The best toys of 2024

Ages: 3+

After polling our on-staff parents, the choice is clear — the Toniebox is the hottest toy of 2024. It's a colorful audio player that plays stories once a character, or Tonie, is placed on the top. This set from Amazon comes with a happy dog who plays 52 minutes worth of children's songs, but once you have the player, you can build out your child's Tonie collection over the years. You can shop Moana, Olaf, Cinderella, and dozens more. 

Ages: 8+

Fans of the newest "Despicable Me" movie will love this 868-piece set that enables them to craft the Minions toy house and tree house. The set comes with six mini figures as well as three buildable Minions, and includes plenty of accessories inspired by the film.

Ages: 3+

If your kids love Bluey and MagnaTiles, then they’ll flip for this collab. This set comes with 70 magnetic tiles that can be used to build the Heeler house, as well as action tiles that form a swingset. Also included are magnetic versions of everyone’s favorite cartoon pups: Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli.

Ages: 3+

A ride-on toy that doubles as a Play-Doh playset? Sign us up. Kids can use the included play kitchen accessories to craft pizzas from Play-Doh, put them in the included pizza box, and then deliver their culinary creations to their customers. The scooter is kid-powered (no batteries or charging needed) and it has built-in storage for their pizza box as well as a checkout station on the side of the scooter.

Ages: 3+

It’s official: kids love Target as much as their parents do. This playset includes everything they need to imagine they’re working at everyone’s favorite store. It has a conveyor belt, beeping scanner, a bagging area, and even a cash register with a microphone. Plus it comes with a Target shopping bag, groceries, and pretend money, so they can start playing right away.

Ages: 3+

Bring the GOAT Star Wars villain to life with this 2-foot tall Darth Vader toy. In addition to lights and sounds, his right arm has an extendable lightsaber, and his left fist opens to launch a projectile. There’s even a cool hidden disc launcher inside his torso, because every great villain needs to have an element of surprise.

Ages: 1+

This clever wooden activity tablet encourages fine motor skills with a variety of sensory boards designed just for little ones. Each activity tablet has space for six tiles, and is sized just right for taking on the go in the car or the stroller. There are 12 different activity tiles to choose from so you can customize your baby’s tablet to best fit their interests and skill level.

Ages: 18 months+

This toy seems simple, but it’s a great way to teach toddlers about colors, matching, counting, and fruits and veggies. The Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set comes with five different colors of play food, five sorting baskets, and an activity guide. The best part? This set does double duty as accessories for your child’s play kitchen!

Ages: 8+

Neon is all the rage with the tween set this year, so if you’re looking for a gift that they’ll really like you can’t go wrong with a custom neon sign. After all, what kid wouldn’t love to receive the gift of their name in lights (literally)?

Ages: 3+

Proof that pizza ovens are all the rage for people of any age, this wooden playset lets toddlers get in on the action, too. The adorable domed oven comes with everything they need to handcraft delicious pizzas, including wooden crusts, felt pasta sauce, and all their favorite toppings. It even includes a pizza peel and a pepper grinder for a real authentic pizzanista experience.

Ages: 12+

For older kids who are interested in picking up a new craft, an adorable Woobles Beginner Crochet Kit makes a great gift. This kit includes everything your child needs: step-by-step instructions, a pre-started crochet piece, as well as a hook and easy-to-use yarn. Select from a variety of cute creatures including a narwhal, bunny, or dinosaur.

Ages: 8+

For a game that’s rollicking fun for the entire family, you can’t beat Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. It’s simple to learn, easy to play, and small enough to take anywhere. Plus it’s sure to get the whole family laughing hysterically.

Ages: 6+

If you want to add a new board game to your child’s toy shelf this year, we highly recommend Hey Hey Relay. Teams use dice to race across the board to the finish line, but a selection of challenge cards impede progress. With an average game play time of 15 minutes and silly challenges like having to play air guitar, this is a board game that the whole family will love.

Ages: 5+

Made from recycled newspapers, these graphite No. 2 pencils are adorned with festive seasonal characters like Santa and a penguin in a beanie. But what really sets these apart are their holiday-specific scents including candy cane and mint cocoa. Tuck a set of these inside their stockings for a fun and yummy-smelling surprise.

