Looking for some great back-to-school toys to keep kids active? Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht stopped by WGN in Chicago to show off some of the season’s best toys to get kids moving. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best toys of the spring and summer, be sure to check our complete Toy Insider Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


KID TRAX CAT MINING DUMP TRUCK (PACIFIC CYCLE)

  • Kids turn into a handy construction worker by hopping on the 12-volt CAT Mining Dump Truck from KidTrax.
  • MSRP: $499
  • Age: 3-7
  • Available: Target

MY BUDDY WHEELS (YVOLUTION)

  • My Buddy Wheels helps a child learn the fundamental skills needed for cycling by combining a balance bike with a soft cuddly friend to make the adventure more exciting and enticing for your child!
  • Every child’s cuddly friend who’ll be with them every step of the way as they learn the fundamental skills required for a lifetime of cycling.
  • Today’s kids skip the tricycles and training wheels and go straight from a balance bike to a bicycle.
  • My Buddy Wheels is designed from the ground up to teach balance, coordination and gross motor skills. Our friendly Buddies are a companion and help the child build confidence.
  • Our friendly unicorn, dino and horse buddies are easy to take on/off, and are easily washable.
  • Age: 2+
  • MSRP: $79.99
  • Available: Amazon

HOT WHEELS 16-INCH BIKE (DYNACRAFT)

  • Kids will think the Hot Wheels Legends 16-inch BMX Bike the coolest bike on the block. 
  • The bright orange BMX frame includes custom Hot Wheels graphics with black and blue accents. 
  • Little riders will love the front pegs are rad. 
  • They can stop easily with the rear coaster and front hand brakes and ride comfortably due to the padded seat. 
  • They can challenge their limits on the 16-inch Hot Wheels Legends bike. 
  • Age: 6-9
  • MSRP: $74
  • Available: Walmart

FISHER-PRICE BOUNCE & SPIN PUPPY (MATTEL)

  • This stationary, musical ride-on puppy plays songs, sounds and educational phrases as baby bounces up and down or spins 360 degrees.
  • Improves gross motor skills as baby learns how to bounce, spin and balance on their own.
  • Songs and phrases get baby moving, while teaching the alphabet, numbers, colors and more.
  • Features a sturdy base, easy-grip handles, interactive buttons and multicolor lights.
  • Age: 12 months+
  • MSRP: $59.99
  • Available: Fall 2019

PLAYMOBIL FURNISHED SCHOOL BUILDING (PLAYMOBIL)

  •  Classes are in session at the Furnished School Building. Upon arriving, students can ind storage for all their school supplies in the downstairs lockers, before heading to their first class of the day. 
  • Then, with the help of the functioning digital clock with school bell, students can make sure they get to class on time.  
  • Those unable to take the stairs can use the functioning elevator to get to classes on the second floor.  The elevator, along with the access ramp and larger bathroom stalls, make this school wheelchair friendly.  
  • The downstairs room is a fully-equipped biology classroom with a skeleton model, bio charts, and encased spider for studying.  Upstairs, students will find a computer lab and teacher’s office. 
  • Combine this set with the rest of the PLAYMOBIL School theme (#9453-9457 – sold separately), for even more fun.  
  • Set includes three adult figures, six child figures, functioning clock with school bell, desks, backpacks, bicycles, laptops, chairs, classroom charts, books, skeleton, wheelchair, toilets, sinks, and tons of other accessories. 
  • Age: 5+
  • MSRP: $129.99
  • Available: Amazon, Walmart, Playmobil.us

FISH FOR FISH (YULU)

  • Test your fishing skills in the Survival Skillz Fish For Fish game, new from YULU! 
  • Campers race against their friends to use the plastic “spear” and catch the most fish. 
  • Lay the fish cards fish face up on the floor, assemble the fishing spear, and then it’s Ready, Set, Fish! 
  • Use the suction cup at the bottom of the spear to capture the fish cards and reel’em in. 
  • After all fish are captured, players tally the points on each fish card they caught.  
  • The camper with the most points wins! Fish for Fish comes with 4 suction cup fishing spears and 15 fish cards.
  • Age: 4+
  • MSRP: $19.99
  • Available: Target

LASER X MORPH (NSI INTERNATIONAL)

  • The Laser X Morph gaming station transforms into a blaster.
  • Laser X Morph Blaster is the newest Laser X Blaster in the Laser X line. 
  • Each set comes with two gaming stations that – with a few pops, twists and turns – morph into Laser X blasters in just seconds!
  • Fans can play 3 built-in games, using one of the units as a target and the other as a blaster – or use both blasters in a traditional game of Laser X.
  • The blaster range is 300 feet – almost as long as a football field! 
  • There are 3 ways to play – BLASTER TO GAME TARGET: Test your speed and skill; BLASTER TO BLASTER – Super quick and easy to play.  Just turn the blasters on and go! Players aim at the targets located on each other’s blastes; BLASTER TO ARMBAND RECEIVER – The receivers pop out and are worn on the upper arm. That’s where opponents aim!
  • Like other Laser X sets, Morph lets you play one-on-one or in teams – or you can set your blaster to rogue, and it’s every man for himself. 
  • In either mode – laser tag or target practice – Morph works with all other Laser X gear. So no matter which blaster a player has, he or she can turn it on and join the fun.
  • All Laser X blasters work both in the dark and outside in bright sunlight.
  • The kit comes with everything players need with the exception of batteries.
  • Age: 6+                                                                         
  • MSRP: $59.99
  • Available: Target 

HANK’S TWISTED CHALLENGE (WICKED COOL TOYS)

  • In Hank’s Twisted Challenge, players must move a ball from a mouthpiece to the end of a wacky, twisted wire in the fastest time possible. 
  • Players can bend the wire in endless ways and shapes to make the challenge more difficult or less complex depending on the player’s level of competition and flexibility. 
  • Kids will get a kick out seeing their parents and grandparents getting into wacky positions. 
  • Each set comes with six wires, four mouthpieces, two balls, one game spinner, 20 challenge cards, and three game pieces to shape the wires. 
  • Age: 6+ 
  • MSRP: $19.99
  • Available: Amazon

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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