Dinosaurs and spiders hunting Kiwi kids this Christmas

Kiwi kids will be feeding baby dinosaurs, yelling at little spiders and spending hours unwrapping miniature dolls on Christmas morning, according to Trade Me’s data.
Trade Me’s Millie Silvester said popular searches were combined with national and international trends to predict what will be making New Zealand children smile when they unwrap their gifts on 25 December.

“This year’s list was a mixture of new twists on recent favourites and downright silliness.

“Wildly popular toys from the last few years like FurReal Friends, L.O.L Surprise Dolls, Nerf blasters and Hatchimals have all evolved this year and we think they’ll remain irresistible to kids, parents and Santa. We’re also seeing some very weird and pretty annoying presents like Chow Crowns, Yellies and Don’t Step In It becoming very popular.”

Miss Silvester said a snack-loving interactive tyrannosaurus rex from FurReal Friends is a hot contender on the Christmas list this year. “Munchin’ Rex is a ferocious baby dinosaur that will hop around, beg for treats and loves being nurtured. However, this prehistoric pet can be quite unpredictable when he’s in a bad mood.”

“Arachnophobic parents need to brace themselves for Yellies - the toy kids will be screaming at on Christmas Day. Yellies are cute little furry spiders that respond to your voice - the louder you scream, the faster they go and apparently these little critters are already selling out overseas.

“The element of surprise is still a big drawcard for toy-makers this year with L.O.L Surprise Dolls and Hatchimal Mystery set to be a big hit this season. As the names suggest, you don’t want know what you get until you unwrap them.”

Last Christmas, L.O.L Surprise Dolls appeared on Trade Me for almost double their retail price after selling out around the country. “They’ve had a reboot with a bigger surprise capsule containing over 60 mystery surprises. Kids are challenged to look for secret clues to uncover, unwrap and locate each new item.”

Hatchimals made the list for a third consecutive year. “Last year it was Twin Hatchimals, but this year Hatchimals Mystery is the hot new edition,” Miss Silvester said. “These furry little robot toys are in an egg and kids tap the egg to encourage their Hatchimal to burst through the shell. The fuzzy creatures can then be trained to speak and play games.”

Toy-maker Hasbro’s Nerf Blaster has escalated into Nerf Laser Ops this year. “This is an updated version of laser tag and you can also download the app and keep score of previous games,” Miss SIlvester said.

Other unusual toys on the list included:
• Don’t Step In It, a game where players try not to step in poo as they walk along a mat blindfolded
• Chow Crown, where players have to try and eat snacks before the music ends
• Pie Face Cannon, where players are armed with a cannon of whipped cream
• Monopoly Cheaters Edition, a cheeky new take on the game with which rewards the cheaters

Top kids’ Christmas toys – 2018
1. LOL Surprise Bigger Surprise
2. FurReal - Munchin’ Rex
3. Yellies
4. Nerf Laser Ops - Deltaburst
5. Pomsies
6. Don't Step In It
7. Hatchimals Mystery
8. Pie Face Cannon
9. Monopoly Cheaters edition
10. Chow Crown

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