Revealing the Top 5 Canadian Toy and Gaming Trends for the Holidays

From tablets to movie characters to old-school toys, certain trends are hard to ignore. As the authority on toys in Canada, Toys“R”Us highlights this season’s must-have items.

1 Video Game and Digital Play Toy-Mashups

Merging the worlds of physical and traditional action figure play with video game technology provides an entirely new gaming experience which comes to life with properties like Skylanders Swap Force and Disney Infinity where toy figures are placed on a portal that transports the characters onto your screen. App based games like the new Angry Birds Star Wars Telepods and Furby Boom, not only provide play value alone, but when integrated into the digital app world offer additional character levels, powers and storylines.

2 Blockbuster Toys

One trend that never dies: turning best-selling family movie characters into toys for kids to continue the narrative long after their favourite movie is over. This year, look for characters from Monsters University, Smurfs 2, Disney’s Frozen and the Exclusive Collector’s Edition voice activated Talking Minion Dave, from Despicable Me 2. Even loveable characters from popular TV shows like Doc McStufﬁns, Jake and the Never Land Pirates and the Fisher-Price Talking Soﬁa the First with Animal Friends, are sure to delight preschoolers.

In 2013, the Canadian toy market totalled $1.45 billion* In 2013, Arts and crafts represented $10 0.7 million in sales for the 3 Canadian toy market* DIY Projects

The holidays are a time to get crafty. Now it’s possible to invent customized marker colours with the Crayola Marker Maker, or make your very own mini snow globes with Glitzi Globes. Even sewing is back in vogue. With the Sew Cool threadless sewing machine from Spinmaster, kids can safely make their own mini felt pillows in a variety of shapes and colours.

In 2013, Action figures represented $84.3 million in sales for the Canadian toy market*

4 Reinvented Classics

Remember My Little Pony, Power Rangers, Cabbage Patch Kids and the Easy Bake Oven? Well, they’re back with updated features for a new generation to enjoy. Celebrating their 30th anniversary, the Cabbage Patch Kids have an Exclusive Twin Cuddlers and Stroller Set that little ones will love. My Little Pony Equestria Girls re-envisions the ponies as human characters in a new doll line and the Power Rangers commemorate their 20th with the Exclusive Legacy Megazord. 5 Kid-Friendly Tablets

Parents know all too well that little ﬁngers love the easy touch screen that tablets provide. This holiday, children can have fun with the Kurio 7S from Techno Source, which has fun apps and parental controls for Internet browsing and time allotment per day. Also popular this season with tons of curriculum based software and learning activities are the Jake & The Never Land Pirates Innotab 3S bundle, the LeapPad 2 bundle branded with Disney’s Soﬁa the First, and Toys“R”Us’ own tablet, the Tabeo.

* Source: Nielsen MarketTrack, National Toy Market, 52 Week Period Ending August 24, 2013 - Android is a trademark of Google Inc. Kurio™, the KD™ logo, the names, graphics, and brands mentioned on this product are registered trademarks of the KD GROUP™. - Despicable Me 2 is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All rights reserved - ™ & © 2013 SCG Power Rangers LLC. All Rights Reserved. User Under Authorization. - Furby Boom™ is a trademark of Hasbro™ and used by permission. ©2013 Hasbro. All rights reserved. - MY LITTLE PONY EQUESTRIA GIRLS™ is a trademark of Hasbro™ and used by permission. © 2013 Hasbro. All rights reserved. - ™ & © 2013 SCG Power Rangers LLC. All Rights Reserved. User Under Authorization. - SMURFS™ & © Peyo 2013 - ©2012 Moose Enterprize Pty Ltd. - © Disney 2013 - © 2011-2013 Activision Publishing, Inc. SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE and ACTIVISION are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc.