My kids had one very big problem with the toys we brought home from the Chicago Toy & Game Fair: I wouldn’t let them open everything immediately.
“You have to wait. I am going on TV!”
That’s the challenge of taking four kids to a weekend filled with toys and games, then bringing some of those discoveries to FOX59’s Indy Now. Everybody wants to play, and Mom needs the toys intact for just a little longer.
We spent Wishlist Weekend testing toys at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, and we came home with plenty of holiday gift ideas. I shared six of our finds during my Indy Now segment, from a soccer game kids build themselves to a kit that turns their drawings into playable video games.
If you’re shopping for a builder, crafter, gamer, or collector, here’s what caught our attention. The links below are affiliate links for shopping online. You can purchase all of these items online, but if you want to shop locally, I recommend Kids Ink, Goodies & Giggles, Kits & Kaboodle Classic Toys, and Toodleydoo Toys. They carry many of these toy lines in store, and they’ll even wrap them up for you!
What Is the Chicago Toy & Game Fair?
The Chicago Toy & Game Fair, also known as CHITAG, gives families a chance to try toys and games in person. The 2026 fair took place November 7–8 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.
Wishlist Weekend is a fitting name. Instead of guessing what might interest your kids from a picture on a box, you get to watch them play, ask questions, and discover what they want to try next.
One thing I heard parents talking about throughout our visit was finding more things their kids could do without screens. Several of our picks fit that request. We also found a screen-based activity that had my daughter drawing, testing ideas, and solving problems as she created her own game.
Learn more about the Chicago Toy & Game Fair.
Snap Circuits Soccer Shot: Build It, Then Play
Recommended age: 7+ | MSRP: $99.99
Snap Circuits Soccer Shot starts with a building project. Before kids can compete, they assemble the working circuits that make this tabletop soccer game run.
Underneath the field are the connections that power features such as the motorized kicker, movable goalie, infrared goal detection, and digital scoreboard. Once everything is ready, it’s time for a two-player match.
During the segment, the hosts asked whether I had built it or my kids had.
My kids did it!
That is a big part of the appeal. They get to put something together and then use what they’ve built. When the ball goes through the goal, the sensor detects it, and the game tracks the score, with cheering adding to the fun.
For a kid who loves soccer and figuring out how things work, this brings both interests to the table. It’s also screen-free. If soccer isn’t your child’s thing, Snap Circuits has other building kits worth exploring.
See Snap Circuits Soccer Shot.
Fashion Angels Chaotic Crafts: A Treasure Box They Design
Recommended age: 8+ | MSRP: $23.99
Chaotic Crafts from Fashion Angels lets kids decorate a keepsake box with their own mix of charms, texture, and personality.
The Jewelry Box Design Kit includes a box with a magnetic closure, decorative charms, and purple deco cream for creating swirls and layered designs. In the studio, we talked about using the finished project as a jewelry box or treasure box.
And yes, that includes the rocks your child insists on bringing home.
I like that the activity leads to something kids can keep using. They make the design decisions, add the details, and end up with a place for jewelry, accessories, or whatever tiny treasures are currently important.
This is a screen-free gift idea for kids who enjoy decorating, personalizing things, and making something that feels like their own.
See the Fashion Angels Jewelry Box Design Kit.
Clickeez Bubble Pops: Collect, Fidget, and Count Down
Recommended age: 6+ | Keyboard and Advent Calendar sold separately
Clickeez were among the toys my kids were very ready to get into before my TV appearance.
These collectible keyboard-style keys combine character designs with fidget play. Kids can press the keys, connect them, and organize their collection.
The Bubble Pops Keyboard Mega Pack comes with a keyboard-shaped collector case and 12 Clickeez, including three light-up characters. The case gives kids a place to display their collection as it grows.
Despite its keyboard appearance, this is a screen-free toy. During the segment, we had a little fun with the fact that it looks like a computer accessory without actually being a computer.
