Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht joined FamilyCircle.com for their “25 Days of Toys” to talk about retro toys that kids will love as much as their parents did when they were younger. 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.
DISNEY CHARACTER PUPPETS (FOLKMANIS)
- These full body hand puppets come to life when you animate mouth and hands through the access point in the back. Find pockets in the gloves to wave, clap, and blow kisses.
- The Mickey puppet is the essence of all things Disney, with his iconic red shorts, yellow-gold shoes, and white gloves.
- The Minnie puppet is adorned in her classic vintage style, with polka-dot skirt over bloomers, over-sized high heeled pumps, white gloves, and flower in hat.
- Also available are Donald, Pluto, and Goofy.
- Age: 3+
- MSRP: $73.99
- Available: Amazon
BEAT BUGS GLOWIES and SINGING FIGURES (BLIP TOYS)
- Children’s animated Netflix series, Beat Bugs, has captured the attention of children and parents around the world. Beat Bugs are now alive at retail with a spectacular range of toys utilizing songs made famous by the Beatles.
- Kids can watch as their interactive Singing Figures come alive and sing along with Beat Bugs Season 1 episodes on Netflix and the Beat Bugs Alive App.
- The figures light up and their mouths move when they sing. Kids can place them near a TV or mobile device to hear them sing along.
- Push the button on their stomachs to immediately hear them sing three divfferent songs made famous by the Beatles.
- Soft, cuddly and furry; Glowies are a musical companion for your child. When squeezed, kids can hear music (they sing The Beatles songs: Orange sings “Get Back,” Blue sings “Ticket To Ride,” Yellow sings “I’ve Just Seen A Face,” Pink sings “Mr.Moonlight.”
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $12.99 (Glowies) $24.99 (Singing Figures)
- Available: Target
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: 2+
- MSRP: $99.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
