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As the site's resident toy expert—I'm the author behind The Strategist's “Toy Store” and gift guides for all ages—I get an early look at the latest and greatest new toys, often before they hit shelves. There are dozens of new releases every month, so before the holidays I wrote a toy-focused edition of Don't Dillydally. Here are the new releases I'm particularly excited about at the moment, including Areaware's Frank Lloyd Wright Blockitecture set, Jellycat's Christmas stuffies, and some of my favorite Wicked merch.
Every year Jellycat releases a new collection of holiday-themed plush toys that sell out quickly. As with any hot holiday toy, stock of this year's designs will fluctuate; The coveted and highly giftable gingerbread house has already run out. But for now you can at least buy eggplants with earmuffs, a peanut with antlers, a festive (but grumpy) turtle, a cute little elf, a turkey with a hat, a ski mouse and a Christmas tree.
MGA's Miniverse series of tiny DIY foods, Harry Potter potions, and do-it-yourself home decor is especially popular with crafty tweens. Now the brand has released some mega packs that contain almost ten times more miniature things to assemble. You can choose from a food buffet, a plant and vegetable set and a spa set.
Lovevery has just launched a realistic play kitchen that comes fully equipped with a working sink, dish rack, cutting board, child-safe wooden knife, colander and utensil drawer, as well as stainless steel utensils. Thanks to a refillable tank and faucet above the sink and a catch basin underneath, kids can actually wash dishes with real running water. You can also choose from six stylish backsplash designs.
The number of licensed toys linked to the new Wicked film is very high, as is the film's lengthy press tour. But among all the green and pink, there are a handful of toys that are more than just collectibles. Of all the LEGO x Wicked sets, I like this one, which lets kids build their own 12cm Glinda and Elphaba dolls and pose them in a recreation of the Defying Gravity scene. American Girl's Wicked Costume Pack for 18-inch dolls is remarkably sophisticated and understated – it includes Glinda's blue satin dress, accessorized with a rhinestone necklace, tiara, scepter, and satin shoes, and Elphaba's black ruffled top and skirt comes with it a witch hat, a broom and black boots. And for Monopoly fans there is a special “Wicked” edition set in Oz, with magical golden pawns, coins instead of paper money and many locations from the film.
In addition to the Wicked set above, there are many notable new, more expensive LEGO sets. Some of my favorites include a two-story natural history museum with a Brachiosaurus skeleton, a Peely Bone figure from the new LEGO x Fortnite collection with buildable guts, and a two-in-one Deku Tree from Legends of Zelda with multiple figure versions of Link and the young Princess Zelda. There is also an incredible clear botanical garden greenhouse set; a giant replica of Sir Ernest Shackleton's wrecked ship, the Endurance; and a Disney set with several scenes featuring Mickey from The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Simba, Sebastian, Flounder and Bruno in front of the Madrigal House from Encanto.
We're long-time Blockitecture fans at the Strategist and have featured the New York City set in our guide to the best gifts for 5-year-olds for three years. Areaware's latest set is based on the designs of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright and I'm about to buy it for myself. In addition to being an excellent building toy for children and a decorative item for adults, it is also a gift with a purpose as a portion of sales go to supporting the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.
This adorable RV ride-on toy from Radio Flyer was featured in the Strategist Holiday Printable Gift Guide for its clever, multi-purpose design. When it's closed, kids can romp around on it, then park it and open it up to play with the Bear Family RV set up inside.
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The Strategist aims to provide useful, expert buying recommendations across the e-commerce landscape. Each product is independently selected by our editorial team, which you can read about here. We update the links when possible. However, please note that offers may expire and all prices are subject to change.
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