Are you wondering what will be the hottest new holiday toy trends of 2020? I found the answers at Toy Insider’s Holiday of Play. The event, usually held in New York City, was hosted virtually this year through an interactive website and Zoom meetings. If you’re wondering what to purchase for relatives or friends’ kids, here’s the scoop.
Holiday of Play 2020
We divided the toy picks into 2 categories; ages 3 and up, and ages 7 and up.
Ages 3 and Up:
Trinity and Beyond Custom Buildable Mini Figure Blind Bag– This set of 12 collectible figurines are based on Trinity and Madison, the Youtube stars behind the videos Trinity & Beyond. There are 6 figures of Madison, including Splash Time, Superhero, Cowgirl, Flutter-by, Musical, and Baker. Trinity has 6 of her own designs; Goal-time, Princess, Mermaid, Kitty-cat, Ballet, and Unicorn. Each of the figures, sold separately, includes a charm. We have the Ballet Trinity and Princess Trinity. The pieces can be mixed and matched to design your own unique Trinity figure.
For ages 3+ and from Bonkers Toys, these toys retail for $3.99 each.
5 SURPRISE– is for anyone who enjoys miniature collectibles. Each toy gives you 5 small collectibles you can unbox in every ball of fun and are available in several styles, Mini Brands, Mini Brands 2, Dino Strike Glow in the Dark, Unicorn Squad, and Mini Brands Toys. The Mini Brands are small replicas of your favorite brands, like Clorox, Velveeta, or Breyer’s Ice Cream, and would make a great addition to a dollhouse or dream house. Mini Brand toys contain miniatures of favorite brands like Crayola, while Dino Strike has 13 dinosaurs, and Unicorn Strike has 13 unicorns. Surprises are labeled as common or rare and a collector’s checklist is included.
By Zuru and labeled for 3+, the 5 SURPRISE balls retail for around $6.99.
Oosh Hairy Slime– Kids can discover all the fun of stretchy slime, except with a twist. This slime, available in three colors, hairy green, hairy blue, and hairy red, is non-toxic. And, if you’ve ever tried to remove slime from furniture, clothes, or pets, you’ll be glad to know that this is non-sticky. Once kids have opened the slime they will find extra goodies inside. Stretch the slime to find “insects” and tiny hairs. Our green version was filled with spiders, but other colors include cockroaches or flies. Squeezing slime is a good way to develop fine-motor coordination too!
Designed for ages 4 and up, Zuru Oosh Hairy Slime retails for around $5.
Color by Playfoam– Want to encourage creativity, imagination, and fine motor skills? This adorable set from Educational Insights allows kids to “Create a Squishy Work of Art” from Playfoam, a non-toxic dough that never dries out. The Color by Playfoam comes in two sets; a Unicorn and a Dragon. Each set includes 5 colors of Playfoam, a squisher tool, a display base, and a creation canvas. Kids can make the dragon or unicorn but are only limited by their imagination on what they design!
Designed for ages 5-10, Color by Playfoam retails for $7.99.
Crayola Glitter Dots Keychains Craft Kit– This award-winning toy allows kids to design 3 keychains without as much of the mess as using traditional glitter. Each set includes 42 glitter dots, 3 Keychains & Lids, 20 Beads, 3 Clasps & String, 1 Clay Tool, and an Instruction Sheet. Our keychains came in the designs of a cat, a llama, and a Narwhale. The set is easy to use. Just press the glitter dots into the area you want to add them to open. Add the beads and string to make your own unique keychain. Once you’ve finished, use the extra dots to pick up excess glitter.
For ages 5+, this set retails for $9.99.
Disney Doorables– In Series 4 of this adorable toy from Disney, you’ll find a series of doors that can be pulled open to reveal one (or more!) of the 62 characters from the following Disney series or movies; Mickey & Friends, Tangled, Cinderella, Finding Nemo, Lilo and Stitch, The Lion King, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, and Frozen. Each package has 5 to 7 characters. The figurines are approximately 1 1/2 inches tall, feature carefully added details, and all have sparkling, glitter eyes.
For ages 5 and up, these sets retail for around $10.97 each.
Hatchimals Pixie Riders– Hatchimals fans will love the new Hatchimals Pixies. Hatch the heart to discover one of these 10 new friends; a Pixie with fluttery wings, poseable heads, and poseable legs. Open the box to reveal an enhanced castle and find a glider-one of the animals the Pixie can ride. Included in the Pixies set is “necklaces and tiaras for the Pixie and Glider, a display stand and an exclusive Hatchtopia Life code to use in the free app (compatible on iOS and Android devices).” These new friends are compact enough to carry anywhere!
The Hatchimals Pixie Riders are from Spin Master, designed for ages 5+ and retail for $14.99.
For Ages 7 and Up
Exploding Kittens Card Game Original Edition– I was a little leery of this game as I am a crazy cat lady, but I need not have worried. Instead, it’s a fast card game, at around 15 minutes per game, and designed for 2 to 7 players. Described as “kind of like UNO, but with cats” and a game for “people who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats,” players simply place the cards on the table and draw from them. Then, try to avoid exploding kitten cards. If a player draws one of these, he “explodes” and is out of the game. That is, unless he has a “defuse” card that will tame the kitten with catnip, yoga, or laser pointers.
This card game retails for $19.99 and is developed for ages 7 and up.
Relative Insanity See What I Mean? Game– This game is the brainchild of Jeff Foxworthy, known for his “You Might Be a Redneck” fame. The premise behind the game is that we all know relatives can sometimes drive us crazy, but why not laugh about it instead? This game is perfect for parties as it can be used with 4 to 12 players. How to play? Here’s a simplified explanation. One person-the judge-places a picture on the table and rolls the dice. Other players will use their answer cards to provide a response. The judge chooses the funniest answer and the game continues with the winner becoming the new judge. The pictures are hilarious and the answers are never the same. It’s good clean family (or friend) fun.
From Play Monster, this game is developed for ages 14 and up, and retails for $19.99.
Do you have someone on your Christmas list that would enjoy some of these toys?
