Last year at Toy Fair, I got my first taste of what Moose Toys has to offer with a preview of the Disney Happy Places toy line. Since then, I’ve reviewed toys from the first two waves of the series (Wave 1 and wave 2) and can attest to the high quality and fun details these play sets offer. Revisiting Moose Toys this year was like a trip to Disneyland, with so many fun and exciting toy products that made me wish I was a kid again. Before we get too far, I want to share that the Happy Places toy line is continuing, however only with the Shopkins series. Moose Toys has something even better up their sleeves that should excite any toy collecting Disney fan. It’s too early to give any additional details, but I was so enchanted by the variety of products on display at Moose Toys’ booth at Toy Fair 2018 that I wanted to give you an overview of everything they have to offer to wet your appetite for that extra special Disney announcement.
Shopkins – Series 10
Like anyone whose stepped into a toy store in the past five years, I had a general understanding of what Shopkins are. However, I wasn’t aware that they are about to celebrate their 10th series and that many of the original characters have been unavailable for several years. Moose Toys is celebrating this achievement in a big way by welcoming kids to Small Mart, a fun Shopkins shopping experience.
At their Toy Fair booth, I got to step inside a life-sized version of Small Mart and yes, it was the most magical shopping experience I’ve ever had. In terms of packaging, the Mini Packs come in little boxes that look like real items you would buy at a store, like laundry detergent, milk cartons, egg crates, jam jars, soup cans, ice cream tubs, shoe boxes, and chip bags. These containers become somewhat of a collection in and of themselves. Inside, kids will find some new characters, as well as reproductions of some characters returning from the Shopkins vault from the first three series. To differentiate between these new figures and the originals, those from series 10 feature an emblem on their back that lets you know which series they originally were introduced in.
To add a new level of playability, there are new Shopkins Shoppies dolls and a Pick’n’Pack Small Mart play set that can be used with the series 10 packaging. Just make sure your Shoppies dolls don’t forget their Small Mart Loyalty Cards to get all the discounts!
My visit to Small Mart was made extra special when they told me I could take one of the life-sized packages, which contained real world snacks and cosmetic products.
Shopkins Happy Places – Rainbow Beach
While the Disney Happy Places line appears to have come to an end, Shopkins Happy Places offers a similar level of play and theming and in 2018, the characters are going on vacation to Rainbow Beach. Each play set comes with a Lil’ Shoppies figure and a Lil’ Unicorn friend.
The Rainbow Beach House features amazing colors that remind me of the 1990’s Lisa Frank folders. Kids will have a blast decorating the Rainbow Beach House and setting up fun scenarios for the Lil’ Shoppies and Shopkins.
To get to Rainbow Beach, Lil’Shoppies can drive the Happy Convertible and tow the Happy Camper, which also adds more opportunities for decorating.
For this series, mystery boxes will offer Lil’ Pets for the Lil’ Shoppies to bring to Rainbow Beach with them. There are so many types of pets in this set and they also come with a piece of furniture for the Rainbow Beach House.
Shopkins Cars
Shopkins cars return for another wave in 2018, this time with color changing aspects. My mind was blown by new color changing memory technology. When you dip a car in warm water and it changes color, it will remain that color until you put it in cold water to change it back to its original form. Gone are the days when color changing paint would only last for about a minute. New storage options and a car wash will also be available, giving kids the cutest toy car collection on the market.
Shopkins Lil’ Secrets
Remember Polly Pocket and Mighty Max? Shopkins Lil’ Secrets are similar at first glance, but kids have to crack the code in order to open them up. The packaging unfolds to reveal a Where’s Waldo? Style clue game to crack the code and open the case. Inside are themed environments with a Teeny Shopee character, a tiny Shopkins, and a mystery hidden figure inside. There’s also a blind box series in this line that features smaller play sets that double as a locket.
Pikmi Pops – Season 2
Pikmi Pops are returning for a second season, scented plushies hidden inside sugar pop packaging. There are over 45 Pikmis to collect and each blind pop comes with 1 character. Larger pops contain 2 characters, plus 4 surprises inside. As a parting gift, I was given one of these to try and the bonus gifts inside included stickers, a mini notebook, and a charm necklace. The scents are so strong that you can smell them through the air holes in the outside of the plastic pop, which might help kids guess which flavored Pikmis will be inside.
Pikmi Pops PushMi Ups look like an ice cream push-up pop and there are 12 ice cream Pimkis exclusive to this collection. Pop the top and push up to reveal your Pikmi. Confetti streamers are packaged inside as well, making these a perfect party favor for birthday parties. Kids can use them to celebrate the birthday kid’s big day, while also discovering a Pikmi gift that they can keep.
Jumbo Pikmi Pops lose the surprise character element, available in three styles visible through the outside packaging. However, there are surprise gifts inside each and the number of them is also a surprise. It could be anywhere between 1 and 3.
