BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.
If you’ve ever watched “Jingle All the Way,” you’ll know that you shouldn’t leave it until the last minute to buy the popular toy your kid wants for the holidays. You can avoid unnecessary stress this festive season by doing your shopping well in advance. And part of this is finding the most popular toys of the 2023 holiday season.
Unless your child has made you a detailed list, you might still be looking for the hottest toys to make them happy this Christmas. From Barbies and Kens to LEGO sets and laser tag, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of popular toys that kids will love.
Best gifts for toddlers
Get young kids interested in STEM through their favorite blue heeler puppy, Bluey. This interactive building set includes magnetic Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli figures to help your little one bring their favorite characters to life with Action Tiles.
This Play-Doh Pizza Delivery Scooter is a serious pretend play game-changer. It comes with a bunch of Play-Doh and accessories to make pizzas out of the iconic modeling compound. It also includes a pretend phone so little ones can “take orders,” make the pizzas and then deliver them on the scooter.
Baby Bella claps, dances and comes with tons of accessories to help her through three different routines. Kids can brush her teeth and hair, feed her and watch hearts light up in her eyes. She makes 25 sounds and reactions.
The super soft cuddliness of Squishmallows plus the insane popularity of Bluey will have your toddler squealing with delight. This 10″ plush is part of the HugMees line, so its extendable arms make it easy to hug.
Is there a child under the age of five who is not in love with Ms. Rachel? That’s why this Ms. Rachel Speak & Sing doll will be one of this year’s hottest toys. It’s part of a new line of Ms. Rachel toys, but would could be more exciting for a little one than the queen of toddler entertainment herself?
Percy the Weighted Hug Bear provides weighted warmth that feels like a hug. He is three pounds and can be cooled in the freezer or heated in the microwave, providing multiple avenues for sensory regulation. And on top of that, he’s just plain adorable.
Fans of “Sesame Street” will love this plush Elmo. It can talk, sing and do the Slide — though it requires four AA batteries. It’s suitable for ages 3 and up and stands about 14 inches tall.
This Skye plushie is dressed in her pink pilot uniform. She can stand upright and is officially licensed, so you can be sure of her quality. If Skye isn’t your kid’s favorite, there are also Chase, Marshall, Rex and Liberty plush toys to choose from.
Made in response to a lack of dolls of color on the market, this one is available in a number of brown skin tones with various hairstyles, colors and outfits. It measures about 12 inches tall and has a cute, realistic face with dimples.
Ideal for “CoComelon” fans, this JJ plush toy can sing songs, say phrases and make sounds from the popular kids show. It’s perfect for kids from 18 months to 4 years.
Whether your child is a fan of anything Play-Doh or loves messing around in the kitchen, this Play-Doh mixer is bound to keep them entertained. It has a number of molds to make colorful Play-Doh treats.
Not only does this set include six Breyer unicorns of various colors, it also comes with a cute wooden stable for kids to store them in, play with and carry them around in. It’s recommended for ages 4 and up.
Best gifts for kids
With up to two hours of play on one charge, your child could easily sweep the entire downstairs. Yes, I am serious – this ride-on toy includes a mop attachment and a 20-pack of replacement dry floor cleaning pads. Charge it up and let them go to town while your floors get all shined up.
Let your kiddo pretend to be our everyday hero, the Amazon delivery person. The ride-on toy comes with a few of those familiar Amazon boxes and some wooden toys. The seat doubles as a storage area so your child can drive around with their “deliveries.”
Little kids love to do what they see us doing, and what we do most often is shop at Target. Kids can pretend to be the checkout person complete with play money and cash register. It also comes with items to purchase and a Target shopping bag.
If you have a LEGO-loving kid on your gift list this year, set them up with this huge Despicable Me 4 playset featuring Gru’s mansion and the Minions tree house. It also includes six minifigures, three buildable Minion toy figures and plenty of accessories.
This super popular interactive toy will be on many kids’ lists this year, so grab it while you can. It stands on its own and has over 100 reactions for engaging pretend play.
This Godzilla x Kong action figure is part of a collection of characters that will help kids reenact battles and create their own imaginative storylines. The figure is 6″ tall and fully posable for maximum pretend play.
Gift a Barbie-loving child with 10 unboxing surprises in one package. The included surprise bags reveal a skirt, headband, sunglasses, pair of shoes, sponge-comb and matching mini Share Bear.
If your household has a MrBeast fan, these action figures are a total must-have. Kids perform an experiment to reveal the MrBeast Lab Iconic Panther. There are four to collect and they have over 20 points of articulation for super creative play time.
It’s a digital pet, but it responds to swipes, tilts and touch, making it a more interactive choice for kids. There are 15 pets in just one pod, so kids can collect them all.
This Furby talks and sings in both Furbish and English. It chats and responds to speech, but can be easily turned off when playtime is over, unlike original Furbies.
Best of the best 
If your child has been desperately asking for a puppy, this robot dog isn’t quite the same thing, but it’s a fun alternative that doesn’t need walking and won’t eat anyone’s shoes. It communicates with its tail and can respond in over 200 ways to keep children interested longer.
Way more advanced than the Tamagotchi you might have had in your youth, this one can go on global adventures and even get married. It comes with a strap to wear it like a watch, so kids can play with it anywhere.
Based on the “Barbie” movie, this Barbie has Margot Robbie’s iconic inline skating outfit. She comes with skates, safety gear and a visor to match her outfit.
