27 November 2020 Blog, Seasonal, Christmas, Blog, Recommendations

The Best Toys for Kids: Ultimate Gift Guide Christmas 2020

Looking for the best toys for children this Christmas? Something that will stimulate and engage your kids long after the turkey has gone cold. Read on for the must-have toys for 2-7 year olds this Christmas. Toys that will develop their imagination, create learning opportunities and have kids coming back to play again and again.

In a hurry? Here is a brief summary of my top toy picks for Christmas by age group. Keep reading for a more detailed description.

Toys for 2 year olds:

Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game: Kids sharpen their fine-motor skills and enjoy two games in one toy by flipping over the wooden game board.

Skoolzy Peg Board Set: Children will love these easy to grasp pegs, and they can then sort, stack and focus on colour recognition while building tall towers.

Mega Bloks Construction Table: Watch your kids create almost anything they can imagine on this portable folding table which comes with 20 First Builders blocks.

Crayola Double Doodle Board: Encourage doodling with this mess-free, drawing board which is perfect for car journeys.

Pipes Building Bath Toy Set: Get ready for loads of water-based fun with these pipes, cogs, and tubes which attach to the side of the bath.

Toys for 3 year olds:

Haba Town Maze Magnetic STEM Developmental Activity: Have fun and practise fine motor skills while using the magnetic wand to get colourful balls back to their home.

Flower Garden Building Toy Educational Activity: Budding gardeners will learn about different types of flowers as they build their own unique garden.

Learning Resources 1-2-3 Build It!: Chunky, easy-to-handle parts let kids build and rebuild their own rocket, train or helicopter before embarking on imaginative journeys.

Daniel Tiger’s Welcome to Main Street: Daniel Tiger and his friends come to life in this fun, cooperative game which is a great first board game for little ones.

Kid K’NEX – Budding Builders Building Set: The perfect building set that will ignite kid’s natural curiosity and creativity with a 100 vibrantly-coloured pieces,

Toys for 4 year olds:

KID K’NEX – Oodles of Pals Building Set: Kids will be able to build amazing models with colourful eyes, spinning wheels, tractor scoops, big feet, and curly tails.

Water Doodle Mat: This extra-large magical water painting pad allows your children to paint on any large flat surface with the mess-free water pen.

Marble Run: Every child loves the challenge of creating a successful marble run and the best bit – they will learn patience, critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.

Pete The Cat: The Missing Cupcake Game: Bring Pete the Cat and his friends to life with this engaging game involving songs, acting and identifying favourite animals and food.

What Should Danny Do? : An innovative, interactive “choose your own adventure style” book gives kids the power to guide Danny on his journey of adventures.

Toys for 5 year olds:

Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes: These fun stunt planes are 100% kid-powered. Kids need to run, jump and stomp to launch three different stunt planes.

Dig a Dozen Dino Eggs Dig Kit: Children will love feeling like a real palaeontologist (fossil hunter), while breaking open these dinosaur eggs and discovering what is hiding inside.

Crazy Forts: This award-winning building toy comes with 69 child-safe toggles and rods that join together to build any structure from your child’s imagination.

Crayola Picture Projector: This unique gift allows your children to create art on the reusable screen and then project their creations on the wall, ceiling – anywhere they want!

World of Disney Eye Found It Board Game: An “eye-spy” themed game with a colourful six-foot long board, full of Disney characters your children know and love.

Toys for 6 year olds:

Light-up Terrarium Kit for Kids: This kit lets your children discover the beauty of nature by creating their own beautiful miniature garden within a container with an LED light.

Carry and Go Stencil Set for Kids: This art set will spark your child’s imagination and enhance their artistic skills with over 300+ stencils and a handy carrying case.

Marvin’s Magic Box: Looking for the ultimate magic kit for starters? This kit will enable your little magician to perform professional magic tricks for friends and family.

ThinkFun Roller Coaster Challenge: A logic game and roller coaster building set that comes with 40 challenges of increasing difficulty, from beginner to expert.

Plugo Link Construction Kit: Transforms your device into a fun learning system by giving your kids the chance to solve real-world problems and develop their engineering skills.

Toys for 7 year olds:

ThinkFun Gravity Maze: A gravity-powered maze game which comes with 60 challenges of increasing difficulty, making it a great present for kids who like puzzles.

