Toikido, Chuck E. Cheese Team Up to Bring Kids Fun In-Game, In-Store ‘Piñata Smashlings’ Experiences

Toikido and Chuck E. Cheese are bringing an immersive Piñata Smashlings experience to young fans through a new partnership.

The three-month campaign begins in Oct. and runs until the end of the year at participating Chuck E. Cheese fun centers across the U.S. and Canada. The promotion will feature special events, including sampling weekends and a chance for fans to design their own Piñata Smashlings character. Kids can also collect the Chuck E. Cheese characters exclusively within the new Piñata Smashlings Roblox game, developed by Toikido and Supersocial, a U.S.-based developer and publisher of metaverse games and experiences.

The new collaboration will enable players of Piñata Smashlings worldwide to engage digitally with the Chuck E. Cheese characters as Smashlings in game, and in their first appearance in the metaverse. The partnership also includes physical in-store activities, in-store digital signage, prizes, and two product sampling weekends across participating Chuck E. Cheese locations over Oct. 21 and 22 and Nov. 11 and 12. 

Players worldwide can engage digitally with the Chuck E. Cheese characters as Smashlings in the game. | Source: Toikido

Guests in Los Angeles at a Chuck E. Cheese fun center to be revealed soon will receive a special guest appearance by social media sensation Sean Does Magic, who also recently entered the Piñata Smashlings world with his own Smashlings character. Chuck E. Cheese will give away 100,000 new Piñata Smashlings mystery bags from toy partner P.M.I. Toy World during the first weekend and 200,000 new Piñata Smashlings trading cards, featuring Chuck E. Cheese characters as Smashlings from Panini throughout the second weekend.

Other highlights of the partnership include turning popular Chuck E. Cheese characters into Smashlings characters. Players collect all six to unlock a dedicated Chuck E. Cheese-branded area within the game. There is also a “Design Your Own Piñata Smashlings” competition with one grand prize winner’s Smashling to be placed in the game for players worldwide to collect. Lastly, a “golden ticket” promotion will reward kids who receive the Piñata Smashlings trading card of a special gold Chuck E. Cheese with a birthday party and an exclusive Piñata Smashlings prize package.

Have a Very Mousy Christmas with the Snowy’s Magical Christmas Eve Hardcover

Snowy the Mouse is back for more holiday magic!

Snowy’s Magical Christmas Eve is the charming children’s book by author Susie Bramhall. It follows Snowy the Mouse as he helps with Christmas prep at the North Pole, from making toys to decorating cookies. This holiday season, the book is getting a new edition so kids can fall in love with Snowy and the magic of Christmas all over again.

The book is based on a holiday cartoon following Snowy to the North Pole. | Source: Snowy the Mouse

The new hardcover edition of Snowy’s Magical Christmas Eve comes with a collectible Snowy the Mouse holiday sticker. Kids will be on the edge of their seats as they wait to see if Snowy made it to the North Pole in time to tell Santa his true Christmas wish.

Little Snowy fans have more to look forward to in the coming year as well. New Snowy the Mouse books, plush, and cartoons are on their way. Kids will be able to write a letter to Santa with official elf paper and have a full Snowy collection thanks to the upcoming holiday gift set.

The Snowy’s Magical Christmas Eve hardcover is available now on Amazon and the Snowy the Mouse online store. While kids wait for their book to arrive, they can rewatch the animation that started it all or have a look around Snowy’s official webpage with games, activities, and more.


SNOWY’S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS EVE BOOK (HARDCOVER)

Kids can follow Snowy the Mouse as he travels to the North Pole, helps with Christmas preparation, and tries to tell Santa his true Christmas wish. The hardcover edition of the book comes with a collectible holiday sticker.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $16.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

The Hottest Toys of the Year on WAND News

Selections from The Toy Insider’s Hot 20 list were featured on WAND in Champaign, Illinois. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the holiday season, check out our complete Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide.


COCOMELON PEEK-A-BOO JJ

Toddlers can press JJ's foot to play a game of peek-a-boo and sing along to a clip of the song “Peek a Boo” from CoComelon. This plush features 17 CoComelon-inspired sounds and phrases and interactive movements.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 18 MOS+

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SESAME STREET ELMO SLIDE

This interactive plush sings, sways, flaps his arms, and glides to the song “Elmo Slide.” Encourages little ones to dance or play a game of Elmo Says. Features soft fabrics and hidden wheels for smooth moves, and speaks English and Spanish.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

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BARBIE DREAMHOUSE PLAYSET

This deluxe doll house has a spiral slide and a spacious floor plan with three levels and 10 living areas. It includes more than 75 accessories and customizable spaces, plus pet-friendly touches including a puppy slide and pet pool.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $199.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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FURBY

Kids can speak to Furby to activate more than 600 responses in Dance Party, Copy Cat, Tell My Fortune, Let's Chill, and Lightshow modes. Furby comes with clip-on beads and fashion accessories that kids can also wear.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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MARVEL SPIDEY AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS WEB-SPINNERS PLAYSET

This 27-inch-tall playset features multiple play zones, including a spinning transformation chamber, a command center, and a garage. Comes with a Spidey figure, a vehicle, and accessories.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $129.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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Miko Is Going Mini in This New AI Robot

Miko is back and mini-er than ever!

The Miko Mini is the latest robot for kids to befriend. It joins the Miko 3 as another AI-powered robot that is a great addition to any STEM-obsessed kids’ toy box. Just like the Miko 3, the Miko Mini is powered by AI. Designed for kids ages 5 and up, the Miko AI robots help boost learning, plays games, and interacts with kids by using face and voice recognition. 

The Miko Mini is the perfect addition to kids’ playtime if they need an engaging playmate or as they continue to recover from summer slide — the phenomenon where kids lose learning progress over summer vacation.

At $149, the Miko Mini is more accessible than the Miko 3, which is currently available for $249, and is better for kids who have live in apartments or have less room to play. The Miko Mini launches on Sept. 18. This addition to the Miko collection may be mini, but it is full of learning fun for kids who love science and technology!

Little Artists Will Love These Crayola Magnetic Tiles from CreateOn

What to get the kid who can’t choose between building and coloring? These new magnetic tiles from CreateOn and Crayola!

Crayola is well-known for its colorful assortment of crayons and other art supplies, but now the company is teaming up with CreateOn for a collection of magnetic tiles fit for any lovers of bold designs and fun builds. The collection has tiles that feature patterns such as tie-dye and outer space, and even includes a set of tiles that can be doodled on directly.

The 40 Piece Bold Colors Building Set is the classic Crayola experience with bold and bright colors to remind kids of their favorite crayons. The Doodle Tiles add a dash of customization. The set comes with washable markers so kids can draw their own designs on the tiles. The Cosmic Building Set will take kids straight to the stars with designs inspired by outer space. Finally, bring some peace and love to construction with the Tie Dye Building Set.

Each set in this collection is compatible with other magnetic building tile sets from CreateOn so kids can collect them all and then mix and match their favorites! Previous CreateOn offerings have featured beloved brands such as Sesame Street, CoComelon, and more.

Each new Crayola magnetic tile set is designed for ages 3 and up and made with durable, non-toxic plastic. Get your little architect the gift of colorful creativity with new Crayola magnet tile sets from CreateOn!


CRAYOLA MAGNETIC TILES

These new magnetic tiles from CreateOn are designed with the bright and bold colors of Crayola in mind. Kids can doodle with washable markers on the Doodle Tiles, construct new space-age designs with the Cosmic Building Set, and more.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.95
  • Age:
  • 3+

First Halloweens Just Got Better Thanks to Baby Starters

Get some spooktacular new goodies for baby’s first Halloween!

Baby Starters has goods that any new parent can appreciate, with clothing, blankets, and plush toys designed with babies in mind. The company is getting in the spooky spirit of Halloween with products that are perfect for any teeny trick-or-treater. Whether you’d like the little one in your life to be snug as a spider or have a new pumpkin bear friend, Baby Starters has you covered.

The Halloween Pumpkin Bear Chime Toy makes a relaxing sound when shaken and can be pulled down to create a gentle vibration. The plush bear comes with a travel hook ready to attach to strollers, car seats, bags, and more. The Happy Halloween Crinkle Activity Book is a book even babies will enjoy! The fabric strap makes it perfect for taking on the go.

For babies that need a Halloween buddy, the Wicked Cute Plush Baby Doll is made for durability and can be machine-washed for easy cleaning. Finally, the Snuggle Buddy Blanket with Toy Rattle is perfect for babies to learn to appreciate every animal. The blanket features a web design and a plush spider friend on top.

Get these Halloween goodies and more on the Baby Starters Amazon store. Every Halloween item is designed to be safe and durable, making a lasting memory. Make sure the little fans of the holiday have treats made just for them with Baby Starters!


BABY STARTERS HALLOWEEN LINE

These Halloween goodies are made with babies in mind. Baby Starters has plush dolls, a chime toy, a crinkle activity book, and more, all with designs inspired by the spooky season.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $9.99-$12.99
  • Age:
  • 0+

Super STEM Toys on New York’s PIX 11

Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht joined PIX 11 in New York to show off selections from the Toy Insider’s STEM 10 hot toys list. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the holiday season, check out our complete Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide.


MAGIC ADVENTURES TELESCOPE

Kids can look through the digital telescope at up to 110-times magnification to explore the world around them, check out more than 100 NASA videos and images, and play games on the 2.4-inch screen. 5+

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $89.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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VIRTUAL REALITY ANIMALS

This gift set comes with everything a little zoologist could need to discover new creatures, including a 96-page book featuring a variety of animals, interactive goggles that activate more than 40 virtual reality (VR) experiences, and a set of scratch art tools.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

SNAP FM RADIO

With this entry-level Snap Circuits kit, kids can participate in four hands-on projects to build a working FM radio. The project will teach kids about the science of radio waves, amplifiers, circuits, and electricity.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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PYXEL A CODER’S BEST FRIEND

Kids can use a tablet to code Pyxel to perform tricks, make sounds, and more. Pyxel and its companion app will help kids learn the basics of two coding languages: Blockly and Python.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $124.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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SMITHSONIAN PLANETARIUM PROJECTOR

When kids aim the projector at a light-colored wall or ceiling, it will project a rotating star pattern of the northern sky. The set includes three disks with 24 space images that kids can project alongside the stars.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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HYDRAULIC BOXING BOTS

Kids can build two boxing robots that use hydraulic power to move with complex shoulder gestures, jabs, and uppercuts. The fighter who knocks back the opposing robot's head scores a point on the included scoreboard.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

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Style Bae Dolls Combine 2D and 3D Fashion Fun

As a kid, you don’t always get to pick out all of your outfits, but that’s usually for the best. With Style Bae, kids can spend hours curating the best outfits for their dolls!

Style Bae is a collection of 10-inch dolls from Just Play that have a 3D head with long locks of gorgeous hair combined with a 2D body that kids can style with seven removable outfits made of stickers. Designed for kids ages 4 and up, the Style Bae dolls are the perfect toy for kids who love styling hair and outfits for their dolls. 

There are four dolls in the collection: Kiki, Kenzie, Dylan, and Harper. Each doll has its own fun style and 20 accessories, including 2D and 3D accessories like jewelry, glasses, and more, to go with it. When kids are done playing with Style Bae, they can store the dolls’ outfits and accessories by hanging them on the fashion rack. 

Kids can mix and match the clothes and accessories stickers for hundreds of combinations. Young stylists can spend hours finding the prettiest outfits!


STYLE BAE

Each doll and fashion set comes with seven reusable cling sticker outfits for kids to mix and match to create more than 850 looks. The 10-inch dolls feature unique styles, including Y2K Gurl, K-Pop Princess, Pop Punk Star, and Streetwear Queen.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99 EACH
  • Age:
  • 4+

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Future Fans Teaches Kids the Xs and Os of Football

Football is officially underway as fans everywhere settle in for another long season of exciting action! 

Although the typical Sunday watch party might be mostly adults, that doesn’t mean kids can’t get in on the action as well. Future Fans is a new company that uses stories and games to teach core concepts of sports in a kid-friendly way. Founded by dads Mike Schroder and Michael Gold, the company is built on the belief that the world is a better place when the shared thrill of sports creates and sustains lifelong bonds. 

Future Fans has just launched Future Fans Football to inspire a love of the game in kids ages 4 and up. This storybook-led experience follows the campers of Camp Rallyhoo as they learn football in unexpected ways, such as playing a ring toss game, doing a scavenger hunt, and even eating cookies. Future Fans Football comes with a storybook, activity book, and five games and toys, all delivered via six unboxing experiences that keep kids engaged. There are surprises at the end of chapters like learning to dance the Scratchy Bottom Hop, unboxing a toy, or playing a game just like the characters in the book. 

In just a couple of weeks, young kids can unlock the ability to learn the basic rules of the sport so families and friends can share a lifetime of being fans together. Future Fans Football is available now at futurefans.com or on Amazon for $59.99. Additional sports will be available early next year.


FUTURE FANS FOOTBALL

In just a couple of weeks, young kids can unlock the ability to learn the basic rules of football. This storybook-led experience follows the campers of Camp Rallyhoo as they learn football in unexpected ways, such as playing a ring toss game, doing a scavenger hunt, and even eating cookies.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

Kids Can Set Sail with Hasbro’s Peppa Pig’s Cruise Ship

With the weather getting chillier, it’s time to think about a family vacation — how about a cruise with Peppa Pig

Habro’s Peppa Pig’s Cruise Ship is a 17-piece Peppa Pig toy boat set that has three levels and three figures inspired by little ones’ favorite Peppa Pig characters, including Peppa Pig, Rohan Rhino, and Captain Otter. 

Kids ages 3 and up can imagine grand cruise ship meals in the jungle-themed dining room, or have their figures enjoy life out on sea in the play space. There’s a theater in which the figures can take a seat to enjoy a show, which changes with the quick spin of the story wheel.

When it’s time for lights out, kdis can put Peppa, Rohan, and Captain Otter to sleep in the fold-out bunk beds. There’s even an elevator on the ship to help the figures get between the levels. 

As it’s not actually intended for water, this ship is light and will be able to spark imaginations, helping kids play out pretend adventures at sea in any play space while staying dry.


The awesome thing about this cruise ship is it’s really easy to put together. Almost right out of the box kids can set sail and get playing! With just a few stickers to stick onto the ship that adults will need to help with, there is nothing overwhelming standing in the way of kids having fun with their favorite animated characters — which is convenient because kids will not be able to contain their excitement once they see this ship.

The set comes with 13 accessories to spark little piggies’ imaginations, including a ball pit, a pool, lounge chairs, a slide, and a dinghy boat that even fits the figures. 

Some of the accessories are small, but it’s also easy to store all the pieces inside the ship and fold it up when playtime is over, keeping everything nice and organized.

Priced at $49.99, this playset can be found online at Walmart, Amazon, and Target, and will be essential to keep little Peppa Pig fans entertained for hours.


PEPPA PIG PEPPA’S CRUISE SHIP

This three-level playset features a jungle-themed dining room and theater, a cafeteria, a ball pit play space, a working elevator, and sleeping quarters with fold-out bunk beds. It comes with three character figures and 13 accessories.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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Snap Ships Tactics Combines Fun of Board Games with Construction

Snap Ships, the versatile building system that allows kids to construct their own ship models, has been turned into a board game.

The tabletop game Snap Ships Tactics is heading to retail after raising nearly $300,000 on a Kickstarter campaign. Tactics features the brand’s signature fully customizable ship models that assemble using a unique connection system. The game offers players a chance to defend humanity amid interstellar warfare while crafting custom ships from a library of hundreds of modular parts. 

This entry level set is designed for 1-2 players ages 14 and up, who will enjoy the perfect gateway miniatures game with no glue or snipping required. Players can choose from versus, solo, and co-op game modes as they build their squadron and battle across a configurable play space. Tactics is an expandable miniatures system, meaning that adding additional ship kits allows bigger battles (up to 4v4 and co-op play) and more unique ship parts to mix and match together.

Snap Ships Tactics is available on the shelves at many brick and mortar stores around the United States and will be available on Amazon on Sept. 15 for $79.99.


SNAP SHIPS TACTICS

Tactics features the brand’s signature fully-customizable ship models that assemble using a unique connection system. The game offers players a chance to defend humanity amid interstellar warfare while crafting custom ships from a library of hundreds of modular parts.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $79.99
  • Age:
  • 14+

Unveiling The Hottest Toys of the Year on The Today Show

The Toy Insider and NBC’s Today Show were proud to reveal selections from the Toy Insider’s Hot 20, STEM 10, and 12 Under $20 holiday toy lists in an exclusive TV segment. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the holiday season, check out our complete Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide.


SESAME STREET ELMO SLIDE

This interactive plush sings, sways, flaps his arms, and glides to the song “Elmo Slide.” Encourages little ones to dance or play a game of Elmo Says. Features soft fabrics and hidden wheels for smooth moves, and speaks English and Spanish.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

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AMI AMIS PARTY PAL

The huggable puppy features the Ami Amis chunky knit style. It walks, plays music, and pops confetti out of its party hat. Includes reusable confetti and a scoop and funnel for easy cleanup and reloading.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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BITZEE

Kids can take care of and play with their Bitzee through a screen-free display and the pet will react to touch and movement, creating a two-way interaction. Each Bitzee has three evolutionary stages with the final stage unlocking a Super Bitzee and a special game.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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L.O.L. SURPRISE! MAGIC FLYERS

These collectibles can take flight with a repeatable unboxing experience. The bottle lights up and shakes until the doll bursts out and flies for up to 4 minutes. Kids can keep the fairy suspended by holding a hand under it.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $30
  • Age:
  • 4+

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TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MUTANT MAYHEM PIZZA FIRE VAN

This van opens from the front and the back, with room for four Turtles and Splinter (sold separately). Kids can activate the slide-out pizza launcher, which fires up to eight mini pizza pies.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

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FURBY

Kids can speak to Furby to activate more than 600 responses in Dance Party, Copy Cat, Tell My Fortune, Let's Chill, and Lightshow modes. Furby comes with clip-on beads and fashion accessories that kids can also wear.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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BEAST LAB

As kids add ingredients to this experiment-based playset, they'll activate sounds, lights, fizzing bubbles, and mist to unleash one of two beasts. When kids reset the beast or repeat the experiment, the beast can evolve with new ways to play.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $79.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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AIR HOGS ZERO GRAVITY SPRINT

Using Wall Climber Technology, this R/C car can drive across any smooth surface, including walls, floors, and even ceilings. Kids can send the car racing across the room using the rechargeable remote control.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

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CRAYOLA WIXELS ACTIVITY SETS

Follow the color map to create pixelated unicorns, animals, or original designs. Each square absorbs ink from the included markers to color the designs. Create over and over again with the washable board.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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This National Parks-Inspired Game Is So Fun We Can Hardly *Bear* It

It’s time to get hands-on — or should we say paws-on? — when learning about our National Parks!

The new Yellowstone National Park Grizzly Bear Games Playset from Melissa & Doug is designed to teach kids ages 3 and up about one of the country’s most iconic national parks and one of that park’s most well-known animal inhabitants.

The set comes with a variety of accessories that kids can use to pretend to be Grizzly Bears on the hunt for food. This includes two plush, smiling bear head headbands that kids can wear across their foreheads. There are also two soft bear paw glove and a selection of plush bear food, which mirrors what these large mammals would hunt for in Yellowstone: salmon, berries, and insects. Both the bear mouth and the paw pads are covered in a very fine hook-and-loop material, which can catch and hold the plush food pieces with even the lightest contact. Yet the hook-and-loop fabric isn’t scratchy to the touch, nor does it catch on many other fabrics. It’s truly impressive!

Generally, the food sticking to the bear mouth and bear paws provides the main play pattern for this set. However, there are multiple ways for kids (and adults! The bear headbands are quite roomy.) to play. The game also comes with a map of Yellowstone, which is made of a durable plastic material. It features game instructions on the other side in both English and Spanish, suggesting three ways for kids to engage with the set.

The first game is “Toss and Catch,” in which players take turns tossing the bear foods to each other and attemping to catch them on the bear paw. Each time there’s a successful catch, players take a step away from each other. It may be tempting and entertaining to try catching the pieces on the bear headband, but it isn’t advisable. The food is plush, so it ultimately won’t do any major damage, but a plush fish tail in the eye is sure to sting!

The other two play suggestions are designed for either one or two players. One is “Search & Find,” in which kids work to gather a full set of Grizzly Bear food from the floor using only the headband — no hands or paws allowed! The other is “Stock Up for Winter.” In this game, players must move a pile of food from a start line to a finish line using the paws and headband.

These three suggestions offer awesome structured play inspiration that’s sure to improve kids’ gross motor skills, but they are only the start of the play possibilities with this set. Kids can also engage in open-ended, imaginative play as bears. Or they can use the pieces to create some of their own bear-themed challenges. The instruction sheet also features a variety of fun facts about Grizzly Bears, which means kids can keep learning as they play.

Overall, this game is active, educational, fun, and engaging. Plus, think about how fun the photos will be of the whole family wearing these bear headbands! A win for everyone.


YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK GRIZZLY BEAR GAMES PLAY SET

Pretend to be a hungry bear and play bear food catching, racing, and search-and-find games with this playful introduction to Yellowstone National Park. Plush versions of some of grizzly bears’ favorite snacks stick to self-stick hook-and-loop tabs on bear paw gloves and the snout of strap-on bear heads.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $37.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

The Grinch Is Back for New Adventures in ‘How the Grinch Lost Christmas’

For more than 60 years, the Grinch has been a staple in the lives of kids across the world during the holiday season. Now, his story is getting an update. 

In How The Grinch Lost Christmas, the Christmas season is done and all of the holiday cheer is put away for next year. But what happens next? Does the Grinch remain cheerful, or does he slip back into his grinch-y ways? 

How the Grinch Lost Christmas is bringing kids back to Whoville! | Source: Random House Children’s Books

How the Grinch Lost Christmas, written by Alastair Heim and illustrated by Aristides Ruiz, marks the first time that Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Random House Childrens’ Books have directly expanded Dr. Seuss canon. Both Heim and Ruiz have previously worked on other Dr. Seuss books, including If I Had Your Vote, If I Ran Your School, and If I Were Saint Nick and the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library books. 

To celebrate the release of the book, the Grinch will be making appearances at bookstores across the country. Kids can get their books stamped by the Grinch and get their photo taken with the green guy.

How the Grinch Lost Christmas is available now for $19.99. This book is a great addition to longstanding Grinch-y holiday traditions!

Kids Can Get a Digital Dino in ‘Jurassic World Alive’ X Mattel Collab

Little dinosaur fans can get their hands on a favorite fearsome predator!

Jurassic World Alive is an alternate reality (AR) mobile game that invites kids to explore the world around them and find favorite dinosaurs in the process. Kids can collect dinosaur DNA, gather a team of dinosaurs to battle friends, and find rare dinosaurs out in the wild! Now, they can get themselves a T. rex that will have fans of the original Jurassic Park movies feeling nostalgic, thanks to a collaboration with Mattel.

The new T. rex is based on the 1993 figure from Mattel. | Source: Jurassic World Alive

The new T. rex featured in the game is based on the figure found in the Jurassic Park ’93 Classic Action Figure Collection from Mattel. Players can find a digital version of the beloved T. rex figure by entering in-game events and collecting enough DNA to unlock it before the event ends.

Jurassic World Alive celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, alongside the 30th anniversary of the original Jurassic Park films. The game has plans for future sweepstakes and events, so anyone who has a deep love for all things dino should keep an eye on the official webpage for new events.

Jurassic World Alive is available to download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play. The new T. Rex will be available throughout the month, so kids who want to collect every dino they can should get started!

This Cowabunga Collectible Is the Latest in the Turtle Power-verse

There are action figure fans — and then there are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figure fans. The ‘80s OGs and the new millennial mega fans can agree that these sewer-dwellling Turtle brothers are bodacious dudes. To expand upon their Turtle Power, The Loyal Subjects‘ (TLS) Krang Throwback Robot BST AXN 8-inch XL Action Figure, the latest collectible in its TMNT toy line!

Before this review highlights this collectible toy, some readers may need a crash course in Turtle lingo. First, and most importantly, TMNT stands for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Next up: BST AXN does not stand for Back Street Turtles (although, that’s a boy band we’d sign up to see!), but instead stands for “Best Action,” (go ahead, try to pronounce it quickly and you’ll see!). Finally, the XL means it is The Loyal Subjects’ 8-inch-size action figures, compared to the other five-inch figures in their product lines.

And a little Turtle lore: The four characters that make up the TMNT bale are Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo. The Turtles’ nemesis is Shredder, who leads a criminal ninja clan. Shredder often allies with Krang, an alien warlord, to battle the turtles. Krang was introduced in the original animated series and was inspired by the Utrom race from the TMNT comic book series.

Despite being second fiddle to Shredder within the storylines, The Loyal Subjects’ Krang BST AXN 8-inch XL Action Figure has also secured Krang’s place in The Foot gang history. Specifically, this Krang play robot is 8 inches tall and features a snap-and-release cockpit accessed through the waist. It reveals the real Krang, housed in the control pit of his likeness robot! Diabolical dude!

Considering Krang’s propensity for producing problems, the Krang robot comes with an axe, a drill, a laser weapon, a katana sword, punching fists, extra tentacle arms, and gripping hands! The Krang robot also features 31 connection points, including butterfly joints in the shoulder and double joints in its elbows and knees! Thus, the Krang accessories and articulation sets kids up for maximum posing and play possibilities.

Kids and grown-ups will appreciate Krang being packaged in a colorful collector’s box with a flap secured by Velcro locks. TMNT fans will love the included 100 Page Best of Krang compilation IDW Comic Book. It features TMNT Adventures No. 3, Vol 1 (Archie), TMNT Micro-Series: Krang (IDW), TMNT No. 37 (IDW), and TMNT: New Animated Adventures No. 11 (IDW)

Create your own mutant mayhem and collect all The Loyal Subjects TMNT BST AXN 5- and 8-inch action figures!



KRANG XL + COMIC BOOK — TMNT

This 1:15-scale figure stands 8 inches tall and is packed with interactive features. The figure has a snap-and-release cockpit that kids or collectors can access through the waist, where they will find Krang inside his robot armor. The figure also comes with several interchangeable hand grips and weapons and features 31 points of articulation. This…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

Win a Room FULL of the Hottest Toys of 2023

The Toy Insider, your No. 1 source for the latest in toy news and reviews, is giving away a room full of this year’s hottest toys from VTech and LeapFrog’s toy line to one lucky winner! Click here to enter between Sept. 12 and Dec. 6, 2023 and you could win more than $1,000 worth of toys for your kids just in time for the holidays!

Three lucky runners-up will each receive a box of VTech & LeapFrog toys valued at more than $200!

Be sure to share with your friends using #TISweeps23!

Full contest rules

The Toy Insider is your ultimate holiday gift guide. Now in its 18th year, The Toy Insider includes toy and gift recommendations broken down by age categories. The 2023 guide is jam-packed with more than 360 toy recommendations from nearly 150 different manufacturers, each carefully selected by a team of experts with more than 100 years of combined experience in the toy industry. The Toy Insider is published by Adventure Media & Events, publisher of leading industry trade magazine The Toy Book and pop culture news site thepopinsider.com. Click here to see the 2023 Holiday Gift Guide and find just the right toy for every child on your shopping list!

Toys to Get Kids Excited for School on The Weather Channel

Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht joined The Weather Channel to show off some of the best educational toys of the new school year. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the holiday season, check out our complete Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide.


THE YOUNG SCIENTISTS CLUB LUNAR ROVER

This STEM kit has all the materials kids need to build a functional wooden space explorer with wheels. Kids can assemble the easy-to-connect pieces and customize the explorer with the included glow-in-the-dark stickers and paint.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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MAGIC ADVENTURES TELESCOPE

Kids can look through the digital telescope at up to 110-times magnification to explore the world around them, check out more than 100 NASA videos and images, and play games on the 2.4-inch screen. 5+

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $89.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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SMITHSONIAN PLANETARIUM PROJECTOR

When kids aim the projector at a light-colored wall or ceiling, it will project a rotating star pattern of the northern sky. The set includes three disks with 24 space images that kids can project alongside the stars.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK GRIZZLY BEAR GAMES PLAY SET

Pretend to be a hungry bear and play bear food catching, racing, and search-and-find games with this playful introduction to Yellowstone National Park. Plush versions of some of grizzly bears’ favorite snacks stick to self-stick hook-and-loop tabs on bear paw gloves and the snout of strap-on bear heads.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $37.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

PANDAS’ BAMBOO HOUSE

Sam, Pam, and their panda family live in a three-story, feature-packed, bamboo house that kids can explore for hours. Crafted using eco-friendly materials, the playset comes with multiple furniture pieces and play accessories.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $149.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

Kids Can Put the ‘L’ in Learning with LeapFrog’s ABCs and Activities Wooden Table

If fusing fun and education for your little one is on your mind, look no further than LeapFrog’s ABCs and Activities Wooden Table, the proverbial Swiss-army-knife of productive playtime.

This educational table toy features dozens of ways to learn. The flipping center disc features, on one side, a series of classic and innovative activities. For example, there’s a sliding bead maze at its center, a vegetable counting game that lets kids pretend to plant seeds, and a storybook with multiple tunes.

Flipping the script (meaning the table), the center disc becomes a touch-and-learn hub of epic proportions. Numbers, instruments, animals, letters, and more are all a tiny tot’s finger tap away! 

Flip the center for even more play options. | Source: LeapFrog

The packaging advertises that the table offers three ways to play, but that’s selling itself quite short. This table-cum-playset offers so many chances for genuinely fun learning. 

Then there’s the aesthetics of the table: From beautifully illustrated bumblebees, daisies, caterpillars, and hens to the wooden tabletop imprinted with the letters of the alphabet, this toy is easy on the eyes. There’s another reason to feel good about this table: It is made from FSC-certified wood that comes from well-managed forests. Though not 100% sustainable, it’s a nice start.

The $70 price point can seem somewhat imposing for some. And while it certainly isn’t a budget toy, given that it’s intended for kids ages 6 months and up, there are potentially years of use to be had out of the thing, making the price-per-play potential quite low. All the more so considering the table works for sitting tots and transitions to the era of standing easily.

Get ready to crank up youngsters’ knowledge of shapes, songs, letters, animals, and more–– Leapfrog brings serious learning to the table with this one.


ABCS AND ACTIVITIES WOODEN TABLE

This table offers kids multiple interactive ways to learn, either sitting or standing. There are are three ways to play, plus dozens of subjects for tots to learn, from letters and numbers to animals and musical instruments.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99
  • Age:
  • 6MOS+

Win Amazing #DevSeriesCollectibles Prizes in Our Twitter Party: Sept. 15

This Friday, we’re hosting a #DevSeriesCollectibles Twitter Party, sponsored by Jazwares, in which you’ll have chances to win prizes featuring toys from Jazwares’ new DevSeries line of figures, plush, squooshems, hangers, and more! Join us on Friday, Sept. 15 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET for an hour full of fun, trivia, and prizes as you learn all about these new toys featuring kids’ favorite online gaming characters.


DevSeries

DevSeries from Jazwares features fan-favorite online gaming characters from Brookhaven, Murder Mystery 2, Livetopia, Build a Boat for Treasure, Tower of Hell, Jailbreak, Arsenal Reloaded, Hide & Seek Extreme, and Ninja Legends. The line consists of toys, including plush, action figures, sqooshems, and hangers, and exclusive virtual item codes to use in-game.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $4.99-24.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

Four lucky winners will win a DevSeries Mystery Figure + a DevSeries Collector Bundle of Your Choice! Additionally, ONE grand prize winner will win a DevSeries prize pack, featuring a Jailbreak Multipack, an Arsenal Multipack, a Mystery Figures 6-Pack, and a DevSeries Collector Bunde of Your Choice!

Be sure to follow @thetoyinsider, @jazwares, and our panelists — @suburbanwifedp @dawnchats @raisingwhasians @evrydayshortcut @babysavers — and tweet with the hashtag #DevSeriesCollectibles for a chance to win these amazing prizes and more! RSVP for the Twitter Party below!

RSVP NOW!

*You must RSVP AND participate in the Twitter Party to be eligible to win! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Full contest rules can be found here.

You can also win these DevSeries prizes from Jazwares all week long on Instagram! Head over to @TheToyInsider’s page to enter now!

IMC Toys Releases All-New Battle Game Brand Dinobytes

IMC Toys has expanded from its typical doll category with the release of an all-new roaring fun brand called Dinobytes.

The toy company, which is known for Cry Babies nurturing dolls, is broadening its reach with the game, which has a classic battling play pattern, with the goal being to knock the opponent’s helmet off in order to win. 

There are multiple iterations of Dinobytes, the first being the individual Dinobytes. It includes Dilo, Pari, Rexy, and Carner for $9.99 each. Each Dynobyte is ready to battle each other and have helmets on. All kids have to do to go head-to-head is move its tail to rotate the head and press the button on the tail to activate a lunging chomp attack. 

There is also Dinobytes Deluxe Cannon, which at $14.99 comes with battle advantages that include a clip-on missile launcher and four projectiles. 

Finally, the line also includes Dinobytes Battle Arena for $24.99, which is the arena that comes with two exclusive Dinobytes. Kids use any of their Dinobytes in the arena, as well, but can also battle outside of it. 

The brand is available exclusively on Amazon.

Little Bot Baby Brings Beloved Bunny Miffy to Its Play Mats

Introduce little ones to everyone’s favorite bunny!

Miffy is a bunny character designed by Dutch artist Dick Bruna to entertain his son. The first Miffy children’s book came out in 1955 and since then, the character has been featured in a whole pile of other books, TV series, and more. Now, Miffy is ready to help little ones with the beginnings of exploration and play thanks to a collaboration with Little Bot Baby.

Little Bot Baby has two new play mats featuring Miffy. The Miffy Woodland Tales mat is a gentle blue with Miffy sitting comfortably in a repeated pattern across it. For more than just Miffy, the Miffy in the Park Mat features the character walking amongst plants, mushrooms, and adorable animals.

Little Bot Baby’s Ofie Mats are reversible and non-toxic premium play mats. Both Miffy mats are free from PVC, BPA, and other harsh chemicals and are easy to clean and roll up. Each mat measures 6 and a half feet by 4 and a half feet and is a little over half an inch thick, providing plenty of cushioning protection during playtime.

Get a new play mat ready to remind nostalgic adults of their favorite children’s book bunny and introduce a new generation of babies to the magic that is Miffy. The play mats are available now on the official Little Bot Baby store and from a number of other retailers.


MIFFY X LITTLE BOT BABY PLAY MATS

These play mats feature bunny character Miffy, designed by Dutch artist Dick Bruna. Each mat is PVC free, vacuum safe, and able to be rolled up for easy storage.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $179.99
  • Age:
  • 0+

It’s Time to Get Your Tickets for ‘Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie’

In just a few weeks, kids will be crowded in movie theaters across the country to see PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie for the first time! You can get your advance tickets now from Fandango. 

In PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City and gives the PAW Patrol superpowers. The newly dubbed Mighty Pups have to adjust to their superpowers, but PAW Patrol’s archenemy Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with mad scientist Victoria Vance to steal the pups’ superpowers and turn themselves into a super villain.

All of kids’ favorite PAW Patrol characters make an appearance in the movie! | Source: Fandango

Throughout the movie, Skye, the smallest member of PAW Patrol, thinks her new powers are a dream come true, but she needs to learn that even the smallest puppy can make a big difference.


