The Cool Aunt’s Gift Guide

If you’ve got a budding stunt baby in the fam who’s inclined to scale crib walls in a single bound, what could be better than a bitty bumper car? They’ll cruise and (safely) crash around the house while performing 360-degree turns. You don’t need to worry about accidents (or dents in the walls) — the battery-powered car reaches a maximum speed of one mph and is made with a soft rubber bumper.

Imaginary friends have their place in the world of creativity, but while they can’t actually talk back IRL, Bluey can. Whether they know her from the show or not, this plush counterpart is sure to keep any tyke engaged for days. Pressing her tummy makes her talk and sing, and her soft design provides endless cuddles on contact.

With a three-story layout, a wheelchair-accessible elevator and enough space for friends and furry friends alike, this is one house they’ll never want to move out of. Seventy-five accessories, including furniture, food, a pool and a slide will keep the play endlessly creative. The only drawback: This mega-manse is for kids only.

Talk about a cool toy. This set encourages imaginary play, sharing, and preliminary math skills. Parenting points: It’s from the company that's a perennial favorite for its educative toys, Melissa & Doug.

Bitzee is like a four-legged friend without the shedding or the maintenance. The interactive digital buddy responds to swipes, tilts, shakes and touches with sounds and reactions. Each one starts as a baby and needs TLC to grow, so kids will learn the responsibility of feeding them, playing with them, rocking them to sleep and cleaning up after them (in the virtual sense). And the more they interact, the more pets will appear. It adds up to a menagerie made in parental heaven.

Furby is pocket-size and furry, and talks — yet requires no walks. Using five voice-activated modes, the critter responds with over 600 phrases, jokes and songs. On command, Furby will do everything from dance to give a little light show, and also responds to hugs, pats on the head, shaking and feeding of its pretend-pizza charm. Good training for the real thing, perhaps?

It’s the game-night upgrade they never knew they needed. Kiddie card sharks can test their luck in this high-stakes card-flipping version of the OG game. With a roll of the dice, players risk it all for the chance to win big or go bankrupt. No actual money is exchanged in this game, so there’s nothing to lose.

Take their love of Squishmallows up a grade with this family game. The mechanics of the card-based activity are simple for children, but also fast-paced enough that adults—aunts included—will have a blast too.

A sense of achievement is the gift that keeps on giving. That’s exactly what kids will feel when they complete building this complex car, which has everything from a nitro fuel canister on the passenger seat to livery wrap on the side, from scratch. Using the LEGO Builder app to zoom in, rotate, and visualize the model, little constructors can bring the car to life on a tablet or smartphone.