We tested 3 popular toys for first graders — here are the best options

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Throughout the past year, my first grader has pointed to commercials featuring toys on his wish list or come home from school telling me about the latest must-have gadgets. While I thought I was tucking away that crucial information to help make the holidays a little easier, my mom-brain had other plans.

If, like me, you’re also dreading the thought of spending hours researching trendy toys, you’re in luck. We tested three popular toys for first graders: The Tamagotchi Pix, which is currently discounted by 34%, the KidKraft Disney Princess Dollhouse and the LEGO DOTS, which you can snag right now for 20% off. Here are the best options.

What is the Tamagotchi Pix?

Tamagotchi toys that allow you to take care of a virtual pet have been around for decades, but this new generation, Tamagotchi Pix, features a color screen, a camera to take pictures with your character and 17 built-in games.

Our experience with the Tamagotchi Pix

From the moment our seven-year-old tester got a hold of her Tamagotchi Pix, she couldn’t put it down. She loved playing games to earn points and making food creations for the pet.

We initially had a few issues with the Tamagotchi Pix, including figuring out how to change the batteries, which need to be changed more often than expected. It was also challenging to familiarize ourselves with the variety of features, but we appreciate that our child will never get bored with the myriad of activities available. We most enjoyed that the Tamagotchi Pix taught our tiny tester about budgeting as she thought about how to best use her points.

Where to buy the Tamagotchi Pix

The Tamagotchi Pix retails for $59.99. However, right now you can get it for $39.46 on Amazon.

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What is the KidKraft Disney Princess Dollhouse?

The over-four-foot-tall KidKraft Disney Princess wooden dollhouse has three stories, including a spinning dance floor on the top that plays three songs. The interior features Disney princess-themed rooms and comes with 20 furniture pieces.

Our experience with the KidKraft Disney Princess Dollhouse

Our tiny tester’s favorite area of the house was, without a doubt, the spinning dance floor with music and four holders to keep the princesses in place. We also thought the detail was impressive, with scenes and characters from many Disney princess movies.

While the colorful plastic furniture is pretty to look at, it was a challenge to securely fit the legs onto the table and chairs. Additionally, putting the dollhouse together was time-consuming and took about two hours.

Where to buy the KidKraft Disney Princess Dollhouse

The KidKraft Disney Princess Dollhouse retails for $155.98 and is available on Amazon.

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What are LEGO DOTS?

LEGO DOTS is a creative designer kit with 779 pieces. It includes an inspirational magazine with instructions for five models, but kids can also use their imagination when designing.

Our experience with LEGO DOTs

Since our seven-year-old tester has experience with LEGOs, she immediately started creating the five models in the included magazine and decided to keep jewelry in the two-drawer box. Even after building the five suggested models, there were still many pieces leftover. LEGO’s age recommendation is seven and up, which we agree with since our tiny tester could do everything with minimal help.