NAPPA Awards: Holiday Gift Guide- TOYS and GAMES

Play & Create

Batman All-Terrain RC Batmobile

Water, snow, mud, rocks and grass are no match for this Batmobile built with performance tires for unstoppable fun. $49.99, ages 4+, amazon.com

Batman All-Terrain RC Batmobile
Batman All-Terrain RC Batmobile

American Girl’s World by Us Dolls & Books

Meet Makena, Evette, and Maritza whose diverse stories reflect social issues of racial equality, environmentalism, and immigration. Each doll includes a book. $110.00, ages 8+, americangirl.com

American Girl’s World by Us Dolls & Books
American Girl’s World by Us Dolls & Books

Marshall’s Transforming City Fire Truck™

An all-new toy from the PAW Patrol Movie, with two different modes and exciting sounds for added fun. $54.99, age 3+, amazon.com

Marshall’s Transforming City Fire Truck
Marshall’s Transforming City Fire Truck

Rainbocorns Fairycorn Surprise

Collect seven new characters, all featuring 10 magical surprises. $24.99, ages 3+, target.com

Rainbocorns Fairycorns Lifestyle
Rainbocorns Fairycorns Lifestyle

Disney Junior Roller-Skating Party Minnie Mouse

These friends feature matching glittery helmets and can skate side-by-side, spin together, or skate in a conga line. They can even spice up their routine with 360-degree turns. $39.99, ages 3+, justplayproducts.com

Disney Junior Roller-Skating Party Minnie Mouse 2
Disney Junior Roller-Skating Party Minnie Mouse 2

Big Horse Show

Features 100+ accessories for hours of play with Sarah and Tori and their Tennessee walking mare and Lusitano stallion. $99.99, ages 5+, amazon.com

BigHorseShow
BigHorseShow

PLAYMOBIL Dino Rise T-Rex: Battle of the Giants

Featuring a robot machine on a destructive path. A dino-human team is needed to stop them before it’s too late. $69.99, ages 5-12, playmobil.us

Playmobil Dino Rise
Playmobil Dino Rise

Magic Mixies Magic Cauldron

Mix the potion to create real mist, revealing a surprise creature that will respond to touch, light up, grant wishes and cast endless spells. Kids can continue to create potions using household items. $69.99, ages 5+, moosetoys.com

Magic Mixies
Magic Mixies

My Fairy Garden® Light Unicorn Paradise

A charming toadstool house sits beside a sparkly rocky cave for magical fairy fun. Includes a shiny light-up rainbow and a glittery unicorn friend. $29.99, ages 4+, playmonster.com

MyFairy-Garden_Unicorn-Paradise
MyFairy-Garden_Unicorn-Paradise

Animal Planet Deep Sea Shark Rescue Submarine

Experience the ultimate underwater sea adventure. But beware of the killer whale and the great white shark, both with jaw-chomping action. Features lights and glow-in-the-dark sea animals. $39.99, ages 3+, target.com

Animal Planet Deep Sea Shark Rescue Submarine
Animal Planet Deep Sea Shark Rescue Submarine

Paint & Create Easel Case

A portable, dual-sided, painting studio allowing little artists to create their own masterpieces anywhere. Includes a portable travel art case. $24.99, ages 4+, shop.crayola.com

Paint & Create Easel Case
Paint & Create Easel Case

Adora Amazing Girls 18-inch Doll Cassidy

Enjoy hours of imaginative play with this free-spirited doll who calls Arizona home and likes to stomp with the rhythm of her favorite country songs. $45.36, ages 6+, amazon.com

Amazing Girls 18-inch Doll Cassidy
Amazing Girls 18-inch Doll Cassidy

Magna Tiles Builder 32 Piece Set

Engage in real engineering and construction. Includes light printing of roads, bricks and caution signs to enhance imagination. $49.99, ages 3+, magnatiles.com

Magna-Tiles® Builder 32-Piece Set
Magna-Tiles® Builder 32-Piece Set

Geostix® Letter & Construction Set

Link engineering, art and mathematics for unlimited imaginative play. Straight and curved flexible sticks snap together for endless creations. $34.99, ages 3+, amazon.com

Geostix® Letter & Construction Set
Geostix® Letter & Construction Set

Purse Pets

Fabulous interactive pets packed with purse-onality. Respond to touch, really blink and have fun sounds and reactions $24.99, ages 4+, amazon.com

