While toy companies push high-tech animals and elaborate playsets for kids, parents are turning to the 鈥�80s for shopping ideas this holiday season, according to Google Trends.
Transformers, Barbies, Beanie Babies and other throwback items dominate Google鈥檚 annual list of the most-searched toys of the Christmas season. Other simple, hands-on toys such as Lego, wooden blocks and wooden sword-and-shield sets are also quite popular, according to Google.
鈥淲hat this speaks to is a desire to have toys that are retro, but also tactile,鈥� trends expert Alexandra Hunnings Klein, of Google Canada, told 麻豆传媒 Channel on Wednesday.
Transformers hero Bumblebee tops this year鈥檚 list of the most-searched toys in Canada, followed by TY Beanie Babies and Max Steel action figures.
Hunnings Klein says it鈥檚 no surprise to see Bumblebee at the top of the list this year, because Transformers are always a popular hands-on action figure. She also cited the popularity of the film franchise, which released its latest installment this summer.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e just an awesome toy that we see year after year,鈥� she said.
It鈥檚 also another big year for Barbie dolls, as 鈥淏arbie鈥� ranked sixth and her friend, 鈥淐rissy,鈥� placed seventh on the list. 鈥淏arbie house鈥� was No. 9.
鈥淏arbie doll is just this extremely, totally nostalgic toy that I think parents want to share with their kids,鈥� Hunnings Klein said.
The full list broke down as follows:
- Bumblebee Transformers
- TY Beanie Babies
- Max Steel action figure
- Little Tikes Kitchen
- Autobots
- Barbie doll
- Crissy doll
- Barbie house
- Anime figures
- Kapla wooden blocks
A breakdown of each province and territory shows more variety across the country, although Transformers and Barbie remained popular items. Various Lego and Mega Bloks kits were also quite popular, as was Paw Patrol and the KidKraft Kitchen set.
鈥淚t鈥檚 always a good time to get on in there and learn to cook,鈥� Hunnings Klein said.
Most-wanted new toys
Various toy industry lists indicate that a talking tiger and a finger-hugging monkey are going to be the most-wanted toys among children this year.
is expected to be one of the more expensive 鈥渋t鈥� toys this holiday season, at a suggested retail price of $179.99. The Canadian Toy Association says Tyler is designed to move and roar in response to children鈥檚 actions. The tiger was one of the top-ranked toys on lists from the Canadian Toy Association, the Toy Insider and DreamToys in the U.K.
Fingerlings are also proving to be a hard-to-find item this season, with all variants of the approximately $20 toy already sold out at Walmart and Amazon online stores. The toys 鈥渞espond to sound, motion and touch,鈥� according to the toy鈥檚 creators at WoWee.
