As a mom of four, I’m well aware that toys are an amazing asset. They help your little ones learn, keep them occupied for solid stretches of time and even make it easy for you to join in on the fun.
But as we all know, some toys capture kids’ attention and imagination, while others end up collecting dust in a closet. For a short list of the true kid-pleasers, we tapped top experts to find the standouts for the toddler to teen years. Whether you’re shopping for your own child, a loved one or for a birthday gift, these are the kid-tested toys that are sure to be a hit.
Blocks that travel easily
Tegu’s wooden block set comes highly recommended by several experts. Pediatrician Robert Keder, M.D., developmental behavior specialist at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, Conn., reports that out of all the toys in his office, this is the one kids play with the most. The wooden blocks are magnetic and easy to grip, so they make building easy for young kids. This particular set includes wheels for creating vehicles too. Educational consultant Wendy Levey, based in New York City, likes that the set “improves motor skills and teaches organization by stacking, sorting and problem-solving.” Plus, it’s perfect for keeping kids entertained on the road or at a restaurant.
An animal playhouse that’s good for the environment
This animal care station has a little of everything to keep kids coming back, says New York City-based Christopher Byrne, aka The Toy Guy. Byrne appreciates that this set inspires imaginative play, thanks to an “animal clinic” with enclosures, an exam area and even a heat lamp that lights up. Knowledge cards sync up with the Wiltopia app, where kids can learn more about the animals they’re caring for. “It’s a great line, all about nature and environmental play,” says Byrne, noting the kit is made with more than 80% sustainable materials.
Cool discs that can create anything
You get a lot for a little with Brain Flakes—namely, bright colored discs that interlock to create anything from rainbows and planes to robots and Ferris wheels. It’s a favorite of Mandy Merrell and Mel Craig, toy researchers and founders of the Toy Testing Sisters in Salt Lake City, Utah, because “kids love using their imaginations and problem-solving skills to build incredible objects.” Worth noting: The set of 500 pieces is under $20, making it a great go-to for all those friend birthday parties. Plus, it comes in a plastic reusable tub, so parents don’t have to stress about the discs ending up everywhere.
Seating with a hidden talent
Playrooms that need seating can benefit from this couch—it serves double-duty as a place to perch and a set of oversize building blocks. Building toys like this “teach about engineering, spatial concepts and more,” Levey says. When kids are done building forts and ramps with the cushions, simply transform them back into a couch.
A stacking toy with a twist
Stacking toys are popular with the younger crowd, and SpinAgain adds a (literal) twist to the classic. “It still involves color awareness, it still involves small motor skills, it still involves size awareness, but it adds on movement because it spins,” Levey says. “This brings the learning and the joy.” Kids can stack and restack the discs or pull up the pole and play with them independently.
A ride-on toy that really wows
The Nighthawk is unlike anything most kids have seen. It’s a 12-volt electric ride-on toy they can zoom around outdoors (wearing a helmet, naturally), reaching speeds of up to 7 miles per hour. Merrell and Craig point out that besides being a load of fun, this ride-on gets kids outside in the fresh air. Riders steer it by leaning, making it easy for children over 6 to operate. With a max weight capacity of 110 pounds, most kiddos can enjoy this thing well into their teens. It gives 120 minutes of runtime before needing a recharge.
A football for tossing the perfect spiral
Playing catch with a football is a great pastime, but it can be tricky for kids to get the form right. The lightweight Aerobie Sonic Fin football has a special hollow design to help it go higher and farther than a regular ball. It is also soft and has fins that make it easy to catch. “Even kids who aren’t good at sports can throw a great spiral,” Byrne says. The end result, per Dr. Fisher? Kids gain confidence and are able to easily play with siblings of different ages.
A zip line to use at home
Thrill-seeking kids (ages 8 and up) will get a serious kick out of this home zip line kit. It “literally transforms your backyard into an adventure park,” Merrell and Craig say. All you need is two sturdy trees spaced 20 to 55 feet apart. The zip line can hold up to 250 pounds, making it usable by most kids, teens and even some adults. Everything you need—including materials to protect your trees—is included in the kit. Just make sure everyone understands they need to keep their fingers away from the ball bearings to avoid pinched fingers, Dr. Fisher says.
