We Asked Kids Of Different Ages To Pick The Best Toys Off Amazon, And Here's What They Said

If you're after a gift they'll *actually* use, look no further!

🧸 Buying gifts for kids is never easy. They've either got a wishlist as long as your arm and you're left trying to decipher which ones are the best, or you're left guessing what they'll actually use. We asked the kids we know which toys they'd love from Amazon, and the results are in... 🧸

✨ Jess' Kids' Picks ✨

1. Our tester had seen this Melissa & Doug busy board on Youtube, and was desperate to try it out.

Kasey Taylor / BuzzFeed

Melissa & Doug seems to be a popular brand among the under-fives, and this busy board house is no exception. With a 4.7-star average Amazon rating, this toy includes four doorbells that ring, four play people, four doors that open on durable hinges and four lock-and-key pairs. It promotes problem-solving and motor skills, so what's the verdict?

Our little tester's parent says "Joshua really enjoyed finding the right key to be able to open each door. All the doorbells have a different sound too which he loved."

Price: £28.00.

2. And since Melissa & Doug is a super popular brand among little ones, this ice cream play set was also on our tester's wishlist.

Kasey Taylor / BuzzFeed

This Melissa & Doug 'scoop and stack' ice cream cone playset boasts a huge 4.7-star average rating from Amazon customers, but what did our three-year-old tester think? 

Apparently the scoops have a magnet in them so Joshua was able to scoop up the ice cream and place it on the cone, which again was great for his motor skills!

Price: £22.84.

3. For a more active game, there's this mini bowling pin set that encourages little ones to play together.

Kasey Taylor / BuzzFeed / Via amazon.co.uk

This mini bowling pin set was on our tester's Christmas list, so we had high hopes that he'd love it. It was a little smaller than expected upon arrival, but certainly big enough for a three-year-old to play with.

His Mum describes it as a "great travel size set which is bright and colourful. The skittles are easy to stand up when setting them up so it's a hit in our house."

Price: £9.99 in an 11cm size.

4. It's no secret that Peppa Pig is a hit among little ones, but with so many toys to choose from, which did our mini super fan choose? This Peppa Pig ice cream truck ended up being a firm favourite.

Lucy Sutton / BuzzFeed

With its cute ice cream-adorned exterior, it's not hard to see why little ones would love this Peppa Pig ice cream truck. Willow's Mum Lucy says "The ice cream van is great to roll along the floor and encourage role play. Willow likes to sit mummy and daddy pig in the front of the van and then pretend to make ice creams. The car horn plays music and sounds which adds to the role play experience."

Price: £19.99.

5. And if you have a little one who has an upcoming birthday, then the Peppa Pig deluxe playhouse would make a great gift.

Lucy Sutton/ BuzzFeed

This Peppa Pig deluxe playhouse was on our two-year-old tester's most-wanted list. It contains accessories and a Peppa figurine and claims to be suitable from 18 months onwards. So did our mini tester rate this toy? Mum Lucy says "this is one of Willow's favourite toys, she loves to give Peppa Pig a bath and then sit her in front of the television. It encourages her bedtime routine as she will put Peppa to bed before her bedtime routine starts."

Price: £24.85.

6. For travelling, there's also this easy-to-carry Peppa Pig writing tablet to keep little ones entertained whilst out and about.

Jess Brunt / BuzzFeed

This Peppa Pig magnetic scribbler pad allows little ones to draw and erase with no mess. It includes three stamps and is light and portable making it ideal for travelling. Thanks to its practicality, it sounds like this is one toy that'll impress the parents as much as the kids.

Aside from Valeza's nostalgic fun with her niece's tablet (as seen above), our two-year-old tester's verdict (via mum) is that the sketching pad is great for helping kids practice their drawing without the mess! She says "It’s saved our walls from crayons and willow loves to drawer different shapes."

Price: £8.00.

7. This magnetic building game was a hit with our tester who loves to learn.

Lucy Sutton

This magnetic building game is great for encouraging little ones to explore building different 

Our tester said "Willow loves this building toy, she can make lots of different shapes, and it encourages family time as she will get us involved. She's obsessed with building houses, and I think it’s great for learning and exploring shapes."

Price: £21.99.

