Each year it seems that the latest batch of the year's hottest toys is better than the last. The Good Housekeeping Institute's Parenting Lab was lucky enough to preview some of the newest releases for the spring, summer, and fall, and the best new toys of 2022 offer a little something for everybody.

So, what is the most exciting toy trend this year? There are many options for calming sensory toys, play sets that help social-emotional learning, soothing fidgets, and even toys that help facilitate at-home education (especially when it comes to STEM sets). There are tons of toys that focus on sustainability, both as a theme for play, instilling kids to be good stewards of the environment, and with regard to the products' materials and packaging. Then there are toys that help kids tap into their inner creators, especially when it comes to making their own videos and taking their own photos.

Keep in mind that we’re still going through a pandemic, which probably has had a large effect on the popular toy brands.

The most popular toys during the last year. They fall into 6 categories as follows: Lego, toy figurines, dolls, fidget toys, toy guns, and mystery toys:

Lego Tops the List

Lego is currently the most trending product among 34 states, including 4 expensive sets.

For the past year, Lego Home Alone (retailed at $250) was the top most popular toy in 25 states (basically 50% of the US). The remaining 3 Lego sets had the highest popularity in 9 states, and they include Lego World Map ($250), Lego Typewriter ($200), and Lego Titanic which cost a whopping $630.

According to the data, the cheapest Lego sets cost between $200-250. This shows that inflation doesn't seem to be limiting the interest Americans have in toys they really want including Lego, no matter how expensive the product is.

Toy Figurines Comes Second

After Lego, toy figurines are growing in popularity as the most sought-after toy in most states. All the characters are based on popular Disney movies.

Luca Toys and Encanto Toys are basically figures of characters from the new 2021 Disney movies Luca, and Encanto. Mr Potato Head is also a character in the popular Disney franchise Toy Story, which consists of 4 films in total.

A high interest in Disney toys based on movies is expected. People stuck at home due to the pandemic are more likely to watch most movies online through Disney Plus, including new Disney animation films available for free with the subscription.

The recent surge of interest in Mr Potato Head might have something to do with the new gender-neutral versions of Potato Head (without the ‘Mr’ part). They were released by Hasbro last year with the aim of broadening the appeal of this toy figure among customers.

Another factor that definitely boosts popularity is the price tag.

Other Popular Toys

The fidget toy Pop It appeared to be quite famous in 4 states, all in the Southeast region. Interestingly enough, 3 of those states are in the top 5 poorest states in the country, which may explain why this affordable toy (typically goes for $5-10) was very popular there.

The spyra water gun was the most popular toy in Hawaiian society. Could this possibly be because they have an abundance of water around them?

The remaining two toys were each popular in one state, and they’re as follows : 

Mini Brands Toys; plastic capsules that contain surprise mini replicas of real-life products like Mentos gum or a tiny pack of Spam.

Rainbow High Dolls; are fashion dolls that revolve around an elite high school for visual arts, featuring students who represent the colors of the rainbow.