Trust Me: As a Parent and Toy Editor, These Prime Day Toys Are Total Steals
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In addition to being the parenting editor at Good Housekeeping, I'm also a parent myself, and this time of year is nonstop parties. One thing I've learned? Always have a stash of gifts for kids, because you never know when you're going to get a last-minute invite.
Planning ahead means you can also try to get a deal on those gifts. Amazon Prime Deal Days is offering a discount on many toys, including some of my birthday party go-tos. In addition to my personal favorites, there are also past and present Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners, Lab and editor picks, and Good Housekeeping reader favorites, along with those buzzy, trendy toys that all kids will be asking for this year.
When you need just a little something to please a Peppa Pig fan, this sweet play set is just the thing. There are four food pieces that fit perfectly inside the shopping cart (or "trolley," as Peppa would say), a cool checkout counter and a store display, along with Peppa and Mummy Pig figures for imaginative play. Ages 3+
Beep beep, baby at the wheel! This little dash offers so many sensory experiences, including a steering wheel to turn, gears to shift and buttons to press. It also plays more than 60 songs and sounds. Ages 6 months+
Attention anyone who has to buy a baby gift: This is it. It's a bundle that comes with a stacking toy kids can use to practice their fine-motor coordination — the rocking base adds a little bit of a challenge. Plus, you get a block bucket with a lid that turns into a shape-sorter. Together, this bundle has earned more than 48,000 5-star reviews! Ages 6 months+
They can let their creativity run wild when they doodle, erase and doodle again on this electronic writing tablet. Great for the car, killing time at restaurants and occupying them in waiting rooms, this one has earned more than 23,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Ages 3+
This gives new meaning to the words "Halloween candy." Kids learn a little food science as they make their own gummy creatures, including worms and spiders. And if the creepy-crawlies aren't to their taste, you can get a unicorn and rainbow version. Ages 6+
Squishmallows StackablesTruman Blue Leatherback Turtle
Squishmallows are still some of the trendiest stuffies around, and kids are always looking to add to their collection. This adorably flat turtle is part of its Stackables line, which are meant to be cuddled in a pile. And if they want more than just Truman? Good news: There are so many Squishmallows on sale for Prime Big Deal Days, including the popular mystery three-pack, so you're bound to find a few of their faves. Ages 3+
In this game, players are challenged with matching tiles to the words and pictures on their Bingo cards — a great way to practice pre-reading skills. Good Housekeeping Institute experts have been told that kids ask to play this one over and over again, so it's no wonder it's earned more than 23,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Ages 4+
This Playmobil set can function on land, but it really shines in the bath or pool, where suctions to the side of the tub. The chunky pieces are perfect for toddlers, too. Pour water into the shell, and give Ariel a shower! there are other Playmobil Junior & Disney sets — featuring Moana, Belle, Cinderella and others — to collect. Ages 1+
Monster truck fans will love zooming this Grave Digger around with its easy-to-use remote control. Then they can break out the included ramp and try and master tricks, like flips. Ages 3+
When building tiles are magnetized, kids can build bigger and higher, experimenting with their engineering skills, before their creations topple and fall. And this set gives them so many pieces to build with, including six different cut-out shapes so they can see through their structures. The 60-piece set is also a great deal. Ages 3+
Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man. Kids who love Spidey and His Amazing Friends will thrill to the extra-large size of these action figures — they stand at 9 inches tall! Perfect for smaller hands, this super set comes with three heroes: Spider-Man, Ghost-Spider and Miles Morales. Ages 3+
Disney fans and those who love surprise collectibles will both get a kick out of this set, which adds favorite Disney villains into the mix of teeny collectible figures. There are 12 in each set, and they can include favorites like Maleficent, Captain Hook, the Queen of Hearts, Ursula, Scar, Cruella de Vil, Hades, the Evil Queen, Dr. Facilier, Jafar, Lady Tremaine and Tamatoa. It's another deal that's perfect for Halloween season. Ages 5+
For kids who love getting into pretend play, this set lets them make smoothies just like adults do. It comes with 22 pieces, including a blender with a base, jar and lid and plenty of ingredients for them to have fun with. Ages 3+
This kit offers a new way for kids to show off their creative side. It comes with sheets of shiny foil, which little artists can rub onto puffy foam stickers — the color transfers like magic! A Good Housekeeping Toy Award-winner, testers said this one drew a crowd of kids who were interested to try it. Ages 4+
Kids can get the thrill of being gem excavators with this kit. They can use a chisel, a brush and a magnifying glass to dig their way through the compound and uncover 15 different gemstones, including pyrite, amethyst, tiger’s eye, fluorite, quartz, obsidian and aventurine. A booklet helps them learn more about each one. Ages 8+
If there's one thing we heard from kids this year, it's that they love collectible plush, and the cuter the better. This soft, food-themed Pusheen couldn't be more on trend. (You can also get a Pusheen Boba to go with it.) Ages 8+
For Star Wars fans, the recent era has been all about Grogu. (And the Mandalorian too, I suppose.) Take the pair of them on intergalactic adventures with this Mission Fleet set, which comes with 2.5-inch figures of Fennec Shand and Boba Fett in addition to Grogu and Mando. It also has a speeder bike and the Mandalorian's N-1 Starfighter for them to travel around in. Kids love the Mission Fleet line because its small size fits in with the "miniaturize everything" trend in toys. Ages 4+
Keep preschoolers entertained, especially on-the-go, with this easy-to-stash play set. It has eight pages of activities, including Velcro letters, numbers and shapes; buckles to do and undo; string to thread; a page to practice time and explain the weather and more. Ages 3+
Beyblade fans already know that this year's Beyblade X series was designed for maximum speed. This battle arena is no exception, and it has an X-Celerator Rail to make the action go even faster. "We’ve been buying Beyblades for the better part of the last 10 years," one parent tester said. "This is one of the better constructed sets and the Beyblades are staying together well." Ages 8+
Melissa & Doug 'PAW Patrol' Rescue Mission Wooden Dashboard
With this toy, PAW Patrol fans can feel like they're part of the action by steering its easy-to-turn wheel, and the buttons and gears on the dashboard make sounds to make it feel all the more real. Kids can choose between different "missions" by sliding different cards into the windshield. Ages 3+
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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