Crayola Light-Up Tracing Pad: A sturdy light-up tracing pad will allow your creative artists trace the 100+ images included or find their own images to trace.

Active Flyer: Keep kids active with this lightweight flying ring which can be caught in the smallest of hands, on the wrist or even the foot!

National Geographic’s Crystal Growing Kit: The perfect project for kids and serves as a great introduction to geology and chemistry.

Harry Potter Top Trumps Match Board Game: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter gets a new adventure with this brand new edition of Top Trumps Match.

What are the best toys for Christmas?

Toys that can be used in a number of different ways will keep your child’s attention for longer.
Toys that will grow with your child – different levels of difficulty or playing options as your child gets older.
Toys that encourage exploring, experimenting and problem-solving.
Toys that focus on hands-on play. Open-ended activities will engage your child’s creativity.

Top Toys for 2 year-olds

Top Toys for 3 year-olds

Top Toys for 4 year-olds

Top Toys for 5 year-olds

Top Toys for 6 year-olds

Top Toys for 7 year-olds

My Top Toy Picks for 2 year-olds:

Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game

This colourful and engaging magnetic fishing game is a beautiful toy your children will love to play with again and again. Kids can enjoy two games in one toy – they can use the doll magnets to search and pull fish from under the iced lake on one side or they can use the magnetic fishing poles to hook fish in the ocean on the other side. Clear, easy to understand instructions are included. There are so many educational benefits for kids such as enhanced colour recognition, hand-eye coordination, counting practice and concentration skills. The quality craftsmanship and sturdy wooden construction ensures this toy will be enjoyed for years to come.

Why do I love this toy?

It is made from natural wood with bright engaging colours for young children.
The wooden letters can be used to make simple CVC words for reading practice.
Children will love learning about sea life, letter sounds and colour recognition while practising patience and problem-solving.

Skoolzy Peg Board Set

The Skoolzy Peg Board Set will keep your 2 year-old entertained for hours because there are so many fun ways to play with it. Children will grasp, sort, stack, count focus on colour recognition while building tall towers. Kids can easily match colours as they stack and nest the pegs into each other. It comes with 30 Pegs in 6 colours and a large foam pegboard which has numbers on one side and is blank on the other. Also included is a foam rainbow dice for games, together with a lacing string and drawstring tote bag. The pegs are a large size which are easy for little hands and fingers to grasp and stack. Download the free ebook which is full of suggestions on how to use the peg board for games and learning activities.

Why do I love this toy?

It is an excellent toy for fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, visual perception skills and visual motor coordination.
The pegs can be used for lacing activities, using the string included.
You can use the drawstring tote bag to conveniently store all the toy pieces for travelling.

Mega Bloks Construction Table

The Mega Bloks Construction Table allows your child to build directly onto the table using the specially printed First Builders blocks. Watch your kids create almost anything they can imagine. Included in this set is the portable folding table, over 20 First Builders blocks and two rolling wheelbases. The tabletop track allows for rolling constructions. The table is compatible with all First Builders sets so you can use your existing Mega Bloks sets. It folds up for easy travel and features interior storage for the blocks. This convenient table makes for a stable platform where your child can start to learn through independent play and interactive discovery.

Why do I love this toy?

The table is sturdy and well-made. It will not collapse against the weight of a child pushing blocks down onto it.
There is plenty of storage for blocks when it is folded.
The size and shape of the included blocks encourage creative play and imaginative building.

Crayola Double Doodle Board

The Crayola Double Doodle Board allows kids to doodle with crayons and engage in mess-free, tactile play on a single portable drawing board. It has two different sides to play with, providing young artists with double the fun. One side features a sealed gel surface that simulates the feeling of finger painting, but without the mess of real paint. The other side provides a more traditional crayon-and-paper drawing experience. Kids can doodle on the drawing surface, which easily wipes clean for endless fun. This set includes three washable Tripod Grip crayons that easily wash from hands, clothing and walls.

Why do I love this toy?

The board is sturdy and compact, which makes it a great car activity for kids.
The triangular-shaped Tripod Grip crayons help encourage little fingers to develop a proper writing grip.
Perfect for developing doodlers to discover swirls, line, and shapes.

