5:32 pm

Holiday of Play NYC

This year the hottest toys are screaming 80’s, STEM and Slime! I viewed over 50 toys that will be hitting shelves just in time for the holidays, and here are some of the most creative to watch out for!

My favorites for little Girls

Myla the Unicorn

Okay so I actually had a couple favorites so it was tough picking a favorite. I really loved Myla the Unicorn. This unicorn bats her eyes, and teaches little girls color mixing with a tech-savvy pen. Also, I know my daughter loves all things unicorns so I couldn’t help but love this unicorn full of fancy personality!

Ballerina Dreamer

This little ballerina would be every little girl’s dream doll! At Holiday of Play, next to this beautiful dreamer, a real-life little ballerina danced right along side! Ballerina Dreamer’s tutu lights up, and she plays music as she twirls around. I was absolutely mesmerized with this sweet Ballerina Dreamer, really any young ballerina’s dream doll! My little Ava would love her.

American Girl Doll Pinball Machine

I mean, how adorable is this pinball machine from American Girl?! I’m not sure if you can sense the beginning of a retro-feel to this year’s “It” toys, but this is only the beginning! This lovely American Girl Doll accessory retails for just under $200.

Best Little Learner’s Toys

Vtech Pull and Learn Alligator

I actually really liked Vtech Pull and Learn Alligator that teaches emotions while having fun with music too. Kids can mix emotions, music and character tiles to create and dance along to different characters. Kids can choose between 3 emotions (happy, sad, angry), three different music tiles and 3 character tiles (dinosaur, robot or monster) for a total of 27 different combinations!

Leap Builders ABC Smart House by LeapFrog

This building block set is a creative combination of building and learning. Little tikes can build with blocks and place alphabetized blocks in a house that calls out the respective letter’s name. So interactive and fun! My kids loved all things that allowed creative building at this age.

Best Blast From The Past Toys

Okay I had a couple! I just love that many of my childhood favorites are coming back around! So let’s get started…

Cabbage Patch kids are back!

News flash–they are back on the shelves in all their glory! I grew loving these dolls and I’m so glad they are making a comeback!

My Little Pony

My Little Pony has now recreated the iconic 1980’s version that I remember growing up with. I especially love the Rainbow Ponies Series 2–I just know my little Ava would love this! Who am I kidding–I want her!

Hound Puppies and Lite-Brite

They’re back! I can’t control my excitement with all the nostalgia, and I know I’m not alone here. This was one of the busiest spots in the event with a great backdrop for photo-ops!

Pac Man Arcade Machine

I couldn’t believe it, but toy manufacturer Tastemakers has created mini-arcade units that can sit on a table or desk. They have over four games to choose from just under $299: Pac Man, Galaga, Centipede, DigDug. They also have full-sized arcade machines for around $500. An affordable option that is fun for kids and parents alike. Seen below are the full-sized arcade games for zealous gamers.

Best in STEM fun

For little kids, I really loved getting to play with GEOMAG magnetic building sets. They have Magicube (magnetic felt cubes) for the littlest builders and GeoMag panels where children can build spheres, cubes or towers.

Check out this icy themed GeoMag Pro L magnetic Panels! Perfect for little builders!

Then there is Mechanics for older children, where kids can have fun learning the mechanics of moving parts using magnets; very educational and fun! Amazing.

My favorite Coding Robot

Meet Artie 3000 The Coding Robot. Kids as young as 6 or 7 can write code and Artie will draw the lines!

A couple Toys that will be very popular

PopPops Slime and Snots were all hot at the event. No matter how parents dread this stuff, kids love the texture and play of all things gooey and just nasty! Take a look at Popable Snots: Kids can smash PopPops and collect Pets and Snotz! Each collectible can be cute little animals or snotz!

PJ Masks is coming out with PJ Seeker that can fit up to four vehicles in the detachable carrier and up to three PJ Masks figures in the cabin. Characters can be launched off the ramp and fly after the villians!

Crayola has some mess-free glitter sets and animal sets that can be colored and washed off!

My favorite board games

Yulu has some awesome Board games like Fish for Fish and King of the Ring! My family loves playing games together, and these games bring back the nostalgia for adults in these fun classics. Check out the fun below!

My favorite Geek-out inventions

I love the 3-D Doodler which is actually in all the NY Public Libraries children sections. I met with Max, the inventor of this amazing 3-D doodler that can write above surfaces. Check out Max’s demonstration below–pretty cool!

For older kids who love music, how cool are these instruments you can build yourself? Kids can actually build their own guitars and make their own cords for music. I know my kids once they get a bit older would love these.