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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.
3
For the Speed Racers
Flybar 6 Volt Battery Powered Bumper Car Blue
3
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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4
Best Coloring Toy
Easy Playhouse Easy Playhouse Fairy Tale Coloring Pages Castle
4
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.
5
For Future NASA Engineers
LeapFrog Magic Adventures Telescope
5
For Future NASA Engineers
LeapFrog Magic Adventures Telescope
Now 24% Off
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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7
Best RC Toy
Skyrocket Mega Chomp Remote Control Shark
7
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.
8
Best Creature Creator
Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Cloud Playset
8
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.
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
Best Marble Run Toy
Ravensburger Gravitrax Starter Set Marble Run
10
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.
11
Best New Small Interactive Toy
My Squishy Little Little Dumplings Toy
11
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.
12
Most Exciting Surprise Toy
Magic Mixies Magical Misting Crystal Ball
12
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
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13
Best Instrument
The ONE Music Group Smart Piano Keyboard
13
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.
14
Spidey Senses Tingle Here
Hasbro Spidey and His Amazing Friends: Web-Spinners Web-Quarters
14
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.
15
Best Animal Toy
Playmobil Wiltopia Animal Care Station
15
Best Animal Toy
Playmobil Wiltopia Animal Care Station
Have a little future veterinarian on your hands? This Playmobil set is just the thing for them. Made of more than 80% sustainable materials, this 347 piece set includes everything from the clinic with actual stalls to a pulley system, heat lamps, and row boat! There's also an AR component where kids can learn all about the animals and the environment.
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16
Best Sand Toy
Kinetic Sand Construction Site Folding Sandbox Playset
16
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.
Chances are, if you have a toddler or a preschooler, they love Bluey. The Aussie sensation now on American television features a family of blue heeler dogs as they go about their daily lives.
Let your children take these characters out of the cartoon world, using their own imaginations as they play with this deluxe home set from the show. It comes with the whole family, their house, a barbecue, and a picnic table.
Get ready to launch a rocket straight into the air, all without batteries or the help of NASA. This kid-powered Stomp Rocket shoots foam-tipped rockets up to 200 feet into the air. Whether they're stomping in the backyard or at the park, they will be blown away by how far their rockets will soar.
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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.
20
Best New Car Toy
Monster Jam ThunderROARus Drop Playset with Exclusive Monster Truck
20
Best New Car Toy
Monster Jam ThunderROARus Drop Playset with Exclusive Monster Truck
Now 26% Off
This is a 6-foot-tall car ramp and exclusive monster truck. The exit part of the ramp is, of course, a dinosaur. In his mouth, the end of the track changes for different car tricks! It is bananas fun, and it drives cats and dogs and kids alike out of their minds.