Waaaay in advance of the holiday season, Walmart has released its list of 20 top toys in hopes of inspiring parents to open layaway accounts.
The re-released Furby, which garnered lots of “I think I’ll pass” comments on the BC facebook page earlier this week, tops the list. Also included:
- LeapFrog LeapPad 2
- VTech Innotab
- Little Tikes iTikes Map
- Playskool Rocktivity Walk ‘N Roll Rider
- Monopoly Millionaires
- Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire Blaster
- Beyblade Destroyer Dome Play Set
- Hot Wheels Terrain Twister R/C Vehicle
- Air Hogs Hover Assault Radio-Controlled Helicopter
- Fisher-Price Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle Play Set
- Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Star Melody B. Sharp Interactive Doll
- Monster High High School Playset
- Little People Disney Princess Songs Palace Play Set
- Baby Alive Baby Wanna Walk Doll
- Barbie Sisters Cruise Ship
- Holiday Barbie 2012 Doll
- Novi Stars Dolls
- Razor Pocket Mod Electric Scooter
- Power Wheels Dune Racer 12-Volt Battery-Powered Ride-on
Unfortunately for parents on a budget, the majority of these toys cost over $50, as Time‘s Brad Tuttle notes in a Smart Spending article today. On the other hand, smart shoppers know they can discounts of up to 50% on Black Friday.
You can check out the toys on the list here at Walmart.com.
What do you think about the toys on the list? Do any of the toys on this list catch your eye? Do any look like duds?
I have always seen those lists of “hot” toys as a list of lame, overpriced toys. Most of them aren’t toys that have long lasting play value (the majority always seem to require batteries, which I’ve found is a good indication that the toy plays with itself rather than he child playing wih it). It is not a surprise to me that these gimicky toys would also be so expensive.
My daughter has the fisher price disney singing castle. she loves it. she plays with it all the time. walmart sells it for 44.95 . Amazon had it for 39.00 with free 2 day shipping.
Well, the Leapster 2 lasted my son for 2 years and he now has a Leappad2 and its doing well.
So… maybe. Some toys just require batteries or some other source of power to work.
He’s also still loving the Imaginext Fire station he got for his 3rd birthday, though he is now 5. And some of the “non-battery” toys I was urged to buy because they would “get so much use” sit uselessly by. He’d rather read a book or go outside and run around than play with his wooden blocks. Sometimes he’ll play with duplos but never to the extent I might prefer. He does play with balls of all sorts — but I’d rather those be outside toys than inside.
its really fashionable to decry the state of toys today. but at least with my own kid I’m seeing that it has as much to do with the kid in question. The Bilibo was a bust in our house. Play silks got very little use of any sort. Wooden blocks, as stated before, are not brought out when the issue isn’t forced. He plays a LOT with his Little People plane with its sound effects and plastic people but not at all with the wooden one with peg people and no sounds. He goes through phase when he plays with kitchen toys and when they sit in the bins, forgotten and lonely.
Games of all sorts get played with, dragged out of hiding places, etc. it used to be that he’d put together every puzzle he could get his hands on, but he’s not as interested now for some reason.
I feel like Walmart has a vested interest in convincing parents they need to unload a ton of cash for Christmas gifts and by suggesting expensive toys that have little imaginative value, they are more or less creating repeat customers. By the time the kids’ birthdays roll around, they’ll be over those expensive toys and it’ll be time to buy more.
That said, some of those may be winners. The Imaginext castle looks like of awesome.
My daughter has the little people Disney castle and loves it. It’s really a lot of fun and i’d recommend it but I got it for 29.99 not 44.97-50.00 like I’ve seen it listed for lately. I wouldnt have paid that much for for $30 it’s a great toy.
No Lego or Duplo! Nothing on my Christmas list is on their list.
The Disney songs palace is so cute! My 3 year old has played with it almost nonstop. We got it for house party, but If we didn’t I would have bought it. It’s a great toy!
If Walmart lists it as a top-20 toy, it is NOT going to be purchased. I also refuse to buy things that need batteries.