Some toys never go out of style, but if you're looking to score points with your kids this holiday season, it helps to know the newest toy trends. Denver 7's Nicole Brady spoke with The Toy Insider's Jackie Breyer about the toys that are already flying off the shelves.
No surprise: One of the most popular toys is a... surprise! Brands like LOL Surprise! dolls and Hatchimals have been popular for the past couple holiday seasons.
"Kids are kind of role-playing that YouTube unboxing trend, and it’s just fun to be surprised," said Breyer.
She said this may be the biggest year yet for the surprise reveal toy genre as toy makers expand current brands and create new ways to reveal the surprise. New additions for 2018 include Spin Master's Party Popteenies and Boxy Girls.
Those toys seem innocent enough, but another popular category for 2018 is a little more disturbing. Gross-out toys are big.
"Toys and games that have anything to do with poop, farts, even pimples, snot, boogers — all of that is a hot topic in toys right now," Breyer said.
Among the hottest games of the year is "Don't Step in It," and the Unicorn Edition of it is available for 2018. It's sold out on Amazon. Other toys and games include Flush n' Frenzy, Pull My Finger, Snot it, as well as the Grossery Gang and Flush Force miniatures.
Breyer said this year retailers are competing for a piece of the market share Toys "R" Us left on the table. She said they may stock fewer toys so they don't end up with leftover inventory after the holidays. Because of that, many popular toys may sell out.
Toys that have appeared on multiple "hot toy" lists include:
- Barbie Dream House
- Moj Moj Claw Machine
- Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall Building Kit
- Star Wars Ultimate Co-Pilot Chewie
- Paw Patrol Fire Truck
- Ryan's World Giant Mystery Egg
S.T.E.A.M toys (science, technology, engineering, art, math) are also popular, like the littleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit, Lego Boost Creative Toolbox, Ozobot Bit Coding Robot and dozens of different DIY art and fashion creation kits.
"There's kind of an overarching trend in popular culture right now, encouraging kids to be unique and be themselves and that lends itself to the trend of customizing, creating your own and expressing yourself through arts and activities, which is huge for the toy industry," Breyer said.
Looking for an even cheaper solution to encouraging creativity? Give your child the cardboard box that another gift came in. On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a reportsaying empty boxes can be one of the best ways to encourage creativity.
The academy said other good toys for young children include puzzles, blocks, coloring books and card games.