Make this Christmas special with Mattel

Most of us grew up playing with toys from the Mattel range, and isn’t it so special that we can share these products with our children now too. The Mattel range includes Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Thomas & Friends and Mega Bloks, and new toys from these popular brands are now available at leading retailers nationwide.

There is such a wide range of toys within these brands, making sure there is something for everyone, for both girls and boys and for different age groups and even present budgets too. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s hot with Mattel this Christmas.

Mega Bloks

Mega Bloks has just relaunched in South Africa, and I’m so excited that this awesome brand is now back on our shelves. These colourful first blocks for toddlers have been entertaining and educating for 30 years now, and promise to keep your little ones busy. You can get their journey started with the Mega Bloks First Builders Building Bags, available in 60 or 80 pieces in either classic blues or pinks. 

I’ve spent many afternoons building towers, castles, parking garages and even dragons with Mega Bloks with my two kids. The big blocks fit together and come apart easily, help to build fine motor skills and inspire children’s imagination and creativity. They can also be packed away and stored in the handy bag. Mega Bloks are ideal for kids between the ages of 1 to 5, and come highly recommended from this mom.

Barbie

The new Barbie Dolphin Magic dolls are summery and full of fun with snorkels, fins and brightly coloured outfits. Playtime isn’t complete without a few accessories, so be sure to check out the Barbie Glam Pool with lounge chairs, a palm tree and a slide to bring the party to life. There are also different playsets and furniture available, and even a boat! The Barbie Dolphin Magic Ocean Treasure Playset is my top pick from this new range, designed to inspire imaginative play, Barbie has a pink coral reef and treasure chest to explore along with a few new friends including a dolphin, unicorn sea horse and sea turtle.

Barbie has also just expanded its Fashionistas line with 15 new and diverse Ken dolls. Not only do these include different body types but also a variety of skin tones, eye colours, hairstyles and modern fashion looks too. There are also 25 additional diverse Barbie dolls available in South Africa to make sure that every little girl and boy has a special Barbie doll this holiday.

Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels is the number one selling toy in the world, did you know that 10.5 Hot Wheels cars are sold every second across the globe and they make 2 billion wheels per year (double that made by Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear combined!)! There are a variety of track, action and story sets for every little racer to enjoy. The fold-out playsets have different themes, including a car wash and garage, while the Ready to Play sets inspire mission-based play with exciting themes such as Mars Mission and Shipyard Escape.

Get ready for thrills with the track builder systems, the Track Builder Starter Kit Playset is a great start to your collection and includes track, a split loop, ramps and more. The Track Builder System Stunt Kit Playset allows kids to test how high they can go and how far they can jump as they try to beat their own score without crashing.

Fisher-Price

Fisher-Price has been providing fun and educational toys for kiddies for 80 years now. Their new range of bright and colourful play gyms, walkers, and learning tables are worth investing in. The Bandstand Play Gym is great for stimulating little ones, while the Animal Friends Giraffe Learning Table is a fantastic way for baby to enjoy hands-on activities while sitting and then later it can be elevated to help teach kiddies to stand and start cruising. Learn with Me Zebra Walker is an excellent way to encourage walking and keep little ones busy with lots of exciting activities.

Thomas & Friends

If your children are fans of the new Thomas & Friends Adventures range they’re in for a treat. The Light Up Racers have light up engines and headlamps as well as a smoke box that flickers, the different die-cast train engines are classics which can be connected to other Thomas & Friends engines, tracks and playsets. There are a variety of playsets to enjoy, including the Thomas Great Dino Delivery which includes fossils that need to be found and delivered, or Charlie’s Day at the Quarry which sees you loading rock cargo into the cargo car. The Multi-Pack Engine assortment packs are great because they include four die-cast train engines and vehicles built around a theme or location.

Check out these awesome new products from the Mattel range at leading retailers nationwide. There are lots more from Mega Bloks, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price and Thomas & Friends to discover…which one is your favourite for this Christmas?