2-4 Toy Guide

2–4 year olds have the cutest developing personalities. You probably feel like your kiddos are really growing into themselves and we want to help you find toys that will match their unique personalities. These toy guides contain tried and true toys that we have put to the test to ensure you're investing in toys that will last for years to come!

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2-4

5-7

8-10

Teen

Family

1. Climbing Dome: Lily and River make the perfect indoor climbing dome for littles. Honestly, my favorite part about this toy is you can easily assemble and disassemble it to store in or out of the way depending on your floor space! It is also made incredibly well and will last for years to come.

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2. Downhill Duo: New toy for 2023. These little magnetic racers are so much fun for kids to race. It pairs well with your magnetic blocks sets.

3. Stepping Stones: These stepping stones from Green Elephant Home are a great budget option to a popular favorite. Beautiful, colorful, and perfect for lots of imaginative play.

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4. Climbing Rocker: This is a favorite of ours from Lily and River. Rock and sway while relaxing or reading a fun book on the padded side or flip it over for climbing and walking fun.

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5. Marble Tree: This colorful marble tree is so addicting to play with. The marble sized wooden balls that come with it are great, but if your kiddo is still mouthing then grab their larger set of wooden balls to pair with it. The satisfying clink that this makes will have YOU and your kiddos coming back for more.

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6. Ice Cream Stand: Melissa and Doug released a new ice cream toy this year and we are obsessed. It is the perfect toy for imaginative play and our kids cannot get enough. We love that they made this set bigger and better, with added treats and several unique features!

7. Wobble/Balance Board: We love that this balance board is perfect for getting the wiggles out. This particular set on Amazon is also amazing because it can be used as a swing as well and comes with everything you need to convert it.

8. Shopping Cart: Look no further for the perfect little sized shopping cart. This is from Melissa and Doug and we love how big and sturdy it is. You could even take this to the store and let your kiddo shop right alongside you.

9. Vet Set: This is a vet set from Melissa and Doug and our kids think giving our family dog a checkup is the best thing ever. (Good thing we have such a patient pup!) They have loaded the kit with excellent accessories.

10. Ball Pit: Lily and River make the only ball pit you need! The base can also be used as a safe space for baby and is padded and so soft. The balls are also crush proof and such good quality!

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11. Wooden Ferris Wheel: This wooden ferris wheel from Petit Collage is well built and includes the sweetest wooden figures to take for a ride. The crank handle is perfect for little hands and is painted with non-toxic paints to ensure the highest safety standards.

12. Wooden Pirate Ship: This is probably the cutest pirate ship we've ever found. It is very well built, a good size, and has lots of moving parts! The pirate flags on the ship also glow in the dark for an added element of surprise.

13. Beauty Kit: Le Toy Van did it again with this wooden beauty kit. These pieces are also painted with water based, non-toxic paint. This set is so darling and even comes with a carrying case to tote around your beauty supplies.

14. Alpha Pops: We love a good learning toy and this one checks all the boxes for us. These pops are beautifully colored and we love that they satisfyingly snap together. You match the uppercase and lowercase letters together and can practice color sorting as well.

15. 3 House Bundle: These wooden play houses are not your ordinary wooden toys. They come with the most beautiful acrylic gems which make them so unique, turning the windows into "stained" glass. Hello Sugarhouse is one of our favorite companies and never disappoints with their quality and creativity in product!

Use code: TOYTESTING10 for 10% off your entire purchase at checkout!

16. Bristle Blocks: These blocks are from Picasso Tiles (our favorite magnetic off brand tiles) and are super affordable on Amazon. This is an excellent STEM toy that also promotes lots of creativity.

17. Wooden Rainbow: We found our favorite wooden rainbow and it is so fun for open ended play. The wood pieces are stained in a light color to enhance their wood grain. Our kids love stacking, building, and using these for ball and marble runs.

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18. Tilt Scooter: This is one of the best tilt scooters on the market. They have a little higher price point but they have a great warranty, are built to last, and can hold up to 110lbs. Globber scooters are the way to go!

19. Alphabet Acorns: Excellent learning toy that develops skills like color sorting and letter/sound recognition. It helps kids with their visual and tactile learning, and it can be used in small world play.

