From Minions to Megazords: Toys"R"Us, Canada Reveals Top Trends for the Holidays

- To download the Toys"R"Us, Canada Top Toy Trends Infographic, click here:  http://files.newswire.ca/1073/TRU_trend_report.pdf

TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2013 /CNW/ - Parents looking for the perfect toy to make the child on their list jump for joy this holiday need to look no further.  As the leading authority on toys, Toys"R"Us, Canada today released its Top Toy Trends, spotlighting the most prevalent toy and gaming purchasing behaviors in Canada, sure to help make gift giving easier this holiday season. The top five trends - video game and digital toy-mashups, blockbuster playthings, DIY projects, reinvented classics and kid-friendly tablets - undoubtedly reflect some of this season's hottest toy properties and products.

"We all want  to find the perfect toy that will light up the eyes of the children on our holiday lists," says Liz MacDonald, vice-president of marketing and store planning, Toys"R"Us, Canada. "To help gift-givers find the right toy or game, Toys"R"Us, Canada is shedding light on the most popular toy trends we're seeing to give gift-givers the insight they need for different occasions, starting with gifts for the holidays."

Following are the five 2013 holiday season toy trends identified by Toys"R"Us, Canada, along with select toys that epitomize each. All items can be found in Toys"R"Us stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.ca.

VIDEO GAMING AND DIGITAL PLAY MEET REAL-WORLD ACTION
Merging physical, traditional action figure play with digital technology has provided an entirely new toy and gaming experience for kids everywhere. With properties like Skylanders SWAP Force and Disney Infinity, kid-favourite characters come to life as toy figures are placed on a portal, transporting them into the virtual world and onto the TV screen. Toys, such as the new Angry Birds Star Wars Telepods and Furby BOOM!, not only offer unique play value, but also come with apps that bring each to life in the digital world, providing kids with additional character levels, powers and storylines.

"With Disney Infinity, I get to make my own worlds with my own rules," says 11-year-old Alex Thorne, Chief Play Officer, Toys"R"Us, Canada. "In Toy Box mode, I can mix  Pirates of the Caribbean with the characters from Monster University, or race Buzz Lightyear against Lightning McQueen. I also can't get enough of the new swappable characters in Skylanders SWAP Force. With so many character choices, I get excited every time I swap powers to complete a level."

BLOCKBUSTER TOYS ARE BIG
One trend that never fades away: turning best-selling family movie characters into toys for kids, helping them continue the narrative long after their favourite film is over. This year, kids can enjoy beloved blockbuster companions at home or on-the-go with characters from Monsters University, Smurfs 2, Disney's Frozen and the exclusive collector's edition voice-activated Talking Minion Dave from Despicable Me 2. Even loveable characters from popular TV shows like Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Never Land Pirates and the Fisher-Price Talking Sofia the First with Animal Friends, are sure to delight preschoolers.

DIY IS SEW COOL
The holidays are a time to get crafty, and kids will be entertained with cool arts and crafts projects they can call their own. Now, it's possible to invent customized marker colours with the Crayola Marker Maker, or create mini snow globes with Glitzi Globes. Even sewing is back in vogue. With the Sew Cool threadless sewing machine from Spinmaster, kids can safely make their own mini felt pillows in a variety of shapes and colours.

CLASSICS ARE BACK
Trendy doesn't always mean new, and some of the most popular toys this year are classics. Gift-givers can prepare to see old favourites topping kids' wish lists, as classics are back with updated features for a new generation to enjoy. Nostalgic playthings making a return to store shelves are the 30^th anniversary Cabbage Patch Kids Exclusive Twin Cuddlers and Stroller Set that little ones will love, the My Little Pony Equestria Girls doll line that re-envisions the ponies as human characters and the exclusive Power Rangers Legacy Megazord, commemorating the brand's 20^th anniversary.

TABLETS FOR KIDS
Toys"R"Us is here to help parents reclaim their tablets from their tech-savvy kids, with various kid-friendly options that offer tech-tastic fun and long-lasting play value. With a full breadth of selection including Amazon's Kindle Fire, the Kobo Arc 7, three different sized Kurios (4", 7" and 10")  and branded bundles including the Jake & The Never Land Pirates Innotab 3S and Disney's Sofia the First LeapPad2, these fun options offer tons of pre-loaded apps, learning activities, parental controls and more.

To download the Toys"R"Us, Canada Top Toy Trends Infographic, click here:  http://files.newswire.ca/1073/TRU_trend_report.pdf.

About Toys"R"Us, Canada:
Toys"R"Us (Canada) Ltd. is part of Toys"R"Us, Inc., the world's leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer. Toys"R"Us, Canada operates 80 stores across the country. For store locations and convenient online shopping visit www.toysrus.ca and www.babiesrus.ca

SOURCE: Toys "R" Us (Canada) Ltd.

For further information:

Laura Arlabosse-Stewart / Andrea Hanft
Paradigm Public Relations
lstewart@paradigmpr.ca /ahanft@paradigmpr.ca
416-413-5185 / 416-413-5196