Little Live Pets
Little Live Pets expand this year with dragons and unicorns joining the already established collection of animals, like birds, dogs, and cats. The dragons come in an egg and you don’t know which one you got until you hatch it. Once they hatch, they can hop and flutter their wings. The most desired of all is the Ruby Dragon, which can be obtained through the surprise eggs. In addition to the regular egg packs, surprise eggs can be purchased in the Crystal House to give your dragon a home.
Princess My Dancing Unicorn is another magical addition to Little Live Pets. Touch the side of her cheek and she will nuzzle against your hand. You can feed her with the magical food included, and her magical horn lights up. In addition, her articulated legs allow her to trot around your house anytime you’d like.
As a pawrent of two rescue dogs, I was most enchanted with Rollie My Kissing Puppy. He’s a soft, cuddly plush with animated features. His tail wags, his eyes open and close, and when he senses your hand near his face, his tongue extends to give you a kiss. He can also kiss your face if you press your nose against his. The only thing sweeter than kisses from Rollie are kisses from my real dogs.
Scruff a Luvs
On the topic of rescuing pets, kids can learn how to care for an abandoned animal with Scruff a Loves. “Find us scruffy, make us fluffy,” as the branding states. These animals come in pink or blue and will untangle in water to reveal one of three types of animals (puppy, kitty, or bunny). Dip the matted ball in water, unravel them, and blow dry their hair to make a furry friend that you can keep forever. Best of all, their fur is specially designed for water play, making it easy to take baths with your Scruff a Luv and dry them off again for cuddle time.
Fur Babies World
Fur Babies World are making their US debut in 2018 after becoming one of the hottest toys in the United Kingdom. These cute little animals have plastic faces with articulated eyes and ears. Kids control their faces like a puppet using a finger through an opening in the back of their heads. They will be available individually, in packaged play sets with Sleep Pods, and a play set provides a tree for them all to live in.
Bizzy Bubs
Bizzy Bubs is a line of talking and crawling baby toys that launched last fall under the Little Live branding. By “Baby toys,” I mean the characters are babies, not that the toys are for babies (recommended for ages 3 and up). In 2018, the line is expanding to include clapping figures, as well as one that comes with a potty. Kids can help her potty train by feeding her and waiting for her to ask to go to the potty. Placing her on the little toilet will reveal if she tinkled or went poo. Flushing the toilet resets it for next time. This would make a great gift for any kid who is learning to use the potty.
Oonies
Kids love balloons and Moose Toys has a safe and fun alternative way for kids to inflate and play. Oonies are little plastic bits, shaped like a Goldfish cracker, that you place inside of the Oonies Inflator, Pumping a lever forces them to expand with air and a gauge allows you to control what size you create. Oonies stick to one another and themed packs with stickers and extra pieces allow kids to design their own animals using Oonies.
While the standard Oonies kits are great for one or a few kids to play with, Oober Oonies would be a fun balloon alternative at birthday parties or larger gatherings. These pieces inflate with a pump and are closer to the size of a balloon, but still maintain the clinging Oonies feature. Packs also come with stick-on pieces to create faces, including tufts of hair that can be added to your Oonies creation.
The Grossery Gang
Let’s face it, not everyone is attracted to the overload of cuteness that is Shopkins. For kids who prefer things a little more… gross… comes The Grossery Gang. They’re like Shopkins with an edge, past their expiration date and doing everything in their power to avoid the trash can. In series 5, the Grosserys are caught in a Time War that pits them against some prehistoric foes. There are over 150 characters to collect in this line through the various play sets and blind box packs. On trend with many other products, there’s a potty element to this wave with a tag line of “This time, it’s poo-sonal” and the blind box packaging looks like a toilet. There are also action figures in this line through the Bug Strike battle collection.
Moose Games
Moose Toys also makes board games and has a few great ones in the works for 2018. Crocodile Dinner comes with 3 crocodile face masks and spongy fish. Kids compete against their friends by trying to pick up more fish with their mask than their opponents.
FlipSlide takes the color pattern matching game and literally turns it around. The lighted center will reveal a pattern. The twistable, slideable sides contain two colors on each side and players have to beat the click to match the pattern before time’s up. It requires all of your special reasoning skills to twist, slide, and match the pattern.
Tiny Hands takes the internet video trend and applies it to a party game, with tiny hands and tinier hands included. Players spin the wheel and must perform a task either with the tiny hands or the tinier hands, resulting in hilarious situations.
I had so much fun visiting Moose Toys at Toy Fair and learning about all of their fun, adorable, and gross toys. You can make you child’s life extra magical with so many of these great toys coming out in 2018. And as I mentioned at the start of this article, be on the lookout for an exciting Disney announcement from Moose Toys later this year.
Click here to see more Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel toys from Toy Fair 2018.