Amazon’s Best Toys & Gifts For Holiday 2021

From the best-selling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, the newest board book Leaders: My First Leaders will be available to order just in time for the holidays. Written by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and illustrated by Lisbeth Kaiser, the book features colorful depictions of inspirational leaders including Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Greta Thunberg, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Corazon Aquino, Malala Yousafzai, Mahatma Ghandi, and Harriet Tubman. Proving that you’re never too young to pick up on the impact of these famous faces from history and present day, the lyrical text of this board book is entertaining for parents to read aloud to their babies.

The K6 Toddler Scooter by Swagtron is a 4-in-1 convertible ride-on that transforms from a three-wheeled balance tricycle to a two-wheeled balance bike, three-wheeled standing scooter, to a two-wheeled kick scooter. As your kid’s skills progress, it’s easy for parents to flip the baseboard or swap out wheels to switch from one apparatus to another with three simple steps and a screwdriver. Multiple Amazon reviews from real users confirm just how easy this bike is to put together. This toddler-sized ride-on toy is intended for use by kids ages 2 to 5 who weigh up to 55 pounds. It’s also available in two colorways — blue with green accents and red with pink accents.

I personally cannot imagine a more precious ride-on toy for little kids. If your kiddo’s face is consistently pressed against a window looking for any sign of the mail truck, this USPS ride-on toy is sure to light up their holiday season. Made by Kid Trax, the 6-volt, battery-operated truck is designed to look and feel just like a real mail carrier’s truck, complete with a working horn and lights. The truck can drive forward or in reverse, hits speeds up to 2.5 mph, and comes with a plastic mailbox and three plastic letters. The truck is intended for use by one child at a time with a 60-pound weight limit.

The Fisher-Price B.B. Hoopster basketball goal is part toy, part game, and all fun. With lights, sounds, and music, the hoop features four interactive modes for kids to engage with. The unique motorized base, complete with a fun, smiling face and light-up eyes, can drive forward and backward to give your kids a real challenge. With each basket your child makes, the B.B. Hoopster will respond with lights and sounds of a game-time announcer so that your kids can feel like they’re really right in the big game. Intended for kids ages 3 and up, it comes with two miniature basketballs that are perfectly-sized for little hands.

Creative kids will love this interactive toy that lets them color on a critter and then scrub it clean in a rainbow-adorned bathtub. The Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Peculiar Pets Rainbow Tub Set includes eight washable markers to color on four unique pets before washing them clean in the scrub tub with the included brush. Little ones will love scribbling on Violet the Bear, Olive the Llama, Max the Platypus, and Leo the Sloth. For even more fun, the packaging of this product folds out into a themed play mat, and you can also purchase expansion packs with more pets to grow your child’s collection.

Over the past 18 months, my family — like many others — relied on an old stash of board games and a handful of card games to get us through. I am personally over-the-mood to find new games for us to all enjoy together and the new Cards Against Humanity Family Edition is at the top of my list. With 600 witty cards that are filled with family-friendly humor, this game will have your entire crew in stitches. Intended for ages 8 and up, as the official Amazon description promises, “It’s not just the regular game with all the adult stuff taken out. We rewrote the whole thing and playtested it with thousands of families.”

Is it wrong that I sort of want to buy this Baby-Sitters Club Retro Book Set for myself instead of my kids? The set features six BSC classics by Ann M. Martin including Kristy and the Snobs, Claudia and the New Girl, Stacey’s Emergency, Jessi and the Superbrat, Mary Anne and the Great Romance, and Dawn’s Wicked Stepsister. The six novels come enclosed in a retro-style collector’s tin that is actually the perfect type of box for your kids to store a stash of babysitting money in when they decide to start their own BSC after they read the books.

With the Candy Land Giant Edition, you and your kids can truly get into the game. This life-sized, 64-inch by 64-inch Candy Land board folds out to allow the game’s actual players to become the game pieces as they move across the gargantuan board. The spinner and cards have also been supersized for the game’s Giant Edition, which makes this a great way to get younger kids involved in family game night. (Because no 4-year-old can successfully keep a fistful of tiny cards straight.) The best part of this classic game in giant form is that it’s even sweeter when played outdoors where there’s plenty of space to move.