The newest addition to the PAW Patrol franchise will definitely be a *super* experience for little fans! Advanced tickets to PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie are available now at fandango.com and the movie hits theaters starting Sept. 29. Check out the trailer below!

Crazy Aaron’s Land of Dough Now Found on Target Shelves

An endless world of imagination, that fits your family’s eco-friendly lifestyle, is now just one quick stop on the way home. Following its launch at target.com, Crazy Aaron’s Land of Dough, a line of products featuring the company’s dough compound, are now available in select Target stores. 

Crazy Aaron’s, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, offers three options of colorful dough with sparkling glitter. The 5-ounce “I <3 Rainbow” cup features bright colors similar to the “Over the Rainbow” cup featured above, and the 5-ounce “Saturn Swirl” cup features space-inspired colors. Both cups are Target store exclusives and cannot be purchased online.

The 1.5-ounce “Mini” Land of Dough cups are also available in eight two-toned colors for creations that require a more colorful pop.

Land of Dough products are made from natural materials, such as natural color and glitter, and come in compostable packaging. Don’t worry about the smell, as your craftime will have a pleasant aroma from the dough’s signature scents. The dough will dry in the open air over the course of a few hours, but can be easily re-hydrated for more fun and crazy creations! 

Crazy Aaron’s Land of Dough also serves as a tactical sensory experience that can help tune fine motor skills. The dough promotes sharing and can be a tool for social development as well. 

Crazy Aaron’s Land of Dough is designed for kids ages 3 and up and ranges from $2.99-9.99. The dough can also be found online at the links below. For more information, visit crazyaarons.com

Bigger Is Better When It Comes to Connect 4

The Giant Connect 4 game from EastPoint Sports is not only super-size — it’s also super fun!

Made for kids ages 8 and up, the Giant Connect 4 stands at a little more than 3 feet tall and almost 4 feet wide, and delightfully combines the classic gameplay of Hasbro’s original Connect 4 with the novelty and uniqueness of the giant games category.

While adult assembly is technically required, both set up and clean up are really quick and easy, which helps to make an impromptu game night a breeze. The structure is made up of six long pieces, which easily click together to create the game board in five minutes or less — no tools required. What’s more, the 42 game pieces or tokens can even be neatly stored in the game board slots before putting those parts back into the box.

Giant Connect 4 can be played indoors or outdoors. | Source: EastPoint Sports

The “all-weather” game board is made from durable, quality plastic that can withstand outdoor elements, ensuring the game can be played indoors or outdoors for years to come. While it’s reliable and sturdy (and won’t easily tip over), the game board is also lightweight and portable, so it can be played in your rec room or your backyard.

Giant Connect 4 makes the classic strategy game you already know and love available in jumbo size for outdoor parties and group events. It’s fun for both kids and adults, and even onlookers are involved in the excitement as they gather around. At the end of the game, it’s just as fun to watch all the pieces being released onto the floor! Beginners and skilled players can enjoy outsmarting their opponents, and can even take gameplay to the next level with friendly tournaments.

All in all, the extra large Giant Connect 4 from EastPoint Sports definitely brings extra fun to game nights!


GIANT CONNECT 4

The Giant Connect 4 Set is the classic gameplay that kids know and love only now in jumbo size for outdoor parties and for group gatherings. The Connect 4 game set is designed for both adults and kids, making it a versatile option for family fun in the backyard. This yard game set takes just…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $199.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo, This Disney Bluetooth Storyteller Has Tales For You

Once upon a time, parents believed they needed all the magic in the world for their kids to fall asleep. With the wave of eKids’ magic wand, the Disney Bluetooth Storyteller with EZ Link Technology will have kids dreaming before they can say, “A dream is a wish your heart makes…” 

With this new toy, kids ages 3 and up can hear classic Disney songs and stories with just a press of a button. This speaker elevates the storytelling experience by telling popular tales about princesses, heroes, friends, and more. This device features up to 20 story playlists, four color-changing light options, and a sleep timer with soothing sounds. 

Kids can listen to up to 20 playlists of Disney bedtime stories. | Source: eKids

The Disney Bluetooth Storyteller buttons control the volume, light setting, sleep timer, and basic media functions like play, pause, forward skip, and reverse skip. The device is decorated with different Disney and Pixar characters like Stitch, Buzz Lightyear, Nemo, Ariel, Belle, Mickey Mouse, and more. The Disney Princess Bluetooth Storyteller’s design features all the princesses from the Disney Princess line.

Parents can have their kids ready for bedtime by following three simple steps. First, they have to connect the storyteller to their phone via Bluetooth. Then, parents select their preferred music streaming service in the free EZ Link Setup app. Lastly, kids listen to their story playlists by pressing the device’s center button. 

The story playlists include many Disney classics as bedtime stories, such as Aladdin, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Cars, and more. Parents and kids can choose their favorite stories by customizing their playlists on the app and pick which playlist they want to hear by turning the device’s dial. 

The device and its app are compatible with many popular streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, and more. To use their desired service with the storyteller, parents should download the app on their phones beforehand. 

The Disney Bluetooth Speaker offers six different sleep modes that range from 10 minutes to 8 hours before automatic shut-off. However, the magic of storytelling doesn’t have to end when the sun comes up. Kids can use the lightweight, 4.5-inch tall storyteller as a speaker to play their favorite songs all day long wherever they go.

Kids can dream of far-off places and magic spells with the Disney Bluetooth Storyteller. Every day can end with happily ever after when listening to magical stories and whimsical songs.


DISNEY BLUETOOTH STORYTELLER WITH EZ LINK TECHNOLOGY

Connect to your preferred streaming service and store a customizable playlist of popular Disney stories (app required). The color changing night light will illuminate your room while you enjoy bedtime stories inspired by popular Disney characters.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

Buy Now

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Candy Land Just Got Cheesier with Babybel Collab

Two of the greatest things in life – cheese and board games — are coming together. Babybel and Hasbro teamed up to launch Babybel Goodness Land, a cheesy twist on the classic Candy Land

In this twist on the classic board game, players take on the role of Babybel cheese as they make their way across the board from the Field of Flavors to Irresisti-bel Island. 

Babybel Goodness Land takes kids on a cheesy adventure! | Source: Hasbro

“As schedules quickly fill up and families get back into school routines, time with our kids is even more valuable, so we want to help parents turn even snack time into a moment to connect,” says Melanie Nemoy, Brand Director at Babybel. “Candy Land and Babybel are both staples of childhood for so many parents, and we’re thrilled to bring the two together for a snack time game the whole family is sure to love with Babybel Goodness Land.”

The only way for families to get their hands on the game is to enter the Babybel Goodness Land Sweepstakes. Participants can sign up for the chance to win Babybel Goodness Land at babybelgoodnessland.com. Submissions are open until Oct. 4.

Kids Can Celebrate Batman Day with New R/C Batmobile and Content

Batman is definitely one of the most clearly recognizable superheroes for kids. Whether or not he’s their favorite superhero, kids can celebrate the Caped Crusader on Batman Day, Sept. 16! 

Just in time for the special day, Spin Master is launching the Batman Stunt Force Batmobile ($39.99), a remote control car designed for kids ages 4 and up for indoor use that features soft tires that are perfect for stunts (although we wouldn’t recommend it being launched down the stairs) and is compatible with 4-inch action figures (sold separately)!

The Stunt Force Batmobile is built to complete epic tricks! | Source: Spin Master

If kids can’t get their hands on Batman toys ahead of Batman Day, they can tune in to Cartoon Network the week of to check out new episodes of Batwheels, which come out Sept. 11, and a special episode featuring Batman actor Adam West which will come out on Sept. 15. Adult Swim will also air Batman (1989), Batman Returns, Batman & Robin, and Batman Forever from now until Sept. 24.

The DC Kids YouTube channel will also feature original Batman programming throughout the month, including videos spotlighting Batman-themed toys, new episodes and music videos of the DC Super Friends CG series, and more! 

Whether kids are looking to watch some of their favorite superhero movies or play with a new toy, it’s a great month to love Batman.

Chronicle Books’ Newest LEGO Lineup Inspires Kids Through the New Year

Chronicle Books is building up to the holidays with a new lineup of LEGO products that will inspire kids to think, and build, big.

The How We Create Inspiration Deck features advice right from the people behind LEGO! | Source: Chronicle Books

The highlight of the collection is the LEGO How We Create Inspiration Deck ($19.95). This deck features 78 cards with special advice from employees at The LEGO Group! This advice is applicable to all areas of life — not just LEGO building.

The collection features two puzzles: the LEGO Christmas Train puzzle ($16.95) features the elves rolling through a winter wonderland to deliver Christmas presents to everyone and the LEGO Mystery Minifigure Mini Puzzles Animal Edition ($16.95), which preteens can build to reveal an animal-themed minifigure, including Fox Costume Girl, Chicken Suit Guy, Elephant Costume Girl, Bumblebee Girl, or two other mysteries!

Kids can also gear up for the new year with Chronicle’s LEGO calendars. The LEGO 2024 Wall Calendar ($14.95) features 12 months of LEGO photography that combine iconic minifigures and builds with the real world. Kids who need something to look forward to every day can peel back the Minifigure a Day 2024 Daily Calendar ($15.95), which spotlights a different minifigure each day, including what set the minifigure came with and what year it came out. 

Whether young LEGO fans are excited for the holidays or the new year, Chronicle Books is filling the coming months with tons of building inspiration!

American Girl Dolls Are Coming to Los Angeles for a New Flagship Store

Get ready for a trip to the mall with your favorite doll!

The iconic American Girl brand is beloved for its impressive assortment of 18-inch dolls, each with their own personalities and unique backgrounds, so every little collector can have a doll just for them. The Mattel brand is bringing even more for kids with the opening of a new flagship store in Los Angeles’ Westfield Century City. The store will officially open its doors this Saturday to American Girl fans everywhere.

The location includes a full-service restaurant. | Source: Mattel

The new store will have American Girl’s signature dolls, accessories, clothes, and books. But this new location isn’t just a shopping experience. The two-level store also has the American Girl Cafe, offering brunch, lunch, and teatime seatings. The cafe has private room options for celebrating birthdays and other special occasions as well as a Berry Bar bringing sweet treats for guests.

Once they’re full of good food, kids can head to the Dolled Up Salon to match their favorite doll with hairstyles, mini manicures, and even ear-piercing options. The salon services both dolls and kids, and takes reservations in advance with special packages that allow for personalization.

The new American Girl store location is opening this Saturday, Sep. 9, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. The Los Angeles store can be found in the ever-popular shopping destination, Westfield Century City. Guests that visit during grand opening weekend will have the chance to participate in giveaways with goodies like American Girl posters and books. Reservations for dining, the salon, and parties can be made on the official webpage.

Head to the Hammerbarn with Bluey and Bingo in This Big Playset

This playset is for real life — and you need it for the little Bluey fan in your life.

Standing almost 2 feet tall, the Bluey Hammerbarn Shopping Playset from Moose Toys is packed with preschool playtime fun. It includes four stories — and of course an elevator to reach all of them — eight play areas, and 12 play pieces to round it all out. The play areas include a garden center; a “lighting department,” which lights up and plays more than 50 familiar phrases from the show; a special flipping wall that reveals paint chip color chips; and a rooftop café where shoppers can grab a sausage sizzle or some pizza.

The brightly colored, blue and orange playset features the Bluey color palette, but that’s not the only thing that makes this playset so engaging. It features tons of fun movement in the elevator, and once all the shopping is done, kids can place the shopping cart on the return pole and watch it spin down the ground floor! (More fun than the everyday, real-life experience, but at least it helps teach the habit of returning your cart!)

*Game show announcer voice*: And that’s not all! To add to the imaginative play experience, this set comes with exclusive Hammerbarn Bluey and Shopping Bingo figures. Kids can easily access those aforementioned sound effects with the press of a button. The accessory list includes furniture and plant decor, a shopping cart, a cash register checkout station, and more.

If you’re looking for the perfect addition to what we assume is your growing Bluey collection, this playset is the way to go. It’s well worth the value, features your kids’ Blue Heeler bestie, and guarantees hours and hours of quality playtime. Get in, Bluey fans, we’re going shopping!


BLUEY HAMMERBARN SHOPPING PLAYSET

Kids can go on a shopping trip with the Heeler family with this playset, which has nine play areas and an elevator. It plays more than 45 sounds and phrases from the show and comes with exclusive Bluey and Bingo figures.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

Buy Now

The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

These Nintendo Switch Bundles Are the Perfect Gift for Little Gamers

Hit the racetrack or kick back with your island friends!

Gamers young and old can appreciate the huge library of fun the Nintendo Switch has to offer, with everything from a multiplayer game night of Super Mario Party to the rich role-playing experience of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. For those who haven’t gotten the chance to have the full Switch experience, Nintendo is getting ready for the holiday season with new bundles that’ll give any fan everything they need to get started!

Nintendo Switch – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle ($299.99) | Source: Nintendo

Kids can challenge their friends to the zaniest racing experience video games have to offer thanks to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe! Nintendo’s new bundle includes a digital download for the game, a Nintendo Switch system with blue and red Joy-Con controllers, and a three-month individual membership to Nintendo Switch Online. The online service will let kids get straight to gaming with their best buds even when they’re not in the same place. The new bundle will launch this Oct. 6.

If a little gamer wants even more tracks to race, they can pick up the Booster Course Pass DLC and get 48 additional courses to race on that will be released in six waves throughout the rest of the year. The DLC is available now in the Nintendo eShop, My Nintendo Store, and at select retailers.

The Nintendo Switch Lite system is perfect for kids who don’t mind playing their games exclusively handheld, perfect for long car rides and gaming on the go. Nintendo is releasing two new bundles for the Lite featuring everyone’s favorite island animals. The Nintendo Switch Lite Isabelle’s Aloha Edition and Nintendo Switch Lite Timmy & Tommy’s Aloha Edition both include a digital version of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and feature Switch Lites with leaf designs. The Isabelle’s Aloha Edition will be available exclusively at Target and the Timmy & Tommy’s Aloha Edition at Walmart, both releasing Oct. 6.

Give the little gamer in your life the happiest holiday season yet with these new deals releasing Oct. 6. With digital versions of favorite games bundled in, the full Nintendo Switch experience is just a bundle away!

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party Is Roaring Back to a City Near You

Do the kids in your life need more excitement in their life? The Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party is returning to more than 35 cities in North America, Europe, and Australia next year. 

The show from Mattel and Family Entertainment transforms the Hot Wheels monster trucks kids play with into a real-life experience they won’t forget. The Glow Party even introduces HW 5-Alarm, a firetruck monster truck. Along with the monster trucks, the Glow Party features a laser light show, theatrical effects, dance parties, Hot Wheels toy giveaways, a transforming robot, and the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Freestyle Motocross Team. 

Hot Wheels fans can also check out the Crash Zone Pre-Party, which includes access to the show floor, up-close looks at the monster trucks, and autographs from drivers and performers. VIP packages also feature exclusive merch, early access to the Crash Zone, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show.
Presale tickets for Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party are available now with public sale beginning Friday, Sept. 8 at hotwheelsmonstertruckslive.com.

Toys that Promote Inclusion on The Today Show

Toy Insider Senior Editor/Toy Book Editor-in-Chief James Zahn joined The Today Show to talk about some great toys that promote inclusivity and diversity. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


MINILAND DOLL COLLECTION

This collection of baby dolls is designed to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion so that all kids feel represented and respected. The dolls are anatomically correct and come in a variety of ethnicities and genders. The assortment includes dolls with Down Syndrome, dolls with hearing implants, dolls with glasses, and more.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $40.98
  • Age:
  • 3+

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BARBIE FASHIONISTAS

This diverse and inclusive line of Barbie dolls reflects the world kids see today. The Barbie and Ken dolls feature a variety of skin tones, hairstyles, body types, and fashion styles.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $10.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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LEGO EVERYONE IS AWESOME

The 346-piece LEGO Everyone is Awesome set celebrates positivity and kindness in our families, our communities and our world. Contains 11 minifigures.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.99
  • Age:
  • 18+

THE JILLY DOLL

Jilly is a 14-inch doll designed to reflect modern Asian American kids, from the authentic shape of their eyes to their playful smiles. Each doll comes with a pink chef’s hat that flips into a sweet friend for Jilly named L’il Tart. Jilly comes with two triangular bandanas that kids can pair to form a…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $68
  • Age:
  • 3+

Toys that Teach on CT Live

Toy Insider Parent and Contributing Editor Charlene DeLoach joined CT Live in Hartford to show off the year’s top toys to help kids learn. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


BÉBE FUERTE STACK & COUNT KETTLEBELL

This kettlebell-style stacker is part of a language-inclusive TOMY collection. Babies and toddlers can learn to count or stack or pretend to workout with this kettlebell-inspired toy.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.84
  • Age:
  • 6 MOS+

STORY DREAM MACHINE + STORY PACKS

Project classic children's stories with this machine, which includes three titles, with additional packs sold separately. It features light and sound effects to enhance the story and doubles as a white noise machine.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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BOGGLE JR

Two different matching games encourage reading and memory skills. In Match It/Spell It, kids look at the picture and word, then spell it out. In Cover It, kids use the word shield to spell words from memory.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $18.95
  • Age:
  • 3+

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BEEP ‘N’ BUY CASH REGISTER

Kids can learn how to manage money by selecting groceries and then working out the price. This cash register features a solar-powered calculator, a scanner with light and sound effects, coins, and bills.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $44.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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SHASHIBO WILD SERIES

Tweens can explore the natural world through four of Earth's unique environments — Arctic, Forest, Jungle, and Savanna — each featured on a shape-shifting puzzle box. More than 70 shapes are possible thanks to 36 internal, rare Earth magnets.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $25 EACH
  • Age:
  • 8+

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SHASHIBO JUMBIE ARTIST SERIES

Imagine the most beautiful colors of the spectrum in a whole new light- dazzling, delicious hues that shine with vibrancy. Jumbie's incredible palette of RGB light reactive pixels have transformed the art world, and now Shashibo! His creative designs will amaze you from the moment you open your Shashibo — and mind — to Jumbie's…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $25
  • Age:
  • 8+

Barbie’s 2023 Career of the Year Collection Features Sporty Jobs for Sporty Kids

Mattel is on a mission to get kids involved in sports!

Each year, iconic Mattel brand Barbie features its fashion dolls in new careers. Last year’s dolls were all about going green, with a conservation scientist, environmental advocate, renewable energy engineer, and chief sustainability officer ready to inspire kids in their future careers. 2023’s dolls bring the focus to sports, a field where women are historically underrepresented. The new Barbie Career of the Year Women in Sports Dolls show that these jobs are for everyone!

The new dolls feature different sports careers. | Source: Mattel

The four new dolls each have a career in the sports industry. The general manager doll is looking sleek in a pinstripe suit and black loafers. The coach doll is clad in Barbie’s classic pink and comes with a playbook and pink megaphone. The referee doll is ready to make any and all calls with her yellow flag and silver whistle. Finally, the sports reporter is in a purple dress and carries a notebook and microphone.

As a part of the launch of 2023’s dolls, Barbie has partnered with Voice in Sport (VIS) to host a 45-minute virtual mentoring session all about building a career in the sports industry. The session will be hosted by 12-year-old sports journalist Pepper Parsley and will feature Stef Strack, CEO and Founder of VIS, and Dr. Jen Welter, the first woman to coach in the NFL. The session is free to attend and will run this Sep. 12 from 5-6 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Kids can register on the official webpage.

The newest line of dolls is available now at the online Mattel shop. Get the little sports fans in your life something to inspire their future and remind them anyone can follow their dream career!


BARBIE CAREER OF THE YEAR WOMEN IN SPORTS DOLLS

These dolls each feature a different career in the sports industry, including general manager, coach, referee, and sports reporter. Each doll comes with accessories and an outfit themed after the chosen career.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

The Go! Go! Smart Wheels Spiral Construction Tower Builds Skills

If you have a toddler who can’t stop talking trucks and construction, the latest offering from VTech’s Go! Go! Smart Wheels line offers the perfect imaginative infusion to your playroom.

The Go! Go! Smart Wheels Spiral Construction Tower is a large playset designed for kids ages 18 months and up. Once built, the set is 4 feet wide. And those 4 feet are packed with a variety of interactive elements for kids to explore with the included Dump Truck. These elements include a crane with a cargo hook, a tipping bin, a freight elevator, a drawbridge, and more. Of course, there is also a large spiral ramp — which gives the set its name — that has a car launcher at the top. The set also includes five construction play pieces that kids can incorporate into their imaginative play, including a boulder and some cargo.

For those who may not be familiar with the Go! Go! Smart Wheels line, these toys feature an assortment of cars, trucks, and other vehicles that have smiling faces on their windshields and come packed with dozens of sounds and phrases. Kids elicit those sounds either by pressing a button on the vehicle or by rolling it over a special SmartPoint on the playset. These spots each feature a QR code that the vehicle can read, prompting phrases that relate to that part of the set. For littles, it’s like magic! This set specifically has seven SmartPoint spots. The included Dump Truck can interact with these points, but so can any other compatible Smart Wheels vehicle.

While there is nearly endless imaginative play potential with this set, as kids create construction jobs and use the vehicles and accessories to get the job done, the Spiral Construction Tower is also educational. As kids play, manipulating the set’s moving parts will help them hone fine motor skills. They will also learn through the phrases they hear from the Dump Truck and other Smart Wheels vehicles. Kids will hear about expressing emotions, counting, the workings of a construction site, and more. The SmartPoint phrases also encourage additional imaginative play, giving kids prompts and suggestions.

One thing worth noting for adults: This set does acquire adult assembly. You’ll need to set aside some time to follow the instructions step by step and get this construction site ready for action. If you find yourself unsure about any piece placement, I recommend looking at the many full-color images of the set that are available online and on the box. The set may take some time to set up, but the payoff is big — literally! This playset is visually impressive, sturdy, educational, and interactive.

Much like a real construction site, there is always more to do with the Go! Go! Smart Wheels Construction tower. Let’s get building!


GO! GO! SMART WHEELS SPIRAL CONSTRUCTION TOWER

Kids can roll a toy truck over SmartPoints to hear phrases about feelings, construction, and cleaning up. Build first words and motor skills with this talking dump truck and track set.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $60
  • Age:
  • 18 MOS+

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Barbie Is Finally Making Her First Appearance on Nintendo Switch

Barbie is officially coming to the Nintendo Switch. In the six years since the Switch hit shelves, Barbie has never had her own Switch video game, but not anymore.

Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures launches kids into Barbieland as they make friends with Barbie and her friends and live an awesome life in the Dreamhouse.

The game features appearances from iconic Barbie characters including Barbie’s sisters: Skipper, Stacie, and Chelsea; Barbie’s parents; and — of course — Ken! Throughout the game, kids can dress the Barbies in the hottest outfits from dresses to PJs; give makeovers so Barbie feels like her best self; decorate each room of the Dreamhouse with wallpaper and furniture; grow fruits and vegetables in the Dreamhouse’s garden; and cook yummy meals!


Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures will be available on Oct. 27 and is currently available for preorder on Amazon. Young gamers will love living life in the Barbie Dreamhouse, even if they don’t have the real-life version to play with! Watch out though, they might start planning to run off to Malibu!

Anime the Day Away with Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Capsules

Life’s like a mystery capsule. You never know what you’re going to get.

Inspired by the hit anime series, Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Capsules from YuMe are the ultimate mystery capsule for the Crunchyroll-watching tween in your life. Jujutsu Kaisen follows Yuji Itadori, who is on a mission to exorcize a curse at a special high school and has to fight some (literal) demons along the way. There are several loveable — and not so loveable — characters and kids have a chance to discover eight of them with these collectibles.

Kids can collect eight characters from the hit anime series. | Source: YuME
Kids can collect eight characters from the hit anime series. | Source: YuME

Tweens are always in between: They’re no longer in the doll phase, but not quite ready for a collection of $100+ figures. Mystery capsules like these are the perfect way to bridge that gap at an affordable price. For $12.99 each, the Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Capsules each come with a tutorial on how to do an origami, a clue card pack with multiple steps, a collectible figure, a backer and base for the figure to stand on, and two accessories. This means they’ll get the fun of unboxing, and have a cool new collectible to add to — or begin — their shelf. 

The figures include characters like Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara. If you don’t know who these people are, it might be time to ask the anime-lover in your life! When tweens unbox all eight, they can display them side by side or recreate their favorite scenes.

There’s something classic about Jututsu Kaisen that we can’t quite put a finger on (also ask the anime-lover in your life why this joke is funny). It’s jam-packed with adventure and heart, and now fans can bring a little slice of that home. No curses necessary!


JUJUTSU KAISEN CURSED CAPSULES

Fans of the hit anime series can collect up to eight characters. Each mystery capsule comes with a collectible figure, display, and accessories.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

Halloween Will Be for Real Life with ‘Bluey’ Costumes and Accessories

Now that the kids are off to preschool, Halloween is peeking around the corner! Gear up for spooky season with costumes and accessories from kids’ favorite show about a blue heeler!

Kids will be ready to hit the street in Bluey costumes from Disguise ($19.99) and Spirit Halloween ($39.99). Both brands feature Bluey and Bingo costumes that are perfect for the Bluey-obsessed toddler in your life!

Costumes aren’t always enough when kids hit the neighborhood looking for full-size candy bars and avoiding the house that is handing out carrot sticks. Kids can carry around their Halloween bounty with a plush basket shaped like Bluey’s head ($16.99). Kids can also project Bluey and Bingo on flat surfaces using the Bluey Projector Flashlight ($9.99) or stick them to the fridge with the Boo! Bluey’s Halloween Magnet Book ($14.99)! 

You can even set up the perfect Bluey-themed moments for spooky season with Bluey apparel, including an orange tie-dye T-shirt that features Bluey, Bingo, and Chloe dressed up in their Halloween costumes and a set of purple-striped pajamas with Bluey dressed as a vampire and Bingo dressed as a ghost!

Halloween with the Heelers is definitely going to make the best Halloween ever! 

These New ‘PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie’ Books Are *Fur*tastic

When things get ruff, these pups inspire little readers to stay tough!

Fans of PAW Patrol have been eagerly awaiting the upcoming release of the film PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. It’s hitting theaters this Sep. 29, but luckily for kids who just can’t wait, publisher Penguin Random House has books to hold them over. Whether they want a story featuring their favorite heroic pups or an activity book that gets them in on the action, these new books will have them covered!

The PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie: Official Activity Book is a full-color activity book featuring puzzles, posters, more than 50 stickers, and more! Kids can stick their favorite pups on their favorite things and have a room full of PAW Patrol. (Get it here: Amazon.) PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie: The Official Storybook will take kids on an action-filled adventure inspired by the new movie. (Get it here: Amazon.) Power Up, Pups! is also inspired by the movie, and is perfect for readers ages 4-6. (Get it here: Amazon.)

There are more stories where that came from! Everyone’s favorite pink cockapoo air rescue pup is here to save the day in Skye’s Time to Fly. (Get it here: Amazon.) Kids who dream of joining the PAW Patrol team will love The Junior Patrollers as it follows three young pups with heroic hearts. (Get it here: Amazon.)

Kids will still need to wait until later this month to catch the new movie, but they can at least grab their favorite books and be ready for any rescue mission! The new PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie official books are available now.

‘Alma’s Way’ to Air Supremely Special Episode Starring Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor

No objections here! Season two of Alma’s Way, the popular PBS Kids show, is kicking off with a special half-hour episode featuring guest star Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. 

Created by Sonia Manzano, a Sesame Street veteran known for her role as Maria, Alma’s Way chronicles the life of Alma Rivera, a 6-year-old Puerto Rican girl growing up in the Bronx.

Alam’s Way centers on 6-year-old Alma Rivera. | Source: PBS Kids

Each episode of Alma’s Way is split into two 11-minute stories. The season two kick-off episode will first feature the story “Justice Sonia and Judge Alma,” with Justice Sotomayor playing herself and Manzano playing Granny Isa (Alma’s grandmother), as Alma tries to help her friends determine what’s fair. 

Then, in “Justice Sonia and Umpire Alma,” Justice Sotomayor encourages Alma to become an umpire at a kickball game, and Alma wonders if she made the right call about a play. 

Nominated by President Barack Obama to the Supreme Court in 2009, Justice Sotomayor is the third woman, first woman of color, and the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice. The new season fittingly airs Sept. 18, just three days into Hispanic Heritage month.

To watch previous episodes and get more information on Alma’s Way ahead of the season two premiere, visit pbskids.org.

Coding Fun Awaits with This Space-tacular Activity Set

Houston, we have a cool toy. 

We’re about to blast off into fun with Learning Resources’ latest screen-free coding kit for littles: the Space Rover Deluxe Coding Activity Set.

Designed for kids ages 4 and up, this set challenges pint-size space explorers to code their space rover through customizable mazes. 

While coding toys may seem complicated, this one is actually incredibly simple. Kids will learn the basics of “if/then” logic by using the directional buttons on the rover to guide it around the course they build themselves. 

Tapping into their creativity, the activity set includes 16 plastic maze tiles in a spacey blue color, as well as magnetic space rocks and other obstacles to place along the way. Kids can design their own course to make a path full of rough terrain for the rover to conquer, or they can use one of the 20 coding cards and mission handbook to re-create a pre-made maze. The pieces are easy to connect, disconnect, and rearrange, so the coding possibilities are endless.

The set also includes a little astronaut figure, which means kids can not only learn key STEM concepts while they play, but they can also engage in some imaginative fun. Plus, there’s a second purple rover and astronaut sold separately to make the challenge even better. 

Learning Resources is well known for its quality educational toys, and this new set fits right in with its toy siblings. I love that it’s creative, engaging, educational, and completely screen-free. It also encourages an interest in space exploration and engineering. 

Your little ones are just a few button pushes away from launching into learning fun with the Space Rover Deluxe Coding Activity Set.


SPACE ROVER DELUXE CODING ACTIVITY SET

With simple push-button coding, kids can code their space rover through customizable mazes and coding challenges. Comes with a coding rover, an astronaut, a flag, space rocks and obstacles, maze tiles, and coding cards.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

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MINTiD Dog-E is Kids’ One in a Million New Best Friend

Robotic dogs have come a long way.

Back in 1999, WowWee unleashed MEGA-BYTE The Hound Droid, “The Ultimate Pet for the 21st Century.” The chunky, blocky robot looked like something from a cartoon and wasn’t really interactive — it was an R/C toy sold at Radio Shack that boasted a then-whopping “8 Special Function Features!” and was controlled using a handheld remote.

Fast forward nearly 25 years, and now, with decades of experience and innovation behind them, WowWee — maker of Fingerlings — is back in the robotic dog space with MINTiD Dog-E. And yes, this pup truly is interactive!

Dog-E is a smart connected toy that has some expanded capabilities when used in conjunction with a free companion app for smartphones and other devices. But kids do not need to use the app to play with Dog-E, and I think that’s important to note right upfront. During the first few “connected toy” booms, I was quite critical of any toy that required an app to work or had to connect to the internet. Dog-E is fun right out of the box, no connection required!

Check out MINTiD Dog-E in action! | Source: WowWee

WowWee’s MINTiD Dog-E comes in a sparkling, giftable doggie crate that has a handle on it. Once uncrated, kids should charge Dog-E using the included USB charging cable for maximum playtime. Kids can turn on their Dog-E using the switch on its belly and the “minting” process is ready to begin.

Kids can mint their Dog-E with or without the app, and save up to 10 unique personality profiles. Minting is the process through which Dog-E develops its unique traits, including the colors of its eyes and feet — and it does this through play. Little ones can pet its head to reveal its eye color, then press its nose to reveal the colors of its paws. By playing with the included doggie bone (which magnetically attaches to Dog-E’s mouth), kids can reveal Dog-E’s tail color, while touching the pup on its sides will reveal the color of its heart and unleash its playful bark.

There are more than 200 different sounds and reactions for kids to discover and the combinations feel nearly unlimited. Dog-E walks, sits, barks, and more.

One of the coolest features of Dog-E is that its tail uses persistence of vision (POV) technology to “talk” to its human companion. By wagging its tail really, really fast, LED lights have the illusion of motion as they spell out words and display graphics that appear to float. Dog-E can tell kids when it’s hungry, when it’s not feeling well, or when it needs something. There are games to play like “Bark Back, “Code Breaker,” and “Fortune Teller,” and more. I like “Ultimate Nose Boop.”

Kids can reveal a Dog-E that’s just for them through minting. | Source: WowWee

Early buzz is pegging MINTiD Dog-E as one of this holiday season’s hot toys, so if you have someone in your life that may love one, now is the time to get it! The first preorder allocation sold out quickly when released on the Dog-E website. Officially, Dog-E starts to hit stores on Oct. 1, but keep your eyes out because it’s up for preorder via Amazon and you might spot one in your favorite store in the weeks ahead!

Happy minting!


MINTID DOG-E

Each Dog-E has a combination of lights, sounds, and personality traits that makes it unique. Kids can train Dog-E to do tricks, track its needs, and unlock more interactive play with the app.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $79.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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Search for Clues in the Chaos with This Search Party Game

If your kiddos love watching the movie Clue, binging Scooby-Doo, finding Waldo, or reading Richard Scary books, they will love Search Party: Chaos in the Park from Relatable Games (formerly What Do You Meme?).

This board game brings players on a wild ride in a pop-up paper amusement park filled with monkey business, who dis, and wheel deals! The 3D play highlights a vertical roller coaster and Ferris wheel. When you open the board, expect a lot of “oohs” and “ahhs” because it is not something you see often in a board game! The game’s flat surface highlights various amusement park guests and workers, revealing context clues and hidden objects players must find throughout the gameboard.

Source: Relatable Games

The first way to play is strictly a seek-and-search safari. There is a booklet showcasing 300 objects to find on the gameboard. Each person uses the included magnifying glass to find the listed objects. For example, the player has to find a fish with wings or a dog eating pizza. But remember: This game has vertical gameplay, so look up! Some hidden objects could be on the Ferris wheel or roller coaster.

While there is not an included sand timer, you can set a time limit for each player in which they have to find the object. If they do not find it in the allotted time, the next player gets a turn to find the object. Each person gets a turn until the item is found! Whoever finds it gets a point. This reviewer, however, likes to give nickels or dimes rather than points to make it more interesting! Alternatively, everyone can search for the object at the same time and see who discovers it first.

Another way to play is using the mission cards. There are 15 missions you can embark upon, with several tasks in each. Each mission pack contains a mystery about something happening in the park that needs your help solving. For example, in the “Clowning Around” mission, players have to find the clown car crash and discover why the car crashed to begin with.

There are 4-6 tasks in each mission. One person acts as the head detective to read the task card out loud to the other players. Then, everyone uses the board to find the clues to help solve the task. Once everyone thinks they have solved the task, the head detective checks the answer. If wrong, they can prompt the player. If correct, the head detective reads the second task, and so on. So players must use thinking, reasoning, and planning skills to complete each mission or find every object!

Parents can pull out the board to have kids find five objects while waiting for dinner or if things are getting rowdy on a rainy day. You can play for an hour or just five minutes. Kids can play the seek-and-search aspect alone or with a group of players, making the game versatile. While the game is for kids ages 8 and up, this parent reviewer suggests that younger kids play the seek-and-search aspect. Since there are quadrants (E9 or R3, for example), a parent can guide a younger player to look in a smaller square for an object. However, parents may wish an answer key booklet was included with the game!

