Toy and game companies are pitching a broad holiday lineup that mixes familiar characters with hands-on construction, sensory play, and interactive technology. The picks, submitted by toy and game companies for a holiday showcase, are aimed at age groups from toddlers to teens and carry listed prices from $4.99 to $279.99. The common thread is not a single toy category but an attempt to cover many kinds of play.
Sensory, social, and active play
Several entries lean on squish, sound, and movement. Goliath’s Chester is a butt-shaped pal that wiggles and makes silly noises when squeezed, with a listed price of $29.99 for ages 8 and up. Schylling’s NeeDoh countdown hides six squishy surprises and seven Halloween treats behind 13 doors for $14.99. Just Play’s 18-inch Tiggle Me Elmo Giggle Max offers laughter and full-body movement for $39.97, aimed at 18 months and older. Horizon Group’s slow-flow glitter stress toys, licensed with properties such as Squishmallows, Hello Kitty, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Bluey, are priced at $4.99–$8.99.
Active options include ZipString’s wrist-mounted webshooter, which launches a string and retracts it, and Golden Bear’s Strikesphere basketball trainer, which uses light-guided drills and an LCD scoreboard to track high scores at $99.99. Simplay3’s oversized sensory nest rocks and spins in any direction, sized for several children and listed at $129.99 for ages 2 and up.
Building sets and modular worlds
Construction and modular playsets make up another cluster. Mattel’s customizable dollhouse, at $214.99 for ages 3 and up, includes nine indoor and outdoor play areas, two pools, two slides, more than 65 accessories, and two house structures that can be joined or bridged. Connetix’s 32-piece travel pack combines mini magnetic shapes with reusable stickers in a carry tin for $25. BRIO’s 56-piece Space Deluxe train set adds tunnels, a space station, a rover, and a shuttle with lights and sounds for $279.99. Magna-Tiles offers a lighthouse-inspired set with a rescuer figure, sea turtle, and rescue raft, while LEGO’s 106-piece Bluey set includes two mini-figures and a school scene for $24.99.
The lineup also includes vehicles and tabletop play: Hasbro’s 11-inch action figure converts into a car in four steps for $54.99; Spin Master’s Rocky recycling truck releases a 2-foot inflatable dinosaur for $64.99; and Jasey’s Toy Chest packages a wooden train table with tracks, risers, a bridge, and magnetic train cars.
Tech-forward and interactive toys
Technology appears in several forms. 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.” Jazwares’ Pikachu, created by Wow! Stuff, packs more than 100 action and sound combinations, touch sensors, blinking eyes, and mouth movement into puppetronic play at $79.99. Tonies’ Toniebox 2 Pokémon set includes Pikachu, Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur figures that play stories and songs on a screen-free audio player for $199.99. Cra-Z-Art’s instant-print camera lets tweens take photos and print them in seconds, with markers and stickers for personalizing black-and-white prints.
Franchises and collectibles
Franchise-driven collectibles are spread across price points. The Pokémon Co. International marks 30 years of Pokémon with an Elite Trainer Box that introduces a “Futuristic Rare” rarity, all-foil cards, and the return of 30 classic Pokémon for $49.99. MGA’s eight mini dolls, each in a pink disco ball with a miniature record player, are $11.99 for ages 4 and up. Drip Drops offers 16 tiny sneaker styles, including Hot Wheels, Godzilla, and Smiley designs, each with a shoebox, laces, display case, and keychain. License 2 Play’s Domo collectible returns with a blocky shape and fuzzy texture at $4.99–$14.99, while Fizz Creations’ keyring arcades bring PAC-MAN, Tetris, and the Grinch to handheld and plug-and-play formats at $16.99–$39.99.
The submissions show retailers a wide spread of price points and play patterns rather than a single breakout item. They also reflect how companies are framing holiday demand: familiar licenses, collectible formats, and interactive features are being paired with lower-cost impulse items and higher-priced anchor gifts. Because the picks are company-submitted, the lineup reflects manufacturers’ own positioning rather than an independent ranking.