20. Snap and Learn Counting Sheep: These sheep are great for color sorting and number recognition. Kids can snap the wool on and off, so it also helps with fine motor development. For your child is interested in working on numbers and counting, this is a great fit!

21. Pilot Dashboard: This set is a unique play on a sensory station IMO. There are so many buttons, lights, switches, and interactive elements.

22. Train Briefcase: I got this for my daughter last year when she requested a train set from Santa Claus. I didn't want to spend a ton of money on one because I wasn't super sure she would even be that into it. I love that this one is compact and all the pieces store inside it like a briefcase. I also bought this electric toy train from BRIO to pair with it and she loved that it could tug along the other pieces in the case. (It was compatible with this set.)

23. Tot Tube: This toy is universal and so much fun for our little kids. We love that it can be used for cars, balls and other random objects around the house! If it fits, it goes (or tries)!

24. Travel Activity Kits: These are travel activity kits for kids that include crafts, toys, games, and are curated specifically for the age and interests of your child. They were designed to encourage and promote independent play. We take these for travel in the car or plane, and use them as our quiet bags in church!

25. Sit n Spin: This wooden spinner seat is such a good staple in our toy rooms. It can also hold up to 250lbs which means even the adults can join in on the fun.

26. Gem Sorter: Isn't this thing gorgeous? Our kids think gem sorting is so soothing and so do we! The double-sided, wooden board comes with gems for you to pattern and sort.

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27. Wee Baby Stella: This is the softest and sweetest little baby doll. It's soft to cuddle and can be paired with a variety of Manhattan Toy accessories. It also comes with a magnetic binky that is fun to pop in and out of babies' mouth.

28. Winnie the Pooh Toy: This is a fun little set from Playmobil. The bees jump out of the honey pots with a little spring when pushed inside. This toy is a great deal and excellent quality. New toy for 2023 and you can pair with the remaining collection.

29. Foam Sword: This is a silk and foam sword from Sarah's Silks. It is covered with 100% silk and is filled with a high density foam so no more dangerous hits! Perfect for imaginative play with your little ones.

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30. Flower Children: These are wooden flower children from Green Elephant Home. They are beautifully crafted and the perfect take on the traditional peg doll. These are a cute addition to any playhouse.

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31. The Nugget: This play couch is a fan favorite and for good reason! The nugget is machine washable, comes with a 2 year warranty, and the quality cannot be beat. This play couch is infinitely configurable and comes with 4 foam pieces. Their color options are the absolute best, and they are constantly coming out with new ones. We have both had our Nuggets for over 4 years and they look brand new.

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5-7 Toy Guide

We love that kiddos this age are still into imaginative toys and play. Let them stay little as long as possible! We have rounded up some really quality toys that your kids are sure to love. Trust us when we say that these toys are going to last and be used for years to come.

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2-4

5-7

8-10

Teen

Family

1. Cinnamon Roll Kit: This new line from Fat Brain Toys is so much fun for imaginative play. Great for ages 3-7. The storage kit also doubles as the oven. So many amazing textures for sensory play.

2. Dentist Set: This is the dentist set from Melissa and Doug. We love how much fun our kiddos have using this kit to pretend they are visiting the dentist themselves. It also comes with life size teeth that you can use to practice scrubbing cavities away.

3. Beauty Salon Vanity: There are many makeup/salon sets out there. This one is great because it includes makeup and hair tools. Everything fits into the vanity, making it portable and organized.

4. Wooden Pirates: This pirate set is from Green Elephant Home and is impressive in size and quality. Each piece is hand carved and painted. Sometimes you don't want to fill your home with just action figures.

Use code: TOYTESTINGSISTERS for 10% off your entire purchase at checkout.

5. Barber Kit: This is the cutest barber kit and our kids have been loving it. We have never seen a pretend set quite like this and it is a favorite in both our homes. Made with quality materials and great for imaginative play.

6. Calico Critters: My kids think these flocked figures are so cute and I have to agree. They are perfect for small world play and they really are great quality. This penguin set might just be under our Christmas tree this year.

7. Sorting Bears: Driddle for Little has a great sorting bear set that we both own and use. The color sorting and counting activities you can do with this set are endless. The pricing on this product is excellent as well.

