These Are the 14 Hottest Trends For Toys That Every Parent Should Know About

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Straight from the runways, er, aisles of New York City, Toy Fair 2016 debuted the newest toys and trends for this year. It doesn't matter if you consider yourself a toy expert after all of those birthday parties and trips to Toys R Us, you're going to want to check out the coolest gadgets about to hit the shelves. From strong female role models to tech-savvy smart toys (even one that can teach your tot to code!), these toys have reoccurring themes that both kids and parents are loving — and that you can expect to see on everyone's wish list this year.

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Powerful Women
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Powerful Women

Thanks to the new toys being released throughout 2016, more than ever before, little kids will have the opportunity to play with dolls that reflect real women both inside in out. This strong and diverse lineup of new dolls includes powerful characters, including DC's female superheroes as well as Disney's first Latina princess.

Quite possibly the most stylish Barbies to date, President Barbie is decked out in red, white, and blue, and her right-hand woman, Vice President Barbie, is in an adorable yellow peplum top — with fashion like that, they're totally ready to run the country!

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Mattel's DC superheroes are the first action figures specifically designed for girls. While these new DC characters, which include Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Batgirl, might look feminine, they are also extremely strong. The dolls are half an inch taller than Barbie and have moveable joints, perfect for kicking some serious butt.

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Disney will introduce its latest princess, Elena of Avalor, in a new Disney Channel series this Summer. Elena of Avalor is the first Latina princess and, of course, there are plenty of dolls to accompany her introduction.

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The new Barbie Fashionistas Line features Barbies with different skin tones, body types, eye colors, and hair styles to give your kiddo infinite ways to play with a Barbie that looks a bit more like herself and the girls and women in her own life.

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Tech Toys
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Tech Toys

From jaw-dropping 3D printers just for kids to a caterpillar that actually teaches toddlers how to code, the newest tech toys will top your kiddo's list without breaking your budget. And with children addicted to tablets and phones, these smart toys will fill their need for modern technology while also actually teaching them!

Along with the new Mini Star Wars Saga, the Crayola Virtual Design Pro Disney Princess set provides tools and software to bring your child's designs to life with a smartphone, tablet, or iPod touch. This interactive product allows children to transition between online and offline fun!

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The Thingmaker 3D Printer helps your kiddo to make their very own toys. Using an app to create hundreds and hundreds of different figure/color toy combinations, they can create their perfect toys and send them to the printer to be made right before their eyes.

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First introduced at Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year, Fisher-Price's Code-a-Pillar will give preschoolers their earliest introduction to coding. Kids control how they want the caterpillar to move and watch as he follows their commands.

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This printer takes the world of Qixels into 3D and allows your littles to create their own characters and learn the science behind 3D printing — plus, there will be refill packs with different themes to keep them loving this printer for a long time.

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The new Barbie dream house is a "smart" house that can communicate and interact with your child depending on the way they want to play. It features four modes of play — including a superfun dance party mode — and like all the Dream Houses past, it will provide hours and hours of imaginative fun.

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Lifelike Animals
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Lifelike Animals

For the child who loves animals and the parents who aren't the biggest fan of pets: 2016 is the year of the compromise. With an array of lifelike animals to take care of and cuddle with, these sweeties are just as cute as the real deal without the work!

Lil' Puppy moves and sounds just like a real puppy. He's light and soft for snuggling with and interacts with your little to make it seem like they have a real-life puppy to care for and love (which will help you put off getting them an actual puppy before they're ready — win).

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The Lil' Turtle comes in fun colors and designs and swims around their cage without needing feeding or cleaning.

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Fur Real Friends Pax My Poopin' Pup's name really explains what he does. Pax may look adorable, but after feeding him some "treats," your little one will be cleaning up after him. Maybe it's good practice for a live family pet!

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No matter how many Lil' birds your kiddo has, they will enjoy hours of fun letting their Little Live Pets Tweet Talking Duck and Baby record and repeat each other's words.

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For those little ones who love collecting the Little Live Pets Tweet Talking Birds, they'll be seriously impressed with the new cage upgrade.

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Healthcare
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Healthcare

The doctor's office is so much less scary when your little one is in control! Not only are these medical sets educational, but they're also super fun and relate well to what children are learning in school and at home.

One of the most interesting items we saw at the show was Playmobil's upcoming Children's Hospital playset. The includes figures in various situations including surgery, resting in a hospital room, and a nursery.

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The classic Play Doh Drill and Fill is back in honor of the dough company's 60th birthday!

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Disgusting Anatomy will expand its line to include gummy hearts and brains while teaching kids about how their bodies work.

