3 days Ago
1. A ridiculously adorable interactive Peppa Pig doll that can dance and sing with your tot long enough to keep them away from the TV screen for a bit. She can dance around in "party mode" or slip on her rain boots to put her in "muddy puddles" mode for some rainy-day fun.
But whatever you do, please do not learn how to whistle before her !!! She is a hater and will absolutely not be happy for you. Promising review: "My grandkids are big fans of Peppa Pig. We bought this as a surprise.
The fact that it moves and also talks will be a big hit with them, I am sure. The toy quality seems to be pretty good." — Rooster54 Get it from Amazon for $29.
57 . 2. A Bitzee , which puts a 3D spin on the traditional virtual pet.
Simply open the capsule to reveal one of 15 pets that respond to touch, tilts, and swipes. There's even a Disney version with characters like Stitch, Wall-E, and Lightning McQueen! When their pets evolve into Super Bitzees, they can find cool outfits and mini-games. In a rare turn of events, batteries are included! Promising review: "My 8-year-old loves this thing so much that she hasn't put it down since she got it.
It was the star of the show for Christmas, and I got so many hugs for getting it for her. This is basically the modern take on the old-school Tamagotchis, but it has a fluttering LED bar that zips up and down at an extremely high rate of speed to mimic the appearance of an actual digital pet floating in midair. Seems weird at first, but that fluttering light bar also allows you to feel like you are really touching the animal — very cool in action.
If you are a parent looking for the perfect gift for a 5-10-year-old child, then do yourself a favor and grab one of these; you will not regret it! Really awesome toy for a very reasonable price." — M. Myers Get it from Amazon for $29.
74+ (available in four styles). 3. A toy laptop that converts into a tablet so your toddler can stop messing with your Macbook and iPad.
Unlike a real tablet, this doesn't connect to the internet and is instead filled with educational games to help kids learn their letters and numbers and identify animals. I wonder if toddlers consider some lessons to be strictly laptop activities ??? Promising review: "This helped my daughter learn and it also distracts her. She always sees me on my laptop working so it’s cute when she plays with this laptop.
Everything works well and is easy to use. I love the option to turn it into a tablet." — Victoria Get it from Amazon for $17.
59 (available in two colors). 4. A NeeDoh Nice Cube — the holiday's most popular sensory fidget toy that reviewers say lives up to the hype.
It has a weighted yet super squishy design that's perfect for keeping fidgety hands busy, and parents might even borrow it to relieve some stress. This is the only lump in my stocking I wouldn't mind seeing. Promising review: "High quality and very durable! This cube is fantastic for any age and any need.
The cube provides slight resistance when compressed, which is both stress-relieving and satisfying!!! Once squeezed, it quickly returns to its natural shape. A great choice!" — Joe stevenson Get it from Amazon for $8.70 (The color is either blue, pink, or purple and gets selected for you at random!).
5. An interactive Ms. Rachel plush doll that speaks 16 different phrases when they press the button on her hand.
It also includes four songs including "Icky Sticky Sticky Sticky Bubble Gum," which I personally have never heard but I'm assuming it's an absolute bop based on the title alone. Promising review: "My son loves it already! The sound is perfect. I am shocked by how clear the audio is.
It has a quiet and loud option, which we are huge fans of. Plenty of phrases and songs. She is soft and so far seems to be amazing quality.
My MIL bought him a second for backup since he loves it so much. "— Courtney M. Get it from Amazon for $29.
97 . 6. The extremely popular Cookeez Makery plush toy — it lets kids "bake" their very own deliciously scented stuffed cake.
They'll start by mixing up their "dough," placing it in the oven and setting the timer, then opening the door to reveal their warm new friend (yes, it actually comes out warm!!!). It's like the less messy version of an Easy Bake Oven, and the end result is way better. Promising review: "The toy was super fun to use and very easy to understand with the instruction book.
The Plushie smells so yummy, and it’s super soft; I also love how it gets warm after squeezing it. Definitely a super fun toy for all ages." — kittyq3 Get it from Amazon for $29.
97+ (available in two styles). 7. Or the new Frezy Cakes so they can reveal a sweetly-scented "ice cream" cake in an adorable mini fridge.
They'll receive either Strawberry Unicake, Minty Polar Bear, or Tiger Berry Ripple, and each one is interactive with lights and sounds. They'll start by mixing the included ingredients to form their "dough," then press it into the cake pan, place in the fridge, then close the door and set the timer. Once the bell rings, the adorable plush will be inside! Promising review: "My great-granddaughter loved this item.