While the game relies on strategy and problem-solving skills, it is not a stressful play experience, so kids who don’t enjoy the competitive aspect of playing board games will enjoy the casual play pattern in this seek-and-find gameplay. Additionally, since there are 300 hidden objects, players can use the gameboard over and over again — even if you find the last object on the list, you probably forget where the first object was by that point! It makes this board game part of your family’s game experience for years to come!


SEARCH PARTY CHAOS AT THE PARK

This 3D pop-up board game takes kids through 15 missions and 300 search-and-find objects around an epic amusement park. Work through mission cards or enjoy a bonus way to play in this multi-card story that encourages inquisitive fun.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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MORI and Hasbro Release ‘Peppa Pig’ Sustainable Clothing Line

Peppa Pig fans will be able to sport their British animated friend throughout all stages of the day with MORI’s new clothing line. 

The sustainable baby and toddler brand partnered with the toy and game company Hasbro to launch a Peppa Pig collection for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers between the ages of 0-6. 

The collection includes day, sleep, and bath time wear made from MORI’s signature organic cotton and bamboo fabric, with prices starting at $20.

The clothing line includes oversized sweatshirts, onesies, overalls, dresses, pants, and a reversible jacket with piggy ears on the hood with a variety of lettuce hems, flares, necklines, and cuffs. The prints on the outfits feature Peppa and her little brother George with suns, moons, and stars. 

There’s also a towel with Peppa Pig ears and snout with embroidered facial features on the head to swaddle kids in after bath time. 

The collaboration will even have Peppa making her way into bedtime with footie pajamas and a front-opening sleeping bag for babies to get little ones excited about hitting the hay. 


The Peppa Pig by MORI collection is available at babymori.com.

Flying Skills Will Take Off With the Sky Viper Journey GPS Drone

For beginners, drones can be intimidating. 

But with the Sky Viper Journey GPS Drone from Skyrocket, there’s appeal for those just starting out, as well as experts who have been dipping their toes in the world of these devices for a while. 

First, for only $99.99, this drone won’t break the bank — but still has the features similar to that of a pricier hobby-grade drone. And thanks to a simple app to download, it’s extremely easy for teens ages 12 and up to set it up and get it in the sky. 

This drone is perfect for those just starting out, as well as experts who have been dipping their toes in the world of these devices for a while.  | Source: Skyrocket

With a phone mount connected to the controller, everything in the drone’s vision is also right in front of the person controlling it, while also recording high-definition 720p video for later that will be saved in both the app and in camera roll. 

The drone can be a bit scary to control in windy weather at first. However, with a Return to Home button that brings it to land exactly where it was launched from, beginners can explore their new drone and develop their skills with confidence. Because of this feature, kids can also use it as an indoor drone with enough caution. 

Although the drone is guaranteed to, the epic flying experience kids will gain while learning how to use the Sky Viper Journey won’t go right over their head. 


SKY VIPER JOURNEY GPS DRONE

The Sky Viper Journey GPS Drone is designed to perform. With built-in GPS, a network of satellites to secure its position in relation to waypoints, and positional awareness to return to where it launched, this drone is perfect for beginners or advanced drone users.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $99.99
  • Age:
  • 12+
  • Battery Requirements:
  • 3 AAA, not included

Pokémon Puzzles and Paper Theaters Are Coming to the U.S. from Bandai Namco

Little Pokémon fans are about to get new toys to catch! 

Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America is teaming up with Japanese manufacturer Ensky to bring new Pokémon puzzles to the U.S.! This collection of toys is perfect for young Pokémon trainers who love problem solving!

“Pokémon has amassed such a devoted and loving fanbase over the last 27 years,” says Yoshi Mecklenberg, Brand Manager of Marketing for Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America. “We are very excited to be able to bring these products to such committed followers of the franchise, in an area that hasn’t yet seen all that Pokémon has to offer!”

The upcoming puzzles include a 3D puzzle that is shaped like Pikachu and standard puzzles featuring all sorts of different Pokémon. The collection also features three paper theaters featuring Mew and Mewtwo, the Eevee evolutions, and Woodstyle Pokémon. The paper theaters feature layers of paper in different colors that kids stack on top of each other to reveal the Pokémon!

The collection will be available this fall from $17-43. More Pokémon are expected to join the collection within the next few months, so little trainers have a lot to look forward to!

Kids Keep Organized with Cubo Sticky Schedules

We all know this kind of adult: They have every moment of every week planned from now until they are 85. They write meticulous notes in color-coded detail and will send you a calendar invite for phone call. This is their origin story.

OK, OK — I can’t sit here and promise to you that Cubo Sticky Schedules will turn your kid into a Type A master planner (I think you just have to be born that way), but it does help preschoolers gain a foundation in routine management, which is the first step towards organization domination and a great thing to have this back-to-school season. The kit comes with 60 magnets that feature drawings of different activities kids might have in their days, three poster guides, and a storage box that doubles as a magnetic board and a matching game board.

Cubo Sticky Schedules are designed with the Montessori ideal that kids thrive on set routines. The set outlines these routines in an easily graspable way for preschoolers through illustrations. Parents can set up their daily routine, weekly schedules, and a chores list. They can use these magnets on the included board, which features a handy stand, or stick them on the fridge. When it’s all laid out, kids can better understand and anticipate the next task of their day.

In daily life, kids can often feel lost in the commotion, and this set helps them feel more in control. Parents can allow them to place the magnets, so while they don’t really have a choice about going to school and then the dentist, they can feel a part of the decision-making process. When used as a weekly schedule, it can also give them a visual to look forward to after a long week. I, too, would be excited if I could see “restaurant” after all of my chores.

The set also features a matching game board. Kids can match the tiles to a bedtime routine, chores list, and places to visit. They will reach a new milestone when they finish each.

Any toddler parent knows the only thing their kid has time for is chaos, so Cubo Sticky Schedules are recommended for kids between the ages of 3-8. These ages are more willing to learn and ready to grasp those lifelong learning and cognitive skills. When not in use, the magnets fit back into the box for easy storage.

If your little one is heading back to school or starting for the first time, you can check finding the perfect new activity off your list!


Cubo Sticky Schedules

Preschoolers will learn early education and cognitive skills with this magnetic calendar set. It features illustrated magnets that kids can use to create daily, weekly, and chore schedules. The magnets fit into the box, which also doubles as a magnetic board and features a matching game.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • #34.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

Kids Can Practice Their Stealth Skills with Sneak-A-Treat

Family game nights are all about togetherness and fun, but sometimes that isn’t enough excitement. Goliath Games’ latest game adds a whole new level of tense fun to the lineup.

Designed for kids ages 4 and up, Sneak-A-Treat features a rascally creature that has stolen all of the candy. It is the players’ mission to steal back all of the candy without getting caught!

To play the game, kids must put their sneaking skills to the test. When it’s their turn, kids must spin the creature to find out which candy they need to sneak. When they steal the cookies, donuts, lollipops, gummies, and other candies back, they must press the candy trigger button, but they better hope the critter doesn’t notice. A kid’s turn ends when the creature catches them and snatches back the stolen candy. Whoever has the most points before they get caught, wins!


Sneak-A-Treat is available on Amazon for $34.99. Now that kids will be pro treat sneakers, you better get better at hiding the Halloween candy!

PBS Kids’ New Podcasts Are Full of Entertainment and Education

Podcasts are still growing in popularity among kids and families as a free, engaging, and entertaining form of content. To the delight of young audiences nationwide, PBS Kids is continuing to hop on the trend by expanding its growing library of podcasts in the coming months.

Just in time for back-to-school season, things will kick off in September with a new original podcast series called Jamming on the Job. This music-centered podcast for kids ages 4 and up and their families stars Christina Sanabria and Andrés Salguero, the Latin Grammy Award-winning kids’ music duo known as 123 Andrés. Listeners will join the pair as they tour the U.S. performing songs about the “world of work.” At each tour stop, they meet a grownup with an interesting job who helps them solve a problem. As the duo learns about the career of the day and the skills necessary to be successful at that job, they then write a brand new song about it with the help of their magic music-making machine BoomBox, voiced by Grammy-nominated musician Pierce Freelon. Some of the featured jobs include a nurse practitioner, prescribed fire manager, language instructor, robotics engineers, and more.

In addition to giving kids a window into a wide variety of career paths, each episode of the new series highlights foundational skills relevant to each job such as empathy, social problem-solving, and responsibility, as well as flexible thinking, impulse control, and persistence. Jamming on the Job, produced by PBS North Carolina and brought to listeners in partnership with PRX, will premiere on Sept. 14.

Luckily, that’s not all PBS Kids has to offer. In addition, an eagerly anticipated third season of The Arthur Podcast will premiere on Nov. 9. Produced by GBH Kids together with Gen-Z Media and distributed in partnership with PRX, The Arthur Podcast is the top PBS Kids podcast with nearly 5M streams and 1.3M downloads this year. Families can listen as the world-famous aardvark Arthur Read goes on some of his favorite adventures, featuring D.W., Buster, and all their friends from Elwood City. Each episode is an audio adaptation of a story from the animated series with some new commentary from Arthur himself, as well as Arthur’s Inbox, a question-and-answer portion that includes responses from listeners everywhere.

Lastly, the Playdate with the Wombats! podcast welcomes kids ages 3 and up to take part in fun-filled playdates with Malik, Zadie, and Zeke, the marsupial sibling stars of the hit PBS Kids series Work it Out Wombats! Starting on Jan. 4, this podcast will welcome listeners to take the role of “Wombuddies” on an interactive playdate and encourage them to answer questions, count, sing, dance, and use their imaginations. Produced by GBH Kids and Cultural Whisperers, this podcast reinforces computational thinking skills and encourages listeners to put them to use by identifying and coping patterns and connecting the cause to the effect.

These three podcasts will be available free on-demand on the PBS Kids Video App across all major podcast platforms. Following their premieres, new episodes of Jamming on the Job, The Arthur Podcast, and Playdate with the Wombats! will roll out weekly. Check out the trailer for Jamming on the Job below!

Best Toys for Back-to-School on Fox 11 Los Angeles

Toy Insider Media Correspondent Deborah Stallings Stumm joined Fox 11 in Los Angeles to show off the best toys to keep kids’ brains sharp ahead of the new school year. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


WOODEN WORK & PLAY DESKTOP ACTIVITY BOARD

This tiny, wooden version of a laptop and desk features a variety of interactive elements that babies and toddlers can use to develop fine motor skills while pretending to work from home like their parents. It has no detachable pieces and features a handle for on-the-go play.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $27.99
  • Age:
  • 1+

NUMBERBLOCKS STEP SQUAD MISSION HEADQUARTERS

Kids can join Numberblock Three on secret agent adventures in this playset. It features everything kids need to learn about counting in exciting imaginative play, including accessories and a ride-on elevator/

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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SCRIBBLE N PLAY CREATIVITY KIT

Scribble n' Play is a reusable kids' drawing tablet that is great at helping kids discover their creativity. A mess free alternative to scratch arts and crafts, the Scribble n' Play includes a long-lasting battery to remove the mess of plugs and chargers. This kids' drawing tablet features the revolutionary Colorburst display that lets kids…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

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AIR TOOBZ

This STEM-based set features a kid-safe turbine that sends foam balls flying through a network of modular tubes and connectors that kids can arrange however they'd like for fun and educational experimentation.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $139.95
  • Age:
  • 3+

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TINKERTAR

Created by musicians Brian Calhoun, Dave Matthews, and John Alagia, this one-string melody maker is made of sustainable, responsibly sourced wood. Use the included 15-song songbook and colored and numbered finger positions to learn beginner guitar.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99 EACH
  • Age:
  • 3+

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LEGO ICONS OF PLAY

Inspire soccer fans with this 899-piece buildable set, featuring half a soccer field with a goal and VAR station, stands with a scoreboard, a ceremonial stage, 15 diverse minifigures, and more.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $99.99
  • Age:
  • 10+

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Toys for a Super Fun Labor Day Weekend on Cheddar

Toy Insider Senior Editor Madeleine Buckley joined Cheddar to show off the best toys to have a fantastic and fun Labor Day weekend. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


WIXELS

Introducing a new way to color using markers with Wixels Unicorn and Animal Activity Sets. Kids can follow the included color map to create fun, pixelated unicorns, animal art, or create their own design! Watch designs take shape as each square absorbs color into the Wixel Board for a magical 2D outcome. The board is…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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KOOSH FACE-OFF

Play one of three games against your opponent: Around The World, Classic Champ, or Center Toss. The game can be played indoors or outdoors, and the target face is reversible to switch between modes.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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KANJAM PICKLEBALL

This backyard game combines the gameplay of Kan Jam and pickleball for a unique challenge. It's easy to set up and can adapts to suit players' skill levels.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 12+

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RIBBON NINJA

Think like a fox, move like a cheetah, and strike like a cobra. Do you have what it takes to become a true Ribbon Ninja master? Each player has three colorful ribbons attached to his or her wristband. The goal is simple: snatch your opponents' ribbons before they snatch yours. Think like a fox, move…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.95; $29.99 CAD
  • Age:
  • 6+

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CHICKEN VS HOT DOG

Players can split into teams or play one-on-one by bidding with cards and physically flipping the chicken and the hog dot in relay-style challenges. The first team to turn over all of their character cards wins.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $30
  • Age:
  • 8+

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YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK GRIZZLY BEAR GAMES PLAY SET

Pretend to be a hungry bear and play bear food catching, racing, and search-and-find games with this playful introduction to Yellowstone National Park. Plush versions of some of grizzly bears’ favorite snacks stick to self-stick hook-and-loop tabs on bear paw gloves and the snout of strap-on bear heads.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $37.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EPIC FORTS — 70 PC KIT

Kids can build a variety of fort structures with bendable connectors and sturdy poles, making everything from domes and pyramids to rocket ships and anything else they can imagine. This kit comes with 70 pieces and detailed illustrated instructions that explain building basics, as well as how to build a hut and a mini rocket.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

Kids Crafts’ Latest Toys Inspire Creativity

As kids head back to school this year, they’re going to need ways to express themselves creatively and motivate themselves to make this year a great one! Kids Crafts’ latest crafts and activities are sure to do both.

Send the kid in your life to school every day with a touch of inspiration with Bites of Brilliance Lunch Box Cards ($14.99), little notes to leave with their snack that include messages like “When it rains, look for rainbows,” “You are magic,” and “The time is always right to do what is right.” Kids can also take inspiration from a real life artist with the Believe Like Ella Musical Note Craft Kit ($24.99). This kit is based on legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald and has everything they need to design their own music note, including stencils, ribbon, and more!

Kids can unleash their creativity on Paint-by-Number Craft Kits ($19.99), which include all the paint kids need to create a masterpiece! Each kit features the image of a girl and an inspiring quote beneath her. Kids can also design tags for their cats or dogs with the Pawsome Pet Tags ($29.99), which includes blank shrink art tags to color, decorate, and shrink and packaging to give them to others with. This kit is great for kids who are looking to make holiday gifts for the animal lovers in their lives.

The Kids Crafts advent calendar has 25 days of felt ornaments to make! | Source: Kids Crafts

Kids Crafts is rounding off its latest releases with its Countdown-to-Christmas Felt Craft Kit Advent Calendar, which is designed for kids ages 4 and up and features 25 days of no sew or glue felt ornaments! The advent calendar is currently available for preorder for $39.99 and is expected to ship early next month. 

Whether kids are looking for inspiration or an awesome craft to do after school, Kids Crafts has great activities to fill up rainy afternoons.

A nanoblock Store Is Officially Coming to the American Dream Mall

Young builders in New Jersey are about to get a new shopping destination. Bandai Namco is opening a nanoblocks storefront at the American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, the first nanoblocks location on the East Coast. 

The store will feature licensed products from Naruto, Kirby, Sanrio, Pokémon, and more. The store will also have an exclusive nanoblock set of Kirby’s Dream Land available for $25 with Kirby mininano characters. 

“Nanoblock is a fast-growing micro-sized building block trend from Japan that will have its largest retail activation to date at the American Dream Mall,” says Adam Newman, Senior Vice President of Brand Management. “This brand depicts popular new and retro character trends; as well as an extensive catalog of foods, animals and sites-to-see in a very unique aesthetic. Nanoblock represents cute, cool and compact construction fun from Japan and we hope to delight fans with the ultimate shopping experience.”

The store will also have monthly workshops to build simple kits, a free wall art display for visitors to add to, and daily promotions. The storefront is set to open this Friday, Sept. 1.

Engaging STEM Toys on NECN Boston

Toy Insider Senior Editor Madeleine Buckley joined NECN in Boston to show off the best new STEM toys to keep kids brains sharp ahead of the new school year. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


REEL BIG CATCH GAME

Players use a fishing pole to catch nine telescoping fish. Then, they use the measuring tape on their catch to explore the correlation between size and measurement and the concept of small, medium, and large.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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BIG ADVENTURES BY LITTLE TIKES

These toy vehicles are designed to encourage outdoor, STEM-based play. The line includes a space rover, a safari SUV, and a submarine. Each vehicle comes with three tools, some of which detach, such as the binoculars, flashlight, and compass on the SUV.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99-26.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

MELISSA & DOUG LITTLE DOCTOR GIFT BUNDLE

This gift bundle is perfect for kids who want to play doctor. The bundle comes with a 25-piece Doctor's Kit Play Set, an 8-piece Doctor Role Play Costume Set, and a Water Wow! Occupations Activity Pad. The Doctor's Kit Play Set includes activity cards, medical tools, and patient care items. The Doctor Role Play Costume…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $74.99
  • Age:
  • 3+
  • Battery Requirements:
  • 2 AAA Batteries

SPY LABS: FORENSIC INVESTIGATION KIT

Kids can perform experiments on evidence using chemical and physical techniques. They can analyze solids and liquids, make a fluorescent solution, and more using chromatography to solve make-believe mysteries.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

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VR DINOSAURS, OCEANS, & ANIMALS GIFT SETS

Kids can learn about oceans, animals, or dinosaurs with three separate gift sets. Each set comes with an interactive book from DK publishing, virtual reality goggles for educational experiences, and scratch art or fossil activities.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

SMITHSONIAN PLANETARIUM PROJECTOR

When kids aim the projector at a light-colored wall or ceiling, it will project a rotating star pattern of the northern sky. The set includes three disks with 24 space images that kids can project alongside the stars.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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Dr. Seuss Enterprises Lands Podcast Deal with Wondery

Kids and families will have a blast when they listen to the new Dr. Seuss podcast!

In an expansive deal announced by Wondery Kids & Family (a division of the podcast studio Wondery) and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the world of Dr. Seuss will be brought to life through an upcoming lineup of podcast programming. The slate kicks off with the Sept. 18 premiere of The Cat in the Hat Cast, a fantastical variety show-style podcast series hosted by everyone’s favorite red and white hat-wearing Cat from the best-selling book The Cat in the Hat.

The podcast will whisk kids ages 3 and up away on an adventure in a world full of delightful mix-ups and exhilarating mayhem. The mischievous cat takes the reins and enlightens the ever-cautious Fish on the art of hosting a perfectly poised podcast. Featuring “Alphabet Song” sing-a-longs, tremendous tongue-twisters, and wondrous wordplay, this podcast will leave kids guessing what surprises The Cat will pull out of his hat next. 

Per Edison Research, podcasts help foster family connections and have a strong reach among children. Wondery Kids & Family podcasts can serve as a valuable tool, turning everyday moments into enriching learning experiences that lead to meaningful conversations and family bonding. 

The Cat in the Hat Cast will be available exclusively on Wondery+ through the Wondery app, and on Wondery Kids+ on Apple Podcasts. Additional series inspired by the imaginative worlds created by Dr. Seuss will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Jazwares’ DevSeries Collection Brings Virtual Roblox Games to the Toy Box

Video games have quickly cemented themselves as a cornerstone of the modern kid’s playtime arsenal. Jazwares’ new DevSeries toy collection celebrates and expands this phenomenon by making available physical toys from previously screen-only favorite games from within the Roblox universe. 

This collection is jam-packed with items, with the toys generally fitting into six categories: plush, sqooshems, multipacks, mystery figures, hangers, and collectors bundles.  

There are nine plush in the collection. | Source: Jazwares

If it seems like a lot, that’s because it is. The collection spans nine different Roblox-based games: Brookhaven, Murder Mystery 2, Livetopia Roleplay, Build a Boat for Treasure, Tower of Hell, Jail Break, Arsenal Reloaded, Hide and Seek Extreme, and Ninja Legends. The toys in the collection are intended for kids ages 6 and up.

Several mystery box toys in the collection bring the fun in a big way: the blind hangers ($5) are perfect for clipping to backpacks and the like, while the mystery figures ($24.99 for a six-pack) are little multi-piece action figures that give kids the added bonus of a surprise upon opening. The sqooshems ($5) are small, stretchy, and squishy figures, which are great for fidgeters.

DevSeries Mystery Figures. | Source: Jazwares

This collection is a great digital-physical hybrid instrument of play. Kids who are already tech-savvy and enthusiastic about Roblox games will benefit from the physical, screen-free playtime these toys offer. But for those either looking to incorporate video games, tech, or even social opportunities into a kid’s playtime diet, this intro to Roblox could be a serious boon. Plus, each item in the collection comes with an exclusive virtual item code, which gives kids access to in-game collectibles, virtual clothing, and more. 

Not sure where to start? A good mix for young Roblox faithfuls is the collector’s bundle ($19.99), which includes a plush, a hanger, and a sqooshems, plus three exclusive virtual item codes, giving kids just a little bit of everything they need to level up their gaming. 

Even if your kid isn’t a die-hard Robloxian, the colorful characters (from ultra-squishy dinos and creepy jack-in-the-boxes to articulated jovial cowboy figures) make for good building blocks of imaginative play. 

There are many routes to take here, so between the six categories of toys and the nine games that inspired them, it could feel initially overwhelming for parents who aren’t familiar with the many lores and storylines of the Roblox universe. But the good news is, the digital components are easy enough to master on one’s own, and there’s no set rulebook here with how kids are expected to play. 

And that’s the beauty of the collection and the allure of expansive video games like Roblox. Though at first glance Jazwares’ DevSeries collection may seem complicated, really it’s about opening up kids’ world of play, and making the virtual icons they love come to life.


DevSeries

DevSeries from Jazwares features fan-favorite online gaming characters from Brookhaven, Murder Mystery 2, Livetopia, Build a Boat for Treasure, Tower of Hell, Jailbreak, Arsenal Reloaded, Hide & Seek Extreme, and Ninja Legends. The line consists of toys, including plush, action figures, sqooshems, and hangers, and exclusive virtual item codes to use in-game.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $4.99-24.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

Moose Toys’ Beast Lab Is ‘Saved By the Bell’ Approved

Two actors from one of your favorite ‘90s shows from your childhood are reuniting to promote Moose Toys’ latest release. 

Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen, also known as A.C. Slater and Kelly Kapowski from Saved By the Bell, are teaming up to promote Beast Lab, Moose Toys’ latest surprise toy combined with science experiments.

Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen and their kids unleash a beast with Beast Lab! | Source: Moose Toys/Michael Simon

The two actors and their kids, Dominic and Santino Lopez and Holt Smith, tested out the Beast Lab, which features crazy crackling sounds, bubbling noises, flashing lights, and fearsome roars as kids do the revealing experiment. The group revealed the Havoc Hammerhead, one of two possible figures. Designed for kids ages 5 and up, each Beast Lab features an articulated, electronic action figure that comes with an action-packed weapon and a spring-loaded punch that is sure to win any battle. 

Beast Lab will be available online starting this Friday, Sept. 1, for $79.99 before hitting shelves in stores on Oct. 1. One day, the Beast Lab may be as nostalgic to the kids in your life as Saved By the Bell is for you. 

Slumberkins’ New Album Is All About Social Emotional Learning

In July, Slumberkins announced that it would be jumping into the music scene, releasing songs inspired by the lineup of Slumberkins characters. Now, the brand’s first album is officially here!

Together We Shine, Vol. 1 features seven songs inspired by Slumberkins books and characters. The album was executive produced by Ingrid Michaelson, who also sings on the album along with artists  A Great Big World, Rachel Platten, Trevor Hall, Britnee Kellogg, AHI, and MOsley WOtta. 

Each song on the album focuses on a different social-emotional learning theme. For example, “Take a Deep Breath” helps kids settle down when they are feeling big emotions that they aren’t sure how to handle; “Heart Family” is about how family bonds can’t be broken and how they love each other even when things change; and “Being You” is about using affirmations to enforce positive thinking. Parents can even take away important messages from Together We Shine, Vol. 1. 

“I am so incredibly honored to be a featured artist on the song for Yak, ‘Being You,'” Kellogg says. “As an artist, I often struggle with feeling like I am good enough and at times find it hard to persevere due to those intrusive thoughts. When I was singing vocals in the studio, I felt so encouraged by the lyrics and was reminded that although I share Yak’s affirmations with my children on a daily basis, I forget that it also applies to me! Us big kids need those reminders sometimes, too. Slumberkins is such a gift to me, my children and so many others, and I can’t wait for you to hear this encouraging song about being unapologetically you.”

Together We Shine, Vol. 1 is available now on music streaming services. Visit this link for a full guide of where to stream the new songs.

Top Toys that Teach on My PHL 17

Toy Insider Editor-in-Chief Ali Mierzejewski joined My PHL 17 in Philadelphia to show off some of the best new educational toys for kids as they get ready to head back to class. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


TACTILE TURTLES MATH ACTIVITY SET

Inspired by the sea, the Tactile Turtles Math Activity Set helpskids master early math skills! This engaging math activity set provides a sensory experience as kids explore counting, sorting, patterning, and more. Each turtle is made from certified 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. The set also includes 10 double-sided Activity Cards and Activity Guide to introduce…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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WIXELS

Introducing a new way to color using markers with Wixels Unicorn and Animal Activity Sets. Kids can follow the included color map to create fun, pixelated unicorns, animal art, or create their own design! Watch designs take shape as each square absorbs color into the Wixel Board for a magical 2D outcome. The board is…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

Buy Now

The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

3DOODLER START+ MAKER BUNDLE

This 3D printing pen engages kids’ imagination with the press of a button! Kids can make 3D figures with this bundle which includes more than 20 design projects, a kid-friendly printing pen, and colorful filaments.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

KANOODLE PYRAMID

This multiplayer, collaborative, brain-teaser game features a tabletop board and geometric pieces that fit together to solve 200 2D and 3D puzzles. Kids can enhance their strategic, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills as they play.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 7+

Buy Now

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SMITHSONIAN PLANETARIUM PROJECTOR

When kids aim the projector at a light-colored wall or ceiling, it will project a rotating star pattern of the northern sky. The set includes three disks with 24 space images that kids can project alongside the stars.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

Buy Now

The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

‘The Goblin Twins’ Book Adds a Multicultural Twist to Halloween

Halloween is always fun, but it’s even better when kids also get an opportunity to learn! Spooky season is just around the corner, and author Frances Cha is using the occasion to share stories from her Korean heritage that make for an exciting kids’ book!

The Goblin Twins tells the story of 601-year-old Korean trickster twins Doki and Kebi. The goblin twins truly embody the phrase “Trick or treat.” Doki likes to read his books and give people little bags of gold, while his brother Kebi likes to explore and scare people. Doki and Kebi are dokkaebi, creatures from Korean mythology who can either bring great wealth or trouble.

In this tale, the inseparable Doki and Kebi are headed to New York City for Halloween after Kebi hears stories about a strange place where people want to be scared! The twins make their new home together throughout this new adventure while learning about Halloween!
The Goblin Twins will be available at bookstores starting on Sept. 5! The book is the perfect way to integrate multicultural stories into kids’ haunts this year!

YuMe’s Stranger Things Capsules Offer a Mysterious Unboxing Experience

There’s no official timeline on when the fifth and final season of Stranger Things will drop on Netflix, but until then, YuMe has just the collectibles to satisfy fans eagerly awaiting the show’s return.

The Stranger Things Upside Down Capsules will transport fans straight back into the 1980s. Each mini retro TV holds a wealth of nostalgia and surprises around every corner for kids (and kidults), complete with clues, games, trading cards, stickers, and collectibles. The figures are safety-graded for kids ages 3 and up, but are best enjoyed by an older audience of tweens, teens, and adults who are fans of the Netflix show.

Each capsule comes with clue cards, a card pack, two accessories, and a ~2.5-inch figurine. The packaging is all numbered so kids can open them in order or go off on their own adventure. To be honest, when I opened my capsules I was too excited to see which character I got so I skipped right to opening my figurine! Everything about the packaging is cool. Even the plastic that you discard has incredibly detailed designs related to the show. 

The clue cards — in packaging that looks like a classic mixtape — are meant to be opened first. These cards have portions that can be scratched off like a mini arcade game and pictures that can be revealed with water like developing a real photograph. These clues help reveal who your mystery character is.

Next, kids can open their trading card packs, which come with three story cards, one character card, one sticker reveal, and one TV card that can be used as a backdrop for display purposes. These cards feature never-before-seen artwork.

The final steps are to open the two accessories and the character figurine. There are 12 possible figures to collect from all four seasons: Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Hopper, Max, Demogorgon, Robin, Steve, Argyle, Eddie, and an ultra-rare Demogorgon variant. The great thing about the accessories is that they all work well with the character. For example, Dustin’s “thinking cap” fits right on his head and Steve’s iconic spiked bat slips right into his hands. My personal favorite is Max’s skateboard, which connects to her feet so she can be displayed mid-trick. Some of the smaller accessories are difficult to make stay in the characters’ hands (such as Eleven’s waffle), but once it’s placed carefully it’s ready to be displayed. 

Once kids have gone through the entire unboxing experience, they can display their figurines two different ways: TV display mode (standing atop a TV) or The Upside Down display mode (standing in front of a background on a Stranger Things base). 

Waiting for a new season of your favorite show isn’t fun, but these capsules from YuMe will keep fans entertained with a unique and incredibly fun unboxing experience. 


YUME STRANGER THINGS UPSIDE DOWN CAPSULES

The Stranger Things Upside Down Capsules will transport fans straight back into the 1980s. Each mini retro TV holds a wealth of nostalgia and surprises around every corner for kids (and kidults) ages 3 and up, complete with clues, games, trading cards, stickers, and collectibles.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99 (two-pack)
  • Age:
  • 3+

Toys for Back-to-School Prep on ABC World News Now

Toy Insider Editor-in-Chief Marissa Silva joined ABC World News Now to show off the best new toys that will get kids ready to head back to class. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


MATCH AND LEARN COOKIES

Little pastry chefs can pretend to make and bake 26 yummy-looking letter cookies. Press each colorful cookie into the tray to hear letter names, letter sounds, colors and flavors. Now you’re cooking! Take the cookies off the tray and serve the sweet treats to friends and family. Listen closely to hear which cookie to bake…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

CONSERVATION CREW TONIES

Meet the Conservation Crew, the special group of animal helpers tasked to save the Earth! With the help of Mother Nature's mystical powers, these unique friends adventure across the world to save wild places and the animals who live there. Kids can place Bobby the Sea Turtle or Nina the Red Panda on top of…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99 EACH
  • Age:
  • 3+

SCATTERGORIES STACKAGORIES

In this new twist on the iconic game, each player controls their own set of colored stacking pieces, and whoever has their piece on the top of the stack scores for that card. As players stack higher, they score more points.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $17.95
  • Age:
  • 12+

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SNAP FM RADIO

With this entry-level Snap Circuits kit, kids can participate in four hands-on projects to build a working FM radio. The project will teach kids about the science of radio waves, amplifiers, circuits, and electricity.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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KANOODLE PYRAMID

This multiplayer, collaborative, brain-teaser game features a tabletop board and geometric pieces that fit together to solve 200 2D and 3D puzzles. Kids can enhance their strategic, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills as they play.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 7+

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KIDIZOOM SMARTWATCH DX3

This kid-friendly smartwatch features dual cameras, daily reminders, a flashlight, and more than 50 animated clock faces for time-telling fun. Switch to school mode when it's time to limit its capabilities to the watch feature. This kid-friendly smartwatch features dual cameras, daily reminders, a flashlight, and more than 50 animated clock faces for time-telling fun.…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

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There’s an Intergalactic Beef Between Cows and Aliens

We are in the midst of an epic battle between cows and aliens — so you better mooooooove out of the way!

This recent addition to the Vs World lineup from toymaker Cepia is Cows Vs. Aliens, and word on the street is that the cows are being observed by the aliens who are hilariously and poorly disguised as humans.

These 4-inch tall, bean-filled plush are everything you would hope for from the makers of Cats Vs Pickles, Dogs Vs Squirls, Bears Vs Donuts, and more. They are quirky, silly, and just “udderly” adorable! Kids ages 4 and up can easily carry them around in little backpacks for fun and imaginative play on the go.

Source: Cepia

There are 48 different characters for kids to add to their collections, and each soft, tiny plush comes in a mystery bag in typical GWYG (Get what you get!) style, so it’s always a surprise and you never know which one you’re going to get.

There’s Moonstruck, the starry, blue cow who “jumped over the mooooon;” Bubbles, “a boba bovine” featuring purple bubbles on a pink body; Fudgie, “how now brown cow?” with a chocolate body and sprinkles; and so many more, all with colorful, creative, and funny pun-filled designs.

With only eight in the collection, the sneaky aliens are more rare and certainly harder to find. This includes Neil, a green alien who is always “ready for a moon shot” and more.

So in the war of Cows Vs Aliens, will you fight for team Earth or team space?


COWS VS. ALIENS

Get ready to be “moo-ved” by the captivating charm of Cows vs Aliens as they invade the world of collectibles this “Joo-n”! These adorable bean-filled plushies are more than just ordinary toys. With their brightly colored cow and alien designs, Cows vs Aliens are on a mission to captivate the hearts of collectors with their…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $5
  • Age:
  • 4+

Keep Toddlers Busy and Active with Fat Brain Toys’ SpillAgain

When toddlers start to walk and run, keeping them entertained can be quite the challenge. Luckily, Fat Brain Toys’ latest game knows what to do with this new and active energy. 

SpillAgain is a fun suspense game with a fairly simple premise: Toddlers gather up 16 colorful balls and place them into a tower. The 22-inch tower has a built-in timer that will release the balls to start the fun over again.

Designed for kids ages 2 and up, this toy is the latest in Fat Brain Toys’ ongoing line of “Again” toys. Previous releases include SpinAgain, the RollAgain Tower, and the RollAgain Sorter. All of these colorful activities are designed to keep little hands busy — and SpillAgain is no different.

Playtime starts when the tower’s basket is full of soft, plastic balls that are well-sized for toddlers’ hands. Kids then press a button that activates the timer. When the timer randomly goes off, the balls drop from the basket and roll away from the tower. Toddlers can race to return the balls to the basket for an endless cycle of fun.  

With SpillAgain, parents can keep their toddlers entertained while helping them develop fine motor skills. Parents can get creative by creating skill-based challenges using the game, such as suggesting that kids gather the balls based on color or timing how fast they can collect them all. With 16 balls to collect, this is also a great option for keeping multiple kids entertained. If little ones aren’t ready for competitive play, they can practice teamwork by collecting the balls as quickly as possible.

In addition to SpillAgain’s positive play benefits, adults will appreciate that they can assemble the toy in four easy steps. The pieces snap into place without the need for tools or batteries. It should take less than 5 minutes to have the game ready for play. The toy has other grownup-friendly features, too. Parents can store the balls in the basket for easy cleanup, and the toy is designed for both indoor and outdoor play. Just make sure the base is on a flat surface! 

Kids can stay moving this summer and all year long by engaging in this active, screen-free game.