Purse Pets Group
Purse Pets Group

Pets Alive Pet Shop Surprise

With Speak & Repeat animal sounds and over 10 surprises inside, these are the perfect new bestie. Six pets to collect. $14.99, ages 3+, target.com

Pets-Alive-Pet-Shop-Surprise
Pets-Alive-Pet-Shop-Surprise

Ryan’s World Chef Ryan’s Fridge Surprise

Mini figs, oozes and compounds, a working ice cube dispenser and more. $49.99, ages 3+, justplayproducts.com

Ryans-World-Chef-Ryans-Fridge-Surprise-Hero
Ryans-World-Chef-Ryans-Fridge-Surprise-Hero

Spirit Untamed: Swing & Saddle Barn Playset

Inspired by the film “Spirit Untamed,” this set brings the friendships, bravery and adventure home. $39.99, ages 3+, shop.mattel.com

Spirit Untamed Swing & Saddle Barn Playset
Spirit Untamed Swing & Saddle Barn Playset

Carry Around Robot Town

A super-cute robot-shaped carrying case on the outside, an adventure-filled factory of robot pals on the inside. $19.99, ages 3-8, lakeshorelearning.com

Carry Around Robot Town
Carry Around Robot Town

KidKraft Blue’s Clues & You! Cooking-Up-Clues Play Kitchen

Four-sided play with a sink, fridge, snack table, stove and oven. Sized just right for a playful preschooler. $79, ages 3+, walmart.com

kidKraft Blues Clues Kitchen
kidKraft Blues Clues Kitchen

Coding Critters™ MagiCoders

Enchanting creatures teach STEM skills through screen-free storybook coding adventures. The playset and spell book take kids on a journey to decode the magic inside. $54.99, ages 4+, learningresources.com

Coding Critters MagiCoders
Coding Critters MagiCoders

Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse

Packed with exciting features and characters, including a dollhouse delivery tower, working Cat-A-Vator, Gabby Girl collectible figure, Pandy Paws figure and furniture for each room. $55.99, ages 3+, target.com

Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse
Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse

On-the-Go Story Pal

Take story time wherever you go and spark imagination through books, poems, songs and lullabies. $27.99, ages 3-8, shop.leapfrog.com

Marble Rush Ultimate Set

Roll through thrilling stunts and exciting challenges with this 145-piece color-coded building set, which includes a spinning Ferris wheel, thrilling ramps, fast tracks and extreme launchers. $44.99, ages 4+, vtechkids.com

Marble Rush Ultimate Set
Marble Rush Ultimate Set

Blue’s Clues & You! Check-Up Time Blue

Encourage kids to care for others with imaginative play. Press Blue’s paw to start her visit, while helping the doctor to guide the examination. $34.99, ages 3+, justplayproducts.com

Blues-Clues-and-You-Check-Up-Time-Blue
Blues-Clues-and-You-Check-Up-Time-Blue

Akedo Ultimate Battle Arena

An arcade electronic arena where any warrior can come for next level battle action. When not battling, train and practice the perfect split-strike. $29.99, ages 5-9, moosetoys.com

Akedo Ultimate Battle Arena
Akedo Ultimate Battle Arena

Ice Ribbon Twirler

Sparkly dance accessory perfect for indoor and outdoor play. Use the light up feature to add some magic to your nighttime dance activities. $9.99, ages 6+, kess-co.com

Ice Ribbon Twirler
Ice Ribbon Twirler

Got2Glow Fairy Finder

Catch them in your bedroom, in the kitchen, outside, in the dark and even upside down. There’s always a fairy around. $39.99, ages 5+, wowwee.com

Got2Glow Fairy Finder
Got2Glow Fairy Finder

Smashers Lava Light Up Dino Mega Surprise

Discover different dinos to build, which then light up and are ready for battle – complete with dino sounds! Over 25 different surprises in each egg. $24.99, ages 4+, zuru.com

Smashers Lava Light Up Dino Mega Surprise
Smashers Lava Light Up Dino Mega Surprise

Make-A-Fort Build Kit

Never hear “I’m bored” again. With this kit, what happens next is totally up to imagination. A maze? A mansion? An igloo? $77, ages 4+, makeafort.fun