She picked it out, and when it was delivered, she couldn't contain her excitement. Well worth the price, and I will be buying more. It is what it describes and more fun than what I thought it was going to be.
" — LMhall Get it from Amazon for $29.97 . 8.
An objectively very cool remote-controlled lizard that can actual climb on the walls! Its eyes will glow as it climbs along every wall in your home — and the pranking possibilities are endless. The lizard is rechargable and powered with the included USB cable, though two AAA batteries are needed for the remote (not included). Promising review: "My son asked and asked for this remote control lizard! And he absolutely loves it.
I wouldn't recommend this product if you had only carpet. It crawls well on wood/tile and crawls up and across the walls using a vacuum." — Amanda Get it from Amazon for $26.
49 . 9. A three-in-one Bluey playset — it starts out as an airplane, then transforms into a resort and boat! It plays various sounds and phrases, and it includes Bluey, Bingo, Chilli, Bandit, and the Captain! Promising review: "My daughter loves the Bluey figure toys, so we had to get this for her for Christmas.
It’s adorable, and with the plane turning into a resort, it’s a great value. It was hard for me to find in stores but Amazon came through! The character figures are great and it looks like fun. I’m sure she will be excited to receive it!" — Ashley S.
Get it from Amazon for $69.99 . 10.
And! A Bluey pop-up game that's equal parts exciting and suspenseful. The goal? Don't be the player to make Bluey pop out of her barrel! Players take turns inserting crocodile-shaped sticks into the barrel until someone finds the slot that makes Bluey escape. Losing is really winning in this game — who doesn't want to see Bluey?! Promising review: "This game is absolutely perfect for our game nights.
Our grandbabies 4 and 5 years old simply loved it. Instructions are very simple. Very well made toy.
Perfect as a birthday gift or even as a Christmas gift." — MARILUZ Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (also available with four other characters).
11. Lego's Disney 100 Celebration Train featuring figures and themed carts for Mickey, Minnie, Tinkerbell, Woody, Peter Pan, and Moana, so every classic and modern Disney fan is basically bound to love it. Promising review: "My toddler really enjoyed this set.
It’s great that each train cart comes individually wrapped and numbered so that you can build one at a time, or you could have a family Lego night where each person builds their own train cart and connects them at the end." — Eduardo P. Get it from Amazon for $31.
99 . 12. An Optimus Prime figure that transforms from a truck to a robot in six steps.
Reviewers say it's surprisingly simple to transform, meaning youngsters can re-enact all their favorite Transformers scenes without asking their parents every five seconds, "Can you make it a robot???? *coughs* *sniffles* now, can you make it a truck???" Promising review: "I just got the Optimus Prime transforming toy for my son, and it’s been a total hit! The transformation is super easy, which is perfect for kids—he can switch from truck to robot mode in no time. The colors and details are vibrant and really capture Optimus’s iconic look. It’s durable enough to withstand rough play, which is a huge plus.
This toy has sparked his imagination and kept him entertained for hours. If you’re looking for a fun and engaging toy for a young Transformers fan, I highly recommend this Optimus Prime — definitely a five-star winner!" — Joseph A. Get it from Amazon for $24.
99 . 13. Barbie's latest Dreamhouse which comes fully furnished and has tons of upgraded features — so it looks like she's put the billion dollars she made from last year's movie to good use! The three-story house features her iconic slide, a working elevator, lights and sounds in the kitchen and bathroom, and an entertainment room that converts into a bedroom for fun slumber parties.
Fortunately it cannot convert into a Mojo Dojo Casa House. Promising review: "This was a Christmas gift to my nieces, and they absolutely LOVED this! They've been asking for a Barbie house for a long time and could not have gotten a better one. It was much taller than first expected and comes up to waist level or higher on even adults.
Incredible elevator function. While it was easy to put together, it did take some time due to the many pieces, but definitely worth the time and effort. Despite daily use, it still works well and hasn't been damaged!" — Jordan Get it from Amazon for $140 .
14. Or the more compact Getaway House with two stories of fun, because Barbie has invested her money wisely into multiple properties. The house features a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom on the inside, and then they can flip it over to reveal a grilling area and garage.
Best of all, it folds up when playtime is over so it won't take up tons of space. Promising review: "Kids enjoyed this and really loved the portability of playing anywhere and on the go. It’s good quality even for toddlers.
" — Amazon Shopper Get it from Amazon for $34.48 . 15.
