On the lookout for toys that stimulate the mind as well as entertain? Toy Insider Mom Laurie Schacht stopped by Breakfast Television to show off some of the smartest and fun toys on the market today. For more on the products featured in this segment, check out the notes below, and for more on the hottest new toys of the season be sure to view our Spring and Summer Toy Guide.
Think & Learn Smart Cycle (Fisher-Price)
- The Smart Cycle creates a physical play experience on tablet or TV, putting kids in control of racing and learning games full of kindergarten-readiness curriculum. The more they pedal, the more they can learn.
- Adjustable tablet holder for various-sized tablets.
- Multi-position handlebars with input controls, LEDs & joystick.
- Adjustable seat makes play comfortable for kids of different sizes.
- Bluetooth technology allows for play on tablet or TV for an even more immersive experience.
- The free Smart Cycle Mission to Tech City app is available for download and features 15 different levels of play.
- Additional apps are available for purchase, featuring characters from some of your child’s favorite Nickelodeon shows focusing on different subjects, like math, STEM, natural science, and more.
- Age: 3-6
- MSRP: $149.99
- Available: Amazon
Your Décor Color Your Own Water Bottle (Horizon Group USA)
- With the Your Decor Color Your Own Water Bottle Kit you can stay hydrated in style! The Your Decor Water Bottle allows you to express your style by decorating your own BPA-Free water bottle with markers, gemstones and glitter. Included carabiner clip makes it easy to carry and show off your design.
- Canadian MSRP: $13.97
- Ages: 6+
- Available: Walmart
Shopkins Back to School Gear (Moose Toys)
- Kids can theme their back to school gear to Shopkins with everything ranging from fidget spinners to light up sneakers.
- Pajamas from Global Brands Group includes short sleeves sets to fleece onesies. Clothing from Extreme Concepts includes Sprinkle Squad t-shirts, faux denim dresses, Pink Donut dress, and a Rainbows and Glitter Fuschia Dress.
- Skechers is taking its popular sneaker silhouettes and adding Shopkins to them with light up technology. The colorful shoes span from toddler to tween sizes.
- Kids can also add LCD watches, fidget spinners, folders, water bottles and backpacks to the their Shopkins collection this fall.
- Age: 3+
- MSRP: $1.00- $55
- Available: Walmart, Target, Amazon, skechers.com
ORBSlimy Elasti Plasti
- Elasti Plasti is the brand new super soft plastic that expandifies, stretches, bubbles, and much more. It expandifies 100X its size, creating the coolest plastic parachute ever! It stretches almost endlessly to create a super long continuous strand of flexible plastic for endless possibilities.
- Creates huge bubbles 20X its size by blowing with a regular straw. It sounds super wacky, slappy, and wobbly when thrown around or flopped on the floor.
- Age: 5+
- MSRP: $19.99 (CAN)
- Available: Michaels and specialty stores
Etch A Sketch Freestyle (Spin Master)
- The Classic Etch A Sketch has been updated! Now kids can freestyle draw and stamp in color for the first time with Etch A Sketch. Using revolutionary LCD technology, the sleek new design makes it even easier for kids to exercise their creativity, while retaining the classic, beloved shake-to-erase feature.
- Age: 3+
- MSRP: $29.99 CAD
- Available: Target, Amazon
Mechanical Engineering: Robotic Arms (Thames & Kosmos)
- Build six mechanical models of the types of arms, grabber claws and legs found on robotic machines. Explore mechanical engineering principles firsthand as you assemble and play with the working models.
- The robotic arms use a pneumatic system, which uses air pressure to activate the models. Pump air and flick the switch to operate the model.
- Construct a pivoting robotic laboratory arm with gripper claw or build a vertical three-fingered claw that can lift a cup off the table!
- Learn how pneumatic and hydraulic systems are used in industrial robots to enable the robots to manipulate heavy objects such as automobile components.
- Age: 7-14
- MSRP: $59.95
- Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
3Doodler Start Robotics Pen Set (WobbleWorks)
- The perfect toy set for your budding roboticist and engineer!
- With the 3Doodler Start Robotics pen set you can build the future. Create simple robots, vibrating robot walkers, two legged, four-legged and six-legged walking or crawling robots!
- Includes: Special edition 3Doodler Start 3D Printing Pen, a motor and battery pack, themed activity guide (with over 12 projects), themed DoodleBlocks, Doodle Sheets and Eco-Plastic packs.
- The motor and battery pack is also available for purchase separately.
- Ages: 10+
- Canada: $97.99 (Kit without pen: $34.99)
- Available: Barnes and Noble
- LEGO BOOST is a supercharged building and coding set that lets kids bring their LEGO creations to life by adding sound, movement, and personality.
- Powered by a Move Hub, a LEGO stud-covered brick upon which children can add LEGO elements, motors and a sensor that combines color and distance detection, LEGO BOOST brings movement to any LEGO creation.
- The LEGO BOOST set includes instructions for five diverse models: Vernie The Robot, Frankie The Cat, the Guitar 4000, the Multi-Tool Rover 4 (M.T.R.4), and the Autobuilder, each designed to give children the basic skills to express their creativity by personalizing whatever they build.
- Ages: 7-12
- Canada: $199.99
- Available: shop.lego.com and LEGO brand retail stores
- When Tech meets DIY, the result is instant fashion and endless creativity! Digiloom is a unique app-controlled weaving machine that lets creative tweens turn fashion bands into custom bracelets, anklets, headbands, bookmarks and more.
- Using the Digiloom App, drag and drop letters, emojis and icons to create your own unique fashion statements. Next, weave your creations with the help of the Digiloom Machine .
- Age: 8+
- MSRP: $59.99
- Available: Michael’s Exclusive
Smart Drive Mustang (Fisher-Price)
- The latest Power Wheels® Mustang features a new revolutionary drive system: Smart Drive™, which provides kids an even more exciting and realistic driving experience with enhanced performance and awesome new features, including additional safety measures to give parents even more peace of mind.
- Features a new super sound speaker system that is synched to the driving for real car sounds, activated through the foot pedal.
- The new touchscreen display features a 5-speed parent controlled speed setting (5 mph max. forward, 2.5 mph max reverse), battery indicator, and alerts for stability and dynamic traction control. Through the touchscreen, kids can also control the super sound speaker system volume and switch back and forth from vehicle sounds to MP3 mode when the vehicle is connected to an MP3 player through the jack.
- The Smart Drive™ system also features smooth start technology in low speed modes for beginner drivers.
- Includes 12-volt battery and charger
- Age: 3+
- Canada: MSRP $448
- Available: at Walmart, Sears, Amazon
