Toy and game companies were invited to submit their own “Hot for Holiday” picks for a seasonal roundup, naming the products they want retailers watching this season. The resulting lineup runs from a $4.99 collectible to a $279.99 wooden railway, and leans on sensory play, modular building, embedded technology and well-known entertainment franchises.
Sensory and silly play
Silliness leads the sensory category. Goliath’s Chester is a butt-shaped pal that wiggles and lets out comic fart sounds when children squeeze and stretch its cheeks; pressing down on his head sets him dancing to accompanying tunes. It sells for $29.99, is aimed at ages 8 and up, and takes three AAA batteries.
Schylling’s NeeDoh countdown hides six NeeDoh surprises and seven Halloween treats behind 13 doors for $14.99, while Horizon Group USA’s slow-flow glitter gel stress toys ($4.99–$8.99) stretch, squeeze and reform under licensed themes including Squishmallows, Hello Kitty, SpongeBob SquarePants, Minecraft and Bluey.
Just Play’s Tiggle Me Elmo Giggle Max, an 18-inch reworking of the 1990s toy, adds full-body movement and laughter for $39.97, aimed at 18 months and up.
Building and playsets
Mattel’s customizable dollhouse arrives with nine indoor and outdoor play areas, two pools, two slides and more than 65 accessories; its modular design lets children join two structures into one large house or link two homes with a bridge between them. It is priced at $214.99 for ages 3 and up. Melissa & Doug’s modular room sets for ages 0–2 span $9.99 to $34.99.
Licensed playsets include a two-foot-tall Bluey five-story home at $149.99 whose chimney projects spinning stars and moons, a 106-piece LEGO Bluey school set inspired by the “Early Baby” episode at $24.99, and Jakks Pacific’s multi-level Donkey Kong set with 2.5-inch figures at $19.99. Simplay3’s oversized sensory nest, a low, open seat that rocks and spins in any direction for several children at once, is $129.99 for ages 2 and up.
Technology-forward toys
Technology shows up in several picks. Fat Brain Toys’ tube-building set uses adjustable airflow to send foam balls racing, hovering and popping through constructed runs for $129.95. Jazwares’ Pikachu, created by Wow! Stuff, combines more than 100 action and sound combinations with touch sensors, blinking eyes and mouth movement at $79.99.
Tonies’ Toniebox 2 Pokémon set, in a Pikachu-inspired yellow, bundles four figures — Pikachu, Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur — that play themed stories and songs on the screen-free player for $199.99, ages 5 and up. Hapiko’s voice-powered sticker maker uses AI to create and print sticker combinations, with built-in filters and assurances that the device is not always listening. Golden Bear’s Strikesphere indoor basketball trainer, at $99.99, guides ball-handling drills with light cues across three game modes and tracks scores on an LCD board.
Franchises and collectibles
Collectibles and franchise tie-ins fill out the list. The Pokémon Co. International marks 30 years of Pokémon with an Elite Trainer Box ($49.99, ages 6+) that introduces a Futuristic Rare card rarity and brings back 30 classic Pokémon. Hasbro’s 11-inch figure converts to a car in four steps for $54.99, and MGA Entertainment’s mini dolls, packaged in pink disco balls topped with spinnable record players, sell for $11.99 for ages 4 and up.
Larger sets include Ravensburger’s 56-piece BRIO World Space Deluxe train set at $279.99, with tunnels, a space station, a rover and a shuttle featuring lights and sounds, and Spin Master’s Rocky recycling truck ($64.99), which releases a two-foot inflatable dinosaur when children press the light bar and can be packed back in and reinflated. Super Impulse’s Drip Drops line offers 16 tiny sneaker styles in Series 1, each with a shoebox, laces, display case and keychain, and Taco Cat Games’ go-kart card game, for ages 7 and up, has players switch sides when a swap card changes the odds.
The roundup reflects companies nominating their own products, so the selections represent makers’ expectations for the season rather than independent testing or sales results.