I’m a Parenting Editor, and These Are My Absolute Favorite New Toys of 2026
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As a parenting editor, I have seen thousands of new toys and games this year. Some are instantly forgettable or low-quality, while others are unique, original, and stop me in my tracks. While I spend a lot of time hands-on testing, I also watch my daughter, my friends' kids, and kids at events interact with these toys. If there's a crowd around one, I know it's going to be an instant hit.
Some hot toys are impossible to get already. If you've tried to find legitimate NeeDoh toys lately, you might be feeling like you're in the movie Jingle All the Way, desperately searching every store and site. The same goes for Pokémon 30th-anniversary trading cards . That doesn't mean all hope is lost if you want to get a really cool gift for the holidays, though. Below are my favorite toys of the year, from popular picks to some off-the-beaten-path finds.
1) Butt Face Chester Cheeks Toy
Yes, this toy does look like a giant butt—and kids absolutely go wild for him. He dances and vibrates and makes fart noises. He's sold out a few times since he debuted this summer, but he seems to come back in stock pretty quickly.
2) Hatchin' Yoshi The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Hatchin' Yoshi, which I'm dubbing as the most popular hatching toy of the year, sold out multiple times this summer. The Super Mario character shakes and rolls until he breaks out of his shell. Once he's open, the toy makes sounds and lights up.
3) GUND Knuffle Bunny
4) FurReal Gabby the Grow & Roar Interactive Plush Tiger
Each year FurReal puts out new interactive toys that impress me, and while I adore their new Snuggles the Sloth , Gabby really takes things to a new level. This tiger roars and moves her head; her real trick is that her legs extend as kids care for her, so she can go from cub to full-grown tiger.
5) Play-Doh Blooms Garden Bouquet
Designed for the older Play-Doh fan, the Blooms collection is perfect for teens (or adults) who want to make flowers that they can keep and display. It comes with templates, step-by-step directions, clay, and stems to make multiple different kinds of flowers.
6) Fisher-Price Little People My Mario Adventure Playset
I've been a Mario fan my whole life, and while I don't have a toddler anymore, if I did, they'd be getting this play set. It works like the traditional Fisher-Price farm sets, with buttons to press and spin to trigger reactions, but instead of cows and pigs, there's Mario and a Chain Chomp.
7) Furby Furblets Minions
If your kid is a Minions fan, this Furblets Minion is a must-have. Furblets are only three inches tall, but still make over 40 noises. It just makes sense that a toy that's known for gibberish would collab with an animated character who also speaks nonsense.
8) Jazwares Pokémon Pikachu Puppetronic
Kids will feel like Ash with their own 16-inch Pikachu puppet. With lights, sounds, and touch sensors, this Pokémon can do 120 different animations.
9) Blue Marble Barbie Crystal Growing Kit
As the mom of a science major, I love seeing anything that can get kids into STEAM fields early. This crystal-growing kit allows them to learn more about chemistry—with beautiful results. If they love this, there's a larger lab set that includes 50 different experiments.
10) Educational Insights 3D Sticker Maker Kit
This easy-to-use toy comes with all the necessary supplies, so your crafty kid can make 40 stickers. Refills are available separately.
11) Vango Smack n Cheese Card Game
This game is simple to learn and fast to play. It's also super fun! It comes with squeaky noodle-shaped "buzzers" that you race to hit when you find matching cards.
12) Peekimo Pink Interactive Pet
I've never been great at keeping a Tamagotchi alive, but this adorable little interactive pet is too cute to ignore. It pops out of the tiny case, has 100+ different reactions, and can be clipped to a bag or worn as a necklace.
13) Catan On the Road
Settlers of Catan is a beloved but often complicated board game with a lot of pieces. The company has found a way to take all the best elements of their larger game and make it portable, so you can play it in the car or on vacation.
14) MAGNA-TILES Undersea Adventure
This set features some gorgeous aquatic colors, along with sea creatures and divers. I particularly love the rounded bubble shapes, which are a nice addition to the often square-feeling buildable pieces. Plus, these Magna-Tiles can connect to any blocks they already have.
15) Paw Patrol The Dino Movie Megasaurus Vehicle
When I watched this inflatable Megasaurus rise out of the back of this truck in February, I knew it was something special. The really impressive part is that the 2.5-foot dino comes off the vehicle and can be rolled around the house.
16) Nintendo Pokémon Pokopia
I've had the opportunity to play a bunch of games for the Nintendo Switch 2 this year, and none has brought me more joy than the cozy game Pokopia . You play as Ditto, a type of Pokémon who can transform into anything they see, and your goal is to bring an empty land to life by building habitats.
17) Hape x The Met Hokusai Great Wave
One of the most striking wooden block sets I've ever seen, this collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art means that even your youngest family members can begin art appreciation. This replica of Hokusai's Great Wave includes 14 pieces and would look perfect in a nursery.
18) Sesame Street Tickle Me Elmo Giggle Max 18-Inch Interactive Plush
Tickle Me Elmo caused a frenzy in the '90s, and now there's Giggle Max Elmo. He's larger and sillier than ever before. Out of the box, this furry monster laughs so hard that he falls over and waves his arms when he gets really excited.
