The 12 Must-Have Toys to Buy for Christmas 2018

This is going to be one toy that you’ll want to buy while you still can. Fingerlings are quickly becoming the must-have toy of 2017 and the urgency to get your hands on one of these collectible, interactive, crazy cute toys will only increase as we near the holiday gift giving season. Fingerlings (suitable for age five and up) will react to sound, motion, and touch. They turn their head, blink their eyes, and make adorable baby monkey sounds. Over 40 animations bring these baby monkeys to life. They will cling to pretty much anything: a finger, a notebook, a pen, a spoon, and so much more. Kids can swing them by their tail, pet them, or rock them to sleep. Kids are sure to want all six colors that baby monkey Zoe is available in but keep an eye out for Gigi the unicorn and glitter Zoe Fingerlings. Gigi is only available in very limited quantities but glitter Zoe can be pre-ordered from Amazon with a price guarantee. And as we get closer to the Christmas season look out for the anticipated release of the sweet-faced sloth Fingerling.

No list of Christmas toys would be complete without at least one LEGO set on it. And this has to be one of the coolest batwing sets we’ve seen from LEGO yet. With a cool jet that has different wing modes that can fire off mini discs and has a secret car hidden it also has Batman, Robin and Harley Quinn with buildable rapid-fire cannon and hammer inside and all parts are compatible with other LEGO sets so they can mix and match. This is a 1053 piece set perfect for kids ages nine to 14.  

Interested in reading more reviews? Take a look at our selection of the best LEGO sets. 

These adorable mini versions of the international sensation, Hatchimals, are definitely going to be at the top of kids wish lists this year. The Hatchimals CollEGGtibles which  is suitable for children age five and up are sold in sets of four or individually and unlike their predecessors they don’t hatch all on their own. There are over 70 adorable figurines to collect. Kids know they’re ready to hatch when the heart turns pink on the front of the egg. Once ready the egg is easily cracked open to reveal their new mini Hatchimal baby. Kids will go egg-static collecting all these cuties. 

Kids can plan a course, solve problems and overcome obstacles with the Code-a-Pillar. Basic coding, planning and sequencing skills are introduced with every segmented connection of the Code-a-Pillar. Kids “program” a path by sequencing the correct segments, then watch as he completes the obstacle course. Each segment is easy to connect and has endless combinations. The starter set comes with three straight turn segments, two right turn, two left turn, and one sound segment. Perfect for ages three to six years old. 

Hasbro has done it again and released the cutest FurReal Friend to date. We didn’t think Hasbro could top last year’s FurReal Friend holiday release, but they have with Tyler the Playful Tiger. He will roar, nuzzle and play his way right into your child’s (ages four and up) heart. Tyler is one of the larger FurReal Friends at nearly 18” long and covered in a soft blanket of downy fur making him the perfect snuggle pal. Playful Tiger Tyler will keep your little cubs engaged with over 100 different interactive animations. He has sensors on his muzzle, back and forehead that respond to sound and touch by nuzzling, roaring, blinking, stretching, tail wagging and playing with his included play toy. Poseable back legs, and an animated head, tail, mouth, ears and eyes make Tyler’s movements smooth and lifelike. Kids ages four and up will love playing with their new FurReal Friend.

Lights, sounds, and a lifesaver launcher all help action figure Ryder save the baby octopus from whatever imaginary mischief kids can cook up. The Sea Patroller (ages three and up) is one of the latest releases from the popular kids program Paw Patrol. Kids can set sail for adventure on the rolling Sea Patroller that comes equipped with a detachable anchor, crane, ATV vehicle, Ryder action figure, two lifesavers, baby octopus and an exploration platform for deep sea missions. 

Looking for a gift for a busy toddler? The Hape Pound & Tap Bench with Slide Out Xylophone will get little bodies moving all while building concentration skills, manual dexterity, motor skills and focus. The classic all-wood toy is built to last and has a compact design for easy storage when playtime is over. This interactive, brightly colored toy stimulates development through fun play and musical exploration. Budding musicians can slide the xylophone out and take it on the go with the carry handle or they can keep it in the bench to hear the sounds made when they tap the wooden balls through the holes with the included hammer. Countless ways to play will keep little ones busy as they pop, ding-a-ling, hammer and roll their way to sensory excitement. Recommended for tots ages 12 months to three years.

The SelfieMic lets kids become the pop stars they’ve always dreamed of being. This combo selfie stick and microphone let’s kids sing along to their favorite tunes either as a solo artist or (for even more fun) in a group. Kids simply download the StarMaker app to their phone, and sing along to today’s hit artists. The StarMaker app is full of fun features like auto tune and funky filters to make videos that range from professional to super silly. Kids can sing into the SelfieMic and record their next big hit video to share with friends and family. The SefieMic and app are compatible with iphone, ipod touch and android devices and is recommended for children eight and up. 

Looking for a cool tech gift this holiday season? Well, this is the droid you've been looking for. The uber popular Star Wars series has been married with Sphero for an out of this world app-controlled droid. Built for adventure (and the resistance) BB-8 is easily controlled via a smart device. BB-8 can be sent out on its own for explorative scout patrols, transmit holographic message videos, as well as listen and record covert conversations. BB-8 is adaptive and will respond to its owner's voice commands. This droid will evolve its actions and attitude the more kids interact with it making it a fun and interactive companion. 

Num Noms are the "it" toy among girls ages three and up. They are crazy cute and collectible making them a hot holiday toy. And this Num Noms Lipgloss Truck Craft Kit has just successfully melded the adorable with the crafty. Kids can make their own Num Noms lip gloss by mixing together the cherry or vanilla flavoring with the lip gloss base, then they add a dash of sparkle with the “sprinkles.” The lip gloss is dispensed from the soft-serve “ice cream” machine into mini cones or bowls. All items can be conveniently packed up into the ice cream truck and the scoop on top of the truck is a handy grab-and-go handle. 

Cozmo by Anki Robotics is one sophisticated little bot. While he may come with a bit of a steep price tag there’s a whole lot of advanced robotics in a little package. Cozmo (age eight and up) is easy to use and can be set up in four simple steps. He comes with three blocks that Cozmo and kids can play games with. Download the app and kids (and adults) can interact with countless games, Cozmo controls, camera and more. He has so much personality that one forgets that they are playing with a robot as he starts to feel more like a super fun pet. He expresses happiness, excitement, frustration, anger and sadness through two very emotive blue eyes and various noises. Cozmo has facial recognition that allows him to recognize and say the name of all his friends. This is only a small portion of all the cool things Cozmo is capable of doing. He is a lot of brain in a little — and adorable — package. 

Quadcopters and drones have been making the wish lists of kids for several years now, but they can tend to be pricey. So when you can find one with excellent reviews, some cool features and good price tag — then it’s a win. And the Holy Stone Predator Quadcopter is just that: priced right with all the fun features kids are looking for in a drone. The Predator has three different speed modes that can be set at beginner, advanced and super fast for micro quad. Colorful LED lights illuminate the body for fun night flights and just a flick of the control switch can have the Predator roll and flip mid-flight for ultimate tricks. Complete with a few replacement parts in case of mishaps, a USB charging cord, Li-Ion battery and small screwdriver for repairs, this quadcopter is sure to make kids 14 and up very happy this holiday season.