61 Of The Best Toys For The Toddler In Your Life
Just a few things that might make the twos and threes a little less terrible
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A hedgehog named Spike that helps build motor, counting, and sorting skills by fitting peg-shaped pieces into its back. Just don't ask him if he knows Sonic.
Promising Review: "Love this product. It says 18+ months but it was fun for both of my kids (11 months and 3). It’s meant to help with fine motor skills. The spikes are rubber with different colors and you can put them in and take them out of the holes in the hedgehog. The best part is that when they’re done playing the hedgehog opens and you can store all the spikes in there so they don’t get lost." —Tony Wexler
Get it from Amazon for $12.29+ (available in two styles).
2. A set of Magna-Tiles for recreating the works of children's author Eric Carle while building 3D versions of beloved characters like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."
If you're a parent, chances are there is an Eric Carle book in your child's library, be it "The Grouchy Ladybug" or "The Very Busy Spider" or a personal favorite of mine, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" I introduced the "Papa Please Get the Moon For Me" set to my 1-year-old and he's totally into it. Well, he's totally into destroying whatever I build with it. As an added bonus, the Magna-Tiles kind of feel and sound like cassettes, which will immediately take you back to the days of your youth making mixtapes.
Get it from Target for $34.99.
3. A Red & Olive Mr. Beary + Beanie Set handcrafted to be a "soft, durable, and timeless" best-stuffed-buddy for years to come. The best part? The matching hat that will fit kids ages one through ten!
Red & Olive is a Peruvian- and American-blended family and a woman-owned business that supports woman artisans through flexible schedules and fair wages for their ethically, handmade dolls and hats. 10% of sales go to Starlight Children's Foundation benefitting seriously ill kids all across the United States.
The quality of this stuffie simply can't be denied! It doesn't feel mass-produced (because it's not) and has some weigh to it. We named ours Teddé (pronounced Teh-day) and we're looking forward to her being dragged everywhere by our daughter and being a part of our family. Plus, we can't wait to see them both in their matching beanies!
Get it from Red & Olive for $88.
4. A five-stage, folding tricycle Doona Liki Trike S3 for 10–36-month-olds that (in normal times) is small enough to fit in a trunk or airplane overhead bin, but for these current times is a total lifesaver for entertaining a toddler around the home.
After some considerable research, I set my sights on the "smallest folding trike on the market." This three-wheeler will grow with your toddler, from a parent-push-operated vehicle to an independent, pedal tricycle. In that regard, it's a solid two-year investment. While the Liki is ideal for travel (in the future), thanks to the easy and compact way it folds up, it's also handy for apartment living where storage space is at a premium. The not-too-soft, not-too-hard wheels are perfectly fine on hardwood floors and carpeted hallways. Also, the cup holder and storage bag (that attaches to the adjustable parent handle) are so clutch. Super thoughtful design all around and a super happy little tike riding his trike all around the building.
Get it from Amazon for $249.99+ (available in three colors).
5. A set of handcrafted, nontoxic constellation blocks to learn the symbols, names, hemispheres, and scale of magnitude for 16 constellations in the night sky.
These are perhaps the most beautifully designed and interesting set of wooden blocks that's I've ever encountered. I liked them so much I bought them way before my son would even be to use them. Having nearly failed my astronomy course in college, I figured this would be a great way for us to learn all about the constellations together as I pretend to know what I'm talking about. So when my kid asks, "Dad, where is Orion's belt?" I won't have to answer, "Around his waist."
Get it from Amazon for $27.
6. An Educational Insights "Design & Drill Bolt Buddies" rocket, because there's no better way to get kids into STEM than by building a spaceship for an astronaut and his puppy pal and using the eco-friendly packaging as a play set.
Promising review: "My 3-year-old son had an old toy drill that recently stopped working and he asked me for a new one. This little set caught my eye, so I bought it and he loves it! I love that they put a little window on the side of the drill to show the gears inside spinning. Nice touch to show curious minds how these things work internally. Fits little hands perfectly and he’s been assembling and disassembling this rocket at least a couple of times a day since we got it! The little astronaut characters are cute and can lock into spots inside the rocket (like LEGO pieces). Another nice touch is that the box that the set comes in doubles as a space backdrop to play with or display on a bookshelf or table." —CK
Get it from Amazon for $18.99.
