As the site’s resident toy expert — I’m the writer behind the Strategist’s “Toy Store” and gift guides for every age — I get an early look at the latest and greatest new toys, often before they hit store shelves. There are dozens of new releases every month, so leading into the holidays I’ve been writing a toy-centric edition of “Don’t Dillydally.” Here are the launches I’m particularly excited about right now, including Areaware’s Frank Lloyd Wright Blockitecture set, Jellycat’s holiday stuffies, and some of my favorite Wicked merch.
Each year, Jellycat releases a new collection of holiday-themed plushes that sell out fast. As with any hot holiday toy, stock for this year’s designs will fluctuate; the in-demand and very-giftable gingerbread house is already running low. But for now, at least, you can still buy the eggplant in earmuffs, a peanut with antlers, a festive (but grumpy about it) turtle, a sweet little elf, a turkey in a beanie, a skiing mouse, and a Christmas tree.
Megabundles of itty-bitty collectible plants, snacks, and bath bombs
MGA’s Miniverse series of tiny blind-box DIY foods, Harry Potter potions, and home décor is especially popular among crafty tweens. Now the brand has released a few megapacks with nearly ten times the amount of miniature thingies to assemble. There’s a food-buffet set, a plants-and-vegetables set, and a spa set to choose from.
Lovevery’s first play kitchen, complete with a working sink
Lovevery just launched a realistic play kitchen that’s fully stocked with a working sink, dish rack, cutting board, kid-safe wooden knife, colander, and utensil drawer, as well as stainless-steel utensils. Kids can actually wash dishes with real running water thanks to a refillable tank and spigot above the sink and a used-water basin underneath. You can also pick from six stylish backsplash designs.
Wicked toys worth holding space for
The number of licensed toys tied to the new Wicked movie is, like the film’s lengthy press tour, a lot. But among all of the green and pink there are a handful of toys that are more than just collectibles. Of all the LEGO x Wicked sets, I like the one that lets kids build their own five-inch Glinda and Elphaba dolls and pose them in a replica of the “Defying Gravity” scene. American Girl’s bundle of Wicked costumes for 18-inch dolls is remarkably classy and subtle — it features Glinda’s blue satin dress, which comes with a rhinestone necklace, a tiara, a scepter, and satin shoes, and Elphaba’s black ruffle top and skirt, which comes with a witch hat, broom, and black boots. And for Monopoly heads, there’s a special Wicked edition that’s set in Oz with witchy golden play pieces, coins instead of paper money, and lots of locations from the movie.
Splurge-y new LEGO
In addition to the Wicked set above, there are lots of notable new bigger-ticket LEGO sets. My favorites include a two-story natural-history museum with a brachiosaurus skeleton, a Peely Bone figurine from the new LEGO x Fortnite collection that has buildable intestines, and a two-in-one Legends of Zelda deku tree with multiple figure versions of Link and young Princess Zelda. There’s also an incredible see-through botanical-garden greenhouse set; a giant replica of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s wrecked ship, the Endurance; and a multi-scene Disney set featuring Mickey from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” Simba, Sebastian, Flounder, and Bruno in front of the Madrigal house from Encanto.
Frank Lloyd Wright Blockitecture
We are longtime Blockitecture fans at the Strategist and have featured the New York City set in our guide to the best gifts for 5-year-olds for the past three years. Areaware’s newest set is based on the designs of iconic architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and I am very close to buying it for myself. In addition to making an excellent building toy for kids and décor object for adults, it is also a gift with a purpose, as a portion of sales goes to supporting the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
Radio Flyer’s 2-in-1 ride-on play set
This adorable RV ride-on toy from Radio Flyer was featured in the Strategist holiday print gift guide for its clever multipurpose design. Kids can scoot around atop it when it’s closed, then park and open it up to play with the bear-family camper set inside.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
