Far and away Good Housekeeping readers’ most-purchased toy of last holiday season, the Bilibo continues to be a hit this year because of its open-ended nature. Active kids can use it as a seat or a stepping stone. Imaginative ones can turn it into a helmet or a landscape for other toys. It comes in a rainbow of colors, and there’s also a mini set you can get — combine a couple and the possibilities are endless! Ages 2+
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This Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award Winner is building blocks with a twist: these blocks are soft and stretchy, and some of them have beads, stars and other sensory items inside. Testers raved about “the color, texture, the filling for certain blocks, and different forms to build,” as one parent said. Ages 2+
They’ve tried clay. They’ve tried building blocks. Now, give them a new medium to create with. The MYNT3D Super 3D Pen gives kids an introduction to 3D printing, letting them melt colored filament and shape it into the objects of their imaginations. The pen lets users adjust the heat, which affects the speed the filament comes out — fast to fill in a large area, slow for details — and it comes with three colors of filament, though you can always buy more. No age recommendation given
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When it comes to using a Spooner Board, balance is the name of the game. Good for ages 2 to 15, these encourage kids to stand, wobble, spin, rock and even flip, working on their balance and core strength. They come in several colors, and they also come in a bigger version, the Spooner Board Pro (26 inches long compared to the Freestyle’s 23 inches). Ages 2+
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If there’s one enduring toy trend, it’s the one that makes kids want to “miniaturize” everything. This set combines that with DIY and lets kids create their own small works of pottery. It also can adjust to their level of expertise: Kids can start off by following templates and using the dome to keep the mess to a minimum, and as they get better they can remove the dome and try their own creations. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say that kids loved using the wheel and the tools to shape the clay. Ages 8+
A previous Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award-winner, the Crawligator promotes gross motor coordination in babies — especially in the muscles that help them get crawling. It has a pad that runs along the top, making it comfy for tummy time, and wheels on the bottom for when babies get old enough to push it around on the floor with their legs. Good Housekeeping Institute testers appreciated that the sides curve up to keep babies from rolling off. Ages 4 months+
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Kids will be amazed at the way this remote-controlled car drives up walls and even onto the ceiling! Parents are more drawn to the affordable price, and the way it doesn’t damage walls or paint as it zooms around. Ages 4+
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This cube is just the thing to keep restless hands busy. It unfolds into a series of different, unique shapes (strong magnets keep it in place with a satisfying click), and then it becomes a puzzle to get it to return to its cube form. It also comes in many fun colors and wild patterns. Ages 8+
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The voice of Bindi Irwin leads kids through their science expeditions with this talking microscope. The slides offer 60 different full-color images, and kids can learn more than 100 facts about the world around them. For budding scientists, GeoSafari Jr. also has a talking telescope as well. Ages 4+
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With this kit, artsy kids love layering the different transparencies on top of each other to make a scene. They can trace it all into one, unified image — the light on the board helps them see the outlines — and then color it all in to complete the look. The set comes with everything they need, including templates, tracing paper, colored pencils, blank paper and a graphite pencil to trace with. There are two versions, a pink one (fashion and horses) and a blue one (sports and music). Ages 6+
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This toy starts up a cycle of fun: Kids put balls inside the elephant, the elephant shoots them out of its trunk and then the kids run to collect the balls and start it all over again. It’s great when they have energy to burn (and you don’t). Ages 9 months+
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Old-school campers wish they had something like this when they were making friendship bracelets! This comes with a clip at the top to keep string in place, pegs at the bottom to keep threads from getting tangled, and even drawers that store pre-cut thread. It also comes in several color combos. Ages 8+
When it’s time for some sensory water play, this table lets kids pour water into the top and watch as it “rains” down to the lower level. It also comes with cause-and-effect toys, like pinwheels and tipping buckets, along with scoopers, creatures and other accessories that’ll have them exploring the water. The only catch, Good Housekeeping Institute testers say, is that it takes some time to put together. Ages 18 months+
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Good Housekeeping Institute testers gave this a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award because of how easy it was to get started and control. It flies fast and far, they say, and while learning tricks took a longer time, it kept kids engaged. It’s also one of the few drones for tweens, as opposed to teenagers. Ages 12+
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Vincent van Gogh sold more LEGO sets to Good Housekeeping readers than anyone else — more than Harry Potter, Darth Vader or the Avengers. Readers loved re-creating Van Gogh’s most famous painting with LEGO bricks — and the set even includes a minifigure of the artist himself! Ages 18+
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Kids step into the role of scientist at a beauty company with this toy, which combines self-care and STEM concepts. They’ll learn about biology and pH levels as they work through experiments that help them create their own, useable soaps and bath bombs while adding in different colors and fragrances. Ages 6+
This little device puts the power of a DJ booth in the palm of their hands. It plays music and kids can add in their own flair, like sound effects, loops or layers, just by using hand gestures, making their own spur-of-the-moment remixes. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say they appreciated the innovative way it unlocked their kids’ creativity, and also kept them engaged for long periods of time. Ages 6+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.
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