Looking for the holiday’s hottest toys? Toy Insider Associate Editor Maddie Michalik stopped by CTV’s “Your Morning” to show off the best toys and gifts for everyone on your holiday shopping list. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best toys of the holiday season, be sure to check our complete Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide.
- Pomsies are loveable, fashionable, interactive plush pets kids can wear and take anywhere!
- Inspired by the pom-pom fashion trend, each Pomsies pet has a soft, cuddly fur face and a tail that kids can wrap around their wrist, hair, backpack, clothing and more.
- They are the ultimate accessory!
- Pomsies are interactive with two modes of play: Virtual Pet Mode and Freeze Dance Mode.
- Pomsies will tell kids when they are happy, sleepy, or hungry with eyes that light up in different colors and adorable sounds.
- Each Pomsie has up to 50 different reactions with sounds only kids can make happen.
- Your favorite Pomsies are also now available in miniature size!
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $19.99 CAD
- Available: Toys “R” Us Canada, Walmart, Amazon
POMSIE POOS (SKYROCKET)
- Pomsie Poos are ultra-cute, smaller-sized Pomsies plush without the electronic features but still have the long wraparound tail to take and wear anywhere.
- A heart-shaped clasp also attaches to backpacks, clothing, and more.
- Pomsie Poos are highly collectible with more than 12 adorable animal characters to collect in the first waves, including cats, dogs, pandas, foxes, koalas, bats, raccoons, and more.
- Ages: 4+
- MSRP: $6.99 CAD
- Available: Toys “R” Us Canada, Walmart, Amazon
HARRY POTTER WIZARD TRAINING WANDS (JAKKS PACIFIC)
- Kids can now train like a wizard with the Harry Potter Wizard Training Wands.
- There are 11 different spells for kids to learn and master using the included spell training guide.
- The wand recognizes movement to know when kids have cast their spells. The wand provides sound feedback that the spells have been cast correctly.
- Each wand includes five modes of play: two modes of standalone play and three modes to play with a friend. The light-up button allows them to select which mode to play.
- The assortment includes Harry Potter’s wand, Albus Dumbledore’s wand (i.e. The Elder Wand), and Lord Voldemort’s wand.
- Age: 8+
- MSRP: $39.99 CAD
- Available: Amazon Canada
LEGO CREATOR PIRATE ROLLER COASTER (LEGO)
- Hold tight and prepare to scream as you set out on a Lego Creator three-in-one Pirate Roller Coaster adventure.
- Set features a functional roller coaster with pirate-themed props, including a sunken galleon, skull archway, palm tree, and an octopus.
- The working carriages are shark-themed and the ride’s main drop has a water splash feature and a cannon that fires water elements.
- Other features include a ticket booth and a balloon stand.
- This set can be rebuilt for further Lego fairground adventures aboard The Skull Ride or The Ship Ride.
- Comes with four minifigures ready for the fun of the fairground, plus a skeleton figure.
- Age: 9+
- MSRP: $87.98 CAD
- Available: Amazon
FURREAL RICKY THE TRICK-LOVIN’ PUP PET (HASBRO)
- Kids can help this clever pup to do fun tricks, from flipping his bone, to shaking “paws,” and even shuffling eagerly for more!
- Feed him treats to reward him for his tricks, or pet his back for a job well done, but be careful…he might need a bathroom break!
- This adorable pup responds to sound and touch with more than 100 sound and motion combinations and features sensors on his cheeks, nose, mouth, paw, and back, making interactions with this talented pup awesome!
- After a day full of fun, Ricky loves to cuddle and give great doggie licks. His poseable legs make him the perfect pup for endless snuggles!
- Includes a bone accessory, 18 doggie treats, and a treat pouch.
- Age: 4+
- MSRP: $159.99 CAD
- Available: Major retailers
WHAT’S THAT SMELL (WOWWEE)
- It’s the party game that stinks! What’s That Smell? is the hilariously fragrant new guessing game that will throw your sense of smell into overdrive.
- Guess the scents correctly to outrank your competition or suffer the stinky consequences of the Whiff of Shame!
- The game includes 48 Mystery Whiff Cards and four Stank Cards and scent-barrier bags.
- The winner—aka “Nose-it-All”—gets to pick a player of their choice to suffer the Whiff of Shame: Three Big Whiffs of one of the four outrageously stinky Stank Cards including: Extra Old Toe Cheese, Diaper Blowout, Hot Chunky Vomit, or Smothered in B.O.!
- For added fun, capture the loser’s recoiling face in super slow motion using the ReekCam available in the free What’s That Smell app!