Pipes Building Bath Toy Set

These inventive bath toys will provide lots of fun, bath-time play. The toy pipes, cogs, and tubes attach to the side of the bath by suction and can be used individually or to create a chain to pour water through. The toy cogs are designed in a way that whenever water is poured the wheels will spin round like a fine-tuned machine. Included in the colourful set are 5 pipes, 5 cogs and 3 tubes. They are easy to hand-wash in warm, soapy water and air dry.

Why do I love this toy?

The tubes are sturdy and of high-quality. The little fans and flippers add an additional level of entertainment.
The suctions work really well when applied to a flat, dry wall.
It helps children develop engineering skills, creativity, reasoning abilities, spatial intelligence and creative thinking.

My Top Toy Picks for 3 year-olds:

Haba Town Maze Magnetic STEM Developmental Activity This is a great STEM toy to help develop fine motor dexterity, visual spatial skills, counting and colour recognition. The aim of the game is to get the colourful balls back home to their matching-coloured garage. By sliding the magnetic wand over the plastic cover your child can guide the balls home while navigating the roadblocks.

Why do I love this toy?

The magnetic wand is tethered to game-board by string, with a storage slot on the side of the board (the string is just long enough to reach all parts of the maze but not too long so as to get tangled or present a safety hazard).
The small balls are completely self-contained, making it safe for young children and easy to take in the car or when travelling.
Bright and cheerful graphics encourage creativity and early language development, while the challenges of the game promote problem-solving skills.

Flower Garden Building Toy Educational Activity

This is an engaging educational toy that will help your child to learn about the parts of a plant while developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This pretend gardening set is a bright and colourful STEM toy made with BPA free, eco-friendly materials. The set contains: 1 box, 8 bases, 52 stem and leaf sections, 34 flower pieces, 34 stamen and 2 flower pots.

Why do I love this toy?

Easy to clean and pack away in the handy green box, so it is great for taking in the car or travelling.
The creative possibilities are endless as children can build, match and sort the flowers in different combinations each time they play.
Children will learn the names of a selection of flower types – lilies, daisies, morning glory, plum blossom, orchid, hibiscus and murraya.

Learning Resources 1-2-3 Build It!

This building kit allows children to construct three different vehicles from just one set of mix-and-match parts. Chunky, easy-to-handle parts let kids build and rebuild their own rocket, train or helicopter before embarking on imaginative journeys. Children improve vocabulary skills of building parts such as wheels and propellers while developing fine motor skills. Included in the kit are the multi-purpose parts needed to create three vehicles (one at a time), a play wrench and fun pilot figure.

Why do I love this toy?

Early engineering concepts are promoted through hands-on building and problem-solving skills.
Kid-sized play wrench helps kids put vehicles together and helps them get an understand of real-world tools
Instructions are included to help children understand how the pieces fit together. As they develop their skills, they can begin to build independently.

Daniel Tiger’s Welcome to Main Street

Looking to introduce your 3-year-old to board games? This is the perfect game to start with as it is a simple enough concept to hold their attention, while encouraging non-competitive, interactive gameplay. In the Welcome to Main Street game, players join Daniel Tiger and his friends as they make their way through the Neighbourhood of Make-Believe. Players stop-by shops on Main Street to collect items for their backpacks, while always remembering to say “Thank you!”. Board games help build social skills and an understanding of waiting for your turn. This game also promotes simple counting and coordination skills.

Why do I love this game?

With only a 1, 2, 3 spinner, it is easy enough for a 3 year-old to play and understand.
Encourages interactive gameplay and builds social skills while reinforcing simple counting and coordination.
Can be played with 2 to 4 players, so it is a game the whole family can get involved in.

Kid K’NEX – Budding Builders Building Set

This is the perfect first building set for 3 year-olds. It will ignite their natural curiosity and creativity. Children learn the basic concepts of building with a toy set that contains 100 vibrantly-coloured pieces, such as eyes, curly tails, floppy ears, big feet, bendable joints, and spinning propellers. Promote creativity by allowing your child to craft basic-looking figures on their own, and guide them in constructing complex structures that will ignite their curiosity. This STEM-based toy supports key areas of a 3 year-olds’ developmental growth such as strengthening hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, and, of course, exercising their imagination.

Why do I love this toy?

