5 hot toys for summer

Attending TTPM’s Spring Showcase is always a huge treat, for me. Thanks to the timing of it this year, it also happened to fall on “bring your kid to work day.” Even better? My little sunflowers also had spring break. It was as if the world was insisting I bring the little monkeys with me to the big event, so who was I to say no, right? I figured they’d be able to help me pick out the top 5 hot toys for summer. It’s important to put them to work, earn their keep around here. So, what were the kids’ top 5 hot toys for summer? Let’s find out!

5 hot toys for summer

Let’s start with bubbles. Bubbles are something kids, as well as adults, LOVE. How can anyone not love blowing bubbles, or playing with bubbles? It just brings out the inner child from deep within your boring, adult soul. It’s not all that surprising my little sunflowers fell in love with two bubble products.

Paddle Bubble from TPF Toys

Paddle Bubble from TPF Toys, once one gets the hang of starting it off with that first bubble to get the game going, it’s extremely fun for everyone. It’s something for the beach, or use it in your own yard. It’s also a great way to teach kids to be gentle, as well as unbelievably patient. I’m sure that’s not what TPF was thinking about when they created it, but that’s okay! It’s always nice to have extra goodness from a toy, beyond the fun. I suspect, after I go out and buy this one, the kids will have hours of fun this summer.

Onto our second bubble obsession…..

Candylicious Bubbles™ Bubble Machine

Candylicious Bubbles™ Bubble Machine are a huge win for kids. I understand the appeal: bubbles you can eat, that taste like candy. Parents? I’m not sure how you all will feel about this one. My one tip? If you’re using these bubbles, don’t pull out the regular bubbles. You won’t want to get these intermingled in the air, and have kids eating bubbles that aren’t edible. Beyond the taste, it’ll have some not so nice results later on in the bathroom! Personally, I didn’t taste them. However, I did smell the solution and I think I have a cavity just from smelling the edible bubbles. WHOA.

Shrinky Dinks 3D Flower Jewelry from Alex Products

Shrinky Dinks 3D Flower Jewelry from Alex Products is exactly what Little Miss lives for. Little Miss always loves to find anything having to do with jewelry, or crafting. Of course, her top choice was a combination of jewelry, and crafts. Alex Products has a real knack for coming out with the best stuff to do on a rainy summer afternoon. Little ones can create bracelets, necklaces, and earrings for themselves, loved ones, or friends. Super cute, and definitely perfect for kids who love to be creative. Great price, too: $21.99

Blazing Team Yo-Yo from Hasbro

Surprisingly, both kids loved the Blazing Team Yo-Yo from Hasbro. Neither kid, nor I, had heard of Blazing Team. It’s a television series of Discovery Family, according to Bret from Hasbro’s showcase booth at TTPM’s Spring Showcase. If you’ve got kids who love to Yo-Yo, they’ll have a lot of fun with these. I love toys you use not just inside, but also outside. Yo-Yos are perfect for indoor, or outdoor, play. Plus, these are much easier to use than regular yo-yos.

Yo-Yos range in price from $6.99 to $19.99.

Water Guns

The Boy doesn’t normally get to play with toy guns. The exception? Water guns. At TTPM this year, he found his soul mate in the Alex Brands water guns: Gargantua, Xenon and Outlaw. He loved them all, don’t get me wrong, but the Gargantua was his absolute favorite, as it had constant water pressure. He just had to shoot it, whereas the Xenon and Outlaw require a little more effort, because it requires air pressure (he has to pump those.)

Gargantua will run parents about $19.99, well worth it for the hours of time it’ll keep the kids busy! Xenon is great, too, for $19.99, and the little one, Outlaw, is just $11.99. Get them all, load them up, and let them drench each other!

RBS (Rubber Band System)

Moving away from water fun, and onto rubber band fun. I had to physically pull The Boy away from the Precision RBS booth. Once they showed him the loading process for the three different guns, forget it. He was an animal. His Precision RBS of choice? ALL OF THEM. Whichever one he could get his hands on, he would play with. Talos, which sells for $14.99, is the smallest one, with the smallest rubber bands to load. It’s cute, but The Boy quickly moved to the bigger ones: Chiron, which sells for $19.99 and Hyperion, which sells for $24.99. It says it’s for 8 years and older, but my son, not yet 8, had no problem loading the rubber bands, aiming and shooting. As tiny as my son is, he had no issues with Hyperion, and he was darn accurate.

The Boy’s an expert loading the rubber bands, and ended up helping many other kids load the Precision RBS systems, and showing kids how to aim, look through the little plastic eye shield, and hitting targets. Super cute, and I’m sure it’ll be something we bring into our home for OUTDOOR play, only! I don’t need rubber bands taking out my knick knacks, or pictures on the wall!