The Toy Insider has revealed its 18th annual “Holiday Gift Guide,” featuring the year’s hottest toys, ranging from interactive gadgets to classic favorites, broken down into three lists: the Hot 20, the STEM 10, and the 12 Under $20.
Toy prices are expected to increase this holiday season by as much as 20%, but The Toy Insider’s Holiday Gift Guide features over 70% of its toys priced under $50, including 125 gift ideas under $20, according to a press release.
Items making the Hot 20 list include Furby, Sesame Street Elmo Slide, and Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends Web-Spinners Playset.
Making the STEM 10 top picks list are the Magna-Tiles Downhill Duo 40-Piece Set, K’nex Marble Coaster Run, and VR Dinosaurs, Oceans, and Animals Gift Sets, to name a few.
The 12 Under $20 list includes favorites like Sketch Pals Forest Friends, Style Bae, and Air Hogs Zero Gravity Sprint.
The Magic Mixies are also a returning favorite, according to a Toy Insider expert, who spoke with CBS Texas.
Magic Mixies won the Creative Toy of the Year award in 2022 and was sold out for most of the 2021 and 2022 holiday seasons, according to Today.
The Magic Mixies Cauldron comes with a “spell book” and a wand to create things like furry friends, lights, sounds, fog, and more. According to its website, there are 40+ little Mixlings to collect to “experience real magic.”
Still unsure as to which top toy to pick? The Toy Insider has introduced an interactive tool named “Perfect Present Wizard” to help you select the ideal gift for your child, using the child’s interests and age. The tool is in the form of a quiz consisting of five questions, which can be found here.
With Christmas fast approaching, it’s important to be proactive when it comes to toy shopping. Experts advise that there are better strategies than waiting for popular toys to go on sale, as there is a risk of your preferred items being out of stock.
“If something goes on sale later, you can always exchange it or get a price adjustment, but you don’t want to miss out and have that toy be sold out if you wait too long,” said Marissa Silva with The Toy Insider, per CBS Texas.
In addition to not waiting, shopping in-store and paying attention to price-matching policies are also recommended tactics to help increase your chances of getting a must-have toy.
Consumers can click here for a complete list of The Toy Insider’s top toys of the year.