The saying “like a kid in a toy store” didn’t originate out of thin air. In fact, shopping for holiday toys is one of the most-anticipated grabs of the season, though it can lead plenty of shoppers to ask, “What are the best toys to pick up?“
Year after year, gift towers with the year’s hottest toys overflow underneath your Christmas tree (whether you’re shopping for a one-year-old or four-year-old), with ribbon-topped gifts paying homage to children’s wishlists.
The New York Post Shopping team has noticed an uptick in early holiday shopping — even before the bounty of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals — and trend experts are forecasting the same for 2023.
“In terms of holiday shopping, LTK recommends starting earlier rather than later,” Ally Anderson, director of strategy and insights at LTK, trend-abounding creator shopping and brand partnerships platform, with more than 13 years of expertise, told the New York Post.
“Our holiday report found that shoppers are eager to get an earlier start to their holiday shopping than last year. 38% of the population is planning to start holiday shopping in September, a 25% increase from last year. Shoppers who turn to creators for shopping inspiration also plan to shop earlier this year, with 45% planning to start in September.”
To help make your holiday shopping list more of a breeze than in years past, we outlined the 40 hottest and most popular toys to buy for your loved ones. Our team of trend experts hand-picked the buzziest of products, while we tossed in a few of our recommendations we couldn’t forego mentioning.
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Tiny Land Trendy Black Style Play Kitchen
Tiny Land For your tiny aspiring chef, this deluxe play kitchen from Tiny Land is the way to go. Along with featuring a sleek and modern design, it encourages imagination through play with its opening oven door, clickable knobs and hyper realistic faucet. Like a real life kitchen, there’s lots of storage space and cabinets for a child to practice their organizational and cleaning skills, and the entire thing is made out of high-quality, non-toxic material for their safety. A great gift for the holidays, a birthday or just because, the durable set will last for years, while teaching your little one essential skills and providing hours of fun.
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Mattel Star Wars Grogu Plush 8″ The Mandalorian Character Figure from “Star Wars”
“We’re seeing many more kids of all ages get more interested in Star Wars characters, thanks to the pipeline of new series being added to Disney+,” Chris Beer, data journalist at GWI, renowned digital analytics and consumer insights company, told The Post. “The cuteness factor of some Star Wars characters is increasingly appealing – not just Baby Yoda, but the original Yoda and R2-D2 are growing strongly in kids’ affections.”
Insightfully, Yoda and Baby Yoda have overtaken Transformers and Buzz Lightyear in kids’ ranking of their favorite characters, according to Beer.
Roblox Digital Gift Code — Online Game Code
“The trend of kids getting interested in building and creating shows no signs of slowing down, as the number who play Roblox and/or Minecraft continues to grow – meaning construction kits are likely to be in demand,” Beer shares.
The best part about this gift? It’s perfectly catered to your budget as you can select how many Roblux units you’d like to tack onto your digital code.
LEGO Minecraft The Skeleton Dungeon Set
In a similar vein, Minecraft continues to be all the rage among kids. What better way to tap into this trend than with the LEGO Minecraft The Skeleton Dungeon Set? It’s fairly priced at less than $50 and comes with all the caves, mobs, figures and crossbow accessories to keep your younger ones entertained for hours on end.
Pokemon Battle Academy 2 Board Game
“We expect the Y2K nostalgia trend to continue, as we find that the majority of Gen Z and millennials say they feel nostalgic for media from their past,” Beer notes. “Toy purchases this year will likely go beyond the traditional kid market into young adults looking to reconnect with their youth.”
That said, take full rein of nostalgia this holiday season with Pokemon. The Battle Academy 2 Board Game includes everything you need for two players to enjoy, including guides to the decks so your first game is well-understood. Plus, choose from Cinderace or Pikachu to lead your team to victory!
Melissa & Doug Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6-Piece Pretend Play Set
Melissa & Doug has become a household name (if you’re a parent or caregiver, you know). Now, you can play house with the brand’s best-selling Let’s Play House Dust! Sweep! Mop! 6-Piece Pretend Play Set — a practical toy that’ll teach your young one how to tidy up after themselves. Mission, accomplished.
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Tiny Land Double Sided Easel for Kids
Tiny Land Tapping into the arts and crafts trends our experts have been seeing, the Tiny Land Easel for Kids with 2 Drawing Paper Rolls seems to be a signature gift that your toddler and growing child will love. Complete with two paper rolls, its stand-and-play design is one every playroom deserves.
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Fisher-Price Baby & Toddler DJ Bouncin’ Beats with Music Lights Learning Toy
One of our readers’ most-loved holiday toys is the Fisher-Price Baby & Toddler DJ Bouncin’ Beats with Music Lights Learning Toy — with flying colors. The trend is still riding its high, and your little one will become engaged with the item’s motorized action, thanks to its spring bottom.
