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Kids are picky, fickle little creatures, and honestly, that’s a big part of their charm. The toys they want are ever-changing, and it can be seriously hard to keep up with what trend is cool and what’s “Ugh, so lame, Mom.” Thankfully, there are people out there like myself whose job is to figure out what our kids want before it’s sold out and going for the price of a small car on eBay.
This year, there have been a few new themes that have stood out to me: robots, food toys, and dinosaur toys like this cool 3-in-1 Rescue Rex from Vtech that provides hours of play and all things remote-controlled. It makes sense given the 30th anniversary of Jurassic Park, the new Transformers, and the focus on STEAM toys, which food is very much a part of. (What is baking if not art and math?)
Pretend play is having a moment, and one of my favorites is a Girl Scout Cookie Booth from Little Tikes that our testers loved, and even babies are getting in on it with the Fisher Price Learn and Laugh DJ Mix Table. Simply put, it's a great year to be a kid.
I've spent over 100 hours researching toys this year between meetings with brands, toy fairs, and testing toys with groups of children, so trust me — these are the toys your kids will definitely want this year.
1
Best Combination Toy
VTech Switch and Go 3-in-1 Rescue Rex
1
Best Combination Toy
VTech Switch and Go 3-in-1 Rescue Rex
Yes, it's a dinosaur, but it's also a police car, a fire truck, and a helicopter. It transforms into all three. It's not a tricky transformation, either. Once your child figures it out, they're good. It's four toys in one.
Your future Judy Chicago or Kehinde Wiley could get their start with this light-up drawing board by Crayola. This enchanting coloring toy illuminates your children's artwork, inspiring them to create more and more illustrations. Powered by three AA batteries, this board utilizes washable color gel markers that create bright and bold lines that your kid will absolutely adore.
It's a real telescope, I promise. It's also a learning tablet that comes complete with tons of different cards that teach your little ones all about space. It also has games for your kids to play as they learn about our universe, making each of them a tiny astronaut.
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5
Best Coloring Toy
Easy Playhouse Easy Playhouse Fairy Tale Coloring Pages Castle
5
Best Coloring Toy
Easy Playhouse Easy Playhouse Fairy Tale Coloring Pages Castle
We're all trying to be just a little bit better to the planet, and that can start by decreasing the amount of plastic toys we buy our kids.
This cardboard castle lets kids do the work of decorating it, thanks to the coloring-pages exterior. And it should be noted that just because it's cardboard doesn't mean it's not sturdy. Think of all the boxes your kids keep around for months and months just because they've determined it's the perfect theatre/mailbox/veterinary office.
6
For the Speed Racers
Flybar 6 Volt Battery Powered Bumper Car Blue
6
For the Speed Racers
Flybar 6 Volt Battery Powered Bumper Car Blue
Now 13% Off
Got a little future daredevil on your hand? Why not get them one of these very slow (1mph) bumper cars? It's battery-charged and controlled via dual joysticks under each hand.
Just make sure that your child is at least 18 months old, and always strapped in and buckled before setting them loose to annoy the cat and each other. They will have tons of fun, though.
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7
Best Instrument
The ONE Music Group Smart Piano Keyboard
7
Best Instrument
The ONE Music Group Smart Piano Keyboard
If your child is itching to pick up a new instrument, but you're not sure if you have the cash to shell out for lessons, bring home this quality keyboard.
It functions just like a regular piano keyboard, but it also features the ability to teach your child new music by connecting to an app. The keys will light up and show your kid how to play songs. It's entertaining and will leave your child with music skills to last a lifetime.
If the skill really takes off, you can also bring home this 88-key piano keyboard that teaches music in the same way.
8
Best RC Toy
Skyrocket Mega Chomp Remote Control Shark
8
Best RC Toy
Skyrocket Mega Chomp Remote Control Shark
If you want to see your child cackle with glee, get them this remote-control shark. It chomps as it goes, and it's actually pretty quick. Don't worry — it's light and doesn't hurt when your child inevitably chases you down while you're cooking dinner one evening. It's a cat's worst nightmare, but they're good at hiding.
Remember the bottle trend from a few years ago where kids were trying to flip a half-full bottle of water to land on its base? It's like that, with the addition of having a dart element to it. Also, it's way easier to land these darts.
The darts are built with suction cups that stick pretty well to most surfaces without damaging them. How do I know? My kids landed their darts on my oh, so brand-new television ... and it was fine.
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10
Most Exciting Surprise Toy
Magic Mixies Magical Misting Crystal Ball
10
Most Exciting Surprise Toy
Magic Mixies Magical Misting Crystal Ball
Now 13% Off
Moose Toys have some real magical mojo, and this year, they really hit it out of the park. The Magical Mixies Crystal Ball is a step up from 2021's cauldron.
