Looking for the hottest toys of the year? Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht stopped by Windy City Live in Chicago to show off the toys that are in high demand this holiday season. 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 holiday season, be sure to check our complete Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide.
NAUGHTY & NICE HOLIDAY JARS (WE COOL)
- Naughty Jar – Been a little naughty this year? Try a jar of our black fluffy slime! Stretch it. Twist it. Squeeze it. It’s slime-sational fun!
- Nice Jar – this jar is packed with glitter for days for anyone who has been good this year! Get creative with this super, squishy, sparkly slime!
- Age: 4+
- MSRP: $4.99
- Available: Barnes & Noble, Target
SENSORS ALIVE (THAMES & KOSMOS)
- Demystify abstract physics phenomena such as light, sound, and heat like never before with this highly innovative, gamified sensor physics lab that brings physics to life!
- The core of this science kit is an app-based video game in which you use real-world sensor data that you collect from your environment to generate a diverse array of creatures. Create, collect, play with and care for your creatures in the app.
- You will gain experience in measuring light levels, volumes, and temperatures with the three sensor pods, and learn about the physics behind light, sound, and heat.
- Sensors Alive works with a tablet or smartphone operating on recent versions of iOS and Android.
- Age: 8+
- MSRP: $149.95
- Available: Amazon
SCULPTAPALOOZA (EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS)
- Ready? Set? Sculpt! Arts & crafts meet game night in this fast-paced, hands-on party game!
- Two teams take turns drawing cards and using squishy, squashy Playfoam to sculpt what they see. But hold on tight! You might have to sculpt with your eyes closed, use your sculpture as a charades prop, or tag team with another player. Guess what your team sculpted before time runs out to score a point. The first team to earn 20 points wins the game!
- Age: 8+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Walmart
MAGFORMERS NEON 26PC + BONUS LIGHT (MAGFORMERS)
- Create 3D structures from 2D nets with Magformers 26-piece Neon Set.
- With bright neon squares and triangles, this set is ideal for little fingers and perfect for building a magic ball, house, tower and much more.
- Add the bonus rechargeable LED light to your build and watch your design sparkle.
- Each geometric shape contains magnets that never reject, so you’ll always hear Magformers click.
- When playtime is over, use the magnetic power to simply stack and store the pieces.
- Age: 3+
- MSRP: $49.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Walmart
REALLY RAD ROBOTS YAKBOT (MOOSE TOYS)
- Meet YakBot, your back chattin’ buddy!
- He’ll record and warp your voice by rotating his dial.
- He has 4 cool voice filters: Pitch shift, Reverse, Robot and Echo!
- Got a question? Yakbot has the answer – He’s a genius!
- Time Blast Prank! Set the timer and surprise your friends.
- There are 3 Yakbots to collect!
- Age: 5+
- MSRP: $12.99
- Available: Amazon, Target
CHRONO BOMB NIGHT VISION (PLAYMONSTER)
- The Mission: Cross the Laser Field Before It’s Too Late. In Chrono Bomb Night Vision, kids turn off the lights for a thrilling nighttime mission!
- Using the clamps and 37-foot string to create a “laser” field to crawl through, kids Wear UV light goggles to illuminate the string, and carefully make your way through the laser field.
- Watch out…if you touch the string, the countdown will speed up! Defuse the bomb and be the hero that saves the day!
- Age: 7+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Amazon
- Who will reign supreme in the ultimate snack eating competition? The hilarious CHOW CROWN game puts a fun twist on viral food eating challenges!
- To play, load the six hanging forks with various food items of your choosing. Place the spinning crown on your head, and eat as many snacks as possible before the music stops to keep your crown!
- The Chow Crown game can be played solo or in a head-to-head tournament.
- Game includes electronic crown, six plastic forks, and instructions.
- Requires 3 AA batteries, not included.
- Food not included.
- Adult assembly and supervision required.
- Age: 8+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: major retailers, HasbroToyShop.com
