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Let’s be honest: “holiday toy list” season is basically its own Olympic event now. Every retailer has a catalog, every influencer has a carousel, and somehow half of it is sold out by the time you click through. So I went ahead and pulled together the actual new toys worth your money this year — split out for different ages and interests, because not every kid on your list wants the same thing (shocking, I know)
For the pretend-play kids
If your household runs on imagination and mild chaos, start here. The Play-Doh Sizzling Kitchen ($44.99) is a genuinely good sensory toy dressed up as a play kitchen — sound, “sizzle,” the whole bit. For the younger crowd, the Melissa & Doug Cheery Lane House Modular Doll House Play Set ($34.99) is the kind of open-ended toy that doesn’t need batteries and somehow gets more play out of it than the loud ones.
Christmas toys girls are actually asking for
This year’s “christmas toys girl” search traffic is dominated by one thing: K-Pop Demon Hunters. I’m not going to pretend I fully understand the lore, but I understand the demand, and these are the pieces to grab before they vanish off shelves:
K-Pop Demon Hunters Singing Doll Rumi ($31.99) HUNTR/X Mira “Golden” Singing Doll ($31.98) HUNTR/X Zoey “Golden” Singing Doll ($31.98) Squishmallows K-Pop Demon Hunters Sussie Plush ($14.99) — the low-cost, high-cute stocking stuffer version
Also on the list: a very sweet Disney Darlings Magical Birthday Surprises Winnie the Pooh Doll ($49.99) for the younger, softer end of the list.
Christmas toys boys can’t stop talking about
The Nintendo obsession isn’t slowing down — the Nintendo Super Mario Yum Yum Yoshi Feature Figure ($29.99) is interactive without being annoying (a rare combo), and the Fisher-Price Little People My Mario Adventure Playset ($49.99) is the toddler-friendly version of the same obsession. For dino-and-action energy, the PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie Megasaurus Dino Vehicle ($64.99) is this year’s big-ticket “wow” gift.
The big-splurge, whole-family gift
If you’re doing one big group gift this year, the Bluey Lights & Sounds 36-Piece House Playset ($199.99) is the one that gets fought over in the best way — and it’s built to survive years of play, not just one holiday season.
For the kid who’s “into everything” (STEM + hands-on)
Not every gift needs a screen or a character license. The MAGNA-TILES Tree Top Adventure ($74.99) is one of those toys that quietly becomes a household favorite, and the Barbie Chemistry Activity Lab Science Kit ($24.88) manages to be both genuinely educational and something kids actually ask for — a rarer combination than it should be.
For the slime-obsessed (every household has one): the Gui Gui Mega Slime Haul, 50+ Pieces ($29.99) and the Elmer’s 10pc Kaleidoscope Slime Kit ($32.99) will cover you through New Year’s without a single trip to the craft store for refills.
Screen-light, quiet-hours picks
If you’re consciously trying to keep this a lower-screen holiday (no judgment either way), these earn their spot: the Ravensburger Cozy Puzzler’s Place 750pc Jigsaw Puzzle ($28.99) for the older kids and adults at the table, the LEGO Botanicals Flowering Cactus Building Toy ($27.99) for a calm, screen-free build, and the GeoSafari Jr. Kidnoculars ($21.69) for outdoor time when everyone needs a break from indoor chaos.
How to actually shop this list
Don’t try to hit every category — pick one “big” gift, one character/trend gift, and one open-ended toy per kid, and you’re done. The volume of “new toys” hitting shelves right now is genuinely overwhelming, but you don’t need all of it. You need the two or three that’ll actually get played with past December 26th.
At the end of the day, the best holiday toys aren’t the loudest ones on the list — they’re the ones that get pulled back out in February, still covered in glitter or slime residue, because the kid genuinely loves them. That’s the whole test.
Shop the Full Selection
All the pieces featured in this article — scroll to explore.
