Holiday's hottest toy is under $25... and comes in an egg

Kids love to be surprised. And a new category of aptly named “surprise toys” has taken the toy aisles by storm, driven by the popularity of Hatchimals — the sold-out toy craze of Holiday 2017 — L.O.L Surprise dolls and kids’ collective obsession with unboxing videos on YouTube.

So what will this year’s surprise toy craze be? Baby dragons.

Yes, you read that right. The Little Live Pets dragon play set with crystal cage lets your kid hatch baby dragons that hop around and make little dragon noises. They’re next-level adorable, and are just $22.44 at Walmart.com.

This toy is adored by toy experts (see for yourself in the reviews, below) and it’s easy to see why. Your child will get one of six different dragons that each come in its own jewel-encrusted egg. (The actual dragon you’ll get is a surprise to you and your child.) Once it’s out of the box, the little dragon will make tapping noises before it hatches. Then it cracks open its egg, and the baby dragon hops and flaps its wings to try to fly while making sweet little growls. When you pick up the dragon and pet it, it makes cute little purring noises.

The hatching isn’t a one-and-done deal: Your child can pop their dragon back in their egg and watch it re-hatch as many times as they want. The dragon comes with its own totable cage, and batteries are included — a huge plus.

The Little Live Pets Dragons are a hit with reviewers.

The baby dragon sounds won over Mim, Mom, and the Minis. “Aww! So cute!” they said in a YouTube review. “I think this might be my favorite.” The re-hatching was also viewed as a big perk.

The fuzzy texture of the baby dragons won over Cathleen of Cathleen’s Toy Reviews. And, like other reviewers, she loved watching them hatch. “Wow!” she exclaimed, as a baby dragon popped out.

Never Grow Up Ever’s Hannah Prewett points out on Instagram that the color of the dragon on the box isn’t necessarily what you get on the inside. But, she adds, “they’re all so adorable” that kids “don’t care.”

Got a pint-sized dragon fan in your house? Little Live Pets dragon play set with crystal cage, $24.22 at Walmart.com, is definitely a toy worth looking into.

Check out which of the Walmart toys kid experts — and their parents — are loving from our Holiday 2018 Top Toys Guide.

This article was paid for by Walmart and created by Yahoo Lifestyle. The Yahoo Lifestyle editorial staff did not participate in the creation of this content.