Toy Insider Senior Editor/Toy Book Editor-in-Chief James Zahn joined Scripps News to talk about hot holiday toys that won’t burn a hole in your wallet this holiday season. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below. For a complete rundown of the year’s hottest holiday toys, be sure to check out the Toy Insider’s 2026 Holiday Gift Guide.
BUTTERLUVS
These buttery soft plushies are snuggle-ready and come in kids’ favorite animals: bunnies, monkeys, bears, and capybaras. Available in three sizes: 4.5 inches, 6 inches, and 8 inches.
Buy Now
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS QUESTERS
Dungeons & Dragons goes beyond the tabletop with these figures that encourage imaginative, fantasy-inspired play. Collect buildable figures, 1.75-inch mystery creatures, and more.
Buy Now
SLIMYGLOOP GELLI GELS
These fidget toys are filled with slow-flowing glitter gel, so kids, teens, and adults can stretch, squeeze, and watch the gel reform after each pull. New themes include KPop Demon Hunters, Pudgy Penguins, Minecraft, and more
Buy Now
STARBOX NOOK NOOKS SERIES 1 BY STARBOX
Kids can unbox a surprise creature that comes snuggled inside an LED-lit mini home. Discover a bunny that lives in a retro TV, a penguin that sleeps in the fridge, and more.
Buy Now
RUMP RACE
Players race by bouncing on the manual pumps with their rumps to pop their balloon before their opponent does. The game adapts for different play styles and challenges.
Buy Now