The connector pieces are large and rubber, which makes it easy for young children to hold and connect, and the large, plastic rods are easy to manipulate.
Comes in a reusable plastic tub that allows convenient storage of the pieces, making it easy to transport.
Comes with an instruction sheet that contains step-by-step procedures for 50 building ideas.

My Top Toy Picks for 4 year-olds:

KID K’NEX – Oodles of Pals Building Set

Let your kids’ creativity and imagination expand with this building set. They will be able to build amazing models with colourful eyes, spinning wheels, tractor scoops, big feet, and curly tails. Sixty building ideas are included and will let your children construct structures of varying size and difficulty. The K’NEX Oodles of Pals contains 116 large and flexible parts and pieces that allow young builders to create designs of varying sizes and difficulty.

Why do I love this toy?

It encourages a fundamental understanding of STEM subjects.
Building helps to strengthen hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, problem-solving skills and spatial awareness.
It promotes creative thinking as children can create their own unique designs.

Water Doodle Mat

This magical water painting pad allows your child (and friends) to paint on any large flat surface. Floors, tables, inside, outside…so many possibilities. Simply fill the magic pen with clean water and draw on the magic drawing mat. After 3-10 minutes, it magically disappears and children can paint on the drawing mat again. And again. The Water Doodle Mat comes with 1 large Doodle mat (100cm x 150cm), 6 magic pens, 8 drawing moulds, 4 drawing templates, 1 drawing booklet and 1 roller stamp set.

Why do I love this toy?

It can be folded to a small size so it is portable for outdoors and travelling.
You’ll never make a mess – there is no ink, no paint and it is all non-toxic.
It helps with the development of colour and shape recognition, cognitive abilities and creative skills.

Marble Run

This great marble run set includes 100 pieces of colourful tubes along with regular-sized glass marbles. Your child will have endless building possibilities and then get to stand back and proudly watch the marbles run along their own tracks. The tracks are easy to stick together and stable, once built. Children will love this STEM-based marble run which also comes with assembly instructions. After they experiment with the recommended designs, kids will be able to build many different tracks using their imagination and creativity.

Why do I love this toy?

It helps develop kids’ hand-eye coordination and concentration.
As they experiment with different designs, they will learn patience, critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.
Children love the challenge of getting the marble through the run – it will keep them occupied for hours!

Pete The Cat: The Missing Cupcake Game

This Pete the Cat game, based on the popular book series, is a game of luck, memory, and cooperation, designed for younger kids. In this board game, players work together to get the missing cupcakes back from Grumpy Toad. Kids will love this engaging game with challenges that involve singing songs, acting out physical activities, and identifying favourite animals, food, and words. The game includes 14 cupcakes, 20 birthday present cards, game board, spinner, 4 game pieces, Grumpy Toad and Cupcake tray and instructions. Made for 2 to 4 players. Children will want to play again and again!

Why do I love this game?

It involves interactive singing and physical activities, perfect for keeping the attention of the little ones.
The game encourages cooperation, rather than competition.
The figures and cupcakes can be used in other imaginative play.

What Should Danny Do?

What Should Danny Do? is an innovative, interactive book that shows kids that their choices shape how their days will unfold. This book is written in a “Choose Your Own Story” style, which follows Danny, a Superhero-in-Training, through his day as he encounters choices that kids face on a daily basis. Children navigate through the different story lines, realising that the choices they make shape Danny’s day. This is the perfect present for both boys and girls. Kids will relate to Danny’s choices, while enjoying the interactive style of the book. “What Should Danny Do?” empowers kids to make positive choices while demonstrating the consequences of their choices.

Why do I love this book?

Children learn the benefits of being kind, responsible and standing-up to bullying.
This book is a great teaching tool, without being boring for kids.
It is a unique concept. Children will instantly be drawn into Danny’s life while having the power to make decisions for him.

My Top Toy Picks for 5 year-olds:

Stomp Rocket Stunt Planes

These fun stunt planes are 100% kid-powered. Kids need to run, jump and stomp to launch three different stunt planes. The planes are designed by aeronautical engineers to perform a variety of amazing stunts. Each plane is unique: the looped plane performs giant loops, the glider plane soars up to 100 feet and the wildcat plane performs all kinds of crazy tricks. Kids can adjust the angle of flight with the adjustable launch stand. This set includes the 3 Stunt Planes (Looper, Glider and Wildcat), a sturdy adjustable air rocket launch-stand and a launch stomp-pad with an air hose. These toy rocket launchers are perfect STEM toys. Kids will have great while learning about aerodynamics. It will also get your kids up and about, which isn’t a bad thing over Christmas.