SPILL AGAIN

Little ones fill the top of the tower with the 16 colorful balls and then press a button to activate a hidden timer that counts down until the tower spills the balls in all directions for kids to chase and collect.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $44.95
  • Age:
  • 2+

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‘Barbie: A Touch of Magic’ Brings Fantasy and Friendship to Netflix

The beloved Barbie goes on a new magical adventure!

Mattel‘s iconic fashion doll is continuing to capture hearts. Following the explosive release of Barbie: The Movie, everyone’s been taken with Barbie fever! Young fans are no exception and luckily for them, there’s plenty of new content to enjoy. From virtual fashion in the game Rec Room to a Build-A-Bear Barbie collection, kids can easily get their daily dose of pink. For those who have been waiting for a new Barbie series, Barbie: A Touch of Magic is coming with old favorite characters and fun new faces.

Barbie and friends find magic in the world thanks to a baby Pegasus. | Source: Barbie YouTube

Little fans of the Barbie DreamHouse Adventures series will be happy to see a return to the setting, with a magical twist in store. In Barbie: A Touch of Magic, Barbie “Malibu” Roberts and Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts will need all the friends they can get to help the mysterious baby horse they’ve found. It doesn’t take long to realize the baby horse is in fact a baby Pegasus, Peggy, who needs help keeping safe from the clutches of mystical being Rocki.

The new animated series features original music for the little fans who can’t resist a catchy tune, themes about the power of friendship, and, of course, lots of magical adventure. Season 1 will include 13 episodes, each 22 minutes long. It will premiere on Netflix this Sep. 14

Top Toys that Teach on Great Day Connecticut

Toy Insider Parent and Contributing Editor Charlene DeLoach joined Great Day Connecticut on CBS in Hartford to show off the best new toys to get kids ready to head back to school this fall. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


RUBIK’S COACH CUBE

Kids can learn how to solve the classic puzzle with the Rubik's Coach Cube, which comes with an improved solving methodology. Budding cubers will gain confidence and learn by peeling off the numbered stickers for each of the eight steps.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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MADE BY ME MANGA ARTIST SET, HOW TO DRAW ANIME

This set includes dual-ended markers, colored pencils, a ruler, stickers, and an interactive drawing guide that kids can use to create two comic books. The materials come in a travel-friendly storage case.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99

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TINKERTAR

Created by musicians Brian Calhoun, Dave Matthews, and John Alagia, this one-string melody maker is made of sustainable, responsibly sourced wood. Use the included 15-song songbook and colored and numbered finger positions to learn beginner guitar.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99 EACH
  • Age:
  • 3+

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PYXEL A CODER’S BEST FRIEND

Kids can use a tablet to code Pyxel to perform tricks, make sounds, and more. Pyxel and its companion app will help kids learn the basics of two coding languages: Blockly and Python.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $124.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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3-IN-1 SKATE TRAINER

Kids can switch the inserts to learn to skateboard in three easy steps: Balance, Wheels (skating), and Ollie (tricks). A provided QR code opens a how-to video that explains the balance board and its inserts.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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Bratz Dolls Turn Punk Rock in New ‘Flaunt Your Fashion’ DLC

Little fashionistas have more video game fun to look forward to with the Bratz Pack. The latest DLC for Bratz: Flaunt Your Fashion from Outright Games features the Bratz dolls in iconic punk outfits that will have kids wanting to dress in all black. 

The Pretty ‘N’ Punk Fashion Pack features outfits first seen on fashion dolls when the Pretty ‘N’ Punk doll collection was re-released earlier this year. Sasha even has an outfit that has never been seen in video game form before! 

In the Pretty ‘N’ Punk Fashion Pack mini game, players walk the catwalk in Seoul, trying to strut their stuff as Sasha, Yasmin, Jade, or Cloe and show off to the judges that they have what it takes to be a supermodel. When they aren’t playing the mini game, kids can spend their time styling tons of fun outfits for their favorite Bratz character.

The Pretty ‘N’ Punk Fashion Pack DLC for Bratz: Flaunt Your Fashion is available for $4.99 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Even if kids aren’t punks in real life, it’s fun to play one in your favorite video game!

Transform Playtime With VTech’s Switch & Go Line

Vehicles and dinosaurs? Get you a toy that can do both.

VTech is transforming playtime with the Switch & Go line of toys. It features dozens of options that can go from dino to vehicle and back again. This line is perfect for kids ages 4 and up that can’t decide whether they want to have a T-rexellent time or zoom into action. There are a ton of different toys in the collection, so kids can gather their pals and get racing or get roaring! Below, we rounded up four of our favorites in the Switch & Go line. Start your engines: Ready, set, go!


SWITCH & GO 3-IN-1 RESCUE REX

Kids can combine a fire truck, a rescue copter, and a police car into a roaring T. rex with animated eyes. The police car features lights and phrases, the fire truck has an extending ladder, and the helicopter has a spinning propeller.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $42.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

SWITCH & GO 2-IN-1 SPINO SPEEDSTER

Kids can combine the fiery-eyed, light-up Spinosaurus with the Pterodactyl to create a fireball-launching car. Launch two fireballs and launch Spinosaurus into dino mode with the press of a button.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $27.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

SWITCH & GO VELOCIRAPTOR JET

This Velociraptor starts as a ferocious dino and turns into a disc-launching jet. The prehistoric pal features animated dino eyes, fire-breathing light effects, and dinosaur sounds. In jet mode, it features an animated pilot and a fiery red spotlight.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

SWITCH & GO VELOCIRAPTOR RACE CAR

In Velociraptor mode, this dino breathes fire with light and sound effects. Transform it into race car mode for a sleek getaway. It features both animated dinosaur eyes and a race car driver. Kids can pit the Velociraptor Race Car against other Switch & Go vehicles for a fearsome match up.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

Toys for Social & Emotional Learning on Great Day Connecticut

Toy Insider Parent and Contributing Editor Charlene DeLoach joined Great Day Connecticut on CBS in Hartford to show off the best toys to help kids manage emotions, problem solve, and create positive relationships with others. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


FEELINGS FAMILY HAND PUPPETS

Each of the five puppets expresses an emotion through its unique facial expression, body position, and design. As kids explore the puppets through dramatic play, roleplay, and guided discussions, they will develop the skills to understand five core emotions: happy, angry, surprised, sad, and scared.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99
  • Age:
  • 18 MOS.+

DREAM SAND

Dream Sand, the super soft and dreamily smooth sensory sand, is back with four different colors to squish! They include the original cloud blue, light purple, tangerine, and soft yellow. Dream Sand won’t dry out, and leaves no residue on kids’ hands. Each color of sand can be stored in its colored container. Dream Sand…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $4.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

BE KIND CUBES

Start a kindness conversation around Valentine's Day (and every day) with the Be Kind Cubes. Roll the cube, read the prompt, and introduce kids to social-emotional learning. Includes six cubes with 36 conversation prompts in three fun categories: Kindness, compliments, and manners.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $13.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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OUCH & OOPS PLUSH

These plush pals are a playful way for kids to say they're sorry. Based on the popular psychology theory. Includes two plushies for apologizing and being apologized to. When kids are hurt, hand them "Ouch". When you've hurt them, say sorry by giving them "Oops". Ouch & Oops are a great way to teach kids…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99; $14.99 CAD
  • Age:
  • 2+

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MEMO RUSH

Kids can get their memory racing for the right characters in this game full of emotions! Players simultaneously tap cards matching either a character or one of six emotions. Memo Rush improves visual perception, memory, and emotion recognition.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $20
  • Age:
  • 6+

Outright Games to Sell Video Game Bundle Benefitting UNICEF

UNICEF and Outright Games have partnered to raise funds for kids in need. 

Outright Games will sell a bundle of its video games from some of DreamWorks’ top franchises, with all the profits going to UNICEF. Some of UNICEF’s initiatives include immunizing kids and supporting child nutrition, water safety, education, and more. 

The bundle will be available for digital purchase Aug. 25 to Sept. 10 and includes games inspired by the DreamWorks Animation films, series, and franchises How to Train Your Dragon, Spirit, and Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia.

A scene from the one of the three games in the bundle. | Source: Outright Games.

Based on the 2021 film Spirit Untamed, Spirit Lucky’s Big Adventure allows players to take on the role of Lucky and her faithful mustang, Spirit, and head out on a treasure-hunting adventure alongside her best friends Abigail and Pru. Dragons: Dawn of New Riders is set in the How to Train your Dragon universe, and takes players to the skies as they battle against Eir, who is determined to make Dragons do her evil bidding. The last game in the bundle is Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia, a game inspired by the series from Academy Award-winner Guillermo del Toro. This new story takes place during the same time period as the animated series, and allows kids to stand up against evil forces and halt the Time-pocalypse.

The bundle, which costs $19.99, can be purchased for various gaming platforms, such as PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

This is the latest initiative as part of an ongoing partnership between Outright Games and UNICEF. The joint company goal is to achieve their year-long fundraising goal of $250,000.

So if doing good while having fun is up your alley,  visit Outright Games to learn more or purchase your bundle.

This Little Tikes Splash Pad Provides Major Summer Fun

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are coming to an end, but the warmer weather feels like it’s here to stay. You can keep your toddler cool in the heat with this amazing water toy from MGA Entertainment’s Little Tikes brand.

Little Tikes Splash Beach is a must-have for any households with little ones ages 2 and up. Splash pads in general are phenomenal buys on their own: Multiple kids can play at once, cleanup is usually pretty simple when playtime is over, and they keep kids cool and entertained for hours with super simple play patterns. Little Tikes Splash Beach is no exception to this — but it does take all of those benefits to a new level.

The Little Tikes Splash Beach will provide hours of water play fun! | Source: MGA Entertainment

Parents can unfold the splash beach and secure the slide and lighthouse, then kids are ready to play! It comes with other toys and accessories to keep the imaginative play going as kids splash — including little animal toys, scoopers, and more. Just fill up the pad and let the water fun begin!

Little ones can sit outside of the Splash Beach or right on the edge and play in the water scene. Parents can also hook up a hose to the splash pad for a sprinkler effect, but if you’re looking for a more simple playtime, that’s not necessary.

When kids are done playing, parents can fold the Splash Beach back up to store it in a smaller space (All of the stuff packs up inside!!) or just leave it in the backyard if you’ve got the room so it’s ready to play again the next day.

Trust me, your toddlers won’t be able to get enough of this splash pad. And with a simpler setup than a lot of full-blown, backyard water parks and toys that are designed for little hands, Splash Beach packs tons of fun into its $74.99 price point. It’s a summer staple you’ll pull out of storage every year for some fun in the sun!


SPLASH BEACH BY LITTLE TIKES

Fill this plastic pad with water, and seat kids inside or around the edge. An adult can attach a hose to activate a built-in sprinkler, and there are multiple beach-themed accessories kids can use to interact with the water. The set also folds for easy storage.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $74.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

Preview of the Year’s Hottest New Toys on AP-TV

Toy Insider Editor-in-Chief Ali Mierzejewski joined 

For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


BARBIE: THE MOVIE DOLL ASSORTMENT

Celebrate Barbie The Movie with a collector doll! Each doll includes a move-accurate outfit and accessories. Kids can choose from multiple Barbie dolls in her various outfits from the film, multiple Ken dolls in different outfits from the film, the Gloria doll, and the President doll.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $25-50
  • Age:
  • 3

SESAME STREET ELMO SLIDE

This interactive plush sings, sways, flaps his arms, and glides to the song “Elmo Slide.” Encourages little ones to dance or play a game of Elmo Says. Features soft fabrics and hidden wheels for smooth moves, and speaks English and Spanish.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

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PIKMIN 4

Grow, gather, and guide small, plantlike creatures called Pikmin on an endearing expedition. Use Pikmin’s attributes, like Red Pikmin’s fire resistance and Ice Pikmin’s freezing effects, to find a way forward. Customize your explorer and navigate a world that looks larger-than-life from a pint-sized perspective. Partner with Oatchi, your dependable space dog, who can help…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 10+

LEGO Releases Braille Bricks for In-Home Play

A significant milestone in the development of more inclusive learning through play has been reached.

Ahead of World Blind Awareness Month this October and in response to global demand, The LEGO Group has released LEGO Braille Bricks, which are now available to purchase online for the first time. LEGO Braille Bricks — Play with Braille is aimed at kids ages 6 and up and has been designed so that anyone who is curious about braille, whether they are blind, partially-sighted, or sighted, can have fun getting to know the braille system in a playful, inclusive way.

The set comes with 287 bricks in five colors: white, yellow, green, red, and blue. All of the bricks are fully compatible with other LEGO products and the studs on each brick are arranged to correspond to the numbers and letters in the braille system, with the printed version of the symbol or letter situated below the studs.

“For blind and partially-sighted children, and adults for that matter, it makes all the difference if they can share their journey of learning braille with the people they love the most,” says Martine Abel-Williamson, President of World Blind Union. “For the blind community, braille is not just literacy, it’s our entry to independence and inclusion into this world, and to have LEGO Braille Bricks made available for the wider public is a massive step forward to ensuring more children will want to learn braille in the first place. And because it’s based on a product that so many families already know and love, this is really an invitation for all family members to have fun building tactile skills and getting familiar with braille using the same tool.”

The set also includes two baseplates to build on and comes in packaging with braille embossing. To enhance the play experience and support pre-braille skill development, a series of supporting play starters are available on lego.com and will teach players how to orient, attach, and stack the bricks through well-loved games such as Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Until now, LEGO braille bricks have only been distributed free of charge by the LEGO Foundation to organizations specializing in the education of children with vision impairment. Since the launch of these kits in 2020, there has been plenty of positive feedback from parents, caregivers, grandparents, children, and educators. This overwhelming response led LEGO to give families the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of braille bricks at home.

“Play has the power to change lives; when children play, they learn vital life-long skills, so we were thrilled by the reception that LEGO braille bricks received in educational settings,” says Rasmus Løgstrup, The LEGO Group Lead Designer for Braille Bricks. “We’ve been inundated with thousands of requests to make them more widely available, so we just knew we had to make it happen! It’s been a fantastic journey collaborating with children, families, and experts from around the world to develop the product and online activity packs. Our partners have been instrumental also in advising on what colorways should be used for the bricks, product packaging, and digital experiences to ensure this is optimized for individuals who experience low vision and vision loss. We know this is a strong platform for social inclusion, and can’t wait to see families get creative and have fun playing with braille together.”

The LEGO Group has also partnered with the free mobile app Be My Eyes, which connects blind and partially-sighted people with companies to help with everyday tasks through a live video call. LEGO Customer Service colleagues will provide confidential, live visual assistance through the app covering support from a wide range of topics from unboxing to general product support. 

“The fact that The LEGO group is investing in inclusion is huge because so many people in the blind and low vision community already love and enjoy LEGO products,” says Mike Buckley, Chairman and CEO of Be My Eyes. “Be My Eyes is incredibly honored to partner with the LEGO Group to enable and inspire the creativity of blind and low vision builders across the globe.”

Furthermore, LEGO audio and braille building instructions will now become a permanent offering. Inspired and co-developed by entrepreneur Matthew Shifrin, who is blind, this experience gives builders the option of having select LEGO building instructions available as audio or text for braille readers.

LEGO Braille Bricks — Play with Braille ($89.99) is now available for preorder in English and French versions ahead of the Sept. 1 launch. In early 2024, the set will also be available in Italian, German, and Spanish versions.

Scribble App Transforms Kids’ Art into a Keepsake Book

Craft a forever keepsake and declutter your kid’s art at the same time!

Anyone with a kid who loves to draw will know that the artwork starts to pile up. There’s only so much room on the fridge, but luckily the app Scribble has come up with a solution. Just use the app to take a picture of artwork, craft projects, and more, and easily make 24 photos into a hardcover book full of memories.

The simple to-pick-up Scribble app starts with taking a picture of the art you want to make into a book. Then, the app’s algorithm will process the image and enhance the photo so it’s ready to go. With adjustments such as straightening, removing distracting backgrounds, and even choosing complimentary background colors, the app will make sure things look perfect for print. Each book needs a minimum of 24 photos, but if you don’t have a full collection yet, the app will let you save what you’ve got for later.

The hardcover Scribble books come in two sizes: a 11-by-8.5-inch book, the most popular size, and a 8.5-by-8.5-inch book for a nice square. The first size will be similar to favorite hardcover story books, so it’ll fit right in on any kid’s bookshelf.

Get the Scribble app now and get to book-making, and have an art gallery you’ll cherish for years to come! Learn more at the official Scribble webpage.

15 Toys to Gear Up Learning During the Back-to-School Season

Kids have played the summer away. They’ve splashed in sprinklers, they’ve played through the hottest video games, and they’ve spent hours pretending they’re superheroes. Now that it’s time to start headed back to school, it’s time to remember how fun it is to learn! We’ve rounded up 15 entertaining toys that will help kids of all ages learn through play. Even if the kids in your life are already back in the classroom, these educational toys will take the sometimes-boring edge off of learning.


SMITHSONIAN MICROSCOPE KIT

The Smithsonian Microscope Kit lets kids view leaves, pollen, insect parts, fibers, and more at up to 900 times their actual size! This kit comes with everything kids need to study organisms around them — three prepared slides, six blank slides, two specimen vials, a petri dish, slide labels and covers, tools, a storage case,…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

PLAY N’ TRACE

Play ‘n Trace is the reusable kids drawing kit designed to help kids learn to draw and write through tracing. The semi-transparent kids drawing tablet with artist palette grip and oval design is easy for kids to hold, yet durable and light enough to take anywhere. Kids can slip one of the templates under the…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

DISNEY DOORABLES ACADEMY CAMPUS CREW FIGURE PACK

Open the composition book-inspired surprise packaging to reveal between 5-7 Doorables figures. The 1.5-inch figures feature Disney and Pixar characters re-imagined with an academic theme.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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VIRTUAL REALITY OCEANS

Kids can take a deep dive into the world’s waters with the power of virtual reality (VR). This kit includes a 96-page book featuring whales, sharks, and more, which kids can immersively experience with the included VR headset and scratch art kit.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

SENSORY TRIO FIDGET TUBES

Kids can practice their sensory skills this winter! Enjoy sensory play with these fidget tubes. Engage in sensory skills with a set of three fun fidget tubes that focus on three unique senses — listen to falling beads, watch swirls of glitter, or feel the weight of falling sand.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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MELISSA & DOUG LITTLE DOCTOR GIFT BUNDLE

This gift bundle is perfect for kids who want to play doctor. The bundle comes with a 25-piece Doctor's Kit Play Set, an 8-piece Doctor Role Play Costume Set, and a Water Wow! Occupations Activity Pad. The Doctor's Kit Play Set includes activity cards, medical tools, and patient care items. The Doctor Role Play Costume…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $74.99
  • Age:
  • 3+
  • Battery Requirements:
  • 2 AAA Batteries

BUILD-A-SLICE PIZZA CART

Kids can ring the bell on this interactive pizza cart to hear a customer's order. They'll learn about colors, shapes, numbers, and food names as they build a pizza with the included toppings and accessories.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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SURPRISE POWERZ DOLLS

Each 16-inch doll has a different STEM theme and can make more than 75 phrases and sound effects. The collection includes Astro the Astronaut, Codie the Coder, Maria the Mathemagician, and Vera the Vet.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

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IN KIDZ ACTIVITY KITS

The learning kits are filled with interactive, family-friendly activities and games designed for kids ages 3 and up, representing Australia, Black America, Dia de los Muertos, Guatemala, Italy, and France. Each country and culture kit gives both kids and adults a look into the many traditions that are celebrated around the world, and families quickly…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99-49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

MINI POTTERY STUDIO

Tweens can create 10 tiny projects using this no-mess kit, which includes air-dry clay, a spinning pottery wheel with a removable cover, sculpting tools, and paint.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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Kids have played the summer away. They've splashed in sprinklers, they've played through the hottest video games, and they've spent hours pretending they're superheroes. Now that it's time to start headed back to school, it's time to remember how fun it is to learn! We've rounded up 15 entertaining toys that will help kids of…

Buy Now


JUNIOR EXPLORER ADVENTURE KIT

Ready for an adventure? Go on a scavenger hunt, play a flashlight game, seek & find bugs, and more with the Junior Explorer Adventure Kit! With so much to find and learn, this exploring kit has all the adventure tools that kids will need to start exploring the great outdoors.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

LOGIC! CASE STARTER SETS

These starter sets include puzzles for kids ages 4, 5, 6, and 7. Each set includes 77 different puzzles designed to encourage kids in independent thinking and problem-solving.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

SPY LABS: CRYPTIC PUZZLE SAFE

Safeguard secrets and treasures inside of this portable vault! The secret compartment will only open after the correct six-digit combination is entered. Kids can set the code and rest assured that important belongings like crucial evidence, secret messages, and even your allowance aren’t at risk of falling into the wrong hands! The vault only opens…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.95; $22.50 CAD
  • Age:
  • 8+

HYDRAULIC BOXING BOTS

Kids can build two boxing robots that use hydraulic power to move with complex shoulder gestures, jabs, and uppercuts. The fighter who knocks back the opposing robot's head scores a point on the included scoreboard.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

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Laurie Berkner’s 25th Anniversary Album Is Sweeter Than Honey

Kids can dance and buzz around to Laurie Berkner’s latest album. Families can celebrate the 25th anniversary of Buzz Buzz with this remastered special edition. 

Kids can sing along to classic favorites like “Bumblebee (Buzz Buzz),” “Monster Boogie,” and “Pig On Her Head.” The album consists of 21 songs about animals, food, and more. 

This album features 21 songs about food, animals, and more. | Source: Laurie Berkner

“It makes me excited to be able to now share them in this new way – freshly remastered and wrapped in a beautifully re-imagined cover for this first-ever vinyl pressing. I can’t wait for new generations to continue finding joy in these songs!” Berkner says.

Kids can experience these songs live at one of Laurie Berkner’s upcoming concerts. The artist is performing in Utah, California, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. To learn more about upcoming events, visit laurieberkner.com/concerts

Buzz Buzz will be released on all streaming platforms under the KIDZ BOP label on Oct. 6. Kids can listen to 48 minutes of upbeat music now on Spotify and preorder the album’s CD ($9.39) and vinyl ($16.99) on the Laurie Berkner website, Amazon, Target, and Walmart.

Creative Kids Launches ‘Adopt Me’ Product Line

Creative Kids Group is launching a line of products inspired by Adopt Me, a game from Uplift Games housed on Roblox

The collection will include stationery, arts and crafts kits, and more. The first product to hit shelves will be the Adopt Me 3D Puzzle Erasers, which come with a miniature room for kids to display them in. The puzzle erasers come in different pieces that kids must put together to create their new friend: one of six Adopt Me characters including a bee, a duck, a penguin, and more.

“The team is pumped to get our creative ideas out to market for Adopt Me,” says Daniel DeLapa, Creative Kids Partner and Chief Marketing Officer. “The popular nature of the Adopt Me characters is a perfect fit for the play patterns we’ve developed, and with incredible pent-up demand for product, we are excited to bring the lovable characters and incredible experience to life.”

“Our partnership with Creative Kids only exemplifies the trajectory of Adopt Me,” says Richard Haines, Head of Consumer Products for Uplift Games. “The product line-up we have in store will excite and bring additional ways for fans to engage with the Adopt Me world.”

The line will first hit shelves at Target this fall.

The Cry Babies Go on New Adventures in Game Coming This September

We already told you about the upcoming Cry Babies Magic Tears: The Big Game from Merge Games. The game now has an official release date, so little fans can get even more excited.

IMC Toys’ Cry Babies are known as dolls that can actually cry. The toy range got so popular that an original animated series, Cry Babies Magic Tears, followed not long after their release, featuring the baby doll characters exploring a world of magic with tears that grant them powers. Now, those beloved characters get even closer to fans with the new Cry Babies Magic Tears: The Big Game from Merge Games.

Players follow Lady, Coney, Dreamy, and other Cry Babies friends as they explore, play mini-games, and more. | Source: Kitoons YouTube

The Big Game is coming this September, and features favorite Cry Babies like Lady, Coney, Dreamy, and more. Players will need to use all their skills if they want to win the tournament and the prized Golden Pacifier. Little fans of the animated series will be happy to see the fully voiced scenes within the game, making it feel like an episode they can interact with!

Kids can play in single-player or dual-player mode and invite a friend to join them as they solve puzzles, play hide and seek, and collect pink stars that they can use to customize their characters.

Cry Babies Magic Tears: The Big Game is set to release digitally on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC this Sep. 22. Physical copies of the game will also hit major retailers on Sep. 29. Get the newest way to have fun with Cry Babies friends!

The Best Educational Toys on FOX Chicago

Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht joined FOX in Chicago to show off the smartest new toys for kids ahead of the new school year. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


TACTILE TURTLES MATH ACTIVITY SET

Inspired by the sea, the Tactile Turtles Math Activity Set helpskids master early math skills! This engaging math activity set provides a sensory experience as kids explore counting, sorting, patterning, and more. Each turtle is made from certified 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. The set also includes 10 double-sided Activity Cards and Activity Guide to introduce…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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MATCH AND LEARN COOKIES

Little pastry chefs can pretend to make and bake 26 yummy-looking letter cookies. Press each colorful cookie into the tray to hear letter names, letter sounds, colors and flavors. Now you’re cooking! Take the cookies off the tray and serve the sweet treats to friends and family. Listen closely to hear which cookie to bake…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

MINI ABC POPS

Toddlers can learn uppercase letter recognition, vocabulary skills, and beginning sounds with these Mini ABC Pops which also help to enhance fine motor skills and color identification. This 52-piece set includes 26 matching, two-piece ice pops in a variety of colors. Each ice pop has an uppercase letter on the outside that kids can pop…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $21.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

MAXX ACTION 3-N-1 MAXX RECYCLER

This 18-inch recycling truck features flashing lights and realistic sounds. Kids can learn to recycle while they pretend to drive the truck, lift the bin, and dump the included pieces into the back.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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LITTLE CHEF COOKING AND STEAM PLAYSET

Kids experience ultimate food-play as magic steam/mist rises while cooking! The little playset packs a lot of imaginative flavors with wooden and felt pieces for kids to cook up a storm like (wooden) slices of yellow pepper, onion, and tomato, as well as (felt) lettuce, prawns, mushrooms and carrots – yum! Simply use the included…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

CONSERVATION CREW TONIES

Meet the Conservation Crew, the special group of animal helpers tasked to save the Earth! With the help of Mother Nature's mystical powers, these unique friends adventure across the world to save wild places and the animals who live there. Kids can place Bobby the Sea Turtle or Nina the Red Panda on top of…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99 EACH
  • Age:
  • 3+

BY THE BOOK

In this single-player game, kids will draw one of 40 challenge cards indicating which books they must use and how many of those books they must place horizontally. Then they will try to build a balanced bookshelf following that prompt.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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LEGO IDEAS HOCUS POCUS

Capture the bewitching joy of a classic movie with this collectible LEGO Ideas Disney Hocus Pocus: The Sanderson Sisters’ Cottage set. The cottage can be opened in multiple ways for easy viewing of the interior details, including the museum gift shop, cauldron with a LEGO light brick to illuminate the fire underneath, Book of Spells…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $229.99
  • Age:
  • 18+

Fortnite Blue Shock NERF Blaster Is Made for Gamers

Fortnite players everywhere will be eager to see a NERF blaster featuring their favorite game!

Fortnite, developed by Epic Games, was released in 2017 and has been a hit with young gamers since. The game centers on a battle royale mode where players are dropped in a larger environment and fight to be the last one standing. Hasbro‘s NERF has had a number of Fortnite-themed blasters previously, and now a new one is hitting blaster battles everywhere with the Fortnite Blue Shock Blaster.

The new blaster features the Blue Shock Wrap design from the game. | Source: Hasbro

The NERF Fortnite Blue Shock Blaster is inspired by equipment players can find in the game, and features the Blue Shock Wrap that can be put on in-game weapons to customize them. The blaster shoots 10 darts in a row and includes a removable 10-dart clip and 10 Elite foam darts. Fortnite players can also unlock The Beat Wrap within the game thanks to an included bonus code.

The Blue Shock Blaster is available now at most major retailers. The blaster follows other NERF/Fortnite collab blasters and soakers such as the NERF Fortnite BASR-L Blaster, the NERF Super Soaker Fortnite Pump-SG Water Blaster, and more.


NERF FORTNITE BLUE SHOCK BLASTER

This new NERF blaster is inspired by equipment found in Fornite, with the Blue Shock Wrap from the game. The blaster comes with 10 elite darts, a 10-dart clip, and a code for players to unlock The Beat Wrap in Fortnite.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

Toys for Back-to-School Fun on News 12 New York

Toy Insider Senior Editor/Toy Book Editor-in-Chief James Zahn joined News 12 in New York to show off the best toys to get kids ready to head back to class. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


WORRY STONE PALS SENSORY WRISTBAND

Each Sensory Wristband comes with four removable worry stones, each with a character that highlights positive learning traits. Kids can pop the double-sided disks into the soft plastic wristband for a discreet, tactile approach to focusing their attention, calming their nerves, and managing stress throughout the day.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

TRAINBOTS: 2-IN-1 STEAM MAKER KIT

Kids can put on their engineer’s cap and build their own steampunk-style train robot with amazing steam effects. They can build the TrainBot in two different configurations: a rolling train and a walking robot. Turn it on and watch it go, with cool water vapor “steam” billowing from its chimney, lit up in a fiery…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.95; $60 CAD
  • Age:
  • 8+

PROFESSOR MAXWELL’S VR ATLAS

Discover the world in virtual reality with this 138-page interactive illustrated atlas for kids. Kids can explore points of interest, landmarks, and world wonders in augmented and virtual reality. The set includes 30 pieces loaded with projects and activities to inspire tangible play, while discovering cities, cultures, food, currency, and language from all over the…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99; $79.99 CAD
  • Age:
  • 8+

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Fly High with the New R/C Stunt Plane from Skyrocket

In celebration of 10 years of producing Sky Viper Drones, Skyrocket is launching its first ever high-speed R/C stunt plane.

The Sky Viper Vector Stunt Plane features two powerful prop motors strapped to a lightweight fighter body for maximum performance and speed — up to 35 mph! Advanced auto flight stabilization makes flying easy by automatically compensating for environmental changes such as shifting winds, while a single press of a button can make the plane perform loop and barrel roll stunts. Sky Viper Vector also has a Find My Plane Audio Tracer feature to ensure a quick and easy recovery if it flies out of the 600-foot range. With intuitive controls and refined flight software, the Sky Viper Vector is easy enough for beginners yet engaging enough for experienced R/C enthusiasts.

The Sky Viper Vector Stunt Plane is named an “Outdoor Toy of the Year Finalist” by the Toy Association and is available now at Target and Amazon for $79.99.


SKY VIPER VECTOR PERFORMANCE STUNT JET

With this jet, kids can perform amazing loop and barrel roll stunts with a single press of a button. Intuitive controls and refined flight software make this easy enough for beginners, yet engaging enough for experienced enthusiasts.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $79.99
  • Age:
  • 12+

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Bratz Reveals Kylie Jenner Fashion Dolls

MGA Entertainment‘s Bratz brand is continuing to expand its partnership with media personality Kylie Jenner. When the collaboration was first announced earlier in the month, it came with the reveal of the Mini Bratz x Kylie Jenner Collectibles. Now, the company is readying for a release of fashion dolls featuring Kylie in two looks, as well as a larger fashion doll available exclusively through Amazon.

The new dolls are available in two styles, one Night Look and one Day Look. The Night Look features the Kylie doll in a single-sleeve dress and the Day Look features her wearing a leather minidress and, of course, the signature Bratz platform shoes. MGA is also releasing a 24-inch Bratz x Kylie Fashion Doll, available exclusively through Amazon. The limited-edition doll has lavender hair and a floor-length gown,

Along with the retail launch of the new dolls, Bratz World pop-ups will hit Walmart stores, featuring dolls from the new collection as well as other Bratz dolls and licensed products. Visitors can scan a QR code for a full augmented reality experience in store and take advantage of photo opportunities.

The new Bratz x Kylie Fashion Dolls are available for preorder now, and are expected to hit shelves Oct. 1. The existing Mini Bratz x Kylie Collectibles are currently available at Walmart, Target, Amazon, and the official Bratz store page.

Penguin Random House Has the Perfect Books for Spooky Season

Penguin Random House has a huge collection of books for kids, and it’s about to get a lot more tricks and treats! The publisher is readying itself for the Halloween season with new releases featuring everything from monsters in picture books to graphic novels with skeletons.

The new books include picture books for younger readers, middle-grade novels, and even some young adult books for the teens in your life, all with a spooky aesthetic sure to get any reader in the mood for Halloween hijinks.

First up, there are plenty of picture books hitting the shelves for the littlest of trick-or-treaters. The Light Inside follows a shy Jack-o’-lantern as it searches for its favorite toy. (Get it here: Amazon.) Hopefully the Scarecrow has a scarecrow befriending a young girl that reads to him, tackling themes such as the lasting strength of friendship. (Get it here: Amazon.)

Going up in age categories, Penguin is publishing books that’ll delight any young readers. Skeleanor the Decomposer is a graphic novel following a music-loving skeleton named Skeleanor. (Get it here: Amazon.) The Snatcher of Raven Hollow follows Teo as she investigates a series of baby kidnappings in her town, determined to solve the mystery. (Get it here: Amazon.) What Do We Know About the Winchester House? is a book in a collection of options that all explore the mysteries and unknown, this one focused on a haunted house. (Get it here: Amazon.)

This is just a small sample of all the incredible books Penguin Random House has for readers of every age that want to embrace the mysterious and spooky vibes of this coming October. From picture books to young adult books for teens, anyone interested in more to read can head over to the official web page to browse books.

DC Minis Collectible Figures Make Superheroes Adorable

Millions of kids grow up looking up to iconic superheroes. JAKKS Pacific’s latest lineup of collectible toys turns those superheroes into adorable figures preschoolers will be obsessed with.

The DC Minis collection takes DC characters and shrinks them down for small hands. The lineup includes six 3-inch figures: Bat Girl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Bumblebee, Batman, and Superman. The figures come wearing detachable accessories like glasses, capes, and cowls that kids can remove and put back on depending on how they’re playing with the toy. Each figure will be available for $4.99

The collectibles get even smaller with the first wave of DC Minis Micros, 1.5-inch figures including 18 DC heroes and villains including Shazam, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, The Flash, and more! These figures come in 2-pack surprise toys for $4.99 at Target. Kids can also collect these figures in a 12-pack that comes with an exclusive mystery character that is available on Amazon for $19.99. 

If all superheroes looked as cute as the DC Minis figures do, no kids would be able to resist getting their hands on comic books!

Walmart Unveils 2023 Top Toys List

It’s officially holiday toy list season. While the industry waits for The Toy Insider’s annual Hot 20 and Holiday Gift Guide, dropping on Sept. 12, retailers continue to release their own lists.

Walmart’s 2023 Top Toys List features 55 picks, almost half of which are under $25. Top brands included in the list include NERF, Barbie, LEGO, Spider-Man, and more. 

“The holiday season is just around the corner, and Walmart is ready to help our customers plan ahead and save even more for all the kids on their list,” says Brittany Smith, Vice President for Merchandising and Toys for Walmart U.S. “Like every year, Walmart is the place to find amazing deals on an incredible assortment of the most popular toys. Not to mention we offer our customers the easiest, most convenient ways to shop in stores and on walmart.com, delivering a joyful toy shopping experience like only Walmart can.”

Walmart’s 2023 Top Toys List

25 Toys Under $25

Blockbuster Hits

Hang up and Hangout

90s Nostalgia

S.T.E.A.M.

*Prices may vary in-store, online, and in-app

Walmart has more than 1,000 new toys in stock for the holiday season along with more than 500 Walmart exclusives.

The Toy Insider’s Hot 20 and Holiday Gift Guide is launching online and at Adventure Media & Events’ Holiday of Play on Sept. 12. Order your own set of copies to help customers shop your store.

You Can Become a LEGO Millionaire with the Launch of LEGO Insiders

You may have dreamed about being a regular old millionaire, but have you ever thought about being a LEGO millionaire?

LEGO is overhauling its LEGO VIP rewards membership and launching LEGO Insider. Much like LEGO VIP, adults can earn points when the shop LEGO at lego.com and in LEGO stores, but now you can earn more points when you register your entire LEGO collection, take part in family activities, be the first to hear about great deals and new sets, and join a community of other LEGO enthusiasts to share ideas.

Along with the launch, LEGO is running the LEGO Insiders Treasure Hunt contest. In the LEGO Insiders Treasure Hunt, users can scan LEGO bricks using augmented reality either at home or in LEGO stores to try and find a golden LEGO brick and reveal a prize. Golden bricks can reveal a number of prizes, including digital comic book makers, unlocks in LEGO games, and digital downloads of images from LEGO history. There is no limit to the number of LEGO bricks users can scan in a day, so go crazy scanning all the pieces in your LEGO collection!

Does your family have what it takes to find the golden bricks? | Source: LEGO

Six people per week in each participating country will also become LEGO millionaires, winning $9,000 worth of points to spend in the LEGO Insiders Reward Center. Winners can spend their riches on discounts on sets, member-only merchandise, sweepstakes entries (in select countries) for cool collectibles, and more.

The LEGO Insiders Treasure Hunt runs until Oct. 2. Even if you weren’t a member of LEGO VIP, now is a great time to join LEGO Insiders! For more information on the LEGO Insiders Treasure Hunt, head to lego.com/treasure-hunt.

The Smartest Back-to-School Toys on WGN Chicago

Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht joined WGN in Chicago to show off the best new toys to get kids ready to head back to school this fall. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


REEL BIG CATCH GAME

Players use a fishing pole to catch nine telescoping fish. Then, they use the measuring tape on their catch to explore the correlation between size and measurement and the concept of small, medium, and large.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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VOLLEYSHOT

Each player operates a paddle, knocking the ball back and forth until somebody misses. All it takes is a single hiccup to miss, and every miss is a point for the opponent. Stay focused, stay steady. The first to 10 points wins.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

LITTLE TIKES BIG ADVENTURES SAFARI SUV

These toy vehicles combine play, fun, and learning with real, working STEM tools. The Safari SUV includes three detachable tools: binoculars, a flashlight, and a compass. The spinning wheels detach from the Safari SUV and transform into binoculars with 3X magnification. The Safari SUV’s headlights transform into a working flashlight and the Safari SUV’s back…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

SMITHSONIAN ROCK AND GEM DIG KIT

With Rock and Gem Dig young scientists can carefully chip away at a sand block to excavate six different rocks and minerals and five real gemstones. Kids can learn how different types of rocks form and the difference between rocks and minerals, then use the magnifying glass to inspect their samples. Includes a color STEM…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

VR DINOSAURS, OCEANS, & ANIMALS GIFT SETS

Kids can learn about oceans, animals, or dinosaurs with three separate gift sets. Each set comes with an interactive book from DK publishing, virtual reality goggles for educational experiences, and scratch art or fossil activities.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

SPY LABS: FORENSIC INVESTIGATION KIT

Kids can perform experiments on evidence using chemical and physical techniques. They can analyze solids and liquids, make a fluorescent solution, and more using chromatography to solve make-believe mysteries.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

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DROYD ROMPER

This electric trike features an all-plastic body, a 24-volt battery, a light-up LED front wheel, and more. The Romper has parental controls and can operate at speeds of 3-6 mph.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $139
  • Age:
  • 3+

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The Switch & Go 3-in-1 Rescue Rex Combines Robots, Rescue, and Roar-some Fun

What’s better than a dinosaur toy? How about a dinosaur toy that is also a transforming robot … and can turn into three separate rescue vehicles?

That’s the idea behind VTech’s new 3-in-1 Rescue Rex, the latest addition to its line of Switch & Go transforming toys. Designed for kids ages 4 and up, this toy gets its name because it includes three rescue vehicles: a police car, a helicopter, and a fire truck. With a few steps, each of these vehicles also transforms into a part of a dinosaur. The police car becomes the head, the helicopter becomes the body, and the fire truck becomes the legs.

While the vehicles each have some distinct dinosaur features in their vehicle forms (most police cars don’t have mouths and teeth), this adds a fun element to their imaginative play potential. The multi-vehicle situation is ideal for creating more elaborate play scenarios, or for multiple kids to enjoy playing together. When in its dino form, though, this toy is truly its most impressive. It measures in at 20 inches when assembled, sure to tower above most of the other playroom offerings.

I also haven’t touched on the lights and sounds, housed in the police car-slash-dino-head. This piece features a square screen that displays a driver when it’s a car and dinosaur eyes when it’s part of the fearsome T. rex. It also emits a wide assortment of corresponding sound effects, and lights when kids press the siren buttons, adding another level of fun and interactivity. The piece automatically detects which mode it’s in, and there’s even an off switch for quieter play!

The process of transforming and combining the pieces is a bit complex, and the included instructions, which are fairly small, black-and-white line drawings, definitely feel like they are more geared toward adults than children. Parents should expect to play an active role in helping take the toys from vehicle to dino and back, especially for younger kids and especially the first few times kids play. However, encouraging kids to help with steps in the transformation process is a great way to help develop their fine motor skills.

Combining the three pieces into one dino was, in my experience, a bit difficult to figure out the first time. The instructions give a general sense of where they should interlock, but it took me a bit longer than I expected. The trick to easily combine the three pieces to create the massive T. rex is finding the small set of points (sort of like pegs) and corresponding hinges. Lining those up and snapping them together will ensure a quick assembly.

Overall, this toy is sure to be a hit with kids who love to pretend dinosaurs are attacking, are ready to save the day from a dinosaur attack, or both!


SWITCH & GO 3-IN-1 RESCUE REX

Kids can combine a fire truck, a rescue copter, and a police car into a roaring T. rex with animated eyes. The police car features lights and phrases, the fire truck has an extending ladder, and the helicopter has a spinning propeller.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $42.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

Kids Can Jam Out with ‘Trolls Band Together’ Toys

Moose Toys is getting kids excited for the newest Trolls movie with a new line of toys that will come out just in time for Trolls Band Together in November!

The collection includes Trolls Band Together Mineez, the first Trollsinspired series of collectibles. Tolls Band Together Mineez has more than 100 1.5-inch scale figures to collect including Poppy, Branch, and more. The figures come in single packs ($2.99), two packs ($4.99), five packs ($9.99), and the 11-piece BroZone + Friends Performance Pack ($19.99).

The collection also features different toys for different types of play. Kids can recreate scenes from the movie with the Trolls Band Together Rhonda’s Playset ($24.99) which includes a Troll-sized camper, a Tiny Diamond figure, and a Poppy figure. They can snuggle up with Trolls Band Together Scruff-A-Luvs ($22.99), plush dolls with styleable hair, accessories, and clothes. The lineup also includes sensory toys like the Trolls Band Together Stretchy Hair figures ($13.99), which feature Poppy, Branch, and Viva with goo-filled hair that kids can stretch and squeeze. Kids can also take their favorite trolls on the go with Real Littles backpacks, mini backpacks that include a notebook, pen, pencil case, stickers, sticky notes and postcard set and are shaped like the troll’s head!


The Trolls Band Together collection will hit shelves starting in October ahead of the movie’s release in November. Whether kids prefer doodling or collecting, they can embrace their inner troll with these latest toys from Moose Toys!

Help Greg Heffley Track Down Manny in Clue: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Search for Manny across favorite locations from Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books series by Jeff Kinney was a massive hit with kids everywhere, selling more than 275 million copies worldwide. Readers followed Greg Heffley as he recorded his life as a middle-school kid, with all the many ups and downs that came with it. Now, kids can join Greg and other favorite characters in searching for Greg’s little brother Manny thanks to a new version of the classic game of Clue from The Op.

Take on the role of your favorite Diary of a Wimpy Kid character and find Manny. | Source: The Op

Clue: Diary of a Wimpy Kid takes a favorite board game and gives it a full makeover sure to delight fans of the original book series. The game has players taking on the roles of Greg, Rowley, Frank, Rodrick, Susan, or Holly to figure out who Manny is with, where he wandered off, and what distracted him. Each character also has a personality card with abilities that can help solve the mystery.

The usual weapon tokens have been replaced with distraction tokens, including The Cheese, Greg’s Journal, Manny’s Pacifier, Ladybug Cellphone, The Pig, and Manny’s Training Potty. Greg will need all the help he can get after losing track of his little brother, so players will have to look carefully over the Suspect, Location, and Intrigue cards.

The new Clue: Diary of a Wimpy Kid game is available now on The Op’s website. Superfans of the series can also catch a release celebration at Jeff Kinney’s bookstore, An Unlikely Story, in Plainville, MA this Wednesday, Aug. 23. The game is designed for two to six players and kids ages 8 and up.


CLUE: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

This twist on classic Clue has players take on the roles of Greg, his family, and his friends to figure out where Manny is, who he's with, and what exactly distracted him. The game is custom illustrated with touches for fans of the original book series.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $44.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

The Bruces & Friends Take on International Tales in ‘Story of the Sky’

No matter what age you are, music is undoubtedly one of the best ways to connect with other cultures! In their debut album, Story of the Sky, The Bruces & Friends share music inspired by multicultural and intergenerational stories that kids and their families can bop along to.

Husband-wife duo Chris and Morley Bruce’s album features more than a dozen different singers from ages 2-92. Story of the Sky also features songs in tons of languages including English, Tibetan, Spanish, Tamil, and Lingala — and even includes a song featuring more than 20 languages! 

Story of the Sky tells universal stories! | Source: The Bruces & Friends

Each of the 19 tracks on the album focuses on a different facet of the human experience. “L.O.V.E.” is all about seeing the best in ourselves and the people around us. “This Is the Sun (Song for Ruby)” is about a kid finding community with friends and family. “Where Do We Come From?” embraces the diversity of life and points out the connection between humanity and nature.


Story of the Sky will be available on streaming services starting on Aug. 25. With each song, kids can jam out while pondering their place in the world. It’s certainly less scary when set to music!

Take a Bite Out of Learning with LeapFrog’s Latest Role-Play Toys

Little ones learn by watching, listening, and playing, and LeapFrog‘s latest lineup of food-themed role-play toys will help kids on their imaginative journey of becoming tiny little pizza chefs, bakers, and more. These new playthings will inspire toddlers and preschoolers to engage in meaningful make-believe moments, while also teaching them basics like color, number, and letter recognition; shape sorting; the value of a dollar; and helping to enhance their fine motor skills. And while these toys have some epic tech enhancements, they are all completely screen-free!

Get ready to cook up some fun with these epic new interactive, educational toys from LeapFrog.


BUILD-A-SLICE PIZZA CART

Kids can ring the bell on this interactive pizza cart to hear a customer's order. They'll learn about colors, shapes, numbers, and food names as they build a pizza with the included toppings and accessories.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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MATCH AND LEARN COOKIES

Little pastry chefs can pretend to make and bake 26 yummy-looking letter cookies. Press each colorful cookie into the tray to hear letter names, letter sounds, colors and flavors. Now you’re cooking! Take the cookies off the tray and serve the sweet treats to friends and family. Listen closely to hear which cookie to bake…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

RAINBOW LEARNING LIGHTS MIXER

Inspired by the popular countertop appliance, this toy stand mixer features multiple interactive elements. Kids can create their own recipes or follow the instructions on the included cards for more than 40 pretend dishes.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

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RAINBOW TEA FOR TWO

This peppy, light-up teapot introduces toddlers to colors and numbers and plays pouring sound effects and music for the perfect tea party. Tots can lift the peek-a-boo lid to change tea flavors and smile into the mirror. The set also comes with two tea cups, plates, and six cakes with removable fruit toppings. Little ones…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $27.99
  • Age:
  • 1+

STEAM Toys That Make Learning Fun on L.A.’s KCAL News

Toy Insider Media Correspondent Deborah Stallings Stumm joined KCAL in Los Angeles to show off the best science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) toys to help get kids ready for the new school year. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


JET PILOT DASHBOARD

Aspiring pilots can prepare for takeoff with this interactive dashboard, which features lights, buttons, voice playback, a four-position throttle, and more. Kids can turn the steering yolk to move a mini-plane in a scrolling display.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $109.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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MAGIC SKETCH GLOW

This glow-in-the-dark art kit comes with a reusable, template-friendly drawing board with a protective cover and eight templates. Kids can draw and doodle, then use the Magic Light Pen to make their creations glow.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

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3DOODLER START+ ESSENTIALS 3D PEN SET

This set includes a wireless 3D pen, safe and environmentally friendly filament, and an activity guide with 10 new hands-on projects to ensure immediate success right out of the box. Comment end

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

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CRAFT YOUR OWN MOSAIC FRAME

Create a colorful photo frame to display your favorite photographs with this craft kit.. Includes one wooden photo frame, shiny mosaic pieces, and plaster powder.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

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VR DINOSAURS, OCEANS, & ANIMALS GIFT SETS

Kids can learn about oceans, animals, or dinosaurs with three separate gift sets. Each set comes with an interactive book from DK publishing, virtual reality goggles for educational experiences, and scratch art or fossil activities.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

STEM EXPLORERS PIXEL ART CHALLENGE

Kids can solve STEM-filled art challenges one pixel at a time! This toy’s 40+ screen-free art challenges help kids build cool 2-D and 3-D artwork by solving math and coding problems. Whether following coordinates to make a ladybug or coding up a smiling watermelon, kids build essential STEM skills with every pixel art creation they…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $16.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

Oh Boy! Limited-Edition Mickey and Friends Tonie Starter Set Offers Screen-Free Entertainment

With summer’s end and chillier weather on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about indoor activities for your kids. Luckily, Tonies will help to entertain your little ones in all kinds of situations. 

The new limited-edition Mickey and Friends Tonie Starter Set comes with a Toniebox, which is a screen-free cube that provides access to stories, songs, and more educational content. The speaker on Mickey’s box, of course, is shaped like his signature ears.

The stories are accessed by placing a collectible Tonie figure on top of the Toniebox, which in this case is the Mickey figure. Kids ages 3 and up can press on the ear of the box to turn it on, place the Mickey figure on the top of the box, and listen to Goofy tell Robbery on the Overland Express, a story where mysterious travelers are after his valuable set of comic books. 

The set comes with a charging station to power the Toniebox battery, which lasts up to 7 hours. 

Once kids place the Mickey figure on top of the Toniebox, they can listen to an exciting story told by Goofy! | Source: Tonies

It also comes with an instruction manual for parents to help set the Toniebox up. With the mytonies app, simple step-by-step instructions can be followed in order to hook it up to the Wi-Fi and get it going. Once it’s connected, the Toniebox can be unplugged and used on the go as a great travel toy. 

Kids can fast forward or rewind the story by tilting the box back and forth, or tap the side to skip to the next chapter, so it’s easy to pick up where they left off in the 38-minute story. And if they happen to fall asleep with the Toniebox in bed with them, the cube is soft and safe.

There’s even a headphone jack for children to listen quietly when parents don’t need to hear the story — because with this entertainment, kids will want to listen over and over again. 

The great thing about Toniebox is by purchasing a Creative Tonie on the app, a parent can record custom audio, including short stories, full stories, or just messages that kids can listen back on anytime. 

With this Mickey and Friends Tonie, screen-free bedtime and indoor play will be so easy that you’ll be saying “Hot diggity dog!” 


With summer’s end and chillier weather on the horizon, it’s time to start thinking about indoor activities for your kids. Luckily, Tonies will help to entertain your little ones in all kinds of situations.  The new limited-edition Mickey and Friends Tonie Starter Set comes with a Toniebox, which is a screen-free cube that provides access…

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Top Educational and Science Toys on Spectrum 1 LA

Toy Insider Media Correspondent Deborah Stallings Stumm joined Spectrum 1 in Los Angeles to show off the smartest new toys for kids as they head back to school. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


LEARNING FRIENDS 100 WORDS BOOK

Kids can touch each picture to hear the animal friends say toddler-appropriate words, along with facts and sound effects. In Fun Sounds Mode, kids can touch the light-up star button to hear two learning songs.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 18 MOS+

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REEL BIG CATCH GAME

Players use a fishing pole to catch nine telescoping fish. Then, they use the measuring tape on their catch to explore the correlation between size and measurement and the concept of small, medium, and large.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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SPY LABS: FORENSIC INVESTIGATION KIT

Kids can perform experiments on evidence using chemical and physical techniques. They can analyze solids and liquids, make a fluorescent solution, and more using chromatography to solve make-believe mysteries.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

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PROFESSOR MAXWELL’S VR ATLAS

Discover the world in virtual reality with this 138-page interactive illustrated atlas for kids. Kids can explore points of interest, landmarks, and world wonders in augmented and virtual reality. The set includes 30 pieces loaded with projects and activities to inspire tangible play, while discovering cities, cultures, food, currency, and language from all over the…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99; $79.99 CAD
  • Age:
  • 8+

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SNAP CIRCUITS LIGHT

Kids can energize their building experience with the Snap Circuits Light! Use imagination to combine Snap Circuits with LED lights and make endless combinations of construction and circuitry. With Snap Circuits Light, kids will explore fiber optics, LEDs, and more across 175 different projects. Great for summer learning!

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $55.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

The Simple Good Releases Chicago Edition Art Activity Book

Non-profit brand The Simple Good has released its second Art Activity Book, aimed at promoting social-emotional learning in kids.

The four goals of social-emotional learning that the book intends to develop in young readers are: 1) Being aware of yourself and how you feel and act. 2) Being in control of how you feel and interact with others. 3) Awareness of the world around you. 4) Actively working on building positive relationships by making responsible decisions.

The newest edition of the Arts and Activities book is a Chicago-edition, and showcases the work of notable Windy City artists, including Alyssa Low, Goosenek, Nate Otto, and many more. Each piece of artwork and activity intends to help develop empathy and self-awareness in kids. 

The book features work from various Chicago artists. | Source: The Simple Good

With multiple offshoots into arts and entrepreneurship programs, the organization published its first print edition of the Art Activity Book in 2020 in order to meet the needs of kids that didn’t have online access to social-emotional curriculum online. 

The book is recommended for kids ages 10 and up, and can be purchased for $25. For more information on The Simple Good’s mission and curriculum, or to purchase the Arts and Activity Book, check out The Simple Good website.

‘A Lot Like Batman’ Helps Kids Find Their Inner Superhero

The start of school is creeping up, and for kids who are going for the first time or may feel different from their peers, it can be a very scary time. 

Random House Children’s Books, in partnership with Warner Bros./DC Comics, is releasing a book called A Lot Like Batman to help kids in these kinds of situations. 

The story is about a young child who faces his greatest challenge ever — going to school. This Caped Crusader prefers to stick to the shadows and play alone. Although he doesn’t initially fit in with the more outgoing kids at school, he eventually learns throughout the story that he has plenty to offer as himself on his own terms.

Written by author and illustrator Keith Negley, this jacketed hardcover picture book will be available on Sept. 5 for kids ages 2 and up to find their inner superhero.

To discover more books for little ones, visit randomhousechildrensbooks.com.

New Aloha Beanie Baby Benefits Victims of Hawaii Wildfires

Say aloha to a new bear, with profits benefitting those affected by the wildfires in Hawaii.

A new limited-edition Beanie Baby from Ty has been made to assist victims of the Hawaii wildfires. Ty is well-known for its collection of Beanie Baby plush, but the Aloha bear is a plush with purpose.

The Aloha bear features an inscription that reads “Maui Strong.” | Source: Ty

The new Aloha plush bear has a rainbow ribbon and chest inscription. Like other Beanie Baby plush, the bear has both a birthday (Aug. 8) and poem: “Helping each other all day long / We forever will stay Maui strong.”

The devastating Maui wildfires began this past Aug. 8, spreading with the help of hurricane winds across the Hawaiian islands. The disaster has displaced a number of people, with more than 2,200 structures destroyed and at least 100 persons believed dead. 100% of profits from Aloha bear sales will go toward the American Red Cross in order to assist its efforts in helping those affected by the fires.

The new bear comes as Ty celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Beanie Baby brand, which got its start in 1993. Screenings for the recently released The Beanie Bubble movie, a fictionalized telling of the brand’s beginning, continues across theaters.

This Bilingual Toy Line Inspires Little Ones to Get Moving

It’s never too early to start getting active!

TOMY International’s Bebé Fuerte, a bilingual infant toy line created by Peloton’s Vice President of Fitness Programming and Head Instructor Robin Arzón, has arrived at Walmart and independent toy stores across the United States. Arzón’s core belief in the power of movement inspired The New York Times best-selling author of children’s books Strong Mama and Strong Baby to create this toy line. In her life and work, Arzón lives by the mantra that fitness comes from progress over perfection.

Bebé Fuerte launches with seven signature products, designed from a fresh, colorful palette inspired by Arzón’s Cuban-Puerto Rican roots and the rich heritage of LatinX culture. Some of the toys feature Spanish words and phrases that parents can share as they play with their baby. The product is also presented in bilingual packaging.

The line includes multiple items for babies from birth, including the Strong & Sunny Clip-On for $8.98 and the Move & Groove Crinklie Elephant and Move & Groove Crinklie Panda for $9.98 each. 

For babies ages 3 months and up, there is the Twist & Shake Dumbbell for $9.98, the “Let’s Move” Giftset for $23.98 and the Marathon Maze 2-in-1 Activity Mirror for $21.98. Lastly, for babies ages 6 months and up, there is the Stack and Count Kettlebell for $16.98.

Jump for Joy with the Vurtego Slingshot

This is not your grandma’s pogo stick. 

OK, maybe they don’t go that far back, but pogo sticks are a time-treasured toy that are now back in a cooler, safer way with the Vurtego Slingshot from Flybar.

I will never forget my older sister’s pogo stick. As with everything in the ‘90s, it was bright pink with teal accents, and came packaged with an overwhelming sense of danger. I, being five years younger, was not allowed to take a turn, but for some reason it was alright for her to take her life into her hands for the sake of a bounce — and oh, how she bounced. Pogo sticks were always something that came with a joyous thrill, but also didn’t seem like any kid should be allowed near them — until now.

Back in this decade, the kids born after Y2K know a thing or two more about safety. Taking the place of the teal and pink contraptions of yesteryear, is the green and black Vurtego Slingshot. It comes with a very hefty owner’s manual, to teach kids about safety measures they should take, tips and tricks, and also links to videos with all of this info for the more visual learners. The spring inside is powered by air (which you’ll need to pump, but more on that later) so there are no rusty springs threatening to pop out.

To take a spin — or a jump, I should say — kids need to be over the age of 5 and taller than 4 feet 8 inches. For other grownups out there who were also denied the chance to pogo crazy, as long as you’re under 5 feet 9 inches and 180 pounds you, too, can have your moment. The Vurtego Slingshot is a kid-size professional pogo stick, so anyone in the family within those height and weight measurements is good to pogo. 

Before families start bouncing, it’s important to fully read through the owner’s manual and get a sense of the safety precautions. Parents can help make sure kids really understand everything before they get pogoing. They should wear a helmet and closed toed shoes in case of any falls, but follow the tips so they’re less likely to have that happen. Parents will also have to pump some air into the Slingshot to get it ready, which can be done with a standard car tire pump or an air compressor with a gauge (neither is included). The more air added, the stiffer the spring will get, meaning the higher it will bounce. Be sure to start out with less air until kids’ are professionals. At its most-filled, kids can jump up to five feet high!

Kids will just want to bounce, but they’ll get an added bonus of a lesson in direction following with the owner’s manual. Of course, once they get jumping, there’s no stopping the fun. The reason pogo sticks have withstood the decades is because you can’t beat the joy that comes from jumping the day away. It gets kids off their screens and outside for a pop of excitement. Not to mention it’s great cardio!

The Vurtego Slingshot was designed and tested over a course of 10 years, which means that Flybar put a lot of thought into making it a unique and fun toy for families to enjoy together. Are you ready to jump in?!


VURTEGO SLINGSHOT POGO STICK

This professional-quality pogo stick designed for kids features adjustable air spring technology. By adding or removing air, kids can create a softer or stiffer spring. The fully adjustable pogo stick can hold 40-180 pounds, and can jump up to 5 feet high.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $149.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

The Wiggles Team Up with Baby Shark and Pinkfong for New Music Videos

We never thought we could say that The Wiggles would team up with Baby Shark — we were wrong!

The Wiggles are uniting with Baby Shark and Pinkfong to create awesome new music videos that young fans will love. The collaboration launches today with the first music video in a four-part series. Of course, The Wiggles and Baby Shark are in different mediums, so these music videos will combine 2D and 3D for an exciting musical experience!

The collaboration will feature fan-favorite songs like “Baby Shark” and “Big Red Car” with each group putting their own twist on the other’s song. These revamped versions of iconic kids’ songs are perfect for fresh dance parties!

Kids can check out the new music video on the Pinkfong, Baby Shark, and The Wiggles YouTube channels, along with a playlist of beloved songs that celebrate friendship. This collaboration is all about friendship, and kids will love it like their own best friend!

The Best Back-to-School Toys on KATU Portland

Toy Insider Senior Editor/Toy Book Editor-in-Chief James Zahn joined Afternoon Live on KATU in Portland to show off the best new toys to get kids ready to head back to class. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


DISNEY DOORABLES ACADEMY CAMPUS CREW FIGURE PACK

Open the composition book-inspired surprise packaging to reveal between 5-7 Doorables figures. The 1.5-inch figures feature Disney and Pixar characters re-imagined with an academic theme.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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TINKERTAR

Created by musicians Brian Calhoun, Dave Matthews, and John Alagia, this one-string melody maker is made of sustainable, responsibly sourced wood. Use the included 15-song songbook and colored and numbered finger positions to learn beginner guitar.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99 EACH
  • Age:
  • 3+

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WOODEN WORK & PLAY DESKTOP ACTIVITY BOARD

This tiny, wooden version of a laptop and desk features a variety of interactive elements that babies and toddlers can use to develop fine motor skills while pretending to work from home like their parents. It has no detachable pieces and features a handle for on-the-go play.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $27.99
  • Age:
  • 1+

MINI ABC POPS

Toddlers can learn uppercase letter recognition, vocabulary skills, and beginning sounds with these Mini ABC Pops which also help to enhance fine motor skills and color identification. This 52-piece set includes 26 matching, two-piece ice pops in a variety of colors. Each ice pop has an uppercase letter on the outside that kids can pop…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $21.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

SMITHSONIAN MICROSCOPE KIT

The Smithsonian Microscope Kit lets kids view leaves, pollen, insect parts, fibers, and more at up to 900 times their actual size! This kit comes with everything kids need to study organisms around them — three prepared slides, six blank slides, two specimen vials, a petri dish, slide labels and covers, tools, a storage case,…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

Logic! Case Starter Sets Will Keep Kids Puzzling

Keep kids occupied with a whole pile of puzzles!

Haba is well-known for its educational toys that make learning fun. The company has magnetic mazes, games for the youngest of players, activity kits, and more. Now, it’s adding a huge collection of puzzles to its offerings, with new Logic! Case Starter Sets. These sets are designed with specific ages in mind, and challenge kids to solve colorful puzzles using critical thinking, focus, and logic.

Each Logic! Case Starter Set is designed with a specific age in mind, so little puzzle-solvers can challenge themselves with problems designed just for them. There are four sets available: one for 4 year olds, 5 year olds, 6 year olds, and 7 year olds. Kids can check their answers by inserting the wooden peg into the hole in the case — if the puzzle card can be removed, they know they got it right! The puzzles get progressively more tricky as kids move through the puzzle cards, keeping them on their toes.

The new Logic! Case Starter Sets are available now. Get the inquisitive young problem-solvers in your life a new set to puzzle over, and have a great quiet activity and the perfect game to take on the go. Each set is sized well for travel, and includes 40 puzzle cards with 77 puzzles, a puzzle box, a wooden peg, and a set of instructions.


LOGIC! CASE STARTER SETS

These starter sets include puzzles for kids ages 4, 5, 6, and 7. Each set includes 77 different puzzles designed to encourage kids in independent thinking and problem-solving.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

‘Power Rangers Cosmic Fury’ Gets Release Date, Theme Song Reveal

Welcome to outer space! Hasbro has announced the global Netflix premiere date for Power Rangers Cosmic Fury along with a brand new theme song composed by Bert Selen. Cosmic Fury will debut exclusively on Netflix on Sept. 29, bringing the iconic Mighty Morphin Power Rangers cast member, David Yost, to the galactic-themed series as his original character Billy Cranston.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Power Rangers is entering into a third season with the same core cast of Rangers. The Dino Fury Rangers are going to space with new powers, costumes, weapons, and, of course, Zords! As a core character appearing in all 10 episodes of the series, Mighty Morphin Blue Ranger, Billy Cranston, will assist the Cosmic Fury team in fighting Lord Zedd.

Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Cosmic Morpher | Source: Hasbro

Inspired by Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, Hasbro has released the Power Rangers Cosmic Fury Cosmic Morpher, available now at Target, Amazon, and Entertainment Earth for $33.99. This electronic role-play toy uses unique sound-scanning technology that will “listen” to Power Rangers episodes playing on your TV, tablet, and more and react to what it “hears.” It features more than 20 lights and sounds with interactive action buttons.

To get ready for the official release of Power Rangers Cosmic Fury on Sept. 29, kids can check out the new theme song below.

Toys that Make Learning Fun on FOX 61 Connecticut

Toy Insider Editor-in-Chief Ali Mierzejewski joined Fox 61 in Connecticut to show off the best educational toys for kids ahead of the new school year. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


LEAPSTART LEARNING SUCCESS BUNDLE

Explore exciting new ways for kids to learn with the LeapStart Learning Success Bundle interactive system. This system with a sleek, new design grows with kids and gets them excited about learning with interactive touch-and-talk pages. Activities that include games, puzzles, and creative challenges enhance learning to help kids build math, reading, problem-solving skills, and…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $47.99; $59.99 CAD
  • Age:
  • 2+

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JUNIOR EXPLORER ADVENTURE KIT

Ready for an adventure? Go on a scavenger hunt, play a flashlight game, seek & find bugs, and more with the Junior Explorer Adventure Kit! With so much to find and learn, this exploring kit has all the adventure tools that kids will need to start exploring the great outdoors.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

TRAINBOTS: 2-IN-1 STEAM MAKER KIT

Kids can put on their engineer’s cap and build their own steampunk-style train robot with amazing steam effects. They can build the TrainBot in two different configurations: a rolling train and a walking robot. Turn it on and watch it go, with cool water vapor “steam” billowing from its chimney, lit up in a fiery…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.95; $60 CAD
  • Age:
  • 8+

MONOPOLY SCRABBLE

This game combines elements of the Monopoly game with the crossword-building play of Scrabble. In place of rolling dice to move around the board, players build words and move ahead by their score. Features custom Community Chest and Chance cards.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

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Kids Can Hit the Waves in The Op’s New Tabletop Game

Summer vacation may be winding down, but The Op’s newest game is all about beach vibes. 

Designed for kids ages 8 and up, The Perfect Wave is a strategy game where players must create the best combination of moves for the ultimate surfing moment. Throughout the game, players will collect wave cards, play trick cards, and more to try and hit their best personal score. 

The goal of wave cards is to give surfers the best chance at pulling off an epic stunt. The closer a wave is to the shore, the smaller it is. Cards must be put in descending order to count as a wave. If kids have a run of numbers in descending order or have a set of cards with the same number, they can perform different tricks on them! Each trick has different requirements that must be met, but the reward is worth it! Players may also have to complete private goals for themselves or public goals for the whole table. At the end of the game, whoever has the most points, wins!


The Perfect Wave is available for $34.99 at theop.games and Amazon. Even if kids don’t have the coordination required to hit the waves in real life, The Perfect Wave is a great way to add some tropical vibes to family game night.

Tech Toys that Teach on Fox 11 Los Angeles

Toy Insider Media Correspondent Deborah Stallings Stumm joined Fox 11 in Los Angeles to show off the best new tech toys to get kids ready to head back to class. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


STORY DREAM MACHINE + STORY PACKS

Project classic children's stories with this machine, which includes three titles, with additional packs sold separately. It features light and sound effects to enhance the story and doubles as a white noise machine.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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BEEP ‘N’ BUY CASH REGISTER

Kids can learn how to manage money by selecting groceries and then working out the price. This cash register features a solar-powered calculator, a scanner with light and sound effects, coins, and bills.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $44.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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MAGIC ADVENTURES TELESCOPE

Kids can look through the digital telescope at up to 110-times magnification to explore the world around them, check out more than 100 NASA videos and images, and play games on the 2.4-inch screen. 5+

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $89.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

BRAINBOLT

Build problem-solving and sequential thinking skills, enhance memory, and grow confidence with this mind-melting, light-up, memory game. Kids can challenge their brain by remembering the light sequence and following along for as long as they can without breaking the pattern. Go head-to-head with a friend or play solo.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99; $28.58 CAD
  • Age:
  • 7+

VR MASTERCHEF JUNIOR

Step inside the MasterChef kitchen in virtual reality and learn everything from culinary skills, plating techniques, flavor pairing, and even food science from former contestants and winners of the hit FOX TV show. This interactive cooking kit for kids covers 30 recipes and even tackles sauces, dressings, and knife skills as they take on STEM…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $59.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

CODE+CONTROL DINOSAUR ROBOT: REX

Kids can assemble their own robotic model of a T. rex, then use the controller to command the robot to move around in all directions, light up its eyes, and play sounds, including chowing down on food and farting.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

Kids Can Embrace Fall with Spookley the Square Pumpkin and His Upcoming Adventures

Kids can feel ready for school with Spookley the Square Pumpkin. This fall, Spookley stars in an animated music video for his song “First Times.”

In this video, kids can understand that first-time experiences can be fun, even if it seems scary. “First Times” will debut on Disney Junior, DisneyNOW, and Disney Junior’s YouTube channel on Sept. 5. 

To celebrate the music video’s debut, Holiday Hill Farm is holding giveaways where grand prize winners will win a visit from Spookley. Contestants can also win other prizes, like first-edition Spookly movie books, a Spookley Tonie figurine, first-edition cake toppers, and a Spookley plush. Educators and families can enter the contest before it ends on Sept. 30 by visiting spookley.com/contests

“First Times” correlates to the Holiday Hill Farm book, Spookley the Square Pumpkin, The First Day of School, which explores how Spookley deals with being in a classroom for the first time. This book is available for $9.95 exclusively at Barnes & Noble

Kids can spend time with Spookley by attending upcoming fall events. Spookley will make an appearance at Toy Fair in New York on Sept. 30. The square pumpkin will also appear at Sesame Place and Sea World for Halloween events, as well as Barnes & Noble for family-friendly events. 

This fall, kids can embrace new beginnings with Spookley the Square Pumpkin. To learn more about Spookley and his fall adventures, visit spookley.com

Playmobil’s Picnic Adventures with Horses Playset is a Giddy-Up Good Time

This playset from Playmobil gives a whole new meaning to horse play.

