One of the big 2018 toy trends this season are wheeled toys or “ride-on” toys. These toys are popular with kids because they are a blast to play with, but parents also love them because they get kids off those blasted screens.
Wheeled toys and ride-ons I’m really liking this holiday season are from Huffy.
Huffy Radio-Controlled Monster Truck
The Huffy Radio-Controlled Monster Truck is a 2-in-1 toy, transforming easily from a ride-on monster truck to one that is radio controlled. It has a 12V rechargeable battery, drives both forward and backward and is appropriate for for kids ages 3-7.
RELATED: The Hottest Toys of 2018
Disney Royal Horse and Carriage
Then there’s the Disney Royal Horse and Carriage, which is great for fantasy play. It has a rechargeable 6V battery and storage for toys and a drink. For continued fun, pushing one button activates princess sounds and the horse’s mane and tail can be styled.
EZ Build Bikes
For kids who love bike riding, there are the EZ Build Bikes, which are for kids ages five years and up, and come in a wide range of designs. And they’re Huffy bikes, so you know they’re well designed and built to last.
And good news for all three toys, they are all 90% built right out of the box, going from unwrapping to playing in just a few steps!
We know that ride-on toys will be hot this season, but here are a few other trends you should be aware of:
- Dinosaur and Star Wars-themed toys will be very popular. If the toys are animatronic, even better.
- In keeping with the unboxing trend on YouTube, toys with a surprise element will fly off the shelves, especially if they are collectible.
- STEM toys continue to be strong, so you’ll find lots of options that foster skills like building, design and critical thinking. The goal with these toys is to make sure they’re fun enough so kids won’t know they’re learning!
When shopping for your kids or other kids on your list, keep in mind that kids don’t need dozen of toys under the tree. One big gift will create all the excitement kids need. To get even more bang for the buck out of the big gift, ask friends and relatives to give companion gifts. An example of this would be helmets, bells and baskets for the gifts I described above.
Something else to keep in mind is ease of use and that the gifts are low hassle. Look for toys that are simple to put together so you don’t spend hours assembling them on the big day (with a kid asking every minute, “is it almost done?”). Also, if gifts require batteries, make sure you have plenty on hand. Better yet, avoid all that and look for toys with rechargeable batteries!