When my kids were younger, I had the hardest time trying to find toys that would grow with them as they developed new interests and skills. If you’re in a similar boat, the Fisher-Price Sit-to-Stand Giant Activity Book is one incredible holiday gift solution. Babies ages 6 months and up can enjoy a learning road trip as they flip the pages of this electronic toy that includes plenty of lights and sounds. When they’re ready, parents can transform the sit-at book into a standing activity center where toddlers up to 36 months can learn shapes, letters, and numbers. As a bonus, this toy comes in 100% recyclable packaging that is easy to open.

One of the summer’s biggest movies, Space Jam: A New Legacy, put a new twist on the classic ‘90s film starring the hilariously lovable crew of Looney Tunes and NBA superstar Lebron James. Toys and merchandise from the film are sure to be everywhere in time for the holiday season. The LeBron James Funko Pop! makes a fun stocking suffer for basketball-loving kiddos and fans of the movie. The collectible stands just 3 and 3/4 inches tall and weighs one-quarter of a pound, but promises to be a big hit underneath your Christmas tree.

That feeling when your kid wakes up to a brand new, shiny bicycle under the tree on Christmas morning is absolutely priceless. The Segway Ninebot is an 18-inch two-wheeler intended for children between the ages of 5 and 10 years old that fits heights between 3 foot 9 inches and 4 foot 9 inches. The bike’s design is sturdy, but lightweight with an Aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame. Front hand brakes and rear coaster brakes with a fully enclosed chain and mountain tires offer a safe and comfortable ride for kids. The ergonomic saddle seat is also adjustable, so it can grow with your child.

If the popularity of The Mandalorian on Disney+ is any indication, this adorable Star Wars toy promises to be one of the hottest toys of the holiday season. Galactic Snackin’ Grogu is a 9.5-inch tall interactive doll that speaks and moves with more than 40 phrases and movement combination. Feed him one of his included accessories like a galactic cookie or bowl of tentacles and he’ll make a variety of sounds to react. Baby Yoda isn’t available to order until December 1, but you can preorder this little green guy now and rest assured that he’ll be under the tree in time for Christmas.

The Qai Qai doll that took Instagram by storm this year alongside tennis superstar Serena Williams and daughter Olympia is now available on Amazon for parents to gift this holiday season. At 14 inches tall, Qai Qai comes complete with a ruffled tulle pink and purple skirt and a sweet GOAT onesie. She has fully posable arms and legs to stand, sit, hug, and even dance with your child. The adorable doll’s packaging also transforms into her own play house that kids can decorate to make it uniquely their own. Intended for kids ages 3 and up, she’s sure to delight.

Although I’ve lost count of just how many Squishmallows that my kids have, I’m absolutely sure that we can make room for one more under the tree this year. Anya the Caticorn Mermaid is the newest Squishmallow. She’s part cat, part mermaid, part unicorn, and a whole lot of sparkly, squishy fun. Her shimmery ears, unicorn horn, and mermaid top are a lovely lavender color, and she has a multicolored mermaid scale motif as well. Made from polyester fabric, this 16-inch tall stuffed animal is fully machine washable and dryable, which is a huge plus for messy little ones prone to sticky hands and spills.

One sure-fire way to get little ones interested in helping out in the kitchen is to make something sweet in the most fun way possible. Kids can read along with the simple text of 1234 Cake! to learn step-by-step how to bake a homemade cake complete with delicious frosting. Written by Caroline Wright and illustrated by Alison Oliver, this delightful board book is filled with rhyming text and colorful illustrations. Intended for toddlers and preschoolers, this book can be enjoyed over and over again by kids as they read, count, measure, pour, mix, and bake alongside their parents.

Play-Doh is one of my favorite go-to stocking stuffers
for my kids. Even my 9-year-old son still gets his collection out on a lazy afternoon to craft and mold new creations, so I know this is one gift idea that won’t go to waste. Parents of multiple kids could easily split up the 65-pack of one-ounce containers in Play-Doh Ultimate Color Collection between a few stockings, but it also makes a great big gift when given as a whole set. The set features 60 different colors including classic colors and special edition compound with glitter, confetti, and color burst options.

Throughout the past 18 months, parents scrambled to find bounce houses to transform their backyards (or living room) into at-home trampoline parks as demand increased and shortages loomed. Now, these incredible inflatables are back in stock and you can make your home an even more enjoyable place for your kids when you gift the Little Tikes Jump ‘n Slide Bouncer this holiday season. This inflatable boasts a 250-pound weight limit and has a interior bounce area that measures 84 square inches with a 47-inch tall slide. This bounce house inflates with a high-pressure blower that plugs into your home’s electrical outlet for easy use.