Ages: 8+

For kids who love to cook you can’t go wrong with the gift of their very own knife. The Zwilling Twinny knife is crafted from stainless steel—and sharp!—just like grown-up knives, but it has a rounded tip for safer cutting.

Ages: 8+

For kids who love to practice their shots outside, the early sunset can be a major bummer. Give them the gift of being able to shoot baskets after dark with a glow in the dark basketball. The ball is illuminated by interior LED lights and will stay illuminated for approximately 20 hours before you need to change the batteries.

Ages: 3+

Give your budding rockstar a colorful electric guitar that’s sized just for them. The Loog Mini has a built-in amp and speaker as well as a three-string design (instead of the usual six) to make learning easier. It also comes with chord flashcards as well as access to the companion app.

Ages: 3+

Add to their fidget collection with this box of three teeny cats. Each cat measures just 1.5-inches making them perfect to take on the go in a backpack or a purse. The adorable feline faces and bright neon colors make these squishy fidgets appealing for all types of kids.

Ages: 0+

We’re huge fans of Lovevery Playkits because they’re packed with age-specific, high-quality items that babies (and their parents) love. Our shopping editor Kate Ellsworth has a 14-month-old baby girl who has been subscribed to Lovevery her entire life. Kate loves the subscription, saying her child has enjoyed nearly every developmental toy in the recurring boxes. Since the toys are mostly wooden, they hold up well during rough play, so they're easily re-giftable once the baby grows out of them. 

If you’ve got a baby on your gifting list, get them a subscription for a gift that keeps on giving all year long.

Ages: 12 months+

One year olds are the perfect age for this colorful wooden xylophone toy. They’ll love using the little mallet to make music and pound out the removable balls, and parents will love that they’re building fine more skills while they play.

Ages: 12 months+

These colorful plastic blocks are a classic gift for two year olds for good reason: the large size pieces are easy for them to manipulate, and don’t pose a choking hazard like traditional LEGOs. This set includes 80 different pieces in a variety of colors, and the durable zip-top bag makes for easy storage, too.

Ages: 18 months+

Encourage their love of sports and hitting things with this sized-just-for-toddlers T-Ball set. The plastic bat is lightweight, so it’s easy for them to manage, and the set comes with two balls so you’ll have a spare if they hit a homerun into the neighbor’s yard.

Ages: 3+

Looking for a screen-free way to keep your child entertained? You need the Yoto Player, a totally awesome gadget that plays audiobooks, has a kid-friendly radio station, and can be used as a nightlight and alarm clock.

Ages: 5+

If you’re tired of your couch cushions being co-opted for fort building, Crazy Forts is the answer. This set comes with 69 pieces that kids can connect to create their own unique fort; all you have to add are some sheets or blankets. The set also includes plans they can follow to build things like a rocket or a pirate ship.

Ages: 3+

Let their imagination run wild with this super cool set that includes everything they need to build a race track for seven bug-shaped robots. The set has 130 pieces of track, obstacles, and barriers, so they can create the ultimate playground for their Hexbugs. It’s a fun and engaging STEM toy that they’ll play with for years to come.

Ages: 6-9+

There’s nothing better than a subscription that delivers fun (and education) right to your child’s door. Each month, KiwiCo sends a box with a hands-on project that helps kids grow their science and engineering skills. There’s also bonus digital content that kids can access on their tablets to keep the fun going and going.

Ages: 8+

Fun for all ages, this card game requires kids to use strategy to outsmart their opponents and save the queens who have been put under a sleeping spell. There’s a math element, too, which means they’ll be building their addition skills without even realizing it.

Ages: 5+

Talk about a totally awesome toy! Kids will love using the included ingredients to create their own beast, especially when the finished product is revealed in a cloud of mist and has flashing lights as well as sound effects. While they can only make one beast, they can repeat the unveiling multiple times.

Ages: 9+

If you've got a budding scientist, let them get their hands dirty with this do-it-yourself bath-bomb building kit from KiwiCo. Your kiddo can make their own bath bombs, then use them while admiring their handiwork. It's a great (and safe!) way for them to learn about chemistry at home. 

Ages: 8+

Proof that everything old is new again, the Fujifilm Instax Mini is the latest version of the old school Polaroid camera. Tweens will love the built-in selfie mirror, the easy-to-use controls, and the fact that photos come out in just five seconds. Plus it comes in a variety of gorgeous pastel colors to suit every tween’s taste.