Also hot this year, experts say, are interactive animals such as the Fingerlings Monkey Bars and Swing Playset.
The Fingerlings is a family of tiny monkeys, and the occasional unicorn and sloth, that latch onto your finger and respond to voice, movement and touch by blinking, babbling and blowing kisses. The animatronic toys, which sell for $14.99 apiece, are already sold out online at Walmart, Target and Toys R Us.
The toys, which are about the size of fingerling potatoes, burp, laugh and doze off when rocked. And if you run out of ways to keep them entertained, the toy company WowWee also sells pint-size jungle gyms and playground sets for $25 to $40.
Another interactive animal catching on is the FurReal Roarin’ Tiger.
It’s a plush tiger that blinks, roars and wags its tail. Tyler, which costs $129.99, comes with his own squeaky chicken toy and is among Amazon’s best-selling toys.
Oonies are also a popular item this season. What are they?
According to Moose Toys, they’re “air-filled balls of amazing fun.” The Oonies Mega Starter Kit ($29.99) comes with 90 pellets and an “inflator.”
The part-balloon, part-bubble toys are made of a latex-free plastic. Once inflated, Oonies can be stuck together and decorated to create animals, monsters, even elaborate games. But the fun is temporary: Oonies typically deflate within a matter of days. Moose Toys, the company behind other hits like Shopkins and Pikmi Pops, says Oonies is on track to become the company’s most popular craft toy.