The 21 Most Popular Toys for Kids of All Ages in 2024
These are the gifts Good Housekeeping readers can't stop raving about.
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When it comes to getting gifts for kids, 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.
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.
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
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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+
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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+
Air Hogs Zero Gravity Sprint RC Wall Climber
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+
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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+
Shashibo Shape-Shifting Box
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+
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+
Since it debuted, adults and kids have been charmed by this toy, which approximates the excitement of seeing the Amazon delivery van bring packages. The ride-on part lets kids works their muscles, while the play delivery boxes stimulates their imagination. Ages 2+
This Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award Winner is building blocks with a twist: these blocks are soft and stretchy, and some of them have beads, stars and other sensory items inside. Testers raved about "the color, texture, the filling for certain blocks, and different forms to build," as one parent said. Ages 2+
Shrink Magic Candy Shop Bracelet Kit
For cute accessories, this kit lets kids cover some of their beads in what looks like a candy wrapper, and apply heat to shrink-wrap it. Sweet! It comes with enough materials to make 20 bracelets, and the beads can be re-wrapped. Ages 8+
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+
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Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table
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+
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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+
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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+
GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope
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 as well. Ages 4+
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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+
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. There are two versions, a pink one (fashion and horses) and a blue one (sports and music). Ages 6+
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+
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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+
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Ooze Labs Soap & Bath Bomb Lab Kit
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+
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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