Looking for more gifts for that three-nager in your life? Check out our guide to toys and gifts for three-year-olds.
7. A "Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek" game (from the makers of What Do You Meme?) that actually involves hiding a fake plastic poo that talks and gives clues to its whereabouts.
You know when your brain tells you, "This might be a bad idea!" but your gut tells you "Nah, this is going to be hilarious! Maybe." Luckily, my gut was right this time. Silly Poopy is beyond silly and not poopy at all. It is indeed a poop-ton of fun for the whole family thanks to its infectious song that sounds like it was taken straight from a 1970s game show. Best of all, my kid loves it and hopefully, this is the only poop he tries to hide around the house.
Get it from Amazon for $12.98.
8. A "Learn-A-Lot Avocados" game, because one's love of guacamole's main ingredient should start at an early age. Plus this toy really helps with the old color identification and matching skills.
Did you know avocados are also called alligator pears and that "botanically" they are classified as a berry? Well, now you do.
Get it from Amazon for $17.08.
9. A Fisher-Price "Laugh & Learn Crawl-After Cat On a Vac" that plays songs while encouraging toddlers to crawl, toddle, and walk (and maybe even clean).
For ages 9+ months
This was the hit toy in our house coming out of Christmas! The kitty and the vac are going to be your family's new favorite musical duo. While the songs it plays are short, they are all bangers with super catchy beats (even the song that's just the auto-tuned cat saying "Meow!). Push the cat's head down, pull the vac back, or forward for different tunes and to send it careening across the floor.
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
10. A two-sided, A-frame art easel with chalk board, magnetic dry erase board, storage, and paper feeder for aspiring artists who are still experimenting with their preferred mediums. Plus it's a great way to teach kids about writing "thank you" notes!
Promising review: "Very nicely made product! Took 45 minutes to built but well worth the minutes and looks awesome too. Excited using it with my kid and being able to multitask all in one area with the chalk board, white board and painting being optimal without the layout mess. Love that it has the built in clips to dry the painting also the storage area and the shelf to place extra paints. Really recommend for a long durable product to use and/ or gift." —beauty4life
Get it from Amazon for $149.99 (available in five colors).
11. A talking and singing LeapFrog Yum-2-3 Toaster for learning all about numbers, colors, and the most important meal of the day!
Requires two AAA batteries.
Get it from Amazon for $13.99.
12. A 12-pack of durable and sustainable all-natural pure beeswax crayons that are nearly unbreakable and even come with a money-back guarantee. You better bee-lieve it!
Promising review: "So I bought these worried about my 2-year-old potentially eating a crayon and having that toxic kind of stuff in her system. But, I really should have been more worried about my dogs eating crayons which so far they've snagged one and a half of these babies with no health problems for them after, so I'd say that's a major win. What's also fantastic about these crayons is that they are the perfect size for little hands. My daughter just loves to color with them and they color as smooth as Crayola and they're not all plastic and waxy like the crayons you get at the dollar store. So I'd definitely recommend these to anyone with a toddler, just watch for sneaky dogs. They'll gobble them up." —Cassandra S.
Get it from Amazon for $22.95.
13. A not-as-noisy-as-it-looks VTech electronic drum set, which your kid can freestyle to (like Animal from the Muppets) or they can follow the lights as they learn about letters and numbers (and maybe even want to become a real drummer).
Promising review: "There are times when you know your kid is going to love something so much that you overlook just how very ridiculously annoying that thing can be? Well, I’m sure glad I took a gamble! This toy is not really as annoying as I thought it would be. I haven’t needed to hide it away or remove the batteries. In fact, I’ve recommended it in my mommy group to moms with other toddlers my kid's age. My son has yet to figure out how to change the volume but even in the loudest setting, it isn’t super loud. Just loud enough. I can't hear it when he plays with it and I’m in the next room. —captainmaddux
Get it from Amazon for $15.89+ (available in two colors).
14. An Animal Island Learning Adventure "Sit & Play" intelligent monitor and "edutainment" system for early learning with high-quality, ad-free, subscription-free educational content that automatically updates.
15. A Playmobil Noah's Ark, because toddlers tend to lose a thing or two and this play set comes with pairs of figures (doubles!) that can be played with on land and sea (but preferably not thrown into the air).
