These Are the 15 Trendiest Toys of 2021, According to Target, Amazon and BJ's Experts
‘Tis the season to start taking inventory of your kid’s toy collection and filling in the gaps. Yep, holiday gift-giving presents parents with a yearly challenge and that 200 item long wishlist your child just handed you isn’t making the job any easier. Fear not: We consulted the experts to uncover the most sought-after and trendiest toys of the season, so you can just pretend to mail that list off to Santa and consult our list of top picks instead. Here are the toys the pros over at Target, Amazon, Macy’s and BJ’s predict will be huge this year. (You’re welcome.)
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1. WowWee Got 2 Glow Fairy Finder
This interactive jar will have your kid running all over creation looking for—and actually finding—as many as 100 different fairies. Best of all, the fun doesn’t end when the hunt is over, since kids can interact with their virtual fairies by talking to, hugging and feeding them. It’s no wonder that it was a top pick in the PureWow Happy Kid Awards.
2. National Geographic Rock Tumbler Kit
You were certain that collection of unremarkable rocks in your kid’s room (and pockets and backpack) would never amount to anything worth keeping, but this rock tumbler kit achieves the unthinkable. Gift one to your kid for an educational STEM activity that transforms random pebbles into oh-so-pretty gemstones. Pretty neat, huh?
3. Green Toys Mickey Mouse Seaplane
Little kids will love making this brightly-colored plane soar, splash, float, scoop and pour during bath time. Parents will appreciate that this recycled plastic bath toy is durable, BPA-free and dishwasher-friendly. Everyone wins.
4. Hot Wheels Criss Cross Crash Track Set
Young race car enthusiasts will enjoy endless hours of entertainment from watching their cars whizz around the loops of this track, which features a motorized propeller and a massive crash zone, too.
5. PlaySkool Peppa Pig Sit and Spin
The little kid in your life thinks the sensation of dizziness—a god-awful experience for most adults—is simply divine. That said, a toddler spinning in circles on their own two feet is, more often than not, a recipe for disaster. The solution? A classic toy that promises risk-free squeals of glee.
6. Style 4 Ever Tie Dye Spin & Stamp Studio
Here, a smart tie-dye set that includes a mess-free workstation and all the materials (except the canvas) needed for a creative DIY fashion project that will have your kid rocking the tie-dye trend with pride. Groovy.
7. Razor A5 Deluxe Kick Scooter
Big kids need bigger wheels, and this Razor scooter, designed for larger riders, certainly delivers on that front. Yep, the 200mm urethane wheels on this puppy ensure a smooth and efficient ride so your kid can zip from point A to point B with ease. Basically, it’s like the Rolls Royce of scooters.
8. National Geographic Light Up Air Rockets
Give the foot pump a good stomp and these safe, foam-tipped rockets will soar up to 100 feet in the air. As if that wasn’t cool enough, each rocket also boasts a brightly-colored LED light, which means you’ll enjoy an impressive light show if you send ‘em flying at night.
9. Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Rising Cake Oven Play Set
Kids can get creative molding and decorating endless variations on their favorite sweet treats with this Play-Doh set, which features an oven that actually makes the dough rise. The takeaway? Serve up some sensory and imaginary play, and the toddler or preschooler in life actually won’t complain about what’s on the menu.
10. Baby Alive Lulu Achoo Doll
Dolls are excellent toys for building empathy and helping young children develop healthy social skills. This particular baby doll has got a cold, which she indicates with both light and sound effects—interactive features that will keep little ones engaged for a considerable amount of time as they play doctor and nurture their friend back to health.
11. Crossed Signals Game
You’ve got to be firing on all cylinders to win this electronic game, which involves following voice-commands to complete various physical challenges. Play it with up to four players for some frantic and fast-paced fun that’s sure to put your kid’s coordination to the test.
12. Jetson Sync All-Terrain Dynamic Sound Hoverboard
Big kids only: This bad boy can reach speeds of up to 10mph and boasts plenty of bells and whistles to please the tween and teenage crowd, including head-turning light-up wheels and Bluetooth speakers that can be used to blast their favorite music for the ultimate joyride.
13. National Geographic Glowing Marble Run
This 80-piece construction set is a brain-boosting STEM toy that’s guaranteed to give kids a run for their money. They won’t mind the problem-solving challenge, though, because once the engineering feat is accomplished, glow in the dark marbles give quite a show.
14. KidKraft Wooden Farm to Table Play Kitchen
It’s a big ticket item, to be sure, but unlike some other toys that gather dust after a week of play, a pretend kitchen will continue to entertain toddlers for years to come. This aesthetically pleasing number from KidKraft has a working ice maker, chalkboard, and charming vegetable planters—details that put the competition to shame.
15. Fisher-Price Rock-a-Stack and Baby’s First Blocks Bundle
A must-have toy for babies, this Fisher-Price stacking ring and sorting block bundle serves up a problem solving activity that promises to give hand-eye coordination, fine motor, and color and shape recognition skills a serious boost.
RELATED: The 2021 Toy Trend We Didn’t See Coming (But Makes So Much Sense)
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