Toy Insider Editor-in-Chief Marissa DiBartolo stopped by Better Connecticut in New Haven to show off some great aspirational toys that are perfect for kids who like to pretend to be grown-ups. 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.


IMAGINFUN MY FIRST YOGA MAT (KD KIDS)

  • The Infinifun My First Yoga Mat introduces little ones to yoga!
  • BitsyBot is your child’s guide to building concentration and body awareness, developing coordination, balance and fine motor skills, and mastering basic yoga poses.
  • The soft, child-sized mat has 16 touch-sensitive pads that respond to little hands and feet. An anti-slip backing keeps the mat in place.
  • Features three game modes:
    • Learn About Body Parts – learn the parts of the body with BitsyBot as your guide.
    • BitsyBot’s Challenge – BitsyBot will ask you to place your hands and feet on different parts of the mat at the same time for a coordination challenge!
    • Practice Yoga – learn seven basic yoga poses, like Downward Facing Dog, Tree Pose and Cat Pose!
  • Bilingual English-Spanish.
  • Ages: 2+
  • MSRP: $49.99
  • Available: Amazon

DESIGN & DRILL MY FIRST WORKBENCH (EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS)

  • Little builders can get busy with a workbench and tool set designed just for them!
  • Kids can hammer nails and drill bolts directly into the bench to create colorful patterns for hours of unplugged play.
  • It helps develop fine motor skills, practices patterning (a key early learning skill) encourages creativity, supports STEM, introduces tools, and promotes interest in engineering.
  • Includes a workbench with storage drawer, 120 colorful bolts and nails, a guide with 10 patterns, and a motorized mini-drill and kid friendly hammer.
  • Ages: 3+
  • MSRP: $49.99
  • Available: Amazon

MY FAIRY GARDEN UNICORN PARADISE (PLAYMONSTER)

  • My Fairy Garden is the first of its kind: A toy that’s also a real, live garden! Children love kits that allow them to grow plants at home just like mom and dad because it gives them a connection to nature and a sense of satisfaction at having nurtured a living thing.
  • My Fairy Garden takes it to a new, exciting level by allowing children to interact with it as part of an entertaining play set!
  • Unicorn Paradise™ boasts a garden on and around an eye-catching cave where the glittery unicorn, Celeste, can rest and hang out with her fairy friend Dahlia and Dahlia’s pet turtle Pebbles! Like the rest of the My Fairy Garden line, this set includes soil and seeds to grow real plants and flowers!
  • Ages: 4+
  • MSRP: $25.99
  • Available: Fall 2018

ULTIMATE SOOTHING SPA (MAYA TOYS)

  • Treat yourself to an Orbeez Spa for your feet
  • Grow, Warm, Massage!
  • Comes with 2,000 Orbeez, nail polish, and toe separators.
  • Ages: 5+
  • MSRP: $34.99
  • Available: Target, Walmart, Amazon, Kmart, Michaels

HATCHIBABIES (SPIN MASTER)

  • Throw a gender reveal party for your HatchiBabies!
  • Use your love and care to help your HatchiBaby Ponette hatch and they’ll come to life! Will you hatch a boy or a girl? Check the secret message to find out!
  • With big color-changing eyes, beaks that move and real rocking motions, Ponette HatchiBabies are the sweetest new characters from Hatchtopia!
  • Once hatched, there are even more surprises to discover: Reach into the egg to peel-and-reveal four hidden accessories: a rattle, hairbrush, bottle and cuddle buddy! You’ll even find a high chair and birth certificate!
  • Care for your HatchiBaby using these accessories and they’ll respond in adorable ways! Shhh, it’s a secret: Different species may come with different accessories!
  • Feed, burp, tickle and snuggle your HatchiBaby and they’ll respond—just like a real baby!
  • Teach your baby to talk and play EGGciting games such as “find my toes” and bouncy baby.” The more you play, the more response you’ll unlock! Will you learn your baby’s secret trick?
  • Ages: 5+
  • MSRP: $59.99
  • Available: Amazon, Target, Walmart

BOXY GIRLS (JAY@PLAY)

  • Boxy Girls love shopping online for anything fashion – shoes, clothes, bags, makeup, jewelry and more! They can’t wait to receive their online orders in packages shipped right to the door!  Unbox the packages with Boxy Girls to discover tons of fashion surprises.
  • Each Boxy Girl comes with four packages to unbox. Unbox shoes, bags, makeup, and more!  
  • Experience the excitement as kids tear open the shipping tape to open the package, inside you’ll find your fashion surprises wrapped delicately in tissue paper and packing material.  Plus, you’ll find stickers and thank you notes inside.
  • Boxy Girls are 8 inches tall and feature five points of articulation.  
  • Ages: 6+
  • MSRP: Doll Set $14.99, Fashion Pack $9.99
  • Available: Walmart exclusive

FIRST ACT DISCOVERY 30-INCH ACOUSTIC GUITAR (JAZWARES)

  • Make real music with the First Act Discovery Acoustic Guitar!
  • This beginner guitar is designed and sized especially for young players.
  • Featuring great tone, comfort & playability. It’s tunable with accurate fret spacing, and low string action means easy playing for beginners.
  • Patented string post covers protect little fingers.
  • Ages: 8+
  • MSRP: $39.99
  • Available: Target, Walmart

 

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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