Summer’s here and so are the season’s hottest new toys. Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht stopped by Good Day Chicago to show off some of the best new toys for indoor and outdoor fun. 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.
- Free Wheelin’ is an exciting addition to PlayMonster’s line as its first ride-on toy!
- The convertible balance bike features a durable body, sturdy wheels with quiet and gripping tires, and comfortable and easy-to-turn handlebars.
- Children as young as one can have fun pushing themselves along, and older children can practice their balance and speed!
- The adjustable height and 3- to 2-wheel conversion ensure the bike will grow with little ones to last longer than a traditional pushbike.
- Holds up to 80 pounds.
- The bike is also available in six bold and fun colors, so children can choose their favorite!
- Ages: 1+
- MSRP: $49.99
- Available: Amazon
WHO’S YOUR LLAMA SERIES 1 (JAKKS PACIFIC)
- Kids will love collecting these adorable and funny llamas!
- These llamas have unique personalities and styles!
- Each llama has 1 of 4 silly features including winking, spitting, grinning, and sticking its tongue out.
- Each llama comes with a feature and a soft, molded outfit and headpiece.
- Llamas have articulated legs and measure 4-inches tall.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $6.99
- Available: Amazon
ICE CREAM SHOP SAND BUCKET (PLAYMOBIL)
- Scoop up the fun with the Ice Cream Shop Sand Bucket.
- Serve pretend tasty treats with the included ice cream scoop and various molds, perfect for building ice cream cones out of sand.
- Then, place the ice cream seller behind the freezer counter, at the bottom front of the sand bucket, to sell all the delicious snacks to passersby.
- Kids can also use the bucket with sieve to either build sand castles or sift through the sand in search shells and other fun stuff.
- When playtime is over, store all the pieces inside the bucket and use the sieve as a lid.
- The bucket has a capacity of about 1.5 gallons.
- The set includes two figures, a bucket, a sieve, an ice cream spoon, two ice cream cones, two ice cream scoops, and one waffle mold.
- Ages: 2+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Walmart
- Kids watch their dolls bloom right before their eyes.
- When they add a few drops of water onto the “seeds,” they will watch as their Blume doll starts to grow out of her flower pot.
- The doll’s unique hairstyle will emerge as it blooms.
- Kids can collect 22 dolls from the first collection, which includes “adorable,” “rare,” “super rare,” and one “mystical” doll.
- Each doll has 10 surprises hidden inside each pot including an out-of-this-world hairstyle, cute accessories, mix-and-match outfits, mini friends, sticker books, and more.
- Age: 5+
- MSRP: $9.99
- Available: All major retailers
PIKMI POPS DOUGHMI (MOOSE TOYS)
- The collectible aisle is about to get a ‘hole’ lot sweeter with the latest release from Pikmi Pops – new DoughMis!
- This sweet-scented range of collectible donut plush is available in three sizes: small, medium and jumbo size.
- There are over 40 DoughMis to collect across the range, including a selection of Special Edition Squish ‘n’ Rise DoughMis that feel so soft and squishy, just like real dough.
- Kids can enjoy an extra layer of unboxing with the Surprise Pack.
- Simply crack open the donut center to reveal a cute surprise – a small Jelly Pikmi character!
- This season there are even more cool surprises for kids to discover, including an assortment of rings, erasers, hair ties, notebooks, pouches, nesting donuts, flocked stickers and bag tags!
- There’s always a cute new surprise in store from the sweet world of Pikmi Pops!
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: Single Pack: $4.99, Surprise Pack: $10.99, Jumbo Pack: $19.99
- Available: Target, Amazon
TONY HAWK BOX BOARDERS ACTION PACKS (HOG WILD)
- Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk has teamed up with Hog Wild Toys to introduce Tony Hawk Box Boarders, a brand new toy line that allows kids of all ages to easily land pro skateboarding tricks and film, edit and share videos of those tricks with the free Tony Hawk Box Boarders Studio App!
- The world is your skatepark with Tony Hawk Box Boarders Action Packs, new from Hog Wild Toys!
- Choose from 16 famous skateboarder figures including from the Birdhouse crew such as Tony Hawk, Lizzie Armanto, or Aaron Homoki and get ready to roll!
- Underneath the skateboarder is a steel ball bearing, which allows the Box Boarder to skate around in any direction.
- Film your tricks with the included Quarter Pipe Ramps or create your own park features at home.
- With the free Tony Hawk Box Boarders Studio app, you can record and edit your footage to create unreal skate compilations and share them online with other fans using #TonyHawkBoxBoarders.
- These are Tony Box Boarders from Hog Wild – a line of action collectibles licensed from the legendary pro skateboarder!
- These cool, box-shaped skater figures in the Action Packs simulate real skateboarding tricks! They roll on a steel ball bearing, allowing them to “skate” in any direction.
- With the Tony Hawk Box Boarders app you can film your skills; edit footage to create skate compilations; then share in the Box Boarder Community.
- Collect 16 famous skateboarders in the Action Packs.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $7.99
- Available: Walmart
SLIMI CAFÉ (ORB)
- ORB Slimi Café is a recipe for fun! Combine specially formulated ORB Soft’n Slo Squishies with ORB Slimi Cafe™toppings to make slimi, squishy masterpieces!
- Mix and match your squishies and decorate them with ORB Slimi Cafe toppings: Jameez, Fluffiwhipz, Swirleez and Drizzlerz!
- When you’re done, squeeze your unique masterpiece and then watch your toppings magically come apart for endless creations!
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $6.99-$9.99
- Available: AC Moore, Claire’s, JoAnns, Indigo, Target, Walmart, Party City
LICK-A-BUBBLE LICKITY BUBBLE BLOWER (IMPERIAL TOY)
- It’s the ultimate handheld bubble toy!
- Simply dip the blower into the tray and watch as hundreds of edible bubbles start flowing out!
- Simply add your favorite drink, stir right side up and down for 10 seconds, pour the solution into the tray, dip the blower, press the blower button and lick tasty Bubbles!
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $12
- Available: Amazon, HEB, Academy, CAMP
ZAX (ZING TOYS)
- The ax throwing craze hits the toy aisle! Zax lets you bring all the fun of ax throwing safely home!
- Soft foam Zax sticks to any flat surface (like walls or glass) thanks to its uniquely designed suction cups. For indoor and outdoor fun!
- Each package contains one 12-inch tall soft foam Zax.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $9.99
- Available: Target and www.zing.store
LIGHTS & SOUND BUBBLE WANDS (IMPERIAL TOY)
- Have a bubble blast with the Lights & Sound Bubble Wand.
- Press the button to activate lights, sound, and continuous bubbles. Powered by Super Miracle Bubbles, the battery-operated character licensed bubble wand features a special design.
- Disney Pixar’s Toy Story bubble wand includes a unique song representative of the Toy Story films.
- Includes 4 fl. oz. of Super Miracle Bubbles.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $12.99
- Available: Walmart, Target, CVS, Kohls, Amazon