For a holiday countdown, the Clickeez Advent Calendar offers 24 surprises, including 20 Clickeez plus accessories. That’s an important distinction for parents: 24 surprises does not mean 24 character keys.
My daughter already knows the characters’ names and was ready to explain what she had opened. If you have a kid who loves surprise reveals, little collectibles, and something to keep their hands busy, these are worth a look.
See the Bubble Pops Keyboard Mega Pack or the Clickeez Advent Calendar.
Pixicade: Draw Your Own Playable Video Game
Recommended age: 6+ | MSRP: $29.99
Pixicade was the toy that had the hosts asking, essentially, “Wait, it makes a game from the picture?”
Yes. From the picture.
Kids use colored markers to draw characters, obstacles, and game elements on paper. Then they photograph the drawing in the Pixicade app on a compatible smartphone or tablet and turn it into a playable game.
The kit includes five markers and a guidebook with lessons and examples. Different colors tell the app how to treat the game elements, so kids learn how their choices affect what happens on the screen.
My daughter created a character during the weekend, but its arm wasn’t connected correctly. When the drawing became part of the game, the arm fell off.
That led to figuring out what had happened, making changes, and eventually turning the arm into a sword.
That experience is why I was excited to share Pixicade. Kids can draw an idea, test it, discover a problem, and decide what to change. Then they get to play the game they made.
This one requires a screen, and families provide the compatible phone or tablet.
Explore Pixicade and its different editions.
SPIKE Sensory Bubble Play: The Studio Favorite
Recommended age: 3+ with adult supervision | MSRP: $24.99
Sometimes a bubble demonstration is all it takes to get everyone interested.
SPIKE Sensory Bubble Play from Innobaby includes a blower, dipping tray, and botanical bubble solution. Dip and twirl the blower, then blow to send bubbles floating through the air.
We tried it before the commercial break, and some bubbles were still around afterward. When we demonstrated it again during the segment, the adults were having as much fun as the kids would.
The set also has a place to stand the blower for storage, a practical detail I appreciated while showing it.
I can see this being a fun birthday-party activity or a surprise that changes the mood of an ordinary afternoon. It certainly got a reaction in the studio.
Innobaby offers different bubble formulas, including options described for indoor play and longer-lasting outdoor play. Check the formula and directions on the set you’re buying for the space where you plan to use it.
See SPIKE Sensory Bubble Play sets.
Plus-Plus Scooops: A Building Toy for the Bag
Recommended age: 5+ | Listed price: $9.99 per cup
Plus-Plus Scooops immediately made me think about restaurants, doctor’s appointments, and those times when I need something small to bring along.
Each reusable ice cream-style cup contains 100 interlocking building pieces. Kids can follow the included ideas or make whatever they imagine.
My daughter built the six-scoop ice cream cone I brought to the studio that morning. That gave us a fun example to show, but the pieces can become something completely different the next time she plays.
The portability is a big part of why I like this one. The pieces go back into the cup, the lid closes, and the whole thing can go in a bag for the next outing.
At about $10, Scooops is also a stocking stuffer or small gift idea for a child who enjoys building. I wouldn’t mind finding one in my own stocking, either.
Starting Your Family’s Holiday Wish List
These toys are on my kids’ wish lists, and getting to try them at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair helped us figure out what interested them.
That’s what I would keep in mind when shopping: what does your child love doing? Building, decorating, collecting, inventing games, or making something completely unexpected?
Our weekend gave us plenty of ideas, and bringing a few of them to Indy Now meant the hosts got a turn, too.
For families shopping locally, ask your favorite independent toy store about the exact product you’re looking for. Selection varies by store, and the links above provide additional places to explore the featured toys.
Prices and availability vary. Segment-provided MSRPs are reference prices from the November 11, 2026 product materials; current retailer prices may differ. Check the product edition, age guidance, and included items before purchasing.