Make_A_Fort-Build-kits-lifestyle
Make_A_Fort-Build-kits-lifestyle

Junior Foldable Fantasy Scooter

Great ride for toddlers with patented steering lock button, push-button fold, wider deck and a range of fun colors. $79.99, ages 2-5, globber.com

junior fantasty scotter
junior fantasty scotter

Super Mario Aquabeads Creation Cube Set

Create your favorite characters including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Bowser and more. Place beads in templates, spray with water and watch as the beads magically fuse together. Over 2,500 solid, jewel and star beads in 30 vibrant colors. $39.99, ages 4+, target.com

Super-Mario-Aquabeads Creation-Cube-
Super-Mario-Aquabeads Creation-Cube-

Design & Drill Bolt Buddies First Responders

Use kid-friendly power drill to snap the pieces together, then race into endless pretend-play fun with a Fire Truck, Police Motorcycle or Rescue Helicopter. Sustainable packaging transforms into a reusable playset. $21.99 - $39.99, ages 3+, educationalinsights.com

Design and drill
Design and drill

Cubles

A unique mashup between origami, puzzle, toy and craft. Promotes STEM learning through clever constructions that become playable characters. $6.99, ages 5+, cubles.com

Cubles Group
Cubles Group

Smart Teddy

An innovative toy controlled by parents through a mobile app that can lead your little ones through educational games and activities designed to promote literacy, math and social-emotional learning. $149.95, ages 3-6, smartteddy.store

smart teddy lifestyle
smart teddy lifestyle

Just Add Soap

Make science and art at home easy with supplies you already have. Loaded with at-home experiments and new discoveries. $24.95, ages 8+, griddlygames.com

Just-add-soap
Just-add-soap

Discovery #MINDBLOWN Career Play Doctor Kit

Features a wide variety of games, activities and medical-style tools, for real world medical, pretend play fun. $32.50, ages 6+, discoverymindblown.com

Discovery #MINDBLOWN Career Play Doctor Kit
Discovery #MINDBLOWN Career Play Doctor Kit

5 Surprise Toy Mini Brands Mini Toy Store

Build, store and display with the ultimate toy store. Includes shelves, accessories and magical extras to build out an extraordinary shopping world. $29.99, ages 4+, zuru.com

Surprise-Toy-Mini-Brands-Toy-Shop-13
Surprise-Toy-Mini-Brands-Toy-Shop-13

Count Along Basket & Scanner

Let’s shop with play food, shopping lists and scanners. Carry the basket or expand into a rolling cart while learning about new food groups, colors, shapes and numbers. $34.99, ages 2+, store.leapfrog.com

Count-Along Basket & Scannerâ„¢
Count-Along Basket & Scannerâ„¢

Bakugan GeoForge Dragonoid

Features six exclusive Geogan to build the ultimate Dragonoid. Watch as it pops open from its unique shape into a fierce creature. $39.99, ages 6+, amazon.com

Bakugan GeoForge Dragonoid
Bakugan GeoForge Dragonoid

Itty Bitty Pretty Angel High

Seven fabulous pint-size dolls with stylish and swappable fashion accessories. Packing transforms into a display. $9.99, ages 3+, target.com

Angel-High
Angel-High

Treasures Await! Adventure Ship

Climb aboard from the fold-down stairs, spin the ship’s steering wheel, keep watch from the crow’s nests and more. Includes a detachable rowboat and a treasure chest. $59.99, ages 3-8,lakeshorelearning.com

Animal Planet Electronic Battling Dino

Bring the animal kingdom to life. Let your instincts take over and your imagination go wild, but beware of the hungry, real-life T-rex lurking around the corner. $39.99, ages 3+, target.com

Animal Planet Electronic Battling Dinos
Animal Planet Electronic Battling Dinos

Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truck™

Do your part to help the earth with this recycling truck made from 90 percent reclaimed plastic. Beginner recyclers will love hopping on this lean, green recycling machine. $29.84, ages 2-5, walmart.com

Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truckâ„¢
Sort & Recycle Ride-On Truckâ„¢

Snapsies Mix and Match Surprise

Offers a whole world of animal characters each with its own distinct personalities, looks and accessories that you can customize in a snap. $9.99, ages 3+, amazon.com

SNAPSIES Mix and Match Surprise
SNAPSIES Mix and Match Surprise

Superhero Rescue

A hands-on adventure to learn about muscles while developing healthy exercise habits. Kit includes a top-secret mission pack and STEAM projects to save the forest. $29.95, ages 5-8, amazon.com

