Choosing the best toys for kids can be daunting, and that’s precisely why you’re here. Welcome to the Days with Grey 2025-2026 holiday gift guide for kids. These toy lists are carefully curated to help you effortlessly make a gift selection you feel great about, featuring age-appropriate toys for your child. (Specifically, from one-year-olds to 12.)
After visiting the New York Toy Fair in February 2025 to learn more about my favorite toy companies and understand their values, I’ve updated this toy list to reflect much more than a stock image. These are the toys my kids loved and still linger after all this time from my favorite brands.
Do you prefer Amazon Shop pages? I’ve also added everything you see here to my Days with Grey Holiday Gift Guide on Amazon Shop, so you can find what you need in the way that suits you best. No guesswork. Simply the best toys for kids.
GIFT GUIDES BY AGE
What makes a great toy?
Finding a gift your four-year-old won’t cast aside a mere ninety seconds after ripping off the wrapping paper is like finding a needle in a haystack. Children’s toys are the gateway to learning and social development, and I have the best suggestions for kids.
So, which toys make the best gifts for kids? First, we need to look at how our child plays. Do they enjoy constructing and are looking for building blocks (I have a list for that), or is active play more their style? (Yep, I have a list for that too.)
As caregivers, we search for the perfect balance between a learning toy and one that is so engaging that it will keep our child entertained long enough for us to enjoy our coffee while it’s still steaming hot. The right toys are out there!
Here, you will find the right toy for your child. I am sure of it.
As a former teacher and now mom to three boys ages almost 12, ten, and eight, I can confidently tell you that we’ve tried a lot of toys—no complaints from the toy testers here.
1 Year Olds
Toddlers & Preschoolers
5-7 Year Olds
8-12 Year Olds
All Ages
Toys for boys and toys for girls – Toys do not have a gender.
So, how will you find that perfect toy? Does that winning toddler toy or creative way to play for a five-year-old exist? Here, you will discover gender-neutral toys that toss aside any notion of toys for boys and gifts for girls. Toys don’t have a gender.
I pay close attention to what my children have played with and which toys get overlooked each year. (I do have some toy cleanup tips for this.)
Besides searching for the best sellers, I am also looking for the best toys for the long term. I want to spend my money wisely and know I am investing in a toy my boys will not stuff under their bed.
With three children ages eleven and under, we have tested plenty of toys and are here to report our favorite toys for kids!
Play and toys are essential in the early years.
Younger children need toys that encourage problem-solving and exploration and develop fine motor strength, not to mention creativity, imaginary play, and self-esteem.
Older children need toys that build upon these skills and expand upon prior knowledge. We want toys that expand play into a timeless web, capturing the love of discovery.
We all need toys that encourage imaginative play that our children will play with for many years – no more one-and-done toys. (Yep, talking to us adults too!)
These are the BEST toys for kids.
What toys should every kid have?
We know that play sets the foundation for future learning for any age range. (Hello, adults too!)
I talk about the importance of play here at Days with Grey. Simply put, children learn by doing and need toys that prompt thinking.
We know this.
Giving children a chance to play with the best toys in the early years is like a golden ticket to their future. Kids who know how to play will move mountains.
The best toys allow kids to learn through inquiry, creativity, and problem-solving.
Now, that is a true gift!
The best toys for kids are here.
This toy list has several categories for every age range, stage, and desire to play. I added each toy list so you can quickly find the gift guide you seek.
Best Toys by Age
- 30 Toys for One-Year-Olds – What do you get a baby for their first birthday or holiday? I am looking for something that a baby can grasp with their hands and experiment with their thoughts. Here are my favorite gifts for 12-18 months.
- Toys for Toddlers – Why are toddlers the most difficult to shop for? Is it because they are slowly gaining independence with their play yet have a short attention span? Perhaps. Allow me to take the stress off of finding the perfect gift. After raising three toddlers, I can tell you which toddler toys are top-notch for inspiring play.
- Toys for Six-Year-Olds – Kindergarten and first graders love toys that capture their imagination and interests. Our list includes indoor and outdoor games, toys, and even craft supplies that will pique the curiosity of your favorite early elementary kiddo!
- Toys for Nine-Year-Olds – Now that my oldest is nine, we have a lot of great outdoor, STEM, and art toys for kids added to this list.
