Every year Walmart gathers hundreds of kids from 6 months to 12 years old to determine it's Top-Rated by Kids toy list. And while they weren't able to assemble everyone in a large convention center to play and test like previous years, Walmart didn't let COVID ruin the fun and instead shipped the toys directly to the homes of their kid testers this year.
Steve Ronchetto, Vice President of Toys at Walmart stated:
"Toys play a critical role in families’ lives as they spend more time at home and parents seek ways to keep kids engaged with learning-based play. More than any year before, we’re seeing strong interest across toys that stem from digital platforms, like kid influencer-created toys, interactive and educational toys, screen-free indoor entertainment and toys for active outdoor play.”
And the winners are...
When all the testing, playing and fun was over, this year's top toys followed 6 main trends: From the TV to the Toy Room, High-Tech Gadgets, Interactive Play, Surprise Toys, Energy-Burning Outdoor Toys, and Screen-Free Indoor Entertainment. Here are the top picks in each category:
From the TV to the Toy Room
Toys inspired from kids' favorite TV and movie characters
Frozen 2 - Magic in Motion Elsa Doll ($59.00)
Blue's Clues & You Peek-A-Boo ($24.84)
Paw Patrol Dino Patroller ($59.00)
The Child Bop It ($14.88) - Walmart Exclusive
LEGO Death Star Final Duel ($89.00) - Walmart Exclusive
Star Wars Dark Saber ($29.84)
High-Tech Gadgets
Toys that encourage creativity and content creation
Sensory FX ASMR Mega Bar ($19.88) - Walmart Exclusive
VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam ($59.00)
Instax Mini 7S Seafoam Green ($59.00) - Walmart Exclusive
onn. 8” Tablet Pro ($99.00) - Walmart Exclusive
Interactive Play
Toys for fun, learning-based play
Disney Princess Vanity ($49.88)
Gotta Go Flamingo ($28.82)
FurReal Mama Josie Kangaroo Pet ($67.00)
Squeakee ($58.00)
My Life As Hello Kitty Dolls ($35.00) - Walmart Exclusive
Barbie Farm Barn Playset ($74.00) - Walmart Exclusive
L.O.L. Surprise OMG REMIX Dolls ($34.88, available mid-September)
Surprise Toys
Toys that contain an element of surprise
The Animal ($34.88, available October 1)
Treasure X - Sharks Treasure ($19.87)
Hatchimals Crystal Flyers ($29.77)
Na! Na! Na! Ultimate Surprise ($69.00)
L.O.L. Surprise Clubhouse Playset ($49.88)
Ryan’s World Vending Machine ($39.82) - Walmart Exclusive
Energy-Burning Outdoor Toys
Toys that promote outdoor play
Jetson Mars Light Up Kick Scooter ($34.94) - Walmart Exclusive
Semi-Truck and Trailer Ride On ($249.00) - Walmart Exclusive
Jetson Plasma Light Up Hoverboard ($148.00) - Walmart Exclusive
Razor Black Label E100 Electric Scooter ($128.00) - Walmart Exclusive
Nerf Fortnite DG ($29.97) - Walmart Exclusive
Screen-Free Indoor Entertainment
Toys for interactive play without a screen
Tic Tac Tony ($9.97) - Walmart Exclusive
Kinetic Sand Sandwhirlz ($19.82)
Spark Puppy Piano ($19.82) - Walmart Exclusive
Little People Launch & Loop Raceway ($49.44)
VTech Helping Heroes Fire Station ($39.82)
Hot Wheels Sky Crash Tower ($44.68)
Beyblade Burst Rise Hypersphere Set ($49.67)
Megalodon Storm RC ($43.88)
Walmart Wonder Lab
For kids that want to test out the Top-Rated by Kids toys themselves, Walmart has launched the Walmart Wonder Lab, where kids can unbox, test, and play with all the toys virtually from home. Check it out here.
The 2020 Holiday season will be different
Toy sales have seen a boost during the pandemic, as have online sales in general with less people choosing to shop in person. The COVID crisis is forcing retailers to formulate new approaches to the holiday season. Target, for instance, is offering holiday deals in October, the earliest ever, and has already announced that stores will remain closed on Thanksgiving, encouraging customers to shop online instead. Amazon has yet to officially announce when Prime Day will be, leading us to believe that it will somehow tie in with the holidays at this point. What else have you seen retailers change in their approach to holiday shipping this year? Will you change your normal approach also? If you're usually a store shopper, do you think you'll switch to shopping mostly online this year? Do you think retailers will offer better online deals than usual this year? How bad do you think retail locations will suffer without the typical holiday crowds? We'd love to hear your thoughts! Email us: inquiries@ripcordbrands.com or give us a call: (303) 536-5505.