A ride that grows with them
Learning to ride a bike is a big milestone, but it often takes time. This option from Schwinn comes with training wheels that can be removed as kids gain skills and confidence. “Bikes are timeless, and they teach children of all ages about coordination, balance and independence,” Levey says. “Bike riding is good for mental health and physical strength. It teaches children to pay attention and focus.”
A new take on watercolor painting
The Buddha Board is an Amazon bestseller, and Dr. Keder says it’s a hit with families as well. “I’ll give it as a gift to friends and they’ll give three more to friends,” he says. To use this creativity enhancer, kids (and adults) make art simply by using water. Once the water evaporates, they can paint again. Parents will appreciate that they don’t need to restock tubs of paint—or clean up this painting project: “It’s just water. It makes no mess,” Dr. Keder raves.
A scoop shop that lets them play entrepreneur
Melissa & Doug is known for making engaging wooden toys. Merrell and Craig particularly praise the brand’s Scoop and Serve ice cream counter, which includes everything kids need to create yummy ice cream treats for their customers. The pretend play set has 28 pieces, including cups, a scooper that fits into a hole on top of the “ice cream” scoops, toppings, tongs, pretend money and cups. It even has a menu, so customers can order custom desserts. “Our kids love to set up their station and serve lots of yummy ice cream treats,” Merrell and Craig say.
Soothing teddy bear
Combining a classic stuffed animal and a weighted blanket, Hugimals offer double the comfort. These cuties are available in four fun animal shapes: Charlie the Puppy, Emory the Elephant, Sam the Sloth and Frankie the Cat. Each is packed with a 4.5-pound insert that provides some light pressure that “hugs you back,” but that insert is removable, making the body machine washable.
An art set two kids can use at once
For keeping more than one kid busy, this double-sided art easel can help; it’s designed to allow two artists to create at the same time. One side has a dry-erase surface, the other has a blackboard for chalk creations and the included paper roll allows for painting on either side. “Painting is a wonderful way to de-stress and be creative simultaneously,” Levey says. With the dual-sided nature of this easel “you can hang up the art and rotate ‘art shows,’” she adds.
A vintage-inspired counting tool
Fisher-Price first rolled out this cash register toy decades ago, and it’s now part of the brand’s “classic toys” line. Kids can play with several coin tokens that are dropped into the top of the machine. When a “sale,” happens, coins roll out to make change. Julie Barry, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in play-based therapy and is a toy consultant at Pediatric Toy Experts, says this toy is perfect for “easy play.”
Sticker scenes you can create and re-create
Melissa & Doug is known for its wooden toys, but the brand also makes these beloved sticker-based activity books. Each book in this set of three boasts more than 40 reusable stickers kids can position and move over 10 pages. Barry gives the kit the thumbs-up for how quickly children can dive in and play. “They’re simple (and) clear on how it’s used,” she says.
A series of fun outfits
Disney princess fans have plenty to explore with this trunk. It houses outfits from four classic characters—Aurora from “Sleeping Beauty,” Belle from “Beauty and The Beast,” Cinderella and Snow White—with tops and skirts that can be mixed and matched. There are even accessories like rings, bracelets and headbands in the mix. “This is an excellent idea for a grandparent to get for their grandchild,” Levey says. “This provides endless hours of fun imagination-driven play.”
A game that’s different every time
Dr. Keder is a big fan of this “fun and engaging” board game for the 10-and-up set, which he points out “involves some teamwork” to help kids try to win. The game features a board that’s covered in icons that can represent a lot of things. Players have to work together to get people to guess a word or phrase. Board games like Concept are “so important in a child’s development,” adds Danelle Fisher, M.D., chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. “They teach teamwork and strategy.”
