New Toys Alert: 1974 Hello Kitty andHarry PotterPotions
Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your account’s‘Saved for Later’section.
Comment
As the site’s resident toy writer (I’m the person responsible for putting togetherthe Strategist’s “Toy Store”andgifts for every age), I get an early look at the latest and greatest new toys, often before they hit store shelves. There are dozens of new releases every month, so from time to time I’ll be doing a toy-centric edition of “Don’t Dillydally.” Here are the launches I’m particularly excited about, including a Gap x American Girl mini-me collaboration and Schleich’s first fully recyclable animal figurines.
New! You can now save this product for later.
New! You can now save this product for later.
A lot of collaborations feel contrived, but this one from artist and author Phoebe Wahl and the brand Sarah’s Silks just makes sense. I love how each silk scarf feels like a framable piece of artwork, and the dress-up clothes feel just as special.
LEGO Icons Bumblebee Transformer
New! You can now save this product for later.
LEGO releases brand-new, themed building sets on a regular basis. This replica of Bumblebee, the Transformer that turns into a VW Bug, is my pick of the brand’s July drops.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Gap and American Girl are launching a line of matching outfits for kids and their American Girl dolls. The capsule collection features Gap’s famous jeans and pink acid-wash denim pieces as well as some very cute star-speckled double-logo sweatshirts.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Schleich, known for its expansive assortment of realistic animal figurines, has released a handful of fully recyclable, “cradle-to-cradle” designs: a lion, bonobo, and a sea turtle that the brand can take back and remake into new toys once you are done playing with them.
Hello Kitty 50th Anniversary
New! You can now save this product for later.
This year’s the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty, and this plush keychain, featuring Ms. Kitty as she looked in 1974, is my favorite piece of celebratory merch so far.
Harry Potterx Squishmallow
New! You can now save this product for later.
Harry PotterSquishmallows first launched in 2023 and madeour list of the year’s hottest holiday toys. The latest batch of Wizarding World Squish is now available for preorder and features Dobby the house-elf, a mandrake, Fawkes the phoenix, and the Sorting Hat.
Harry PotterDIY Mini-Potions
New! You can now save this product for later.
This much smallerHarry Potterlaunch is a blind-box series that includes everything you need to mix up a mini replica potion from the franchise, like Skele-Gro or Polyjuice Potion.
Jelly Cat Tote
New! You can now save this product for later.
Jelly Cat is constantly launching delightfully wacky stuffed animals and accessories, from ascuba-diving hard-boiled eggtocuddly capybaras. My pick for the brand’s best new release is this furry teddy-bear tote bag I would totally use for myself. The brand also launched totes featuring abunnyand a smoother, yellowerbear named Smudge.
Nugget Ice Pop collection
New! You can now save this product for later.
Nugget added the ottoman-like Chunk to its play-couch arsenal in May, and now the brand has added two summery new colors: limelight, a chartreuse green that calls to mind honeydew melon and limeade, andjuicebox, a bright fuschia.
Super Smalls
New! You can now save this product for later.
I have long been a fan of Super Smalls for the brand’s tasteful dress-up gear (jewelry, “pumps”). TheMom’s Makeup Kitfeels similarly un-ick (for something that could feel ick very easily).
The Strategistis designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read abouthere. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