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As a part of their series 8 box, Lego Mixels are adding a dentist collection that adds some humor in the doctor's office and his or her unfamiliar tools.

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Surprise Packs
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Surprise Packs

Many toy companies are getting in on the blind pack fun with surprise sets of their own. Kiddos love the mystery of not knowing what they're going to get and building a collection.

A new line of blind bag collectibles is coming in the form of Splashlings — adorable little mermaids, fish, and shells that can be played with solo or with a playset (pictured) that is sold separately.

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With different-size collectible packages to pick from, Num Noms make great gifts for any occasion. Everyone will want to know what they're going to get from the mystery food-inspired packs.

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Lego Minifigures series 16 will be introducing new surprise characters that your kiddo will want to add to their collection ASAP.

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With the Trolls movie due to hit theaters this year, there will be plenty of blind bag collectibles out there for tots to collect and trade. Our favorite may be the one who's all hair!

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Funko Frozen Mystery Minis are blind packs of your little one's favorite characters and will continue capture tots' imaginations.

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Science With a Twist
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Science With a Twist

While kids still love the traditional science experiment lab sets, these new toys are a fun twist that are just as informative without feeling nerdy. While some kids turn up their nose at "educational" toys, your little one will be having too much fun with these gadgets to realize just how much they're learning from them!


Quite possibly the coolest gadget your child has every played with, Project Mc2 Circuit Beats allows them to make music out of science. Simply hook up the circuit board with buttons to any object they want to use as an "instrument," and pick from five different sound options. They'll be amazed when they see how they can play guitar with a banana!

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Bue Orange's Dr. Eureka hits stores in March. The game had kids "mixing formulas" by moving marbles from one tube to another without ever touching them with their hands.

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Recycle old crayon bits while teaching your child the science of melting and molding with the Crayola Crayon Factory. Mix in new color options and watch them transform into customized creations! The newly molded car, heart, or puppy crayons give new life to your old art supplies and make coloring more fun.

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Bryden Bandweth isn't the only one who can figure out who is telling the truth! Disguised as a mint box, the Project Mc2 Lie Detector is exactly what your little tech genius needs to uncover the truth. The device actually senses moisture from fingers to detect the answers.

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Accessory-Making
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Accessory-Making

These DIY accessory sets take personalized jewelry to a new level. From giving kids the ability to make wearable pieces that can easily be deconstructed to custom jewels and baubles that make the perfect gifts for friends, your budding fashionista will be beyond pleased with the crafty selections this year.

Your mini fashionista can create custom and wearable gel jewelry, charms, key chains, and decor with the Crayola Jewel Maker.

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The Skills For Life line expands to include crocheting with some cute (and wearable!) projects.

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Your creative child can use the Linx Infinity kit to make beautiful jewelry that is easy to snap together and wear with their favorite fashion pieces but can also be taken apart to build something new when the trends change.

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Construction Kits
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Construction Kits

Construction toys are completely expanding from traditional types and genders. A category that used to be pretty exclusive to boys is now breaking the mold (literally) with different types of options for all children of every age.

In time for the live-action film coming out next year, Lego is releasing Princess Belle's Enchanted Castle set ($50).

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Your child can re-create the NBA Slam Dunk contest with this full court C3 NBA Construction Toys set that comes with five figures and five basketballs.

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These blind bag toys have been reimagined for the new C3 Kinstructions line so that little ones can build up the world of Shopkins with multiple construction sets. Complete with a pizza parlor and sushi shop, the deluxe set will let your children play with their Shopkins in an imaginative way.

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The Real Construction building sets come with sheets of foam wood and plastic nails and saws and instructions for creating several projects.

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Batman vs. Superman
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Batman vs. Superman

If your child is a big superhero fan, they likely have already picked sides between Superman and Batman — and are going to stick to them before and after the newest movie. Whether you opt for toy sets that feature the duo battling out or team activities where each child can represent their side, these toys will prove their loyalty.

Remember Sky Dancers? Well, they're back in the form of some of DC's superheroes, like Superman and Batman (and Ninja Turtles, too!).

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With this Fisher-Price playset, Batman and Superman go head to head to find out which superhero will stand strong! Bonus: Batman can actually fly!

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Franklin Sports will get in on the Superman and Batman fun with basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, and more.

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Franklin Sports is also getting in on the Superman versus Batman mania with a line of sports gear for kids — including Superman and Batman street hockey goalie masks.

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Nostalgia
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Nostalgia

Nostalgic toys aren't just great because they tend to be tech-free alternatives to smartphones and tablets. They also provide a major flashback to parents and grandparents — and make them want to get in on the fun. With revamped favorites from the past, many adults are going to love building new memories with these classic favorites.

