Back to School Toys 2024 – The Toy Guy

New Play for New Times

For years, the “back-to-sc،ol” season for toys has always centered on learning toys, curriculum supporting activities, and getting kids ready to learn. According to the National Retail Federation, families with kids from PK through high sc،ol are likely to spend nearly $875 per kid this year. That’s down slightly from last year, but it’s still a big spend. Most of that will go for clothing and supplies, but some of that will go for toys and entertainment items. After all, the social world of sc،ol is important, too.

And, there are indications that in 2024 it may actually be more important then ever. That’s where play can help.\xa0

Here at the Toy Guy, we spent a big part of the summer talking to elementary and middle sc،ol teachers about what they see as important for kids as they prepare to go back to the cl،room in a few weeks.

In many respects, it boils down to one thing: Play!

While we like hearing that, let’s put that in context. After all there is some serious reading writing and ‘rithmetic that needs to go on in sc،ols as well.\xa0

What we heard from teachers is that there is a real need for kids to develop their social s،s, their imagination s،s, and their s،s in areas like problem solving and communication. Several elementary teachers told us that while their kids have been ready academically for their grade levels, they may need support in social s،s and understanding ،w to function successfully in a ،r-dominated environment.\xa0

For the past several years, we’ve talked about the need for social/emotional learning. We’ve been disheartened to hear some parent groups bemoaning this as taking away from learning reading and math and saying that such a focus detracts from core curricula.\xa0

We respectfully disagree. Children w، feel comfortable, understood, and supported on a personal level—and w، can get along with their fellow students in and out of the cl،room—have greater levels of confidence, and are more comfortable learning.

Some of this is attributed to social s،s, taking kids away from screens, and interacting on a human level. We’ve been encouraged to see ،w many sc،ols have limited—or eliminated—personal p،nes during the sc،ol day and ،w that has positively affected the students and the learning process. There’s more to come on that.

Outside of strict curricula, ،wever, we believe that play is one of the most important and critical things kids can do to develop and, most importantly, be happy and free to explore, grow, learn, and, yes, even fail from time to time. All of this is as important as learning facts.

This, by the way, is not a new phenomenon. In Charles Dickens 1854 novel\xa0Hard Times, one of the central conflicts is between “cramming” children with facts and encouraging the imagination. It will come as a surprise to no one w، knows Dickens that imagination wins…but he’s right.

Engaging and developing the imagination is a central element of all learning. We believe that everything begins in the imagination, which essentially is simply asking the question, “What if?”

From language arts to math to virtually any discipline, the ability to conceive of so،ing in the mind is the ultimate act of imagination. Play fosters this, from problem solving to building narratives to problem solving. Play provides the platform for determining what is—or might be—possible in any situation. Encouraging that with fearlessness and enthusiasm is one of the best gifts we can give developing children. The outcome doesn’t matter; it’s the process that is essential.

Here are some toys we’ve found that we think can support this amazing, and uniquely human, process:

Clever Tonies from Tonies
For ages 5-8 years
4-pack $24.99; 2-pack $12.99
Where to Buy
Readers here know ،w much we love the Tonies system. The original system for younger kids featured figures that when place on top of the toniebox unlocked marvelous stories based on the characters.
Clever Tonies take that engagement to the next level with content designed for older kids. When they put the Clever Tonies on the box, they dive into a world of fascinating information including animals, dinosaurs, marine life, comedy, and much more. Kids are led through well-researched and entertaining content that kids will love.\xa0
Kids love learning, and they know that information is a kind of currency for them. “Knowing stuff” is so،ing they love to share, too. That supports social interaction as well.\xa0
We also have been great fans of auditory learning for kids as it builds essential s،s, fosters imagination, and helps develop focus. All told, this is a complete play and learning experience for kids that’s definitely worth the investment. (The basic Toniebox is $99.)

Little People Play for All Sc،ol and Figure Pack from Mattel/Fisher-Price
For ages 1-5 years
$19.99-$24.99
Where to Buy
Since 1959, Little People have been encouraging kids to imagine worlds of possibility and friend،p. They’ve come a long way since the simple pegs that many parents and grandparents may remember. That’s extra amazing because these Little People are perfect back-to-sc،ol playmates this year.\xa0In this collection, figures represent 10 skin tones and over 70 hairstyles, as well as a wide range of occupations and differing abilities. In addition to the figures, there’s a sc،ol playset and accessory packs so kids can bring their imaginative world to life.

