It’s become an annual Strategist tradition, in the lead-up to the holiday-gift frenzy, to compile a list of the most anticipated, coveted toys that we predict will sell out. I’ve been doing it for five years now, and as the Strat’s resident toy expert, it’s a project I start thinking about in June or July. After spending a few months collecting recommendations from the brightest minds in the toy industry, as well as cool and stylish parents, aunts, and uncles to kids of all ages, I try to get my hands on as many toys as possible to make sure they’re actually worth the hype. I also walk the aisles of the enormous New York Toy Fair to test out everything from robotic dogs and remote-controlled cars to dancing stuffies and sparkly mermaid tails.
In 2023, as far as trends go, I saw an influx of impressive and cool-looking remote-control cars that can drive through mud, in water, over large obstacles, and even up the walls. Bluey, Pokémon, and Squishmallows are still in-demand with kids of all ages, as are miniatures and toys with big, satisfying reveals. It’s been an especially huge year for movie tie-in merch: the Barbie, Little Mermaid, Super Mario Bros., Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Paw Patrol movies have given way to a vast array of adorable and well-designed toys. And because it’s the 25th anniversary of Harry Potter, and the 100th anniversary of Disney, there are literally thousands of licensed dolls, games, building sets, and accessories featuring the Hogwarts crew, Disney princesses, and every other classic Disney character.
I’ve gathered as much intel as possible to help you confidently ace your holiday shopping before the 11th hour. But, if you do find yourself desperately trying to hunt down a squishy Gryffindor lion or a remote-control pink Barbie Corvette at the last minute, I’ve also included some alternate ideas for the toys that have truly disappeared from store shelves. With that said, stock for many of these toys has been volatile, with some selling out and coming back in waves. So if there’s something you really want, keep checking back — I’ll keep updating this story until the last shipping deadline has passed to help you check every last item off your list.
Below, you’ll find my take on the best, most hyped-up toys of 2023. And if you’re looking more great gift options, we also have gift guides for kids of all ages, including 1-year-olds, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds, 5-year-olds, 6-year-olds, 7-year-olds, 8-year-olds, 9-year-olds, and 10-year-olds — plus the meticulously curated Strategist Toy Store, filled with all our greatest hits.
Bitzee, an interactive and touchable digital pet housed inside a case that looks like a ring box, is already selling well at both big-box retailers and independent toy stores, according to James Zahn, editor-in-chief of the Toy Insider. “It’s travel friendly, it’s a good stocking stuffer, and then of course the interactivity is really cool,” he says, noting that for $30 you get a ton of technology. Inside the clamshell box, Bitzee uses a unique display to create the illusion of a cute cartoon animal that floats in midair. The Tamagotchi-esque toy works like a flip book, but with a single flexible plastic page that flips up and down really fast while flashing color-changing LED lights. Bitzee reacts to your touches, tilts, and swipes of the pad at the front of the box. Over time, if you feed and care for it, your Bitzee will evolve and new pets will become unlocked with up to 15 pets available in each box.
These fuzzy characters (which are made by the same company as Squishmallows) also made Zahn’s list of hot toys for 2023. Somewhat reminiscent of Beanie Babies, they are weighted with beans at the bottom so they sit upright and come shaped like dozens of different plants, retro icons, animals, food items, and household objects. They’re also quite affordable compared to a lot of the other toys on this list.
When I spoke with Camp vice-president of merchandising Ariel Grun about the hottest new toys of 2023, this Downhill Duo set from Magna-Tiles was one of the first things she brought up. Zahn is also a fan of the latest addition to the popular line of magnetic building pieces. The Downhill Duo set comes with two figures and their racer cars as well as four ramps, six road squares, and two finish-line rectangles. It is the first-ever dedicated road and vehicle set from Magna Tiles that was designed in response to customer requests — people were buying up extra construction-themed Magna-Tiles Builder sets just to get more road pieces. In addition to the Downhill Duo, the brand now offers a set of extra road pieces to expand your track-building potential.
Grun cited the excitement around 2023’s live action Little Mermaid movie and Camp’s in-store immersive Little Mermaid experience as evidence that mermaid merch is going to be as hot as ever this year. There are plenty of dolls and stuffed animals to buy that feature Ariel, Sebastian, Ursula, and Flounder. But I’ve been the most excited about some of the dress-up clothing and accessories, like a shell-shaped purse that kids and adults would love, the official Disney singing shell necklace, and lots of dresses and crowns. One of the best Little Mermaid products I have seen is this shiny skirt that transforms into a tail by simply pulling it down to reveal the glittery scales.