Who needs a sibling to play with when you have this interactive dinosaur toy that plays games, reacts, dances, laughs, moves, and even farts? Squeakee the Balloon Dino is a robotic toy shaped like a dinosaur that’s been crafted in balloon animal form with menacing chompers and tiny T-Rex arms. He can play games like Chicken and comes with interactive accessories like headphones that make him dance and a bone that makes him chew and chomp. With more than 70 sounds and reactions, Squeakee is sure to be your kid’s new BFF.

This interactive watch for kids does way more than just keep time. The Tobi 2 Robot Smartwatch is made by Little Tikes and features an interactive robot interface with more than 100 expressions, sounds, and reactions. The watch’s LED screen can capture selfies and videos, has an alarm clock, calendar, calculator, stopwatch, timer, step counter, reminders, and more. Kids can play solo arcade and fitness games, as well as games with other Tobi users, but parental controls help keep kids safe while the watch is in use. It features an adjustable band and a built-in rechargeable battery charges with a micro USB port.

If your kids loved the new Paw Patrol movie, they’ll jump for joy when they unwrap this Adventure City Movie Play Mat on Christmas morning. The Paw Patrol is on a roll and so is your kiddo when they crawl around on this interactive 11.5 inch by 11.5 inch square replica of Adventure City. They can use the included True Metal exclusive toy vehicles and figures of Mayor Humdinger and Marshall to pretend they’re on a grand rescue mission with the bravest pups in town. When play time is through, the mat folds into itself to create a storage box for easy clean up.

Set to be released on October 26, but now available for pre-order, this new holiday LEGO book from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is sure to add plenty of magic to your child’s Christmas morning. Holidays at Hogwarts takes readers on a journey through the Yule Ball with all of the franchise’s favorite characters. The book comes with an exclusive Harry minifigure dressed in his holiday finest, armed with his magic wand. Join Harry, Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Hedwig, and more as they deck the halls of Hogwarts and enjoy all that the yuletide festivities have to offer.

Fans of Disney’s epic adventure movie, Raya and the Last Dragon, will have a chance to have an adventure all their own in Raya’s Journey: An Enchanted Forest Board Game. Intended for kids and adults ages 6 and up, the hide-and-seek themed board game lets two to four players race around the board while searching for Raya and friends Tuk Tuk, Sisu, Boun, Tong, Little Noi, and Ongi under decorative teak sculptures. The first player to make it through the Kumandra landscape to the finish line, find Raya and friends, and collect their cards wins this enchanting game.

“Alexa, entertain the kids.” With the new Echo Dot Kids edition, your wish is now Alexa’s command. The 4th generation smart speaker comes in two adorable designs with either a tiger or a zebra face and is pre-loaded with plenty of kid-friendly content including a year’s worth of a subscription to Amazon Kids+. Kids can enjoy audiobooks, music, games, and educational activities in this voice-activated speaker. Thanks to the device’s parental controls, users can review content and activity, set timers, block explicit content, and even allow calls through a list of parent-approved contacts. It’s a fun and safe way to keep your kids connected and entertained.

Instead of fussing over baking soda and vinegar or Mentos and Diet Coke, your science-loving kids can build a safely erupting volcano with this National Geographic Earth Science Kit. Although the volcano is clearly the star of this STEM kit, kids can also enjoy 14 additional activities including dueling water tornadoes, a disappearing rock, a geological dig, a glow-in-the-dark vortex, growing crystals, and more. Intended for kids ages 8 and up, this kit provides budding scientists with a safe, fun, and hands-on educational experience right in their own home with easy-to-read directions and tons of informative materials to learn from.

When I have an opportunity to share a classic toy with my kids, I take it. The Peppa Pig Sit ‘n Spin from Playskool is the perfect mix of an iconic toy and a currently popular kids character that little ones are sure enjoy. As kids spin around and around on the toy’s disc, it plays fun music and character clips from the show including the Peppa Pig theme song and “Bing Bong.” Intended for kids ages 18 months and up, I can only imagine that this bright and cheery toy will become a fast favorite for puddle-splashing, piglet-loving toddlers everywhere.