The time has come! The Toy Insider's annual Holiday Gift Guide is here. Each year they surface the season's hottest toys and games for kids of all ages. To make it easier for parents, they've broken them out into three lists: the Hot 20, the STEM 10 and the 12 Under $20. All together, the list includes over 300 sure-to-be-asked for gifts to make your holiday shopping as easy as possible.
Each category is broken down by age and hand-picked by the Toy Insider so you can be sure to find something for every kid on your list (and then some.) Have a kiddo that likes to circle things old school? (Senior millennials with a Sears holiday catalog obsession, raise your hand!) The Toy Insider's 2021 Holiday Gift Guide will appear in the November issue of PARENTS magazine, on newsstands on Oct. 4.
We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at their virtual Holiday of Play and while there are dozens and dozens of awesome toys, here are some of our favorites.
Squishmallow
Soft, satisfyingly squishy and available in a ton of adorable varieties, I guess it's no surprise these Tik-Tok famous stuffies have become the must-have item of the elementary school set. They're all very cute, but there's something about smiling fruit that gets me every time.
Ages: 0+
Geomag Magicube Shapes
Perfectly sized for little hands, these chunky magnetic blocks let the littlest builders work their hand-eye coordination and critical thinking skills. The 13-piece set is made from 100% recycled plastic which makes them fun and kind to the planet!
Ages: 1+
LeapFrog Count-Along Basket and Scanner Play Food Shopping Toy
Little ones will love scanning the healthy foods and dropping them in the rolling basket. New from LeapFrog, this shopping pal teaches counting, colors, numbers and following directions. And with all of its dad-joke level puns (Yall "bready" for this?) you might even refresh the batteries when they wear out. 😉
Ages: 2+
Magna-tiles Jungle Animals Set
Who isn't already obsessed with Magna-tiles? A sweet addition to a growing collection or simply fun on its own, the new 25-piece jungle animal set comes with a tiger, leopard, caiman, sloth and hippopotamus that cling to whatever build they dream up.
Ages: 3+
Crayola Spill-Proof Washable Paint
Love arts and crafts time but stress about the mess? Crayola, the brand that's conquered washable art supplies for decades just released one of the coolest products yet. Spill-proof, washable and easy-to-use, their brand new paints can be used with or without water to create all kinds of masterpieces. (Seriously, you can turn it all the way upside down and, NOTHING. Not a drip.)
Ages: 3+
Creativity for Kids Sensory Bin: Construction Zone Playset
This ready-made sensory bin comes with everything your construction-loving kiddo needs to entertain themselves for hours. When they're done, just snap the lid back on and store for next time. Honestly, I'd pay double. (And if diggers and dump trucks aren't thing, they offer a bunch of different themes that are sure to please.)
Ages: 3+
Colorforms 70th Anniversary Set
Throwback analog goodness that's fun for the entire family. This anniversary set comes with over 500 pieces in a gorgeous color palette to create and recreate endless works of shape-based art. Family night just got a whole lot more creative.
Ages: 3+
Osmo Math Wizard and the Magical Workshop
For educational screen time everyone can agree on, we're big fans of all things Osmo. This new offering is perfect for first and second graders to brush up on math skills while brewing magical mixtures, helping dragons take flight and more.
Ages: 6-8
Stomp Rocket Stomp Racers
As longtime fans of Stomp Rockets, we're pretty excited about their latest launch–Stomp Racers. Honestly, the thrill of sending things flying through the air never gets old. Parents and kids alike can spend hours launching these kid-powered cars which take off via a stompable pad and hose.
Ages: 5+
Crayola Scribble Scrubbies Peculiar Pets
There's something about coloring on things that aren't paper that's oh-so-appealing to kids. (God bless Magic Erasers, right?) Spare your walls and get them hooked on Crayola's Scribble Scrubbies. The creatures can be colored, washed and colored again to keep the fun going. This set is a stand out not only because of that adorable baby dragon, but because the bath has a real working sprayer to help get everyone squeaky clean.
Ages: 3+
LEGO Disney Ariel, Belle, Cinderella and Tiana’s Storybook Adventures
Perfect for LEGO play on-the-go, this 130-piece building set features all their favorite Disney Princesses and a two-sided castle that folds up inside.
Ages: 5+
LEGO Dots Designer
LEGO DOTS may be my favorite of the recent LEGO lines. The small scale kits offer a new creative way to play, which is more arts + crafts than towers and buildings. This 650+ piece set comes with ideas for creating things like jewelry boxes, room signs and wall art that can be taken apart and put back together in endless configurations.
Ages: 7+
LEGO VIDIYO Unicorn DJ Beatbox
Another LEGO favorite is the VIDYO line which seamlessly blends screen-free play with digital creativity. Kids can direct and star in their own music videos with the VIDYO app which scans the minifigures and unlocks new effects with each BeatBit. They can also safely share their work on the app's kid-safe social feed.
Ages: 7+
Crayola Paper Butterflies Science Kit
Learn about color mixing while building and designing their own gorgeous butterflies! This science-meets-art kit teaches the concept of capillary action as the colors make their way across the paper. When they're done, it's ready to display for all to admire.
Ages: 7+
Make It Real Color Fusion Nail Polish Maker
At-home manicures have really had a moment in these pandemic times and even the youngest in the family have gotten hooked. Take the fun to the next level with their own custom polish colors! The easy-to-use nail polish maker can craft up to 400 different shades with their k-cup-esque pods and simple formulas.
Ages: 8+
Tetris Head-to-Head Multiplayer Game
Bring everyone's favorite video game classic to the family game night table!
Ages: 8+
LEGO Seinfeld Set
No soup, all fun.
Ages: Anyone who celebrates Festivus.
We independently select and share the products we love—and may receive a commission if you choose to buy. You've got this.