Don’t let bad weather rain on your kids’ fun. Toy Insider Senior Editor Ali Mierzejewski stopped by Better Connecticut in New Haven to show off the best toys for fun on a rainy day. 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.
Folkmanis Puppets- Folkmanis puppets spark imaginations and encourage open-ended play, endearing hugs, and snuggly companionship.
- Each puppet is carefully detailed to be realistic-looking animal puppets. The tags also include facts about each animal.
- Newest additions to the Folkmanis collection include the Dove, the Poodle, the Cavalier King Charles, the Toad, the Abert’s Squirrel, the Baby Koala, and the Standing Bear.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $17.99- $57.99
- Available: Amazon, Folkmanis.com
Blast Box (Zing Toys)
- Approach with caution! Blast Box from Zing is a new balloon explosion game that combines both suspense and strategy for an unpredictable “burst” of fun!
- Begin by blowing up one balloon for each player using the included inflator. Next, tuck the balloons under the Blast Box. Players then use the spinner (or the free Blast Box app, available on iOS and Android and loaded with fun trivia questions) to determine how many pins to hammer into box.
- But watch out! Players must choose their pin placement carefully or else one of the balloons will pop and they’ll be blasted out of the game! The player to successfully avoid the explosion of air has mastered the #BlastBoxChallenge and is the winner!
- Blast Box comes with a Blast Box, a hammer, 100 balloons, a balloon pump, 30 plastic pins, a spinner, and 20 easy tie balloon clips.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon
Hot Wheels Track Builder Stunt Box (Mattel)
- Start building an epic world of Hot Wheels tracks or add on to an existing track set with new brick components to foster creativity and experimentation!
- Re-configure and customize with bricks and Track Pivot Points for nearly endless configurations. This impressive kit is a great way to start your Track Builder collection.
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Toys “R” Us, Amazon, Target
ALEX DIY Knot-A Mermaid (Alex Brands)
- Splash into a comfy mermaid tail!
- Just knot and stitch to make a fabulous glittering climb in blanket.
- All pieces are precut and ready to assemble.
- Includes precut glittery fleece and felt shapes, needle, embroidery floss, and easy instructions.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $27.00
- Available: Summer 2017
Nickelodeon Slime- Nickelodeon Slime includes all the ingredients, including glue, needed for kids to make their own version of the network’s iconic and beloved green goo.
- Slime comes in a variety of colors and textures, including glitter, neon, and glow-in-the-dark.
- Do-it-yourself slime has become a recent craze with kids and has spread virally via social media. Cra-Z-Art already produces components of Slime, including white and clear glue, in the U.S.
- Age: 6+
- MSRP: $14.99
- Available: Walmart, Toys “R” Us, Target
EXIT: The Game (Thames & Kosmos)
- The hit Escape-Room concept for home use. Party game for up to 6 players.
- You must solve a series of riddles and puzzles to escape from a room.
- Each correct solution brings you to another riddle. How fast can you escape the room?
- Ages: 12+
- MSRP: $14.95
- Available in May in three versions: Pharaoh’s Tomb, Secret Lab and Abandoned Cabin