8. Brain Flakes: This building toy is one our kids always enjoy. We love that it comes with a building manual loaded with several creative build ideas. This toy also great for color and number sorting.

9. Plus Plus Puzzle: This puzzle by number set is a unique take on the traditional Plus Plus and is new this year. Free building with Plus Plus is great, but we love that this gives you the option to do a flat lay puzzle with the pieces as well.

10. Magnetic Dollhouse: This dollhouse is modular AND magnetic! The Adventure Dollhouse is a modular dollhouse that gives children the flexibility to explore and use their imaginations with rooms that are easy to arrange in endless layouts. The simple and modern design looks beautiful while encouraging creativity.

11. Translucent Shapes: These geometric, translucent shapes, from Learning Resources, are perfect for building fun objects on a light table or just by themselves. A great option for open-ended, learning play!

12. Magnetic Race Track: This is a favorite set of ours from Picasso Tiles. Your kids will enjoy building the racetrack and racing the battery powered cars together. A perfect STEM toy for your little engineer.

13. Blutrack: This is our favorite racing track and for good reason! It easily rolls up to store and is ONE PIECE! You don't have to worry about losing hot wheels tracks and having to throw away the entire set. Such a good quality toy that will last you forever! You can also hang it on the wall with a command hook or use the suction cup to stick to a smooth surface.

14. Custom Clicques: These are hand crafted, magnetic peg dolls from Europe and we think they would be the perfect replacement to Christmas ornaments. You can customize each doll with their name, skin, hair color, and clothing color. These dolls are beautiful, heirloom quality toys.

15. Castle Blocks: These colored castle blocks are the perfect base to enjoy endless building creations. They are perfect to pair with peg dolls for small world play.

Use code: TOYTESTINGSISTERS at checkout for 10% off your entire purchase!

16. Lucite Cubes: Another fan favorite from Green Elephant Home. Did I mention these are the perfect building toy and so fun to use on a light table or in the sun. They are beautiful and reflective and a great price!

Use code: TOYTESTINGSISTERS at checkout for 10% off your entire purchase!

17. Squinkies Cupcake Dispenser: This toy has made a comeback and for good reason. The small squishy figures are so much fun to pop open from this cupcake vending machine. This is a great Amazon find!

18. Brio Train Set: Brio is known for their train sets. It has a higher price point, but you are paying for quality. There are many trains, kits, and add-ons to pick from. We are featuring their best seller because it comes with everything you need to get your kid engineering.

19. Foil Fun Stickers: Trust us when we tell you this will keep your kids entertained for a LONG TIME! This is a DIY foil sticker kit. Watch your kids use their creativity and imagination to create some beautiful, handmade, foam stickers.

20. Washable Color and Play Mat: Our good friend Kate designed these incredible coloring mats that can be used and RE used forever. Fill them up with color and then just simply toss them into the washing machine. They will look brand new and be ready for more play.

21. Safari Animals Set: This set of play animal figures is the BEST dupe for another very popular/pricy toy animal brand. This particular set comes with 20 figures, and each are beautifully painted to be hyper realistic.

22. Tivi Tray: This is a craft tray from Tivi Tray and we can honestly say our kids use them almost daily. They come in a hard plastic or silicone option and make cleaning up arts and crafts messes a breeze. Also check out their collection of Tivi Mats!

Use code: TOYTESTINGSISTERS for 10% off at checkout!

23. Brain Teaser Game: This brain teaser logic puzzle comes with a reference book which has different levels of challenges. It helps children develop creative problem solving skills, and is a fun hands-on activity. A colorful and fun game to keep your kiddos brains active and engaged.

24. Cleaning Kit: This is a FULLY FUNCTIONING cleaning set from Fat Brain Toys. Can I tell you this kit is actually my favorite thing we own right now! My kids will literally fight at who gets to clean the windows.

25. Nighthawk: Probably our most 'viral' toy! This 12V ride on vehicle is perfect to zoom around the neighborhood. Our kids always get asked about it and it's a great size and maneuvers well.

26. Desk Set: Class is in session! On the outside of the portable school desk are a magnetic blackboard, two built-in utensil cups, and a stand for the learning cards. Open it up and you'll find a magnetic whiteboard, two lidded storage spaces, plus plenty of supplies including chalk, magnetic letters and numbers, magnetic tangram shapes, sight word cards, math cards, and more.

