The Press Release:
The Toy Insider, the toy industry’s most influential organization and a trusted go-to resource for parents and gift-givers, unveiled its expert picks today for the best toys, games and gifts of 2023 in its 18th annual Holiday Gift Guide. This year’s hottest toys appear on one of three featured lists: the Hot 20, toys topping every kid’s wish list; the STEM 10, toys boosting STEM skills; and the 12 Under $20, fun-filled and affordable toys.
The media company also launched its interactive Perfect Present Wizard on thetoyinsider.com, helping consumers find the best toys for every child on their holiday shopping lists. The quiz asks five simple questions to determine the child’s age and interests, the desired play value and skill development, and then recommends toys based on the shopper’s budget.
“Unwrapping the perfect toy is pure magic, and every child and gift giver deserves to experience that magical holiday moment,” said Laurie Schacht, Chief Toy Officer, The Toy Insider. “Whether you use our Perfect Present Wizard or browse our Holiday Gift Guide, with a wave of our magic wand, we’ll help you easily find toys that WOW kids across every age and interest—while sticking to your shopping budget!”
Data gathered by The Toy Insider shows consumers can expect to pay up to 20% more on toys during this holiday season. Despite that fact, the editorial team was able to find plenty of toys that offer endless fun without breaking the bank. More than 70% of the toys in this year’s Toy Insider Holiday Gift Guide are under $50, with 125 under $25. It includes more than 360 toys from 135 toymakers, representing hot trends from foodie fun to kids’ favorite characters from Bluey, CoComelon and Disney.
The Toy Insider’s Hot 20
0-2 years
CoComelon Peek-a-Boo JJ (Jazwares)
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Mix & Learn DJ Table (Mattel)
Sesame Street Elmo Slide (Just Play)
Touch & Learn Wooden Activity Cube (LeapFrog)
3-4 years
Ami Amis Party Pal (JAKKS Pacific)
Barbie Dreamhouse Playset (Mattel)
Bluey Hammerbarn Shopping Playset (Moose Toys)
Disney Mickey and Friends Starter Set (Tonies)
Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends Web-Spinners Playset (Hasbro)
Switch & Go 3-in-1 Rescue Rex (LeapFrog)
5-7 years
Beast Lab (Moose Toys)
Bitzee (Spin Master)
Furby (Hasbro)
L.O.L. Surprise! Magic Flyers (MGA Entertainment)
LEGO Disney 100 Years of Disney Animated Icons (LEGO)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem Pizza Fire Van (Playmates Toys)
8+ years
MINTiD Dog-E (WowWee)
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet 151 Elite Trainer Box (The Pokémon Company)
Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo)
Tamagotchi Uni (Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America)
The Toy Insider’s STEM 10
Hydraulic Boxing Bots (Thames & Kosmos)
K’NEX Marble Coaster Run (Basic Fun!)
KAI: The Artificial Intelligence Robot (Thames & Kosmos)
Magic Adventures Telescope (Leapfrog)
Magna-Tiles Downhill Duo 40-piece Set (Magna-Tiles)
PYXEL A Coder’s Best Friend (Educational Insights)
Smithsonian Planetarium Projector (NSI International)
Snap FM Radio (Snap Circuits)
Space Rover Deluxe Coding Activity Set (Learning Resources)
VR Oceans, Animals & Dinosaurs Gift Sets (Abacus Brands)
The Toy Insider’s 12 Under $20
Air Hogs Zero Gravity Sprint (Spin Master)
BumBumz (Jazwares)
Crayola Wixels Activity Sets (Crayola)
Disney Princess Core Fashion Dolls Assortment (Mattel)
Fingerlings (WowWee)
GooGames (Sky Castle)
LEGO Classic Creative Neon Fun (The LEGO Group)
MGA’s Miniverse Make it Mini Lifestyle (MGA Entertainment)
Mr. Bendy (Fat Brain Toy Co.)
Sketch Pals Forest Friends (Boogie Board)
Style Bae (Just Play)
YuMe Disney 100 Surprise Capsules (YuMe)
At thetoyinsider.com, parents and gift givers can easily search for toys and games by age (0-2, 3-4, 5-7 and 8+) and compare prices across authorized retailers.
The Toy Insider gift guide submission process is open to all toy companies of all sizes. Toys must be new for 2023 and available at retail during the holiday season. When evaluating toys, the team considers play value, originality, skill building, product integrity and fun factor.
The Toy Insider is an independent organization that delivers the latest toy news, product roundups and hands-on reviews. Its team of experts attends major toy industry trade shows and events and connects with manufacturers, retailers and analysts throughout the year. All toys found on thetoyinsider.com are made by trusted, vetted manufacturers.
About The Toy Insider: The Toy Insider is the go-to source for information about toys, tech and entertainment. Its expert team publishes two seasonal gift guides yearly and reviews toys daily to find what’s hot and trending. Visit www.thetoyinsider.com for reviews, toy news, giveaways and parenting tips. Follow them on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
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Piercing Ken Thoughts: It’s without question that I had a blast at the recent “Holiday Of Play” event that the Toy Insider held. There were so many sights to see and notes to take. I even shot a handful of videos which will not only premiere on the YouTube for this website, but also over on the PiercingMetal one. Those clips will premiere once the currently scheduled stuff finishes up so make sure you are subscribed to them both so you don’t miss anything that we did video wise at the event. A lot of photos are coming as well and my first batch will be the one that spotlights these very picks. That’s all I have for this one but do stay tuned for more.
Official: http://www.thetoyinsider.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thetoyinsider