Squishmallows have come up in nearly every conversation I’ve had about toys in the last three years. They also took home the Toy of the Year prize this year for best plush thanks to their wide appeal and near-infinite variations. Whether you are shopping for preschoolers or preteens, the squishy stuffies are sure to be a hit. So it’s not surprising that this special anniversary series of Harry Potter Squishmallows has already sold out and been restocked a few times. The Gryffindor Lion is especially popular, but the other three houses — Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw — are also represented. Or if you don’t mind surprises, you can try to collect all four in the eight-inch size via blind bag at Claire’s.
[Editor’s note: Although prices have continued to fluctuate, all four designs are currently available on Amazon at the $16 MSRP. The catch is that the Gryffindor Lion may not arrive in time for Christmas.]
Or if your giftee is more of a Pokémon fan, this special-edition holiday Pikachu is another hot-ticket Squish.
Zahn first told me about the Droyd Romper Electric Trike this fall, calling it the 2023 big-ticket holiday toy to beat — it has already sold out multiple times at some retailers. And we featured one of brand’s bikes for older kids in our annual highly specific gift guide. Zahn loves that it looks like a traditional big-wheel trike but uses a rechargeable battery to speed around and light up its LED front wheel. And according to him, it’s the first time EV technology has been used in a tricycle of any kind. To turn it on, you push a single button. And for added safety the Romper comes equipped parental controls that let you cap the speed at 3 mph or open it up to 6 mph. Just add a helmet, and they’ll be good to go.
[Editor’s note: Over the weekend, the Droyd trike largely sold out online. However, it may be available at your local Target.]
If 6 mph sounds way too slow for your kid (and you are willing to spend a few hundred dollars more), consider the Radio Flyer Extreme Drift Go-Kart. Along with the trike above, it won the 2023 Ride-On Toy of the Year prize and has similar but even more minimal styling. (It, too, appears in our 2023 Strategist Gift Catalog.) With a top speed capability of 11 mph and its all-black paint job, it does look a little intense for cruising around the neighborhood. But I like that it comes with a racing flag for added visibility and a parent-controlled speed lock that can be capped at 5 or 8 mph. It also has a seat belt — though riders should still always wear a helmet, of course.
Super Mario Wonder has been hailed as one of 2023’s best video games and a perfect family gift. With its throwback elements like side-scrolling gameplay and the runaway success of the Super Mario Bros. movie earlier this year, the game is fun for kids and parents to play together. But it’s not all nostalgia, as the game is the first Super Mario game designed without a time limit for each level. That means you can take your time grabbing every coin and stomping every turtle or just exploring all the Easter eggs the game has built in. Strategist tech writer Jordan McMahon also included it on his list of tech gifts to buy before they sell out and Michael McWhertor, a correspondent at Polygon, says it “feels energetic and inspired and considerate of Mario fans both new and old.”
If you want to really wow your favorite Mario fans this holiday season, Zahn recommends buying them Super Mario Bros. Wonder along with this newly released Mario-themed all-red OLED Nintendo Switch. He says it’s a great family gift because it feels special, you can use it with a TV, and multiple players can play together. He suggests buying sooner rather than later: According to Zahn, special-edition consoles like this one are usually made in smaller quantities and have been quick to sell out over the last few years.
Beast Lab is the most recent big-deal toy launch from the makers of Magic Mixies, one of the hottest and most innovative toys of the last two years. Similar to the Magic Mixies Misting Cauldron (a magical pot that plays music and emits mist before revealing one of several cute furry creatures), Beast Lab requires kids to combine a set of special powder packets — in this case, you pour them into a giant test tube — to trigger a mist-filled toy reveal. But instead of a cute Furby-like creature, you get one of several lab-grown beasts: toxic tiger, primal panther, havoc hammerhead, or mayhem megashark. In addition to the impressive sounds, lights, mist, and realistic toxic slime, Zahn likes that you can reset the reveal and buy refills of the various powders and goos to play with it over and over again.