Glinda and Elphaba dolls I suggest you buy now before the Wicked hype truly kicks in! Each come dressed in detailed costumes that look straight from the movie, and Elphaba even has her broom so they can recreate the "Defying Gravity" scene as many times as they want. Bonus points if you shout " Ariana what are you doing here?!!?! " when they open Glinda. Promising review for Glinda: "The doll is beautiful! Considering that it’s $40, I think this doll reflects its monetary value.
The box it comes in is also very aesthetically pleasing, not to mention that the doll is posed for those of us who collect in-box. I am excited for the Wicked movie and that the quality of their merchandise is great." — Victor Promising review for Elphaba: "I am so very happy with my Deluxe Elphaba Doll!! I pre-ordered her AS SOON AS they became available for preorder.
I waited over a month and a half for them to finally be released and available to ship!! They came in perfect! No damage to the boxes either!!! As a very big Wicked fan, I’m super pleased! 🫧💕💚🧹" — Crystal S. Get Glinda from Amazon for $39.99 and Elphaba from Amazon for $35.
99 . 16. The Minions Ultimate Fart Blaster because fart jokes are timeless, universal, and truly bridge the generational divide.
This light-up blaster makes 15 different fart sounds and shoots rings of fog in two scents: "stinky" and banana. Choose wisely. Promising review: "Got this for my daughter's 10th birthday, and she absolutely loved it.
The smell from both the vials is nice, and even though it’s labeled as fart, it just smelled like buttered popcorn. So fun and enjoyable. We like that it’s very easy to use and great quality! Not cheap like other toys.
Highly recommended!" — C. Gallardo Get it from Amazon for $24.84 .
17. The ever-popular Magical Mixies that'll have kids feeling like a young wizard bringing a magic creature to life. They'll start by adding the included ingredients to the cauldron, tapping the cauldron with the magic wand, and then wait as their new pal pops up in a magic cloud of mist.
The Mixie toy has several modes, which can be toggled through with a tap of the included wand. Wish mode lets young mages make a wish (they know it was granted if the toy's gem turns green), and enchantment mode lets the toy interact with the cauldron. Promising review: "My whole family is impressed with this toy! My daughter has been playing with it constantly since she opened it.
I saw it in an Amazon ad and knew she would love it. My hat’s off to the creators of this toy. They hit every mark, from originality to playability to cuteness.
My daughter loves this toy, and we are very happy with it!" — JonD Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (available in two colors). 18.
Or a Magic Mixies Pixie Supremes Magic Mirror — it tasks kids with the challenge of freeing a pixie from her magic mirror. The mirror guides kids through the process, and once the spell is broken, the pixie magically pops out from the mirror in a cloud of confetti. Don't worry; once the reveal is done, you can place the doll back inside to repeat the process or use the mirror as a fortune teller! Here's how it works: Your child mixes a potion while the pixie oversees from the mirror and comments on their progress.
Once the process is done, the pixie pops out of the mirror and is ready to play. The mirror also has a fortune-telling mode that answers yes or no questions. Promising review: "The price admittedly is high, but honestly, since you’re getting two toys for this and a magical experience to get the doll, I’m fine with it.
The appearance of the doll and mirror toy is great and the quality is pretty decent. The mirror is sturdy, and the doll is well made — my only complaint is the dress and the wand look and feel cheaper than the rest of the doll, but otherwise, it’s great. Not to mention the experience was adorable and fun, it’s kind of like Build-a-Bear where your kid gets the feeling that they’re 'making' the doll by making this little potion.
And the surprise at the end that reveals the doll was super fun and memorable. All in all, you get a fun magic-eight-ball-style magic mirror toy, a doll, and a fun little memory! " — Laura Get it from Amazon for $56.81+ (available in two styles).
19. Or!!! A Mr. Beast figure with a similar concept because kids these days really love magical reveals.
Kids can pour the included "mutation liquid" into the chamber, press the "fingerprint scanner," then be wowed as their action figure with 20 points of articulation magically reveals itself. Promising review: "This was the must-have item for my boy's 7th birthday, and it did not disappoint! He's in love with it and has not put it down since he opened it! It's a quality action figure appropriately priced and definitely makes for a good gift."— Elaina H.
Get it from Amazon for $19.83+ (available in three styles). 20.
A retro-chic projector toy that functions as both a storytelling device and a really neat white noise nightlight. Kids can insert the story cartridge of their choosing, and the projector will shine "pages" of the story on the wall that automatically change while playing lights and sounds. When they're done with their bedtime story, the projector can also play five different sounds to help them fall asleep.
