Best In Show: "The Pet Shop" Tops 2014 Holiday Toy Trends Identified By Toys"R"Us®

Dedicated Destinations for a Charming Menagerie of Cuddly and Interactive Pets Debut in Toys"R"Us Stores Nationwide and Online at Toysrus.com

Key Trends Forecasted by Toys"R"Us Also Include "Customizable Creations," "Lights, Camera, Toys," and "Out of this World" Playthings

News provided by

Toys"R"Us

Oct 15, 2014, 07:00 ET

WAYNE, N.J., Oct. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- After a near calendar-year of tracking toy introductions across the globe, the veteran team of experts at Toys"R"Us^® have identified "The Pet Shop" as the leading holiday toy trend of 2014, expected to influence kids' wish lists and parents' shopping decisions. Encompassing a wide range of innovative and engaging toys, "The Pet Shop" trend spotlights the many life-like pups, fluttering butterflies, chirping birds and even tenacious, robotic dinosaurs that children are clamoring this holiday season. To make it even easier for gift-givers to shop this hot trend in the months leading up to Christmas, customers eager to purchase play pets – which offer all the fun, minus the mess – can find a curated assortment of cuddly companions in dedicated "Pet Shop" boutiques highlighted at the front of Toys"R"Us stores nationwide, as well as in a featured section online at Toysrus.com/PetShop.

Rounding out the roster of top holiday toy trends for 2014 are three notable segments, dubbed "Lights, Camera, Toys," "Out of this World," and "Customizable Creations." From licensed toys featuring characters of kid-favorite films and television shows, to playthings that blur the line between make believe and reality, to crafts and construction that inspire customization and creativity, Toys"R"Us is the ultimate destination for holiday shoppers to find presents that will truly delight the children who unwrap them.

"While pet-related playthings have long captured kids' imaginations, this year, there are a multitude of stand-outs that have upped the ante, bringing increased innovation, amplified technology and substantial value to this toy companion category," said Richard Barry, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandise Officer, Toys"R"Us Inc. "As evidenced by the consumer demand we've already seen at Toys"R"Us for products such as Moose Toys' Little Live Pets Love Birds and Spin Master's Zoomer Dino, among others, there's no doubt these fun-filled toys are destined to be among the most coveted of the holiday season. With our dedicated in-store 'Pet Shop' and online destination, we're making it easy for gift-givers to find the perfect new pal for the children on their gift lists."

The four top toy trends of the 2014 holiday season include:

The Pet Shop
With a variety of great gifts that allow kids of all ages to nurture and befriend a new playtime pal, such as Zoomer^™ Dino (Onyx) from Spin Master^™, Bright Starts^™ Having a Ball!^™ Hide & Spin Monkey^™ from Kids II^®, Little Live Pets^™Bird Cage Love Birds Double Pack from Moose Toys^™and FurReal Friends^® Get Up and Go Go My Walkin' Pup^™ from Hasbro^®, kids won't have to look far for a companion thanks to this year's top toy trend.

Lights, Camera, Toys!
After a year of major blockbusters on the big and small screens, this year's hottest television and movie properties continue to dominate not just the box office, but playrooms, too. Spotlighted among this year's holiday must-haves are Disney^®Frozen Snow Glow Elsa from JAKKS Pacific, Inc., TRANSFORMERS^® Stomp & Chomp GRIMLOCK from Hasbro^® and STAR WARS^™Rebels Command Star Destroyer from Hasbro^®. With these fan-favorite toys, there will never be quiet on the set, as kids bring the magic of play to life during the holidays and beyond.

Customizable Creations
Kids and parents alike are always on the hunt for toys that inspire imagination, while creating personalized playtime experiences as unique as the children enjoying them. Whether it's designing towns in LEGO^® FUSION Town Master from LEGO Systems, doodling a doh-y masterpiece with Play-Doh^® DohVinci^™ Anywhere Art Studio^™ from Hasbro^® or crafting trendy, do-it-yourself charm bracelets with Charmazing™ Color Me Up! from Wooky Entertainment, kids will love the customization and creativity sparked by these playthings.

Out of this World
As creativity and innovation accelerate, manufacturers are taking playtime to another level with toys that offer extraordinary fun. From interactive robots like MiP^™ from WowWee and intergalactic-ready play sets like Imaginext^® Battle Rover from Fisher-Price^®, to fast-flying cars like Hot Wheels^® Street Hawk Remote Control Flying Car from Mattel^® and the next wave of highly anticipated, interactive Toys to Life video games such as Disney Infinity: Marvel Superheroes 2.0 Edition and Skylanders Trap Team™ from Activision, kids will have a blast engaging in other-worldly play this season.

Those eager to shop items corresponding to these trends, or any of the 36 playthings named to the Toys"R"Us 2014 #TRUHotToyList can check out Toysrus.com/HotToys for all their gift-giving needs. In addition, the company's new online Gift Finder allows shoppers to browse a vast array of toys grouped by age, toy category, current promotions and more. Toys"R"Us is THE destination for all the trending toys, and for unique services like Price Match Guarantee and Free Online Layaway, as well as its new Rewards"R"Us loyalty program.

For the latest news on the holiday season at Toys"R"Us, follow the company on Facebook at Facebook.com/Toysrus, and on Twitter at Twitter.com/Toysrus.

For high-resolution photos of "The Pet Shop" in-store feature shop, click here.

For high-resolution photos of holiday hot toys, as well as broadcast-quality b-roll footage of select items, visit the Toys"R"Us Holiday Press Room.

About Toys"R"Us, Inc.
Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 877 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, and in more than 710 international stores and over 195 licensed stores in 35 countries and jurisdictions. In addition, it exclusively operates the legendary FAO Schwarz brand and sells extraordinary toys in the brand's flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com, Babiesrus.com, eToys.com and FAO.com, it provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Headquartered in Wayne, NJ, Toys"R"Us, Inc. employs approximately 70,000 associates annually worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need. Additional information about Toys"R"Us, Inc. can be found on Toysrusinc.com. Follow Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us and FAO Schwarz on Facebook at Facebook.com/Toysrus, Facebook.com/Babiesrus and Facebook.com/FAO and on Twitter at Twitter.com/Toysrus and Twitter.com/Babiesrus.