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Spicebox Creative Fun With Clay Modeling Set for Kids – Includes Air-Dry Clay, Sculpting Tools & Instruction Book
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CiaraQ Polymer Clay Kit, Mini Modeling Clay Set
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HEY CLAY 17pc Fluffy Pets: Non-Toxic Modeling Dough for Kids, Includes Sculpting Tools & Instructions, Ages 3+
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The Dream Duo Kids’ DIY Kit – Clear
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Kids’ DIY Frame Craft Kit – Frame DIY Kit
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Kids’ Craft by Letter Bracelet Bead Kit – Multi
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The Ultimate Custom Bead Kit – Custom Bracelet Bead Kit
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The Kids’ Build Your Own Charm Necklace Kit – Multi
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Baublebar Bracelet Bead Kit
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Blooms by Play-Doh Rosy Petite Flower Bouquet Arts and Crafts Kit for Adults DIY Home and Desk De…
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LEGO Ideas Tuxedo Cat 21349
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AquaPlay Sploshy Mountain Bathtime & Water Play Set
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Interactive Bathtub Slide Set and Baby Shower Sprayer Toy Bundle – Fun Bath Toys for Toddlers, Educational and Durable Water Play Set
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Mindware Paint Your Own Porcelain Castle Light
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Easy Playhouse Haunted Castle – Kids Art & Craft for Indoor & Outdoor Fun
$39.99 -
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Crayola® Air-Dry Clay, 25 lb. in White | Michaels®
$61.49 -
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KINGART Tempera Paint Sticks Bundle – 48 pc
$49.99 -
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Crayola® Scribble Scrubbie® Pets Bathtub | Michaels®
$38.99 -
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Educational Insights GeoSafari SeaScope, Explore Underwater Without Getting Wet, Includes Magnifier & LED Flashlight, Ages 8+
$47.99 -
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GeoSafari Jr. Kidnoculars By Educational Insights | 7″ x 5.5″ x 2.75″ | Michaels®
$21.69 -
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Continuum Games Ultimate Bingo Set with Wire Cage
$30.92 -
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Igroteco Wooden Mahjong Game, 49-Piece Kids Matching & Memory Game, Made in Ukraine, Ages 3+
$39.95 -
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Crayola® Bluey Color & Sticker Activity Sets, 3ct. | 11.94″ x 1.44″ x 2.25″ | Michaels®
$35.99 -
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Jelly Blox Jellybow Toy
$19.99 -
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Jelly Blox Squish Train Set Toy
$39.99 -
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The Floor is Lava™ By Endless Games | Michaels®
$37.99 -
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BenBen – Puzzles for Kids 3-8, Large 52 Piece Mermaid Floor Puzzles for Toddlers Girls Boys
$17.99 -
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Ravensburger Cozy Puzzler’s Place Large Format Jigsaw Puzzle – 750pc: Fine Motor Skills, Americana Theme
$28.99 -
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Bits and Pieces – Large 100 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle for Adults – Cats in Flower Pots – Kitten Colorful Bloom Butterfly Sweet Cute Garden Jigsaw Puzzle by Makiko, Completed Puzzle Size: 15″ x 19″
$14.99 -
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LEGO Botanicals Flowering Cactus Building Toy 11509
$27.99 -
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LEGO Icons Chrysanthemum Flower Decor Building Set
$29.95 -
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Outset Media Kids Scavenger Hunt An Active Game For Indoors Or Outdoors Ages 6+ in Multicolored at Nordstrom
$36.99 -
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Fisher-Price Little People My Mario Adventure Playset, Musical Toddler Toy with 2 Figures
$49.99 -
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Squishmallows Original Kpop Demon Hunters 8in Sussie Plush – Official Jazwares Plush (Little)
$14.99 -
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KPop Demon Hunters HUNTR/X Zoey “Golden” Singing Doll in Removable Outfit & 5 Posable Joints
$31.98 -
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KPop Demon Hunters HUNTR/X Mira “Golden” Singing Doll in Removable Outfit & 5 Posable Joints
$31.98 -
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K-Pop Demon Hunters SINGING DOLL RUMI
$31.99 -
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MAGNA-TILES Tree Top Adventure
$74.99 -
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Elmer’s 10pc Kaleidoscope Slime Kit Gift
$32.99 -
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National Geographic© Glow in the Dark Slime Lab | Michaels®
$11.24 -
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Barbie Chemistry Activity Lab Science Kit for Kids Age 5 and Up by Blue Marble
$24.88 -
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Sesame Street F26 Sesame Street Tickle Me Elmo 57956
$39.99 -
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Gui Gui Mega Slime Haul, 50+ Pieces, 5 Scented Slimes Cloud, Clear, Butter, Jelli & Crunch, Premium Beauty Tools, Exclusive Mini Slime, Ages 6+ – Walmart.com
$29.99 -
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PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie Megasaurus Dino Vehicle, Ages 3+
$64.99 -
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Bluey Lights & Sounds 36-Piece House Playset, Ages 3+
$199.99 -
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Melissa & Doug Cheery Lane House, Modular Doll House Play Set
$34.99 -
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furReal Gabby the Grow & Roar Interactive Plush Tiger
$79.99 -
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Nintendo Super Mario Yum Yum Yoshi! 9.5″ Feature Figure – Grab the fruit again and again!
$29.99 -
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Disney Darlings Magical Birthday Surprises Winnie the Pooh Doll Brown Hair Brown Eyes
$49.99 -
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Play-Doh Sizzling Kitchen
$44.99