More, it features more than 75 songs, sounds and phrases, including teaching the alphabet, learning colors, instructing how to count from one to 10 and teaching opposites.
Crayola Broad Line Washable Markers (12-Pack)
Whether you’re hunting for a good stocking stuffer or simply want an affordable gift to tack onto some others on your list, you can’t go wrong with the Crayola Broad Line Washable Markers (12-Pack).
This less-than-$10 grab is recommended by Anderson as one of the hottest pick-me-ups the company is seeing. And, when paired with the Melissa & Doug 50-Page Kids’ Coloring Pads Set ($17), you’ll be the golden gift-giver.
Lovevery The Play Gym
Aesthetically pleasing and recommended by Anderson, Lovevery’s The Play Gym is the activity center we wish we rolled around on when we were babies. It grows with your child from baby to toddler, providing stage-based activities, five developmental zones, four detachable activity toys and four sets of cards to foster expert-developed learning.
Hearth & Hand with Magnolia 28-Piece Toy Alphabet Peg Puzzle
Stay super on-trend with Chip and Joanna Gaines’ line of toys. The Hearth & Hand with Magnolia 28-Piece Toy Alphabet Peg Puzzle is recommended by Andersen as one of the most popular toys creators have posted and consumers have shopped from, allowing your young one to learn the alphabet, colors and sorting.
Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol 15-Piece Pup Backpack Role Play Set
One thing’s for sure: the New York Post Shopping team always sees PAW Patrol orbiting our readers’ minds, leading to many purchases for their young ones who are fans of the popular show.
That said, the Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol 15-Piece Pup Backpack Role Play Set is our top pick, amounting to more than 3,000 applauding reviews on Amazon alone. Inside, you’ll find a working whistle with a clip, adjustable binoculars, a 3-in-1 tool with a magnifier, a red lens, a compass, a fold-out mission map and activity guide, a write-on badge and pretend pup treats in a pouch — perfect for your little adventurer.
Baghera Speedsers Ride-On Car
We couldn’t resist — the Baghera Speedsers Ride-On Car is simply too cool and retro-chic to pass up. Treat the little one on your holiday shopping list to this sweet hop-in, clad with a durable padded seat, sturdy metal body and rubber tires. Down for a ride?
Creative Roots Mosaic Turtle Stepping Stone Painting Kit
“Kids are getting more interested in arts and crafts, and are more likely to say art is their favorite subject at school,” Beer tips off. “So, we can expect crafting and painting kits to feature on more wishlists.”
The Creative Roots Mosaic Turtle Stepping Stone Painting Kit has nearly 20,500 delightful reviews, encouraging your child — ages 8+ — to paint each stone piece in either red, yellow, green or blue. For less than $10, it’s worth the grab.
Who Knows More? Kids or Adults — The Ultimate Trivia Game for Kids, Teens and Adults
“Another trending area, specifically for teens, is trivia and quiz games, so toys that challenge kids to test their knowledge could also be popular – particularly in the ‘kidult’ market,” Beer shares.
The Who Knows More? Kids or Adults — The Ultimate Trivia Game for Kids, Teens and Adults is a prized game filled with press-your-knowledge questions on history, pop culture and more. Plus, this cross-generational pack is the ideal family game night activity.
Barbie Dreamhouse 2023 Pool Party Doll House with 75+ Pieces and 3-Story Slide
“We can’t overlook Barbie,” Beer says, remarking on one of the most popular, prolonged trends of the year. “We’ve already seen the release of Air early in 2023 lead to a spike in the number of people who own Jordan/Air Jordan products, so it’s pretty safe to assume that Greta Gerwig’s film will have a similar benefit to Mattel’s physical products.”
There’s nothing like the Barbie Dreamhouse 2023 Pool Party Doll House with 75+ Pieces and 3-Story Slide. Paying homage to the motion picture’s humble abode (that we wrote about, because we’re pretty obsessed, too), this has to be the ultimate holiday gift for the Barbie, pretty-in-pink fan on your list.
Nintendo 64 Console (Renewed)
No, you read the title of this gift guide correctly — we’re showcasing the hottest toys for 2023, but the 90s-popular Nintendo 64 Console is making a comeback.
“We expect the Y2K nostalgia trend to continue, as we find that the majority of Gen Z and millennials say they feel nostalgic for media from their past,” Beer highlights. “Toy purchases this year will likely go beyond the traditional kid market into young adults looking to reconnect with their youth.”
Though this device is renewed, it’s one we encourage you to get your hands on (it’s one of our favorites to play on a rainy day, after all).