27. Doodle Handwriting Book: We found this small business on Amazon and love the products they have to offer. These writing books help develop handwriting skills in a fun and creative way! Perfect to put in a quiet bag or to work on at home.

28. Potion Play: Little Larch products are clean and beautifully made. All you need to do is add water and your kids will experience a fun, bubbling reaction.

29. Zingo: This is the ADD ON pack for the traditional Zingo Game that introduces your kids to sight words. We love the game Zingo and love that it now has expansion packs to use. This game is one of the most played in our homes.

30. REAL Makeup Kit: I've been on the hunt for a safe and clean makeup kit for my girls. I was tired of them using really crappy, and toxic products on their precious faces. This makeup was made in the USA with pure minerals and ZERO talc.

8-10 Toy Guide

This can be a hard age to shop for because kids are opting for screens and their days are filled with school and extracurricular activities. We have rounded up some awesome finds that your big kids will love doing. Everything from brain games to a 3D printer!

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2-4

5-7

8-10

Teen

Family

1. 3D Printer: An insane amount of research went into finding a 3D printer with an interface for kids. Toy Box created a 3D printer that is simple for kids to print their own toys. Kids can pick from thousands of toys. Simply select the toy, insert printer food, and hit print. Prints can take 5 min to several hours depending on complexity.

2. Swords: These swords are for older kids because they are heavy! We recommend 7+. You can purchase a single sword or buy a few a swap around the components. You can even customize your own sword. Our kids love changing the blade, cross guard, and handle. Kids will love using these for active and pretend play.

3. Tubelox: This is a life-size building and construction set. Your kid can build an airplane, lemonade stand, car, and then actually play with it. You do need to be able to follow build instructions and snap the connectors in place. Younger kids can play and enjoy this toy too, but we recommend 7+.

Use code: MM10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase!

4. Geo Puzzles: These puzzles are Charlie's (8) favorite puzzle set. The set comes with 6 puzzles (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, USA and Canada, and World). Each puzzle has over 50 pieces and they are perfect for helping learn about continents and countries.

5. Super Blocks: This is a pattern matching brain game with thousands of challenges. The goal of the game is to cover the lit bubbles with the appropriate colored pieces. Great game to develop critical thinking and problem solving.

6. AirToobz: New toy for 2023 and a toy award finalist. This toy includes tubes, connectors, kid-safe wind turbine, and foam balls. Kids can engineer and create so many different designs. Lasts about 1hr before it needs to be charged again. Excellent STEM and MESH toy! Drives kids to problem solve and engineer different solutions.

7.White Silks: This Spring we got our kids white silks that they could custom dye! If you have a kid who loves to create, this is the perfect craft activity. All you need is a few bowls, food coloring, and your silks.

Use code: TOYTESTINGSISTERS at checkout for 10% off your purchase!

8. Beblox: Step aside LEGO. We love Beblox because kids can build so many different objects and animals and then actually play with them. We hate telling our kids to gently set down their build, so it doesn't get ruined. Beblox solves this problem. We recommend starting with the 500 piece set. This is slotted for 8-10 but kids 5+ will love.

9. Trestle Tracks: It's hard to find a solid marble run that won't tip. This set from Fat Brain is a modular 73 -piece marble set and it is sturdy. Trestle Tracks is an awesome open-ended toy that challenges kids to engineer and get creative.

10. Combo Game Table: This game table is the perfect size and doesn't break the bank. It includes foosball, air hockey, shuffleboard, pool, ping pong, chess, checkers, and backgammon. Assembly is standard and it's simple to switch between the different boards.

11. Smart Four: This is a 3D, AI 4 in a row game! You can either play against the robot or a friend/family member. There are different levels of difficulty too. Great game for keeping kids off screens and engaged. Excellent for pattern recognition and strategic planning–STEM and MESH toy.

12. Ninja Obstacle Course: Want to keep kids moving? This ninja obstacle course will do just that. It sets up quickly and all you need is two sturdy trees. The kit includes 11 accessories for your obstacle course–climbing rope ladder, spinning wheel, ninja slider, monkey bars, gymnastics rings, and more! This isn't an easy course–we recommend 8+.