- Ages: 14+
- MSRP: $24.99 CAD
- Available: Amazon
SCULPTAPALOOZA (EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS)
- Ready? Set? Sculpt! Arts & crafts meet game night in this fast-paced, hands-on party game!
- Two teams take turns drawing cards and using squishy, squashy Playfoam to sculpt what they see.
- But hold on tight! You might have to sculpt with your eyes closed, use your sculpture as a charades prop, or tag team with another player. Guess what your team sculpted before time runs out to score a point. The first team to earn 20 points wins the game!
- Age: 10+
- MSRP: $21.99 CAD
- Available: Amazon
- Who will reign supreme in the ultimate snack eating competition?
- The hilarious CHOW CROWN game puts a fun twist on viral food eating challenges!
- To play, kids can load the six hanging forks with various food items of your choosing.
- Place the spinning crown on your head, and try to eat as many snacks as possible before the music stops to keep your crown!
- The Chow Crown game can be played solo or in a head-to-head tournament.
- The game includes electronic crown, six plastic forks, and instructions.
- Food not included.
- Adult assembly and supervision required.
- Ages: 8+
- $24.99 CAD
- Available: Walmart, Toys “R” Us Canada, Amazon
- Yeti, Set, Go! is a follow-up to PlayMonster’s award-winning Yeti in My Spaghetti! It takes the yeti theme to a whole new level, as this game features four different Yetis with four unique personalities!
- There’s big, all-play action in Yeti, Set, Go! as Yetis are kicking meatballs onto a snowy mountain!
- Players make their Yeti kick the balls by boppin’ them on the head over and over and over! Skill comes in to play, too, because players can aim their Yetis by swiveling them back and forth. So, meatballs are flying all over, as players try to get them to land on all of the ledges in their side of the mountain!
- It’s a fun, fast-paced, action-packed game.
- Age: 4+
- MSRP: $24.99 CAD
- Available: Walmart
POLLY POCKET TINY POCKET WORLD ASSORTMENT (MATTEL)
- Each compact Pocket World opens to reveal a fun theme with unexpected surprises, micro dolls, and accessories and is small enough to take anywhere for great Polly Pocket adventures.
- Choose from Cake-tastrophe with micro Polly and Shani dolls plus scooter and microphone, Flamingo Floatie with micro Polly and Lila dolls plus flamingo and swan floaties, and Snowmazing Surprise with micro Polly and Shani dolls plus snowboard and sled.
- Age: 4+
- MSRP: $19.99 CAD
- Available: Walmart, Amazon, Toys “R” Us
POWER ACTION PIKACHU (WICKED COOL TOYS)
- Cuddly and innovative Power Action Pikachu reacts to motion, lights up, has sound effects, speaks, and has a light-up tail!
- Engage with Pikachu by squeezing its hands to either see its tail and cheeks light up or for sound effects and to hear Pikachu speak!
- Innovative sensor technology gives Power Action Pikachu unique interactivity; the more you play and engage with Pikachu, the more varied and dynamic its responses become.
- Hear Pikachu say “Pika-chuuuuu!” when thrown into battle mode or hear a response with a sad “Pikaaa” when it does.
- Ages: 4+
- Available: Walmart, Target, Amazon
- Canada: CAD $49.99
SNES CLASSIC: SUPER NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM (NINTENDO)
- The Super NES Classic Edition system has the original look and feel of the ’90s home console, only smaller. Plus, this one comes fully loaded with 21 games!
- Get your hands on some of the best 2-player games of the era, including Super Mario Kart and Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting.
- The Super NES Classic Edition is compatible with the Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro accessories. Just plug it in and play
- From your first ride on Yoshi to the final heart-pounding escape from Planet Zebes, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System is pure 16-bit retro gaming perfection.
- MSRP: $99.99 CAD
- Available: Walmart
- Brace yourself to be plunged back in time to an era of adrenaline pumping, old school fun with Arcade 1Up as it brings iconic gaming back to you.
- Whether you are a retro junkie or curious to check out the hype – this is the perfect way to enjoy arcade play within your home, dorm room or office.
- Arcade 1Up arcades are available in multiple exciting versions, the just under 4-ft tall cabinets include commercial grade construction and coinless operation.
- Available in: Rampage, Street Fighter II, Asteroids, and Centipede.
- All the machines feature original artwork of all-time iconic games.
- With immersive full-color hi-res displays and sounds, and combined with original joystick and control buttons setup, you are looking at endless hours of gaming!
- Features upgraded 17″ color LCD screen, adjustable volume, on-screen game selection menu, and plugs into an AC outlet.
- Available at: Walmart Canada and Bed Bath & Beyond Canada
- Canadian MSRP: $399.99