Superhero Rescue
Superhero Rescue

Mosaic Photo Frame Craft Kit

Beautiful shimmery colorful mosaic pieces made from mother of pearl shells. Everything kids need to create a unique frame. $15.99, ages 6+, plbfun.com

Mosaic-Frame
Mosaic-Frame

Scribble Scrubbie Ocean Pets Lagoon Playset

Use the washable markers to customize the crew: shark, octopus, whale and clownfish pets. $29.99, ages 3+, michaels.com

Sketch Pals Doodle Board

Clipable board characters, perfect for backpacks, lunchboxes or carry-on luggage. With the push of a button, the doodle board instantly clears itself for a new creation. $19.99, ages 4+, myboogieboard.com

Sketch Pals Doodle Board
Sketch Pals Doodle Board

Choppin’ Fun Learning Pot

Prepare for a recipe of learning. Chop the food, set the temperature dial and start cooking. $21.99, ages 1-4, shop.leapfrog.com

Choppin’ Fun Learning Pot™
Choppin’ Fun Learning Pot™

Spirograph® Animator

Experience the vibrant way for aspiring artists to create millions of designs. This toy allows you to watch creations come alive with an amazing 3D effect. $26.95, ages 8+, walmart.com

Spirograph-Animator-Box
Spirograph-Animator-Box

Chalk of the Town Raspberry Heart T-Shirt Kit

Celebrate the holidays with this DIY T-Shirt kit. Features a unique chalkboard heart surface on the front to draw and create new designs. $29.95, ages 4+, amazon.com

Chalk of the Town T-Shirt Kit Out of Package Raspberry
Chalk of the Town T-Shirt Kit Out of Package Raspberry

Gift Box Ornament Decorator

A DIY craft to embrace the holiday season, allowing kids to make hand-decorated ornaments for the tree. $27.99, ages 4+, eggmazing.com

Gift Box Ornament Decorator Lifestyle
Gift Box Ornament Decorator Lifestyle

STEAM Paper Butterflies Science Kit

Create beautiful paper butterflies that explode with color while learning about capillary action. Use colorful inks to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces. $22.99, ages 7+, amazon.com

STEAM Paper Butterfly Science Kit
STEAM Paper Butterfly Science Kit

PIXTER

Unleash your inner artist. Select an image and the electronic drawing coach will show you how to draw step-by-step, one line at a time. $19.99, ages 6+, pixtertoy.com

NSI-INTERNATIONAL-PIXTER
NSI-INTERNATIONAL-PIXTER

Mindful Animals Calming Activity Cards

Pause and destress with 50 animal-themed mindfulness and relaxation techniques for kids. Help calm and soothe after a busy day or even in the middle of one. $12, ages 4+, petitcollage.com

Squishmallow Food Squad

Are you a foodie? This toy features everything from appetizers to cheeseburgers to desserts. A squad member of carry out food for everyone. $19.99, all ages, squishmallows.com

Squishmallow Food Squad
Squishmallow Food Squad

Spill Proof Washable Paint

Keep craft time simple and easy with this newest less mess innovation. Helps little ones express their creativity without spills or drips. $11.49, ages 3+, shop.crayola.com

Spill-Proof Washable Paint
Spill-Proof Washable Paint

Colorforms® 70th Anniversary Edition

This classic vinyl playset provides safe, creative and imaginative play. Includes shapes of squares, triangles and circles to foster creative and geometric fun. $24.99, ages 3+, playmonster.com

Colorforms-70th
Colorforms-70th

KidiZoom® PrintCam™

Click and print instantly. Take beautiful panoramas or flip up the lens for selfies. The included paper roll prints up to 80 images. $71, ages 4-11, walmart.com

KidiZoom® PrintCam
KidiZoom® PrintCam

Rainbow Pebbles

Bring home STEAM learning through colorful, sensory play. Includes activity cards to boost exploration and imagination. Starting at $19.99 for mini jars, ages 3+, amazon.com

Rainbow Pebbles
Rainbow Pebbles

Shimmercorns Sparkle Makeover

These DIY unicorns come with wings, stencils, markers and a brush to express your creative side. $12.99, ages 3+, justplayproducts.com

Shimmercorns Sparkle Makeover-Group
Shimmercorns Sparkle Makeover-Group

Game On!

