What makes a toy one of the year’s hottest gifts for the holiday season? Toy Insider Senior Editor Marissa DiBartolo stopped by NBC in Washington, D.C. to show off some of the products expected to be hot items in 2016. For more on the products featured in this segment, check out the notes below, and be sure to check out our complete holiday gift guide.
Go! Go! Smart Animals Happy Paws Playland (VTech)
- This exciting playland for pets has three light-up buttons at the top of the elevator that introduce time concepts and play sing-along songs, melodies and fun phrases.
- Put the adorable SmartPoint cat in the elevator and move it up and down to trigger playful responses on each floor.
- The playland also includes a turning telescope, swinging hammock, a secret trap door and more that help build fine motor skills.
- Collect other SmartPoint animals, and connect to other Go! Go! Smart Wheels and Go! Go! Smart Animals play sets with tracks.
- Ages: 1-5
- MSRP: $44.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys R Us, Walmart
Peppa Pig’s Holiday Plane (Jazwares)
- Peppa and her family are flying through the sky on their way to a sunny holiday.
- Help Peppa up the stairs and into her seat, or flip down the pilot seat and give Mummy a turn to fly! Place both Peppa and Mummy’s suitcases in the cargo hold below, or press the window to activate sounds and songs, including Peppa’s “Flying High” song!
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys R Us, Walmart
Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Christmas and Peppa Pig: Sun, Sea & Snow DVDs (eOne)
- Peppa’s Christmas is a fun-filled holiday special featuring multiple Peppa adventures: Peppa and George write a letter to Santa, decorate the Christmas tree, sing festive songs, and more.
- Sun, Sea & Snow features episodes where it’s always perfect weather for Peppa’s adventures! Peppa and her family take a trip to the seaside, a fun ski day, muddy puddle-jumping, and more!
- Ages: Not Rated
- MSRP: $14.98
- Available: Barnes & Noble, Toys “R” Us, Amazon
Disney Frozen Northern Lights Elsa (Jakks Pacific)
- Elsa needs kids to help bring back the Northern Lights and restore her powers!
- Children can wave their hand over the snowflake and create beautiful colors, lights, and sounds with Elsa.
- When kids keep their hand over the snowflake and hold it there, they can watch as the beautiful Northern Lights are restored and sparkle on Elsa’s dress!
- The doll says 40 phrases and sings “Let It Go”
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $39.99
- Available: Target, Toyrs R Us, Walmart
NHL Hockey Arena - Skate into action with your own hockey match at the NHL Hickey Arena. Each of the four NHL players feature a moveable arm and hockey stick for even more realistic game play.
- Simply pull back the lever to swing the stick and fire the puck down the rink towards the opposing goal.
- Use the goalie to defend against offensive plays by clipping the player to the goal and then using the joystick to maneuver the goalie from side to side for some game-saving blocks.
- Thanks to the included team decals, kids can customize each player to represent their favorite NHL team.
- Set includes NHL players (two per team), four hockey pucks, game play rules booklet, player number decals, logo decals for all 30 NHL teams, score-leeping slide rule, and other game-tastic accessories.
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Toys “R” Us, Amazon, Mastermind Toys
My Fairy Garden (Play Monster)
- My Fairy Garden includes three unique versions for children to choose from or to collect them all.
- These charming, bright fairy homes includes the adorable tree hollow with opening doors, bottom tray, Willow the fairy, her friend, and gardening accessories and tools.
- All sets include potting soil and quick-germinating seeds to get your garden started! Children can add other flowers or plants if they want, too!
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Toys “R” Us, Walmart, Amazon, Target
XShot Bug Attack Eliminator & 2 Predator TK-3 Combo (Zuru)
- Creepy, crawley bugs have invaded and only XShot Bug Attack can blast them with total accuracy!
- This combo pack allows for precision blasting with the Eliminator, and stealth attacks with the 2 Predator TK-3 blasters
- Both items fire the aerodynamic arrows up to 55 feet
- The combo set includes 1 Eliminator blaster, 2 Predator TK-3 blasters, 5 Creepeez Bug targets and 24 darts.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $24.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us
LEGO Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)
- The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack will provide a complete movie-based gameplay experience with six action-packed levels and new LEGO Gateway bricks to build the Magical Congress of the United States of America atop the LEGO toy pad.
- Players can build Newt Scamander LEGO minifigure and help him find his escaped magical creatures in New York City and use a variety of spells, including Diffinfo, Reparo, and Lumos.
- The pack will also come with a 3-in-1 Niffler which can be rebuilt into the Sinister Scorpion and Vicious Vulture.
- Ages: 7+
- MSRP: $49.99
- Available: (November 18) Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
