Headed out on a road trip this spring? Toy Insider’s Chief Toy Officer Laurie Schacht stopped by Global News’ The Morning Show to talk about the best new travel toys to keep kids entertained in the back seat. For more on the items featured in this segment, check out the product notes below, and for the complete rundown of the best toys of the spring and summer, be sure to check our complete Toy Insider Spring and Summer Gift Guide.
SQUEEZAMALS (BEVERLY HILLS TEDDY BEAR CO.)
- Squeezamals are super soft and ultra squishy, slow-rising foam plush that combine on-trend squish toys and soft, high quality, detailed plush.
- There are more than 36 cute characters to collect, ranging from narwhals and unicorns to penguins and puppies.
- Squeezamals have a refreshing and sweet scent, and come in three sizes: Backpack clip at 2.25 inches, Core Squeezamals at 3.5 inches and Large Squeezamals at 8 inches.
- Age: 3+
- MSRP: CAD $4.99 (clip-on), CAD $6.99 (core 6-inch), CAD $19.99 (large)
- Available: Toys “R” Us Canada, Walmart, Indigo, Loblaws, Mastermind,EBGames London Drugs, Giant Tiger
TAKE N PLAY ANYWHERE (PLAYMONSTER)
- The convenient square tin case makes it easy to slip the games into most bags to take everywhere and keep kids entertained on a trip, waiting at the doctor’s office, dining out, while stuck in traffic or just visiting grandma’s house!
- The game features big magnetic playing pieces that are easy for kids to use and hard for kids to lose.
- Age: 4+
- MSRP:$9.99 CAD
- Available: Walmart, Toys “R” Us Canada
UNTAMED MAD LAB MINIS (WOWWEE)
- Introducing the Untamed Mad Lab Minis, miniature hybrid creatures created from Untamed DNA.
- Unveil your DNA samples, extract them from the Geoslime, Biosand, or Terraclay, then classify your brand new creature!
- Will you unleash a Raptor, T-Rex, Allosaurus, Spinosaurus, Sabre-tooth Tiger, Dire Wolf, Bear, Polar Bear, Gorilla, or Skeleton?
- Then Mix and Match their heads and bodies to create unique characters such as a Wolfasaurus Rex!
- Age: 5+
- MSRP: CAD $6.99 each
- Available: Toys “R” Us Canada, Walmart Canada
SMOOSHY MUSHY SERIES 5 SUGAR FIX (REDWOOD VENTURES)
- Smooshy Mushy Pets and their Besties need their sugar fix!
- Open up the cute gumball machine to reveal new, scented Smooshy pets and besties, and more surprises.
- Keep searching for the glow-in-the-dark rare and ultra-rare characters.
- Unwrap and collect all eight characters.
- Age: 5+
- MSRP: CAD $11.88
- Available: Walmart Canada
CALICO CRITTERS BABY SHOPPING SERIES BLIND BAGS (EPOCH EVERLASTING PLAY)
- Blind bags add the element of surprise to Calico Critters play! Hidden in each bag is a new Baby Shopping critter that children can add to their nursery collection.
- They won’t know which critter is inside until they open the bag. Each bag includes a Baby Critter and uniquely designed grocery and shopping accessories.
- To add to the surprise, the series includes one extra secret style critter.
- The collection includes nine new collectable babies to tag along the shopping trip: Hopscotch Rabbit Baby with Bread, Buckley Deer Baby with Shopping Cart, Wilder Panda Baby with Popcorn, Outback Koala Baby with Shopping Bag, Polar Bear Baby with Ice Cream, Sweetpea Rabbit Baby with Eggs and Juice, Tuxedo Cat Baby with Shopping Cart, Silk Cat Baby with Cash Register, and an exclusive secret style baby to join the fun at the Grocery Market!
- Age: 3+
- MSRP: CAD $4.95
- Available: Walmart Canada, Toys “R” Us Canada
BEAKER CREATURES SERIES 2 REACTOR PODS (LEARNING RESOURCES)
- Meet 30 new collectible creatures, including the slimy Swampoids, mechanical Bytebots, and limited-edition Color-Change Frostonians!
- Individual blind boxes include 1 figure in Reactor Pod, 1 classification card, and 1 mini-poster with amazing science facts.
- Age: 5+
- MSRP: $6.95 CAD
- Available: Indigo
INDIVIDUAL OOZE LABS TUBES (THAMES & KOSMOS)
- Ooze Labs are fun and simple science experiments in big chunky plastic test tubes!
- Each Ooze Lab tube contains a safe material that is both fun to play with and chemically interesting.
- Available in Magnetic Slime, Hypercolor Slime, Glow-in-the-Dark Slime, Sunshine Slime, and Glitter Slime.
- Age: 6+
- MSRP: $7 CAD
- Available: Mastermind
PLAYFOAM PALS SERIES 4: FANTASY FRIENDS (EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS)
- Playfoam Pals return in Series 4 for some magical fun.
- Each pod has a new Fantasy Friend hidden inside three-tone sparkle Playfoam.
- Kids can collect all 12 Fantasy Friends from the non-toxic Playfoam that never dries for endless, magical fun.
- Age: 5+
- MSRP: 2-Pack-$7.99; 6-Pack-$21.99; 12-Pack-$47.99 CAD
- Available: Amazon, Walmart
RITZY ROLLERZ ASSORTMENT (TOMY)
- Ritzy Rollerz are unique in their own way; from their personalities to their unique ‘adorability’ features like real hair, fur, and shiny chrome.
- Each Ritzy Roller comes with 12 random ritzy charms that you can use to bling out their wheels!
- If you’re lucky, you might find a rare gem charm inside the opening booty trunk!
- Age: 4+
- MSRP: $5.99 CAD
- Available: Amazon
POP POPS (YULU)
- Combines the “addiction” of popping bubble wrap, the satisfaction of slime, collectibles, and unboxing!
- Over 60 varieties including rare, super rare, and special editions! Pop the bubble, slime oozes out; play with the slime to see which collectible you get!
- Great visual: with popping sound and oozing slime!
- Pop Pops come in two varieties – the super cute Pop Pop Pets and super gross Pop Pop Snotz.
- Each 6 pack contains 2 surprise figures, each 12 pack contains 4 surprise figures. Can be combined with Pop Pops Hammer.
- Age: 4+
- MSRP: 6-Pack-$6.99, 12-Pack-$11.99 CAD
- Available: WMT, Canadian Tire
