Take It Outside for the Holidays

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The final group of outdoor toys that were considered fast-sellers, were those that used the wide-open spaces.

Outdoors? In the middle of December? Yup, TDmonthly Magazine talked to more than 20 retailers to find out what’s hot in this cold month for outdoor toys.

Ride-on toys were most touted for this Christmas season: More than half the retailers spoken to thought that ride-ons would be their biggest seller in the outdoor category. “Kids never stop wanting to zoom around,” said Matt Delano, owner and manager of Cross Creek Toys in Baltimore, Md.

“This year,” explained Tom Handel, owner of Move & Go Studios in Boise, Idaho, “it’s all about the PlasmaCar (by Plasmart Inc. (ToyDirectory). It’s weird. It’s different. And it makes a great gift.”

Winner of multiple awards (like the Oppenheim and Dr. Toy awards), the PlasmaCar is just enough trike, just enough wagon and just right for Christmas morning. “The only thing I worry about,” commented Dot Rogers, manager of Gordon’s Gifts in Jefferson, N.H., “is how many Christmas trees are going to be run over by all the kids racing around the house.”

For the big-ticket shopper, Doug Langdon, owner of Race Pro in Sacramento, Calif., thought the Fun Quest Minimoto ATV was going to be “it” for Christmas: “It’s an all-in-one go-cart/all-terrain vehicle. A great starter, and not a ‘throw-away.' We sell the whole Minimoto line, and we think it’s the best.”

Also, the Minimoto Sport Racer Bike was a “great seller over the past year,” responded Dan Ecklestein of the Las Vegas Pep Boys.

Then it was items that defined a child’s place in his or her world: Pretend play was the second most predicted sale by the retailers. “In San Diego, we barbecue for Christmas, and I’m selling a lot of these BBQ Grill and Glows (by Little Tikes (ToyShow)),” laughed Duncan Morris, owner of the Toy Bag. “Boys and girls love to imitate dad when he grills, and this thing lets them do it without danger. And it rolls into the kitchen easily, too.”

Other stores from Wis. (Abbey’s Ark) to Miami, Fla. (Toys “R” Us) reported excellent sales on this item, too.

The Naturally Playful Sand & Water Activity Center by Step 2 “is the hit of our store,” gushed Dawn Wexler, manager and co-owner of The Learning Place in Helena, Mont. “Kids and parents can’t stop playing with it. And it’s the sturdiest and most well-thought-out playset of its kind.”

Roberta Goldstein of Water, Water, Everywhere in Atlanta, found this to be the hands-down best seller for her store.

There were those products that were good clean fun: Outdoors is the place to get wet and wild (that’s why parents send their kids out there). “Gazillion Typhoon Bubbles — it’s the coolest. I have one in my store,” said Terri Diamond, co-owner of New York City’s Toys & Toys. “First thing someone sees is bubbles when they come in. Nothing is better than bubbles, and this is the best bubbler out there.” The latest in FunRise’s (ToyShow) Gazillion Bubbles line, this puts out so many bubbles that it’s good for parties, too.

“This thing is going to ruin a lot of Christmas dinners,” predicted Todd Martin, owner of Lumas Toys in Portland, Ore., about Mattel’s Shield Blaster 3000. “It blasts three different streams of water, and although the crank is a little ‘cranky’ — it looks very cool. Kids like it.”

It sold well for more than a year, and continues to grow in popularity, said Wendy Tollins, of Tollins & June’s in Reno, Nev.

The final group of outdoor toys that were considered fast sellers were those that used the wide-open spaces. The most novel and talked about of the pack was the Tyco/Mattel Shell Shocker. It’s “the best thing I’ve seen in years,” explained Walter Anderson, co-owner of Techno-Toys in Walla Walla, Wash. “Everyone wants one. They’re RC and they morph, and we run them all over the store. Very big seller.”

Dolores Zucker, manager of TB’s Toys in Santa Fe, N.M., agreed: “It’s different, and boys go crazy for them.”

What a wide variety of toys, all good at getting the kids out of the house and into the great wide-open. That’s a gift for the parents as well.

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