We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.
The most popular toys:
Whether you're looking for the best toys for toddlers or one of those hard-to-find gifts for tweens and teen-approved presents, there's wisdom in crowds. Yes, every kid is different, and their personal tastes do matter. But trends also tell you what's grabbing the attention of kids today, and what they'll be most excited to open when a birthday, holiday or big occasion rolls around.
CHECK OUT OUR ENTIRE COLLECTION OF TOYS AND GIFTS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES
With all that in mind, these are the most popular toys of the year according to Good Housekeeping readers — the hot toys that no one can get enough of. Some of them are viral on TikTok or other platforms. Others are Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners, which have been tested both in our labs and with real families, so you know that they've really been put through their paces and stood the test of time. And still others are those toys with popularity no one can explain — what is a Bilibo, anyway? — but have just been runaway hits with both kids and their parents. When it comes time to shop for gifts for kids of any age, keep these in mind.
And stay tuned for our 2024 Toy Awards — coming soon.
Far and away Good Housekeeping readers' most-purchased toy of last holiday season, the Bilibo continues to be a hit this year because of its open-ended nature. Active kids can use it as a seat or a stepping stone. Imaginative ones can turn it into a helmet or a landscape for other toys. It comes in a rainbow of colors, and there's also a mini set you can get — combine a couple and the possibilities are endless! Ages 2+
RELATED: The Best Gifts for 2-Year-Olds
They've tried clay. They've tried building blocks. Now, give them a new medium to create with. The MYNT3D Super 3D Pen gives kids an introduction to 3D printing, letting them melt colored filament and shape it into the objects of their imaginations. The pen lets users adjust the heat, which affects the speed the filament comes out — fast to fill in a large area, slow for details — and it comes with three colors of filament, though you can always buy more. No age recommendation given
A previous Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award-winner, the Crawligator promotes gross motor coordination in babies — especially in the muscles that help them get crawling. It has a pad that runs along the top, making it comfy for tummy time, and wheels on the bottom for when babies get old enough to push it around on the floor with their legs. Good Housekeeping Institute testers appreciated that the sides curve up to keep babies from rolling off. Ages 4 months+
RELATED: The Best Baby Gifts
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
This cube is just the thing to keep restless hands busy. It unfolds into a series of different, unique shapes (strong magnets keep it in place with a satisfying click), and then it becomes a puzzle to get it to return to its cube form. It also comes in many fun colors and wild patterns. Ages 8+
More Than 18,000 5-Star Reviews on Amazon
Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table
Now 12% Off
When it's time for some sensory water play, this table lets kids pour water into the top and watch as it "rains" down to the lower level. It also comes with cause-and-effect toys, like pinwheels and tipping buckets, along with scoopers, creatures and other accessories that'll have them exploring the water. The only catch, Good Housekeeping Institute testers say, is that it takes some time to put together. Ages 18 months+
RELATED: The Best Water Tables
Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award Winner
Make It Real Mini Pottery Studio
Now 11% Off
If there's one enduring toy trend, it's the one that makes kids want to "miniaturize" everything. This set combines that with DIY and lets kids create their own small works of pottery. It also can adjust to their level of expertise: Kids can start off by following templates and using the dome to keep the mess to a minimum, and as they get better they can remove the dome and try their own creations. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say that kids loved using the wheel and the tools to shape the clay. Ages 8+
RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
The voice of Bindi Irwin leads kids through their science expeditions with this talking microscope. The slides offer 60 different full-color images, and kids can learn more than 100 facts about the world around them. For budding scientists, GeoSafari Jr. also has a talking telescope and a set of binoculars to make for a complete STEM lab. Ages 4+
RELATED: The Best STEM Toys
Best Toy for Adults
LEGO Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece
Now 23% Off
LEGO is a family affair, which means the adults and "kidults" can get in on the fun with this building set. This 812-piece set, part of the popular Botanicals series, makes autumnal blooms that are perfect for displaying on Halloween or Thanksgiving as a centerpiece of the table.
RELATED: The Best LEGO Set for Adults
Kids step into the role of scientist at a beauty company with this toy, which combines self-care and STEM concepts. They'll learn about biology and pH levels as they work through experiments that help them create their own, useable soaps and bath bombs while adding in different colors and fragrances. Ages 6+
RELATED: Best STEM Toys for Kids, According to Engineers
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
When it comes to using a Spooner Board, balance is the name of the game. Good for ages 2 to 15, these encourage kids to stand, wobble, spin, rock and even flip, working on their balance and core strength. They come in several colors, and they also come in a bigger version, the Spooner Board Pro (26 inches long compared to the Freestyle's 23 inches). Ages 2+
With this kit, artsy kids love layering the different transparencies on top of each other to make a scene. They can trace it all into one, unified image — the light on the board helps them see the outlines — and then color it all in to complete the look. The set comes with everything they need, including templates, tracing paper, colored pencils, blank paper and a graphite pencil to trace with. Ages 6+
Kids will be amazed at the way this remote-controlled car drives up walls and even onto the ceiling! Parents are more drawn to the affordable price, and the way it doesn't damage walls or paint as it zooms around. Ages 4+
RELATED: The Best Remote-Controlled Cars
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
For Kids Who Love DIY
My Friendship Bracelet Maker
Old-school campers wish they had something like this when they were making friendship bracelets! This comes with a clip at the top to keep string in place, pegs at the bottom to keep threads from getting tangled, and even drawers that store pre-cut thread. It also comes in several color combos. Ages 8+
Keep them active, indoors or outdoors, with this bastion of gross motor coordination. Kids can work on their balance and their leg muscles as they bop around on it, and in addition to a fox you can get a dog, cow, bull, tiger or zebra. Ages 2+
This little device puts the power of a DJ booth in the palm of their hands. It plays music and kids can add in their own flair, like sound effects, loops or layers, just by using hand gestures, making their own spur-of-the-moment remixes. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say they appreciated the innovative way it unlocked their kids' creativity, and also kept them engaged for long periods of time. Ages 6+
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
These cute chicks popped on the Good Housekeeping readers' radar as an Easter basket stuffer, but they've been going strong ever since. And, with five adorable birds with different expressions snuggled together in a nest — though they do come out individually — why wouldn't they stay popular? But if chicks aren't their fave, there are tons of Emotional Support plush sets, including crinkle-cut fries, pumpkin-spice lattes, strawberries, dumplings, pizza and flowers, and even an advent calendar. Ages 0+
RELATED: The Best Toy Advent Calendars for Kids
This toy starts up a cycle of fun: Kids put balls inside the elephant, the elephant shoots them out of its trunk and then the kids run to collect the balls and start it all over again. It's great when they have energy to burn (and you don't). Ages 9 months+
RELATED: The Best Gifts for 1-Year-Olds
Good Housekeeping Institute testers gave this a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award because of how easy it was to get started and control. It flies fast and far, they say, and while learning tricks took a longer time, it kept kids engaged. It's also one of the few drones for tweens, as opposed to teenagers. Ages 12+
RELATED: The Best Drones for Kids
Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below
This easy-to-use kit lets kids use templates and a stylus tool to make their own friendship bracelets without knotting string. Good Housekeeping Institute testers said the kids liked planning out their designs almost as much as making them, and also liked how it was a way to get them to work on their fine-motor coordination. Ages 6+
Vincent van Gogh sold more LEGO sets to Good Housekeeping readers than anyone else — more than Harry Potter, Darth Vader or the Avengers. Readers loved re-creating Van Gogh's most famous painting with LEGO bricks — and the set even includes a minifigure of the artist himself! Ages 18+
Marisa LaScala
Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.
