And don't forget to check out specialty toys and gifts in our own TDmonthlyHoliday Picks!
Target's Top 20 Holiday Toys
Rocktivity Walk 'N Roll Rider, Pink by PLAYSKOOL
The Playskool Rocktivity Walk 'N Roll Rider will surprise and delight babies with more than 15 rockin' tunes and fun sounds. It converts easily from walker to ride-on, and makes music with every step and scoot. Babies will jam along as it plays tunes parents already know and love like "I Like to Move It," "Walk Like an Egyptian," "Life Is a Highway" and "Ticket to Ride." Encourages kids to be active. Dashboard has beeping horn, revving engine key and a Giraffalaff character with fun phrases. Launch date: 2012.
Enjoy countless hours of fun with a toy based on Tigger from the Winnie the Pooh series. The colorful black-and-orange tiger rests on his bouncy tail and plays the "Bounce Bounce" song for listeners. Tigger waves and bounces as the music plays. The doll is made of sturdy polyester and features a control unit, allowing you to set the appropriate volume for the toy's song.
Baby Alive is ready to walk — and she can really learn to do it with girls' help and loving care. She has lots to say with more than 40 fun phrases and sounds like "Hold on tight!" and "I did it!" Walking makes her happy, but she'll be happiest when girls scoop her up and give her lots of hugs to show her how proud they are. Launch date: 2012.
New FURBY looks great in any color, but Teal FURBY seems to be our most popular so far. Maybe it's the luxuriant teal sheen of its fur, or the way the teal sets off the bright yellow-gold of its eyes. With a mind of its own, the new Hasbro Teal FURBY will develop its personality based on how kids play with it. It will dance to their favorite songs. Put it in a room with a few of its friends and they'll interact with each other in all sorts of hilarious ways while speaking either English or the special FURBY language, FURBISH. Launch date: 2012.
HEXBUG Warriors Battle Stadium by INNOVATION FIRST LABS, INC.
The ultimate large scale battleground for all HEXBUG Warriors students comes with two fully-armored collectible HEXBUG Warriors, eight Battle Stadium Pieces (compatible with Battle Arena) and 12 standoffs. There are two assorted HEXBUG Warrior Battle Stadiums available for fans to collect. Each features a different opposing pair of Warriors. — "Super easy to snap together...my son gave it a huge thumb’s up!" - Review from Kathy at DetroitMommies.com. Awards: 2013 TDmonthly Seal of Approval
Hot Wheels Wall Tracks Power Tower Track Set by MATTEL INC.
Hot Wheels wall tracks are taken to the next level with this set, which includes a spiral elevator and fun demolition elements like a car chomper and a moving saw. Attached to the wall with 3M command strips, to avoid ruining walls. Launch date: June 2012.
— In a Summer 2012 survey, four out of 10 retailers told TDmonthly that Hot Wheels was their best selling brand of die-cast toy.
Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle Play Set by FISHER-PRICE INC.
The expanding Fisher-Price Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle Play Set brings imagination to life with sound effects, activation discs and figures to help fight the attackers. Castle magically recognizes approaching dragons, ogres and battlements to warn of impending attacks. Castle expands from 20" to 42" and is reconfigurable in different ways. Play set includes: transforming castle, 3 figure turn discs, 2 catapults, 1 "Turn Tech" cannon with 2 projectiles, 3 figures with helmets, shields and swords, 8 firing discs for catapults and eagle head, 1 treasure chest, 2 ladders and 4 flags. Launch date: 2012.
LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer - Kidz Bop Music Pack by LEAPFROG
LeapPad2 Explorer™ inspires kids to imagine and explore with front-and-back cameras, 4 GB of memory and a library of 325+ cartridges and apps for limitless learning and fun! This special KIDZ BOP Music Pack features: a LeapPad2 Explorer™ tablet, Target Exclusive KIDZ BOP Rockin' Playlist, KIDZ BOP Ultimate Hits Playlist, KIDZ BOP Music Video Collection, a pair of kid-friendly headphones, a protective Green Gel Skin and 5 included apps: Pet Pad writing app, LeapFrog Learning Songs, Art Studio, Cartoon Director and one app of your choice. (Some included apps require Internet connection to download.) Works with LeapFrog Explorer cartridges and apps (sold separately).
Little horse lovers will have a great time helping prepare for a horse show with a LEGO horse trailer set. Children can put mini doll Emma in her horse Robin's saddle to practice jumping. Or they can groom Robin for the big show with her brushes. Then, they'll transport the pair to the big competition in the realistic trailer. Kids will have a blast at playtime, helping Emma and Robin prepare for their big day.
This Barbie has a 5 megapixel camera and LED encase in her chest. When kids snap a picture, it appears on Barbie's t-shirt (the LED screen). This rechargeable Barbie can hold up to 100 pictures, and features 15 different effects to alter the photographs. To upload pictures to a computer, simply hook Barbie up via the mini USB port in her back. Launch date: 2012.
Monster High Scarily Ever After Collection by MATTEL INC.
Kids can enjoy hours of spooky fashion fun with Draculara, Clawdeen, and Frankie Stein from Monster High. These stylish dolls are dressed like characters from famous spooky tales.
Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Star Doll - Harmony B. Sharp by MGA ENTERTAINMENT
The interactive Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Star Doll set comes with 6 removable hairstyles that play 6 different songs when placed on Harmony's head. Simply mount her on the dancing stage, press her chest, and watch as she sings, grooves and spins her hair around. Includes 1 doll, 1 stage, 6 hairpieces, 1 rattling pet cat and 1 poster.
Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail Fire Blaster by HASBRO INC.
It's time to take N-STRIKE battling to the next level with the HAIL-FIRE blaster. The HAIL-FIRE blaster's unique rotating ammo rack gives it the highest capacity of any NERF blaster. The HAIL-FIRE blaster comes with 4 Quick Reload clips and 24 Elite Darts, but it can hold up to 4 more Quick Reload ammo clips and up to 144 darts. The blaster's acceleration trigger powers up the motor for semi-auto blasting that lets users unleash a storm of revolutionary Elite Darts at targets. Fire at targets up to 75 feet away. The Quick Reload clips work with any Clip System blaster (sold separately) and the Elite Darts work with any Elite blaster and most original N-STRIKE blasters (sold separately). With 2 tactical rails that are compatible with most N-STRIKE accessories (sold separately) and an advance handle, this blaster gives users the ultimate in Elite customization and firepower.
The Amazing Spider-Man Mega Blaster Web Shooter with Glove Set by HASBRO INC.
Kids can take their Spider-Man adventures to a whole new level with the Amazing Spider-Man Mega-Blaster Web Shooter Set. Kids will be able to fire web-fluid or water like their favorite web-crawling hero when they pull on the glove and attach the Mega-Blaster Web Shooter to it. Use the middle two figures to trigger the shooter.
Air Hogs Hover Assault Radio-Controlled Helicopter, Black by SPIN MASTER TOYS
No target is safe from the pinpoint accuracy of the missile-launching Air Hogs Hover Assault Radio-Controlled Helicopter. Children can take aim and blast with the push of a button. Kids can use the arsenal of plastic missiles to attack stationary targets or engage in full on air-to-air combat. With Steady Fly Technology, kids can engage targets like never before. Turn any room into the ultimate battleground with the Air Hogs Hover Assault Radio-Controlled Helicopter. Launch date: 2012.
Those who love to play Halo will adore a Mega Bloks Warthog Resistance set. The set includes figures, blocks and a vehicle. Characters will be able to easily move around the sets that they build. The plastic set helps children focus on motor skills and building, which can help them later in life. Suitable for older kids, this set has everything your child needs to challenge friends to a battle.
Launch into gravity-defying battling action inside the BEYBLADE METAL FURY DESTROYER DOME. This set comes with everything kids need to rip into 360-degree battles, including the DESTROYER DOME, 2 exclusive BEYBLADE tops, 2 exclusive DOME SPIN TRACKS, 2 RIPCORD LAUNCHERS, 2 Collector Cards with codes to battle online at BeybladeBattles.com, and a product guide with tips and tricks for better battles. Launch date: 2012.
Enjoy hours of fun with the Bop It Smash from Hasbro Toys. This toy features 3 game modes: solo, pass it and multiplayer. In solo mode, kids can play by themselves, smashing the lights as they appear slowly at first, then faster with every round. Pass it play allows friends to join in the fun as kids pass the toy between 2 to 6 players. In multiplayer mode, players will challenge others to pit their skills against their own.
The classic oven has been updated to be light bulb-free and comes with yummy mixes and pans for cooking up all kinds of sweet treats. Oven comes with baking pan, cupcake pan, pan pusher, chocolate chip cookie mix, red velvet cake mix, pink frosting mix, rainbow sugar crystals package, paper cupcake wraps and instructions/recipe booklet. — As of 10/18/2011 this product had 5 out of 5 stars from 4 reviews on ToysRUs.com. Pros: Easy, fun. — As of 10/18/2011 this product had 3.9 out of 5 stars from 22 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: No assembly required; very easy; Cons: Does not include many mixes; mixes make small quantities of food; extra mixes are expensive.
Super Heroes Batwing Battle Over Gotham City 6863 by LEGO
The epic struggle between Batman and The Joker continues with LEGO's Batwing Battle Over Gotham City set. Easy-to-follow instructions and 278 building elements help kids create models of 2 cool vehicles: The Jokers helicopter and the Batwing, armed 2 flick missiles and bomb release function. Comes with lots of great extras, plus a comic book.
Writer's Bio: Justina Huddleston graduated Magna Cum Laude from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing in 2009. After graduating she was the on-site director of the Boston Children's Museum gift store for a year, selling educational, developmental, and creative activity toys that tied in with the museum's exhibits. Justina also interned at children's book publisher Candlewick Press before moving from Boston to Los Angeles, where she is now Editorial Director of TDmonthly Magazine. Read more articles by this author
Writer's Bio: Justina Huddleston graduated Magna Cum Laude from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing in 2009. After graduating she was the on-site director of the Boston Children's Museum gift store for a year, selling educational, developmental, and creative activity toys that tied in with the museum's exhibits. Justina also interned at children's book publisher Candlewick Press before moving from Boston to Los Angeles, where she is now Editorial Director of TDmonthly Magazine. Read more articles by this author