The projector includes The Poky Little Puppy, Tawny Scrawny Lion , and The Saggy Baggy Elephant, and a Poky Little Puppy figure. Promising review: "My daughter is afraid of the dark and the nightlight, music, sounds are perfect to get your little ones right to sleep. The whole thing reminds me of what toys were like when I was a kid, I'm a millennial, simple, easy for young kids to use.
I can't sing enough praises about this toy, this baby is way more fun than a tablet that's for sure!" — Amie G. Get it from Amazon for $44.99 .
21. An LCD writing tablet which has racked up 23,000+ rave ratings from parents who love how easy and mess-free it is. Instead of traditional markers and crayons, this uses one pen to release a rainbow of colors as your budding artist brings their creations to life.
Once they're done, they can press the "erase" button on the bottom to refresh the page and start again. Promising review: " This tablet has entertained my 4-year-old grandson for hours at a time. He loves that he can erase at will and that the drawings are multicolored.
I highly recommend this item for 18 months old and up. I bought a pink one for our 18-month-old granddaughter, and she, too, is just enthralled with it and the 'power' she has to erase, create, erase, create! They loved them so much that we bought another set of two different colors so that they would have them at home as well as at 'Grammy's.'" — Kindle Customer Red Heart Get it from Amazon for $13.
99 (available in four colors). 22. The Holobrite Pixie Lantern that lets them bring a virtual fairy to life! They start by playing games and building a friendship with Wren, the pixie on the digital screen; then Wren will eventually pop out of the lantern in doll form to visit the real world.
This will be a huge hit with kids 6 years and up or BuzzFeed Shopping writers 30 years and up. Promising review: "I bought this for my friend's daughter, who is 8. She thought the lantern was really pretty and was very engaged when the pixie showed up on screen.
She was really surprised when the doll popped out of the top of the lantern. She could figure it all out herself, so it was easy to use. She spent a good deal of time exploring the different games and activities in the lantern, but what her mom and I really loved is that it came with a pretty doll with a backstory, and we saw her using her imagination to create more story and to bring her into her world.
When she put the doll back in the lantern, she was really excited by the "pixie points" and using them to play more games. We were very impressed overall with how much play was in the toy." — Purple Violet Get it from Amazon for $69 .
23. Gravity Maze — a brain-busting logic puzzle that challenges kids to create intricate marble mazes. It comes with 60 challenges — each card tells the player which pieces to use, but it's up to them to figure out the best way to arrange them so the marble makes it from point A to B.
This set is suitable for ages 8+. Promising review: "My 7-year-old son spends many hours playing this. Some challenges are easy, but on others, he gets stuck and asks for my help.
Good game for children to develop imagination and skills to solve problems." — Jean Carlos Barcelo Get it from Amazon for $24.72 .
24. Hatchimals Alive , the latest version of the popular interactive toy that hatches from its very own egg. Kids can tap, lift, and rock the egg until it glows and is ready to hatch — then set it down to see which furry friend is waiting inside.
Once hatched, the adorable "draggle" can talk, flutter its wings, and even play peek-a-boo! Promising review: "My daughter loves Hatchimals, and I was sad the ones from a prior generation I had bought for nieces were no longer a thing...
until they released these! Like so many toys, I figured the relaunch of this would be an absolute bust. I was WRONG! This thing is absolutely adorable and fun! It’s like a mix of Magic Mixies and Furbys! You get the absolutely unique experience of hatching it (the smoke is intended) along with all of the fun interactions of a furby! I don’t normally love things that copy you, but if you hold this guy's belly, he’ll repeat what you say..
.but he does so many OTHER fun things that it doesn’t get abused like the toys that only repeat!" — Kelly Get it from Amazon for $47.99+ (available in three color combinations).
25. A Fisher-Price Rockin’ Record Player any budding music aficionado will love. It features "records" that play hip-hop, country, pop, mindfulness, and kid classic tunes — so they'll have an album ready for any occasion.
And yes, there's a volume function so the parents can control the noise level! But honestly, the included songs are bangers (the rock version of "B-I-N-G-O"?! Put it on Spotify ASAP), so they might want to turn it all the way up. Promising review: "My granddaughter loves this record player and the "records" that come with it. I hope they offer other records to add to her collection.
" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $29.99 . 26.