Promising review: "This toy far exceeded our expectation in the fact it has turned into a fantastic bath toy! At first, our 2-year-old would play with the animals on the floor but we quickly learned she had more fun with it in the tub. It is a great versatile toy for that reason. It is also nice in the fact it doesn't make any noises so she is encouraged to make her own noises for the animals, people, and when the boat moves. This really helps fosters her creativity and imagination." —Mhardee
Get it from Amazon for $57.99.
16. A three-wheeled micro scooter with an adjustable handlebar to grow with your toddler as they improve their balance and motor skills while whizzing by at seemingly breakneck speeds. Also includes a two-year manufacturer's warranty.
Promising review: "Best scooter ever! It’s an easy assembly. It’s a smooth ride and the perfect size for a 2-year-old. Spend more money and go with the deluxe model especially if your child is only 2. I brought this to the park today and two more of my mommy friends went home and bought their kids these today too! They come in the most beautiful colors. Kids are not really taught how to use these, they seem to just get on them and go! It was amazing to see my 2-year-old-take off like a champ!" —Tex_spaceman 12
Get it from Amazon for $76.99+ (available in six colors).
17. A wooden, handmade animal building block and puzzle set that promotes motor skills (especially balance), logical-thinking, problem solving, and a little imagination too. And just remember, this is a gift for kids so don't hog it after they open it.
Imooore is an Etsy shop located in London that feels, "toys create memory, they can be educational and fun.
Promising review: "I bought this for my classroom and the kids absolutely love it! They have had hours of fun building with the animals and working together to work out how to balance the pieces and fit them together! An excellent logical thinking activity. Beautifully made and very engaging! I highly recommend!" —siandemp
Get it from Imooore on Etsy for $23.88.
For some slightly more complex puzzles and games, check out our guide to toys and gifts for 4-year-olds.
18. A solar-powered Pretend and Play calculator cash register that makes a "cha-ching" noise every time it opens and will introduce concepts of math and finance to your kids as well as soon-to-be-outdated-in-their-lifetime concepts of cash and coins.
Promising review: "This is another great toy by Learning Resources. I bought this for my daughter when she was 2. Now 3, she still plays with it daily. She loves punching the numbers in, but her favorite part is the open button that ejects the spring-loaded drawer. She loves the paper money and the pretend credit card. I can see her and my son playing with this toy for at least ten more years. It is very durable. She has dropped it many times and it hasn't skipped a beat. The plastic is high-quality. I would definitely buy this product again." —Ecinoderm4u
Get it from Amazon for $26.80.
19. A 24-piece Melissa & Doug pet vet play set for toddlers to develop some serious empathy skills while taking care of a plush dog and cat with a toy stethoscope, thermometer, syringe, ear scope, tweezers, clamp, cast, bandages, and of course, the cone of shame.
Promising review: "My 2-and-a-half-year-old has not stopped playing with this since Christmas morning, definitely a favorite gift. I love the bag for all the storage of small parts! This toy teaches curiosity, compassion, fine motor skills and so much more. I love Melissa & Doug toys and this one does not disappoint. My child is now playing doctor and caring for her animals (and dolls, and everyone else) and asking really great questions as a result. You won't be disappointed in this purchase!" —Kayla Phillips
Get it from Amazon for $22.59.
20. A 22-piece shaking, tapping, beating, and blowing wooden instrument set to serve as your toddler's very own beat-lab, just as long as they don't actually beat anyone with their new musical toys.
Promising review: "I saw these and immediately thought: I cannot wait to buy this for my nephew and friend's kid because it's going to absolutely drive the parents insane. Unspoken rule of parenthood right? You buy other kids the stuff you know will make a ton of noise. I was not let down. It was delivered to my sister today and shortly after arrival I received the long-anticipated text, "Did you send these devil tools?" Yes, sister, yes I did. I will most definitely be ordering another set for my friend's kid in a couple of weeks!" —Amanda Wiley
Get it from Amazon for $33.99.
21. An indoor or outdoor Wiwiurka wooden trapeze bar that will give acrobatic kids the gift of strength and balance while they spin themselves round in circles (and hopefully don't puke).
Note: Mounting hardware not included.
Wiwiurka is a Mexican woman-owned business located in Tepoztlan, Mexico that creates sustainable children's toys using water-based paints and non-toxic materials that are inspired by Pikler, Montessori, and Waldorf’s educational standards.