8. Our little tester had seen another child with this mini barking dog toy and couldn't wait to own a toy pet of her very own.

Lucy Sutton / BuzzFeed

As a dog lover myself, it's not hard to see why kids rate this mini dog toy. The next best thing to having your own pooch, this lil' toy allows a little person's imagination to run wild, and gives them something to take care of. 

Our tester Willow loves it because she likes to take the dog for a walk and feed it. She finds the constant barking hilarious, but her mum warns that adults will want to put the dog to bed after a whille! She did note however, that the toy encourages Willow to be gentle around dogs and look after it as if it’s her own pet. 

Price: £9.99.

9. Our older testers love games that the rest of the family can get involved in, so this Drone Home game was a hit.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

Since they're older, our teen and pre-teen testers mostly tried out board games for use at family gatherings (plus, they get them away from their screens – muahaha!). This Drone Home game was a hit thanks to its flying drone and short playing time, meaning it doesn't require a huge time commitment or attention span.

Price: £15.99.

10. And they love something to keep them entertained whilst out and about, so this easy-to-carry fidget spinner toy is a compact and budget-friendly treat.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

When you have pre-teens, it can be hard to find things that aren't screen or sports related to keep them entertained, but our testers love a fidget toy. Admittedly, they don't keep them busy for hours on end, however they're great for taking out and about for those times when they're getting a little bored. The verdict? A good bargain present for the kid who's hard to buy for.

Price: £3.99.

11. For the kids who love being active, there's this soft axe-throwing set that's ideal if you have two or more children at home.

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

I know what you're thinking...'encouraging kids to throw things around the house...that's the last thing I want!'. Hear us out though...despite our reservations about this axe-throwing toy, it is pretty soft and we hung it out the way of anything breakable (we went for the back of a door) then we found it fine provided they're supervised and the kids did enjoy getting competitive. The ideal scenario for us would be to hang it outside in the summer, so it might be one to invest in as the weather warms up.

Price: £14.99.

✨ Valeza's Kids' Picks ✨

12. This LCD writing tablet is a great way for artsy kids to test their skills (and with no scribbled-on walls or furniture in sight!).

Marigona Rexhepi Mendes / Via BuzzFeed

It features a eye-protection colour screen which makes it safe and comfortable for kids to use, and I'm just saying – the rainbow background lends itself well to the numerous unicorn depictions it's sure to encounter. The stylus pen is attached to the main tablet (so they won't lose it in the first five minutes) and it's fun to use for a range of ages, so siblings can have loads of fun drawing together!

Price: £12.78 – it also comes in blue.

13. These sensory Pop Tubes are fun to stretch, twist, fidget, and make fun designs with.

Marigona Rexhepi Mendes / Via BuzzFeed

I'm yet to come across a little one that's not utterly *obsessed* with these lightweight lil' tubes, and sisters Anabella and Amelia are no exception! The bright colours, interesting texture, and fun 'pop' sound makes them great for sensory play, and they'll help to develop kids' imagination as well as hand-eye coordination skills. They also make a great stress-relieving fidget toy for kids and adults (think: bubble wrap-popping and soap-slicing levels of satisfaction!). 

Price: £7.95 for a pack of six.

14. Mini music lover Amelia adores this musical piano mat, and I bet your toddler will too!

Marigona Rexhepi Mendes / Via BuzzFeed

It's made of super soft material, making it comfy to run up and down over. Aside from piano notes, little ones can also add farmyard animal voices to their musical masterpiece via the range of buttons along the top of the mat! The flashing lights add another element of fun, and from a practical perspective: the mat is lightweight, portable, and the volume can be adjusted easily.

Price: £17.99

15. This super sturdy mini camera makes a great gift for budding photographers like Anabella.

Marigona Rexhepi Mendes / Via BuzzFeed

If your little one is forever nabbing your phone to take pics of their own, this mini camera is perfect! It's shockproof, easy to operate, and takes videos as well as pictures. There's also a few filter options and even games to keep them entertained for hours on end.

Price: £22.09 – it also comes in blue.

