Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max – the 1996 holiday craze is back, and bigger
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Some toys are just toys. Tickle Me Elmo was a news story. In 1996 a red plush that laughs when you poke its belly sparked sellouts, and parents went store to store hunting for one.
Thirty years later, it’s back. Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max is an 18-inch interactive Elmo from Just Play that giggles, shakes and flaps his arms when you tickle his belly or his feet, and the more you tickle, the sillier he gets. It’s the 30th-anniversary version of the original, and it’s bigger.
I didn’t expect to care. I care a little.
What is Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max?
Giggle Max is the new Tickle Me Elmo from toy maker Just Play, made with Sesame Workshop. Just Play opened presales on Amazon and Walmart.com in June 2026, and the toy went to stores worldwide from mid-July.
“Tickle Me Elmo sparked joy and laughter in homes across the globe 30 years ago,” said Just Play’s Sunny Lauridsen when it launched. The new one is a lot more Elmo: he stands 18 inches tall, according to Just Play, so he’s bigger than the original.
The specs, from Just Play and The Toy Insider:
- 18 inches tall
- three tickle spots: belly, left foot and right foot
- giggles, phrases and hiccups from laughing too hard
- arms that flap, a mouth that opens and closes, and a full-body shake
- for ages 18 months and up
- runs on four AA batteries, which are included
How does it work?
You tickle him. That’s the instructions.
Each tickle spot triggers a giggle, and the laughs build on each other. Keep tickling and the reactions get bigger, from a chuckle to arms going everywhere and the whole body shaking. Just Play calls it escalating giggles. Your toddler will call it the funniest thing that has ever happened.
The Toy Insider put Giggle Max on its 2026 holiday lists, and its editor-in-chief Ali Mierzejewski called it a “slam dunk product” on TODAY. Easy to see why: parents remember the original, kids just see a giant laughing Elmo.
The good and the not-so-good
The good:
- The laughs build up instead of repeating one clip, which is the part that made the original a hit.
- Batteries are in the box. Nobody is hunting for AAs on Christmas morning.
- Bigger than the 1996 version, so he’s a proper hug-size plush.
The not-so-good:
- Amazon buyers give it 4.1 stars from 261 ratings. Good, not glowing.
- It’s loud by design. The laugh is the feature, and Just Play doesn’t mention a volume switch.
- It’s a toddler toy. Grown-up fans who want a display piece are better off with a collectible.
Who is Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max for?
It’s for toddlers and preschoolers who love Sesame Street, and for parents and grandparents who want to relive the 1996 madness from the calm side of the checkout. It also makes a fun gag gift for anyone born in the ’90s. If you’re shopping for an older kid who wants a pet that talks back, look at the Tamagotchi Paradise or the Eilik desk robot instead.
Where can I buy Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max?
Giggle Max is on Amazon for about 40 bucks at the time of writing (October 2026), the same as the list price. Walmart, Target and Macy’s sell it too. Hot toys have a habit of vanishing in December, so I wouldn’t wait until the week before Christmas.
Be nice to each other in the toy aisle this time, please.