Promising review: "My kid won’t get off this trapeze! He loves it and he is getting so much better at his “tricks” everyday. When we ordered it we hopped it would keep him busy but we never imagined how much time he would spend on it. It’s beautiful, high quality and so much fun. I wished I would have had one as a kid." —Montserrat K.
Get it from Wiwiurka for $75 (available in three colors).
22. An 18-piece Fisher-Price "S'more Fun" campfire play set that trades all the danger of wood-chopping, roaring-fires, and grizzly bear attacks for kid-friendly wood accents and soft fabric. Plus no marshmallow and chocolate stains!
Promising review: "My daughter is almost 4 and has recently gotten into building tents and forts out of pillows. We used my phone to 'make a fire' but I wanted to get her something cute she could play with instead of my phone. This fits the bill and is affordable. It’s cool that you can cut the firewood with the felt ax. The marshmallows are double-sided, one side is uncooked and the other is cooked. It’s also nice that the mat for the fire can double as a picnic pad too. The material seems very durable as well. The box that this comes in is cute and doubles for storage as well." —christie
Get it from Amazon for $24.72.
23. A horn-honking, headlight flashing remote control race car with three removable driver figures for toddlers to get their first taste of simplified RC-fun with forward and reverse left functions.
Promising review: "This car is so easy to work as there are only two buttons. My one-year-old has figured it out and giggles while it soars backward in circles. It's surprisingly off-road-able! It can climb over light blankets and other thin things on the ground. This requires batteries so don't forget them! The bright colors are fun and the music/lights are wonderful. It's a little on the loud side, but bearable. The race car driver makes noise when you click him into place and this makes my son laugh." —Kenneth S. Foord
Get it from Amazon for $18.98.
24. A Manhattan Toy wooden pony activity center with flapping ears, gliders, spinning dials, bead runs, a shape sorter, and letter recognition which makes total horse sense for your toddler.
25. A thoughtful (but still fun) Educational Insights Playfoam "Shape & Learn" counting set so kids can squish, squash, and sculpt not only numbers (based on the included flash cards) but whatever their burgeoning imaginations come up with!
Promising review: "My boys do a lot of Play-doh play but the stuff dries out so fast. This stuff never dries out and it is easy to manipulate. I purchased the letters and numbers from this company as well. It has actually improved writing skills." — eliezer marrero
Get it from Amazon for $10.99.
26. A sports center that should inspire you and your kid to get up off the couch, stop watching Sports Center, and learn about numbers and counting through the scoreboard and all the gears and buttons. Also, please resist the urge to dunk on your child.
Promising review: "We all know that with most toys, kids will not stay interested for long. We have had this toy for three months now and my son still enjoys playing with it. He also loves to see the numbers flash on the screen because he will say the number. Putting the toy together was super easy and simple, just make sure you buy the required batteries because this toy does not come with them." —Fran
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two colors).
27. A 600-piece set of Plus Plus interlocking puzzle blocks (made in Denmark so you know that it's quality) for building flat or 3D creations that's less likely to injure adults who step on any errant pieces in the middle of the night.
Promising Review: "These are now my go-to toy if I need my 5- and 3-year-olds to stop tearing the house apart for just five GD minutes. My kids are notoriously hard to impress, but these keep them engaged and occupied for as long as I need. Even my dad is enjoying them! Well worth the money!" —Lily Saxon
Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in three colors and in four size quantities).
28. A Fisher-Price "Laugh & Learn Smart Stages" Puppy or Sis with 75+ songs, phrases, and sounds that teach the kiddos about shapes, numbers, the alphabet, and parts of the body (by squeezing its ears, feet, and hands).
For ages 6+ months
Promising review: "My 5-month-old adores this toy. It was the first toy I have ever seen her really love. She smiles at it and can easily push the buttons on its hands and feet. She's not intentionally pushing them yet, but I'm glad they are easy enough that they register when she does. If you hold down the heart, the puppy plays all the songs one after another, and this is currently the best feature. She can just hold it or touch it while it sings...A great toy from baby and beyond. Has different stages for different ages...This is a great toy from birth on. It will definitely grow with my baby. My niece is five and still plays with hers on occasion." —Allison
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+.
29. A Melissa & Doug wooden railway set with 100 track sections, a freight train, a passenger train, and a flatbed truck so kids have plenty of options to choo-choo-choose from without ever getting bored.
