Hatchimals expected to arrive at some Wal-Mart stores before Christmas

Wal-Mart announced that several suburban stores are expecting to receive Hatchimals, the hottest, hardest-to-find toy of the holiday season.

However, parents might have to make many phone calls to find out when the stores will receive shipments of the interactive furry stuffed animals that hatch from colorful eggs.

"There are 50 stores in the state that will be receiving Hatchimal shipments between Dec. 8 and Dec. 19. The stores all receive shipments on different days during this time period," according to a Wal-Mart spokesman. Area stores expected to receive the plush toys include Northlake, 137 W. North Ave.; Naperville, 2552 W. 75th St.; Orland Hills, 9265 159th St.; Round Lake Beach, 2680 N. Route 83; Crystal Lake, 1205 S. Route 31; Johnsburg, 3801 Running Brook Farm Blvd. and Harvard, 21101 McGuire Road. They are expected to have a price tag of about $49.

The latest toy craze involves interactive stuffed animals that a child gets to help hatch and then teach to walk, talk and play. It's similar to a Furby that hatches from an egg, adorably poking through its sparkling shell when you rub it.

Hatchimals, geared for children between ages 5 to 10, can't be found anywhere, according to retailers.

Spin Master, a Canadian manufacturer of the toy, was not expecting the huge demand for the toy.

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