Toys and gifts for toddlers to tweens, picked from this year's award lists and long-running favorites, with the age grade for each.
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Our top toy pick: an open-ended building set from the original magnetic-tile brand that works as a main holiday gift and keeps growing with any MAGNA-TILES a family already owns. MAGNA-TILES rates it 5 and up, so it is not the set for toddlers.
A strong pick for a Pokémon fan aged 6 to 10 in the franchise's 30th-anniversary year, and the entry-level set in the LEGO Pokémon SMART Play range. Brickset liked it a lot but found the synthesized sounds a letdown for fans expecting real Pokémon audio.
One of the few toys picked by The Toy Insider's Hot 20 and Good Housekeeping's 2026 Toy Awards alike, and an easy main gift for a PAW Patrol fan aged 3 and up. The big inflatable dino is the whole appeal, so it needs floor space and runs on batteries.
On The Toy Insider's 2026 Hot 20, the Cheery Lane house is built for how young kids actually play: open from the top, chunky and easy to rearrange. It is a starter house rather than a big dollhouse, so families who want lots of rooms will need add-on sets.
A big main-gift build for LEGO fans 8 and up, which Brick Fanatics calls easily the best themed LEGO roller coaster ever made. It needs a lot of shelf or table space once built.
A nostalgic, easy-win gift for a toddler who loves Elmo, released for Tickle Me Elmo's 30th anniversary and featured in The Toy Insider's 2026 holiday gift guide coverage. It is a one-trick toy by design, so it is about giggles and cuddles rather than open-ended play.
A Toy Insider Hot 20 pick for ages 0 to 2 that lets Mario-loving parents share the game with a toddler in a chunky, toddler-friendly format. Only one figure is included, so expect to add other My Mario characters over time.
A small, quick family game that keeps the trading heart of CATAN, and The Toy Insider recommends it for family game nights. Reviewers differ on depth: The AV Club says it isn't really trying to be another CATAN game, while Meeple Mountain would pick it over the board game.
A pocket-sized, screen-free stocking stuffer for kids 8 and up that adults tend to borrow too. Fans of the original get new challenges and two bonus pieces, and first-timers can start here.
Named to The Toy Insider's 2026 STEM 10, it suits 8- to 12-year-olds who watch Mark Rober and love satisfying-destruction videos, with a dose of real mechanics. Early retailer reviews are mixed, so it is best for curious kids rather than those expecting a powerful machine.