New Toys Alert: The Kids’ Advent Calendars Are Coming
As the site’s resident toy expert — I’m the writer behind the Strategist’s “Toy Store” and gifts 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 leading into the 2025 holiday season I’ll be doing a toy-centric edition of “Don’t Dillydally.” Here are the launches I’m particularly excited about right now, including the first-ever Magna-Tiles Advent calendar, plush American Girl dolls, and a ton of new LEGO sets.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Magna-Tiles has released a bunch of cool new sets lately, including a pet-themed playhouse, a fire station, a police car, and the marble run-esque Rail Racers. But the biggest news right now is the brand’s first-ever Advent calendar. (Yes, it may only be September, but it’s officially Advent calendar season, given that the best ones always sell out early. We recommend buying the ones you’re interested in ASAP and stashing them until December.) Behind each window is one part of a holiday train set plus two figures: a conductor and Santa. The box can be used as a backdrop for the finished toy.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Since its June release, over 200 million people have watched KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix. The animated film centers on a girl band called Huntrix whose members are secret demon hunters and a rival boy band called Saja Boys whose members are secretly demons. The movie is smart and funny with an infectious soundtrack, and it will undoubtedly be inspiration for thousands of Halloween costumes for both kids and adults. Amazon is already full of purple wigs and golden concert outfits as well as stickers, T-shirts, toys, and all sorts of other merch.
But the official stuff is mostly limited to Netflix’s own store and Funko, a brand of toys that makes figurines based on just about every TV show, movie, and pop-culture character. If I were shopping for a KPop Demon Hunters super-fan, I’d definitely preorder the Derpy blue tiger and Sussie Magpie Funko Pop despite the expected ship date of early 2026, as it’s already on the way to selling out.
[Editor’s note: The Derpy and Sussie Funko Pop, and all of the other KPop Demon Hunter Funko Pops, won’t ship until early 2026.]
In the meantime, I’d also pick up some Huntrix stickers, one of Derpy Tiger’s Hello Friend cards to write an IOU for the forthcoming Funko, and, for Saja Boys stans, this poster replica of the abs drawing that Abby makes and signs in the movie.
In another first, American Girl has just launched plush dolls for kids as young as 18 months old. The collection starts with five of the most iconic historical American Girls: Samantha, Kirsten, Addy, Molly, and Josefina. Each one comes with its own board book and has embroidered details. I haven’t had a chance to hold one yet, but from the images they look well-made and adorable.
LEGO puts out an incredible number of new sets each month, including multiple Advent calendars at this time of year (there are six designs for 2025). But I’ve narrowed my list here down to six favorites. The second season of Wednesday is a hit among tweens, and this Black Dahlia LEGO Friends set will look great on display in young fans’ rooms. I am super into the LEGO Icons Game Boy and the model of Gizmo from Gremlins, which will especially appeal to the elder millennial AFOL crowd. I suspect the Lightning McQueen set will sell out fast, as will the new mineral collection that guides you through building golden pyrite, purple amethyst, reddish-pink rhodochrosite, blue fluorite, watermelon tourmaline, and tangerine quartz. And finally, I love the Nike slam-dunk set as a gift for teen basketball fans.
New! You can now save this product for later.
This new Barbie Advent calendar has lots of play value: It comes with a Barbie that, once all of her accessories have been revealed, can be transformed from princess to mermaid to fairy.
I’m also very charmed by this new series of roller-skating Barbie Dream Besties dolls based on the animated YouTube show of the same name. I particularly like their cloud, heart, sun, and butterfly kneepads.
New! You can now save this product for later.
For older kids and more serious doll collectors, there’s a brand newMonster High Corpse Bride collectible doll timed to the 20th anniversary of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. Monster High is a line of fashion dolls (which are also linked to animated films and TV shows) based on the children of famous monsters and mythical creatures. The Skullector series reimagines popular horror characters in the Monster High style, and Emily, the Corpse Bride doll, has spooky details like a gauzy spiderweb dress with cutouts that reveal bare ribs and maggot earrings.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Of all the toys on this list, Melissa & Doug’s Spray and Shine Car Wash is the one I want to take home the most. My 2.5-year-old son is a car enthusiast who is also obsessed with washing things in the sink and the bath, so this play set would probably blow his mind. The car comes splattered with mud; spray it with cold water and sponge it off to make it look sparklingly new. Then rinse it in warm water to make the dirt reappear.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Squishmallows’s new crochet kits each come with instructions and materials to make one of three Squishmallow friends. They’re a fun and affordable gift for crafty kids.
New! You can now save this product for later.
As I wrote in a recent Don’t Dillydally, the new Toniebox 2 is leaning into audio entertainment for very little kids: age 12 months old and up. The actual box has softer, more rounded corners and is outfitted with a sleep timer and sunrise alarm to help with bedtime and morning routines. To go along with it, there are new squishy Tonies designed for toddlers and games you can play with a board and a twist controller that sits on top of the device. It’s currently available for preorder and will begin shipping in early October.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Until recently, the only beauty products from kid-brand Super Smalls were pretend. So these locket necklaces that open to reveal strawberry-scented lip gloss are a fun new development. You can choose between a sparkly strawberry locket or a bejeweled heart. Both of the necklaces come on stretchy faux pearl chains.
More From The Strategist
- Hark, the Advent Calendars Arrived (Very) Early This Year
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- 63 Things You Should Never Buy Full Price
- The Strategist Fall 100
The Strategist is 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 about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
