Target has unwrapped its list of the most anticipated playthings for the holiday season a little early this year. There are 50 products on its Bullseye’s Top Toys list for 2021, with a focus on gaming and active play.
Target’s holiday toy list has historically been released in September/October, but this year’s edition came out ahead of schedule in order to combat shipping delays that continue to cause problems in the supply chain. In addition to a sharp increase in online shopping volume, shutdowns related to emerging COVID-19 variants around the world have led to growing delays in product deliveries. And as a result, toycos are encouraging customers to start their holiday shopping early.
Target’s 2021 holiday toy list is organized into six categories, each designed to inspire a specific type of play. Hasbro’s Baby Alive Lulu Achoo Doll (pictured) is part of the Inspire New Stories section, for example, while Mattel’s Hot Wheels Monster Trucks T-Rex Volcano Arena Track Set was designated as an Inspire Imagination item.
Outdoor toys including Hasbro’s NERF Elite 2.0 Flipshots Flip-32 Blaster make up the Inspire Active Play section, while Nintendo’s Switch OLED and Switch with Neon Blue and Neon Red Joy-Con are both part of the Inspire Future Gamers section.
Target’s top brands for the 2021 holiday season include LEGO (which has four toys on Bullyseye’s Top Toys list), and MGA Entertainment’s L.O.L. Surprise! and Star Wars with two apiece. The full list is available online.
Target also announced that more than 160 Disney Stores will launch at its retail locations across the US. This follows Disney revealing plans to shift focus to e-commerce and reduce its brick-and-mortar footprint by shuttering stores across North America. The Disney Raya and the Last Dragon Land of Kumandra Set is included on Target’s 2021 holiday list.