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Peekimo: the wearable pet toy explained

What Spin Master's Peekimo is, how it works, why it is on 2026 Christmas lists, what it costs in the UK, Ireland and US, and its downsides.

Updated 2026-10-14

Peekimo is a small electronic pet from Spin Master, the toy company that also makes the Bitzee digital pet. A furry creature with big eyes lives inside a pocket-sized pod. It hides at first and comes out more as a child talks to it, taps it and plays with it. It clips onto a bag or hangs from a lanyard, so it is a toy and a charm at the same time. It was in US shops by August 2026 at $24.99 and costs £24.99 at Smyths in the UK, and US shopping sites and TV shopping guides now list it among the toys to get for Christmas 2026.

This page covers what it does, where the interest comes from, what it costs and what to think about before buying one.

What it is and who makes it

Spin Master first showed Peekimo in February 2026, in a press release on its toy trends for the year and at the New York Toy Fair. The company described a wearable pet that starts out shy and becomes more attached the more a child plays with it, feeds it and pays attention to it. It reacts with LED expressions and sounds. Spin Master said it would launch in autumn 2026 at $24.99 for ages 5 and up, with a soft flocked (velvety) head and four colours.

In shops, the colours we found named are pink (Penny), purple (Lulu) and blue (Boo). See What is Peekimo? for the versions.

How it works

Most of the detail below comes from a hands-on review by People of Play (28 August 2026) and the product listings at Smyths and Target.

Controls. The pod has a touch bar, a button, a mood light and a sound sensor. Tapping the touch bar feeds the pet and swiping it gives a cuddle. The button pops the pet in and out of its pod, and holding it down makes the pet "talk" in its own language, which the review calls "Peekimese". Blowing into the side of the pod triggers a surprise reaction.
Reactions. Retailers list more than 100 reactions to voice and touch.
Moods. The light on the pod shows how it feels. People of Play lists light blue for relaxed, yellow for happy and pink for wanting a cuddle, out of eight moods explained in the included guide.
Progress. The pet has "birthdays" as you play, and each one unlocks a new game. There are five, including a Simon Says-style game and one where you blow to keep the pet in its pod.
Friends. Two Peekimos placed close together recognise each other and interact.
Wearing it. The box includes an adjustable lanyard and a carabiner ring for a backpack, belt or lunchbox.
No screen. Smyths and Target both describe it as screen-free. It uses lights, sounds and the moving pet rather than a display.

Batteries

Peekimo runs on one AAA battery, which is included and already fitted, according to Smyths and Target. It is not rechargeable on any listing we saw. Boozt's listing adds the usual advice that an adult should change the batteries and that old and new batteries should not be mixed.

Care mechanics

The review describes feeding and cuddling through the touch bar and a bond that grows through regular play. None of the sources we read say whether the pet gets ill, runs away or "dies" if ignored, which is the classic Tamagotchi worry. Treat that as unknown until you see the instruction sheet.

Why interest is rising

February 2026: Spin Master puts Peekimo in its list of 2026 toys under a trend it calls "InterACTION". WAVY's Toy Fair editors' picks include it among toys the editors expected to sell out.
August 2026: Target lists it with a "new" badge, with the newest reviews dated 10 August. People of Play publishes its review on 28 August.
6 October 2026: TODAY's roundup of Amazon's hot toys of 2026 includes it in the under-$50 section at $24.99.
12 October 2026: Hip2Save calls it a "viral TikTok toy" and one of the top toy picks for 2026, with prices from $24.97 at Amazon and Walmart.
14 October 2026: TODAY's hottest holiday toys of 2026 list includes the pink Peekimo at $24.99 on Amazon.
Early ratings: Target showed 4.91 out of 5 from 21 ratings and Walmart 4.8 out of 5 from 25 ratings when we checked. These are small numbers.

Most of the coverage is American. In the UK it is stocked by Smyths and Very, but it was not in The Entertainer's top 10 toys for Christmas 2026, published on 9 September. We did not find sales figures, and we could not verify the "viral on TikTok" claim beyond Hip2Save's description.

Who it is for

Spin Master, Target and Very give the age as 5 and up. The European listings carry a standard warning that it is not suitable for children under 3 because of small parts. It suits children who like collecting, charms on their bag and caring for a pet, and families who want a gadget without a screen. Because two units interact, it is more fun if a sibling or friend has one too, which is worth knowing before you buy only one.

What it costs

Prices checked October 2026 on the retailer pages listed in the sources.

Retailer	Version	Price
Smyths Toys UK	Pink, purple	£24.99
Very (UK)	Pink Penny	£23.99
Smyths Toys Ireland	Pink, purple	€29.99
Target (US)	Pink	$24.99
Walmart (US)	Purple	$24.97 (out of stock when checked)
Amazon (US)	Pink	$24.99 (as listed by TODAY on 14 October)

There are no subscriptions, apps or in-toy purchases mentioned on any listing. The only running cost is AAA batteries. Full details, including stock and fakes, are in Where to buy Peekimo.

Downsides

It is new and lightly reviewed. One independent review and a few dozen retailer ratings is not much to go on, and the review we read listed no drawbacks at all.
Limited depth. Five games and 100+ reactions is less content than a Tamagotchi with a screen. Older children may get bored sooner. See Peekimo vs Tamagotchi.
Batteries. It uses an ordinary AAA battery, not a coin or button cell, so the specific button-battery swallowing risk does not apply in the same way. Still keep spare batteries away from small children and let an adult change them.
Choking hazard. Small parts, so not for under-3s. Take care if a younger sibling might get hold of it.
Christmas stock. Walmart's purple version was out of stock when we checked, and Hip2Save was already telling readers to buy before it sold out. If stock gets short in December, resale prices may rise. We could not check eBay prices for this guide.
School rules. We found no reports of schools banning Peekimo. But it is designed to be clipped to a school bag and it makes sounds, so check your school's rules on toys before it goes in the bag.
Screen time. There is no screen, which many parents will see as a plus. It still asks for attention to keep the bond growing, so set your own limits.

How to get started

Pick a colour. If siblings or friends want one, consider buying two so they can interact.
Buy from a known retailer at or near the £24.99 / $24.99 price. See where to buy.
Read the quick start guide and the mood chart in the box with your child. The lights only make sense once you know the colours.
Keep a pack of AAA batteries handy.
Clip it to a bag with the carabiner, or use the lanyard.
Compare it with the alternatives in Peekimo vs Tamagotchi if your child is older or already has a virtual pet.

Guides in this section

Guides

Peekimo vs Tamagotchi and Bitzee
Peekimo compared with Tamagotchi Uni, Tamagotchi Paradise and Bitzee: prices in £ and $, batteries, screens, ages and which suits which child.
What is Peekimo and why is everyone buying it?
Peekimo is Spin Master's shy, wearable electronic pet. How it works, the Penny, Lulu and Boo versions, and why it is on Christmas 2026 lists.
Where to buy Peekimo in the UK and US
Peekimo prices at Smyths, Very, Target, Walmart and Amazon, stock checked October 2026, what to pay on resale and how to avoid fakes.