Why do I love this toy?

This toy has won awards from industry experts, including iParenting Media, Dr. Toy, and Creative Child Magazine.
You can pair this toy with the Stomp Rocket Science book and get kids interested in STEM subjects early.

Dig a Dozen Dino Eggs Dig Kit

Children will love feeling like a real paleontologist (fossil hunter), while looking for these dinosaur eggs. Find the egg, break it open and see which dinosaur is inside. This dinosaur egg kit includes 12 dino eggs. Each egg contains one of 12 unique dinosaur models, including a T-rex, Dilophosaurus, Ankylosaurus and many more. Once dug up, kids can find the appropriate full-coloured learning card (one for each dinosaur) which describes the history and characteristics of the dinosaur. This is a fun and engaging educational gift which is great for individual play or as a group activity. Children will be fascinated as soon as they open the box. This game introduces kids to science and paleontology in a fun and exciting way.

Why do I love this toy?

This is a great hands-on STEM learning tool.
Hands-on learning is the best kind and this kit will keep little hands and minds engaged.
The dinosaur figures can be used in imaginative play after they have been uncovered.

Crazy Forts

Crazy Forts are a unique, award winning, building and creative toy. Crazy Forts come with 69 child-safe toggles and rods that join together to build any play space from your child’s imagination. Create a cave one day, an Igloo, Pirate Ship, or Castle the next . . . put the pieces together in different configurations, cover with bed sheets and kids will have a unique play space every time! Crazy Fort is powered by a child’s imagination. Each Crazy Fort Kit contains 25 geometrically precise balls and 44 sticks that connect safely to create a multitude of possible play structures.

Why do I love this toy?

It helps develop kids’ hand-eye coordination and concentration.
As they experiment with different designs, they will learn patience, critical thinking and problem-solving techniques.
Children love the challenge of making their structure stable and secure through experimentation.

Crayola Picture Projector This unique gift allows your children to create art on the reusable screen and then project their creations on the wall, ceiling – anywhere they want. The Picture Projector comes with 3 brightly coloured wet-erase markers that wipe clean from the drawing surface so it can be used again and again. It also has built-in marker storage so it is easy to transport and is great for sleepovers, camping trips, or bedtime stories.

Why do I love this toy?

The projector can be used as a personalised night light so children can create their own designs before they go to bed each night
It has adjustable focus for clearer images and different sizes.
It is convenient to take it anywhere, whether your child has a sleepover, or wants to light up a treehouse.

Ravensburger World of Disney Eye Found It Board Game

This game will be a guaranteed family favourite as it is based on beloved Disney characters. Join Mickey and Friends on a magical journey through 12 Disney realms, from Radiator Springs and Arendelle (Frozen) to Peter Pan’s Never Land and Alice’s Wonderland. Throughout the journey, everyone searches for iconic Disney objects, while having fun and building confidence every time they say, “I found it!”. The colourful game board is six-foot long and full of Disney characters your children will know and love, including Mickey Mouse, Belle, Tigger, Tinker Bell, Buzz Lightyear, Alice, Woodie, Elsa and many more. The instructions are clear, simple to understand and easy to teach to younger children.

Why do I love this game?

This game helps children practice their focus, memory, matching skills, and promotes cooperation and teamwork.
Little ones will love this game because it takes just 15 minutes to play, and less than 5 minutes to teach.
Working together helps you to progress – teaching children the benefits of proper teamwork.

My Top Toy Picks for 6 year-olds:

Light-up Terrarium Kit for Kids

A terrarium is a miniature garden within a container that simulates a natural environment. This kit lets your children discover the beauty of nature by creating their own beautiful terrarium. They watch it grow during the day and see how it glows at night, with an LED light under the lid. The light which turns the terrarium into an illuminated tabletop garden can easily be recharged with the included Micro-USB cable. Everything you need is included in the kit – the terrarium jar (4″x6″), light-up jar lid, Micro-USB charging cable, a clear instruction booklet, vermiculite soil, blue sand, river rocks, wheatgrass and chia seeds, small bunny and mushroom miniatures, removable stickers for decoration, spray bottle, and a wooden stick to aid in planting the seeds.

