts out to their favorite JoJo lyrics on screen using the included CD, featuring  songs with and without guide vocals.
  • The karaoke machine even features a multi-colored LED light show. Bluetooth wirelessly streams audio from any compatible device, and it also take calls with the included speakerphone.
  • Ages: 6+
  • MSRP: $69.99
  • Available: Walmart exclusive

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

AURA (KD INTERACTIVE)

  • Aura is a gesture-controlled drone that uses patented Gesturebotics technology powered by LocoRobo.
  • The wearable glove controller will have users feeling like superheroes – the drone is controlled by hand motions made while wearing the glove.
  • Kids can fly Aura up and down, forward and backward, and even perform tricks like a sideways flip.
  • Aura puts the power in kids’ hands, removing the learning curve of using a joystick controller to pilot their flying robot.
  • Automatic features like Auto Takeoff, Auto Hover and Auto Landing offer ultimate control for the perfect first flight right out of the box.
  • Built-in height and distance limiters keep the drone under your power, and make Aura perfectly suited for indoor use.
  • Safety frame protects the drone from bumps and drops, and people from propellers.
  • Ages: 6+
  • MSRP: $99.99
  • Available: Target, Toys “R” Us

About the author

Bill Reese

Bill Reese

Bill Reese is Business Operations Manager at Adventure Media & Events, where he's worked since 2014. A former editor at Playbill and graduate of SUNY–Purchase, he spends most weekends rooting for the New York Red Bulls pro soccer team and making subway systems out of Brio trains with his little boy Jonah.

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