NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--During a toy industry press conference in New York City today, TimetoPlayMag.com, the number one source for all things play, announced its Holiday 2012 Most Wanted list, naming the 18 toys predicted by the editors to top holiday wish lists.
Hosted by Jim Silver, editor in chief, and Chris Byrne, content director aka The Toy Guy®, the press conference kicked off a day-long event showcasing top toy manufacturers and entertainment companies. Participating exhibitors displayed and demonstrated a wide range of new toys, video games, apps, and entertainment products that will hit store shelves in time for the holiday crunch.
Recognized as the official kick-off to the holiday family entertainment editorial season, the press conference addressed the current state of the toy industry and consumer trends, and introduced those toys that will be exciting kids and the culture at large in the fourth quarter. In addition to revealing the Most Wanted list, the Time to Play team announced its annual Most Wanted Video Games list naming the family friendly video games predicted to be the hottest titles this holiday season with fun and appropriate content for kids of all ages.
“It’s a big year for entertainment and character based toys and there are terrific products available at every price point,” said Jim Silver, editor in chief TimetoPlayMag.com. “From classics like My Little Pony and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to recent introductions like Monster High and Doc McStuffins, gift givers can find today’s most popular properties as the perfect stocking stuffer or that big gift under the tree.”
“With thousands toys launching this fall, consumers are faced with many options and value continues to be a top consideration for parents and toy buyers,” said Chris Byrne, content director TimetoPlayMag.com. “We don’t measure value solely in dollars spent; value for kids is defined by the levels of play and imaginative engagement over time. And as excited as we are about our lists, we know every child is different, and the best lists are those that reflect an individual child’s wishes.”
Predicted to be the most popular and best-selling toys of Holiday 2012, the products named to the Time to Play Most Wanted list appear in order of age appropriateness:
THOMAS
& FRIENDS STEAM N SPEED R/C THOMAS
(FISHER-PRICE/Ages 2
years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $45)
LEAPPAD2
EXPLORER
(LEAPFROG/Ages 3 years & up/Approx. Retail Price:
$99.99)
DOC
MCSTUFFINS TIME FOR YOUR CHECKUP DOLL
(JUST PLAY/Ages 3
years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $39.99)
LITTLE
TIKES iTIKES CANVAS
(MGA ENTERTAINMENT/Ages 3 years &
up/Approx. Retail Price $39.99)
WINX
CLUB EVERYDAY CONCERT COLLECTIONS and BELIEVIX
DOLLS
(JAKKS PACIFIC/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail
Price: $12.99 - $13.99)
LEAPSTER
GS
(LEAPFROG/Ages 4 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $69.99)
TEENAGE
MUTANT NINJA TURTLES BASIC FIGURES and DELUXE
POWER SOUNDS FX FIGURES
(PLAYMATES TOYS/Ages 4 years &
up/Approx. Retail Price: $7.99 - $12.99)
LALALOOPSY
SOFT DOLLS
(MGA Entertainment/Ages 4 years & up/Approx.
Retail Price: $14.99)
MY
LITTLE PONY PONY PRINCESS WEDDING CASTLE PLAYSET
(HASBRO/Ages
3 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $34.99)
MONSTER
HIGH GHOULS RULE DOLLS and MONSTER
HIGH HIGH SCHOOL
(MATTEL/Ages 6 years & up/Approx. Retail
Price: $29.99 - $94.99)
MEGA
BLOKS SKYLANDERS CONSTRUCTION SETS
(MEGA Brands/Ages 5
years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $11.99 - $29.99)
LEGO
FRIENDS
(LEGO/Ages 6 years & up/Approx. Retail Price:
$19.99 - $49.99)
WWE
BRAWLIN’ BUDDIES
(MATTEL/Ages 3 years & up/Approx. Retail
Price: $29.99)
BARBIE
PHOTO FASHION DOLL
(MATTEL/Ages 6 years & up/Approx. Retail
Price: $49.99)
APPFINITY
APPDRIVE
(SPIN MASTER/Ages 7 years & up/Approx. Retail
Price: $19.99)
FURBY
(HASBRO/Ages
6 years & up/Approx. Retail Price: $59.99)
AIR
HOGS R/C HELI REPLAY
(SPIN MASTER/Ages 12 years &
up/Approx. Retail Price: $44.99)
NERF
N-STRIKE ELITE HAIL-FIRE BLASTER
(HASBRO/Ages 8 years &
up/Approx. Retail Price: $39.99)
About TimetoPlayMag.com
TimetoPlayMag.com is a playful destination website which provides independent reviews of children’s toys, games, apps, video games, family entertainment, and all things play.
One of the most highly trafficked family-friendly websites, TimetoPlayMag.com offers parents and gift givers comprehensive content including hundreds of product reviews and recommendations; hot toy lists and editors' picks; a product/gift finder; informative and amusing blog entries from leading toy, family entertainment, and parenting experts; seasonal stories; safety tips and recall information; daily giveaways of in demand toys and more. The site is fully COPPA compliant.
Over the past fifteen years, Silver, Byrne and their seasoned editorial team have accurately predicted each season’s hottest, best-selling toys and correctly identified the industry's most prevalent product and financial trends.
Make friends with the Time to Play team online: Facebook.com/TimetoPlayMag, Twitter.com/TimetoPlay, YouTube.com/TimetoPlayMag.
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