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.
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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.
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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…
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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…
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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.
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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.
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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.
