By Sarah Finnan
02nd Dec 2022
02nd Dec 2022
Unsplash
Starting your Christmas shopping may be the very last thing you want to do, but it will save you a whole lot of hassle closer to the day. Here are the 2022 toy trends to look out for.
Though Santa, Mrs Claus and the elves have been hard at work for months already, many parents are just starting to begin their annual festive prep now and with global supply chain warnings echoing across the globe, people are getting a little antsy.
Asking your little ones what they want is always helpful, but no one wants to arouse suspicion (especially so close to Christmas!). Children are extremely inquisitive, so the fewer “but how does Santa travel around the world in one night?” questions you have to deal with, the better. Consider this your handy guide on what the experts forecast this year’s most popular toys will be. In no particular order…
Squishmallows 40cm Fuzz-A-Mallows Connor the Cow Soft Toy, €29.99, Smyth’s Toys
Squishmallows have taken the world by storm, largely thanks to their popularity on TikTok. An ultra-squeezable plush soft toy, they come in a range of sizes, and colours – each with their own unique name and storyline to add to the fun.
Jurassic World Dominion: Super Colossal Giganotosaurus, €59.99, Smyth’s Toys
Jurassic World Dominion had its worldwide premiere this summer which means that many kids will be dinosaur-mad this Christmas. The Super Colossal Giganotosaurus figure is based on the specific dinosaur species introduced in the movie and at over 35cm high and more than 91cm long, it’s pretty impressive. Not only does it have a marbleized finish, and realistic skin texture and colour, it also features posable arms and legs – and its extra-wide jaws can even open and close too. Plenty to inspire sibling fear there. Jiminy (an Irish eco-story set up to promote sustainable play) does a cool PlayMais dinosaur set that is a lovely alternative for younger children.
Studio Creator Photo Creator Instant Camera, €66.99, Very
The perfect gift for kids with a creative eye and imagination, this nifty little toy allows them to capture every magical moment and print them out as a keepsake. The pocket-sized camera is packed with tonnes of cool features like 20+ photo filters and effects, a shutter timer for group selfies, video recording, a rechargeable built-in battery, and a selfie lens for ease of use. In even better news, it comes with its own 4GB micro-SD card, 4 paper rolls, and a USB charger cable also for downloading photos/videos.
Mama Surprise Toy, €79.99, Smyth’s Toys
New from Little Live Pets, the Mama Surprise toy set includes a soft, interactive mama guinea pig, an interactive hutch and a newborn guinea pig baby with its own care package (packed with a birth certificate and hair accessories/hair elastics). Unlike other toys of its nature, this particular one can be reused to create more and more guinea pigs… I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether that’s good or bad news.
CoComelon Musical Bedtime JJ Doll, €34, Banba Toymaster
Anything CoComelon-related is a yes this year, particularly this musical JJ doll. Inspired by the educational YouTube series, the doll helps to bring CoComelon nursery rhymes to life with seven sounds and phrases. Just squeeze JJ’s tummy and listen as he says iconic phrases and even plays a clip of the YesYes Bedtime song.
Ziggy the Robo Dog, €49.99, Smyth’s Toys
A futuristic pup that can sing, dance, bark and play, Ziggy the Robo Dog is sure to be very popular with kids this year. Controlled with nine voice commands, a remote control and programmable actions, the toy can move forward, backward, left and right and you can even programme in your own actions too.
Barbie Dream Camper Vehicle, €141, Arnotts
Barbie-core has taken over the fashion world thanks to Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, but it turns out that the doll is still just as popular in kid world too. This set includes a pink Dream Camper vehicle and 60 different accessories – perfect for bringing Barbie and co on the road.
Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Ultimate Ice Cream Truck Playset, €94.99, Ken Black
I scream, you scream, we all scream for Play-Doh’s ice cream truck playset! A life-size kitchen set, it gives little minds the space to let their imaginations run wild with 27 tools and a soft-serve station to help them with their creations. Other accessories include the Play-Doh sprinkle maker, pretend sweet moulds, and a small register that makes noise. For more local options, Lulabug has several of their own adorable versions ranging from wooden workstations to market stalls.
Holiday Main Street Lego Set, €100, Lego
Like Barbie, Lego has been around for generations so you can never go wrong with one of their sets. This holiday-themed one is very festive and a great activity for Christmas day when all you want is some peace and quiet so you can get the turkey on. You can also add light and motion to the display with some clever add-ons if you really want to bring things to the next level.
Toy Show predictions
If you’d rather leave the predictions up to the Toy Show team (who knock it out of the park each and every year), then below is the list of gadgets and gizmos they showcased on last week’s show right here – it’s extremely extensive so a great one to return to if you’re stuck for ideas.
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