The 20 toys your kids already want for Christmas (and where to buy them cheap)
These are the toys that your kids will be writing to Santa about - and we've found them at the lowest prices currently available.
Unlike the toy lists recently published by Walmart, Toys R Us and Target, we're not locked in to the inventory from just one store, and that's what makes our list special. Once we made our picks, the Brad's Deals team scoured the internet to find the lowest prices available today on every single one. In several cases, the toys we chose were listed by one merchant and found much cheaper at another!
Many of these will see better prices later in the season. For example, Kohl's will have some of their best promo codes of the year in the two weeks before Black Friday, and that will drastically soften the blow to your wallet. In other cases, these toys will be so popular that we're not expecting pricing to change between now and Christmas.
Brad's Deals Top 20 Holiday Toys for 2015
Star Wars BladeBuilders Jedi Master Lightsaber
$44.99 at Kmart
This build-your-own-lightsaber kit is hands down THE toy of the season. No contest. It’s just expensive enough to be coveted, inexpensive enough to be affordable, and exudes an incredible amount of playground cool for both kids just discovering Star Wars and their parents who’ve never grown out of it. You can find it all over, but Kmart had the best price we found by several dollars.
FurReal Star Lily, My Magical Unicorn
$94.79 at Amazon
FurReal has always done well with kitties and puppies, but this sparkly winged rainbow unicorn is a whole new level of adorable. Something tells us this is going to be the toy that launches a thousand temper tantrums, and while we don’t think it’s likely to get much cheaper, even meager sales on this sparkly robot unicorn are going to sell out in the blink of an eye.
Air Hogs Remote Control Ultimate Millennium Falcon Quad
$84.99 at Target with promo code FORCE (until 9/12)
MSRP is $109.99 and there’s no guarantee we’ll see this super-popular drone at this price again before the holiday. Amazon, Target and Walmart are all taking orders right now at or near this price, so if you want it, grab it now. With Star Wars fever set to intensify as the movie’s release date nears, this is probably your best chance at grabbing one at less than MSRP.
Guitar Hero Live
$98.99 at Overstock
This jamtastic, family-friendly video game is available for pre-order now and is set to be officially released on October 20. You could pick it up just about anywhere for $99.99, but ordering from Overstock is a dollar cheaper AND let's you skip the sales tax.
Frozen Sing Along with Elsa Doll
$39.67 at Amazon
I know, I know, you're probably sick and tired of hearing "Let It Go," but while Elsa’s stranglehold on the princess set finally appears to be waning, you're probably going to have to put up with it for a few more years. This cute sing-a-long doll is guaranteed to be hit with die-hard Frozen fans.
Rainbow Brite Dolls
Exclusively at Hallmark
If you were hanging around the Brad’s Deals office today, you might have heard a bunch of “Awwwww…” from the girls when we found Rainbow Brite. The post-millennial reappearance of 1980s icon Rainbow Brite appears to be happening exclusively at Hallmark, but she’ll be popular with nostalgic moms and daughters of just the right age.
Girl Scouts Cookie Oven
$59.94 at Amazon
Give the gift of year-round Girl Scout cookies without the pesky doorbell rings and the month-long wait for your precious goods. Snatch up this Girl Scout Cookie Oven from Amazon and you can BAKE THIN MINTS IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME! Unreal. We totally want one of these for the Brad’s Deals office. Santa? Are you listening?
Star Wars BB-8 Droid R/C
$79.99 at Target
BB-8 is going to be the belle of the ball throughout the holidays and well into 2016. Of the remote control options on the market, this Target-exclusive version is the most affordable - if you can find it in stock (and it’s currently not). There’s a booming black market on eBay, and they’re not exactly selling there at a discount. If you’re dead set on getting your very own BB-8 droid, a number of stores, including Amazon, ThinkGeek, and Discovery Channel Storeare still taking orders for the excellent Sphero version, priced at $149.95. They’re temporarily sold out, of course, so shipping will be delayed. (Apple Store, Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, Radio Shack, Meijer, Bed Bath & Beyond, AT&T, Sprint and some smaller hobby shops will start selling it in-stores between today 9/10 and 10/10, depending on when their stock arrives. Check Sphero’s list of retail partners to see everyone who will be carrying it.) We’re unlikely to be treated to any discounts on these, so buy early for the best shot at Christmas delivery.
Hot Wheels Star Wars Death Star Portable Playset
$15.99 at Amazon
This Death Star case is the epitome of cool for younger Star Wars fans, and its affordable price is a breath of fresh air for parents. This portable playset can hold tons of Hot Wheels cars and star ships, and includes a ramp that can "send cars racing at light speed." What more could a young Jedi ask for?!
