It is that time of year. Store shelves are piled a mile high and shoppers are eager to purchase those must-have toys. Toy Expert with Mastermind Toys, Katrina Fyfle, said this year, while there isn’t one item everyone wants, there are a lot of popular pieces.
“We are seeing a trend this year in board games,” she said. “More of that group party game style that you can play with the whole family.”
WATCH: The best toys this holiday season
Fyfle said her personal favourite is “Pencil Nose,” a Pictionary-style game where you draw with your nose and a dry erase marker. She said another popular option, especially with kids, is “What’s That Smell.”
“You get a card and have to identify the scent,” she said. “If you get it wrong, you take a ‘punishment scent’ card and those are bad.”
The punishment scents range from smelly feet to dirty diapers. Fyfle said it is a hit.
“Kids especially love this one,” she said. “They think it is hilarious.”
WATCH: Hot Christmas toys for kids
She said another popular trend is in tech toys. Popular options there include DJ-BOT, a programmable robot that dances and acts as a wireless speaker.
“A lot of our tech toys this year are very interactive,” said Fyfle. “The new Fingerlings release, Fingerlings Hugs, has motion sensors so if you throw him in the air, he likes that and if you swing him around, he will make noise.”
She said overall, they are seeing more interactive toys this year and games that connect the whole family.