Favorite Toys that are Timeless and Intentional
- Top Open-Ended Forever Toys – This gift list contains handpicked, open-ended, hands-on toys that inspire play. From musical instruments to Melissa & Doug favorites, this is your go-to list. These are toys we have in our home and have used for years.
- Building Toys for Kids – Remember building towers in school or at your neighbor’s house? Good news! Wooden blocks are still a foundational and creative way to play. We have listed some original sets that will take you back in time, and some you only dreamed of having when you were younger. These are the best building sets for kids.
- Bath Toys for Kids – If bath time needs a makeover, these are the best toddler toys to add to your next bathtime.
- Board Games for Kids – This list includes my family’s favorites, from classic to math board games for kids. After a long day, these cooperative board games help us all come together, laugh (and learn how to lose).
- Puzzles for Kids – Puzzles for kids are one of the BEST activities for all ages. I included some untraditional ideas to get your little ones thinking and sparking creativity.
- Outdoor Toys for Kids – Want to know my secret to get kids over the late afternoon hump? It is going directly outside between nap/quiet time and bedtime. Rain or shine, here are our favorite ways to play in the backyard or on the go.
- Bikes for Kids – Inside this post, you will learn the best age for balance bikes, how to encourage using a balance bike, how to find the correct size bike for your child, and the best biking accessories.
Stocking Stuffers
- Toys under $25 – Who needs stocking stuffers that aren’t candy or another pair of gloves? After 13 years of teaching and five years of parenting three boys, I have found great resources for your preschoolers to use daily. This gift list is all under $25 and will not disappoint.
- Travel Toys for Kids – Traveling with kids is never easy. But with a little extra planning and prep work, you can make traveling with kids smoother and less stressful for everyone! Having suitable travel toys for kids is essential for going through long road trips, traffic jams, layovers, and flight delays.
Educational Toys for Kids
- Art and Craft Supplies for Kids – What are basic art supplies? What should be in a preschool art center? Find it all here. This gift guide includes our favorite Ikea Art Cart and what we put inside to get started.
- STEM and Math Toys – Encouraging your child’s love for STEM learning is a smart move. Especially since understanding math, science, technology, and engineering are almost all hands-on. Allow your mathematician to soar with these STEM toys.
- Alphabet Toys – I want my preschoolers to become familiar with the lines and curves that form a letter, along with being able to toss the letters into a sensory bin for hands-on learning. From setting up your Breakfast Invitations to Sensory play, this letter supply list is versatile! Here, you will find a detailed list of letter activities from Amazon we own, trust, and love. You don’t need to own a ton. Just a few that you can use in a couple of different ways!
Other Toy Lists We Love
- Melissa and Doug Favorite Toy List – We want our children to spend less time on tablets and more time playing. But some struggles come along for the ride.
- Essential Breakfast Invitation Must-Haves – Okay, if I were stranded on an island with only 10 Breakfast Invitation supplies, which ones would I bring? You don’t want to miss this!
- Experience Gifts for Kids – Looking to spend more time together? We are, too! I searched for nine inspiring ways to unite as a family and enjoy new experiences. Get one of these events on your calendar today! (Post LIVE on November 13th)
- Small Business Gift Guide -Looking to support a small shop (or few) this holiday season? I am! This small business gift guide is here to help. No affiliate links. Just small shops that work hard to deliver excellent products.
Open-ended toys unlock thoughts, ideas, and creative thinking.
This holiday season, inspire your young learners with intentional toys.
I love your gift guides! Such great ideas that we actually USE. Thank you
The best compliment. Thank you for being here, Rachel. xo
Thank you so much for these gift guides. There’s always something unique on your lists that I haven’t seen and my kids end up loving. It saved me so much time!
I love that you find my holiday gift guides unique. I work hard all year to find the best of the best. Thanks for being here, Jackie!
Love these lists!!! I keep coming back to them throughout the year for gift ideas. I love that you refresh them every year ahead of holiday shopping! Really appreciate the work you’ve put into sharing this info with us fellow parents.
This is wonderful, Lindsey. Thank you for being here. xo
Love the gift guide thank you for this work!!!
Yay! Thank you, Kristen for trusting me with your holiday gift giving!
Your gift guides are always awesome and my kids play with the toys for YEARS!
Really appreciate these gift guides! they always include a bunch of a unique ideas that I hadn’t ever really thought of!
You always have the best gift guides! Super helpful in picking meaningful play items!
