[October 01, 2014]

TTPM, the Leading Online Resource for All Things Play, Announces Most Wanted List and Toy Industry Trends for Holiday 2014 Shopping Season

TTPM, a consumer website publishing reviews, videos, and live price updates for toys, baby gear, kids electronics, sporting goods and pet toys, today announced leading toy trends for the holiday 2014 shopping season and revealed the 2014 TTPM Most Wanted List during an industry press conference, naming the top toys chosen by TTPM editors predicted to be in the most in-demand this holiday.

"We expect to see consumers grab the hot items early and shop for deals later in the holiday season," said Jim Silver, CEO/editor-in-chief of TTPM. "We'll see the 'must have' items fly off the shelves early and then retailers will promote their best deals of the season within two weeks before Christmas, but there won't be any savings on the hot toys because they'll be gone."

"The toy business historically reflects the larger culture, interpreting the adult world into products designed to appeal to kids. Manufacturers are offering a wide diversity of play experiences in holiday product lineups, from high tech yet kid-friendly wearables to classic activity like arts and crafts," said Chris Byrne, content director aka The Toy Guy®. "There's truly no one hot toy this holiday, and that's a good thing because individual kids naturally gravitate toward play that complements their unique personalities."

Recognized as a leading resource by consumers, the TTPM editorial team identified six key holiday 2014 toy trends, which shaped the 2014 TTPM Most Wanted List:

• BRANDS ARE RED HOT-FROZEN AND TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES DOMINATE

These two key brands are expected to dominate sales this holiday season. There won't be just one top toy from either property; TTPM anticipates all items from FROZEN and TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES will be hot sellers, and tough to find by November.

• THE "MAKER MOVEMENT" FOR ADULTS IS CLASSIC PLAY FOR KIDS

While technology gets a lot of attention, basic arts and crafts and construction categories have been super hot. Adults call it "the maker movement, " but it's really classic play. The top products that let kids become creators include new compounds DOHVINCI from Hasbro and WACKY-TIVITIES KINETIC SAND by Spin Master; and activity toys like the PAINT MAKER by Crayola, HOT WHEELS WORKSHOP AIRBRUSH AUTO DESIGNER by Mattel, and the LEGO FUSION TOWN MASTER.

• WEARABLES ARE COOL FOR KIDS, TOO

From fitness bands to smart watches, wearable tech is hot. Kids want to be in on the trend, too. The LEAPBAND by LeapFrog and KIDIZOOM SMARTWATCH by VTech interpret this trend into innovative, kid-focused products.

• DESIGN INNOVATION POWERS UP PRESCHOOL PLAY

Just as cutting edge design is driving product development in the culture at large, manufacturers are interpreting characters into innovative toys that are positioned to appeal to today's kids and inspire narrative-based play. For 2014, these include IMAGINEXT DC SUPER FRIENDS R/C TRANSFORMING BATBOT by Fisher-Price, DOC MCSTUFFINS GET BETTER TALKING MOBILE by Just Play, and the PAW PATROL LOOKOUT PLAYSET by Spin Master, plus preschool friendly figures like GO! GO! SMART ANIMALS ZOO EXPLORERS PLAYSET by VTech.

• CHARACTERS AND COLLECTIBLES ARE MUST-HAVES FOR HOLIDAY

Kids build relationships with their toys. From pets to abstract characters, these relationships inspire engaged, creative play, allowing kids unique opportunities for self-expression. For this season, key entries are the lifelike FURREAL FRIENDS POM POM MY BABY PANDA by Hasbro, cute collectible SHOPKINS figures by Moose Toys, and the comeback of the 1990s classic PUPPY SURPRISE by Just Play, which is already hard to find at retail.

• ENGAGING ITEMS THAT KEEP KIDS ACTIVE

Staying active is both physical and mental. Keeping kids active is important, but so is mastering more complicated toys and learning curves. The must-haves this holiday include ZOOMER DINO by Spin Master, NERF N-STRIKE ELITE MEGA THUNDERBOW by Hasbro, and HOT WHEELS STREET HAWK REMOTE CONTROL FLYING CAR by Mattel.

Informed by the season's market trends and selected by the TTPM editorial team, the TTPM Most Wanted List is comprised of the toys predicted to be the most popular and best-selling this holiday season. In 2014, TTPM editors reviewed and tested more than 5,000 toys and children's products annually to determine the list. To view the full list, including video reviews on each product and live price comparison at leading retailers, visit: http://ttpm.com/mostwanted/

About TTPM

TTPM is the #1 source for all things play where consumers can research and find the best playthings. TTPM is the only site that combines expert reviews (video and written) with live price comparison, sales notifications, one-click purchasing, and product availability at major retailers including Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us, buybuy BABY, GameStop, Best Buy (News - Alert), Sports Authority, Modell's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, and Wag.com.

The Shop for Kids app by TTPM allows consumers to shop for toys, games, baby products, sporting goods, electronics, and more gifts for kids. Shoppers can search, browse, or scan a product's barcode to see expert video reviews and up-to-the-minute price comparisons from major online retailers. Shoppers can also see if an item is in stock and click through to buy from the retailer of their choice or bookmark the item to revisit later.

The seasoned TTPM editorial team reviews thousands of products each year, providing comprehensive video and written reviews of toys, baby products, kids' electronics, sporting goods, and family friendly video games, apps, books, and movies.

The TTPM team can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+.

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