Promising review: "This is literally everything you could ever ask for from Melissa & Doug. Everything is well made, not a single piece with a blemish. Strong sturdy box with a handle on it to help with carrying it around. (It's heavy considering that it's for children. Adult recommended for moving the whole thing) Possibilities are endless with track set up. My son plays for hours on end and there is no end to his enjoyment when he opens up the box and starts to set up. Great toys don't have to have batteries and this one proves it." —Jeremy W.
Get it from Amazon for $140.45.
30. A Learning Resources "Peekaboo Learning Farm" with five barnyard finger puppets (and their respective colorful barns) for little hands to develop motor skills and little minds to begin to master some math.
Promising review: "This is an amazing learning tool that I highly recommend buying. I am a therapist for kids with autism. My materials get a lot of use from different kiddos, so I can attest from my experience that they are very durable and excellent quality. Many of my younger clients are barely starting to speak. This product has motivated them to make animal noises, label animals, count numbers, label colors, request for more, point at the barn they want to open, ask for help to open and close the barns, and sing along to songs with me! There are so many fun and different ways to play with them to target different goals! The animals and barns are so cute! Definitely purchase this product!" —Katie
Get it from Amazon for $18.99.
31. A Yookidoo Baby Bath Spin 'N' Sprinkle Water Lab for sneaking some "science" into bathtime by turning the tub into a water park complete with "Googly Eyes" and spinning wheels.
Promising review: "This is one of the best bath toys we have gotten. No issues or concerns with mold. It sticks great to our tiles or our tub. Kids love playing with it (And kind of entertaining for parents too LOL). My twins are 21 months and we have had it for a few months. Highly recommend." —srod
Get it from Target for $17.99.
32. An indoor/outdoor The Floor Is Lava game where kids spin the color wheel and then jump to the right foam pieces to reach safety. Yup, somehow they put the make-believe game we all played growing up into a box!
Ages 5+ (and check out some toys and gifts for 6-year-olds if you're looking for something slightly older).
Promising review: "I purchased this game for my granddaughter's fifth birthday. Right after she opened it, we had to play it. No kidding, we literally played for hours. She just loved the game. It was really fun. The rules are simple and easy to follow. Even the adults had fun playing it. The one aspect of the game that my daughter really liked was the fact that you were standing and moving around, not just sitting. This game would be great for all ages. I could see older children liking it as well." —Book Worm
Get it from Amazon for $16.97.
33. A Hape Quadrilla Super Spirals building blocks set for all the marble madness and Rube Goldberg goodness a kid could possibly enjoy.
Bonus: Includes a xylophone rail that plays a tune as marbles run over it!
Promising review: "This is the third set of these we have bought. Our family has so much fun building and exploring together with these. Our 5-year-old has started to engineer her own 'mazes.' Wonderful for coordination, logic, imagination, and teaching kids to keep trying until you get the desired outcome." —Julie L.
Get it from Amazon for $117.14.
34. A FurReal GoGo "My Dancin' Pup" that walks, makes puppy noises, plays music, and most importantly (as its name indicates) dances. The perfect prezzie for pint-sized persons pining for a real puppy.
This one is going to be a big hit this holiday season, we're warning you now!
Get it from Amazon for $38.99.
35. A VTech "Touch and Learn" activity desk with five interactive pages and more than 200 "touch and learn spots" on each card, a music player, toy phone, and LED light-up display for nonstop learning and playtime. Also transforms from a desk into an easel and chalkboard for more lo-fi fun.
Promising review: "I've had this for over a year and my son still plays with it. The key is to get the expansion pack to rotate the different activities. My son was a late talker (he's starting to pick it up), but one day he was playing with the desk and it would ask him to pick number x and he chose the number. He was consistently picking the right number. He wasn't talking yet but knew numbers 1 through 9. I was a little shocked because this was before we had to send him to daycare. Having the extra cards to change out keeps him interested and it helps reinforce what he's learning in school. It's the first thing he plays with when he gets home." —Islandblue
Get it from Amazon for $64.99+ (available in two colors).
36. A 10-pack of Play-Doh that there was no way in hell that you'd ever be able to avoid buying. Fortunately, it's all nontoxic, nonirritating, nonallergenic and the packaging is recyclable. But, yeah, it still smells like Play-Doh.
