We recently mentioned that this year’s holiday toy catalogs just came out from Amazon, Target, and Walmart. We expect to see other retailers, like Macy’s, follow suit in the upcoming weeks.

These toy catalogs give us a sense of what to expect in the upcoming holiday shopping season. While they may not provide us with sale price information, they keep us informed on what will be popular and might be hard to find. Our toy expert Marisa Lang shares her takeaways from this year's toy books. Hopefully, this helps you prioritize your kids’ Christmas lists and gives you insight into what to buy and when.

This year, Marisa recommends making lists early and buying items on your list as soon as they hit a price range that you’re comfortable with. The good gifts will go fast! Use these toy catalogs as a great starting point to start Santa letters and save some items to your cart for later to keep an eye on price drops. Black Friday sales will likely begin as early as October this year, so your holiday spending can be spread across multiple months.

Here’s what we learned from each holiday toy catalog this year.

 

Toys to Expect This Holiday

After flipping through the toy books this year, here are the types of toys Marisa expects to be big sellers.

STEM Toys

Promote educational play with toys that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. Sets from Magnatiles and LEGO are sure to be popular, as always. Amazon and Walmart are your best bets for these brands and, so far, Amazon is in the lead with the most options for STEM toys. Target’s Top 50 Toys seems light on educational play, but their toy book that hits mailboxes in October may provide more options.

Notable toys:

Glow in the Dark Magnatiles

LEGO Marvel I Am Groot Building Playset

Games & Puzzles

We’re seeing an uptick in game and puzzle toys this year across the board. Fun for the entire family, you’ll find games and puzzles that both kids and adults can enjoy together.

Notable toys:

SHASHIBO Shape Shifting Box

Throw Throw Avocado

Playsets & Figurines

Bluey and Disney will likely be big sellers this year in playsets and figurines. Sets at each retailer will likely be slightly different, but this will allow you to buy based on your budget and child’s requests. We’ve also seen sets from Barbie, CoCoMelon, and Peppa Pig.

Notable Toys:

Bluey Ultimate Playhouse and Toybox

Disney Encanto Doorables Set

Dolls & Plush

Each year we see another set of popular dolls and plush toys from top brands and this year is no exception. We’re seeing a lot of Magic Mixies, LOL Surprise, and Squismallows.

Notable toys:

Magic Mixies Misting Crystal Ball

LOL Surprise Mini Sweets Doll

 

Retailers Are Focusing on All Price Points

Retailers put a much larger focus on prices in the toy books and holiday plans in 2022. In a recent Target press release, the retailer announced that they would be offering toys priced from $14.99 and 50 toys available for $20 or less. Amazon has nearly 40 options on their Toys We Love list for $10 and under as well. And not to be outdone, Walmart has a whopping 168 options for under $20 in their Top Toy List.

While we’ve seen retailers share pricing in years past, this year they expect shoppers to tighten their budgets and are making a point to offer toys and gifts at all price points.

How To Get The Best Toy Deals This Holiday

We’ll be watching out for more toy catalogs this holiday season to help you find everything on your holiday list. We’re not just sharing deals. We provide the latest shopping news and how to apply that to your lifestyle. Our experts make planning easier, wishlists a little more affordable, and your holiday shopping more rewarding. To get the best toy deals before they sell out, be sure to download our free app to shop from anywhere.