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Basic Figure Turtle 4-Pack Bundle
According to Anderson, classic toys — like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Basic Figure Turtle 4-Pack Bundle — is spiking in popularity. This hot-button grab features a quad of turtles, each coming with their core iconic weapon accessories and an added weapons/accessories rack. Super cool, dude.
Djeco Fox Tea Party Role Play Set
Another toy the New York Post Shopping team simply couldn’t resist? The Djeco Fox Tea Party Role Play Set, an option that comes in both blue and pink — depending on the online retailer — to fare well with your little one’s tea party theme. This Montessori-inspired toy set helps develop fine motor skills, imagination, role playing and storytelling, too.
Hearth & Hand with Magnolia 6-Piece Toy Rainbow Wooden Block Stacker
One of the most popular toys for babies Anderson is seeing on the LTK platform is the Hearth & Hand with Magnolia 6-Piece Toy Rainbow Wooden Block Stacker. Not only is it colorful and cute but it helps facilitate color-based learning, stacking and collaboration. Not to mention, it doubles as nursery decor beside your crib. Win-win.
Crayola Wixels Animals Activity Kit — Pixel Art Coloring Set
Both Anderson and Beer highlight arts and crafts as a top toy trend for 2023, the former specifically recommending the Crayola Wixels Animals Activity Kit — Pixel Art Coloring Set. This set includes two wixel panels, two color maps and eight washable markers for a fresh take on your plain ol’ coloring book.
Meta Quest 2 Advanced All-in-One Virtual Reality Headset (128 GB)
As one of the coolest toys to play with — for both kids and adults — the Meta Quest 2 Advanced All-in-One Virtual Reality Headset (128 GB) is a consistently popular splurge, especially during the holidays.
“It’s too early to call it the next big device, but we have seen the number of teens who own and enjoy using a VR headset grow year-on-year,” Beer notes. “Especially now that Apple has announced the Vision Pro and put mixed reality devices on everyone’s radar again, parents that can splash out on top-dollar devices might just plump for a headset this year.”
PicassoTiles 60-Piece Magnetic Tiles Building Blocks Set
The PicassoTiles 60-Piece Magnetic Tiles Building Blocks Set is what we dub as the “most iconic, colorful building set of the century. Per Anderson’s shopping insights, LTK “thinks there will be a lot of activity-based toys — like Picasso Tiles and Montessori toys — that encourage kids to experiment and learn for older kids.”
Pottery Barn Kids Sherpa Bunny Plush Rocker
The Pottery Barn Kids Sherpa Bunny Plush Rocker is both a cozy ride-on toy and a decor element, along with being named one of the most popularly shopped-for items on the LTK platform, per Anderson. Namely, this huggable and soft rocker is made with solid wood handles and precision-shaped runners for that smooth and gentle ride that’s built to last.
Even better, personalization is available, up to nine characters, for an additional cost. This will be featured front and center on the wooden glider rail.
Kettler Kid’s CAT Digger
The Kettler Kid’s CAT Digger has to be one of the hidden gems we found online (truly, how can you pass this up for the construction- and building toy-lover)? Notably, your little one can dig in the dirt with the excavator’s large digging shovel and dual-action levers for simple scooping and dumping. Rest assured, this gift will be a hit.
Tonies Toniebox Audio Player Starter Set with Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Playtime Puppy
According to Anderson, toys from popular movies and shows — specifically, “Frozen” — aren’t going anywhere. For a toy your little one will love, the Tonies Toniebox Audio Player Starter Set with Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Playtime Puppy fits the bill. Its listen-learn-and-play design is equally ideal for your playroom and on-the-go use, too.
Retrospec Cricket Baby Walker Balance Bike
We’re not at all surprised the Retrospec Cricket Baby Walker Balance Bike is one of the hottest toy grabs on the LTK platform, per Anderson’s insights. After all, can’t you see an Instagram influencer post their daughter or son with this aesthetically pleasing ride-on toy?
With nearly 4,000 rave reviews, the sleek bike comes in lovely hues to suit your recipient and a fair price point to tie everything together.
Lovevery The Helper Play Kit
One of the hottest toys for babies, per Anderson, is Lovevery’s The Helper Play Kit. Suited for two-year-olds, this all-in-one learning bundle helps support your child’s budding independence, develop security in routines, practice fine motor precision and build resilience and problem-solving skills.
Inside, you’ll find the brand’s Super Sustainable Sink with Bio-Based Cups & Plates, Felt Flowers in a Row, Anywhere Art Kit with Washable Tempera Paintsticks, Drop & Match Dot Catcher, Double-Sided Sunny Day Puzzle and Let’s Map It Out Routine Cards for entertaining, Montessori-inspired fun.