Why do I love this toy?

This is a fun and engaging science project that children will be excited to set up and watch grow.
This product has been evaluated by STEM.org and has been authenticated as an excellent STEM related gift for kids.
Children have the freedom to layer the rocks, sand, soil, and stickers as they please, creating their own unique terrarium environment.

Carry and Go Stencil Set for Kids

This is an all-in-one art set which will spark your child’s imagination and enhance their artistic skills. Included in the set is paper, 16 large stencils with over 300+ templates, coloured pencils, a sharpener, pen and a carrying case. The handy carrying-case holds all of the supplies so this is perfect for car and plane trips. The stencils are made from non-toxic, sturdy plastic, which means the stencil stays in place when tracing. There are different-themed stencils, from planes, automobiles, boats and planets, to dinosaurs, sea creatures, farm animals and safari animals. Also included are shapes, numbers, letters, princesses, ballerinas, flowers, jewellery, butterflies and even a Christmas-themed stencil.

Why do I love this toy?

Stencils helps with the development of fine motor skills, increasing the use of small muscles in the hands, fingers, and wrists.
This open-ended activity allows children to use their creativity to draw, colour, paint, and cut to produce unique artwork.
It teaches young children self-control and patience when manoeuvring the pencils in vertical, horizontal and circular strokes.

Marvin’s Magic Box of 125 Amazing Magic Tricks

Looking for the ultimate magic kit for starters? This special Deluxe Edition Marvin’s Magic Box will enable your little magician to perform professional magic tricks for friends and family. The box features props including Marvin’s Mystical Magic Cards, Mind Reading Canisters, Magic Theatre, Magic Wand and more. The high-quality, child-friendly props have been specially designed for young hands and the kit is fantastic for all skill levels. No prior magic experience is needed. Included is an easy-to-follow illustrated instruction booklet, or you can download the Marvin’s Magic App for exclusive videos on how to perform many of the tricks. Additional bonus tricks also available online. Just scan the QR code inside and you will have access to a webpage full of videos and tricks you can do with everyday objects.

Why do I love this toy?

Putting on magic shows is a great way to boost confidence and practise presentation skills.
This is a great technology-free family activity.
It comes with a bonus Marvin’s Magic club membership and pin badge.

ThinkFun Roller Coaster Challenge

The Roller Coaster Challenge is one of ThinkFun‘s most popular STEM toys and was a Toy of the Year Award Finalist in 2018. It’s a logic game and roller coaster building set that comes with 40 challenges of increasing difficulty, from beginner to expert. It is perfect for kids who like challenging activities. Roller Coaster Challenge is a fun brain-teaser puzzle made with high quality components. It comes with a very clear and easy to understand instruction manual – you’ll be able to play within minutes of opening the box. It includes a game board, 36 posts, 39 tracks, one roller coaster car and forty challenging cards with solutions.

Why do I love this toy?

This toy is built to develop critical thinking skills and ties into STEM subjects like science and engineering.
It will improve logical reasoning, spatial reasoning and planning skills.
Each puzzle card gives you the exact number of pieces that you need to complete each coaster design, and it’s up to the “designer” to figure out where the rest of the pieces go to complete the rollercoaster and make it function.

Plugo Link Construction Kit

Plugo transforms your device into a fun-filled learning system by giving your kids the chance to solve real-world problems and develop their engineering skills. This set allows children to build structures using the magnetic links and balance them on the gamepad to solve fun problems. It is full of storytelling and features super cute characters. It includes the Plugo Gamepad (which is foldable), 15 hexagonal magnetic building blocks for connecting and 5 STEM games with 250+ levels, accessed through a free app. There is also a helpful guide with step-by-step instructions . No Bluetooth is necessary as the hexagons and the gamepad connect using embedded magnets and it is compatible with most newer devices.

Why do I love this game?

This game helps children develop engineering skills, creativity, reasoning abilities, spatial intelligence and creative thinking.
It grows with your child – you can adjust the difficulty of challenges according to the child’s age, for ages 5 to 10.
If your children enjoy this set, there are many others Plugo kits available including Maths, Music and Word games.