13. Couch Converter: Give your play couch a makeover with the couch converter. All you need is the thick piece of a play couch. This kit includes the armchair cover and 3 foam pieces (backrest and arm rests). Older kids can use to play video games, lounge, read, and more. It's large and super comfy.

14. Clixo Ocean Creatures: This set is a toy finalist and new for 2023. The Ocean set glows in the dark and kids can make really cool ocean creatures. Kids can also do free-style builds! All you do is click the magnet pieces together. We love that they stack and store easily. This is a great toy to keep in the car or take on a trip. It also pairs well with the Modi Modu wall decal.

15. My Figures Pirate Island: Another new toy for 2023 and toy finalist. Playmobil launched this awesome pirate set. Kids can assemble the pirate island and then customize all of the figures. There are over thousand combinations by mixing heads, arms, bodies, and legs.

16. Gel Blaster: Addicting toy alert and make sure you get a few. Gel balls (orbeez) are loaded into the blaster. It comes with a target and protective eye gear. Older kids and teens are loving these blasters. Less painful than paintball.

17. Putt-A-About: Great for golf lovers. This mat features 3 holes and 2 sand trap cut outs. It rolls out easily and can be stored in a closet or under a bed.

18. Hey Clay: They only way to do clay! Set includes air dry clay (15 cans) and sculpting tool. You get access to the Hey Clay app so kids can follow sculpting videos. Hey Clay offers many kits, so if your kid isn't into the forest animal theme, select another option.

19: Adventure Globe: There are many interactive globes out there and this is our fav. We have used it for over 4 years, and it still works great. There are many different features like BBC videos, information about countries, continents, and animals. Don't get a globe that requires an iPad because it won't get used.

20: DIY Jewlery: PrettyLife makes the most beautiful jewelry kits. Their themes are perfectly curated. The kit includes everything you need to make about 6 bracelets. This is a great activity to do when your kid needs to relax or has friends over.

21. Blinger: Hair accessories are all the rage right now. The blinger kit comes with 75 gems and the tool to gem your hair. The gems stay in place and you can even bling other hair accessories.

22. Snow cone Machine: Who doesn't want a snow cone machine? Kids love a snow cone all year long. Machine is easy for kids to use and its durable. It includes reusable cones but be sure to purchase syrups and extra paper cones.

23. Pierced Earrings: Hands-down the best earrings for toddlers, big kids, and teens! They offer screw backs for their earrings and their hoops include the option to add charms. Our favorite thing is their monthly subscription package. Caroline and Olina check the mail regularly to see if their Pierced package came. Did we mention they are hypoallergenic and perfect for sensitive ears!?

Use code: TOYTESTINGSISTERS at checkout for 20% off your purchase!

24. GooGames: This toy JUST hit Amazon but we were lucky enough to get to test it before it hit the market. Essentially it is a screen free sensory game that incorporates a satisfying squish. Compact and mess-free, GooGames is a must-have for on-the-go fun! Whether on a road trip, plane, or waiting during errands, it's entertainment right in your pocket!

25. Crazy Cart: This is a kid-powered go-kart, not electric. It's adjustable with different length settings. Kids will love drifting and spinning all over the driveway! Weight limit is 150lbs and we recommend for 5+.

26. Botley: Excellent STEM and MESH toy for early robot programming and coding. There is a remote programmer and 40 coding cards to play with. It includes other fun accessories like face masks and obstacle course pieces.

27. Puzzle Board: Charlie loves puzzles but it stresses me out when puzzles cover my dining room table. This puzzle board supports a 1,500 piece puzzle and has 6 drawers to store pieces. It is very easy to move the puzzle board around.

28. Bumpas: Weighted plushies are an incredible way for kids to recover. Bumpas actually give your kid a hug. You will be hearing more about toys that help kids with emotional recovery. Bumpas is the perfect toy to help calm and relax your kid.

29. Baby Cakes: Baking is a great creative outlet. This cake pop maker makes 9 cake pops. This is a fun alternative to the mini waffle machines that have been popular.

30. Clip-In Extensions: Girlie Locks help you creatively elevate your look. They offer clip-in extensions in different colors, patterns, and textures. The clip-ins come in synthetic and ethically sourced human hair. These are slotted for 8-10, but great for ages 3+!