As the holidays quickly approach parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents everywhere are on the hunt for the perfect gift. Take the guesswork out of gift giving with this list of top toys for each age group.
Toddlers
- Fisher-Price Little People Animal Friends Farm Toy
A classic toy that is always sure to please. This brightly coloured barn with attached grain silo comes with lots of farm animals and plays a variety of farm music. Great for learning, this toy lets children match the animals with their pictures in the barn. - Mega Bloks 1-2-3 Learning Train
Fun and educational this brightly coloured learning train comes with numbered Mega Bloks that help parents teach children the basics of counting.
- Melissa & Doug Monster Bowling Game
Colourful and adorable monsters with goofy faces that are fully prepared for bowling fun. 6 unique monster “pins” and a plush bowling ball make a soft, cute and fun game for any toddler. - Lamaze Pippin the Push Along Pup
This multi-textured, brightly coloured puppy on wheels is soft and cuddly. Help your child with his or her hand-eye coordination and gross-motor skill development. This toy was named one of the best Infant/Toddler Toys of the Year by the Toy Industry Association. This playful push along pup comes with a soft bone and ball and a storage box for put-in, take-out play. - Original BedBug
This lovable plush ladybug is perfect for soothing a child when Mom and Dad are away. You can record up to three personalized messages, such as “goodnight”, “good morning” or even a three minute long story. All messages can be easily changed and offer endless possibilities for customization. To hear your messages your child simply squeezes one of the BedBug’s satin feet.
Preschoolers
- Learning Resources Telescope
Teach your kids about the world around them and inspire a lifelong love of learning with this toy telescope. This colourful telescope comes with a 20x magnification and adjustable tripod. - Plasma Car
This take on the classic pedal car doesn’t use batteries, gears or pedals. This car runs on kid power and can be used indoors or outdoors and is an excellent way to encourage active play. - Fisher- Price Little People Musical Preschool
This musical toy is perfect for helping transition your child and teach them what to expect when they start school. This toy is also fun for children who have already started school as it lets them recreate their daily experiences. This educational toy features more than 35 sounds, phrases and songs. - LeapPad Ultra
This kid friendly tablet is perfect for fun and learning. Specifically designed for young children this tablet comes loaded with fun and educational activities. Available in green or pink this tablet is tough and comes with camera and video options as well as a kid-safe internet browsing experience. - Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Railway Set
This amazing railway and train set is sure to provide your child with hours of fun. This classic toy continues to entrance kids even without the flashy gadgets and electronics that most toys today have. The Melissa & Doug set is highly customizable and has lots of expansions and accessories to keep things interesting. This quality toy is sturdy and will last for years.
School Aged Children
- Learning Resources Primary Science Lab Set
This toy for children 4+ contains real science tools specially designed for little hands. It comes with 10 double sided activity cards, a beaker, a magnifying glass, a funnel, an eyedropper, a flask, a pair of tweezers, a pair of goggle, a large 6” test tube and stand and two small test tubes. The authenticity of these amazing science tools will have your little scientist dying to experiment. Excellent for encouraging STEM skills. - Osmo Gaming System
Create an element of fun beyond the iPad screen and encourage kids to think creatively with this game series. This toy uses a reflective screen to turn the space in front of the tablet into an interactive environment. Games can be created and played alone or with the whole family. - WowWee MiPosaur
This interactive dinosaur robot is sure to please any child. The dinosaur follows its track ball and responds to a variety of gesture controls or a pull of its tail. Though it can also be controlled more precisely via an iOS or Android smartphone app it can also be used without a smart device creating a versatile toy for all children. - Kendama
This ancient Japanese toy is making a comeback. Keep your children entertained for hours with this challenging and stimulating toy that encourages exercise. - Snap Circuits Jr and Snap Circuits
This clever kit has won multiple awards and is excellent for encouraging STEM skills in school aged children. Snap Circuits Jr. is recommended for children 5+ and Snap Circuits is recommended for children 8-15. The components aren’t intimidating and snap together easily to create a variety of electronics projects. The standard set comes with over 60 components and can be used to create over 300 different projects. Create working circuit boards just like the ones found in everyday electronic devices, this kit comes with snap wires, slide switches, an alarm circuit, a music integrated circuit and a speaker. All parts are numbered and colour coded for easy identification.
