Every year there is a new toy or two that is the it toy. The one that every child has to have and parents go nuts trying to find. Often it is over-priced and elusive, meaning many parents will have trouble finding it. I wish I knew the criteria for making such a toy each year. I guess if I did I would be a gazillionaire. 
At any rate, having been down the road of the aforementioned parents before, I have tried to steer my children toward toys that are not so mainstream, yet equally as entertaining and almost always more affordable. The following toys are the perfect example of unique items that your child will love, although it may not be on their radar just yet. Have a peek!
Yummy Nummie’s S’More Maker Playset
The adorable Yummy Nummie’s sets are safe, kid-friendly miniature snacks that require no ovens, just a microwave and your eager chef-in-training. My kiddos have played with other Yummy Nummie sets before and even the teen loves them! The S’More Maker set contains just the right ingredients to create this summer classic and they taste great! This set retails for $34.99.
Tekno Newborn
These new and improved Tekno puppies and kitties come in several colours, including a Toys “R” Us exclusive black pup. Now the Tekno babies can jump into your arms just like a real kitty or pup and are light, touch and sound sensitive. Your child will have a blast playing with their newfound friend. Retails for $24.99.
Squinkies ‘Do Drops
Dress up your Squinkies with a new ‘do! You can create thousands of cool combinations with the interchangeable head pieces that range from silly hats and gear to some stylin’ hair-dos! You can collect them all with the sweet collector’s packs that even contain special, secret Squinkies. These retail for $16.99. The Squinkies also have a fun clubhouse that has a game room, cafe and more! The clubhouse retails for $34.99.
Irish Fairy Door
Take your imagination to a whole new level with your very own Irish Fairy Door! Choose from 6 different door colours and set your door up at any point in or outside of your house with easy access for your new magical family member. Register your fairy online to receive weekly updates from Fairy Valley and even fun emails from your own fairy that are filled with activities and special missions for the kids. The doors come with a special lease agreement for the whole family to sign, as well as rules and guidelines for your fairy. Retails for $39.99!
Whiffer Sniffers
Whiffer Sniffers are adorable scented plush characters with quirky personalities to match their scents. Characters are available in collectible backpack clips, a huggable supersize plush, and nostalgic scratch n’ sniff stickers. Some sweet scents include Apple, Watermelon and even Pina Colada! These retail for between $2.50 up to $17.99. (Pina Colada is my favourite!)
The Giveaway
I am excited to share that one lucky MapleMouseMama reader is going to win a Squinkies ‘Do Drops Clubhouse! To be eligible to win please complete the Rafflecopter below with your qualifying answers. This giveaway is open to Canadian residents over the age of 18. Please read our giveaway rules before entering. This giveaway will end on January 11th, 2017 . Good luck!
What is a favourite toy you remember from your childhood?
FT&PD
Suz
**For lots more great gift giving ideas, please check out the #MMMGiftGuide!
**Be sure to enter the many giveaways we have going on right now!!
Disclosure: My family was able to play with several of these items for the purposes of facilitating this review. All opinions expressed are our own.
My Mattel Littles Family Home dollhouse! I still have it!
Barbies were my favourite toy by far growing up.
Mrs Beasley… I use to take her everywhere… was the only doll I got really attached too.. loved her glasses lol
I loved my little pony
My favourite toy was a doll with lots of different clothes to dress her up.
One of my favourite toys as a child was my cash register. I loved to play store!
I HAD A DOLL DRESSED IN A RED SUIT.
My favorite toy was my toy kitchen! So many hours spent playing with that.
I remember my Cabbage Patch Kids… I had everything – all the accessories, the bedding.. Loved it..
I loved the barbie camper my sisters and I received as a joint present. We played with that for hours on end.
Definitely my Barbies and Barbie Dollhouse, it was my favourite!
My Barbies were my favorite toys
I remember my first doll that I loved so much. She went everywhere with me and I would panic when I didn’t have her.
My favourite toy was always Barbies
It was a walking doll and she really walk!
MY Jenny doll my sister still has the dolls we were given, and has given them to her daughters.
That was my bike that I got one Christmas – a hand me down from my brother that I was so very proud of and used such a lot.
I always had a variety of one-legged Barbies on hand as a child. One-legged because I had a toy horse I insisted on trying to sit the Barbies on, so some spontaneous amputation occurred. :0
My favourite toy from my childhood was a clown and his nose winded up and played Turkey in the straw
One of my favorite toys as a child was the slinky!It was fun to get it going
at the top of a long stairway.
I had a little red fire truck I would push around everywhere
My favorite toys were my stuffed animals.
my holly hobby oven which i still have
My favourite was my Barbie
My favourite toy was probably my Easy Bake Oven!
I had a doll named Clara that I loved.
my toy I recall the most was my baby doll krissy it was a doll I loved the most I got her for Christmas when I was 3 .
I liked playing with some dolls that were 4-5 inches tall. My favorite had long straight black hair and my next favorite had long curly red hair.
My favourite toy from my childhood has to be My Little Pony! I had a pink one and my sisters each had one and we would play with them for hours!
I loved my Glitter n Gold Jem Doll!
I wished I never sold my polly pockets. they were my favourite toys ever
My Mrs Beasley, yep I’m old lol
My favourite toy was a fuzzy my little pony. I don’t remember her name, but she was definitely my favourite.
My favourite toy was my Chatty Cathy doll. Yeah, I’m old.
my Barbies! My mom made all the clothes and my dad made all the furniture for them!
A DOLL AND DOLL HOUSE THAT MY DAD BUILT FOR ME WERE MY FAVORITES!
I loved my stuffed unicorn – purple (I even have a pic of me sitting on santa’s lap with him!!!!) LOL
Monopoly
I definitely loved my Barbies but my favourite was a stuffed teddy that I had from birth and still have!
My favourite toy was my teddy
I have a few but my Cabbage Patch dolls are my fave ones from childhood and I still have all 4 of them .
My favourite toy was my Barbie!
I love lite bright
My favorite toy was my walking doll.
My favourite was my cabbage patch dolls
My favourite Roy as a child was a John Player Special F1 race care. Yes, the good old days when a cigarette company would sponsor racing.
My favourite toy was an Etch-A-Sketch, I played with it until it wore out.
My cabbage patch kids were my favorite. I had two red heads and one was an astronaut! I still remember how excited I was when I opened them on Christmas!
Growing up my favorite toy was Pretty in Pink Barbie.
I loved to play with my lite brite ahah
I loved my barbie doll house.
I remember a Rin Tin Toy that I loved.
One of my favourites that I remember is the fisher price record player, I loved playing with it!!
Farm sets with the barns.
I loved Barbies. My absolute favourite.
For me it was a Barbie camper van
Loved my Lite Brite, I played with that thing for hours!
I loved my little pony
My favorite childhood toys was my water baby and my easy bake oven
My favourite toy from my childhood was the Chatty Cathy doll.
One of my fav. toy was a doll that was able to be washed and
it even wet itself. Was very sweet.
My Etch a Sketch was a favourite.
I loved my barbies as a kid.
My favourite toy from when i was a child would have to be barbies
I remember playing with Rainbow Bright.
My favorite childhood toy was My Little Ponies
My Barbies were my favorite childhood toy.
My Fisher Price Kitchen!
My miss beasley doll!
I loved Mighty Beanz!
I loved my Hungry Hippo game.
My favourite toy growing up was the Little People set we had.
I really love my My Little Ponies! They were the best and now my daughter plays with them.
My cabbage patch doll and then my game boy!
The rocking chair my grandfather made me
My favorite toy from my childhood is definitely Barbie and Cabbage Patch Doll