Saving this immediately to go through tonight and make my kids Christmas lists!
always my favorite gift guide. i also have 2 kids with birthdays right before Christmas so this really helps me with ideas.
I have used these gift guides for 3 years now for my own kids and my nieces and nephew. I have never had one of those kids not love what I got them based off this.
These are such an invaluable resource! I come back to them very frequently (often taking Screenshots) for not only Christmas but birthdays year round. Like everything DWG creates and shares, as a former Teacher, turned homeschool mama, I feel like she is helping me to create a better, more intentional childhood for our kiddos.
– Signed a mama of (soon to be) 8!
I do all of my shopping from these gift guides!!
Love these gift guides year after year! So many toys that have gone the distance in our home plus great ideas for cousins.
I look forward to your gift guides every year and reference them year round for gift ideas!
Look forward to these guides every year!
I’ve have combed through these so many times. I showed my kids some things I thought looked cool and they loved every one. I love how much time Beth pours into these and I truly trust her opinion.
I literally tell people: if Beth says to buy/do it, I’m buying/doing it. Thank you for these gift guides each year and all you do!
Beth makes the absolute best gift guides! Every year I learn about some new awesome toy that isn’t in the store toy magazines. I show my boys they decide they need it on their wishlist and it is the biggest hit!! I go to her guides when I need gift ideas for other kids too!
I love this! So comprehensive! This list give me lots of great ideas to share with grandparents.
I use the DWG gift guides every year! All of our favorite and most used toys/activities have come from one of Beth’s guides!
These guides are so helpful! And they dropped just in time for me to shop for my now 6yo’s birthday!
Love love this gift guides! So many different options for all ages and price points.
I love these guides and use them for gifts for holidays and birthdays. I always share these guides with anyone who has children. The best!
Added most of these suggestions to my son’s Xmas list this year!! Great ideas. Thank you!
These provided some great ideas for my almost 8 year old! I had no idea what to get him until looking through this gift guide
Your gift guides are always my go-to when shopping for my younger nieces and nephews. Now that my kids are tweens, I trust you to tell me what the littles are into these days! Thank you!
Thank you for compiling this list! We use them every year!
Always my go to lists for finding toys for my kids and friends! Long lasting toys that they okay with for years and across different ages!
These gift guides are the first place I go for ideas, really year round! They always have so many great ideas! Thank you Beth!
Cannot wait to cozy up with a cup of coffee this weekend and read through — you are such an incredible resource and we’ve found so many family favorites thanks to you! Thank you for all the love and heart and care you put into this and all you share with us — lucky us ❤️
My go-to for the best gift ideas for my boys! Birthdays, Christmas, gift ideas for others – Beth always curates the best lists. I am so grateful for her and all of her hard work!
Love these gift guides, I use them every year! The breakdown by age and category is so helpful and you include such great ideas. Thank you!!
Added a ton of these to my cart!! I look forward to these lists/gift guides every year. The different price points and broken down by age is so helpful!
These gift guides are always so helpful! Such good toy recommendation!
Thank you for sharing the guides! I always check out your toy reviews when there is a gift to give kiddos in our life.
You have been my go-to gift guide for years!! For the holidays, and honestly year round. Thank you!!
My absolute fave time of year is when the gift guides drop !!! They have been so helpful for the last 3 years!! THANK YOU!!!
Love these suggestions! Will definitely save me from buying stuff and not really knowing if it’ll be right for my kids.
these gift guides are great! They help me every year with new ideas and things to introduce as my kids grow and change
I love these suggestions! So helpful for my own children and for friends and family! I use them for birthdays and holidays!! Thanks so much for all your hard work!
thank you for all the great gift ideas. these are my go to every holiday and birthday for the past several years
We LOVE these gift guides. So many great toys and I look forward to them coming out each year 🤩 Thanks Beth!!!
Share this with anyone who will listen. EVERY. YEAR! SO grateful my boys are just behind yours in ages!
The best gift guides! They are pretty much my exclusive shopping list for all birthdays and Christmas gifts these days! The yotos, stopwatches, BEARS, bike gear – all of it gets used every day by my boys!
New toys coming out all of the time means this Nana can’t keep up! I NEED your toy recommendations! I love your gift guides!
Such an amazing resource. Thanks Beth!
Thank you so much for taking the time to create these.
Thank you this is a great list