Promising review: "Colorful, nontoxic Play-Doh has been great for my son who has many allergies including skin allergies. He has had no problem with these. This keeps him occupied for quite some time, often when I am cooking or cleaning. I played with this as a child myself and have fond memories of it." —Brandy P.
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
For some more classics that kids will love, check out our guide to toys and gifts for 5-year-olds.
37. A 36-piece wooden pattern blocks animals jigsaw puzzle with patterns for creating animals, vehicles and whatever else your child's rampant imagination can come up with while "developing spatial awareness, color and shape recognition, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving."
Promising review: "My children (ages 2 and 4) love this activity! It keeps them busy at the kitchen table while I make lunch. I enjoy seeing the creative solutions to the problems they set up for themselves. ('I am going to make a dog!') The blocks are a nice size for little hands, the colors are bright, and there are no rough edges. The cards have interesting design problems to solve. One side of the card shows the block pieces needed to create the design and the other side shows the completed design. The product comes in a nice cardboard box with two tins inside — one for the blocks and one for the cards." —B.S
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
38. A three-chord Loog Mini acoustic guitar so you can start teaching your little punk kid the entire Ramones catalog. Comes with flashcards of chord diagrams and full access to the Loog Guitar app. Hey! Ho! Let's go!
Promising review: "My daughter and I learning how to play the guitar together. Even if we don't become rock stars the quality time we are spending together is all the justification I needed to make the purchase. The strings are perfect for her little fingers." —JSpriggins
Get it from Amazon for $88+ (available in six colors).
39. A set of Blockaroo magnetic foam building blocks sure to "click" with the young builder in your life. Plus they'll take a beating but come back looking nice and clean after bath time play or a run in the dishwasher.
Promising review: "If you love unique toys that require no batteries, look adorable, make cool sounds, inspire the imagination, feel soft and fuzzy, and are super easy to clean...you will not be disappointed with these innovative new Blockaroos! I’ll definitely be picking up a few more sets!" —Lesley Sullivan
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
40. "Rock me, Amadeus!" A magic cube so kiddies can compose and remix some of Mozart's classical music masterpieces. It's baby's first beats lab but, like, totally classy and classical.
Promising review: "My son plays with it for up to 15 minutes many times a day. I never get sick of the songs. Like another reviewer said, it's the perfect size for the baby to use as a counterbalance while learning to sit up. Every baby/parent needs this toy. If they came out with another cube with new songs/instruments I would buy it in a heartbeat!" —Kevin
Get it from Amazon for $24.49.
41. A four-wheeled, Hape "Scoot Around" ride-on" wood bike with rubber wheels that'll take it easy on your floors as your toddler develops motor skills as well as strength and balance (because wood ain't light).
Promising review: "This is the perfect scooter for a 1- to 3-year-old. When my son was learning to stand/walk, he'd use this as a walker by grabbing the handles and pushing it around. Sometimes he'd push from the back and scoot on his knees. He learned how to get on and off by himself after a year old. Now he can scoot. Pretty soon (When his legs grow a little longer) he'll get the idea and can really go!" —Muffin
Get it from Amazon for $65.02+ (available in two colors).
42. A Little Tikes Rescue Tales "Scrub 'n Groom" bathtub playset that really works! Kids can practice giving the plush Chocolate Lab an actual bath (with water) and a working shower head. Best of all? No wet dog smell!
43. A 112-piece "Build-a-Flower" toy set, because any aspiring botanist or florist needs to start somewhere especially when tracking dirt into the house is never the preferred parental option.
Axel Adventures is an Etsy shop and family run online toy store established in 2020 and based in Nevada.
Promising review: "The flowers are a big hit, and arrived on time!" —Dean
Get it from Axel Adventures on Etsy for $29.24.
44. A built-to-last, no lead, no plastic, nontoxic, 14-piece magnetic wooden block set for kids to create all manner of creatures and objects that will serve as a soft introduction to all types of modern art.
Promising review: "The wood is excellent quality and very nice and smooth. Magnets are strong enough but not too strong. I actually like that the magnets are not on every single side because it teaches the kids to use their brains and troubleshoot. I do wish they were a little more affordable so we could get a large set, but understand why. The quality is definitely there. Thank you for providing a fun, toxic-free toy!" —Dorothea Gerber
Get it from Amazon for $33.51+ (available in three different sets).