16. Suitable for ages four plus, this DIY bead jewellery-making kit promises hours of creative fun!

Marigona Rexhepi Mendes

Whether they're in the mood to make friendship bracelets, necklaces, or adorable headbands (like our little testers), this kit includes all they'll need! They can thread their selection of beads – including flowers, hearts, initials, pearls, and more – onto the string or headband, then their adult helper can add the finishing touches of clasps and knots!

Price: £9.99

17. I can't lie, my entire family had a whale of a time with this bubble gun.

Mirona Bakolli / Via BuzzFeed

It's not just for kids, okay?! Simply dip the top of the gun into the bubble liquid-filled plate and pull the trigger to launch your bubble attack. It's great to brighten up rainy days and can even be used for photoshoots! Children and toddlers (okay, probably adults too) will go wild for the flurry of 500+ bubbles that jet out from the 69 tiny holes.

Price: £19.89

18. And Ava couldn't resist getting the same magnetic building blocks as Jess' little tester! They're a great educational-yet-fun toy for a range of ages.

Mirona Bakolli / Via BuzzFeed

The sturdy blocks can be stacked or built together, and the variety of shapes allows them to create infinite designs! Also, thanks to their round edges, you don't have to worry about younger kids hurting themselves on anything sharp.

Price: £21.99 for the 40-piece set.

19. If your toddler fights bath time with Herculean strength every evening, these highly-rated spinner toys might just help!

Mirona Bakolli / Via BuzzFeed

They each have a super-strong suction cup on the back, so will stay attached to your tub throughout bath time, and the rattle, bright colours, and friendly bug design just add to the motor skill-improving fun!

Price: £11.99 for three.

20. While we're on the subject of bath time, I'd like to introduce you to these easy-wash crayons.

Mirona Bakolli / Via BuzzFeed

They literally wipe away at a moment's touch, so your kids can draw on the tiles and tub to their heart's content till their bath is finished! 

Price: £2.06 for a pack of six.

21. And while this adorable rubber duck thermometer might not *technically* be a toy, my niece loves it with a passion.

Valeza Bakolli / Via BuzzFeed

We do love a practical children's product that little ones get a ton of fun out of too! This clever lil' thermometer looks adorable bobbing around in the bubbles and will let you know when the bath water strays beyond the perfect temperature.

Price: £6.99

22. There are hours of fun to be had with this Marble Run construction toy, so I can see why Bria and Rían are loving it so much ATM!

Sarah Maeve Rexhepi / Via BuzzFeed

I would have loved one of these growing up, so I can see why they're all the rage for kids aged 3-12. The game avoids squabbles as each child has their own pile of marbles so can take turns enjoying the ride. Consider sleepover, play date, and 'stuck indoors while it's raining outside' activities sorted for the foreseeable future!

Price: £28.03 for the 135-piece set.

23. And I can't lie, our little testers are having such a great time with this musical dance mat, I'm kinda tempted to join in on the fun myself!

Sarah Maeve Rexhepi / Via BuzzFeed

With built-in music, LED lights, an adjustable volume function, and three different game modes, this play mat ticks all the fun-yet-functional boxes! It has an anti-skid and moisture-proof design on the base as well, to avoid any performance-ruining slips.

Price: £39.99

24. If they're mesmerised by any and every passing train like Rían, they'll adore this battery-powered Thomas & Friends Nia toy train!

Sarah Maeve Rexhepi / Via BuzzFeed

They can flip the switch on top of the engine to make Nia the train race along! It also comes with plastic connectors to attach to other push-along or motorised engines, making it a great addition to your little conductor's collection!

Price: £12.80 for the Nia engine.

25. The colour-reveal feature will add to the excitement of receiving these Hot Wheels mini cars!

Amazon / Via amazon.co.uk

Simply fill the barrel they come in with water and dunk the cars in to reveal their colour. And that's not all – when dunked in warm water, they'll turn into a completely different colour, meaning they'll basically get four car designs in one pack!

Price: £11.99 for two colour-reveal cars.

26. Finally, these press-on false nails are specifically designed for little fingers. I predict your mini fashionista will adore them!

Sarah Maeve Rexhepi / Via BuzzFeed

Getting them a Babyccino and lil' handbag to match the vibe is optional – but encouraged.

Price: £5.99 for the 96-piece set – they come in six designs.