There's a lot happening with this toy: it's a crystal ball that lights up and has "eerie smoke" (glycerin steam), and kids use their magic wand to make a surprise creature appear. That creature has over 80 sounds and reactions, acting a bit like a Zoltar or Magic 8 ball. Kids can do it over and over again, and the crystal ball also doubles as a night light! Kids love this toy so much that we named it our toy of the year in 2022.
More: The Best Outdoor Toys for Kids
11
Spidey Senses Tingle Here
Hasbro Spidey and His Amazing Friends: Web-Spinners Web-Quarters
11
Spidey Senses Tingle Here
Hasbro Spidey and His Amazing Friends: Web-Spinners Web-Quarters
Have you ever watched a group of 4-year old boys lose their minds? I have, and it was because of this toy. In Spidey's Web Spinner Web Quarters, you place Spidey in the spinning web room right below the light up top, hit the button, and he spins. The you empty him right into his car.
12
Best New Small Interactive Toy
My Squishy Little Little Dumplings Toy
12
Best New Small Interactive Toy
My Squishy Little Little Dumplings Toy
Now 69% Off
Squeezy interactive dumplings are a bit reminiscent of Wowwee's Fingerling toys, except these are much cuter. You squeeze their little cheeks, and its little body pops right out of the head, and the eyes move up and down.
We promise it's nowhere near as strange as it sounds. It's positively sweet, and kids are going wild for it. (Mine certainly are.) These are available for preorder right now, shipping the week of Nov. 15. 2021.
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13
2023 Toy of the Year
Dog-E Interactive Robot Dog
13
2023 Toy of the Year
Dog-E Interactive Robot Dog
Now 31% Off
Our 2023 Toy of the Year, Dog-E is one of the most fun toys I've seen in recent history. It's an app-controlled robot dog that does tons of tricks, including playing tug of war, making tons of sounds, and even playing games with your child through the app.
14
Best Sand Toy
Kinetic Sand Construction Site Folding Sandbox Playset
14
Best Sand Toy
Kinetic Sand Construction Site Folding Sandbox Playset
Now 47% Off
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like kinetic sand is going anywhere, anytime soon. The ever-popular toy has some big things happening this year, including awesome play sets like these that your kids are sure to love, and sure to scatter.
15
Best Creature Creator
Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Cloud Playset
15
Best Creature Creator
Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Cloud Playset
Do you have a future Picasso on your hands? Let your child indulge their inner artist and love of cute creatures with the Crayola Scribble Scrubble Cloud Playset.
In the kit your child will get a koala-corn and owl-icorn and a set of special markers, a rainbow slide, and a tub to wash off the creations. It's utterly charming.
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16
Best Marble Run Toy
Ravensburger Gravitrax Starter Set Marble Run
16
Best Marble Run Toy
Ravensburger Gravitrax Starter Set Marble Run
Your little engineer will be able to unleash their creativity and innovation with this Gravitrax Marble Run. The 122-piece starter set can be assembled in infinite ways. This superior marble-run system combines kinetics, magnets, and design creativity to propel the marbles in different directions.
Your child will be obsessed with finding new ways to put it together. Once they've mastered the starter set, you can purchase extra pieces to create a unique system all their own.
17
Best Learning-Anatomy Toy
SmartLab Squishy Human Body
17
Best Learning-Anatomy Toy
SmartLab Squishy Human Body
“What’s this called?” “Where’s my funny bone?”
Got a body-curious kid? This is the toy they need. Not only is it a fun squishy toy, but it also properly labels each part of the body in plain and simple English. It’s informative and a real riot for kids who are into it.
Plus, it comes with tweezers to get the organs out, which is gross and cool.
18
Best Sports Toy
GlowCity Glow in The Dark Size 7 Basketball
18
Best Sports Toy
GlowCity Glow in The Dark Size 7 Basketball
This is one of the coolest toys I got to play with this year. This basketball is standard weight and size, but thanks to the addition of super-bright LED lights on the inside, the whole thing glows with a radiant golden light. This is a ton of fun for twilight or nighttime play.
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19
A Fun Game for All Ages
WHAT DO YOU MEME? Search Party: Chaos at the Park
19
A Fun Game for All Ages
WHAT DO YOU MEME? Search Party: Chaos at the Park
Now 21% Off
Part hidden figures, part Where's Waldo, part Clue? This game is made for elementary-age kids but is seriously fun for the whole family. Honestly, I brought it to a brewery after the kids played it, and a bunch of tipsy women (like myself) loved it.
20
For Baby Beasts
Beast Lab Stealth Strike Big Cat Beast Creator
20
For Baby Beasts
Beast Lab Stealth Strike Big Cat Beast Creator
Now 21% Off
From the same company that gave us the Magical Mixies sets, this is a bit more wild. Your child will be adding the "toxic" ingredients into the beast lab to reveal their own beast. That beast will go into beast mode, only soothed when he gets what he wants.