Though there are plenty of trendy dolls and blind box toys available to buy in 2023, LOL Surprise continues to lead the category with a seemingly endless well of new releases. And this year, I was most impressed by the LOL Surprise Magic Flyer. I had the opportunity to play with one back in September and was truly charmed by the combination of an interactive reveal, “fairy magic,” and a cute design. The flying dolls come in a basketball-size perfume-bottle-shaped case that, when you tap it three times, begins to rock and open, prompting kids to release their tiny doll into the air. I see a lot of toys, and this one is really cool. The USB-rechargeable doll kind of floats out of the case before picking up speed and flying really high. Then you can use your hand to guide it as it comes back down to you. And once the initial reveal is done, a button on the back of the doll’s head lets you launch it right out of your hands.
Elmo is such a classic toy and has been perennially popular with kids since the Tickle Me Elmo craze of 1996. So anytime there’s a new interactive Elmo doll, it will likely be a hit. Zahn loves the fact that this iteration of Elmo, who dances and sings the Elmo Slide, is bilingual, so kids get to hear Elmo sing and talk in both English and Spanish.
Another hot toy for the preschool set is this light-up, scrolling-map pilot dashboard from Melissa & Doug. I first heard about it (and played with it) while visiting the brand’s immersive toy booth at the Toy Fair. Then later, during a phone call with Zahn, he mentioned its being one of his personal favorite toys of 2023 because of how interactive and unique it is. Though it features a depiction of a screen, the wooden toy is definitely screen free. Kids can pretend they’re flying to a handful of different locations using one of the 3 double-sided windshield cards and double-sided preflight checklists. The toy comes with a play headset, lights up when you push different buttons, and makes 22 different sounds — including cabin and tower communications, local radio, landing gear, and a “buckle your seatbelt” alert.
Bluey, the Australian television series about a playful family of blue-heeler dogs, has reached a level of fame akin to Elmo and Mr. Rogers. And according to every toy expert I talked to this fall, this shopping-center play set, from the show’s beloved “Hammerbarn” episode, is one of the most in-demand items in the world of Bluey merch (see also: a Bluey Squishmallow and a wooden Bluey drawing board). We recently featured it in our gift guide for 3-year-olds, but Bluey fans of many ages will enjoy reenacting the Heeler family’s fun-filled trip to the mall with the set’s working elevator, lights, and sound effects.
There’s also a new Bluey video game that just came out in November, and that Strategist senior editors Jen Trolio and Winnie Yang, both moms of two, are excited to play with their families. Available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and XBox One and Series X, Bluey the Videogame lets players explore Bluey’s world and play familiar games from the show like Keepy Uppy and Chattermax Chase. You can also collect items for your sticker book and change the characters’ outfits.
[Editor’s note: Depending on your delivery Zip Code, the physical copy of this game may not arrive before Christmas. The digital version is guaranteed to remain in stock and is available for instant download.]
If you’re looking to splurge on a gift for a kid who lives and breathes Disney princesses, this is it. The set of 12 newly designed Disney princess fashion dolls was created by Mattel to coincide with Disney’s 100th anniversary. And they are flying off the shelves. If nearly $200 for a gift is too much, you could also buy this set with a group of parents and split them up among your kids. Or a few of the princesses, like Moana, are available as individual dolls for under $15.
It’s rare to find a toy like the Barbie x Hot Wheels Remote Control Corvette that looks nice enough to display but is also functional and durable enough to withstand lots of play by actual kids. Again, it’s rated for kids age 4 and up, and it’s been going in and out of stock for the last month — and is currently only available at at a markup on resale sites (the MSRP is about 55 bucks). I suggest keeping an eye on your local Walmart or Target. Meanwhile, if you’re willing to accept a much smaller placeholder, Hot Wheels also made a mini-version that, while not remote controlled, is exactly like the one in the movie and a good size for sticking in a stocking or pairing with a Polly Pocket. There’s also an in-between option that, while neither an official Corvette nor remote-controlled, is still a deliciously pink convertible that fits two Barbie dolls.
This gravity-defying toy is so cool I want to buy one for myself. The Air Hogs Gravity Sprint RC Car is super-lightweight and fitted with vacuum technology that lets it drive up walls and on the ceiling. The easy-to-drive car is officially rated for ages 4 and up, but I found it pretty engaging when I tested it out at the Toy Fair. Like Bitzee, it’s a toy that has been getting a ton of attention from toy-industry folks, including Zahn. Though it’s been in and out of stock at Target, Walmart, and Amazon, note that the MSRP is $20 — and it’s been selling so fast that it’s now going for at least twice that on eBay.
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