Lite Brite is better than ever! The set comes with new piece shapes — including elbows, triangles, and fish — four light modes, and a translucent carrying case to make finding pieces easier (especially on the go).

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If you recall begging your sibling for a chance to play on their electronic sports game — the first handheld video game! — you're about to get a kick right in the nostalgia. Electronic sports — baseball, football, basketball, and more — are back and ready to educate a new age of kids in both bribery tactics and sibling rivalry.

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If the scent of artificial strawberries brings you back to your childhood room with your soft Strawberry Shortcake doll, you're not alone. Now that same scent memory can be engrained in your child's mind with this retro version of the beloved doll.

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The iconic Chatter Phone is coming back so that a new generation of kids can play with the same toy phone you did — but you might have to explain to them what a landline is first!

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Food Prep
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Food Prep

Toys revolving around food are nothing new, but with the massive popularity of Shopkins, there are more options for everyone when it comes to grocery shopping and food prep fun.

This adorable S'mores Food Truck comes with everything you need bake up some tasty s'mores — a pan, marshmallow packet, chocolate packet, and graham cracker.

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We can't wait to see the funny sandwich creations kids come up with when they play with Melissa and Doug's Stack and Toss Deli Center later this year.

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Kids can roll and slice their way to sushi heaven with Melissa and Doug's Roll, Wrap, and Slice Sushi Counter when it is released later this year.

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Basic sewing skills are all kids need to complete the adorable projects in Klutz's Sew Mini Treats kit.

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Miniatures
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Miniatures

Not only do mini toys just fit better in little hands, they're just so irresistibly cute. Mini toy sets lend well to large collections while also cutting down on the clutter and storage — which makes for both happy children and parents.

You'll be hard-pressed to find erasers as cute as the ones your kids will create with Klutz's Mini Erasers kit.

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When your little graduates from Play-Doh but isn't ready for free play with clay, they can use Poppit to create premolded puppies, desserts, bags, and more that look adorable and harden so that they can be used for playing over and over without getting ruined.

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Like a modern Polly Pocket, My Mini MixieQ's are little figure collectibles that come in blind bags, making half of the fun the mystery of the draw!

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Available in the Fall, the Shopkins Food Fair Truck will give your kiddo's Shopkins characters a fun place to hang out — it comes with the food truck, a mini table and chairs, and four mix-and-match figures.

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Star Wars
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Star Wars

With new movies and a TV series, it feels like pretty much every kid is obsessed with Star Wars these days. Even if your kiddo already has an entire play section dedicated to fighting the Dark Side, these new options are guaranteed to please.

The annual Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar ($40) will be released later this year to help your kiddo celebrate the days leading up to Christmas with some awesome Star Wars minifigures and sets.

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Because what Stormtrooper doesn't need a Super Soaker to get him through those hot Summer days.

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Lego is adding 25 new sets in 2016 that are inspired by classic Star Wars films, the new animated TV series, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens — plus a few scenes from the upcoming movie Star Wars: Rogue One — including the Clone Turbo Tank set ($110).

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Mr. Potato Head will expand its line of Mashups to include some of the cutest Star Wars figures we've ever seen.

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More than just a 12-inch figurine, Hasbro's Star Wars InteracTech Stormtrooper actually reacts to movement with lights and sounds thanks to his built-in motion sensors. He actually talks to tots thanks to 70 sound effects embedded in him, and just wait until you put a blaster in his hands — that's when an Imperial insignia lights up on his chest and he starts making blaster sounds! This is truly one of the coolest toys we saw at the event.

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Remote-Control Toys
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Remote-Control Toys

While we don't recommend buying a drone for your child, that doesn't mean they can't have toys that fly high or drive fast! Warning: make sure that hoverboarding Barbie and Batman's Batcopter are in communication before take off to avoid any in-air accidents!

The Skyshock RC goes from a race car on land to an air racer with the help of a handy remote and some pop-out wings.

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Jakks Pacific is introducing the XPV Marvel RC Rollover Rumbler, a remote-control car that kids can switch up between Captain America and Iron Man. But even more impressive are flips and 360s the vehicle can do on command.

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In a new movie coming this Fall, Barbie the space explorer rides her hover board to save the day, and your child will be able to relive the movie scenes and spend hours of fun with this remote-control RC Hover Board.

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This supercool DinoTrux RC communicates with its remote control — named Rev It — to play hide-and-seek (your child can place Rev It up to eight feet away to be found), have dance parties, or to follow the leader (your child can walk around with Rev It and the DinoTrux will follow both of them!).

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Launch Batman through the air as he battles Superman with his flying Batcopter — perfect for outdoor play.