19) Educational Insights Kanoodle Party
Kanoodle is one of my favorite puzzle games for kids and adults. I have a small version that I often play with at night to test my brain. Kanoodle Party has made it competitive—each player has a timed turn to see who can solve the puzzle the fastest.
20) Blue Marble National Geographic Glow in the Dark Air Rocket Launcher
I love a stomp rocket, but these are even cooler as they glow in the dark for nighttime play. It can fly up to 100 feet in the air, because of the extra-large foot pump, so make sure you've got space to really let these go.
21) Tonies Cuddle Mickey Mouse
The storytelling Toniebox has added a fluffy new element this year wthemh the Cuddle Tonies. Normally, kids take a hard plastic character and place it on their speaker to hear a song or story, but now they can take stuffies, like Mickey, for the same purpose and then snuggle with it after. They'll need a player to make it work—the company recently released a smaller $80 version, the Toniebox Lite .
22) Bluey Bluey Rubbish Run Game
In my opinion, the best kind of board games also feel like toys. Kids dump rubbish pieces in the truck, which then get randomly spilled out the back for laughs and a little bit of Bluey chaos.
23) LEGO 'Star Wars' SMART Play: Luke's Red Five X-Wing
This year LEGO introduced SMART Play, which includes special pieces and sensors that react to how your kids play with them. It's ideal for the kid who wants to do more with their LEGO creations than just put them on a shelf, and the new SMART Play features started with the Star Wars franchise. I like this X-Wing set, because it is great for battles.
24) Happy Haul Duckalooz Disney Ducky Dreamers
As a blind box and bag charm lover, nothing made me happier than the launch of Happy Haul. The new brand does sporadic drops of new boxes with a $10 price point for its quality-made surprise toys. The Duckalooz are part of the latest series and include a handful of Disney favorites.
25) Fat Brain Toy Co. Air Toobz Evo
Instead of just a traditional toy that just spits out balls, this building toy is customizable and can grow with the kids. Don't worry—the balls are foam so they won't do damage when they fly out. You can also add things like this wiggly windsock to make it even more fun.
26) Dungeons & Dragons Questers Adventurer Characters Blind Pack
Dungeons & Dragons has had a resurgence in popularity, and now in addition to the books and dice, you can also get in on the blind box fun. These look like little castles and come filled with a surprise figure, accessories, a D20 die, a collector card, a story starter, and even stickers.
27) LEGO Olivia Rodrigo's Concert Moon
LEGO released multiple purple sets as a collaboration with singer Olivia Rodrigo, and this vinyl player might be my favorite. Fans will love this decorative set!
28) American Girl Molly McIntire
American Girl retired many of its classic dolls over a decade ago, but for the 40th anniversary of the brand, they brought back some of the 18-inch toys that made them famous. That includes this updated version of Molly, who comes with a book and accessories.
29) KPop Demon Hunters HUNTR/X Light Stick
There is a lot of K-pop Demon Hunters official merch finally available, but this light stick will make kids feel like they are actually at a HUNTR/X show. It changes colors and is a budget-friendly price for gifting.
30) Clickeez Hello Kitty & Friends
Clickeez are such a popular collectible item with the tween crowd, and now they've collaborated with Hello Kitty to make them even more covetable. They look like keyboard keys, and they make a nice ASMR typing noise.
31) LEGO Disney Winnie The Pooh Building Set
LEGO has been making a lot of sets designed for the adult builder for the last few years, so it makes sense that they created this one especially for the 100th anniversary of Winnie the Pooh . There were a lot of collabs for grown-up collectors for this special occasion, but this nearly 1,400-piece set might be the sweetest.
32) Thames & Kosmos SolarFlower Sapphire Swirl
Anyone over the age of 8 can learn about robotics with these solar flowers. You'll assemble a solar panel and the petals to make these creations that will move under the power of the sun.
33) POP MART Skullpanda Off Mode
Labubus were all the rage last year, but as a bag charm addict myself, I love the Skullpanda line even more. The latest Off Mode collection is perfect for teens who have a bit of an emo edge.
34) Nex Playground Quiet Basketball
If they already have a Nex Playground gaming system , you can add on this basketball for even more fun. If you live in an apartment or are just tired of hearing constant dribbling, this feels like a hefty basketball but hits the ground without noise. This is automatically compatible with the Training Ground and NBA Versus games.
35) Momiji Out of This World Message Dolls
There are a lot (and I mean a lot) of blind boxes out there. I like these because they are designed for older kids and their feet open, so you can tuck in a little message. The nine space-themed figures are super cute!
36) Larry Lobster Sailor Outfit
This Jellycat lobster in a nautical sweater has my heart. This brand is a bit pricier than most stuffed toys, but it is a U.K. brand that kids and teens alike are obsessed with and love to collect.
37) Loops Starter Set
Kids can become a DJ with this easy-to-use toy that allows them to place original characters down on the stage to create different rhythms and beats. It comes with five rocker figures and the stage.
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