ReyneRice.com

Global Trend Hunter & Toys/Tech Expert!

Follow Me!

twitterlinkedin

Hot Holiday Toy Sellers 2018 in the US

By Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestlinkedintumblrmail

(Originally posted on Spielwarenmesse.de)

This Holiday Season 2018 is certainly shaping up to be an interesting one across both, North America and many international markets. Retailers are devoting more shelf space than ever to toys. Here are just a few hot toy categories that are the toy hot sellers in the 4th quarter 2018.

LOL Surprise Eye Spy Series by MGA Entertainment

LOL Surprise toys, across multiple segments, are still causing quite the frenzy at retail. When they hit shelves, they are scooped up quickly, by adoring fans, and early Holiday shoppers. The L.O.L. Surprise House is already sold out in many global locations, with the $170-$190 product selling at 2 to 3 times that price on eBay.

New squishable and tactile toys continue to be hot-sellers, including all of the varieties of slime, dough-like compounds of all colors and iterations are currently available, including neon, glitter, glow-in-the-dark, magnetic, and more. Slow-rise soft squishables and slow-rise plush toys include brands such as: Squishables (Squishables, USA) , Rainbocorns (Zuru, New Zealand)), Soft N Slo Squishies (Orb, Canada), Smooshy Mushy (Redwood Ventures, USA), and Squish-Dee-Lish (Shopkins brand, Moose Toys, Australia).

Unicorns, sloths, llamas, hedgehogs and narwals are new creatures of choice.

Plush Rainbowcorns by ZURU are full of surprises.

Unicorns, sloths, llamas, hedgehogs and narwals are new creatures of choice. Newer fabrics and materials offer tactile sequin-changing plush, squishable play and surprise-inside-toys. Blind packaged brands delight boys and girls, although across different spectrums.  For some collectors, there are shimmery, glittery, winged, sequined and rainbow-colored versions of plush and blind bag collectibles. And then there are the potty humor trending collectible products, tied to poop emojis, slimy, gross and disgusting versions of collectibles that appeal more to an irreverent or off-color sense of humor. All co-exist on the collectible shelves, until they are scooped up by kids’ using their pocket money.

Scruff-A-Luvs (Moose Toys, Australia) are appealing to boys and girls who want a pet. The unique reveal play pattern for adopting a rescued pet is selling well with parents and gift-givers who are looking for innovative and interactive products to delight kids, and to keep them entertained and engaged. On the other hand, more diverse plush such as Fugglers (Spin Master, Canada) and Feisty Toys (WMC Toys, USA) appeal to tweens and others with a sense of humor, versus a nurturing instinct.

Most species of dinosaurs are on the rise, following the popularity of the latest Jurassic World movie. Dragons are on the horizon, teasing the next How to Train Your Dragons theater release in 2019, and following the Game of Thrones popularity.  Expect more in 2019. Lots more amazing creatures.

Harry Potter fans can build the Hogwarts’ castle with Lego bricks.

Other winged creatures, Fantastical Beasts themes, and Harry Potter themed products are hard-to-find on shelves as kids conjure up wand spells and magical sorcery with Harry Potter Coding wands (Kano, USA) Jakks Pacific wand selections (Jakks Pacific, USA) and Wow-Stuff spell-inducing wands. Kids are also perfecting their magic skills with the Harry Potter Mystery Flying Golden Snitch (WowStuff, UK), and gathering characters with Funko action-themed collectible figures (Funko, USA) or constructing their favorite Hogwarts Castles or Hogwarts Great Halls, with deluxe LEGO replica building sets, complete with themed mini-figures. Even the new just-released Fantastical Beasts movie: The Crimes of Grindelwald, has a new set of dedicated LEGO mini-figure blind packs (LEGO, Denmark).

The popularity of nostalgia, video game licensed characters and gamer franchises are fueling sales of Nintendo Labo, and Nintendo Switch, Mario Bros video games and licensed products, Pokemon plush and interactive pets, licensed FUNKO action figure collectibles, and Zelda and Spyro merchandise.

Hasbro relaunches their board games classics as farcical copies.

Gaming for adults as social games: Fortnite Monopoly (Hasbro, USA), for ages 13+, is in short supply, as are many social games for adults such as Relative Insanity (Play Monster, USA) and farcical copies of classic Hasbro games, selling exclusively at Target this holiday season, re-invented as:

  • Game of Life: Quarter Life Crisis Parody Edition,
  • Clue: What Happened Last Night? Lost in Vegas Parody Edition,
  • Mystery Date: Catfished, Parody Edition,
  • Botched Operation, Parody Edition
  • Sorry!Not Sorry! Parody Edition,

All of these re-invented versions of iconic games are designed with an edgy appeal, for players aged 12+.  Secrets are confessed, risks are taken, and stories are revealed by players, all in twisted new versions of these once classical children’s games. They appeal to millennials, who remember the tamer versions, from their childhood memories.

