The ultimate toy guide 2015: 19 toys for little kids

Get plié-ready with this DIY kit that includes strips of tulle, an elastic waistband, glitter glue and jewels. Seedling, $45, indigo.ca

Kick scooting up a notch with this flashy light-up version. Step on the deck and watch a rainbow of coloured lights pulsate as you roll through the ’hood. Razor, $70, toysrus.ca

Instead of following set instructions, crafters are encouraged to create their own twittering paper masterpieces. Mudpuppy, $20, bbbuggy.com

Hexbug Nanos now have their own strategic 3D board game, which challenges kiddos to set up traps to catch their creepy-crawly friends. Ravensburger, $35, mastermindtoys.com

With two launchers and three crash zones, kids can race their friends or connect to other Hot Wheels tracks. Mattel, $60, toysrus.ca

The Evil Queen’s teenage daughter comes with blue hair, a magic mirror and a special locket. $25, hasbro.com

Two new extension packs for this famous etching set offer sporty looks or red-carpet garb, like party dresses and ball gowns, to inspire budding designers. Everest Toys, $13 each, indigo.ca

Stinky monsters have to wash everything on laundry day, including themselves! Sort and match coloured clothespins to coordinating monster cards and hang them up as quickly as you can. Haba, $25, scholarschoice.ca

Scoop the coloured hoops onto your thumb in a race to see who can complete their sequence first. Blue Orange Games, $20, scholarschoice.ca

Craft fanatics will love  this easy-to-assemble  and im-paw-sibly cute pal. Match the colours and punch them into place with the included stylus. The Orb Factory, $13, toysrus.ca 

Features 36 parking spaces and a helicopter, but be careful when zooming cars down the spiral ramp—there’s a hungry shark at the bottom! Mattel, $150, toysrus.ca

Create works of art with this 800-piece kit by sliding a pretty pattern, like a rainbow or rocking horse, under the template lid and spritz with water to fuse together. Voila! International Playthings, $25, calendarclub.ca

The three-wheeled scooter comes in five new metallic colours and teaches young riders to drive with an intuitive “lean-to-steer” mechanism. $180, kickboard.ca

Set includes more than 36 feet of glow-in-the-dark track and two cars with glowing undercarriages that leave a cool light streak in their wake.  Skullduggery, $120, mastermindtoys.com

The splurge-worthy 724-piece set is based on the epic throne-room battle between Luke, Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine. $100, shop.lego.com

Wee scientists will be amazed by the art they can create by combining food colouring, vinegar and, of course, milk! Griddly Games, $16, amazon.ca

Customize this glow-in-the-dark styling head with temporary tattoo makeup, hair extensions, necklaces and earrings. Just Play, $40, toysrus.ca

Zippy Zoomer Kitty is the purr-fect robotic pet. She’ll meow and play with her ball, pounce, dance and do secret tricks. Nuzzle her close to hear her purr—her eyes will change colour when she’s happy, too. Spin Master, $130, indigo.ca

The Magic School Bus gang is eager to teach little learners about science with this matching and memory game that ends with a bubbling volcano. $30 USD, theyoungscientists club.com