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. This week, the toys include fun for the young creator in your life.
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.
This week, the toys include fun for the young creator in your life.
Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer of The Toy Insider, gives NBC 5’s Laura Harris a list of the hottest toys of the 2020 holiday season for every budget. This week, the toys include fun for the young creator in your life.
TROLLS WORLD TOUR DJ TROLLEX MIXER (EKIDS)
Courtesy: The Toy Insider
- Kids use the free-spinning turntable to scratch while they mix their Trolls-inspired jams.
- Use the microphone to sing along or record custom voice tracks to make music mixes.
- Interactive lights glow as kids spin, scratch, and drop the beat!
- Kids can record their performances or plug in their MP3 player to jam along to their favorite songs!
- Push the “Drop Beat” button to initiate a build-up of music that ends with a heavy bassline beat.
- Choose from several beat rhythms, musical loops, sound effects, and character’s voices to edit and mix custom creations.
- Volume and Tempo sliders allow kids to raise and lower the sound and speed.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $39.99
- Available: Target, Amazon
KIDIZOOM CREATOR CAM (VTECH)
Courtesy: The Toy Insider
- Kids can create awesome videos with this high-definition video camera kit.
- Use the included green screen and 20+ animated backgrounds to get chased by a T-Rex, go to outer space, or to totally disappear!
- Set up the shot with the tabletop tripod that doubles as a selfie stick and built-in microphone. Then use the easy on-screen editing and included green screen to create trick shots and time-lapse videos.
- Video can only be uploaded via included USB cable at parent's discretion.
- Camera has a microSD card slot to increase storage up to 32 GB (card not included).
- Ages: 5+
- MSRP: $59.99
- Available: Major retailers
INSTA STUDIO HANDS-FREE VIDEO STATION (WECOOL)
Courtesy The Toy Insider
- This set has everything kids need to shoot their very own viral videos!
- Equipped with an adjustable base and rotating head to shoot at the best angle possible, this device allows kids of all ages to shoot viral videos hands free.
- Kids can use their Insta Studio to shoot all types of videos, including cooking, crafting, and sliming.
- Includes fun and trendy backgrounds, mixing tools, various slimy compounds, and sparkly mix-ins!
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $19.99
- Available: Target, Michael's, Meijer
RYAN’S WORLD MYSTERY SPY VAULT (JUST PLAY)
Courtesy: The Toy Insider
- Kids can use the key to unlock the vault and discover Ryan’s World-inspired surprises inside, such as articulated figs, build-your-own vehicles, spy gear, and more!
- Discover three new ways to solve and decode all of the amazing surprises inside!
- Reveal your Spy Crew with Box 1.
- Each box includes two surprise figs and accessories, one surprise fig stand, a UV decoder pen, and a coin. Use the coin to scratch and reveal the secret image on Box 2.
- Open Box 2 to find a buildable spy vehicle.
- Box 3 includes hidden instructions for two of four possible build-your-own Spy Vehicles that kids will receive and a build-it brick Spy Combo Panda.
- Includes a bonus key to unlock the hidden compartment revealing a working spy watch!
- Ages 3+
- MSRP $39.99
- Available: Walmart, Amazon, Target
JIXELZ CREATOR (FAT BRAIN TOYS)
Courtesy The Toy Insider
- Kids can become pixel-art pros with the creative power of Jixelz!
- Features 3,000 precision-cut micro jigsaw pieces in 20 different colors to open young minds up to truly endless design-and-build possibilities.
- Start with the included book of 40 fun, funny, and fascinating design templates featuring characters, creatures, and more.
- Draw designs with the pre-jixelated graph paper — just color in the squares and then combine the Jixelz to match the design.
- When kids really get the hang of Jixelz, they can build freely and let the creativity flow from their mind to their hands to the Jixels!
- Jixelz hold together strong — no ironing needed!
- Fully compatible with all other Jixelz sets.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $39.95
- Available: Fat Brain Toys; Amazon
LAMAZE 3-IN-1 AIRTIVITY CENTER (TOMY)
Courtesy The Toy Insider
- This activity center is designed to keep babies exploring and developing starting around 6 months and up to 3 years.
- The Airtivity Center begins as a floor toy, and babies can feel the air blowing on the top of this unique activity center. As kids grow, insert the legs to turn the Airtivity Center into an activity table. Hit the bubbles at the right time and get rewarded with fun lights, music and surprise ocean sounds. There’s even a pocket to store the sea creatures.
- Features include floating seaweed waves, a spinning star fish, a fish bowl button, and sea creatures that magically swim around the table — all powered by air.
- Ages: 6 MOS+
- MSRP: $69.99
- Available: Target
UP, IN & OVER ENERGETIC ELEPHANT BOUNCER (BESTWAY)
Courtesy The Toy Insider
- Jump time is extra fun as the elephant’s ears move with each bounce!
- Easily inflates and deflates in three minutes at the touch of a button.
- Features mesh sidewalls for parents to keep an eye on kids as they bounce the day away and fun elephant graphics.
- Great for indoor and outdoor use.
- Weight capacity: 121 lbs.
- Size: 6 feet, 8 inches by 5 feet, 1 inch by 53 inches
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $59.97
- Walmart
SENSORY FIDGET TUBES (HAND2MIND)
Courtesy The Toy Insider
- This set includes four colorful sensory tubes.
- Includes one calming glitter tube, one fantastic fidget tube, one magical reverse hourglass, and one soothing gravity spinner.
- These securely sealed, easy-to-grip bottles offer fascinating movement patterns and provide an option for children learning how to manage their emotions, focus their attention and practice quiet, calm engagement.
- Includes a ‘Getting Started Guide’ with four calming activities.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $29.99
- Available: Amazon, hand2mind.com
LASER X REVOLUTION (NSI INTERNATIONAL)
Coyrtesy The Toy Insider
- Kids can blast opponents that are up to 300 feet away and strategically bounce blast beams off of walls or mirrors and through windows.
- Advanced sensors know when players are blasting, being hit, running or hiding, and an interactive voice “coach” uses this information to offer tips and tricks throughout the game.
- Use at nighttime or in daylight!
- Quick-slide reload keeps the action going.
- Choose from more than 20 team colors with the color change dial.
- All Laser X gear works together, so whatever blaster a player has, they can turn it on and join the fun.
- Requires six AAA batteries.
- Ages: 6+
- MSRP: $39.99
- Available: Kohls, Scheels, Target; 4-Blaster Set with batteries Costco (exclusive - higher MSRP)
NCAA 6V PLUSH RIDE-ON LINE (DYNACRAFT)
Courtesy The Toy Insider
- Kids can listen to their favorite NCAA football team's fight song while reaching speeds of up to 2.5 MPH on these plush ride-on toys.
- The soft plush material and the easy-to-operate foot pedal make it a safe and fun ride.
- Kids can ride indoors or outdoors, which means parents don't have to choose between enjoying the game from their living room or tailgating outside!
- Included styles are The University of Georgia, Louisiana State University, Auburn University, The University of Alabama, and Arkansas State University.
- Each style features the team mascot animal wearing a team jersey, decorated with the school name and the number 1.
- Ages: 3+
- MSRP: $179
- Available: Walmart (exclusive)
