Find the perfect present to inspire children's creativity and encourage independent play.
Whether your little one is a fan of arts and crafts, video games or stuffed animals, this holiday gift guide has them covered. Entertain and excite kids with build-their-own playsets, remote-control trucks and so much more! These hands-on toys also mean less screen time, which is always a bonus.
Little animal lovers can design their own pet salon and dog figurine with Playmobil’s Color Dog Salon. The easily washable canvas and removable accessories allow ages six and up to redecorate the store as often as they’d like. Get creative by displaying grooming items on the salon’s shelves and personalizing your puppy with included art supplies.
Fans of YouTuber MrBeast can dive into the excitement of the MrBeast Lab Swarms. This interactive toy allows collectors to create their own Swarms by adding water to the test tube and giving it a shake, unleashing a fizzing spectacle that reveals two Micro Beasts from a colourful cluster. There are over 100 unique characters to collect, including the rare Hyperchrome Panther.
Fans of LEGO friends sets will love this cafe playset. First kids use problem-solving and fine motor skills to build, then imaginative play to bring it to life. This sets includes mini dolls Paisley, Olly and Beatriz.
Ages five to eight can bring this oversized remote-control truck to life with different play modes for roaring, smashing and crashing. Power up to stalk prey in hunt mode, boost power and perform stunts in smasher mode and recharge with glowing lights in guard mode. The interactive lights and sounds make for extra engaging playtime.
This bunny playset is the ultimate gift for little pet-lovers. Brush and feed the mama bunny until her heart starts glowing. This soft light means it’s time to place mama in her interactive hutch because a baby is on the way! The newborn bunnies will arrive with individual care packages, including accessories to style your new toys. This magical experience is totally repeatable, so little ones can care for mama and her babies as often as they’d like.
This modern version of the beloved retro Lite-Brite lets little artists explore their creativity with a brighter display, more LEDs and higher definition. Use six Hello Kitty design templates or create your own art before lighting up your creation with the steady, bounce, flash and clockwise light modes. Gift this set to ages six and up to celebrate Hello Kitty's 50th anniversary.
In a first-ever collaboration, the arcade-favourite Pinball machine is joining forces with the beloved Pac-Man video game. Track your high scores on this light-up, tabletop pinball game featuring familiar graphics and sounds from the original Pac-Man. Ages six and up will feel all the excitement of the arcade right at home!
With its ultra-soft plush and adorable design, Mary Meyer Baby’s 13-inch Fawn is designed specifically for hugging. Tuck your little ones in to fall asleep with this cuddly companion that is part pet, part doll and all love. Or, pair the little deer with other Marshmallow Zoo characters for even more fun and friendship.
Keep little gamers entertained and off-screens with this Minecraft Exploding RC Creeper. The remote-control figure stays true to the video game with authentic movement and exploding action. Load 10 explosion particles into the creeper and press your controller to launch them in the air while activating light and sound effects. Ages six and up will also love using the toy’s exclusive code to redeem an in-game accessory.
Bring the beach home without all the mess with this Kinetic Sand SquishMotion playset. This magical, moving sand naturally sticks together and never dries out for easy cleanup and plenty of play. With three sand colours and shape stampers, kids can build magical creations like smiling suns and shooting stars while exploring hands-on activity.
Start a Squishmallow squad or add to your child’s current collection of the cutest toys around. This stackable, leopard-themed plushie is ultra-squeezable, making it a great companion for bedtime, long drives and movie nights.
Nature enthusiasts can spend time exploring the great outdoors with LeapFrog's Magic Adventures Binoculars. The 10x magnifying effect, video screen and night vision helps children see their discoveries in super-clear detail. Capture all sorts of wonders with the built-in camera and save pictures with a microSD card (not included.) For indoor play, search for unique animals in the adventure game or test your knowledge in the field guide quiz.
You can also view over 300 BBC videos and images to learn more about plants and habitats.
Get excited for the upcoming release of Universal Pictures’ Wicked with the most popular girl in Oz! This Glinda fashion doll for ages five and up wears a removable, true-to-movie outfit complete with heels, hair clips and a clutch. Accessorize, style and pose the doll before sending her on all sorts of adventures.
These five-inch toys are perfect for racing across Jellyfish Fields. Simply pull back your Jelly Fishin’ Glider, let go and watch it zoom across the ocean floor! Press the button on the back to activate jellyfishing mode and help SpongeBob or Sandy catch jellyfish with their nets. Collect both characters for epic undersea competitions and endless fun! Their compact sizes makes them ideal stocking stuffers for kids seeking action-packed fun.
Bring your favourite Netflix series into real life with this interactive toy horse inspired by “Barbie Mysteries: The Great Horse Chase.” Pull the horse’s tassels to see it dance or pet the head to hear it neigh. With over 20 sound effects and additional grooming accessories, there are plenty of ways to play, from nurturing to performing to hairstyling.
The Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage has four unique levels for all the racing, stunting and storytelling you can imagine. Find a car wash with moveable hoses on the first floor and a multi-car race space on the second floor. Take the kid-powered elevator up another level to launch into a loop stunt, or head all the way up to battle with a car-hungry dragon. If you manage to defeat the beast, it will fall to the bottom of the garage until your next adventure. Plus, the set features parking spaces for up to 50 Hot Wheels cars, making storage easy.
The Barbie Dream Besties dolls encourage kids to share and discover their unique talents. Help this adorable fashion doll, Renee, live out her dream of hosting a food and travel show using the laptop and pizza accessories. With plenty of other accessories to explore and long hair perfect for styling, little ones can spend plenty of time playing with their new bestie.
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Alina is an editorial intern at Today’s Parent. After working in a Montessori environment with students aged 4-11, Alina discovered a keen interest in covering childcare.
She has studied journalism at Toronto Metropolitan University and pop culture writing at New York University.