Each year all the big and not so big toy and game companies from around the world gather for Toy Fair in NYC. And each year Macaroni Kid goes to scope out what’s new and exciting for the next Holiday Season.
Like past years, there was some really cool stuff to see. Here’s some of our favorites and what we think will be the hot toys this Fall.
The biggest thing this Fall will appropriately be Skylanders Giants. If somehow your 6 -12 year olds have escaped the Skylanders mania, be prepared for another onslaught come the Fall. I don’t mean to make that sound bad, because Skylanders are not, they are the best video game my 11 year old has yet to discover. The combination of action figures and video game is just brilliant. The concept is executed to a “T” in all aspects, and this Fall brings the next iteration, Skylanders Giants. The sneak preview was pretty impressive and your kids will most certainly be clamoring for the Giants as soon as they are released. Hint: They have a big partnership with Toys R Us, so they’ll have the best stock and selection.
Lego continues to impress us with the different things they create. Considering all their products start with lego bricks, their creativity is top notch. And kids love them. At Toy Fair they had plenty of new products, including Lego Frankenstein and Lego Spongebob characters and sets. And expect some new additions to the Lego Star Wars line up.
VTech is known for their educational toys like the Innopad and Mobigo. This year they are launching a bold line of “transformerish” toys that switch from dinosaurs to cars and trucks, called Switch & Go Dinos. Since they combine two of the favorite toys for boys, what’s not to like? And being VTech, each toy has an educational component. In dinosaur mode, buttons trigger facts about each dinosaur, such as, "I'm a herbivore. I chow down on plants." and "They call me spine-lizard because of the long spines on my back." The toys were easy to switch back and forth (so easy, even a dad could do it), and the price point is surprisingly reasonable considering the electronics included.
At one booth I was given a sample plush doll to take home for my daughter. As I made my way across Manhattan it elicited stares and I even had a couple of hip twenty-somethings ask me where I got it. It was Pep from Brobo, a brand new company that makes plush robot “friends” with soft nightlights that vibrate and illuminate helping kids brave the dark.
And one of our favorites, Bananagrams was showing off their latest and greatest, Jumbo Bananagrams. The same great game but with bigger tiles for easier on the go, at the beach, etc. play.
From the “everything old is new again” file comes Battleship from Hasbro. The new game is based on the classic game from our youth, and modernized courtesy of the new Battleship movie coming out on May 18th. The CLASSIC BATTLESHIP MOVIE EDITION GAME lets players battle aliens straight from the movie. Players choose to command either the Navy or Alien fleet, each with their own unique ships, and unleash brand new super weapon cards to destroy their opponent with attacks like those from the big screen. There’s also a battleship card game, and video game from Activision.
Alex Toys has some great creative and crafty toys. Sure, sometimes it’s great to trash your whole house with some fun craft you read about on the internet, but sometimes you just want to have a craft handy for your kids, and Alex’s offerings usually fit the bill. This year they showed off POPS Craft, a new series of activity kits that are easy, affordable and fun! They have 8 different projects that are quick to do and encourage success (meaning no crying because you can’t figure out how do it either). Among the 8 options are Paper Chain Monsters, Bling Treats, Lovely Rings (their description, not mine), Tutu Dolls, Spoon Animals & more.
Check them out, there’s something for everyone and you’ll get a jump start on next Holiday Season.
And we have a last minute giveaway for MK subscribers only. Leave a comment below to win a SkyLanders Dragon's Peak Adventure Pack. This brand new pack is not for sale yet and we've got it! Leave your comment by midnight 3/15/2012 and you must be a subscriber to Macaroni Kid to win. It's free to enter, and free to subscribe. No purchase necessary. One entry per household, must be US resident.
