Toys to Buy Early for the Holidays (Because They’ll Be Hard to Get)

Each holiday shopping season brings with it its own unique challenges, but nothing can add to the stress more than that hot toy or new device seemingly everyone wants…including those on your list. Empty store shelves, mad rushes, and “Add to Cart” buttons replaced by blaring “SOLD OUT” messages can make your holiday shopping less “Ho Ho Ho” and more “Ai yi yi.”

But you can always start early! Whether it’s an iconic toy banking on a nostalgic resurgence, an AI-powered educational tool (that also happens to be adorable), a rare treat that will satisfy every gamer in your household, or an unstoppable team-up between Disney and LEGO – you can bet there is someone you know who can’t wait to unwrap it come this December. Sure, you could get someone more practical gifts, but where is the fun in that?

To help get you going, we’ve sought out some of the toys and devices that are almost guaranteed to be on every kids’ wish list, and almost just as guaranteed to be hard to find once the shopping season gets into high gear. So take a breath, gather your lists, and start checking off those dream gifts now to save yourself a yule log-sized headache later.

Want to know why these are such hot-ticket items? Keep reading!

For the Nostalgic: Furby Galaxy

Remember the Furby? Originally released in 1998, these strange furry creatures (which resembled flightless owls mixed with the Mogwai from Gremlins) were voice-activated electronic toys that were designed to speak a made-up gibberish language called “Furbish” out of the box but gradually learned its owners’ language the more they were engaged with. A pop culture sensation, they make their grand return with the revamped Furby Galaxy, which can do more than just talk. It can create lightshows, have dance parties, can tell your fortune and responds to hugs, pats on the head, and feeding (with a tiny plastic pizza charm). In addition to this updated Furby, Hasbro has a series of small “Furblets” that can attach to backpacks and make familiar “Furbish” noises!  

Price: $59.98 at Amazon

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For Budding Jet-setters: Bluey 3-in-1 Airplane Playset

There is no escaping this preschool sensation from Down Under, and there’s no doubt kids will have a lot of Bluey on their holiday wish lists. The Bluey 3-in-1 Airplane Playset is more than just a toy plane. It cleverly transforms from a plane to a luxury hotel to a relaxing beach front lounge spot (apparently animated Australian dogs are living their best lives), and offers endless hours of imaginative play. Simply but beautifully designed, it’s going to be flying (sorry) off shelves this holiday.

Price: $59.82 at Walmart

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For Promoting Mental Wellbeing: Hug-A-Lumps

Hug-A-Lumps are adorable stuffed animals, which would make them an attractive gift right there, but they are also something more: stress-relieving mental wellness aids. Like weighted blankets, Hug-A-Lumps weigh a hearty 3.3 pounds and are designed to have similar stress and anxiety-easing benefits. Made of ultra-soft, bright materials and available in cute options like bunnies, cats, ducks, alligators, and more these may qualify as a “one for them, one for me” kind of gift.

Price: $19.99 at Amazon

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For Educational Fun: Melissa & Doug Fresh Mart Grocery Store

The toy grocery check-out has been a playroom staple for generation but leave it to Melissa & Doug to kick the idea up several notches. Their Fresh Mart Grocery Store is a free-standing toy made of sturdy wood that goes beyond just a toy register and some fake dollar bills. Featuring a hand-cranked conveyor belt, card swipe machine, product scanner that actually beeps, and a bagging area, this set-up allows kids to stock their shelves, set prices, and pretty much learn everything they need to about running their own business (but while they’re having too much fun to notice).

Price: $183.99 at Amazon

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For Disney & LEGO Fans: Inside Out 2 Mood Cubes

Disney hit it out of the park (erm, hockey rink?) with the surprise smash hit Inside Out 2 this year, and you would have to go all the way back to Victorian England to find a holiday wish list that doesn’t have something Disney or LEGO on it. Put those two things together, and you have the makings of a blockbuster holiday toy that is sure to be hard to find the later in the year we get. The Mood Cubes come with 4 characters from Inside Out 2 and buildable, customizable cubes that can also store things like stickers, notes, and other tiny collectibles.

Price: $34.99 at LEGO

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For Gaming Families: Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition Deluxe Set

The 1990 Nintendo World Championships were an iconic event that challenged gamers to “speedrun” through short, bite-sized snippets of classic Nintendo titles like Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Excitebike to see how quickly they could achieve set goals (like “get the first coin on the first level of Super Mario Bros. in under 5 seconds”). While also available as a digital-only game, the Deluxe Set is sure to be one fans of all ages will want. It comes with a physical version of the game, five collectible pins, art cards, and a gold replica of the original NES Championship game cartridge. A great gift for nostalgic fans, and a great party game for families!

Price: $59.99 at GameStop

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For Imaginative Techies: Skyrocket’s Poe the AI-Story Bear

It’s heeeeeere. No, Poe isn’t possessed by the undead or some kind of alien invader, but he is one of the first toys powered by AI. When paired with his accompanying app, Poe is able to “make up” stories based on a few simple prompts thanks to ChatGpt 4o, and then tell them to your child (we are lightyears from the days when you slapped a cassette tape into Teddy Ruxpin’s back). Parents also shouldn’t fret – Poe has no built in cameras or microphones nor does he connect to the internet, so there’s little chance anything he “makes up” will veer beyond the pre-set guardrails he’s programmed with and be inappropriate for children.  

Price: $49.99 at Kohl’s

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For Swifties: Sticki Rolls Sticki Station

Thanks to Taylor Swift, the friendship bracelet is really having a moment this year. And their popularity doesn’t seem in danger of waning anytime soon with products like the Sticki Roll Sticki Station on deck for the holidays. Sticki Rolls are an ingenious combination of two beloved and timeless things: cute stickers and cute bracelets. Kids can customize their own jewelry and friendship bracelets using an array of bright, colorful stickers. Any wonder this one is going to be a smash hit that’s already starting to sell out?

Price: $27.99 at Amazon

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For Next Level Next-Gen: PS5 Pro

The long-rumored PlayStation 5 Pro is finally here, just in time to be one of the most sought after (and most expensive) items for the holiday season. Exacerbated by the pandemic and supply chain issues, the availability of the original PS5 was scarce, so anyone looking to make an upgrade is likely to do so as early as possible. So what makes this a “Pro”? Improved graphics, smoother frame rates – essentially, very technical improvements under the hood that the hardcore will appreciate but the casual gamer might not even notice. But if the gamer on your list wants nothing but the best, well…

Price: $699.99 at TBD

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FAQs

How early do I have to start holiday shopping?

Retailer sale events like Amazon Prime Days, Target Circle Week and Walmart’s Holiday Deals contribute to the early rush. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Amazon first moved Prime Day from the summer to the fall, which is also a factor. Amazon recently announced it would have a second Prime Day in October. Supply-chain problems during the pandemic also caused holiday shoppers to start earlier for fear of losing out on gifts or specific items, and those trends have continued.

Who is the biggest toy retailer?

Amazon.com leads the Toys e-commerce market in the U.S., with e-commerce net sales of $6.2 million in 2021 generated in the U.S., followed by walmart.com with $4.6 million. Third place is taken by target.com with a revenue of $1.6 million.

Who is the most successful toy manufacturer?

LEGO stands out as the biggest selling toy ever, and is the world’s most valuable toy brand for the tenth year running. With a brand value over $7 billion, LEGO has also opened 147 new branded stores worldwide.

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