An impressively stocked set, the Picnic Adventures with Horses structure comes with 67 pieces that unfold a horse-filled, countryside scene. These include three Playmobil figures, two horses, a pony, a puppy, helmets, saddles, and more. 

There’s so many ways to play with 67 included play pieces! | Source: Playmobil

The adult Playmobil figures fit perfectly for a ride on the horses. Other accessories include great world building pieces like a pond and apple tree, loaves of bread, ducks and ducklings, and a flowery meadow. These idyllic play-pieces give a pitch-perfect impression of horseback riding in the countryside. 

The Picnic Adventures with Horses playset is recommended for kids 4 and up and costs $34.99. The price point is remarkably reasonable for the piece-count. The value seems to compound as well for those who already have other playsets in the Playmobil Country Range — they’re made to mix and match! 

There’s plenty of opportunity here for a few lessons in fine-motor skills and imaginative play. Kids can also use this as a stepping stone toward a more serious interest in equestrian topics (every horse girl has an origin story), or to give kids an escapist journey to the countryside to kids for whom that may not be physically or financially possible. 

One thing for parents to note is that there are a lot of little pieces. The more cleanup-conscious your little equestrians are, the better it will be when playtime’s over!

So whether your little ones are seasoned riders who want to bring the outside in, or whether this will be their first introduction to horses and the countryside, Playmobil’s Picnic Adventures with Horses is sure to inject just the right amount of horse into their play.


WORLD OF HORSES – PICNIC ADVENTURE WITH HORSES

Ride down to the lake for a Picnic Adventure with Horses! With this playset, kids can pretend play as the animals refresh themselves at the pond and enjoy some tasty treats at the picnic blanket. This set can be combined with other Playmobil World of Horses playsets. The set includes four figures, horses, and other…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

New Trolls Dolls for ‘Trolls Band Together’ Are Singing Their Way to Stores

Any little fans eager to sing along with their favorite big-haired friends are getting good news! DreamWorks’ third film in the new Trolls franchise, Trolls Band Together, is hitting theaters this Nov. 17, and adorable new dolls are coming with it! The movie follows Poppy and Branch as they reconnect with long-lost family and adventure to rescue Branch’s brother, Floyd.

Any new kids’ film is, of course, an opportunity for new toys! Mattel has revealed a number of upcoming Trolls products inspired by the movie, continuing to revitalize the nostalgic brand. The new line will include everything from small dolls to American Girl accessories.

The collection of Trolls goods from Mattel includes an impressive pile of dolls. The Hair Pops Small Doll Assortment features characters like Poppy, Viva, and Branch, all with Hair Pops that kids can open to reveal a surprise accessory. Kids can also get their hands on a number of other small dolls featuring characters from the upcoming film.

Fashion dolls will be joining the Trolls with an assortment of dolls featuring removable outfits and brightly colored hair that can be styled. The Hairsational Reveals Fashion Dolls also feature bright hair designs, this time with hair that’s entirely removable, with surprise accessories inside.

This is just a small sample of the products Mattel has planned for the line. Other offerings include additional themed fashion dolls, American Girl outfits such as PJs, and Pom Pom keychains.

The newest series of toys inspired by Trolls Band Together will launch this Oct. 1, ahead of the movie’s release in November. The line of products will be available to browse on the official Mattel Trolls Page.

Kids Can Celebrate Grandparents’ Day by Listening To ‘Ammu’s Treasures’

Grandparents and grandchildren can strengthen their bond with the sounds of uplifting music. Grammy-nominated Chandrika Tandon brings families together with Ammu’s Treasures, an album of soulful chants and soothing melodies. 

Chandrika Tandon brings soulful chants to families with her latest album. | Source: Chandrika Tandon
Ammu’s Treasures features 35 songs and 21 chants to strengthen familial bonds. | Source: Chandrika Tandon

Families can enjoy Ammu’s Treasures, which features 35 songs and 21 chants to strengthen close bonds. The music ranges from traditional folk tunes like “Hush Little Baby” to popular ‘50s and ‘60s hits like “Que Sera, Sera.” Families can experience a meditative journey with “To the Light,” a 26-minute song comprising 21 soothing and relaxing Vedic chants. 

This album honors Tandon’s childhood and grandchildren. The artist’s grandchildren call her Ammu, an Indian term of endearment that means happiness, sweetness, and purity. Families can relate to this album, which symbolizes unforgettable memories and familial bonds. 

Ammu’s Treasures is a product of Tandon and many talented artists like Kenny Werner, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Friesen, Howard Levy, and more. When families buy the album, all proceeds will go to the Krishnamurthy Tandon Foundation, which supports emotional and economic well-being. 

Ammu’s Treasures will be available on Sept. 7, just in time to share on Grandparents’ Day, Sept. 10. Families can preorder this soulful album on Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube, Deezer, and chandrikatandon.com

Kids Can Launch Their Own Business with a Girl Scout Cookie Sale Booth

It may not be Girl Scout Cookie season, but it’s always pretend play season! Little Tikes just released a playset where kids can sell the yummy treats.

Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the Girl Scout Cookie Booth sets kids up for success. A white board built into the front of the booth is a perfect place for advertising their products while shelves are ready behind the counter to store all of the cookies that didn’t immediately fly off the shelf.

The set has everything kids need to sell their own Girl Scout Cookies, no vest or sash required! The set comes with 19 other accessories, including boxes of pretend Girl Scout cookies (including Thin Mints, Coconut Caramels, Trefoils, and more), markers for the white board on the front of the booth, and pretend money to use with the cash register. Unfortunately, real Girl Scout cookies are sold separately. 

The Girl Scout Cookie Booth is available now on Amazon and at Walmart for $99.99. Even if kids don’t end up selling real-life Girl Scout cookies, this set is a fun way to foster entrepreneurship in young kids.

The Miraculous Volkswagen e-Beetle Is a Miracle on Four Wheels

In her role as the Guardian of the Miraculous and Paris’ favorite superhero, Ladybug is one busy bug! When she’s not on the move swinging through the skies, Ladybug can be found steering through the streets in her Volkswagen e-Beetle. Now, kids ages 4 and up can relive the high speed thrills with their own Miraculous Volkswagen e-Beetle from Playmates Toys.

This 15-inch-long model car is just like the e-Beetle in the new movie Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie on Netflix, which follows two Parisian teens who transform into superheroes and protect the city from villains. This officially licensed VW car features a vibrant red color and Ladybug’s signature black spots. Kids will enjoy all of the small details present on the car, from the various VW logos to the adjustable steering wheel. 

This automobile includes fully functional butterfly doors, a sunroof, and a trunk that can all be flipped open and closed — just be sure to handle the doors with care! Plus, kids can use the removable roof to gaze out at the night stars or use the trunk for additional storage.

There’s enough room for two dolls inside the car, which means Ladybug can take a Miraculous ally on a mission to defeat Hawk Moth or a special paw-rtner on a date. The car is also big enough to seat five cute Kwamis, or small spirit-like beings, on the dashboard or in the trunk. Grownups should know that the dolls and Kwamis are sold separately from the car. However, this car could be used with any set of small dolls or action figures.

The Miraculous Volkswagen e-Beetle is ready for a drive with its spinning wheels right out of the box. Paris’ favorite superheroes will enjoy cruising the streets in this fashionable and functional car.


MIRACULOUS VOLKSWAGEN E-BEETLE

Inspired by the electric car in Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie, this Volkswagen features butterfly doors and a flip-open sunroof. Fits up to two dolls and five kwamis, sold separately.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.99
  • Age:
  • 4+

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Stay Hydrated and Creative with Purple Ladybug’s Decorate Your Own Gemstone Water Bottle Kit

Kids can cool off this summer with the help of Purple Ladybug’s Decorate Your Own Gemstone Water Bottle Kit. Not only is this a fun DYO craft project, but it will also leave littles ones eager to drink more water after customizing their bottles with shiny gemstones and rhinestones — a win, win!

The kit includes a 20-oz water bottle, four sheets of gemstone stickers, and a carabiner for on-the-go travel. The wide-mouth lid snaps open and closed, making it spill-free and easy to clean with a bottle brush. 

Designed for ages 6 and up, kids can embrace their creative sides by customizing their water bottles with sparkly stickers in various shapes that kids love, like hearts, diamonds, and flowers. There are even larger gemstone-enhanced designs of a unicorn, a butterfly, a peacock, and a ribbon. 

Kids can easily remove gemstones from the sheet and apply them to their bottles, making it a perfect mess-free project — no additional glue or added adhesives required. This aluminum BPA-free bottle is hand-wash only to ensure the stickers remain intact when its time to freshen it up. Once the bottle is covered in gemstone goodness, kids can expand their creativity by adding the stickers to other surfaces like journals, books, tablets, and more.

Kids can design and create however they want, allowing them the opportunity to choose their own customization options and putting the power in their hands. Purple Ladybug’s Decorate Your Own Gemstone Water Bottle kit is a great way to prepare kids to go back to school, allowing them to show off their latest art project while staying hydrated during class.


DECORATE YOUR OWN GEMSTONE WATER BOTTLE CRAFT KIT

Stay hydrated this summer! Kids will love decorating their own bottles with the Decorate Your Own Gemstone Water Bottle Kit. It comes with four sheets of sparkly rhinestone and glitter gemstone stickers for kids to bling out their bottles! Include a carabiner to hang the bottle so kids can bring it on the go. Kids…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

Adventure Awaits in the New ‘Bluey’ Mobile Game App 

The BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning animated preschool series Bluey is joining the mobile games sphere.

In partnership with BBC Studios, Budge Studios is launching the first-ever Bluey mobile game app, called Bluey: Let’s Play. This interactive app is packed with amazing things to see and do as Bluey’s family home comes to kids’ mobile devices. Navigating through every room in the house allows kids to make food, play with toys, make music, and so much more. Everything is interactive and responds to your touch!

The whole family can engage in story-driven episodic gameplay with activities inspired by fan-favorite moments from the series such as “Keepy Uppy” and “Chattermax.” Players can also revisit favorite moments, discover hidden surprises, interact with beloved characters, and play with Bluey and her friends, all while exploring the world of Bluey.

Bluey: Let’s Play gives access to locations such as the kitchen and backyard, as well as characters Bluey and her sister Bingo. Paid subscribers will be given access to more characters and locations such as the Heeler living room, playroom and bathroom, with extra rooms launching later in the year.

Bluey: Let’s Play is available now at the Apple App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore.

Little Tikes Takes on Pinball in New Old School Playset

Did you ever have a favorite pinball game you’d play at the arcade growing up? Now, you can introduce your toddler to the joy of pinball with Little Tikes’ Old School My First Pinball Activity Table. 

Designed for kids ages 1 and up, the My First Pinball Activity set scales down a classic game of pinball, but still includes fun features like a coin slot, ball launcher, and obstacles on the board. The set is space themed for out-of-this-world play, complete with a light-up UFO, asteroids, black holes, and planets. As kids play, the pinball table activates more than 100 sounds and phrases.

My First Pinball is a great way to introduce kids to classic games! | Source: Little Tikes

The set is a part of Little Tikes’ Old School collection, which also features the Old School Rainbow Remix Music Player and the 100 Words Spell & Spin Pencil. Each set focuses on different basic skills for toddlers, including color, number, and letter recognition. 

The Old School My First Pinball Activity Table is available now on Amazon for $39.99. This is only the beginning of being able to introduce the toddlers in your life to the iconic retro games you played when you were a kid!

Igloo Books Makes Magic with Disney Holiday Lineup

Little artists, activity-doers, and Disney lovers will be excited to see these new releases coming from Igloo Books!

Igloo already knows its way around the world of Disney, with both Disney and Marvel advent calendar offerings bringing fun to every day. The publisher has announced a whole new exciting Disney collection coming, with everything from more advent calendar content to scratch art books. Kids can make their own Disney art, put up new posters, and get in the spirit of the season with favorite characters!

The Disney100 Advent Calendar keeps the anniversary celebration going strong with a countdown to Christmas! The calendar features 24 mini storybooks, each containing 24 pages with all the charm of any Disney tale. (Preorder it here: Amazon.) If a little Disney fan needs more to do as they count down the days, the Disney: Make & Play Christmas book invites kids to create a Christmas scene with favorite characters such as Belle, Winnie the Pooh, and more, all around the Christmas tree. (Preorder it here: Amazon.)The Disneyland Parks: Sticker and Activity Book will send kids straight to their favorite park with activities themed around the locations of Disneyland. (Preorder it here: Amazon.)

Scratch art is loved by many a crafty kid, and Igloo Books is making sure they’ve got Disney options! The Disney: Amazing Scratch Art book includes 12 pages for making colorful scratch art, with scratching tool included, as well as an additional 12 coloring pages. (Preorder it here: Amazon.) Kids can get even more regal with their art thanks to the Disney Princess: Magical Scratch Art book, also featuring 12 scratch art and 12 coloring pages. (Preorder it here: Amazon.)

Finally, Igloo is launching a new line of activity books featuring fun 3D posters kids can put together and proudly display. The Disney: 3D Posters book features favorite Disney and Pixar characters with Woody, Simba, Elsa, and Mickey all ready to adorn the wall. (Preorder it here: Amazon.) The Disney Princess: 3D Posters book highlights the brave and beautiful princesses of the world with Belle, Moana, Ariel, and Jasmine. (Preorder it here: Amazon.)

Finally, we’re also getting a sprinkle of superhero action with the Marvel 3D Posters book, featuring Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Panther, and Hulk. (Preorder it here: Amazon.) In addition to the 3D posters, all these books also include other fun crafts such as pen holders, nameplates, door hangers, and more.

Have a holiday season full of Disney magic with these activity books! They’re all available for preorder now, so grab one for the young Disney fans in your life and make their winter one to remember.

Kids Can Learn Reading Fast with Little Tikes Story Projector

Sometimes, preschoolers need a bit of a push to get into reading for the first time. The Little Tikes Story Dream Machine is the perfect way to get kids reading without the intense focus required for early reading.

Designed for kids ages 3-6 the Story Dream Machine is a projector that projects classic kids’ stories from Random House Childrens’ Books on the wall. With added sound effects and colorful lights, kids can engage with story time like never before. 

The Little Tikes Story Dream Machine comes with one character figure that sits on top of the projector and three Little Golden Book story cartridges, including The Saggy Baggy Elephant, The Poky LIttle Puppy, and Tawny Scrawny Lion. Eight other stories kids can use with the Story Dream Machine are available now, including The Berenstain Bears and the Go Go Vehicles collection. Even more story packs will be available this fall. 


The Little Tikes Story Dream Machine and other story collections are available now at Amazon and Walmart for $49.99 and $14.99, respectively. Whether kids are just starting their reading journey or are already picking up new books faster than you can put them down, the Story Dream Machine makes story time more fun than ever!

Kids Are in for Epic Shark Surprises with Beast Lab

Moose Toys is launching a new surprise toy, Beast Lab, to go hand-in-hand with Magic Mixies. Much like the Magic Mixies, Beast Lab adds a splash of fun to scientific surprises. 

Designed for kids ages 5 and up, Beast Lab contains everything kids need to reveal an electronic action figure. To reveal the figure, kids must activate the lab by doing a simulated finger scan to begin a human-beast connection. Then, kids add the ingredients, activating sounds, roars, lights, and bubbles from the beast inside. Finally, when the Pandemonium Crystal starts to bubble, kids turn up the pressure dial and pull the emergency lever to drain the ingredients when the alarm goes off!

Beast Lab reveals an epic shark action figure inside! | Source: Moose Toys

Once kids reveal the beast, a Mayhem Megashark or Havoc Hammerhead, they can activate battle mode by pressing the simulated finger scan on the beast’s chest plate and attaching its weapon to get right into the action! The experiment is repeatable — each time kids go through the process, they can unlock new sounds, colors, and ways to play!

Beast Lab will be available online starting Sept. 1 for $74.99 before hitting shelves at stores across the country starting Oct. 1.

Trainers Will Want To Catch This New Pokémon Content

The Pokémon World Championships are over, but that doesn’t mean an end to Pokémon happenings! The event had a whole pile of fun announcements for little trainers, so kids can look forward to future releases in their favorite video games, trading card game, and more!

This year’s tournament took place in Yokohama, Japan, and featured competitors fighting to be the very best at Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, and the Pokémon trading card game (TCG).

The DLC will highlight beloved starter Pokémon from past games. | Source: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet were the most recent video game releases in the ever-popular series of Pokémon roleplaying games. The games continue to release additional content, with The Hidden Treasure of Aera Zero Part 2: The Indigo Disk coming soon. Part 1, coming this fall, will let players travel to the land of Kitakami. Part 2 will continue this story, as players enter the roles of exchange students visiting the Blueberry Academy, a school under the ocean. The second part of the DLC will release this winter.

Pokémon Unite unveiled three new fighters. | Source: The Pokémon Company

The first Pokémon strategic team battle game is adding three new fighters to the fray. Blaziken is scheduled to release this Sep. 14, and Mimikyu and Meowscarada will be coming after. Pokémon Unite was released in 2021 and features a departure from traditional Pokémon game experiences, being a multiplayer battle arena video game, similar in style to the well-known League of Legends. The game is free to play on Android, iOS, and the Nintendo Switch.

Path to the Peak follows Ava and Oddish fighting to be the best at the Pokémon TCG. | Source: The Pokémon Company

A new animated series is also hitting the scene, with Pokémon: Path to the Peak having its big debut during an Aug. 11 screening at the Championships. The series will follow a young player of the Pokémon TCG game as she rises in the world of competitive play with her Pokémon partner Oddish. The first episode is up on the official Pokémon Youtube Channel.

New card mechanics are coming to the trading card game. | Source: The Pokémon Company

Finally, the World Championships can’t end without new information about the trading card game! During closing ceremonies, The Pokémon Company revealed brand-new card mechanics. Players will be able to collect and battle with Ancient and Future Pokémon such as Roaring Moon ex and Brute Bonnet. Ace Spec cards, first introduced in the Black & White series, will also be making a return to the Standard format next year.

The location of the next World Championships event has also been revealed, with plans for 2024 to take place in Honolulu, Hawaii. Due to the recent wildfires that have hit the state, The Pokémon Company has additionally pledged $200,000 to its partners at GlobalGiving through the Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund. It will also be matching any employee donations to the cause.

The World Championships revealed the very best Pokémon trainers in the world of video games and trading cards. Hopeful trainers can mark their calendars and get ready for a future full of Pokémon!

‘Pepita Meets Bebita’ Helps Kids Adjust to New Babies in the Family

Pepita Meets Bebita tells the story of what happens when beloved pets meet the new baby in the family.

This book follows Pepita, a puppy used to being the center of her family’s attention. Life suddenly changes when a new baby arrives, as Bebita enters and shifts Mami and Papi’s focus away from her. Kids will see Pepita’s daily observations of how things are changing with a new family member around. 

Follow Pepita as she learns how to adjust to the new baby. | Source: Random House Children’s Books

Kids can learn Spanish vocabulary terms by matching Spanish words found in the story with the glossary at the back of the book. The Spanish-language edition is also available for families to enjoy. 

Pepita Meets Bebita is a perfect resource for understanding changes within the family. Kids ages 4 and up can read Pepita’s story and relate to having a new baby in the house. Kids can also understand how to embrace changes and accept their younger siblings. 

Pepita Meets Bebita will be available on Sept. 12. To discover more family-friendly books, visit randomhousechildrensbooks.com.

LeapFrog’s Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart Is *Chef’s Kiss*

This adorable food cart will instantly delight preschoolers with its bright colors, light and sound effects, and engaging play opportunities.

LeapFrog’s Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart is full of educational, role-play fun for preschoolers ages 3 and up. The cart features a pretend oven, a cash register, a menu board, a bell, a storage drawer, a spatula, a topping storage section, a turntable, a push handle, and rolling wheels. It comes complete with six magnetic topping accessories, four pizza slices, a plate, a pizza box, a pizza cutter, a cheese shaker, play money, and a plastic pizza stone.

This playset features tons of sound effects, music, and phrases, and guides kids along their pizza-making journey. Kids can start by pressing the bell, and the pizza cart will tell them what type of pizza to make. Will it be a cheesy slice with triangle toppings, a savory slice with circular olives, or a spicy slice with round pepperoni? Kids will learn about shapes, colors, and more as they piece together the perfect pizza.

The toppings click right into place on each pizza slice, and kids can rotate the turntable to spin their slices around. Once their slice is assembled, they can use the spatula which will recognize what topping they’ve added, and let them know if they got the order correct. Then, they can pop it onto the pizza stone and stick it in the oven, which even has a clicky dial kids can turn to set the temperature and enjoy some fun music and phrases in English and Italian while they wait.

And any pizza-lover will tell you, it’s not ready to eat until you top it with grated cheese. The pizza cart even has a cute little cheese shaker kids can grab to finish off their pizza creation before serving it up on a plate or in the little pizza box.

Not only will kids pretend to be seasoned pizza chefs, but also pint-size entrepreneurs. The Pizza Cart comes with some adorably named “pizza dough” bills and gold coins that pretend customers can offer up in exchange for a delicious slice with the perfect toppings. There’s even a mini cash register complete with fun sound effects to give little business owners the chance to ring up their customers’ purchases– and press some pretty fun buttons and learn numbers along the way.

Parents and caregivers will love that everything stores neatly away when playtime ends. There’s a convenient storage drawer for anything that doesn’t fit inside the oven, or all of the pieces can be set up nicely in their designated spots on top of the cart for a nice little display.

Kids will obviously enhance their fine motor skills with this playset, but the push handle and rolling wheels allow them to wheel it around the house for pizza time anywhere, which will help enhance their gross motor skills, too!

The Build-a-Slice Pizza Cart has so much educational value baked in, not to mention how easy it is to assemble (takes less than 5 minutes), how lightweight it is to move around the house, and the fact that it comes with tons of fun accessories, but it DOESN’T have a million teeny tiny pieces you’ll lose all over the place. Parents will love how much their kids will learn while enjoying this playset. Put simply: é perfetto!


BUILD-A-SLICE PIZZA CART

Kids can ring the bell on this interactive pizza cart to hear a customer's order. They'll learn about colors, shapes, numbers, and food names as they build a pizza with the included toppings and accessories.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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Boogie Board Expands Three Collections Ahead of Back to School

Just in time for back to school season, Boogie Board is expanding three of its collections with new light-up writing and drawing tablets. 

Boogie Board tablets are reusable and reduce paper use, perfect for young scribblers ages 4 and up who can go through an entire stack of paper in a day and parents who are running out of space on the fridge for drawings. 

The new additions include the Magic Sketch Glow ($29.99), a classic Boogie Board with a twist — all of kids’ drawings glow in the dark; three new Boogie Board Sketch Pals, Felix the Fox, Morris the Moose, and Izzy the Owl; and the Magic Sketch Creativity Kit, a playset that features a drawing tablet, three styli, and 18 drawing templates all in a clear storage bag for easy access!

All three new collections are available now at myboogieboard.com and on shelves at select mass retailers and specialty toy stores. Whether kids are using their new Boogie Boards as entertainment on the school bus or to sketch out their latest big idea, their fun will be fresher than ever!

The Bluey Beach Cabin Playset Makes For Year-Round Summer Fun

Are your kids sad that summer is sprinting by? With the Bluey Beach Cabin playset from Moose Toys, kids can enjoy an endless summer of imaginative play, regardless of the season.

This playset, inspired by the BBC show Bluey, comes with three main play spaces within the 10-plus-inch cabin structure: a bathroom, a lounge space, and a kitchen. The set also includes an “outdoor” deck space for grilling and a swivel-out “beach.” The details within up the ante on play: Kids can convert the lounge space into a bedroom by pulling down a set of bunk beds, and in the kitchen the cabinets actually open. Inside the bathroom, kids can give Bluey a shower or help her use the toilet. 

Kids can help a swim cap-clad Bluey shower, surf, and more. | Source: Moose Toys

The playset comes with more than 10 play pieces, including a swim cap-wearing Bluey figure, a pair of goggles, a surfboard, and a sand castle. 

One of the best aspects of this set is the included sticker sheet. With it, kids can customize Bluey’s cabin with summertime stickers like seagulls and ice cream cones, making each kid’s set one of a kind. And filling the pool up with water makes for even more immersive summer-centric play.

The Bluey Beach Cabin is available at major retailers like Amazon and Walmart for $34.99, and is intended for kids ages 3 and up. The price point feels even more justified if split between siblings or friends for joint playtime. Other Bluey figures, like Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli, are available from Moose Toys separately (one minor negative). But the playset would likely make a great setting for toys from across kids’ toy chests as well. 

So if you’re looking to share a little summer fun with your Bluey fan season after season, the Bluey Beach Cabin playset has got you covered.


BLUEY BEACH CABIN

Kids can enjoy a seaside getaway in this cozy furnished cabin with a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. A swivel-out private beach invites Bluey and her friend to hang ten! Accessories include a surfboard, ladder, sandcastle, and pool floaty, plus a sticker sheet to customize the cabin!

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.99; $54.99 CAD
  • Age:
  • 3+

Class is in Session at Our #DisneyDoorables Academy Twitter Party: Aug. 18

Calling all parents, grandparents, cool aunts and uncles, or anyone else with kids in their lives! The Toy Insider and Just Play invite you to join us on Friday, August 18, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET for our #DisneyDoorables Academy Twitter Party on X. Join us for a full hour of fun and trivia as we celebrate the back-to-school release of the latest Disney Doorables. Be sure to RSVP to be eligible to play and win prizes, then check out what we’ll be giving away below!


DISNEY DOORABLES ACADEMY CAMPUS CREW FIGURE PACK

Open the composition book-inspired surprise packaging to reveal between 5-7 Doorables figures. The 1.5-inch figures feature Disney and Pixar characters re-imagined with an academic theme.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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DISNEY DOORABLES ACADEMY SURPRISE LOCKERS

Disney Doorables Academy Surprise Locker

Kids can score a Ph.D. in classroom fun with this assortment of collectible lockers. Each 2.75-inch locker contains a key and a mystery-packed 1.5-inch Disney Doorables figurine that has sparkly eyes. There are 15 figures to collect, including Mirabel (rare), Minnie Mouse (rare), Snow White (ultra-rare), Winnie the Pooh (special edition), and more.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $5.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

DISNEY DOORABLES MULTI PEEK SERIES 10

Kids can open the doors to unbox five, six, or even seven collectible Disney figures. Series 10 celebrates the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Co. Kids can collect 80 new figures, including metallic and flocked variants, nine special-edition Disney100 Years of Wonder figures, and a limited-edition Mickey Mouse Disney100 figure.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $11.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

During the Twitter Party, four lucky winners will win a Disney Doorables Academy prize pack including a Campus Crew Figure Pack and two (2) Disney Doorables Academy Surprise Lockers.

Plus, one GRAND PRIZE winner will win an epic prize pack including three (3) Surprise Lockers, two (2) Campus Crew Figure Packs, and a Disney Doorables Series 10 Multi Peek!

Be sure to follow @thetoyinsider and all of our panelists — @BabySavers, @EvrydayShortcut, MommyTalkShow, ThatsITLA, and @whiskynsunshine — and tweet with the hashtag #DisneyDoorables for a chance to win these amazing prizes! RSVP for the Twitter party below!

RSVP NOW!

*You MUST RSVP AND participate in the Twitter Party to be eligible to win! Open to U.S. residents only!*


 🚨 BONUS GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🚨

Win #DisneyDoorables on Instagram!

Want another chance to win? Check out our Instagram starting on August 14 for another giveaway! One lucky winner will win a Disney Doorables Academy Prize Pack including three (3) Surprise Lockers, two (2) Campus Crew Figure Packs, and a Disney Doorables Series 10 Multi Peek!

*Both giveaways are open to U.S. residents only!*

Click here to read the full contest rules.

Hit the Water for Adventure with This Inflatable Paddleboard Set

Summer is a great time to get out on the lake, and in a realm previously dominated by kayaks and canoes, paddleboards are gaining in popularity as a safe and affordable way to hit the waves.

Recommended for kids ages 7 and up, the Hydro-Force Wavecrest Youth Stand-Up Paddleboard Set from Bestway is a great “all-around board” shaped for riding on still (flat) water and small waves.

It’s inflatable and comes with a pump so that tweens, teens, and adults up to 176 pounds can be up and running in about five minutes! (Our oldest daughter is 14 and *loves* this!) It’s constructed with drop stitch material — thousands of small fibers connecting the top and bottom of the board — for a sturdy ride that has strength and rigidity similar to hard-sided boards. Because it’s inflatable, it’s lightweight and easy to carry with the included handles, and it stores easily in the included sack when deflated. 

Hydro-Force Wavecrest Youth Stand-Up Paddleboard Set
Addie shows off her new paddleboard at the lake. | Source: James Zahn/The Toy Insider

During her first outing, she was cruising the lake while seated on the board and using the included, adjustable paddle to power the adventure. Standing up takes some practice as it’s a great exercise in both balance and strength. The built-in, non-slip traction pad helps the rider’s feet stay put.

The Hydro-Force Wavecrest has an elastic cord to secure a water bottle or other personal items, and an adjustable safety strap uses velcro-style hook-and-loop fasteners to attach to the rider’s ankle.

Hydro-Force Wavecrest Youth Stand-Up Paddleboard Set
And she’s off for a leisurely cruise around the lake! | Source: James Zahn/The Toy Insider

Since this paddleboard is suitable for use on lakes, rivers, and even the ocean, a life vest (sold separately) is recommended for the safety of riders.

Now, for parents that might think of getting a head start on the fun by inflating this thing at home before heading out to the water, the Wavecrest is 8 feet long and 30 inches wide when inflated. That’s pretty sizable, so be sure that it fits in your vehicle before going that route. (Trust me when I say that I speak from experience on this one.)

Overall, the Hydro-Force Wavecrest has opened up a new way for our kids to enjoy the water, and I’m confident that they’ll be into it for many years to come!


HYDRO-FORCE WAVECREST YOUTH INFLATABLE STAND-UP PADDLEBOARD SET

Get the kids out for a water adventure with the Hydro-Force Wavecrest Youth Stand-Up Paddleboard Set. This board is categorized as an all-around board, meaning it is the perfect shape for safe rides on flat water and small waves. This SUP is constructed with drop stitch material, thousands of fibers that connect the top and…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $249.00
  • Age:
  • 7+

Make New Tropical Friends in ‘Hello Kitty Island Adventure’

You can never have too many island friends!

Hello Kitty is known for her adorable charm, and now she’ll be welcoming kids to a tropical paradise in the new Hello Kitty Island Adventure, available on Apple Arcade. The life simulation game invites old Sanrio friends to a new location and asks kids to help them restore an abandoned theme park. The more a player rebuilds and decorates, the more beloved Sanrio characters they’ll attract to the island!

Kids will need to work hard to restore the abandoned theme park in this simulation game. | Source: Sunblink/Sanrio

The game features a rich open world for kids to explore with puzzles, treasures, challenges, and more. Kids can play online or together as they meet and foster friendships with Sanrio favorites like Kuromi, Badtz-Maru, and Cinnamoroll. Players can give characters gifts and get to know them to get closer and unlock character-specific storylines and quests. Kids can even earn the ability to take the character exploring with them!

Apple Arcade is a $4.99 subscription service that has a number of games that kids can enjoy. The service is available for a one-month free trial, so little ones can give it a go to see if they like it before any full commitment. The arcade has more than 200 titles, including popular games such as Stardew Valley, Cooking Mama: Cuisine!, and Sneaky Sasquatch.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is available now on Apple Arcade. The game boasts more than 40 hours of gameplay, with more on the way. It’s recommended for ages 4 and up and is sure to have every little Sanrio fan finding their true ocean-loving, friendship-making, theme park-building selves!

A Former Member of The Wiggles Is Dropping a New Kids’ Album

Little Wiggles fans are getting a new album from one of the band’s former members!

Sam Moran, who was a member of The Wiggles from 2006-2012 before heading the show Play Along with Sam on Nickelodeon Australia. Moran’s new album, All the Feels, tackles different emotions in every song. The album also features a collaboration with Qai Qai, an animated doll created by Serena Williams’s daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian. 

Sam Moran was a member of The Wiggles until 2012. | Source: Republic Records

“Everything I do must always place the children at the center of the experience, which is why I’m not telling them how to feel or what to feel. I see my job as providing a voice for them, as they see the world,” Moran says. “At this age, new emotions can often feel big and scary, and just as adults use music to process our emotions, children need music that sees the world through their eyes, to help them process theirs.”

There are 10 tracks on the album, each centering a different emotion kids deal with, including joy, love, and kindness, but also jealousy, anger, stress, nervousness, anxiety, and sadness. For example, “Sunny Day” is about the hope of starting a beautiful day and “I Want What You Got” explores difficult feelings of jealousy.

Exploring emotion through music is always a fun experience for kids, but a former Wiggle being the one to guide them through it is extra special!

Crayola’s Doodle & Draw Line Brings Out Kids’ Inner Artists

The Doodle & Draw collection from Crayola is perfect for any little aspiring artists — whether they have some creative talents or just like to have fun!

With five different sets in the collection, there’s truly something for everyone, and this new collection even features some new technology so kids ages 8 and up can utilize new techniques when making a masterpiece. The full collection includes Fine Point Doodle Markers, Ultra Fine Point Doodle Markers, Dual-Ended Doodle Markers, Color-Change Doodle Markers, and finally Sketch & Shade Doodle Pencils, each sold separately.

The Fine Point Doodle Markers set comes with 12 markers that are great for fine details and doodles. Kids can draw in permanent ink on multiple surfaces, and even customize sneakers, backpacks, and more! The Ultra Fine Point Doodle Markers comes with 12 markers that feature a smooth, super fine tip. These quick-dry markers won’t bleed through, so you don’t have to worry about smudging.

Kids can use the Ultra Fine Point Doodle Markers to customize sneakers, backpacks, and more. | Source: Crayola

The set of 12 Dual-Ended Doodle Markers offers twice the level of detail and twice the color. Each marker features two colorful tools in one! Kids can work on calligraphy or create wispy watercolor-like drawings with the brush marker end, or thick or thin lines with the chisel tip end. There are two colors per marker, giving you 24 colors total. Kids can have even more fun playing with colors with the Color-Change Doodle Markers, which also offer 24 colors in total. Each marker features a different color on both ends, and once you overlap them it changes to a completely new color! The chisel tip lets you easily draw thick or thin lines, adding depth to your artwork.

Lastly, each of the 12 colored pencils in the Sketch & Shade Doodle Pencils set features a gel core, so they blend easily and work well on both light and dark paper. The set also includes two graphite sketching pencils, so kids can sketch their designs before adding color. Kids can use them with sketch pads or construction paper.

With so many options, the Draw & Doodle line from Crayola offers a creative outlet for kids and is sure to inspire little artists! Grab the full set just in time for back-to-school shopping season.


DOODLE & DRAW

Detail-oriented tools from the Doodle & Draw line will help tweens level up their art projects and doodles. This line includes Fine Point Doodle Markers for colorfully creating the bold statements, Ultra-Fine Doodle Markers for the most intricate of details, Dual-Ended Doodle Markers to create both thick and thin lines with the dual-sided brush &…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $9.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

‘Zoodio World’ Creates a Virtual Educational World

Kids love playing on their tablets, no matter what games they have on it, so why shouldn’t they be educational, too? The latest app from Headstart launches kids into a virtual world where they can learn with animal friends!

Zoodio World is an educational app designed for preschoolers to learn about numbers, colors, animals, music, shapes, letters, and more. The app features 20 animal friends to help guide kids through the learning process, including Ciara Cat, Ruby Rabbit, Luv Lion, Pete Peacock, and more.