Asymbol

Explore imagination and creativity as you build 3D forms from the 47 wooden shapes. Assemble“things,” “beings,” “places,” “events” or “activities” and challenge others to guess your vision. $36, ages 8+, simplyfun.com

Asymbol_photo-play-robot_credit-SimplyFun
Asymbol_photo-play-robot_credit-SimplyFun

OuiSi (“we-see”) Games

A set of 210 visually-connecting photo cards, with games and activities that foster creativity and ignite curiosity. $35.00, ages 4+, ouisi.co

OuiSi
OuiSi

Pokémon Labyrinth

Explore with Pikachu, Squirtle, Charmander or Bulbasaur. Be the first to catch all the Pokémon. $34.99, ages 7+, ravensburger.com

Pokémon Labyrinth
Pokémon Labyrinth

Taco Bell Party Pack Card Game

Gather crunchy tacos, freezes and other menu items in a card game. Satisfy your crew’s specific cravings to collect crave chips and win the most points. $16.99, ages 8+, tacobelltacoshop.com

Taco Bell Party Pack Card Game
Taco Bell Party Pack Card Game

Corner Crush

Game of memory and strategy – with a twist. Drop your tokens into the rotating tower and play around the corners to score four in a row. $19.99, ages 7+, biggcreative.com

Corner Crush
Corner Crush

MasterChef Family Cooking Game

Family fun and learning come together as you cook your way through a series of challenges such as Mystery Ingredients, Game Changers and Mad Skills. Discover new dishes with 22 family-tested recipes. $19.99, ages 8+, wildertoys.com

MasterChef Family Cooking Game
MasterChef Family Cooking Game

Disney Ring It On

Race to find matches for your favorite characters. When you complete a four-of-a-kind, ring that bell. $14.99, ages 6+, playmonster.com

Disney-Ring-It-On_L-Angle
Disney-Ring-It-On_L-Angle

Zombie Chase

Imagine being trapped inside an amusement park with the janitor-turned-zombie. This strategy game is all about finding an escape before becoming zombified. $19.99, ages 7+, playmonster.com

Zombie Chase™
Zombie Chase™

Storyteller’s Card Game

Boost kids' vocabulary and creative storytelling with this hilarious card game. Developed with childhood literacy experts and Hollywood artists. Includes 300-word cards and 200 story prompts. $29, ages 7+, mrswordsworth.com

Storytellers Card Game
Storytellers Card Game

Disney 5 Second Rule

Seems like it would be easy to name three Disney characters, but can you do it under the pressure of 5 seconds? Be quick, while having fun. $24.99, ages 6+, entertainmentearth.com

Disney-5-Sec-Rule
Disney-5-Sec-Rule

nut nut Squirrel!

The pesky squirrel is going after your hard-earned stash of nuts. Outsmart your opponents to win this game of squirrelly snacks, suspense and surprises. $11.99, ages 4+, pbnjgames.com

nut-nut-Squirrel
nut-nut-Squirrel

Candy Collections!

A beginners board game with a sweet theme. Roll the dice and start collecting. Extra bonus – the youngest goes first. $24.99, ages 5+, cybelesgames.com

CybelesGames-product-photo
CybelesGames-product-photo

Bold Made

Flip the script with this game featuring bold women who made huge impacts on our world. $19.99, ages 3+, boldmade.com

Marvel Eye Found It! ™Card Game

Explore the Marvel Universe as you take turns searching for specific hidden objects. $7.99, ages 3+, barnesandnoble.com

Marvel-Eye-Found-It-TM-Card-Game-BOX
Marvel-Eye-Found-It-TM-Card-Game-BOX

Blah Blah Blah Phonics Card Game

Decode words using phonics with three decks of increasing difficulty, race to get rid of cards by matching sounds and letters and play wild cards to trip up your opponents. $27, ages 4+, mrswordsmith.com

Blah Blah Blah Phonics Card Game
Blah Blah Blah Phonics Card Game

Cluckle

A dice-popping, word-making, chicken-grabbing game. Squeeze the chicken to pop out the die and flip egg tiles to see your letters to practice spelling while having fun. $9.99, ages 7+, biggcreative.com

BigGCreative_Cluckle_BeautyShot
BigGCreative_Cluckle_BeautyShot

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: NAPPA Awards: Holiday Gift Guide 2021