2024 hot holiday toys for kids: 14 top picks
Furreal Peanut the Playful Monkey makes more than 100 different reactions. Credit: Just Play
This year’s hot holiday toy flying off shelves is driven by the 3 years old and younger set: the Ms. Rachel Speak & Sing Doll from Spin Master.
Ms. Rachel is a YouTube phenomenon who teaches listening and learning, and babies and toddlers "are just mesmerized by her," says Laurie Schacht, of Westbury, the Chief Toy Officer for The Toy Insider, a consumer guide for parents. "There is a waiting list to get her. This is one of those things ‘you see it, you buy it,’" Schacht says.
A cutting-edge toy this season, the Plai Poe the AI Story Bear, is driven by artificial intelligence technology. "Every time there’s a trend in the world, we will see it very early in our toys," Schacht says. "The question is, will they get it right? Poe has got it right, using the technology to bring the bear to life."
Here is information about the Ms. Rachel doll, the AI bear, and other toys children may love this holiday season:
FURREAL DAISY THE YOGA GOAT
Daisy the goat does yoga poses when you pet her. Credit: Just Play
No need to visit the farm to experience goat yoga. This interactive toy goat will bleat and say "Ohmmm" as well as do downward dog and other poses. It comes with a play water bottle and will also go into meditation mode with music. For ages 4 and older; $39.99 from Just Play. The Furreal line also offers Furreal Peanut the Playful Monkey, which makes more than 100 different reactions, walks on its own, can be rocked to sleep and laughs when tickled. For ages 4 and older; $59.99.
PLAI POE THE AI STORY BEAR
Artificial Intelligence comes to the toy world with Plai Poe the AI Story Bear. Credit: Skyrocket Toys
Artificial Intelligence is in the mix in the Plai Poe the AI Story Bear. Kids create stories using colorful icons that they select from the Poe AI Bear: Story Creator app. The app is a closed universe, so children aren’t surfing the internet for the info. They’ll choose a genre such as fairy tale or Western or mystery, then characters such as cowboys or space creatures, and then Poe brings the story to life. Poe can tell the stories in 20 languages. For ages 4 and older; $49.99 from Skyrocket.
MS. RACHEL SPEAK & SING DOLL
Babies and toddlers can now have their own Ms. Rachel Speak & Sing Doll. Credit: Spin Master Corp.
Babies and toddlers can now have their own Ms. Rachel Speak & Sing Doll. The doll plays words, phrases and music from the Ms. Rachel videos. The little ones can sing along to "Sticky Sticky Sticky Bubble Gum" and more and hear Ms. Rachel’s signature phrases such as "Can you say …?" The doll is touch activated and comes with AA batteries. For ages 6 months and older; $29.99 from Spin Master. Spin Master is also offering the Ms. Rachel Surprise Learning Box especially for babies. The soft, sensory box includes five soft plush accessories such as a carrot and a bunny as well as a peek-a-boo scarf. For ages 3 months and older; $29.99.
TINY TARGET CHECK LANE
Kids can take turns playing cashier and shopper at this Tiny Target play space. Credit: Target
Kids can take turns playing cashier and shopper at this Tiny Target play space. It includes shelves, play items, pretend swipe-able credit card, play money, cash register with lock and key and a beeping scanner. Kids use a hand crank to move the conveyor belts. For ages 3 and older; $149.99 from Jakks Pacific.
PINBALL MACHINE MAKER: GUMBALL RALLY
The Pinball Machine Maker comes with a snack. Credit: Thames & Kosmos
Players first assemble the pinball machine and then stock it with the included edible gumballs. To play, hit the bumper targets, slide down tracks and ring the bell with gumballs to score. For ages 6 (with) to 12 (on their own); $39.95 from Thames & Kosmos.
FISHER-PRICE ROCKIN’ RECORD PLAYER
Send the kids back in time to the retro era of the record player with the Fisher-Price Rockin’ Record Player. Five double-sided records spin and play 20 songs when kids place them on the turntable and set the arm. For ages 3 and older; $39.99 from Mattel.
MONOPOLY 'WICKED' EDITION
It's going to be a "Wicked" holiday season with this themed Monopoly game. Credit: Hasbro
Toymakers are hoping to capitalize on the debut of the new "Wicked" movie launching in November. This version of the classic board game features Defy Gravity game cards, Shiz University and the Emerald City and Ozian coins. For ages 8 and older; $29.99 from Hasbro.
'SESAME STREET' CHICKEN DANCE ELMO
This isn't a laughing matter: This holiday season, Elmo does the "Chicken Dance." Credit: Just Play
Elmo is a holiday mainstay, and this year, he embraces the "Chicken Dance." This plush toy clucks, flaps, dances, chats and sings. Press his foot to launch either Elmo doing the dance or telling silly jokes. For ages 18 months and older, $29.99 from Just Play.
MIRACULOUS PARIS HEROEZ PLAYSET
This big-ticket item turns the Paris landmark into a 4-foot-tall playset. Credit: Playmates Toys
This big-ticket item turns the Paris landmark into a 4-foot play set with three levels of play, an elevator and a zip line. The Eiffel Tower replica has a restaurant, shops and balcony as well as more than 40 accessories. For ages 4 and older; $149.99 from Playmates Toys.
GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE HEAT-RAY BREATH GODZILLA RC
Watch out! Godzilla is on the loose. Credit: Jada
This close to 2-foot-long remote-control Godzilla walks, stomps and whips its tail. It also blows smoke from its mouth as it roars. For ages 8 and older; $59.99 from Jada.
DISSECT-IT RATTLESNAKE SUPER LAB
Budding scientists can dissect this rattlesnake. Credit: Top Secret Toys
Budding scientists can dissect this rattlesnake with 35 bones and organs. Kids will also discover what the snake ate by popping open the stomach to see a mystery animal skeleton. Set comes with a learning guide, surgical tools and refill mixes so the snake can be dissected more than once. For age 6 and older; $24.99 from Top Secret Toys.
Toymakers whose toys were the gotta-have-it toy of holiday seasons past are hoping to keep their streak going by offering new versions of the original toys. Here are three "IT" toys from previous years — 2023, 2022 and 2016 — that have been reimagined for 2024.
COOKEEZ MAKERY PANCAKE TREATZ
The newest Cookeez option is a pancake plush. Squeeze the included "batter" onto the pan and flip it when it sizzles, and a scented plush appears. Collect Cocoa Pup, Blue Beary and Strawberry Pankitty. The Pancake Treatz can sit on top of the Cookeez Makery oven, the original in the Cookeez line, which came out for holidays 2023. For ages 5 and older; $19.99 from Moose Toys.
MAGIC MIXIES PIXIE SUPREMES MAGIC MIRROR
The 2024 version of Magic Mixies is a Mirror with a Pixie Supreme doll named Luna trapped inside. Kids free her by making a magic potion and commanding "Magicus Mixus." Luna will be revealed in a burst of confetti. She’s a 10-inch doll. The mirror features more than 50 sounds and reactions. It also tells kids’ fortunes. It can be kept as a vanity mirror or used for repeat play. The original Magic Mixies during the 2022 holiday season featured a crystal ball. For ages 5 and older; $59.99 from Moose Toys.
HATCHIMALS MYSTERY HATCH
Hatchimals was the "IT" toy in 2016 — and this year’s version has new special effects, including glowing mist and rainbow lights and more than 100 sounds and reactions. Kids can get Pufficorn, Draggle, Pandoo or Puppadee. For ages 5 and older; $59.99 from Spin Master.
Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.