Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht welcomed CBS News to the Toy Insider offices to show off some of the holidays’ hottest new products. 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.
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: 3+
- MSRP: $99.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
HATCHIMALS SURPRISE (SPIN MASTER)
- New Hatchimals are arriving from Hatchtopia and they can’t hatch without kids’ help.
- Experience a whole new hatching experience! Kids can tap and rub the egg to help their Hatchimals hatch in just a few minutes. Then, watch the creature pop up and out of the egg! What’s the big surprise? There are twins inside!
- Choose from Giravens or Peacats, and discover if you have identical or fraternal twins.
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Mass retailers
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
BABY ALIVE SWEET TEARS BABY DOLL (HASBRO)
- Kids can play caregiver with the BABY ALIVE SWEET TEARS BABY doll and nurture their doll back to happy smiles and giggles. The SWEET TEARS BABY doll is one of the most expressive doll from the BABY ALIVE brand yet, frowning and even crying tears to let mommy or daddy know when she is feeling a bit under the weather.
- When her nose turns red, kids can use the reusable tissue to wipe her nose and tears, and use the included stethoscope and thermometer to give her a check-up!
- With 35+ sounds and phrases, she will let you know when she is feeling better or needs a tissue!
- With a switch on her back, kids can choose whether the BABY ALIVE SWEET TEARS BABY doll is in “Mommy” or “Daddy” play mode.
- BABY ALIVE SWEET TEARS BABY Doll has beautiful, rooted hair and comes with a removable outfit, reusable tissue, juice box, stethoscope, thermometer, bandage, and hair brush.
- The BABY ALIVE SWEET TEARS BABY doll speaks English or Spanish and is available in three ethnicities. Each sold separately. Additional diapers sold separately.
- Requires 3 AA batteries, included.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $49.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart, hasbrotoyshop.com
DROID INVENTOR KIT (LITTLEBITS)
- For the first time ever, kids can create their own R2-D2™ and bring him to life! They’ll teach R2-D2™ new tricks and take him on 20+ missions with the free Droid Inventor app, then level-up their skills to design any Droid™ they can dream up.
- The kit comes with every littleBits motor, sensor, light, sticker, and Droid part kids need to build and customize R2-D2 straight out of the box.
- Initial assembly is easy with step-by-step instructions, plus challenges to get creative building brand-new Droids. The Droid has 8+ modes and 10 authentic R2-D2 sounds, making it the perfect galactic sidekick.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $99.95
- Available: Amazon, Target, Walmart
- 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
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, hasbrotoyshop.com
