Looking to get great holiday toys for every member of your family? Toy Insider Senior Editor Ali Mierzejewski stopped by NBC in Cleveland to talk about toys and gifts for kids of all ages. 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.
CRAYOLA COLOR & ERASE MAT (CRAYOLA)
- The Crayola Color and Erase Mat provides budding artists with colorful fun they can enjoy again and again. This reusable mat gives kids a large surface for drawing and doodling with the four included ColorPop! Markers. When they’re done, all the colors wipe away with the included eraser tool.
- The mat then rolls up for easy storage until kids are ready to create again.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys R Us, Walmart
- Escape room growth has been explosive—escape rooms have been popping up at an exponential rate in virtually every state in the country.
- Operation: Escape is a new interactive game that taps into the escape room trend by combining skill, strategy, and teamwork to search, solve, and escape the room before time runs out!
- Complete three tasks in order to set the captured player free of the master belt before time runs out.
- Set timer on the belt using the rotating dials. The game includes a series of three challenges, a Skill Challenge, Strategy Challenge, and Luck Challenge.
- The Skill Challenge: Wiggle a key out from the bottom of a cage using sticks.
- The Strategy Challenge: Enter card number into the device, solve problem, and then enter the answer into same device. If correct, 1/3rd of the key will come out. Must solve three problems in a row in order to retrieve key. If the answer is incorrect, the key will pop back into the device.
- Luck Challenge: Three chances to find the key in the device. If unable to find the key, reset the spinner and start over.
- If the tasks are not solved before the time runs out, everyone loses.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Target
- SoundMoovz is a motion-activated electronic device that plays cool music and special effect sounds as you move! Music by Moving!
- Experience the excitement by moving, dancing and creating unique musical beats.
- Device uses the latest Bluetooth technology, just simply power on for pairing, download the free app, choose over 400 sounds, and start the fun!
- The product comes with two special bands that users wear to enable the device.
- Layer your beat onto a song.
- Multiple sound modes including Robot, Karate, Instrumental, and Musical.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart, Best Buy
WHO’S THE DUDE? (IDENTITY GAMES USA)
- Players can play charades with “The Dude,” a life size inflatable man-doll, while the other players try to guess within the time limit what you and the Dude are doing.
- Using the charade cards, player act out scenes from a movie, a sport, or a profession.
- The game includes 440 charade cards, 50 score sheets, and different ways to play.
- Ages: 16+
- MSRP: $24.99
- Available: Target
- The Y Glider XL Deluxe features three adjustable steering levels to best suit each child’s experience based on their steering comfort.
- Children can personalize their scooter with a changeable deck comes available in three colors and colorful wheel inserts.
- The extra wide rear wheel provides control and stability.
- Folding adjustable handlebars make for easy transport.
- Ages: 5-8
- MSRP: $89.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Toys “R” Us, Walmart
