12 interactive toys every kid will want for Christmas

9-36 months

A toy to nurture your babe’s development from floor-crawler to free-range totter, the hoverboard-cruising pup has two learning buttons and over 65 songs, sounds, melodies and phrases to teach feelings, numbers, counting and gross motor skills. The cool canine can accommodate floor play, dance parties and is always down for a game of follow-the-leader. Available exclusively at Walmart.

VTech Hover Pup, $42, walmart.ca

9-36 months

Engaging and ready to roll with your child’s ever-evolving stages, this flashy walker incorporates learning and music modes. Start by removing the activity hub’s panel for floor play with a light-up piano, shape sorter, cellphone (hey girl!) and spinning gears. As first steps happen, toggle between two speeds that trigger happy songs and melodies to match your tot’s pace.

VTech Stroll & Discover Activity Walker, $53, toysrus.ca

18+ months

Regular books are great, but sometimes it’s nice to have an extra storyteller in your arsenal, especially for independent play. Featuring 100-plus age-appropriate words, small scholars can touch words on each page to learn topic-specific facts, listen to songs and hear French pronunciation. Look for the titles: 100 Words About Places I Go, Learning Friends 100 Words Book and 100 Animals Book to get you started.

LeapFrog 100 Words Books, $23 each, walmart.ca

2+ years

Hmm, what does Blue want? Take a seat in Josh’s chair and use your six-page Handy Dandy Notebook to hear clues, play games and crack the case. Just like in the show, you can open Mailbox and read letters from Blue and Magenta. The thinking chair is receptive to movements, playing sounds and phrases when your toddler stands up, sits down and raises the seat for storage.

LeapFrog Blue's Clues & You! Play & Learn Thinking Chair, $63, walmart.ca

2+ years

Eager entrepreneurs are ready to take your order! The magic scooper recites the colour and flavour of each ice cream scoop and topping. Six order cards help build sequencing skills and memory, while the syrup pump and coin button help with counting. Cheerful music plays as the cart is pushed along, luring all who love a frozen treat.

LeapFrog Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart, $52, amazon.ca

2+ years

Going to the grocery store, need anything? This handheld basket morphs into a rolling cart for easy schlepping and can be filled with eight included food items. The scanner has learning, talking and game modes to assist your super shopper with counting and learning about each item as they fulfill the included lists. Can’t wait until they can help meal prep!

LeapFrog Count-Along Basket & Scanner, $45, walmart.ca

18 months-4 years

Imagination knows no bounds as kids get to assume the role of farmer, driving a tractor to pick up supplies like wood and hay for the silo. The interactive animals—a cow, cat, donkey and chicken—make sounds and relay fun facts. Three light-up buttons can prompt imaginative play with suggestions like “take the animals to the wash bay.” Their shower is under the barn floor, if you were wondering. Available exclusively at Toys R Us.

VTech Learn & Grow Farm, $42, toysrus.ca

4+ years

Magic lovers will adore striking up a friendship with Ivy. The winged unicorn sings, talks and sparkles. Her new besties can press a magic wand to change her eyes, horn, wings and flower colours. Ivy’s the life of the party, so put on music and she’ll glow and dance. Ask her to play something and she’ll sing one of eight tunes. Tuckered out from a day of play, boop her nose, tuck her legs under her and sing her a lullaby. She’ll get snuggly and extra sweet.

VTech Ivy the Bloom Bright Unicorn, $70, toysrus.ca

 2-7 years

The interactive 3D-like animations that pop out of the pages feel like magic. This learning system plays host to a library of 25+ books (each are sold separately) and is an ideal toy for auditory and visual learners. With growth in mind, the activity books span learning levels covering everything from math, reading, problem-solving and more with a stylus to help at each stage and encourage proper writing grip. Available in green or pink.

LeapFrog LeapStart 3D Learning System, $63, indigo.ca

2-5 years

There’s a lot to know before starting school. Check out this 5-in-1 interactive, work-from-home desktop that has a projector for tracing, an LED writing pad with a stylus, five activity pages to practise numbers and letters, a clock with moveable hands and a music player. Flip it up and it becomes a chalkboard and art station. It even comes with a stool. Also available in pink. Available exclusively at Walmart.

VTech Get Ready for School Learning Desk, $84, walmart.ca

5+ years

There’s nothing but net and playful competition with this basketball hoop. The interactive scoreboard keeps track while encouraging players to shoot their shot with five built-in game modes that can be played solo or with up to four other people. Parents’ fave feature? The over-the-door set folds down for compact storage.

VTech KidiGo Basketball Hoop, $47, indigo.ca

 5+ years

Aspiring YouTubers will love this HD, special-effects video camera with tripod and selfie stick. There are 20-plus animated backgrounds that can be used with the green-screen fabric. On-camera editing makes it easy to fine tune your footage before uploading to the computer with the included USB cable. Available in pink or red.

VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam, $84, amazon.ca