The Toy Book’s holiday toy roundup is shaping up as a broad survey of play patterns rather than a single retail prediction. The publication invited toy and game companies to submit their own “Hot for Holiday” picks, highlighting products they want retailers to have on their radar this season. According to the companies, the selections span imaginative worlds, hands-on experiences, sensory fun, tech-forward play and familiar franchises. The Toy Book notes that its own team’s holiday picks appear separately in The Toy Insider’s 2026 Holiday Gift Guide.
The mix includes low-priced impulse items and higher-ticket playsets, with several entries tied to established entertainment brands and others built around open-ended construction, experimentation or character play.
Sensory, surprise and collectible play
Goliath’s Chester is a goofy, butt-shaped pal that wiggles, jiggles and makes silly fart sounds when children squeeze and stretch its cheeks; pressing its head makes it dance to “tootin’” tunes. It is priced at $29.99 for ages 8 and up and requires three AAA batteries. Schylling’s NeeDoh countdown hides six NeeDoh surprises and seven Halloween treats behind 13 doors for $14.99. Just Play’s Tiggle Me Elmo Giggle Max, a reimagined version of the classic 1990s toy, stands 18 inches tall and offers laughter, full-body movements and other reactions for $39.97, aimed at children 18 months and older. Horizon Group USA’s stress toys contain slow-flow glitter gel and come in licensed themes including Squishmallows, Hello Kitty, SpongeBob SquarePants, Minecraft, Hershey’s, Bluey and Pudgy Penguins, at $4.99–$8.99.
Franchise-driven toys and collectibles
The Pokémon Co. International’s 30th-anniversary Elite Trainer Box, at $49.99 for ages 6 and up, introduces the Futuristic Rare card rarity, all-foil cards and the return of 30 classic Pokémon. MGA Entertainment offers eight mini dolls inspired by different music genres, each packaged in a pink disco ball with a vinyl record player on top; children can spin a mini record to unlock surprises. The dolls are $11.99 for ages 4 and up. Tonies’ Toniebox 2 Pokémon set, priced at $199.99 for ages 5 and up, includes Pikachu, Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur figures that play themed stories and songs on the screen-free audio player. The LEGO Group’s 106-piece Bluey-themed set includes Bluey and Rusty mini-figures and a school scene with a mini kitchen, café, hospital and baby-care section for $24.99. Playmates Toys’ Mega Thunderzord, at $37.99, plays more than 15 phrases and sounds from the show while its eyes light up.
Building, experiments and tech-assisted creativity
Fat Brain Toys’ tube-building set uses adjustable airflow to send foam balls racing, hovering and popping through constructions that blend art, physics and experimentation; it is priced at $129.95. The CONNETIX travel pack from Brave Toys includes 32 compact pieces, magnets and two sheets of reusable stickers in a carry tin for $25. Ravensburger North America’s BRIO World Space Deluxe Train Set has 56 pieces, a multilevel layout with tunnels, a space station, a rover and a shuttle with lights and sounds, priced at $279.99. Hapiko’s voice-powered sticker maker uses AI to create and print sticker combinations; the device includes built-in filters and assurances that it is not “always listening.” Golden Bear’s Strikesphere basketball trainer uses light-guided drills across three game modes and an LCD scoreboard to track high scores, at $99.99.
Role play and larger playsets
Mattel’s customizable dollhouse has nine indoor and outdoor play areas, two pools, two slides, more than 65 accessories and a modular design. Two house structures can form one large house or two connected houses with a bridge, at $214.99 for ages 3 and up. Spin Master’s Rocky recycling truck includes a 2-foot inflatable dinosaur that pops out when children press the light bar and can be packed back into the truck, with movie-inspired sounds, for $64.99. A five-story Bluey home stands 2 feet tall, features themed room accessories and has a chimney that projects spinning stars and moons, at $149.99. Sunny Days Entertainment’s school bus has dual joystick controls for the door and stop sign, a working microphone, lights, engine sounds, friction-powered movement and a sliding roof, at $44.99.
Across the submissions, the common thread is variety: companies are positioning lower-cost collectibles alongside larger building sets, interactive plush and franchise-led playsets for holiday shoppers.