Skip Hop Baby Activity Center
Another social media-popular kids’ item on LTK is the Skip Hop Baby Activity Center, complete with three stages of use: sit, swivel, bounce and play; cruise and interact; and play table. With more than 25 developmental activities, this parent and caregiver favorite is an excellent addition to your holiday shopping list — and one baby will enjoy.
Our Generation Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck for 18″ Dolls
One of the sweetest toys in this guides — without a doubt — is the Our Generation Sweet Stop Ice Cream Truck for 18″ Dolls, exclusively at Target. For the child who loves playing with dolls, this new playtime hotspot has all the toppings, from working lights and wipers (we can’t believe it, either) and a real chalkboard to write specials. Plus, it’s one of the most-shopped LTK items, per Anderson.
Le Toy Van Kid’s Alex’s Wood Work Bench
The second we saw the Le Toy Van Kid’s Alex’s Wood Work Bench online, we knew it deserved a spot in this gift guide. Exceptionally crafted and ideal for the little one who loves to build, this pretend set comes with a variety of tools, bolts and nuts to make your three-year-old (and up) recipient giddy with glee.
ebba Playful Lil Benny Phant Baby Stuffed Animal
The ebba Playful Lil Benny Phant Baby Stuffed Animal is a hot toy for kids Anderson immediately spotted rising en masse on the LTK platform. Available in gray and sky blue, the cuddle essential has garnered nearly 9,000 gleaming reviews on Amazon alone and ideal for any age.
Squishmallows Original 10″ Bluey HugMees Plush
The 2023 hottest and most popular toy guide would surely be incomplete without a mention of “Bluey,” this year’s trending show that has achieved national acclaim, per Anderson. What better way to put a smile on your little one’s face than with the Squishmallows Original 10″ Bluey HugMees Plush? For less than $25 on Amazon, it’s certainly worth it.
TOHIBEE 3-Piece Suction Cup Spinner Toys
Rising in popularity for your baby, the TOHIBEE 3-Piece Suction Cup Spinner Toys is a trio Anderson predicts will continue to remain consistent among social media shoppers. With more than 4,500 reviews from satisfied shoppers, it helps foster eye-hand coordination and are ideal for the high chair just as much as the car seat.
Skip Hop Baby Walker
To pair with the on-trend Skip Hop Baby Activity Center listed above, the brand’s Baby Walker is also a fan-favorite among LTK shoppers. Its quadruple-threat design — serving as a place to sit and cruise, while acting as both a shopping cart and stroller — is one for the taking. Plus, it’s fairly priced.
Jellycat Bashful Beige Bunny Stuffed Animal
Adorably stitched with fur and worth the pick-me-up, theJellycat Bashful Beige Bunny Stuffed Animal is one Anderson has seen plenty of shoppers grab for their babies on the LTK platform. With a whopping near-7,000 reviews — and counting — it’s the quintessential plushy that will be clutched to your little one’s chest.
Tender Leaf Toys Garden Wheelbarrow Set
If you’re on the market for a new outdoor toy, we can’t recommend the Tender Leaf Toys Garden Wheelbarrow Set enough. Especially if your humble abode has its own backyard garden (read: best grass seed), this springy grab will help your little one sharpen their green thumb, as it’s complete with three seed packets; three flower pots with sunflower, carrot and tomato plants; a watering can, a trowel and birdy secateurs.
Crawling Crab Tummy Time Toy
Anderson shared what’s possibly the most entertaining toy for babies as part of her holiday toy trend forecast: the Crawling Crab Tummy Time Toy. This Amazon best-seller has racked up more than 2,500 shimmering reviews, much ado to its laugh-out-loud design and interactive playtime intent.
Generic Easy Bake Oven Gift Set with Baking Accessories & 4 Refillable Mixes
New York Post Shopping, after careful research, has identified the Generic Easy Bake Oven Gift Set with Baking Accessories & 4 Refillable Mixes as a blast-from-the-past toy that’s still high on the ranks. For the budding baker, this complete set is one they’ll use on repeat (we guarantee it).
BESTAMTOY 36-Piece Wooden Sorting Stacking Rocks Montessori Toy
As mentioned, Montessori toys are a staple among parents and caregivers who love simple playtime options that typically have a pleasing look to them. The BESTAMTOY 36-Piece Wooden Sorting Stacking Rocks Montessori Toy is one of our favorites, a top-rated option with more than 4,000 positive reviews. Check yes, Juliet.
Tender Leaf Toys Mini Chef Kitchen Range
The Tender Leaf Toys Mini Chef Kitchen Range is one we have on our radar — a sworn-in New York Post Shopping gifting favorite. If its adorable pastel design isn’t enough to sell you, its addition of matching wooden storage jars, three racks of herbs, three pretty plates, a pretty gingham potholder and mini chef tea holder, three cooking utensils and play food will.
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