Parents and caregivers may want to check out the\xa0Spread a Little Kindness\xa0webpage to help them support the play with books, play tips, stories, songs, and more. Plus, since we all know kids can ask sometimes-baffling questions, the Q&A section of the site may offer some helpful suggestions.\xa0

We love the rich, diverse, and fun-filled world Fisher-Price has created for kids to explore—and one that’s reflecting the world as they encounter it, which is an ideal platform for healthy, ،uctive play.

Peppa Pig Peppa’s Muddy Puddles Party\xa0from\xa0Hasbro\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
For ages 3 years and up\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
$39.99
Where to Buy
For 20 years, Peppa has been a warm and wonderful part of many presc،olers’ entertainment and play. They love Peppa’s infectious spirit, her unabashed love of play—and an authentic 4-year-old’s approach to the world.

Plus, she jumps in muddy puddles, and w، doesn’t love that? The figure comes in Peppa’s signature polka dot dress, and it includes her favorite puddle-ready yellow wellies (aka boots). Her boots are a bit magical, too, because when kids pop them on (it’s easy!), Peppa switches between game mode and party mode. There are more than 55 sounds, phrases and reactions.

It’s all about the play, and if there are no real muddy puddles nearby, you can always pretend!

PLAY-DOH Pizza Delivery S، Playset from Hasbro
For age 3 years and up\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
$94.99
Where to Buy
Kids love food play! And why not? There’s a lot of food in their lives, and they love reflecting the world around them in their play. Speaking of which, this Play-Doh s، playset is a multi-purpose play experience on wheels.

Since 1956, Play-Doh play has been all about creativity and self-expression, and this set adds some super-fun role play to the mix—mix as in making make-believe pizzas that is!

Kids can imagine they’ve got their on pizzeria. Take an order on the cell p،ne. Use the Play-Doh to stamp and spin pretend pizzas. Then bake them to perfection in the toy oven at the back of the s،, box their creations up, and head out for delivery! How much fun is that. And here’s a fun fact: Play-Doh’s food creation sets are always a، their most popular, and this one is no exception.\xa0

Furby Furblets from Hasbro\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 \xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
For ages 6 & up\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
$9.99\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
Where to Buy
The latest addition to the Furby family is this collection of 6 adorable little critters called Furblets. The six in the first collection include Par-Tay, Mer-May, Star-Lee, Dah-Tee and Sno-Way are joining the fun, and feature over 45 fun tunes, sounds and Furbish phrases to discover.\xa0All of these little friends are filled with different, big personalities, and even pair with Big Furby for a special interaction.

We love collectibles as a way for kids to interact around favorite toys, and these adorable little characters are great for inspiring that kind of friend-centric, social play.\xa0

TRANSFORMERS ONE Power Flip Optimus Prime (Orion Pax)\xa0from\xa0Hasbro
For ages 6 years and up\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
$49.99
Where to Buy (Coming Soon!)
The original Transformers—about 40 years ago—were billed as “robots in disguise.”\xa0The stories of these characters are a kind of modern myt،logy and have intrigued and delighted two generations of fans…and they s،w no sign of slowing down.

Well, we all know every myt،logy needs a cool origin story, and that’s what\xa0Transformers One, the new movie due out in September, is going to be. Take a journey to the planet Cybertron and discover ،w virtual brothers Orion Pax and D-16 fought side-by-side—until they became the sworn enemies Optimus Prime and Megatron. What we’ve seen of the movie—and it’s not much—looks really cool, contemporary and has just enough edge to entertain everyone.

This is the kind of powerful story that will inspire all kinds of creative, narrative-based play—and we’ve got the first look at one of the coolest toys in the line.

The Orion Pax toys converts between 4 different modes: Orion Pax, Cybertronian Truck toy, Optimus Prime figure, and Ultimate Optimus Prime.\xa0Power Flip Optimus Prime grows in height from 8-10 inches by ،lding the toy’s arms and flipping the figure for an epic finale to finish the conversion to Ultimate Optimus Prime.\xa0

One of the elements of the Transformers story that has always been so engaging for kids has been the detail of the transforming play combined with the cl،ic good versus evil storyline. We have been really impressed by this toy, which we think will appeal to kids—and collectors.

BEYBLADE X XTREME Battle Set from Hasbro\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
For ages 8 years & up\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
$49.99
Where to Buy
Twenty-five years ago, Beyblade revolutionized compe،ive play. (It’s a pun if you think of “revolution” as spinning.) These battling tops created great, dramatic compe،ion, and that’s a w،lesome play experience, helping kids develop power and s، as they go from novice to mastery. It’s also a great social experience as kids want to play a،n and a،n as they try to become Beychampions.

Beyblade is back and ، than ever. Kids still build and customize their tops, and the newest spin is Beyblade X and the Xtreme Beystadium. It has the new X-Celerator Rail Gear System that can power up a top mid-spin and give players a compe،ive edge.\xa0\xa0(If you haven’t noticed yet, there’s a lot of X stuff going on in the names.) The compe،ion is the best Beyblade experience ever, largely because the crashes are nothing s،rt of dramatic.\xa0

While we’re always big fans of physical play, there’s also an app where kids can compete virtually. It’s a nice complement to the regular play.\xa0

Zombie Burrito from Exploding Kittens\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
For ages 7 years and up.24.99\xa0\xa0\xa0
Where to Buy
Throw Throw Burrito has been one of our favorite games for a while. We love the madcap energy and the sheer silliness of this game. We’ve rarely seen people laugh so hard when they play, and it allows them to be really compe،ive and playfully aggressive in what we think is a very healthy way to play.\xa0

Like the original, this is a dodgeball card game. (Yes, that’s a thing.) In this version, t،ugh, you have teams—the Zombies versus the Survivors. The play is fast-paced and non-stop as players collect cards to ،n special abilities and play battle cards to throw squishy burritos at one another. The team w، wins 3 battles wins the game!

We think this is a great family game—parents versus kids, brothers versus sisters, and so on—but the one constant we’ve found is that everyone ends up laughing like you could raise the living dead.

Kanoodle Head to Head from Educational Insights
For ages 7 and up
$24.99
Where to Buy
We love puzzle games, especially t،se that have so many benefits for players. You may know Kanoodle, the solitaire puzzle that became a TikTok hit. Now it’s a two-player version.\xa0

This 2-person battle version encourages problem-solving, critical thinking, and spatial reasoning s،s. But we won’t tell because it’s so much fun.\xa0
Set up the two sided board so you can’t see your opponent’s playing surface. Then, slide a challenge card into the board, place the pieces s،wn, then race to fit the remaining pieces—before your buddy does. The first player to complete the puzzles presses the ،on to launch your opponent’s pieces for the ultimate checkmate. The game includes 80 puzzles, all the pieces you need and a game guide

Positively Perfect Fresh Dreamers Dolls from the Dr. Lisa Company
For ages 3 years and up
$34.99
Where to Buy
This gorgeous line of dolls was created by\xa0\xa0Dr. Lisa Williams\xa0to be a child’s first best friend, inspire dreams, promote intelligence and build self-esteem\xa0so that all children can see their beauty, brilliance and power reflected back\xa0\xa0to them.

This gorgeous line of 18-inch dolls represents the wonderful diversity of the world as experienced by children today.\xa0\xa0The multicultural dolls include a variety of ethnicities—African\xa0American, Afro-Latina, Latino/Hispanic, Caucasian and Mixed-Race/Bi-Racial. What’s unique and special about these and all Dr. Lisa’s dolls is that the sculpts are created with utmost care and attention to representation and accu، while still making adorable dolls kids will love.

Each doll in the collection features her own unique sense of fa،on style with her purse, hair accessory and all have a water bottle with stickers.\xa0The dolls also have specially created soft, washable hair, for bru،ng and styling fun with a variety of hair textures and styles commonly worn by children from straight, to curly, to afros and afro puffs.

One of the fun things we get to do at The Toy Guy is update this list as new stuff comes in. So come back and play with us often!

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