It’s no secret the holidays will look different this year, and it’s more of a reason to have a plan in place for holiday shopping. Shipping is expected to take longer, and some products will be in limited supply because of interruptions in the supply chain during the coronavirus pandemic.
Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer of The Toy Insider, gives us a list of the hottest toys of the 2020 holiday season for every budget.
Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer of The Toy Insider, gives us a list of the hottest toys of the 2020 holiday season for every budget.
BARBIE COLOR REVEAL SLUMBER PARTY FUN (MATTEL)
The Toy Insider
- Kids reveal multiple layers of surprises, including a Barbie Color Reveal tube and more than 30 mystery boxes.
- Features a Color Reveal Barbie doll, a Color Reveal Chelsea doll, and three Color Reveal Pets.
- Includes a long-haired wig, pajamas, sleeping bags, snacks, pet accessories, and more to play out slumber party fun.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $49.99
BLUE’S CLUES & YOU! DANCE-ALONG BLUE PLUSH (JUST PLAY)
The Toy Insider
- Kids will love to play and dance along with the Blue’s Clues & You! Dance-Along Blue Plush.
- This adorable plush includes Josh’s iconic Handy Dandy Guitar as a controller.
- Press the paw print button on the guitar for sounds and motion. The music note button will play the Blue’s Clues & You! theme song and start the dance!
- Blue dances along to the music, moving her head and lifting her ears and paw up and down.
- She even wiggles her bottom from side to side!
- Press the guitar strings while she’s dancing to speed up or slow down Blue’s dancing!
- Ages 3+,
- MSRP $49.99
- Available: Walmart, Amazon, Target
MEALTIME MAGIC (SPIN MASTER)
The Toy Insider
- Mia really recognizes and reacts to the foods that kids feed her, with more than 70 sounds and phrases.
- When she’s hungry, she’ll call out!
- Using her special light-up smart spoon and double-sided food tray, there are 10 different foods to mix and match. Discover Mia’s lifelike reactions as she recognizes and recalls over 50 food combinations.
- Choose from strawberries, lemon, peas, carrots, and more.
- Like a real baby, Mia opens her mouth to say “ahh” when she’s ready to eat. Bring the spoon to her mouth and watch as she reacts!
- Over time, learn Mia’s favorite foods as she asks for them more and more.
- Feed Mia too much, and she can get a little fussy. Gently pat her on the back to burp her!
- After mealtime comes playtime. Tickle Mia’s chest for sweet giggles or bounce her back and forth as she smiles with excitement. If she’s feeling extra playful, she’ll even blow a raspberry.
- Mia’s interactive 2-in-1 accessory doubles as a bottle and pacifier. Feed her with her bottle and rock her to sleep. Remove the top of the bottle for it to become a pacifier to soothe Mia as she falls asleep.
- Gently place a hand on her chest to hear her heartbeat.
- Ages: 3+
- Available: Major retailers
- MSRP: $59.99
NANOTOPIA (HEXBUG)
The Toy Insider
- Assemble the ultimate nano Flash habitat with HEXBUG nanotopia!
- With tons of snap-together track pieces and obstacles, there has never been a more vibrant play set to let nanos loose in.
- The set comes with three newly designed nano Flash that move at twice the speed of regular nanos and light up when in motion.
- Includes three merry-go-round obstacles and four additional HEXBUG nanos.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $49.99
- Available: hexbug.com
SQUEAKEE THE BALLOON DOG (MOOSE TOYS)
The Toy Insider
- Squeakee, the newest youth electronic offering from Moose Toys, is an interactive balloon pet that’s part dog, part balloon, and your new best friend!
- Features more than 60 sounds and movements and multiple touch sensors.
- Play with Squeakee, feed him, and train Squeakee with his ball – he listens and responds to your voice! With both dog and balloon features, Squeakee captures the magical and humorous moments of balloon animals.
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $59.99
- Available: Oct. 1 at major retailers
ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS FOR NINTENDO SWITCH (NINTENDO)
The Toy Insider
- Enjoy a variety of relaxing activities like gardening, fishing, decorating, interacting with charming characters and more, as classic Animal Crossing experiences come to life in fun new ways within the deserted-island setting.
- Customize your character and home, and decorate the landscape (with furniture, if you like!), as you create your very own island paradise.
- Experience a robust crafting system – collect materials to construct everything from furniture to tools!
- Ages: E for everyone
- MSRP: $59.99
- Available: now at major retailers
INCOHEARANT FAMILY (WHAT DO YOU MEME)
The Toy Insider
- OH WEM SHE (OMG), the best-selling game where players compete to guess the gibberish is now available for families!
- The first player to decode 10 Incohearent phrases wins the game.
- Ages: 12+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Amazon, Target, Walmart
WHO’S THE G.O.A.T.? (BIG G CREATIVE)
The Toy Insider
- This hilarious party game is one part prediction, one part competition, and all parts fun.
- Players pick who they think will be the best at a variety of off-the-wall challenges, then vote by tossing their squishy goat.
- Score a tin can by voting for the player who did the challenge the best, and the G.O.A.T. scores a tin can for being great!
- 20-minute gameplay
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $24.99
- Available: Target
APOLLO- A GAME INSPIRED BY THE NASA MOON MISSIONS (BUFFALO GAMES)
The Toy Insider
- Families work together in this cooperative strategy game to get to the moon and back.
- One player acts as the Mission Control and informs the other players, who play as astronauts, to aid decision-making and resolve crises on the ground.
- Astronauts roll dice in order to resolve flight stages, repair systems, and complete experiments in order.
- Information in the game is based on real mission data from NASA’s Apollo and Gemini missions.
- 2-5 players
- 60 minutes play time
- Ages: 12+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Target (exclusive)
DRONE HOME (PLAYMONSTER)
The Toy Insider
- Kids launch aliens down the ramps, racing to land inside the drone so they can fly home!
- Watch out! There’s a delay once the alien makes it in, so others can knock it out.
- Get one step closer to winning when the alien stays in the drone when it lifts off.
- Be the first to get rid of all of the aliens to make it in!
- It’s fast-paced fun for the whole family and it’s the first game to include a real, flying drone.
- Requires batteries, not included.
- Ages: 8+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Target, Walmart, Amazon
