Toy Insider™ Experts Name Top Holiday Toys in Their Hot 20 & Top Tech 12 Lists

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Toy Insider™, the leading holiday gift guide for toys and gifts, announces its Hot 20 and Top Tech 12 holiday toy lists, giving gift-givers a sneak peek at the must-have traditional and high-tech toys this holiday season. From Doc McStuffins to Elmo, Lego Fusion to LeapTV, each list includes top picks for kids of all ages. Covering a variety of play patterns, including classic toys and high-tech options, the Toy Insider gives parents and gift-givers a head start on finding the best toys for the holidays.

"Favorite characters, engaging play patterns, and terrific tech toys are key trends this holiday season. We believe in a 'well-balanced toy box,' and have selected an assortment of products that feed a child's development in different ways, from dolls and plush to robots and ride-ons," says Laurie Schacht, Toy Insider Mom. "But be sure to shop early -- many of these toys will sell out before the holidays arrive."

The Toy Insider's panel of toy experts spent months evaluating all of the new toys and gifts on the market, resulting in a list that will make it fun and easy to choose the perfect holiday gift.

The Toy Insider's Hot 20 for 2014  
0-2 Years
Go! Go! Smart Animals Zoo Explorers Playset – VTech
Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Chair – Fisher-Price
Let's Imagine Elmo – Playskool
Twista – Yvolution

3-5 Years
Disney Frozen Snow Glow Elsa Toddler Doll – JAKKS Pacific
11-Inch Interactive Talking Turtles – Playmates Toys
Disney Frozen Cool Tunes Sing Along Boombox – eKids
Doc McStuffins Get Better Talking Mobile – Just Play
Paw Patrol Lookout HQ – Spin Master
Disney Princess Palace Pets: Magic Dance Pumpkin – Blip Toys

6-8 Years
Air Storm FireTek Bow – Zing Toys
Ever After High Thronecoming Dolls – Mattel
Razor PowerRider 360 – Razor USA
Shopkins Small Mart Playset – Moose Toys
Skylanders Trap Team - Activision
Tsum Tsum Plush Collection – Disney Store

9+
amiibo – Nintendo
Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) – Disney Interactive
It's My Biz – Fashion Angels
Lego Star Wars Rebels The Ghost – The LEGO Group

The Toy Insider's Top Tech 12
Crayola Virtual Design Pro Fashion Collection – Crayola
VEX Robotics – HEXBUG
InnoTab Max – VTech
Kidizoom Smartwatch – VTech
Kurio Xtreme – Techno Source
LeapBand – LeapFrog
LeapTV – LeapFrog
Lego Fusion Town Master – The LEGO Group
MiP – WowWee
NERF N-Strike Elite Nerf Cam ECS-12 Blaster – Hasbro
Sky Viper Camera Drone – Skyrocket Toys
Zoomer Dino–Boomer – Spin Master

The Hot 20 and the Top Tech 12 are the kick-off sections of the Toy Insider holiday gift guide, which will appear in the November issue of Woman's Day magazine, as well as www.toyinsider.com. This year's Toy Insider guide is the biggest ever, filled with 132 toys and gifts from more than 86 manufacturers. Now in its ninth year, the Toy Insider offers toy and gift ideas for all ages. The guide is broken down by age group (0-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9+) with in-depth descriptions and a unique skill key of developmental needs and interests for each toy to help to consumers pick not only the hottest toy, but also the right toy for the special child in their lives.

In addition to Laurie Schacht, the panel of toy experts includes Jonathan Samet, publisher of The Toy Book, the leading trade publication in the toy industry; Jackie Breyer, editor-in-chief of The Toy Book; Marissa DiBartolo, and Ali Mierzejewski, senior editors of The Big Toy Book; and Reyne Rice, a leading toy trend expert. 

About the Toy Insider:

The Toy Insider (www.toyinsider.com) is the source for the hottest toys and gifts for the holidays. Now in its ninth year, the Toy Insider is an annual guide featuring toy and gift recommendations broken down by age groups. The 2014 guide is jam-packed with 132 toy recommendations from more than 86 different manufacturers, each carefully selected by a team of experts with years of experience in the toy industry. The Toy Insider is published by Adventure Publishing Group, publisher of leading industry trades The Toy Book and The Licensing Book.

Media Contact:
Karen Pineman
The Toy Insider
(917) 453-6887  
[email protected] / [email protected]   

SOURCE The Toy Insider