Barbie is back on top. One year after being dethroned as the top toy on girls’ wishlists by characters from Disney’s Frozen, the iconic doll is again No. 1, based on a new survey conducted for the National Retail Federation.
The survey asked more than 7,000 consumers what “hot” toys they were planning to purchase for children during the upcoming holiday season. Of those who had their shopping plans laid out, 21.2 percent said they would be buying a Barbie for girls on their holiday list, while 13 percent said they would buy “Frozen” merchandise and 10 percent said they’d be buying other dolls.
The most popular toys for boys included Lego, on more than 12 percent of shopping lists, and “Star Wars” toys, which jumped to the No. 2 spot for boys from No. 15 last year, thanks to growing anticipation for the Dec. 18 release of the new movie in the franchise.
Bigger Than Barbie: Lego Is Now King of the Toymakers
The U.S. toy industry is poised to have its strongest year in at least a decade, according to projections from The NPD Group, a market-research firm. Tie-ins with Hollywood blockbusters like “Star Wars” and “Frozen” are helping to attract back children who had turned to video games and mobile apps, as are tech features being added to traditional toys. The newly released Barbie from Mattel, Hello Barbie, features speech recognition and is able to hold a conversation. Hasbro’s new Nerf gun — ranked ninth on the boy’s list — can now shoot foam balls up to 70 miles an hour.
Annual toy sales are expected to grow 6.2 percent to $19.9 billion this year, according NPD. That’s up from a 4 percent rise last year and the biggest jump in at least 10 years.
Related: Holiday Shopping: What Everyone on Your Gift List Really Wants
Below are the top toys Americans plan to buy for boys and girls this year, according to the National Retail Federation:
Top 10 Toys for Boys
1. Lego
2. Star Wars
3. Cars & Trucks
4. Video Games
5. Hot Wheels
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
7. Xbox One
8. Playstation 4
9. Nerf
10. Marvel Action Figures
Top 10 Toys for Girls
1. Barbie
2. Disney's Frozen
3. Dolls
4. Monster High
5. American Girl
6. My Little Pony
7. Shopkins
8. LEGO
9. Disney Princess
10. Star Wars