My Top Toy Picks for 7 year-olds:

ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run

Gravity Maze is a popular STEM toy that was a Toy of the Year Award winner in 2017. The gravity-powered maze game comes with 60 challenges of increasing difficulty, from beginner to expert making it a great present for kids who like puzzles, smart games and challenging activities. Gravity Maze is made with high-quality components, and comes with a very clear and easy to understand instruction manual – you’ll be able to play within minutes of opening the box. Gravity Maze has an educational aspect – it’s built to develop critical thinking skills and tie into STEM subjects, like science and engineering. It contains 60 challenges from beginner to expert, a game grid, 9 towers, 1 target piece, and 3 marbles.

Why do I love this toy?

There are so many ways to play – follow the cards, create your own, make it big or make it long etc.
Even adults will love the challenge of this maze, a perfect way to spend family time together.
It will sharpen children’s minds by improving logical reasoning, spatial reasoning and planning skills.

Crayola Light-Up Tracing Pad

The Crayola Light-Up Tracing Pad gives kids everything they need to learn to draw. The sturdy light-up tracing pad will allow your creative artists to trace the 100+ images included or they can find their own images to trace from magazines, photographs and comic books. Drawing in the dark brings a new element to their artistry – the LED drawing tablet illuminates the tracing sheets so kids can be imaginative at night or in daylight. They’ll love drawing, shading, and adding colour to their mini masterpieces. The set includes: 1 graphite pencil, 12 short coloured pencils, 10 tracing sheets, and 10 blank sheets. The tracing pad requires 3 AA batteries that are sold separately.

Why do I love this toy?

The evenly lit surface makes tracing lines easy to see, even in areas with low lighting.
There are more templates online that can be downloaded for free.
It encourages creativity and hand-eye coordination for young artists.

Activ Life Kid’s Flying Rings

Activ Flyer toys for 7 year-olds

Keep kids active with the Active Flyer, the best lightweight flying ring. The unique design flies straight and can be caught in the smallest of hands, on the wrist or even the foot. The flying rings weigh 33g, 80% lighter than standard flying discs, which means safe and comfortable catches for children. They can even be used supervised indoors due to their lightweight design. The rings float, so they can be used in the summer as a beach or pool toy. Kids and adults love this active gift that gets people moving around and exercising. Each 2-pack of Activ Flyers comes in a full-colour gift box.

Why do I love this toy?

It is easier to throw straight compared to a traditional frisbee and the hollow centre makes in easier for children to catch.
They are available in 8 different colours.
It’s a great way for kids to practise hand-eye coordination while having fun at the same time.

Crystal Growing Science Kit

National Geographic’s Crystal Growing Kit is the perfect project for kids and serves as a great introduction to geology and chemistry. The full-colour learning guide is packed with fascinating crystal facts that will teach kids the science behind the experiment. This science kit includes crystal growing powder, seed rock, a stir stick and a real calcite crystal. This kit will spark a love of science in your child that will last a lifetime.

Why do I love this toy?

It’s easy and quick to set up.
Kids don’t have to wait long for results – within 24 hours the crystals start to form and after 7 days the crystals look like the photos on the box.
If your child likes this kit, they can try the National Geographic Crystal Growing Garden.

Harry Potter Top Trumps Match Board Game

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter gets a new adventure with this brand new edition of Top Trumps Match. The aim of the game is to get 5 wizards, witches or creatures in a row – horizontally, vertically or diagonally, to win the game. Children will love playing with 15 of their favourite characters from Harry Potter to Hermione Granger, Professor Dumbledore to Ron Weasley. Soon they will work out strategies of how to win the game and how to steal the game from their opponents.

Why do I love this game?

It is a cross between 3 popular games – Memory, Connect 4, and Tic Tac Toe.
The game packs up well so it is easy to take travelling.
If your child enjoys this game, there are other themes available such as The Avengers, LOL, Super Mario, Toy Story and Frozen.

Choosing the best toys for kids this Christmas doesn’t have to be difficult!

Remember that educational does not have to mean boring! If you get involved with unpacking and understanding how to use these fun, developmental toys, your child will want to get involved as well. My recommendations for the best toys for 2 to 7 year-olds will allow you to have fun with your child, engage with them and enjoy spending time together – there is no greater way to bond.