The ultimate toy guide 2015: 25 toys for preschoolers

Calling all pastry chefs! Scoop and roll out dough, place it in a cupcake mould and top your creations with colourful frosting. Don’t forget to embellish them with sprinkles before they go for a ride on the Ferris wheel. $27, hasbro.com

With his swinging tail, projectile claws and sharp chompers, towering T-Rex is big (two and a half feet tall!) and scary enough to ward off any enemies. $125, fisher-price.com

 Using visual cues and colourful cards, mini mathletes will learn important number- and pattern-recognition skills in this fun game. $23, hapetoys.com

A bath toy that’s compact but full of fun. Blow through the red periscope and watch the water below fill with bubbles, or sink the submarine, retrieve it from the depths of the tub and create a waterfall through the sieves. Kid O, $32, well.ca

Kids can hone their math skills while igniting their imagination with this classic wooden toy. Coins vary in size and must be placed in the correct slot to complete the transaction. Budding cashiers will love swiping the included credit card, too! Melissa & Doug, $35, well.ca

Tiny conductors can take whatever cargo they dream of from the Pacific to the Atlantic with these beautifully crafted Canuck train cars. Track sold separately. Bigjigs Toys, $30, toysense.ca

Playmobil figures will love movin’ on up to this luxurious pad. The working doorbell lets them know when guests have arrived, and the coffee maker will perk you up for a day of fun. Squirrel away valuables in the safe behind the painting. The set includes two figures, trees, kitchen and dining room accessories, a laptop and jewellery. Living room furniture sold separately. $130, playmobil.ca

Learning new things has never been more fun than with this bebopping word game that gets kids jamming while they brush up on their phonics. With five levels, kids can twist or tap the handle to build words and identify letters. $25, leapfrog.com

Roll the colour cube and dice to catch these creepy-crawly bugs with your tweezers in a race against your opponents. The game helps kids with sorting, fine motor skills, counting and colour identification. Learning Resources, $18, scholarschoice.ca

This retro diner is the coolest hangout for Our Generation Dolls. It serves up everything from breakfast to dinner with pancakes, milkshakes, burgers and fries. Every diner detail has been covered—there’s a chalkboard for writing the daily specials, play money and an order pad, too.  $220, mastermindtoys.com

Buddy the Seal wants to put on a show for his friends, but players must first roll the dice and crank his flipper to blow up the balloon on his nose and launch it into the air. Includes six reusable balloons. International Playthings, $20, toysrus.ca

A beautiful wooden crane is the perfect toy for budding construction workers. Set includes a working pulley, a road sign, pylons, blockades and three bricks. $60, hapetoys.com

Almost as good as the real thing, this excited little pup will hop up on his hind legs when his owner waves. He moves his head and makes cute puppy sounds, but calms right down with a gentle pat on the head. $50, hasbro.com

All the fun of classic Jenga now comes in an extra-large version (it stands 30 inches tall) for little hands to easily grab and stack. Bonus? The lightweight cardboard blocks won’t do any damage when they inevitably come crashing down. $30, hasbro.com

The Force is strong with this lightsaber that comes with lights and sounds and can be transformed into 100-plus combinations for added protection against the Dark Side. $60, hasbro.com

Hape’s latest wooden dollhouse is modern and simple to put together— the rule is there are no rules on how to arrange the rooms and levels! The house includes two figures; furniture to outfit a bathroom, kitchen, living room and bedroom; and even a cute patio set for hosting rooftop parties. $68, hapetoys.com

Songbird Erika goes from princess to rock star. She loves to perform, so push down on her arm to swing her magenta guitar and watch as her outfit turns from a ball gown into a party dress. Mattel, $30, walmart.ca

The forest creatures are scurrying to collect a stash of berries to store in their tree stump for winter. But beware: Mashin’ Max is on the loose and will spin and squish anyone in his path without warning. $20, hasbro.com

Stop by the corner market for all your grocery needs, from flowers to ice cream. The 134-piece set includes a handy carrying case that houses all the cool accessories, like a cash register, bread and veggies, two minifigures and a friendly store cat. $30, shop.lego.com

Harsh wintry conditions are no match for this sturdy truck. The front shovel can pivot from side to side to get the job done and the top opens up to stash important cargo. Bruder, $110, indigo.ca

Firefighters can spring into action by sliding down the pole when they hear the alarm. The set includes two figures, a megaphone, helmets and a flashlight. (Fire engine and driver sold separately.) $60, playmobil.ca

Teeny horticulturists can create blooming works of art with this 116-piece set that incorporates colourful gears, squiggly stems and friendly butterflies, bees and ladybugs. Learning Resources, $50, mastermindtoys.com

Hungry contestants can take turns spinning the arrow to place an order for Frankie, a tweezer-like cat (great for improving kids’ pincer grip) to grab and place on their tray. Educational Insights, $29, indigo.ca

An enchanting addition to the FurReal Friends line, pretty StarLily has 100-plus sounds and motions, including opening and closing her eyes, making eating noises and fluttering her wings. She’ll also let you know how she’s feeling with her colour-changing horn. $150, hasbro.com

Colourful notched triangles, circles, half-octagons and squares lock into one another, creating a fun free-form building experience. Mindware, $33, scholarschoice.ca