After seeing thousands of new toys and board games at the 2015 Toy Fair, these are the ones that stood out for us. You'll find everything from smartphone controlled race cars and a talking Dino doll to a laser obstacle course and kid-size electric guitar — all of which we know will delight your kids. We were so excited about these new toys that we can't wait to test them out and possibly add them to our annual GH Best Toy Awards.
(Pre-order available, ages 6+, $14.99)
Created by composer and cellist, Phillip Sheppard, this toy helps children compose their own music. How? It includes 60 transparent music cards that kids can combine to create different sounds. Your mini maestro can then use a computer program to hear their tune played by famous musicians. Or they can print out their composition and play it themselves. Watch the video below to see Sheppard explain how he came up with this cool idea.
2. Wowwee R.E.V
(Available in Fall 2015, ages 8+, $99.99 for two cars)
Have a little race car fan? Then you'll want to check out the sleek Robotic Enhance Vehicles (R.E.V. for short) from Wowwee, the company that brought you 2014's Toy of the Year MiP.
Each kit comes with two cars that can be controlled with a smartphone. And kids can race against A.I. (artificial intelligence) or their friends. Bonus: There are multiple game modes and it includes fun accessories like a ramp where kids can launch their vehicle off and unlock hidden gems.
3. HexBug VEX Robotics Age of Innovation Machines
(Available now, Ages 8+, prices vary by kit)
At last year's Toy Fair, we thought the VEX IQ starter kit was pretty awesome. But Hexbug is back with an even cooler addition — the Vex Robotics, Age of Invention Machines collection. Designed to spark STEM-learning, it includes gears and hinges that can be used to build pint-size machines. There's the Zeotrope, which turns pictures into a movie scene, and my favorite, the Orbit, which depicts the orbit of the Earth around the sun and the moon around the Earth.
(Available now, ages 4+, $159.95 for the Cubelets Six Kit)
Our kid testers loved playing with these Modular Robotics last year. I can only imagine what their reaction will be when they find out they can now attach their favorite LEGO pieces to them. Even better: They can make their creations come to life and program them to perform actions!
5. Makey Makey
(Available now, ages 8+, $69.95)
Your kid lost his Nintendo game controller? No problem. With this easy-to-use kit, he can make a new one with playdoh, lead from a pencil, bananas or apples. How, you ask? He just has to connect the object he wants to use as his command button to the controller board, program the board to associate that object with a button on the keyboard, then make a connection between the object and the board. The computer will think that he actually typed a key. This genius game is for the kid with boundless creativity.
(Available in September 2015, $150)
If you mixed Mario Kart and Hot wheels, you'd get this cool racing game. Controlled with a smartphone, the cars communicate with the race track, so they don't fly off the track during the race. The set comes with two cars and 10 track pieces that magnetically attach to each other. Cool feature: The tracks are flexible enough for kids to build up, as well as out. Buy enough pieces and your kid can make theMega track that was at the 2015 Toy Fair!
(Available in November 2015, ages 4 to 7, $99)
Similar to the new Hello Barbie (which also debuted at this year's Toy Fair), this talking Dino can intelligently interact with kids. Created by a small start-up company via a Kickstarter campaign, the doll can answer a kid's questions and remember specific details about their conversation by storing data in a cloud. And while there is some fear that this info could be hacked, these toys could open up a new avenue to develop speech in kids with autism or speech impediments. Do the benefits outweigh the inherent risks? My guess is most definitely. The Dino is available for preorder now.
8. Puzzlets
(Available in September 2015, ages 6 to 96, $99.99)
Imagine you're learning chemistry and you can actually see how two chemical structures bond together. That's the premise of Puzzlets, which is designed to teach kids STEM concepts like algorithm efficiency and basic chemistry principles through fun interactive, virtual to physical play. In the main game, kids have to plan out their moves, set it up on the physical boards, and execute each command by tapping on the screen to navigate their Dino friend around his world. Future expansion sets will teach children about chemical reactions, counting, biology, and much more.
9. ChronoBomb
(Available in June 2015, Ages 7+, $25)
What kid doesn't want to be a laser dodging secret agent? Originally released in France, ChronoBomb is now coming to the U.S. market. As fast as they can, kids have to navigate their own laser obstacle course (it's actually colored string!) to defuse a make believe bomb. Players automatically lose time on the clock every time they bump the string.
10. Spin Master Air Hogs Shadow Launcher
(Available in Fall 2015, Ages 8+, $39.99)
A 2-in-1 RC car and helicopter, the car's roof opens up to launch the copter into the air. What's cooler than that?
11. Knex Mighty Makers Going Green
(Available in Fall 2015, $16.99)This new line was created with the goal of empowering young girls. We love that each set is story driven, which has been proven to engage girl builders, and and that it encourages an appreciation of STEM skills.
12. Crayola Crayon Carver
(Available in July 2015, ages 6+, $29.99)Using a set of letters and symbols, this mini stamp machine lets kids create custom messages on their crayons. See it in action here.
(Available now, $199)After launching a kid-friendly 3-string acoustic guitar in 2011, Loog is back with a whole new collection of kid-size electric guitars that look so darn cool we wanted to rock out on them.
14. Educational Insights Magic Moves RainbowJam
(Available now, ages 3+, $21.99)
Get your kids moving with this fun, interactive game. Each color is assigned a melodic sound and when your kids touch it, they'll hear a distinct musical note. Let them free play and create their own tunes. Or, they can sing-a-long with the 9 preloaded songs. It also features two modes of play and a musical activity book. More free downloadable songs and coloring sheets are also available. The video below shows how much fun your kids can have.
NEXT: 11 Classic Toys Getting a Modern Update »
More on Toys:
• 13 Toys That You Should Pack on Your Next Vacation
• The Coolest Toys from Last Year's Toy Fair
Arne Bostrom is a test engineer in the Good Housekeeping Institute consumer electronics lab.
What He Does: Arne is a Test Engineer in the Consumer Electronics and Engineering Lab. He reviews products for editorial consideration and for ad and Seal clearance. The majority of the products he tests include consumer electronics, toys, and home improvement goods.
About his background: Arne recently graduated with a Master's of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University, with a focus in Energy Systems. His Master’s Thesis was focused on using Supercapacitor Energy Storage Systems for the improvement of renewable energy integration onto the electrical grid. He was also the head author of two conference papers on the topic of energy storage solutions for both rapid bidirectional power flow as well as voltage and power flow stabilization. He received his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado. He originally grew up in the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota and is an avid Minnesota Sports fan.
Outside of GHRI: Arne enjoys the outdoors; Whether he is running marathons, hiking or skiing the Rocky Mountains or the Cascade Range, exploring new cities, towns and neighborhoods, or just a simple walk through Central Park, it doesn’t matter. “Technology is great and can be a huge help, but it should not disengage us from what is truly important, which is the world we live in, the people we meet and the relationships we have with each other and our environment.” Also, every year Arne shaves his head and raises money for St. Baldricks, an organization for childhood cancer research.