There are more than 30 activities for kids to do on Zoodio World. Some highlights to the lineup include helping Ruby Rabbit establish a bedtime routine, matching emojis with Luv Lion, bringing a snowman to life with Peng Panda, playing doctor and helping patients, and more.

Zoodio World is available to download for free on the Apple Store and Google Play Store. To start off, kids have a seven-day free trial to test out all of the activities. After that, Zoodio World costs $2.99 a month and can be cancelled anytime. Zoodio World is a great app for kids who want to make the most out of their screen time!

KiwiCo Expands Panda Crate Subscription to Include Activities for Kids Up to Age 3

KiwiCo is making its Panda Crates available to more kids than ever!

KiwiCo’s Panda Crate is a bi-monthly subscription box that features developmentally appropriate activities. The Panda Crate initially catered to babies and toddlers up to age 2. Now, KiwiCo is expanding its lineup to include activities for toddlers up to age 3.

Some highlights in the new Panda Crate offerings include a bubble popper to practice counting, a rainbow block puzzle, and a fishing game designed for kids ages 25-30 months and a play snack set featuring wooden food, an activity backpack with snaps and zippers, and a plush panda designed for kids ages 31-36 months to prepare for preschool! Each Panda Crate also comes with a guide for adults to explain each toy’s purpose and help their kids engage with the toys.

Each Panda Crate has a different theme, including sorting, listening, moving, playing, and more. The KiwiCo Panda Crate starts at $33.90 per crate and is available at kiwico.com. With more developmentally appropriate play, toddlers will be more prepared than ever as they head into preschool

Toys to Inspire a Love of Learning on Fox 5 San Diego

Toy Insider Media Correspondent Deborah Stallings Stumm joined Fox 5 in San Diego to show off the best new toys that inspire a love for learning in kids as they prepare to head back to school. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


STORY DREAM MACHINE + STORY PACKS

Project classic children's stories with this machine, which includes three titles, with additional packs sold separately. It features light and sound effects to enhance the story and doubles as a white noise machine.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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REEL BIG CATCH GAME

Players use a fishing pole to catch nine telescoping fish. Then, they use the measuring tape on their catch to explore the correlation between size and measurement and the concept of small, medium, and large.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

SPY LABS: FORENSIC INVESTIGATION KIT

Kids can perform experiments on evidence using chemical and physical techniques. They can analyze solids and liquids, make a fluorescent solution, and more using chromatography to solve make-believe mysteries.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.95
  • Age:
  • 8+

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The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

PROFESSOR MAXWELL’S VR ATLAS

Discover the world in virtual reality with this 138-page interactive illustrated atlas for kids. Kids can explore points of interest, landmarks, and world wonders in augmented and virtual reality. The set includes 30 pieces loaded with projects and activities to inspire tangible play, while discovering cities, cultures, food, currency, and language from all over the…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $69.99; $79.99 CAD
  • Age:
  • 8+

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SNAP CIRCUITS LIGHT

Kids can energize their building experience with the Snap Circuits Light! Use imagination to combine Snap Circuits with LED lights and make endless combinations of construction and circuitry. With Snap Circuits Light, kids will explore fiber optics, LEDs, and more across 175 different projects. Great for summer learning!

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $55.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

LEGO ICONS OF PLAY

Inspire soccer fans with this 899-piece buildable set, featuring half a soccer field with a goal and VAR station, stands with a scoreboard, a ceremonial stage, 15 diverse minifigures, and more.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $99.99
  • Age:
  • 10+

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These New Playmobil Sets Are a Disney Delight

Join favorites in the Hundred Acre Wood and up above the clouds!

Playmobil is well-known for its playsets that encourage creativity and the joy of playing pretend in kids everywhere. The company offers a whole pile of sets, everything from wild animals to fantasy battles. Now, Playmobil is bringing a little Disney magic to its toddler offerings with new 1.2.3 & Disney playsets featuring favorites like Winnie the Pooh and Mickey Mouse, all coming later this month.

Mickey’s & Minnie’s Cloud Home has all sorts of fun to find. The set includes puzzle and plug-in features to encourage toddlers to explore and get creative with play. See it here: Amazon, Playmobil. With Mickey’s & Minnie’s Cloud Ride, kids can create a combination plane/train ready to fly in the clouds. (See it here: Amazon, Playmobil.) Finally in the sets featuring Mickey, the Mickey’s Spinning Sun with Rattle Feature means even the youngest Disney fans can find the joy of Playmobil, with a rattling set designed to encourage fine motor development. (See it here: Amazon, Playmobil.)

For the rest of the Disney sets, kids will head to the Hundred Acre Wood. The Winnie’s & Piglet’s Tree House has a whole pile of play surprises, with items that can be sorted into the treetop by shape and color, a hidden slide, and more. See it here: Playmobil. Winnie’s & Tigger’s Bee Garden is definitely going to cause a buzz! The set includes a hidden jumping mechanism to send bees flying and other fun features sure to charm. See it here: Playmobil. The Winnie the Pooh sets also include a starter set for the youngest fans — the Winnie’s Counter Balance Honey Pot wobbles back and forth and will always get back up. See it here: Playmobil.

The new 1.2.3 & Disney Playmobil sets will be available this Aug. 25. The line is the first license for Playmobil’s toddler portfolio, making little Disney fans’ wishes come true. The sets are designed for ages 1-4 and are made to encourage explorative play, fine motor skill development, and creative problem-solving.

Wipe Out the Summer Slump with a Classic Slip’n Slide

As we near the end of summer, are your kids becoming bored with the same stuff? Add a Slip’n Slide to your outdoor family fun this season to eliminate the summer slump!

The Winning Moves Games Classic Wham-O Slip’n Slide is the top contender to consider. It is the original backyard water slide that is more than 19 feet long. Parents will also appreciate the set-up instructions, safety checklist, two anchors, and two repair patches that come with the product, too, to ensure that setup is easy and that kids can keep playing safely.

Kids can slip and slide all summer long with this family-favorite summer staple. | Source: Winning Moves Games

To maximize the fun, there are some tricks to amplify the awesomeness of the Slip ‘N Slide. First, put it on a clear, grassy surface that is free of rocks, sticks, and other debris that could hurt sliders during the slide and avoid puncturing the plastic. Secondly, having a slight decline to the Slip’n Slide allows the water to flow continuously down the Slip’n Slide for a smoother and speedier slide potential. Thirdly, add a couple of drops of tear-free liquid baby soap to the surface of the Slip’n Slide to help with the slip!

Additionally, kids can bring some other toys in the mix to switch up their slides! Use pool noodles for bumpers — like bowling lane bumpers, pool noodles tucked under the edges of the Slip’n Slide sides (secured with painter’s tape or the like) can keep kids on course. Lastly, use the Slip’n Slide on an overcast day to minimize the potential for grass burnout.

Once you have the best positioning for your outdoor fun, add to the play potential with fun games. You can set up two side by side for races or add soft cut-up pool noodles at the end of the slide as a version of body bowling. Kids can stay entertained (and engaged) by picking up the pool noodle pieces and putting them in a pile for the next person to plunge into!

All in all, having a Slip’n Slide as part of your summer backyard fun is a great way to cool off at the end of the summer!


CLASSIC WHAM-O SLIP ‘N SLIDE

The Slip ‘N Slide is the original backyard water slide, and this classic edition looks just like the original. Kids can enjoy retro-style fun in the sun with this 19-foot water slide.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.95
  • Age:
  • 5+

The Best Toys for Back-to-School on ABC San Francisco

Toy Insider Parent and Contributing Editor Charlene DeLoach joined ABC in San Francisco to show off the best toys to get kids ready to head back to class this fall. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best gifts of the season, be sure to check out The Toy Insider’s Spring and Summer Gift Guide.


WORRY STONE PALS SENSORY WRISTBAND

Each Sensory Wristband comes with four removable worry stones, each with a character that highlights positive learning traits. Kids can pop the double-sided disks into the soft plastic wristband for a discreet, tactile approach to focusing their attention, calming their nerves, and managing stress throughout the day.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

MAKE YOUR OWN HEADBAND CRAFT KITS

Kids can make personalized headbands with everything that comes in this kit, including decorative fabric and charms, headbands, glue, and step-by-step instructions. They can choose from four themes: Flower, Mermaid, Unicorn, or Mixed Girly Fun, sold separately.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $10.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

MINI ABC POPS

Toddlers can learn uppercase letter recognition, vocabulary skills, and beginning sounds with these Mini ABC Pops which also help to enhance fine motor skills and color identification. This 52-piece set includes 26 matching, two-piece ice pops in a variety of colors. Each ice pop has an uppercase letter on the outside that kids can pop…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $21.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

BOGGLE and BOGGLE JR

Preschoolers and kindergarteners can transform letters into words using Boggle Jr. while older kiddos can work on spelling, cognitive development and writing skills using Big Boggle! Two different matching games encourage various skills and levels with fun, colorful pictures. Two-sided cards have three-letter words on one side and four-letter words on the other. In Match…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.95 each
  • Age:
  • Boggle Jr.: 3+ — Big Boggle: 8+

CRAYOLA PAINT YOUR OWN BEAN BAG TOSS

Kids can paint the cornhole boards with the included paint and brushes, then play the game with the included bean bags. When they’re ready for a redesign, kids can wipe the boards clean with a wet towel and paint them again.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $29.97
  • Age:
  • 5+

RETRO MAGNADOODLE

Use this pad to practice math facts, work on spelling or draw out worries about going back to school. The ultimate unisex retro magnetic drawing toy for creating fun artwork that erases like magic. Can be used to work on spelling, math, playing games, draw pictures, write messages (secret erasable messages too!), and so much…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

Monopoly Splash Is the Perfect Game for a Hot Summer Day

Every kid needs a way of staying cool during the hottest days of summer. If your family can’t make it to the lake or the beach, Monopoly Splash is a great way to bring some watery fun to your backyard!

Designed for kids ages 5-10, Monopoly Splash from WowWee combines water slides and inflatables with a classic game of Monopoly. As kids roll the inflatable dice, they make their way around the board to collect foam Monopoly money! However, they have to watch out for different obstacles, including bars to jump over or crawl under. The jail space even has inflatable bars surrounding it, trapping troublemakers behind bars. 

Kids will also like that the inflatable set features a climbing wall and a slide for an extra spark of added fun. If kids don’t like Monopoly, but want to get in on all of the action, Monopoly Splash also doubles as an obstacle course. 

Monopoly Splash is 7 feet tall! | Source: WowWee

Monopoly Splash is seriously huge. At more than 14 feet wide and long and 7 feet tall, the playset needs to be set up on a large, level area of grass. Parents will like that the set is easy to set up once unfolded. Monopoly Splash only takes 2 minutes to inflate, so the splash party can start right away. The set also comes with stakes to keep Monopoly Splash on the ground, patches to keep any holes from deflating all of the fun, and a storage bag for when everything is dried out. 

Of course, any water-based summer toy would be incomplete without a sprinkler! Monopoly Splash connects to your house’s hose system and spurts water everywhere to cool players off. The bottom of the inflatable can get slippery, so kids should be careful running around on it. 

Almost every kid wishes that they could have their own water park, especially when the sun is out and the pavement is hot. Monopoly Splash is the next best thing!


MONOPOLY SPLASH — MEGA INFLATABLE OBSTACLE COURSE

This inflatable obstacle course is designed after a Monopoly board game. There are two ways to play: Obstacle Course or Mega Monopoly. It includes a storage bag, an air blower, inflatable stakes, repair patches, inflatable dice, and foam bills.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $999.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

Sneak a Peek at GUND’s Spookley the Square Pumpkin Plush!

It’s almost fall, and we’ve got a sneak preview of something cuddly and cute that’s headed your way, just in time for Halloween!

Holiday Hill Farm and GUND — the plush division of Spin Master — have officially unveiled a first look at the new Spookley the Square Pumpkin plush line. At launch, the line includes 3- and 6-inch Spookley plush toys that will be available at select independent toy stores, specialty retailers, mass retailers, and GUND.com this fall. The 3-inch Spookley is $9.99 while the 6-inch version is $14.99.

Source: GUND

The Spookley toys are the first offerings created under a multiyear licensing deal between GUND and Holiday Hill Farm that will see some of Spookley’s holiday friends, including Mistletoe and the Christmas Kittens, Lyla the Love Bug, JellyBean the Easter Chick, and Beacon the Firefly make their way into the toy department.

Beyond the plush launch, The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin book will arrive at Target this fall and the character remains the “Official Spokes-Pumpkin” for National Bullying Prevention Month in October through a partnership with PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center

Additionally, Spookley has a back-to-school music video debuting on Disney Junior and he’ll make appearances at Sesame Place, Sea World’s Halloween Spooktacular, and other family-friendly events throughout the fall.


SPOOKLEY THE SQUARE PUMPKIN PLUSH

Spookley is a friendly, sweet, and kindhearted pumpkin who always looks for, and finds, the best in others. Even though he is little, this square pumpkin accepts every challenge placed before him and can always be counted on to do his best! This soft plush pumpkin features Spookley with soft, bright orange and green plush,…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $9.99-14.99
  • Age:
  • 1+

This New Pop Rock Album Inspires Kids to Get in Touch with Their Emotions

For young ones, learning to get in touch with your emotions can be a difficult process. Now, it’s more musical than ever.

Nicole Porter is a clinical therapist, musician, and the president of the New York Art Therapy Association. Her latest album with her band — You and Us — comes out on Sept. 15. Calming a Panic combines art therapy with a pop rock sound to make taking care of yourself sound fun. 

You and Us’ goal is to raise mental health awareness and advocate for kids’ mental health. Different themes on Calming a Panic tackle mental health in a kid-friendly way, including overcoming small moments that can seem big and scary. As kids and the adults in their lives listen to Calming a Panic, they can share conversations about social-emotional learning, how kids can accept and express their feelings in healthy, age-appropriate ways. 

Different tracks on the album include “Rhythm” which sounds like being at a carnival, “Find My Way” a country twist on a Disney-style song, and the Van Morrison-influenced “Stay Wild Moon Child!” 

Calming a Panic will be available starting Sept. 15 on all music streaming platforms. Music is a great way for kids to get in touch with their emotions — try it out for yourselves!

Kids Can ‘Go Bananas for Friendship’ with New Fingerlings

WowWee is teaming up with YouTube stars Jordan and Salish Matter along with more than 100 other creators to launch the “Go Bananas for Friendship” campaign for Fingerlings. The campaign follows the core message of Fingerlings — Friendship @ Your Fingertips — and is designed to spread friendship and encourage good deeds.

“We’re taking the core values that have always been a part of this brand, and bringing them to life by showing fans how all these small but meaningful good deeds add up to something huge,” says Andrew Yanofsky, Head of Marketing and Operations for WowWee.

New to the Fingerlings family: Lulu the Unicorn | Source: WowWee

The latest collection of Fingerlings features four monkeys that make more than 70 sounds and reactions. When they are on a kid’s finger, their heart glows and they feature poseable tails so they can sit on their own. Designed for kids ages 5 and up, one of the newest addition to the Fingerlings family is Lulu the Unicorn. Much like her monkey siblings, Lulu has a fuzzy head, posable tail, and tons of interactive fun for kids to enjoy. Lulu will be available at Toys “R” Us at Macy’s and Amazon.

“Fingerlings are designed with friendship and positivity at their core. Their heart-to-heart connection makes them the perfect sidekick and companion!” said Sydney Wiseman, Vice President of Brand Development and Creative Strategy at WowWee, and creator of Fingerlings.

The new line of Fingerlings is available now for $14.99 each.

Moose Games Is Searching for “Kangaroo Cleanup Crewmember” for Doo Doo Kangaroo Launch

Has a kid in your life ever wanted to work at a zoo? Moose Games has just the opportunity for them.

In line with the release of its latest game, Doo Doo Kangaroo, Moose Games is launching a sweepstakes to send one family to California to clean up after kangaroos! The winner will take $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip with their family to San Diego in October to help take care of the kangaroos at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

“While most kids might make their allowance taking their dog for a walk, feeding their fish or cleaning the litter box, Moose is raising the bar and offering one lucky youngster the opportunity of a lifetime: to help pick up kangaroo doo at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park for $5,000,” says David Norman, president, Moose Games. “Think of all the donuts you can buy with $5,000.”

Doo Doo Kangaroo is a wacky game for wacky kids! | Source: Moose Games

While at the zoo, kids will learn about how kangaroo doo doo is a part of conservation and even help clean it up. They will also get to check out other duties, including habitat maintenance, animal feeding, and more.

To apply for the role, kids ages 5-12 must submit a video or essay introducing themselves and explaining why they would make the best fit for the role, and have their parents complete the application form on . In their video or essay, kids should show off what they love about kangaroos and talk about what they would do if they got to spend a day with a kangaroo care specialist.

Designed for kids ages 3 and up, Doo Doo Kangaroo is a game where players feed the kangaroo, who is sitting on a toilet, donuts. When the kangaroo has had too many donuts, it starts to launch donuts and doo doos. Players must race to grab the donuts without grabbing doo doos.


DOO DOO KANGAROO

Kids feed doughnuts to a kangaroo sitting on a toilet. Once he's full, the kangaroo shakes and shimmies while kids race to catch the doughnuts and dodge the “doo doos” that come flying out of the toilet.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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Douglas Launches Winter-Themed Collection of Bird Plush

Douglas is manifesting the winter season early this year with new collections of plush toys, including the Winter Birds collection, which features three birds: Bertie the Blue Bird, Chipper the Chickadee, and Carmine the Cardinal. 

Each bird features a realistic design, matching the real-life colors of the bird species. Bertie the Blue Bird features a royal blue back, head, and wings; a white underbelly; and an orange breast. Chipper the Chickadee has a black head and bib, a soft gray body, a white underbelly and cheeks, and notes of tan. Carmine the Cardinal features a bright red body paired with the iconic cardinal black mask around the eyes and tipped wings. 

Designed for kids ages 3 and up, the Winter Birds plush are perfect gifts for young bird lovers or decor for when the house gets turned into a winter wonderland.

Other bird plush from Douglas include penguins and owls along with more unique species like ostrich, loons, cranes, and more. The Winter Birds will be available next month at specialty gift and toy stores in the U.S. and Canada.

Baby Born Animated Series Takes Kids on New Adventures

Join Emma and her friends in magical adventures of make-believe!

Baby Born has something for every kid, including a new animated series coming soon! The Baby Born dolls are designed for a variety of age groups, from infants to 4 and up. The brand, from Zapf Creation, is beloved by kids of all ages and soon to be even more popular, with the debut of an animated series in collaboration with MGA Entertainment.

The new series follows young Emma and her stuffed bear Teddy. | Source: Baby Born YouTube

The series will follow the Baby Born girl Emma, her stuffed bear friend Teddy, and other friends as they explore the world, play pretend, and learn about the things around them. The 18 planned episodes — 90 minutes of content — will feature 19 original songs, all made to be as catchy as only kids’ music can. The Baby Born series will premiere on the Baby Born YouTube channel and Kidoodle.TV with plans to expand to other media distribution as well as languages outside of English later this fall.

Baby Born dolls offer a variety of interactive experiences for kids. The My First Swim dolls can swim without batteries needed thanks to wind-up features. The Baby Born Bear looks much like the character Teddy from the new series. Baby Born for Babies are dolls designed for the littlest fans, washable for any messes and full of soft features.

The series will premiere on YouTube and Kidoodle.TV on Aug. 26. Little fans can follow along as Emma and friends ride flying bikes, bake cupcakes, swim, camp overnight, and more. Each episode is 5 minutes long, packed with fun content!

Turn the Neighborhood into Axle City with This R/C Blaze Monster Truck

The high-octane adventures of Blaze and the Monster Machines have been captivating preschoolers for nearly a decade on Nickelodeon, and now there’s a new way to bring home the excitement home!

NKOK’s RTR High-Performance Off-Road Blaze Monster Truck is an instantly recognizable depiction of Axle City’s greatest hero and champion. With his wide smile, headlight eyes, and side door flames, Blaze looks like he’s jumped right from the TV to the toy box.

RTR means “ready to run,” and Blaze is ready to rock right out of the box. The high-performance R/C monster truck comes with a rechargeable 7.4-volt Li-Poly battery and charger and a pair of AA batteries for the controller. A parent or other grownup will want to make sure that the batteries are installed and fully charged before kids embark on their first off-road adventure.

This full-function monster truck is operated using a comfort grip, trigger-style controller and can go forward, reverse, left, and right. Kids can press the side-mounted Turbo Boost button to unlock a new level of high-speed fun as Blaze pops wheelies while driving! 

Real rubber tires provide excellent traction and grip so that Blaze can tackle neighborhood terrain, including sidewalks and gravel. And, since this sleek monster truck operates on a 2.4 GHz frequency, up to 16 kids can race at the same time at a range of up to 150 feet, should other R/C vehicles (sold separately) be available.

Now that you have all the intel, there’s really only one thing left to do …

Let’s Blaze!


R/C HIGH-PERFORMANCE OFF-ROAD BLAZE MONSTER TRUCK

Inspired by Blaze and the Monster Machines, this R/C monster truck is designed to look like the titular character. The rechargeable car features large tires and a range of up to 150 feet.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 6+

Play Doctor with Melissa & Doug’s Little Doctor Gift Bundle

Playing doctor with kids is easier than ever with Melissa & Doug’s Little Doctor Gift Bundle. This set provides everything kids ages 3 and up need to become the doctor of their dreams.

The Little Doctor Gift Bundle consists of three items from the Melissa & Doug product line: the Doctor’s Kit Play Set, the Doctor Costume Role Play Set, and Water Wow! Occupations. Kids can explore medical tools and instruments, learn about patient care, and understand what doctors do by playing with this bundle. 

The 25-piece Doctor’s Kit Play Set includes realistic medical instruments, patient care items, and activity cards. Parents can use this kit to teach their kids about doctor visits. From entering the waiting room to receiving patient care, kids can better understand their future visits and learn how doctors help their patients. Parents can also help their kids enjoy easy cleanups and portable play by keeping everything in the doctor’s storage tote. 

The Doctor Costume Role Play Set is great for kids who want to become doctors or pretend to be one. The costume includes a doctor’s coat, a mask, medical instruments, and a name tag for pencil personalization. The coat’s pockets also provide easy storage for all the tools and accessories.

The costume includes five medical instruments: a thermometer that changes degrees with every click, a retractable syringe, an otoscope, a reflex hammer, and a stethoscope with heartbeat sounds. Parents can activate the stethoscope by purchasing and installing 2 AAA batteries.

Kids can learn about doctors, construction workers, firefighters, and police officers with the Water Wow! Occupations coloring boards. This activity pad comes with a refillable water pen that reveals colorful images. This pad is great for on-the-go travel, is mess-free, and encourages kids to improve their motor skills

Melissa & Doug also has a Little Firefighter Gift Bundle, which includes a Fire Chief Role Play Costume Set, a 24-piece Giant Fire Truck Floor Puzzle, and a Reusable Sticker Pad with more than 165 stickers. 

Playing doctor is easy, fun, and educational with Melissa & Doug’s Little Doctor Gift Bundle. Kids can explore the world of doctors like never before while having the time of their lives.


MELISSA & DOUG LITTLE DOCTOR GIFT BUNDLE

This gift bundle is perfect for kids who want to play doctor. The bundle comes with a 25-piece Doctor's Kit Play Set, an 8-piece Doctor Role Play Costume Set, and a Water Wow! Occupations Activity Pad. The Doctor's Kit Play Set includes activity cards, medical tools, and patient care items. The Doctor Role Play Costume…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $74.99
  • Age:
  • 3+
  • Battery Requirements:
  • 2 AAA Batteries

These New Baking Kits Feature Fan-Favorite Hasbro Characters

Kids can make parfaits with their favorite ponies!

I’m The Chef Too! is committed to getting kids in the kitchen, with adventure kits that incorporate STEAM concepts into baking. Each kit is designed to be friendly for kids to follow, recommended for ages kids between the ages of 4-14. Now, Hasbro and I’m The Chef Too! have partnered up to offer kids branded baking experiences, with favorites from Transformers to Peppa Pig.

Four Hasbro brands are represented in the new baking kits. Kids can learn to bake My Little Pony Parfaits, Peppa Pig Muddy Puddle Cookie Pies, Earthspark Transformers Treat Pops, and Candy Land Candy Bars. Each kit includes a recipe, pre-measured dry ingredients, and any specialty supplies necessary for the process.

The collaboration isn’t the first for I’m The Chef Too! The company also offers kits themed around Pixar’s Elemental movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, Gabby’s Dollhouse, and Strawberry Shortcake.

The Hasbro baking kits are available for preorder now as a bundle or individually, launching this September. Every adventure kit from I’m The Chef Too! aims to bring STEM and art into the kitchen environment. Kids won’t be able to wait to start baking once they see kits that include characters they love!


HASBRO BAKING KITS

These kits are the perfect ways to encourage kids in the kitchen. Kids can make Candy Land Candy Bars, Peppa Pig Muddy Puddle Cookie Pies, Transformers Treat Pops, or My Little Pony Parfaits. The kits are available individually or as a bundle.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $36.95-$135.95
  • Age:
  • 4+

‘Donkey Hodie’ Season 2 is Coming with More Puppety Fun

Donkey Hodie is back to bring more of the whimsical joy once found in Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood!

Donkey Hodie is a charming show featuring puppet characters that go on a variety of adventures, learning about friendship, dealing with change, and more. The show is inspired by the classic kids’ television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and even features a number of nods that fans of Mister Rogers will be delighted to see. Co-producers Fred Rogers Productions and Spiffy Pictures have announced the second season is coming to PBS Kids, so head to your nearest trolley and get ready to journey to new places with old puppet pals!

The second season will feature an appearance from Trolley, a character Mr. Rogers fans will already know and love. Donkey and friends will need to figure out what Trolley’s dings mean if they want to have a successful party. Other episodes feature Donkey and Panda in competition, Donkey trying to figure out if her pet fish Rogers is magic, and Duck Duck dealing with big feelings. All this and more will charm new and old fans alike!

Also coming soon to PBS Kids are four new episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood! Daniel will learn about pitching in with others, taking turns, asking for what you want, and more.

The new season of Donkey Hodie as well as new episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will premiere on PBS Kids starting this Aug. 14. Get ready to sing songs, learn lessons, and be ever-charmed by the kooky characters found in these series!

Hasbro Puts New Twists on Monopoly and Clue for New Games

Are the kids in your life getting bored of the same old Monopoly and Clue games? Never fear: Hasbro’s latest board games are turning the classics on their head. Monopoly Chance and Clue Escape: The Midnight Hotel are both based on fan-favorite Hasbro games, but with new elements for fresh gameplay. 

Monopoly Chance mixes up classic Monopoly for much faster gameplay! | Source: Hasbro

Monopoly Chance is a fast-paced game designed for kids ages 8 and up. Players must make their way around the board using a token. Each time a player rolls the dice, they can flip over an equal amount of cards to either win big or go bankrupt. Players can compete to buy property by bidding on it with cash. Whoever has the most property at the end of the game wins. Monopoly Chance takes around 20 minutes to complete — about 10 times faster than a typical game of classic Monopoly. Monopoly Chance is available now for $19.99.

Clue Escape: The Midnight Hotel unlocks playing area room by room! | Source: Hasbro

Clue Escape: The Midnight Hotel combines escape rooms with the classic mystery game. Designed for kids ages 10 and up, players must discover who tried to steal Black’s blackmail information on all the suspects, where the information is, and how to access it. As the game progresses, players can unlock new rooms by solving puzzles and drawing cards. This single-play game is good for a night of mystery solving and is available now for $16.99.

Whether kids prefer risk-taking or clue solving, these two new board games will add some fresh play to family game night.

VTech’s Latest Go! Go! Smart Wheels Playsets Get Kids Rolling on Toy Vehicles

VTech’s newest interactive toys are getting kids excited for vehicle-based play. 

Designed for toddlers ages 18 months and up, the Go! Go! Smart Wheels playsets use SmartPoint vehicles and areas to activate sounds, lights, and music. Kids can place a SmartPoint vehicle on a SmartPoint area to interact! 

There are four new playsets in the collection. The Spiral Construction Tower ($59.99) takes kids to a construction site with a talking dump truck. As kids haul materials, raise the drawbridge, and do other activities, they can activate different phrases about feelings, construction, and cleaning up. The Fast & Friendly Garage ($39.99) is perfect for little ones with a need for speed. The garage features two ramps for kids to speed down with SmartPoint cars. Other than the SmartPoint areas, this set also features moving pieces like a car lift, gas pump, a spinning car wash, and more. 

Kids can save the day with the Rescue Tower Firehouse ($34.99), which features fun accessories like a dalmatian, a fire extinguisher, and a fire hose. As kids speed through the set opening the door and pumping the fire hydrant, they can activate four SmartPoint areas that will make noise, play music, and say words about feelings and being a firefighter. Finally, the 4-in-1 Zig-Zag Raceway ($24.99) has four different ways for kids to race SmartPoint cars. While the set only comes with one car, kids can incorporate vehicles from other sets to race on different ramps to determine the winner!

Each SmartPoint car can interact with any SmartPoint area, so kids can mix and match their vehicles and playsets. Kids will practically be speeding around the house with their new talking vehicles! The toys are available now.

Head Back to School with Disney Doorables Academy

Depending on where you live, the kids are either back in school or about to be. And, while the end of summer break might be a bummer for some, the fun doesn’t have to stop when the first class bell rings

With that in mind, class is in session with Disney Doorables Academy, the latest extension to Just Play’s ever-expanding Doorables brand of 1.5-inch-tall miniature collectibles.

Kids ages 5 and up can get the fun rolling with the Disney Doorables Academy Campus Crew Pack. The composition book-inspired mystery box hides at least five surprise Doorables figures, but there could be more — as many as seven — inside the box!

There are 45 Disney Doorables Academy figures to collect! | Source: Just Play

There are dozens of figures to collect across multiple Disney Doorables Academy sub-themes, including students, athletics, pep rally, clubs, and faculty.

Kids will discover a mix of standard, rare, ultra-rare, and special-edition figures inspired by Disney and Pixar characters, including some from Aladdin, Brave, Big Hero 6, Mickey and Friends, Pocahontas, Toy Story, Turning Red, Winnie the Pooh, and Zootopia. There are also characters from The Muppets, including some of my personal favorites like Class Clown Fozzy Bear and Marching Band versions of Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and Animal.

For even more fun, the Disney Doorables Academy Surprise Locker assortment adds some colorful flair and an additional 15 characters to collect, including Aladdin, Alice, Ariel, Elsa, Jasmine, Mei, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Mirabel, Olaf, Snow White, Stitch, Tinkerbell, Vanellope, and Winnie the Pooh.

Show your school spirit with the Disney Doorables Academy! | Source: Just Play

Each 2.75-inch locker comes with a lock-shaped key and a bag containing a mystery figure. Kids will also discover five character-themed class accessories in each pack, including stickers that they can use to customize their locker for that authentic, lived-in look.

Since Disney Doorables are released in waves throughout the year, you’ll want to look for these at your favorite retailer, while supplies last.

If you want to go right now, it’s okay — we’ll give you a hall pass!


DISNEY DOORABLES ACADEMY CAMPUS CREW FIGURE PACK

Open the composition book-inspired surprise packaging to reveal between 5-7 Doorables figures. The 1.5-inch figures feature Disney and Pixar characters re-imagined with an academic theme.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

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DISNEY DOORABLES ACADEMY SURPRISE LOCKERS

Disney Doorables Academy Surprise Locker

Kids can score a Ph.D. in classroom fun with this assortment of collectible lockers. Each 2.75-inch locker contains a key and a mystery-packed 1.5-inch Disney Doorables figurine that has sparkly eyes. There are 15 figures to collect, including Mirabel (rare), Minnie Mouse (rare), Snow White (ultra-rare), Winnie the Pooh (special edition), and more.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $5.99
  • Age:
  • 5+

Latinistas Dolls Celebrate Culture and Heritage

Kids will fall in love with this new line of fashionable ladies!

Purpose Toys is known for its dolls designed with diversity in mind, hoping to bring representation to kids that haven’t historically seen themselves in the toys they play with. For example, the company’s Naturalista dolls feature naturally textured hair, from curly to coily. Purpose Toys’ newest Latinistas line is no exception to the company’s mission, bringing with it a celebration of Latina culture and community.

Kids can get to know Lola, Liv, and Julianna, the first three dolls in the new line, all available at Target now. Lola is a design student, ready to take her family’s bridal business to the next level with her skills. Liv is a singer and music student with a passion for performance. Her Abuelita, a retired singer, is always happy to give her tips. Julianna is an art student ready to inspire her community to embrace their creativity. Dani, looking perfectly purple in her outfit, isn’t available in stores just yet, but kids can keep their eyes peeled for her release!

Kids can pick a favorite friend from the Latinistas (or even collect them all) and have a fashion doll just for them. They’re available now at Target and will release later this year at Amazon and Walmart as well. Get a doll with a greater purpose and a familiar story thanks to Latinistas!


LATINISTAS FASHION DOLLS

Meet aspiring author Dani, art student Julianna, talented singer Liv, and design student Lola. Designed as a celebration of Latina culture, the 11.5-inch fashion dolls feature varying skin tones and hair textures.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $12.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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Surprise Powerz’s STEM Dolls Are Perfect for Science Week

Kids can get a head start for Science Week with educational dolls that are all about STEM.

Surprise Powerz encourages kids to discover the world of STEM from an early age. Kids can learn a lot from these four dolls, each with more than 75 educational phrases, sounds, and singalongs. 

The collection includes Astro the Astronaut, Codie the Coder, Vera the Vet, and Maria the Mathemagician. | Source: Surprise Powerz

Astro the Astronaut knows everything about space, and now kids can, too! Astro encourages kids to think about the solar system, space exploration, and stars. When interacting with Astro, kids can learn about different planets, including the coldest, the largest, and the gassiest!

Future programmers can explore computer programming with Codie the Coder. With Codie, kids can understand how coding can expand their imaginations while encouraging their computer skills.

These dolls feature more than 75 phrases, sounds, and singalongs. | Source: Surprise Powerz

Animal lovers will want to play with Vera the Vet to learn everything about their favorite animals and more. By interacting with the doll, they’ll discover the similarities and differences between animals and humans.

Math can become magical for kids when they meet Maria the Mathmagician. Maria speaks about numbers, counting, and sorting. Kids can learn everything about math, including how to count in English and Spanish. 

Surprise Powerz dolls are available now at Target, Amazon, Macy’s, and Nordstrom for $49.99. Kids ages 2-5 can gain an interest in STEM before school starts this fall. To learn more about Surprise Powerz, visit surprisepowerz.com.


SURPRISE POWERZ DOLLS

Each 16-inch doll has a different STEM theme and can make more than 75 phrases and sound effects. The collection includes Astro the Astronaut, Codie the Coder, Maria the Mathemagician, and Vera the Vet.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $49.99
  • Age:
  • 2+

Buy Now

The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

The Doll Aisle Gets Pinker with Even More ‘Barbie: The Movie’ Toys

Kids will be tickled pink by this new Barbie merch!

Mattel is bringing even more Barbie goodies to the table, following the box-office success of Barbie: The Movie. The film raked in record profits and these new dolls and toys will rake in record love from kids who adore the iconic fashion doll. With outfits from the film and new Hot Wheels cars, every Barbie fan will have something to collect.

The new dolls include Barbie and Ken in their inline skating outfits (get Barbie at Mattel Creations and Ken at Mattel Creations and Walmart), Barbie in a pink power jumpsuit (preorder available at Target), Ken wearing a faux fur coat and fringe vest (preorder available at Mattel Creations and Target), and Ken in a full western fit (preorder him at Mattel Creations and Target). Weird Barbie, played by Kate McKinnon in the movie, is also getting her own doll (preorder her at Mattel Creations). Weird Barbie represents a Barbie that was played with too roughly, so kids can embrace their inner wild side!

Mattel also has plans for a 4-Pack Hot Wheels set featuring Barbie’s Corvette in a number of styles. Each car is 1:64 scale and has a metal body and chassis. The set will include a yellow Corvette based on Ken’s car in Barbie: The Movie.

This newest round of Barbie goods follows an initial June launch of toys inspired by the movie from brands such as UNO, Fisher-Price, MEGA, and more. The new merch is available for presale now at a number of retailers as well as Mattel’s Mattel Creations shop page.

Kids Can Build Like There’s No Tomorrow with LEGO’s Workshop Series

Calling all builders! LEGO’s Play Unstoppable is a workshop series designed to give kids the space they need to create and play without limits. 

This fall, kids can attend a creativity studio event at the LEGO Store in New York City, hosted by Lauryn Alexandria. This social media star and live-stream gamer will show kids how to design and build an imaginary game avatar made from LEGO bricks. The free event is happening at the LEGO Store on Fifth Avenue on Oct.1 and requires guests to register for tickets at lego.com/creativityworkshops.  

Kids can build along with creativity workshops at home. | Source: The LEGO Group

Kids can build more than they can imagine at the creativity workshops at select LEGO Stores on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20, exploring their creative sides and learning how to express themselves through building. To attend these free sessions, guests can find participating stores at lego.com/storeevents.

Kids and their families can bond by making creations in the comfort of their homes. With Play Unstoppable Creativity At Home, kids can enjoy workshops from Cabeza Patata, Lauryn Alexandria, and Jessie Bluegrey on the LEGO Life app and at lego.com/kids.

By building with LEGOs, kids can bring all their creative ideas to life. To learn more about building sets and workshops, visit lego.com.

‘Dance with Qai Qai’ Inspires Kids to Get Up and Move

Get ready to dance! Qai Qai, the breakout animated hit inspired by Serena Williams’ daughter Olympia’s favorite doll, is expanding its franchise with a brand-new series called Dance with Qai Qai

Created by the animation studio Invisible Universe, this new series comes as Qai Qai has reached more than 32 million views on YouTube since its debut in January, with an additional 1.5 billion views on her other social channels.

Olympia watches Dance with Qai Qai | Source: Alexis Ohanian

Dance with Qai Qai invites viewers to get up and dance as Qai Qai teaches them her signature moves. The new series builds off of Qai Qai’s dancing roots on TikTok. Episodes will feature seasonal and kid-centric themes such as back-to-school, holidays, and wellness.

Dance with Qai Qai is available on YouTube now. You can watch the first episode below.

A Dozen Cuddly Moosh-Moosh Plushies Were Just Released

The beloved plush toy brand Moosh-Moosh has captured the hearts of kids and adults alike.

Now, kids can rest their heads on the latest series of pillow-y pals with a ton of new releases. Moosh-Moosh Series 5 is filled with a dozen adorable plush toys that are perfect for snuggling, collecting, and comforting. The irresistibly cute and cuddly collection includes Chewmoca the Doe, Nebula the Unicorn, Napoleon the Ice Cream, Dozer the Dalmatian, Maya the Cactus, Dawn the Octopus, Ana the Pineapple, Rayn the Leopard, Taz the Koala, Turbo the Sloth, Sebbie the Crab, and Skipper the Clownfish. Each character comes with their own unique facial expression and vibrant colors.

Plus, Moosh-Moosh is the ideal toy for providing comfort and support to kids. They make excellent MESH (Mental, Emotional, and Social Health) toys, helping kids navigate strong emotions and difficult experiences.

The Moosh-Moosh Series 5 characters are available for $18.99 each on moosh-moosh.com.


MOOSH-MOOSH SERIES 5

Moosh-Moosh Series 5 is filled with a dozen adorable plush toys that are perfect for snuggling, collecting, and comforting. They are excellent MESH (Mental, Emotional, and Social Health) toys, helping kids navigate strong emotions and difficult experiences.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $18.99
  • Age:
  • 0+

IMC Toys’ Cry Babies Dolls Add Nurturing Fun to Playtime

Playtime becomes nurturing and engaging with IMC Toys’ latest Cry Babies dolls. 

Kids will see the stars in their doll’s eyes with Cry Babies Stars. Inspired by the Kitoons series, the Coney, Ayla, and Lilly dolls have eyes that cry and light up with stars when kids remove the pacifiers. For $19.99 each, the three babies include iridescent outfits and make more than 10 realistic baby sounds. 

Cry Babies Magic Tears dolls for $9.99 each come with more surprises than ever before. With eight characters to collect, these Cry Babies include new appearances, more articulation, and they cry real tears. Each doll includes more than six surprises and has outfits representing its unique talents.

Cry Babies Stars and Cry Babies Magic Tears are available now at Target and Amazon. The dolls will also be available at Walmart this September. 

With Cry Babies Newborn, kids can learn to nurture newborns with the interactive bracelet that allows their doll to recognize them as the parent. The bracelet can also calm the dolls and make them laugh and blush. For $34.99 each, the Coney and Molly dolls will cry real tears, relax with pacifiers, and close their eyes to sleep. 

Kids can see their doll crawl with Cry Babies Crawling Jenna and Miley for $26.99 each. These dolls can crawl across the floor when kids press the button on their backs. The dolls make 30 realistic baby sounds, cry real tears, and shake their rattle when sitting.

Cry Babies Newborns and Cry Babies Crawlers are available now at Walmart, Target, and Amazon. To learn more about Cry Babies, visit imctoys.com.


CRY BABIES STARS

Kids will see the stars in their doll’s eyes with Cry Babies Stars. Inspired by the Kitoons series, the Coney, Ayla, and Lilly dolls have eyes that cry and light up with stars when kids remove the pacifiers. The three babies include iridescent outfits and make more than 10 realistic baby sounds.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $19.99
  • Age:
  • 18+ months

CRY BABIES MAGIC TEARS STARS TALENT BABIES

This lineup features eight dolls that cry real tears. Each doll comes with more than six surprises and has outfits based on its hobbies.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $9.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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CRY BABIES NEWBORN

This newborn doll cries real tears and will calm down when kids give it a pacifier. Available in two styles, each comes with a bracelet that kids can wear so that the doll will recognize and interact with them.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $34.99
  • Age:
  • 18 MOS+

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CRY BABIES CRAWLING

This interactive doll can crawl across the floor, make up to 35 realistic baby sounds, move its arms and legs, cry real tears, and calm down when kids give it a pacifier. It is available in two different styles.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $26.99
  • Age:
  • 18 MOS+

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The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

These Tie-In Books for the New TMNT Movie are Turtle-y Awesome

The world’s most beloved crime-fighting, sewer-dwelling turtles are making a big screen comeback this summer in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Luckily for kids who just can’t get enough TMNT, Random House Children’s Books has published four movie tie-in titles celebrating the latest adventures of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello. These books, which include a full novelization of the movie, an activity book, an early reader, and a storybook, are great additions to the movie. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: The Junior Novelization | Source: Random House

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: The Junior Novelization is 144 pages long and features eight pages of exciting full-color images. This junior novel is perfect for kids ages 7 and up. It is available for $7.99.

Meet the Mutants! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) | Source: Random House

Meet the Mutants! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) is a Step into Reading level 2 reader. Intended for kids ages 4 and up who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help, this story uses basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. It is available for $5.99.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: Official Activity Book | Source: Random House

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: Official Activity Book is 48 pages long and contains more than 50 stickers. Kids ages 3 and up will love this full-color activity book, which is available for $7.99.

The Making of a Ninja! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) | Source: Random House

The Making of a Ninja! (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem) is a full-color storybook based on the hit movie. Boys and girls ages 3 and up will enjoy this boys-to-men origin story. This book is available for $5.99.

These tie-in books are available at penguinrandomhouse.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores.

Get Hyped for New L.O.L. Surprise! Capsule Collection

Little fashionistas are about to have the perfect pieces for their back-to-school outfits!

MGA Entertainment is well known for its chic L.O.L. Surprise! toys, mystery capsules that contain mini fashion dolls. Those mini fashion statements are about to get a lot bigger thanks to a capsule collection from Hype featuring backpacks and lunchboxes with some of kids’ favorite L.O.L. Surprise! characters on them.

There are seven backpacks in the collection, each featuring the classic Hype backpack shape and bold colors worthy of the L.O.L. Surprise! brand. The backpacks have an inside lining, durable padded straps, and a handle for grabbing. They also come with a detachable rubber keychain, branded with L.O.L. Surprise! designs. 

Three lunchboxes are also coming to the cafeteria. The lunchboxes pair perfectly with the backpack designs, creating a complete look for little fashion stars. Each has insulated lining, a water bottle holder on the side, a small front pocket, and a large inside pocket with plenty of room for packed lunches. 

The new collection launched this week and is available exclusively on the Hype website. Get a truly unique back-to-school look thanks to the Hype x L.O.L. Surprise! collection.

Bloopies Fairies Moonlight Are Full of Magical Surprises

Not a lot of toys come with packaging that can claim to be part of the fun. However, with the newest collectible dolls from IMC Toys, Bloopies Fairies Moonlight, unboxing is an interactive part of the experience.

Each fairy comes in a pretty wing-shaped capsule along with their two wings, a sticker sheet, six common accessories, and a personalized accessory. There are seven fairies in total for kids to collect: Tatiana, Valeria, Camila, Charlotte, Destiny, Mindy, and, the rarest of all, Diana. Each fairy has a vibrant color palette with different colored hair, wings, and dresses. Although they’re a little top-heavy, the fairies can stand on their own.

The accessories are a fun feature of this toy, but it is only recommended for kids ages 3 and up because some of them are quite small. Each fairy comes with a necklace that can be placed around her neck, a ring that’s perfectly sized for kids’ tiny hands, a heart-shaped gem, a wand that the gem can fit into, a treasure chest, and a key that opens the chest. I unboxed Destiny, who also came with her special personalized item, which was a lamp similar to the one that you might find a genie in. 

The fairies’ wings are made of a thin, paper-like material that could be bent or torn if kids are not careful. However, this material allows for the coolest feature of the Bloopies Fairies Moonlight. At first, I thought the wings could only be flapped manually using your hands. This was still a neat feature, so I didn’t think much more of it until I saw an instructional diagram that detailed how the wings could be activated to flap on their own. 

In order to access this feature, you have to remove the fairy’s head, pull a tab, replace the head, and then place her on the platform on top of the butterfly capsule. This will activate the battery-powered wings to flap sporadically for about 45 seconds. This feature adds to the “magic” of the toy. If a little one uses this toy so often that the batteries wear out, you can replace them. Parents would just need to remove the fairy’s head again and use a screwdriver to open the LR41 battery compartment. Once kids are done with their playtime, they can place everything back in the capsule for easy storage.

From the packaging down to the toy itself, Bloopies Fairies Moonlight are a magical experience for kids.


BLOOPIES FAIRIES MOONLIGHT

Introducing Bloopies Fairies Moonlight – the newest collection of fairies that live in a magical world! Unbox more than 5 surprises, including a magic wand, jewelry, and more, by opening the glittery wing-shaped capsule! These Fairies are more beautiful than ever, with their colorful dresses, wings, and glitter details! The Fairies have a unique feature…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

4 Trucks Under $30 Your Preschoolers Will Love

Toy trucks are classic toys that never go out of style — especially among preschoolers. The screen-free playthings allow kids to engage in imaginative play, hone their fine and gross motor skills, and role-play with some pretty cool vehicles. Sunny Days Entertainment‘s Maxx Action line offers a variety of vehicles, all packed with some super awesome play value. From moveable dump beds to working levers and more, your little one will absolutely love any of these trucks.

And even better: All of the below vehicles are under $30 — so there is something for every budget. With tons of play value and an affordable price point, you and your kids will definitely want to get in on the Maxx Action!


MAXX ACTION 3-N-1 MAXX RECYCLER

This 18-inch recycling truck features flashing lights and realistic sounds. Kids can learn to recycle while they pretend to drive the truck, lift the bin, and dump the included pieces into the back.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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MAXX ACTION 2-N-1 DIG RIG

Dig, dump, and drive with the ultimate construction vehicle. Young workers can pretend to take the driver’s seat with the 2-N-1 Dig Rig. Realistic lights and sounds will help create the environment of a real construction site. Hear the roar of the automotive sounds while you drive forward and reverse across the roughest terrain. When…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

MAXX ACTION MINI FOOD TRUCK 3 PACK

Serve up some fun wherever you roll with the Maxx Action Mini Food Trucks! This set of three unique food-themed vehicles includes a BBQ truck, a cupcake truck, and a taco truck. Designed with bright colors and realistic features including menus, order windows, and moving parts, this set is perfect for inspiring fun, imaginative play.…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

MAXX ACTION HYPER CLIMB

Activate the color shifting lights as the mean, green monster truck machine races down the road toward action packed fun! Push one of the four buttons to hear the power of the rumbling engine, tire screeching and other realistic vehicle sounds. It even plays unique rock music that is sure to turn some heads while…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $16.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

These Stylish Dolls Are Inspired by Some of Disney’s Most Popular Characters

JAKKS Pacific is celebrating Disney‘s beloved stories and characters with new fashion dolls.

The posable Disney ily 4EVER fashion dolls are inspired by Disney characters, each with accessories and outfits that kids can mix and match to create stylish looks. Each doll comes with two outfits complete with shoes and a purse, accessories, and a glittery Mickey Mouse silhouette ring. There are four new dolls inspired by BambiStitchUrsula, and Mickey Mouse.

Bambi | Source: JAKKS Pacific

The Bambi-inspired doll comes with a pink wide-brimmed fedora hat and pink knee high boots. The cream-colored sweater has an adorable deer graphic and is paired with a trendy velvet bubble skirt and finished off with a deer face purse. Her second outfit includes a faux suede patchwork skirt with a cream-and-brown top featuring a pretty pink graphic and wide cuffs. Deer print chunky boots, a shoulder purse, and a necklace complete this Bambi-inspired look.

Stitch | Source: JAKKS Pacific

The Stitch-inspired doll is ready for a stroll along the boardwalk in her denim shorts and crop tank with a silly Stitch graphic. Her flowy kimono adds a sophisticated element to her look. The first outfit is topped off with a fuzzy bucket hat with Stitch’s experiment number 626 embroidered on it, coral wedge sandals, blue sunglasses, and a faux straw beach bag. Her second outfit feature a ruffle skirt with a coral “ohana” tank top and tie detail at the waist. Her blue slides have palm frond sculpting and her purse is a Stitch face structured bag with a chain strap.

Ursula | Source: JAKKS Pacific

The Ursula-inspired doll is decked out in a furry lavender coat, an iridescent skirt, black knee-high boots, an Ursula pin, tentacle earrings, and a clutch purse. Her second outfit features a fuzzy purple crop top with ruffle sleeves and turquoise pearl straps paired with wide leg pants with a swirl pattern. The outfit is completed with purple heels, a triton pendant necklace, and a textured turquoise purse.

Mickey Mouse | Source: JAKKS Pacific

The Mickey Mouse-inspired doll has a cute Mickey graphic T-shirt under a red moto jacket with fringe on the sleeves, studded black shorts, a Mickey head purse, chunky black boots, and studded sunglasses. Her second outfit features a one-shouldered polka dot top with a bow accent at the waist. Her jeans have an allover print of bleached Mickey Mouse heads and are paired with slip-on sneakers. A red studded bag also featured a Mickey silhouette head and the look is completed with a silver-and-black Mickey head necklace.

The Disney ily 4EVER fashion dolls are available at Target and Amazon for $29.99.

Magical Dreams Come True for Disney’s ‘Wonder of Princess’ Month

Wish upon a star for new Disney Princess goodies!

Kids can don their favorite dress, pick up a new princess friend, and head to the ball for Disney’s “Wonder of Princess” celebration, a part the ongoing Disney100 celebrations. This month is all about Disney Princesses. Disney is collaborating with a number of companies to give kids new princess outfits, dolls, and activities that honor the royalty of everyone’s favorite Disney Princesses. The month-long celebration starts now and brings magic that only a fairy godmother could provide.

Any good Disney event will feature a treasure trove full of toys and other merch, and this is no exception. We already told you about the exciting new collaboration with American Girl, but that’s not all that’s coming! Kids can get new Disney Story Dolls from shopDisney to play out their favorite tales from the iconic movies. In addition to American Girl, Mattel is bringing a huge collection of new toys to the table, including Color Reveal dolls and Story Stacker playsets. JAKKS Pacific has an interactive play kitchen and role-play dresses, so kids will have everything they need for a princess-themed restaurant.

Speaking of restaurants, the Disney Princess Tea Parties cookbook will give kids some actual recipes to try. The book includes 50 kid-friendly recipes that are easy to follow and are perfect for the fanciest of royal tea parties. For more little book-lover goods, A Twisted Tale Anthology has 16 short stories that include twists on classic Disney films. What would happen if Snow White learned magic or if Remy the rat met Colette before Linguini? Finally, A Disney Princess Journey Through History takes kids around the world to see the true history that inspired their favorite stories. These books are just a small sample of what’s to come, so readers are sure to have enough to fill their castle libraries.

LEGO and Disney are also teaming up for a brand-new adventure. In the LEGO Disney Princess: The Castle Quest special, favorite princesses Tiana, Moana, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Ariel will need to work together to find their way out of a mysterious castle. The special will premiere on Disney+ on Aug. 18. Kids who fall in love with the special can even get a LEGO set of the Ultimate Adventure Castle to experience the adventure themselves, one of many LEGO sets featuring the princesses.

Disney and Calm Collab | Source: Calm

Kids can practice more mindfulness with the Disney Princess of their choice using the Calm app. Disney and Calm have teamed up to provide three sleep stories, five meditations, and six soundscapes featuring Disney Princesses.

Disney games will also receive new princess-themed content for the month’s celebration. Disney Dreamlight Valley will welcome Belle, Disney Speedstorm is getting a new racer in Jasmine, Minecraft Disney Worlds of Adventure will add princess updates, and Disney Emoji Blitz will feature new rare princess emojis for kids to collect.

Little princesses have never had more to look forward to thanks to Wonder of Princess month! Kids can keep their eyes open for more celebrations and new goodies as Disney releases even more toys and merch to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Faction Gel Blasters Bring the Excitement of Video Games to Real Life

Kids and teens love the excitement of a first-person shooter video game, but sometimes parents want them to get outdoors and get active. The new line of Faction Gel Blasters from Skyrocket brings that video game excitement into the real world so teens can enjoy their favorite games while taking a break from the couch!

Faction Gel Blasters use Bluetooth, GPS, and Cloud Server technology to create an interactive arena in a local park or neighborhood. Teens can connect the gel bead blasters to the Faction app through smartphones, which brings structure to kids’ battles. Players can choose a game mode, pick teams, keep score, track their stats, and stay informed with audio and screen updates. Plus, each blaster comes with a Smart Beacon for the ultimate target practice. Teens can play single or multi-player games, track accuracy and hits, and get a scoring summary and the highest score to beat.

Faction Havoc Gel Bead Blaster | Source: Skyrocket

Teens can use the Faction Havoc Gel Bead Blaster to shoot faster, harder, and longer while never running out of ammo before their opponent. Havoc comes with a Bluetooth-connected Smart Beacon that teens can use for target practice, with or without connecting to the Faction app. Players can connect to the Faction Battle Server and host a multiplayer game in which the beacon becomes a defeatable tower, a bomb to defuse, a flag to capture, and much more. This blaster is recommended for teens ages 14 and up and is available for $79.99 at Walmart, Amazon and Target.

Faction Spectre Gel Bead Blaster | Source: Skyrocket

The Faction Spectre Gel Bead Blaster packs a safe but serious punch, delivering all the thrills and features of a high-performance blaster at an entry-level price point for teens ages 14 and up. Spectre has three blasting modes: single fire, burst, and full auto. It comes with 10,000 Faction gel beads, 500 glow-in-the-dark gel beads, and protective eyewear. This blaster is available for $49.99 at Walmart, Amazon, and Target.

Faction Skyfire Tactical Drone | Source: Skyrocket

The Faction Skyfire Tactical Drone flies by itself on auto-pilot, levitating and maneuvering to avoid your attacks. Kids ages 8 and up can track their hits, accuracy, and reaction times with the Faction app or just have fun flying it around like a regular drone. Skyfire is the ultimate companion for a Faction Gel Blaster … or any gel or foam dart blaster kids already own. The drone is available for $34.99 at Walmart, Amazon, and Target.

Faction Sentinel Turret Gel Bead Blaster | Source: Skyrocket

Lastly, kids can use the Faction Sentinel Turret Gel Bead Blaster to unleash a hailstorm of gel beads on their opponent from up to 100 feet away using a remote control. If their target tries to evade their reach, they can even pivot side-to-side 320 degrees. The turret is available for $69.99 at Walmart, Amazon, and Target.

Compete to Catch a ‘Reel’ Big Fish in This Educational Game

The Reel Big Catch Game from Educational Insights is a fast-paced, indoor fishing game with tons of learning opportunities!

The game comes with nine brightly colored fish, a fishing rod, and a 40-inch flexible measuring tape. Setup is super simple — just place all of the fish on the ground or on a table (any flat surface will suffice) and you’re ready to go fishin’!

Source: Educational Insights

Players take turns catching a fish but surprise — each telescoping fish expands to reveal its true size. During the game, these little guppies may reveal themselves as big whoppers and whoever catches the biggest fish is the winner.

This simple concept allows for hours of fun and entertainment, while kids are simultaneously practicing STEM-based skills such as math, measuring, sizing, comparison (big, bigger, biggest), and more. Little anglers can also work on developing their fine motor skills with the fishing rod.

The fish come in different sizes from 3-9 inches, and fisherman-in-training can either use the measuring tape to see who caught the biggest fish after each round, or take turns catching them all and then measure them at the end of the game. The game is designed for 2-3 players and allows for continuous play. While there aren’t any 40-inch fish in this pond, the measuring tape is long enough for both players to use — and adds an additional little math exercise to the game!

See how your fishing skills measure up with the Reel Big Catch Game from Educational Insights.


REEL BIG CATCH GAME

Players use a fishing pole to catch nine telescoping fish. Then, they use the measuring tape on their catch to explore the correlation between size and measurement and the concept of small, medium, and large.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

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Melissa & Doug Partner with National Park Foundation for Nature Toys

Melissa & Doug’s latest collection is inspiring preschoolers to connect with nature! The company is partnering with the National Park Foundation for a new collection of toys made with sustainable wood and paper inspired by national landmarks and wildlife.

The collection features nature-inspired items, including Yellowstone National Park Grizzly Bear Games ($37.99); a set with which kids can dress up like grizzly bears and pretend to catch fish and other bear foods; a Grand Canyon National Park Hiking Gear Play Set ($37.99); a set of pretend hiking gear that includes binoculars, a flashlight, and a tool belt; and National Parks Reusable Animal Stickers ($9.99), a collection of more than 100 stickers featuring animals and plants from the different national parks.

Melissa & Doug’s new lineup also features games and puzzles, including the National Parks Picture Matching Magnetic Game ($27.99). In this matching game, kids can match animals and plants to the right national park. There is also the National Parks Alphabet & Animals 24-piece Cubes Puzzle ($22.99), a puzzle with six sides that includes letters, animals, and nature scenes; a National Parks U.S.A. Map Floor Puzzle ($16.99), a 45-piece puzzle designed for kids ages 6 and up; and the Yellowstone National Park Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle ($9.99), a 24-piece puzzle that features a geyser, elk, buffalo, and more iconic national park landmarks and animals.


Even if kids don’t have a national park near them, this collection will bring them right into the heart of the great outdoors. The collection is available now at mass market retailers and at melissaanddoug.com.

American Girl Dolls Turn into Disney Princesses

Every little princess needs a friend!

American Girl has an impressive portfolio of dolls, each with their own stories and personalities ready to inspire kids. Now, things are getting even more magical at American Girl with a new Disney Princess collection made for royalty everywhere. The new collection features three favorite princesses in the American Girl style, all limited-edition and a part of the Collector Series.

Jasmine, Belle, and Rapunzel are looking as beautiful as ever in their full princess outfits. Each outfit is adorned with Swarovski crystals, giving them that true princess sparkle. Jasmine comes dressed in a two-piece set with a knit top and satin pants. Belle is in her classic yellow with a satin gown featuring a rose accent. Finally, Rapunzel features her signature long hair decorated with flowers and a lovely embroidered gown.

Each doll is limited-edition, with no more than 4,000 dolls created worldwide. Little collectors, princess fans, Disney fanatics, and lovers of all things American Girl will be eager to get their hands on these gorgeous new dolls. Each comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity so kids (or Disney adults) can show off their collection with pride.

The new American Girl Disney Princess Dolls Collection is available now on the American Girl website. Kids can don their very best princess fits with a new friend and head to the nearest ball (or just the nearest sleepover) for a night they won’t forget!


AMERICAN GIRL DISNEY PRINCESS DOLLS COLLECTION

This new collection of American Girl dolls features three Disney Princesses — Jasmine, Belle, and Rapunzel. Each doll is 18 inches tall and dressed in a crystal-accented outfit.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $300
  • Age:
  • 8+

Collect Monopoly: Barbie Edition As You Pass Go

Life’s fantastic in Barbie World… and Hasbro’s Monopoly: Barbie Edition. 

Barbie fans can embrace the life of Mattel’s iconic fashion doll as they play this very pink edition of Monopoly. This is a major crossover collab from toy industry giants Mattel and Hasbro, well timed to the release of Barbie: The Movie.

There are six Barbie-inspired tokens to choose from. | Source: Hasbro

Players will start the game by choosing from six Barbie-inspired tokens that feature her iconic pink color: a dog, a shoe, a speedboat, a roller skate, a sportscar, or Barbie herself.

Monopoly: Barbie Edition adds fantastic flair to the classic board. Instead of railroads, players can land on one of four Dream vehicles: Dream Boat, Dream Camper, Dream Convertible, and Dream Plane. Fans will also see Barbie-inspired locations available to purchase, like Malibu Ave., Pink Canyon Blvd., and Roberts Road. 

This game has tokens, cards, and locations inspired by Barbie. | Source: Hasbro

The Be Anything cards, which feature six Barbie careers, add a new mechanic to the game. Players choose their card before the game and can utilize its unique Be Anything skill when they roll a “B” with the Barbie die. The game also features Dream Career and Dream Closet cards in place of Community Chest and Chance.  Players draw these cards throughout the game to live out career and fashion goals. 

Barbie lovers can live the pink dream by preordering Monopoly: Barbie Edition for $24.99 on Entertainment Earth today. The game will also be available to purchase at major retailers starting on Oct. 1.


MONOPOLY: BARBIE EDITION

Life's fantastic in the Monopoly: Barbie Edition board game. The game includes six Barbie-inspired tokens: a dog, a speedboat, a sportscar, a shoe, a roller skate, and Barbie herself. Players can purchase famous locations in Barbie's Dreamworld and build their dreamhouses. The game features a new mechanic called Be Anything cards that players can use…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $24.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

Go Green with the Maxx Action 3-N-1 Maxx Recycler

Teach kids the importance of recycling through something they already love: cool trucks!

The Maxx Action 3-N-1 Maxx Recycler is an 18-inch truck that is packed with fun features. Kids can use the dual joystick controllers to collect garbage and clean up their pretend neighborhoods. The bright red control levers are right on the side of the truck so there is no remote control to lose, and they are perfectly sized for preschoolers’ hands. The front loader will lift up the collected trash and dump it into the truck bed, while the detachable garbage can raises and lowers.

The vehicle comes with 15 plastic pieces of “trash” for kids to gather up, sort, and role play with, including a pizza box, a folded up scooter, a cola bottle, and more. The pieces come in a variety of colors, so your kids can also use them to count and practice their color identification skills. They can also gather up things around the house and practice real-life recycling.

When they’re ready to see it move, kids can press the forward or reverse button to send it traveling down the road. It features flashing lights and realistic sound effects so that kids can experience a full imaginative play experience.

Because this true-to-scale truck resembles the real-life trucks that kids will see on the streets of their own neighborhoods, this is a perfect learning tool to introduce kids to the practice of recycling. By teaching kids recycling habits early, it instills great routines for the future as they grow up and learn active ways to protect our planet.

Whether you’re working to be a more environmentally cautious family or your kids just love trucks, the Maxx Action 3-N-1 Maxx Recycler is the perfect toy to roll into fun.


MAXX ACTION 3-N-1 MAXX RECYCLER

This 18-inch recycling truck features flashing lights and realistic sounds. Kids can learn to recycle while they pretend to drive the truck, lift the bin, and dump the included pieces into the back.

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $39.99
  • Age:
  • 3+

Buy Now

The Toy Insider participates in affiliate programs that may generate revenue for the site when a purchase is made through the links below.

Kids Can Go All in on Collecting in this Squishmallows Card Game

Squishmallows are showing up everywhere from headphones to Happy Meals, and we can’t get enough of it! 

The latest company to get in on the Squishmallows fun is What Do You Meme? with Squishmallows Take4, an on-the-go card game designed for kids ages 8 and up. The game even comes with an exclusive plush Benny the Bigfoot Squishmallow that is wearing a black beanie! 

Whoever collects a whole squad first, wins! | Source: What Do You Meme?

Much like supreme Squishmallows lovers, players must collect cards with different types of Squishmallows to win. There are four squads to collect from: Classic, Sealife, Fantasy, and Food. The squads feature different fan-favorite Squishmallows, including Winston, Cam, Archie, and more!

In each round, four cards are displayed in the middle of the table. Players must choose which card they want to collect, but if they pick the same card as another player, whoever gets their hands on Benny the Bigfoot first wins the card. Whoever completes one of the squads first wins the game. Squishmallows Take4 is best played with two or more players, perfect for one-on-one play or a big family game night! 

Squishmallows Take4 is now available at major retailers for $14.99.


SQUISHMALLOWS TAKE 4

In this game, players must collect cards from one of four squads: Classic, Sealife, Fantasy, and Food. Whoever collects a full squad first wins! In each round, four new cards are displayed. Players must pick which card they want to collect, but if another player also wants the card, whoever grabs the exclusive Benny the…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $14.99
  • Age:
  • 8+

Kids Gotta Go Fast to Get Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO Sets

The Blue Blur is getting even more LEGO sets.

The new Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO collection features five sets based on different levels of Sonic games, including Amy’s Animal Rescue Island, Tails’ Workshop and Tornado Plane, Sonic’s Speed Sphere, Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman’s Death Egg Robot, and Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge. Each set comes with exciting mini figure molds including Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Dr. Eggman. 

Amy’s Animal Rescue Island ($49.99) is designed for kids ages 7 and up and features Amy and Tails as they fight off a giant crab to protect their baby animals! With 388 pieces, this set features a waterslide, drink stand, and palm tree! Sonic’s Speed Sphere Challenge ($34.99) is designed for kids ages 6 and up and features a launcher that kids can use to send the Blue Blur over a ramp! The set includes 292 pieces and also features a cooler and umbrella for Sonic to chill in the shade! A launcher is also included in the Sonic vs. Dr. Eggman’s Death Egg Robot ($59.99) set, which is designed for kids ages 8 and up. The set has 390 pieces and includes everything Sonic needs to defeat Dr. Eggman, including spikes, rings, and more!

Tails is the star of the show in the Tails’ Workshop and Tornado Plane set ($39.99), which is designed for kids ages 6 and up. Tails’ set has 376 pieces and features a fight against a Badnik! The collection is rounded off with Sonic’s Green Hill Zone Loop Challenge ($99.99), which is based on a more generic Sonic level and is designed for kids ages 8 and up. With 802 pieces, the set includes a launcher, three mini figures, and a giant loop ramp!


Once kids are done building their new LEGO sets, they can recreate moments from their favorite Sonic games! The collection is available now at lego.com and in stores.

Join Ryan’s World for Brand-New Ninja Adventures

Ryan of Ryan’s World is getting a new look with ninja training to match!

Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures is appearing on more than just the incredibly popular YouTube channel Ryan’s World. The new content will be making its way to Cameo Kids, Walmart toys, and more! Any little fans of Ryan that also love ninjas will be delighted to see their favorite YouTube star on his very own ninja journey.

Ninja Adventures will feature new live-action and animated content from studio pocket.watch and Sunlight Entertainment. In addition to new video content, Ninja Ryan will also be available as an option for Cameo Kids messages. The new character is voiced by Ryan Kaji and utilizes AI to send customized videos.

The new Mystery Eggs are available exclusively from Walmart. | Source: Ryan’s World

A collection of new toys will drop exclusively at Walmart as well. The Ninja Adventures Giant Mystery Egg includes mystery figures, a mystery vehicle, putty, a ninja star spinner, and stickers. The Ninja Adventures Mini Mystery Egg comes with one mystery figure, a micro figure, mystery sand, and stickers. Fans of the brand can also get Cameo messages when they purchase the Giant Ninja Egg at Walmart stores.

Ninja Adventures will have animated and live-action Ryan training to become a ninja. | Source: Ryan’s World YouTube

New episodes and specials will debut on the Ryan’s World YouTube channel, The Roku Channel, and Friends Plus. The Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures Special is premiering on The Roku Channel and Ryan and Friends Plus today, following Ryan in a music-filled quest to become a ninja master. Later this August, a live-action special shot in Japan will drop on the YouTube channel. 

Ryan’s World fans can get even more of their favorites with new content across platforms! Whether a kid would love a Cameo message, a new Mystery Egg, some animated episodes, or all of the above, Ryan’s World Ninja Adventures has something for them!

Kylie Jenner Turned into a Bratz Doll

Global icon Kylie Jenner is now a Bratz doll.

MGA Entertainment launched a Bratz x Kylie collection reimagines the reality TV star and beauty entrepreneur as a Bratz doll, pulling inspiration from her personal style and most iconic fashion moments. Beginning with the new Mini Bratz x Kylie Collectibles, MGA Entertainment will release the full line over the coming weeks.

Mini Bratz x Kylie Collectibles | Source: Bratz

The Mini Bratz x Kylie Collectibles will kick off the partnership with toys on shelves starting today for a limited time only. This line includes six Bratzified Kylie minis to collect, each from key moments of her life. The line will also feature two different package designs, increasing collectibility. Each capsule comes with a Kylie Mini Bratz doll and an accessory, which could be a cruiser featuring Kylie’s signature on the side, Kylie’s beloved Italian greyhound Norman, and more. 

Kids are encouraged to keep an eye out for more drops, with the highly anticipated Bratz x Kylie fashion dolls coming this fall and preorders expected to launch on Sept. 1. The Mini Bratz x Kylie Collectibles are available now for $9.99 online and in-stores at Walmart, Amazon, Target, Macy’s, Walgreens, and bratz.com.


MINI BRATZ X KYLIE COLLECTIBLES

This line includes six Bratzified Kylie minis to collect, each from key moments of her life. The line will also feature two different package designs, increasing collectibility. Each capsule comes with a Kylie Mini Bratz and an accessory, which could be a cruiser featuring Kylie’s signature on the side, Kylie’s beloved Italian greyhound Norman, and…

Product Facts

  • MSRP:
  • $9.99
  • Age:
  • 8+
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