An updated version of the beloved Furby — it has more than 600 reactions and even responds to speech. It can also communicate with other Furbys, so you might want to pick up a second one so they have a friend. Promising review: "As someone who collects Furbys, I can tell you the 2023 version is just as special as any other model! Its functions are adorable! It can sing, do a light show, and tell you to relax.
The movements are very fluid with the animatronics, and it is SOOOOOO FLUFFY! I recommend 10/10! The more you play with your Furb, the more it can do :) Also, there are hidden features, so it's up to you to find them!" — Sandrine Chance Get it from Amazon for $33.99 (available in three colors). 27.
Kanoodle Ultimate Champion game , an updated version of the game that's taken over TikTok. This version includes a whopping 500 puzzles to solve, but the game-changer is the included timer to help provide an extra challenge. The goal? Try to fit all of the puzzle pieces on the game board before the timer is up! The easiest way to get started is to place one piece inside, close the lid and shake until the piece falls in a spot on the board, then open and start the timer as you try to fit the remaining pieces inside! There are also challenge cards that give you a specific shape to make in a set amount of time.
Here's a TikTok video that shows how to play. It requires AAA batteries, so pick some up here . BuzzFeed contributor John Mihaly has this to say about this game: "We love the classic version in our home, and it's been in heavy rotation since we got our hands on it.
The object of the game is to finish a puzzle using all 12 Kanoodle pieces. The 2D version lies flat, while the 3D version (you can play both with this set) requires you to build a pyramid of pieces. Simple, fun, and challenging (harder puzzles reveal fewer pieces to start).
" Promising review: "Very easy to use and fun for all ages. Great gift idea and is small and compact, so you can take it anywhere with you!" — Jocelyn Get it from Amazon for $19.99 .
28. A pair of kid binoculars so they can take a gander at all the birds, squirrels, and plants surrounding them instead of looking down at their iPads. Reviewers say these are extremely durable and have spacious eyepieces that are super comfy for small eyes.
The binoculars have oversized eyepieces, 2x magnification, and a breakaway neck strap. Promising review: "Even a year later, this toy is going strong in our household. It was a gift to our then-2-year-old, and she LOVES it.
It's made to last, so no matter the beatings, it's still going strong." — Jarynette Montejano Get them from Amazon for $9.69+ (available in two colors).
29. A *magic* Crayola watercolor set parents might like even more than kids since it's a totally mess-free way to let them channel their inner Picasso. The paint only works on the included paper (it lights up to let you know which color you're using!), starting as clear and then tranforming into the color once it hits the paper.
No more getting stains out of clothes, tablecloths, hair, etc!!! The kit comes with a paintbrush, 18 special pieces of paper, and six clear paints that change colors when they hit the paper. The brush lights up to indicate what color is currently on the brush. Promising review: "I saw this everywhere and wanted to get it for my kids.
My kids love this magic light brush paint set. It's perfect for toddlers who want to paint, but you don't want the whole mess. The only problem I found was the yellow, after a few swipes, wouldn't make yellow anymore, no matter how much I rubbed the brush on the palette.
It would be an orange-brown color. It wasn't a deal breaker for us. Overall, it's fun, and the kids love it.
" — Ashley Get it from Amazon for $20.99 . 30.
A Dyson Ball toy vacuum — yes, it actually works!!! Tiny clean-freaks can push it around the house and actually suction up any stray dust and hair, which will make parents' deep-cleaning sessions way easier. There's even a debris chamber at the bottom, so parents can easily empty it between play sessions. Promising review: "I bought one for a 2-year-old child’s birthday gift.
Around this age loves pulling and pushing; this is perfectly developmentally appropriate material. Plus it does look like a real Dyson and sucks some real dust. It was absolutely the best gift from the party; the child dragged it all over the backyard.
Once he put it down, his 2-year-old cousin played for the next hour until he claimed it back. His parents were very happy too that he learns how to help around at home." — Kim Get it from Amazon for $24.
99+ (available in three colors). 31. A Batmobile playset with 20+ sounds and LED lights that transforms into the Batcave when Batman is zoom around Gotham.
It even comes with a Batman figure, so the crime-fighting can start right away. There's plenty for the 4-inch Batman figure to do in his command center! Fly on his Batglider, shoot villains with the blasters, gear up at the armory, and chat with Alfred on the Batcomputer. Promising review: "My child still plays with it today, six months later, so it's the best investment I ever got for him.
I'm satisfied with the construction and stability. It's a fun toy for a 7-year-old. " — William Get it from Amazon for $53.
99 . Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity..