Little Live Pets Clever Keet
$48.87 at Amazon
The Little Live Pets butterfly was extremely popular last year, and this adorable parakeet is perfectly poised as its successor in the 2015 holiday market. You can give your bird a name, and he'll remember your favorite phrases and say them back to you! This set comes with a little swing, a mini wagon and some cool perches for the pretty bird.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 24″Leonardo Playset
$88 at Walmart
Leonardo’s shell opens to reveal a whole lot of storage and play areas for even more Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle toys. It’s pretty awesome.
Nerf Zombie Strike SlingFire Blaster
$17.99 at Amazon and Target
Seriously, what is a holiday toy list without a NERF entry? Amazon probably has the edge here since it’s eligible for Prime shipping, but Target REDcard holders would get an automatic 5% off, so it’s a tough call.
Mattel View Master
Coming soon to Kohl’s
This entry from the Kohl’s toy list caught our attention thanks to the countless hours we spent as kids gazing at everything from dinosaurs to outer space through our little red plastic viewers. We really need more details on this one, since you can find everything from the 1980s classic red viewers from about $12 up to considerably more modern 3D models for $35, and it’s not clear which exactly Kohl’s will be selling since it’s not currently in their inventory. Whatever the price tag, this one hit us right in the feels and it’s ripe for rediscovery by today’s crop of kids. Viewmasters will be on the shelves at Kohl’s during the upcoming holiday season, but you can find them now through 3rd party sellers on Amazon, or pick up a classic View Master Discover Boxed Set for $19.95 if you have a Jet membership. Bonus: Once you have a viewer, there’s a seemingly endless selection of reels you can pick up on Amazon.
Imaginext Ultra T-Rex
$88.00 at Walmart and Amazon
If your kid is obsessed with dinosaurs--a pretty good bet considering the resurgence of all things Jurassic Park this year--this giant T-Rex will totally make their whole Christmas. We give Walmart the edge on this one since you can opt for in-store pickup and have it today.
Barbie Saddle ‘N Ride Horse
$44.44 at Amazon
You really can’t go wrong with Barbie and horses, and this one trots around all by itself, which makes it even more exciting for young Barbie-loving equestrians. It’s a winning combo, even if the price tag is a bit hefty. The best price we found was on Amazon, but it's bound to go down a bit as Black Friday approaches.
Meccano MeccaNoid G15
$179.99 at Target
The Meccanoid robot is a great gift for the future engineer in your life. Help your child assemble their new friend and watch as they experience the magical intersection of learning and playing. This toy appeared on multiple retailers’ toy lists this year, and that usually means they’re on to something. Target wins pricewise on the MeccaNoid thanks to the 5% discount that shoppers can score when they pay with a REDcard.
Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage Playset
$88.00 at Walmart
The latest crazy, creative Hot Wheels track is sure to please your car-loving kids. It’s not in stock at Walmart yet, but when it arrives it will be the best price by a landslide, Amazon will match the price almost immediately, and all of that makes it worth waiting for.
Star Wars Gaming Bundles
Coming in November
PlayStation has announced two different Star Wars bundles, due out in November. "The Limited Edition Star Wars Battlefront PS4 Bundle will include a custom 500GB limited edition PS4 system (CUH-1200 series) and DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller inspired by Darth Vader. The fully customized PS4 features an image of Darth Vader, as well as a repeatedStar Wars logo across the top of the system. The Darth Vader edition DUALSHOCK 4 is inspired by Darth Vader’s chest panel and features the repeated Star Wars logo on its touchpad," says PlayStation's official blog. They'll also be releasing a Limited Edition Disney Infinity 3.0: Star WarsPS4 Bundle that will be available on 11/17 exclusively at Walmart. We’re also looking for a Star Wars-themed bundle that includes the new 1TB Xbox One console that was released in July. Nothing has been announced, but Xbox would be silly not to do it.
Doc McStuffins Take Care of Me Lambie
$49.99 at Toys R Us
This interactive toy is sure to be a hit with any aspiring doctors in the house. Your little ones can channel their inner Doc McStuffins and help Lambie feel better by using the stethoscope, thermometer, otoscope and bandages. Press her tummy and she’ll tell you what’s wrong or sing you a song! No holiday toy list is complete without the sweet little Doc and her furry friends.
Zoomer Kitty Interactive Cat
$88.08 at Amazon
Amazon has the best price on the Zoomer kitty cat in basic black, but you can find pink at Walmart, orange tabby at Toys R Us, and bengal at Target for a few dollars more.
This article first appeared in Brad's Deals.