This Ken doll has his surfboard and is ready for another taxing day at his job, “beach.” He has a matching striped outfit and can even stand on his surfboard thanks to the footholds.
Another movie tie-in, this Barbie is based on the president from the “Barbie” movie. She has a gorgeous pink dress and sash that says “President” and she’s ready to lead the people of Barbie Land.
These L.O.L. Surprise! dolls can really fly when unleashed from their bottles. It’s a sight that fans of fairies and other magical critters are sure to appreciate. There are three variations of this doll; you’ll receive one at random.
The Evil Queen, Cruella De Vil and Yzma make up this trio of Disney fashion dolls. They’re great for kids more obsessed with the villains than with the protagonists. Each comes with its own stylish outfit.
This pineapple playset comes with micro Polly and Lila dolls, plus animals and other accessories. It comes on a strap and doubles as a purse for kids to carry so they can play with their toys on the go.
Best gifts for tweens & teens
You are always telling your tweens and teens to stay off their phones, to which they claim, “I have nothing else to do!” Now, you can tell them to go decide which of 13 games to play thanks to this 13-in-1 multi game table. It features slide hockey, basketball, billiards and so many more ways to occupy the kids over winter break without having to hear a bunch of YouTube screaming coming from their phones (I have teen kids – can you tell?).
Oh baby, baby! If you have a teen who digs 90s and early 2000s nostalgia, you’re going to want to snap up this set of four Britney Spears Little People. It features Britney as a schoolgirl from “…Baby One More Time,” sporting her red bodysuit from “Oops! I Did It Again,” dressed up as a snake-charmer from “I’m a Slave 4 U” and donning the classic flight attendant outfit from “Toxic.”
Jenna Ortega playing Wednesday Addams was the cultural moment we had no idea we needed, and it made a particular impression on teens and tweens. Indulge their love of the iconic character with this Wednesday Monster High doll. She’s decked out in the outfit from the iconic school dance scene and deserves a special place on your kiddo’s shelves.
If you’re not already in the know, here is some intel – tweens and teens love stuffed animals. They may be “big” kids, but they still enjoy a cute little friend to snuggle, and one of the trendiest is a Pudgy Penguin. They come with free access to Pudgy World, where they can play online games, and an adoption certificate to make them official Pudgy parents.
All Hello Kitty fans need this 50th anniversary edition plush of the iconic character. The 12″ stuffed toy features commemorative embroidery, a shiny pink bow and sparkly hearts dotted all over the soft, pink plush.
It’s no secret how cute sloths are, and now your kid could have one of these slow critters in plush toy form. With its Velcro hands, kids can hang it to display it.
Kids can get the excitement of playing laser tag without having to go to an arena. This set comes in two-player and four-player options with laser guns and sensor vests for each player. Unlike most sets, the lasers are visible, which can add to the fun.
You might know the card game UNO, but this game combines the iconic look of UNO’s cards with the fun of four-in-a-row. Players can match colors or numbers, making it a more challenging version of the classic four-in-a-row game.
Forget getting tangled up and falling in a heap on the floor. This new version of Twister brings the fun to a phone, tablet or TV screen. Players have sensors on their arms and legs and follow screen prompts for a range of fun ways to play.
This playset has a cool retro look inspired by an old ’80s design. While it’s made for “Masters of the Universe” Origins action figures, it’s also fun for playing with any figures of around 5 1/2 inches.
“Hocus Pocus” fans or children who love Halloween might appreciate this set of three figures depicting Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson. These tiny Sanderson sisters measure around 2 1/2 inches tall and are finished to a high standard.
Best building sets
With these blocks’ range of skin tones and hair colors, kids can use them to build a diverse range of people. Not only are they fun for little kids to build and play with, they may also help develop fine motor skills.
Pokémon fans will love building this adorable Pikachu figure. It measures 12 inches high when assembled, making it impressive to display. The set contains 825 blocks and is recommended for ages 8 and over.
What’s cool about this LEGO set is that it’s fun to build and to play with. With 1,045 pieces, it’s recommended for ages 7 and up. Once built, it has fun features to play with, such as a ski ramp and an elevator.
The 2,319 pieces make this Chewbacca model challenging to build, so it’s recommended for those 18 plus. However, teenagers who are LEGO fans shouldn’t find it too much to handle. It looks amazing once it’s built, so any fan of “Star Wars” is sure to love it.
More of the best toys
If your little one is interested in gardening or growing food, this cute “Very Hungry Caterpillar” set is a great place to start. It contains everything needed to grow chia sprouts. Since they only take three to five days to sprout, kids won’t lose interest before seeing results.
With a keyboard, turntable and more, this piano is great for little musicians. The combination of lights and sounds is enough to keep kids interested — and they can learn while they explore.
This T-Rex-shaped Hot Wheels transporter and race track is perfect for the dinosaur-obsessed. While it doesn’t come with any cars, it holds 20 standard Hot Wheels cars. The back doubles as a race track.
The ideal tablet for kids aged 6 to 12, it’s affordable yet quick and easy to use. It comes with a 12-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, which offers a range of books, shows, movies and games free with the subscription.
Little artists will love this light-up tracing pad. Not only does it make tracing easier, but it also works as an all-purpose lightbox for drawing. This makes it quicker to redraw and refine pieces, helpful when learning to draw.
This remote control toy is based on Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham, the Wheelchair Motocross World Champion. Kids can zoom around and perform stunts with this RC toy, just like the real Fotheringham does in his wheelchair.
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out the Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2024 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved.