The holiday season is fast-approaching, and this year we might be looking forward to days filled with joy and gift-giving more than ever.
Little kids can often be some of the hardest people on your list to shop for — there is always a new toy or gadget that you likely haven't heard of yet, and it might already be off the shelves by the time they actually tell you what they really want. Even if the little ones in your life haven't started curating their wish list just yet, we've got the inside scoop on all of the hottest toys of the season.
Laurie Schacht, chief toy officer at The Toy Insider, joined Hoda and Jenna to share some of the toys that should be on your radar this year, no matter what age group you might need to shop for. From interactive dolls to fun games that the whole family can get in on, there's a pick for every kind of toddler, gradeschooler or tween.
Read on for the full list of toys that will be sure to bring a smile to their faces when they peel back the wrapping paper in a few short months.
Hottest toys of 2020
1. Mealtime Magic Mia
Mealtime Magic Mia and Maya are two lifelike feeding dolls that recognize and react to the foods you feed her — and when she's hungry, she'll call out to you. She can recall over 50 food combinations using over 70 sounds and phrases and after she's been fed, she's ready to play! Kids will love seeing her silly reactions during playtime and can soothe her to sleep once playtime is over.
2. Kidizoom Creator Cam
The digital age is here, and this digital camera can help any digital savvy teen get creative with more the included green screen and more than 20 animated backgrounds, including one that shows them in outer space (or getting chased by a T-Rex). The camera also comes with a tabletop tripod, built-in microphone and on-screen editing tools that make creating content easier.
3. WowWee Power Treads
Little ones can design and customize their own ASV in a matter of minutes and then build fun trails and tracks for them to flip, roam and rip on throughout your home. They can create more than 1,000 courses and add objects and obstacles to make their vehicles perform stunts and tricks.
4. We Cool Insta Studio
For kids ages six and up, this studio set includes everything they'll need to start shooting their own viral videos at home. It includes an adjustable base and rotating head, as well as a mix of tools, trendy backgrounds, sparkly mix-ins and more.
5. Tamagotchi On Lavender Wonder Garden
This vintage toy has gotten a serious upgrade! Perfect for younger kids, this new version of the Tamagotchi is equipped with millions of different characters that they can play with and fit in their pocket when they are done. In this special edition, Wonder Garden, kids can play games in "their town" including a library and a dressmaker, all without internet access.
6. LEGO Adventures with Mario Starter Course
Much like the Mario behind a video game screen, this LEGO Mario figure can respond during playtime using expressive responses through an LCD screen and speaker. Younger kids will love collecting virtual coins and entering battle with classic characters like Bowser Jr. while also having the opportunity for "advance play" through the corresponding Super Mario app.
7. Crayola Paper Flower Science Kit
This science kit makes learning fun, thanks to cool experiments that are required to bring these flowers to life. The laws of physics help the colorful flowers to bloom right before their eyes, incorporating the use of water "wicking" in order to pull off the final look. They'll love getting to see the flowers change shape and color, over and over again, in the process.
8. Real Cooking Chocolate Pen
With just the touch of a button, the Chocolate Pen dispenses liquid chocolate that younger kids can use to write, mold and decorate with. The Pen makes it easy to add finishing, delicious touches to fruit, cupcakes, cookies and more in a matter of minutes and includes everything they'll need to make it happen: a pen tip, warming tray, four tasty colors, a stirring stick, 40 mold designs and more.
9. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen
With more than 30 removable pieces and 125 interactive sounds, songs and phrases, this playset includes three levels of learning content that will keep them occupied on days spent inside. Little ones 18 months and up will learn about letters and shapes while finding objects, preparing food, planting fruits and can even sing along once they reach the third level.
10. Stick-O Forest Friends
This toy set allows their imagination to come to life as they play with an elephant, duck, caterpillar, bunny and more. The 16-piece set will introduce them to new animal friends as they build and explore with the creatures of the forest.
11. Zing Go Go Bird
Somewhere between a remote control and a drone lies this Go Go Bird from Zing. It looks, acts and flies like a bird using AI technology and can even fly up to 100 feet in the air outside, but is also safe to fly inside your home. Recommended for kids ages eight and up, they'll have fun learning to pilot their new feathery friend.
12. Pizza Party Throwdown Game
This new game allows the whole family to get in on the fun, launching all players involved into a 30-second tossing game that reaches up to three levels of difficulty. Players use the launchpad to get their pizza toppings onto the spinning pizza pie before it finishes "baking," which is determined by the built-in timer. Get ready for fun that won't be cheesy!
Other hot toys this season
1. Squeakee the Balloon Dog
New this year is Squeakee the Balloon Dog, which looks just like a ballon animal but is much more interactive. Squeakee responds to your voice and can move and sound just like a real balloon dog. He comes with plenty of accessories that little ones will love using to interact and play with; they can feed him from a bottle or use his squeaker toy to get him excited to play. They best part? He'll never pop or deflate, no matter how much you play with him.
2. Blue's Clue's & You! Dance-Along Blue Plush
Everyone's favorite blue dog can now dance! She'll move from side to side as her ears go up and down to the song, and kids will love getting to sing along too. The interactive toy also includes Josh's signature guitar, which acts as Blue's controller.
3. LeapFrog Blues Clues and You! Play and Learn Thinking Chair
This interactive chair includes fun clues from Josh and Blue to help little ones figure out what Blue wants. The light-up buttons on the arms of the chair will reveal clues, colors, numbers and more, and the fun continues with Mailbox with a letter from Blue and Magenta that encourages more imaginary play.
4. PlayMonster Snap Ships Sabre X-23 Interceptor
For a fun, versatile building game, this set for Sabre is armed as the main fighting ship against the Komplex. Kids ages eight and up will enjoy getting to build and assemble each piece and then engage in battle that's as intense as it is fun.
5. PlayMonster Drone Home
This fast-paced, interactive game will have every player on their toes. Aliens will launch down ramps and race to land inside the drone, but delays can allow for other aliens to knock yours out! The goal is to get rid of all of your aliens first so they can fly home in a real, flying drone.
6. Bluey Family Home Playset
Based off of the hit TV show Bluey, this playset features four rooms from Bluey's home and one Bluey figure that younger kids can use to play and pretend to recreate scenes from their favorite episodes of the TV show, and create new adventures of their own.
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