45. A light-up "LeapFrog Pick Up and Count" vacuum with bouncing balls to teach your toddler to pick up after themself while making it seem like "fun."
46. A personalized superhero cape to get your kids into cosplay while encouraging them to create their own characters and stories. Plus, who doesn't look great in a cape?
Select a cape and add on options like a mask, wristbands, and a belt and then personalize it by choosing the cape color, shape and shape color, and letter and letter color.
Capes and More is an Etsy shop founded in 2014 that makes original superhero capes for kids and adults.
Promising review: "We love this cape! I got this for my 15-month-old because she loves taking my dish towels and trying to put them on as capes. The cape is a little big for her yet lengthwise, but she still loves it! :) and it came so fast!" —Katelyn Maxson
Get it from Capes and More on Etsy for $18+ (available with accessories).
47. An "itsy pack" of Clixo building toys combining origami, magnets, and building blocks for a completely new and unique way for kids to create and play.
When I first discovered Clixo I thought, "Wow, that's something I haven't seen before. I bet these will be different than other building toys." Not only are they different, but they're super fun and satisfying to play with (that click the magnetic parts makes just sounds and feels so good). Maybe when I'm done "testing" them out, I'll actually let my kid take a shot at playing with them.
Get it from Clixo for $29.99 (available in three colors).
48. An incredibly realistic Holstein cow figurine because they'll be over the ~moo-n~ with their new toy, and you'll be equally ~a-moo-sed~ to see their imagination and creativity at play.
Promising review: "My toddler is in a cow phase. Not an animal phase. Not a farm animal phase. Just a cow phase. And I'm not sure why but there are a lot of places that cows appear in movies, commercials, and TV shows, so he was into this whole cow thing and was walking around with our Kirkland milk container because there's a cow on it. I thought this isn't that practical, I should get him a toy cow. So I did and he loves it. It's kinda heavy so if you're kid is a thrower or hitter with their toys, it's a good idea to be very clear with them about what the cow should not do because you don't want to have to deal with a concussion — yours or someone else!" —Sara M.
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+.
Looking for a wider age range? Check out our guide to toys and gifts for 8-year-olds.
49. A kids selfie camera with 32GB SD card, 8 mega-pixels, 1080P video and nearly 8K five-star reviews on Amazon! But the real gift here is not having to surrender your phone to future social media superstars of the world.
Promising review: "As a professional photographer and father, my children are always making arduous attempts to get ahold of my equipment or mimic my camera use...Upon receiving the cameras, I was dazzled with the overall packaging and presentation. The box includes a microSD card with a full-size SD adapter, a lanyard and camera. I was very impressed that a microSD card is included. A lot of products continue to ship without them, charging an additional hefty fee...The cameras are made of plastic but are very rigid and durable. I would have liked to have seen a better display image, but for the price and demographic these cameras are marketed for; it is perfectly acceptable, and the children love them...Another notable feature of this camera is the ability to record video. This is not something you usually find in a child’s toy, especially at this price point. My children are obsessed with this function and find themselves creating stories and snippets from their day-to-day activities and adventures...I would strongly recommend this camera for children looking to explore their creativity and increase their technical skills, while becoming familiar with the ergonomics and functions of basic camera operation, composition and lighting...You can tell a lot of thought and engineering went into the design of this camera." —Nolen Ryan
Get it from Amazon for $36.99 (available in four colors).
50. A 24-piece tiger puzzle if you want to take your toddler on an adventure without ever having to leave the house. Find all the hidden details together as you assemble this beautiful puzzle, while encouraging your child's problem-solving, fine motor, memory, concentration, sorting, and visual reasoning skills.
Get it from Amazon for $21.31.
51. A durable metal Big Dig sandbox digger crane with 360° rotation for serious backyard, beach, or playground excavation projects. No permit needed! Just a great prezzie the kiddies will, um, totally dig!
Promising review: "I don't write reviews often but we have had this for two days and my boys (3 and 5) woke up at 6:30 a.m., ate breakfast and got dressed and hustled outside on a gloomy rainy mid February morning in Seattle to play with this. They normally fight over whose turn it is, but instead they have been taking turns and playing like civil humans for an hour already. Best toy ever, bought a second one already so they don't have to share because there's only so long siblings can go before someone throws down." —Rk
Get it from Amazon for $52+ (available in two styles).