Looking for the best new toys to kick off your kids’ school year? Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht stopped by WGN in Chicago to talk about the best toys for the new semester. For more on the products featured in this segment, check out the notes below, and for more on the hottest new toys of the season be sure to view our Spring and Summer Toy Guide.
- Calling all super heroes! Time to suit up and ride away in the 12-Volt Avengers 4×4!
- With details suited for a hero, this sharp two-seater 4×4 features functional Roll Bar lights and Fog lights, along with a removable Captain America shield!
- The 12-Volt Avengers 4×4 ride on operates in forward and reverse, reaches a maximum speed of of 5 MPH and comes equipped with adjustable play seat belts, and has a 45-minute run time
- MSRP: $299.99
- Ages: 3+
- Available: Walmart
Disney Pixar Cars 3 Roller Coaster (Step2)
- Race down the track faster than Lightning McQueen on the gas with the Up & Down Roller Coaster!
- Sit on the Lightning McQueen coaster car with high seat back, handrail, and foot rests for a secure ride
- Consists of a 2-piece track that’s 7 feet (2.1 meters) long
- Two non-slip steps will help your speed racer get into the coaster
- car and set off down the track
- Ages: 2-5
- MSRP: $99.99
- Available: Walmart
VTech Touch & Learn Activity Desk Deluxe (VTech)
- The Touch & Learn Activity Desk Deluxe is a three-in-one desk with interactive activity cards that’s expandable for more fun and discovery.
- The desk features an interactive desktop and five pages to explore that are filled with engaging content including letters, numbers, music, colors and more.
- Choose from eight expansion packs (each sold separately) that each focus on a specific curriculum like reading skills, animals and numbers.
- It also transforms from a desk into an easel and chalkboard with plenty of storage space for art supplies to encourage play and discovery.
- The LED display illustrates letter and number stroke order and how to draw basic shapes. For even more fun, toddlers can play with the toy telephone or listen to fun tunes on the music player.
- Ages: 2 – 5 years
- MSRP: $54.99
- Available: Walmart, Target, Amazon
Shopkins Back to School Gear (Moose Toys)
- Kids can theme their back to school gear to Shopkins with everything ranging from fidget spinners to light up sneakers.
- Pajamas from Global Brands Group includes short sleeves sets to fleece onesies. Clothing from Extreme Concepts includes Sprinkle Squad t-shirts, faux denim dresses, Pink Donut dress, and a Rainbows and Glitter Fuschia Dress.
- Skechers is taking its popular sneaker silhouettes and adding Shopkins to them with light up technology. The colorful shoes span from toddler to tween sizes.
- Kids can also add LCD watches, fidget spinners, folders, water bottles and backpacks to the their Shopkins collection this fall.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $1.00- $55
- Available: Walmart, Target, Amazon, Skechers.com
Peppa Pig 30 Piece Alphabet & Puzzle Blocks (TCG)
- Kids can learn and play with Peppa Pig! The set includes 30 chunky wooden blocks with four sides of play.
- Kids can practice the alphabet, make object association, letter identification, word formation, sequencing and more while developing motor and building skills.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Toys “R” Us
- Break Free from YULU Toys is a new, challenging action skill game full of urgency, suspense and tons of fun. The objective: players must race to pick the lock on their handcuff as quickly as possible and before everyone else!
- First, players handcuff themselves together and insert a maze into each handcuff. The game includes three maze colors. Each color represents a different level of difficulty, making each round unpredictable. Using the lock pick, players must try to pick the lock on their handcuff as quickly as possible. The fastest to break free from their handcuff receives a token that corresponds with the maze color. There are points on the back of each token, the player with the most points after playing all three rounds, wins the game.
- Record the ultimate race to escape and upload it to social media using #BreakFreeChallenge. Use the hashtag to also see others during their moment of truth and to challenge others!
- Break Free requires 2 or more players. Each Break Free game comes with 4 handcuffs with chains, 4 lock picks, 4 easy level mazes, 4 intermediate level mazes, 4 advanced level mazes and 16 tokens.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: US $19
- POPOIDS is a classic bend and pop building toy
- This 60-piece building set allows kids to make endless wacky contraptions and crazy creatures
- Using the 36 Popoid Tubes and 24 connectors, kids can bend, twist, stretch, and squish their creation over and over again!
- They’re called POPOIDS because they make an actual fun popping sound!
- Kids can build their own creations or follow the instruction guide included
- Ages: 3+
- SRP: 39.99
- Available: Amazon, specialty retailers
- SoundMoovz is a new motion-activated electronic device that plays cool music and special effect sounds as you move!
- Experience the excitement by moving, dancing and creating unique musical beats – it is truly awesome! It’s the next musical sensation of the new age…Muzic by Mooving! Device uses the latest Bluetooth technology, just simply power on for pairing, download the free app, choose over 400 sounds, and start the fun!
- The product comes with two special bands that users wear to enable the device. SoundMoovz can also be connected to a speaker for a bigger sound. Different modes include Musical, Instrumental, Robot, Karate and more! Multiple users can enjoy.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
