Believe it or not, the best time of the year to buy holiday toys is actually late summer and early fall. 

This is because most toy retailers have to plan well in advance for the holiday season. They will have made their orders in July, with the stock arriving in August and September. Right now is the best time to make your selections for the holiday because inventory for the fourth quarter is arriving now in the third quarter of the year. For example, our shop just received an incredible shipload of Lego™sets in anticipation of the holiday. We’ll get another drop sometime in October, and that’s it for the year! 

As a legacy Lego dealer that’s sold this brand for 30 years, PLAYmatters gets the best picks and exclusives, but some Lego is scarce or hard to find. We’re also a high volume Ravensburger retailer, and an exclusive Jellycat seller. The same is true for Bruder trucks and BRIO. These brands are picky about who carries their items and they reserve the best inventory for their best stores.

Plus, most toy retailers won't be able to reorder popular items at the end of the year if they sell out. The hot toy your kid wants may not be available by December. It pays to shop now for buying events like Christmas and Hanukkah.

Photo: Lego