The Top Five Toy Trends This Holiday Season

Sometimes shopping for toys for the kids can be tougher than buying a car or house, especially if parents and other adults try to keep up with the latest trends and find the perfect holiday gift for children on their shopping list.

This year’s hot new trends are expected to include toys that mimic grown-up gadgets and toys that encourage bilingual skills, according to Toys R Us. The toy store recently announced the five toy trends it expects will influence shoppers’ toy-buying decisions this holiday season.

“We are constantly asked if electronic toys are replacing traditional toys,” said Ron Boire, president, Toys R Us, US. “This year’s trends clearly indicate that electronic toys continue to augment the toy business, but that toys without electronic bells and whistles also hold an important place in our assortment and in the hearts of parents and children.”

After months of researching and evaluating thousands of new toys in preparation for the Christmas shopping period, the toy retailer has identified these dominant toy trends for Holiday 2006:

Just Like Mom And Dad

Children are constantly imitating their parents through actions and in language. With the 2006 selection of holiday toys, children now have access to kid-size versions of adult products.

Examples include a rugged kid-friendly digital camera, a junior-sized steel guitar featuring strings set low for easier playability and even a kid-sized Ford Mustang that lets kids get behind the wheel of their very own car.

There are even multimedia music and video players for the junior set.

Bilingual Toys

Catering to the growing demand for products that promote dual language skills among children, toys that boast English and Spanish capabilities have gained momentum this year.

Leading the list of bilingual toys for toddlers are musical toys that introduce the alphabet and encourage physical movement, vocalization and musical exploration in both English and Spanish. 

Interactive Experiences

As kids constantly clamor for the latest technology-driven toys, products that allow players to become part of the action will be in high demand this holiday season. Here, too, musical toys rule, alongside robots that kids can design and build themselves and even portable pets that kids can play with on their computers or away from them.

Electronics Not Included

On the flip side of interactive toys are items that don’t include electronic bells and whistles. It’s back to basics with a mixture of electronics-free new products and updated favorites.

Virtually all areas are covered this season, with more popular options including a pint-sized medical kit for that physician-in-training and a fort-building system that lets kids build secret spaces to play and hide. 

Imaginative Play

Among this year’s new trends are toys that truly inspire imagination and creativity. Here, the focus can be on anything from deluxe train toys to kitchen sets to interactive art collections with magnets, dry-erase sheets, 3D models and more. Let your kid explore his or her inner artist or chef this holiday season.