Visit the Toy Business Forum at the Spielwarenmesse® 2019. Reyne Rice shares a whirlwind view of the newest trends and products found across the toys, games and technology spectrum, as we enter 2019, and beyond. Listen to her at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, 30 January 2019. Read the complete program of the Toy Business Forum. 

Black Friday Toys 2017

By Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Originally posted on dailylounge.com

 

Reyne Rice has this season’s gift ideas just in time for Black Friday & Cyber Monday!

LEGO DUPLO Family House

Kids love construction sets and younger kids can have fun practicing real world activities or using their imagination to create an entirely new world. The LEGO DUPLO Family House is designed for a child’s smaller hands to develop motor skills, and introduce children as young as 1 1/2 to LEGO building, with bricks that are twice the size of a classic brick. With endless playing possibilities and loads of elements and colors to spark their imagination, they learn to stack, build, and role-play as they act out everyday life. Visit shop.lego.com to learn more!

Catch the Fox

Playing games is a great way to bond as a family over the holidays. Catch the Fox by Goliath Games was named toy of the year in France, bringing laughter and fun to the family when uh oh – the Fox is in the hen house. This greedy fox is snapping up the chickens and stuffing them into his pockets. But when there are too many chickens, his pants will fall down, sending the chickens scurrying so it keeps everyone guessing. Be the first to return 5 chickens to your coop to win! Click here to learn more.

Merge VR Cube

This is the Merge Cube, an award-winning 3D Augmented Reality toy that you use with your smartphone or tablet. This cube allows kids to hold digital, holographic objects in the palm of their hand! Many kids are hands-on learners, and this is enhancing the learning experience in a fun way that they will remember! Just download free or paid apps to activate and play with 3D games, characters and learning tools, like a skull, a rotating labyrinth, a chomping piranha, and so much more…all for less than $15! Click here to learn more!

Passback Sports

Getting kids outdoors is always a plus. Kids will get hours of enjoyment out of these Passback Sports footballs. It is a one-of-a-kind training tool that is thrown like a regulation ball but engineered to hit a surface and come spiraling back. Aim the flat side of the ball to any wall surface and be amazed as it boomerangs back to the person who threw it. It’s like having a perfect practice partner when no one is around! It comes in three sizes: Pee Wee, Junior and an official Full size. Click here to learn more!

Last Minute Gifts for Kids 2015

By Leave a Comment

Facebooktwittergoogle_pluspinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Originally posted on DailyLounge.com.

Christmas is next week, are you ready? Yeah, we’re not either. Good thing we have Toy Trend Expert, Reyne Rice, to give us a heads up on some of the hottest Last Minute Gifts for kids this holiday season!

GameStop

GameStop is THE PLACE to help holiday shoppers find the gaming and tech items on their lists. With the LEGO Dimensions starter pack, you’ve got the classic LEGO building bricks, mini-figures, and the added magic of video gaming in the newest toys to life creation. It features Batman fighting side by side with Gandalf and Wyldstyle! GameStop has ALL the games that feature interactive figures like Skylanders, Disney Infinity, and Nintendo’s amiibo. Now you and your kids can play together with the characters you remember from YOUR childhood, too! They have deals on games for the whole family on ANY gaming system. Visit GameStop.com to learn more!

Bunchems by Spin Master

The award-winning Bunchems by Spin Master are the latest creation for kids. Bunchems are soft plastic spheres that squish, connect and stick together for hours of fun. Kids can pull them apart and start fresh. With over 400 pieces in the MegaPack, kids can start playing right out of the box. Accessories like eyes, wings, hats, and feet personalize kids’ creations. For children who may want some idea-starters, there are easy-to-follow instructions for creating owls, bears, cars, monkeys and more! The smaller Creation Packs have 60 pieces to create things like bugs and pets which are great stocking stuffers. Click here to learn more.

Laser Pegs

The original light-up brick construction toy is Laser Pegs which combine lights and building, two things every kids loves! Children will have fun constructing illuminated helicopters, jets, cars and more. Laser Pegs come with a patented “Slide, Stack and Spin” feature. These translucent colored blocks foster STEM concepts using technology, engineering, and math skills. They also encourage hand-eye coordination, creativity, and language learning. They offer a great value becauase you can build multiple models and they are compatible with other “leading” brick sets. Visit LaserPegs.com to learn more!

Mastermind Game

A fast, simple strategy game to continue your kids’ STEM education in a fun way is Matermind from Pressman Toy. It is one of the  best-selling games of all time for kids ages 8 and up. The Codemaker sets a secret code, then the Codebreaker tries to match the code using logic, deduction, and a little bit of luck. It’s an easy-to-learn quick moving game with more than 2,000 possible code combinations. It makes the game different every time it’s played! Parents will love that all of the game’s pieces can be stored in the game board. No mess! Click here to learn more.