Board game fun for the youngest in the family
Consider this the little kid version of Jenga. Michael Bauer, M.D., pediatrician and medical director at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital in Lake Forest, Ill., lists it as one of his tried-and-true favorites. Games like Yeti in My Spaghetti “can really help promote taking turns and the ‘thrill’ of competition,” he says. The rules are simple enough for even preschoolers to understand: You place the “noodles” on top of the bowl and set the Yeti toy on top. Then, players take turns removing the “noodles” while trying to keep the Yeti in place. If the Yeti falls, the game is over—and it’s time to play again.
A clever way to encourage counting
Pop the Pig is a silly counting game that’s a blast, especially when you lose. The game challenges players to feed the pig to make its belly grow until finally, it “pops” open. Pop the Pig is designed to teach kids numbers, colors and counting in a fun setting. While it’s technically intended for kids ages 4 and up, it “can be easily modified to be fun for your younger kids, your older kids and parents playing with their kids,” Barry says.
The science kit that’s a virtual reality learning adventure
This 85-piece science kit, which Byrne calls “very engaging,” is packed with features budding scientists will love, including hands-free virtual reality goggles that hook up to your phone for an immersive learning experience. It’s all led by Bill Nye “The Science Guy,” teaching kids about space and the universe in a fun and interactive way. Kids work on the books, then put on VR goggles to see how it all comes together.
The math skill builder that doesn’t feel like school
Practicing counting can be tedious, but Hand2mind’s Numberblocks are tied to an award-winning BBC show, allowing three- to eight-year-olds to do one of 30 different math activities they see on TV. The blocks are linking cubes that make stacks of 10 to encourage easy counting. Levey calls this toy—with 100 cubes, 11 character cards and 15 write and wipe activity cards—“a fantastic way for children to learn number concepts like adding and subtracting.” It makes math fun, she adds, because “the numbers are different characters.”
A STEM-loving doll
Somi isn’t just your average doll—she speaks more than 220 words and is intended to help instill a love of STEM in kids. Among other things, Somi defines terms like “algorithm,” “artificial intelligence” and “cyberbully” to help kids be up to speed with what’s happening in computer science. Somi “is the first interactive STEM doll that teaches kids about computer science and the dangers of cyberbullying,” says Claudia Walker, owner of The Black Toy Store.
A kid-centric magazine
Highlights has been entertaining and educating kids for more than 75 years. Each issue features fun facts, stories and articles, crafts, experiments, puzzles and the brand’s famous hidden picture scenes. “Magazines like Ranger Rick, Highlights and Honest History Magazine are winners because your child gets something in the mail,” Levey says. “The magazines have stories and activities and they are multi-age appropriate. Also, (they’re) easy to bring on a trip or to a restaurant.”
A new way to play with boxes
Cardboard boxes can quickly become a rocket ship, turtle shell and more with a little imagination. Makedo’s cardboard construction kit lets kids take their creations to the next level with the help of kid-safe tools that can be used to saw, hole-punch and connect pieces to make something new. There are even screws in the set to hold everything together. Peebles gives this kit the thumbs-up for its creativity, noting that kids are “actively learning” when they play with it.
For budding jewelry designers
This jewelry kit offers up a wide array of beads kids can use to create their own designs. The set features sparkly, shiny and matte beads in a range of styles, along with pendants and cords to string it all together. The beads come in a reusable kit with individual compartments to help kids stay organized. “These are endlessly fun for kids,” Levey says, noting that jewelry making teaches kids math skills like measuring, counting and working with patterns. “They are also a lovely way for a child to give a special gift they made themselves,” she says.
Shape-shifting fun with included storage
Fat Brain Toys’ Magnetic Creation Station encourages kids to use the included 46 colorful shapes to make scenes, faces, shapes and much more. The shapes are magnetic and stick to the case, which showcases the designs and keeps them from slipping. “This combines a fun tangram project with fine motor coordination and eye-hand skill work,” Levey says. “The shapes can be used any way the child wants,” including either by making the design shown or going freestyle.
Meet the contributorKorin Miller
Korin Miller is a contributor to Buy Side from WSJ.
