These Games and Toys Make Great Gifts for Younger Kids
When it comes to holiday shopping, it’s so much fun to think about the smiles returned as a result of giving. There’s nothing more delightful than to see a young child hug a toy or squeal in delight about the idea of playing games as a family. With so many people avoiding brick and mortar stores and opting to shop online, we recognize the importance of sharing ideas for the youngest gift recipients sooner than later. I mean, really, it’s hard enough when the shelves at the store are bare in a normal year. We don’t want that for anyone this year. We want you to have the ideas in hand so you can shop early and get the things you really want. So this gift guide is filled with a variety of 18 games and toys for young kids!
As you peruse the list of toys and games below, if you see something that strikes you, be sure to purchase it sooner than later. If you happen to purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission for your purchases. Don’t forget to keep watch for many of these items as they’re part of our Mega Giveaway promotion!
Penguin Pile Up!
Ravensburger
Wobby Icebergs ahead! One by one, carefully pile your penguins onto the ice. As more penguins pile on, the iceberg becomes more and more unstable! Will your penguins keep their balance, or fall into the sea?
Rattlesnake Jake
Goliath Games
Rattlesnake Jake has stolen your gold! Watch out for his rattle, and carefully sneak the gold back. One wrong move… and he strikes! His ominous rattle builds the suspense for the ultimate jump! If Rattlesnake Jake strikes on your turn, you must return half of your nuggets to him. The player with the most gold when the last nugget has been taken wins the game. Requires 3 AAA batteries, not included. For 2 or more players, ages 4 and up.
Hedgehog Haberdash
HABA USA
The hedgehog children are playing dress-up. They want to have big spines in their favorite colors. To do this, the players need to draw leaves with the right colored points out of the leaf bag, but be careful! The wind can blow the leaves around so that even leaves you thought were safely yours fly away again! The first player to completely decorate their hedgehog with leaves in their color wins the game. A bright and colorful memory game.
Clifford Library Boat Puzzle w/Sound
MasterPieces Inc.
Clifford the Big Red Dog plays with friends in his giant Doghouse. Listen along to the Clifford the Big Red Dog show song as you work on this 24-piece puzzle which will build to a large 19″ x 14″ size. This is part of MasterPieces’ Right Fit® puzzles collection, which will make sure your little one gets the correct piece count and size for a good challenge for their age. This puzzle is the Right Fit for ages 3+.
Bear Down!
AMIGO
Slide in water tiles to make the river flow in a race to catch the most fish, but watch out as you get near the edge–your bear may get washed over the falls and end up . . . bear-handed!
Pick Up & Count Vacuum
LeapFrog
Count on picking up learning with the Pick Up & Count Vacuum™! This smart vacuum toy picks up ten play dust pieces as kids roll the vacuum over them, encouraging motor skills as they easily maneuver the pretend vacuum around the room. As the vacuum picks up the dust pieces, it recognizes each color and helps children with color recognition. Bouncing balls inside the spinning vacuum canister add excitement to pretend tidying. Three play modes teach colors, numbers and counting with six learning games.
My Fairy Garden Fairy Light Garden
Playmonster
The Fairy Light Garden features a charming fairy house, that when children blow on it, lights up like magic! To turn off the light, children can blow on it again! The lighted house sits atop a rocky base amongst the gardening area, where children grow plants and play with their fairy friend Saffron and her beautiful unicorn! There’s also a small pond and working water wheel for added play!
Husker Du
Winning Moves Games
This classic picture matching memory game for young children has been updated with vibrant new images. The Husker Du game engages kids while they search for matching objects. Kids will learn memory skills, matching skills, turn taking, color, shape and object recognition. The player with the most pegs at the end of the game wins! Contains: Cardboard Game Platform with Picture Wheel, 36 Plastic Game Pegs and instructions.
Go! Go! Cory Carson Stay & Play Home
VTech
Welcome to the Go! Go! Cory Carson® Cory’s Stay & Play Home™, just like in the original series, Go! Go! Cory Carson. Explore every room with Cory, Mama and Chrissy Carson mini characters in this 360° playset. This house is built just for cars with a pretend bathtub car wash complete with scrub brush, ramps and more. Hang out in Cory’s room and place mini characters on the PlayZone™ location to hear unique phrases, sing-along songs and sounds. Slide down the ramp to watch T.V. in the living room or try to get Chrissy to take a bath just like in the show!
Robots
Pandasaurus Games
Robots is a 2020 Kinderspiel des Jahres nominee in which players must work together (or separately!) to figure out what speed means to each other. How far do you think the robot will move in about 4 seconds? Well, it depends on how fast it’s going! Players must develop a feeling for time and speed together without talking. It won’t take long for the team to work out where the robot has stopped!
PenSilly
Never Wrong Toys
PENSILLY™ is the super, silly drawing and guessing game! It takes creativity, teamwork and imagination to play! Grab your friends, select your cards and sketch out the clues. The team who collects the most points, WINS! But it’s not that simple, you see, PENSILLY™ makes drawing CRAZY! It shakes and moves as you sketch out the clues. There are over 5,500 clue combinations with 2 Levels of play!
Magna-Tiles Treasure Hunt
Ravensburger
Magna-Tiles® Treasure Hunt combines the power of play with hands-on learning and creativity! Children collect golden coins in Jungle Treasure, act like a monkey in Island Race, or create their own game by making new rules! Magna-Tiles®: Treasure Hunt is a great first game that grows with your child and encourages fine motor skills, imagination, social development, and more!
Kokonana
KTBG
The race is on! Use your memory skills and a little luck to be the first across the river and into the ancient temple. Advance your runner each turn and look for matching stepping stones to create a bridge to the other side. At the halfway point, you choose a key and when you arrive at the temple, you must find the door your key opens! The first one to enter, wins!
Take Apart Dump Truck
Funstruction Toys
TAKE APART TOY WITH TOOLS – This Dump Truck is one of the best kids building toys around! The Toy Tool Set includes a toy electric drill, toy screwdriver and three bits you can use with both! It comes with a full set of nut and bolts too!
KIDS LOVE CONSTRUCTION TRUCKS! This toy dump truck has a working bed that dumps! When you’re looking for construction toys, look no further!
Story Magic Storybook Maker
Horizon Group USA
Create. Pretend. Play. Immerse yourself in the whimsical world of Story Magic™ — where you can inspire imagination and creative thinking through open-ended storytelling. Open up the box to find a magical storybook and everything any storyteller needs to create their own tales. Spin the story wheel to add characters, emotions, and settings to your story — then use the drawing guide, stencils, and markers to bring it all to life in your drawing guide book! Of course, the best stories have special surprises — so add confetti and gemstones in fun shapes and sizes! Make every page in your storybook unique by gluing down punch-outs from the included sheets.
In a Flash! Firefighters
HABA USA
The sirens are blaring as the In a Flash Firefighters arrive. Just in time too, because the bales of hay on farmer Rudi’s farm are on fire! Help try to put out the fire but watch out! The water hoses are all in a jumble. The first person to untangle and lay out their hose tiles to reach the fire is awarded a firefighting medal. But the fire hasn’t been completely put out yet! The player who collects three medals wins. A racing arrangement game for 2-4 firefighters.
Burping Bobby
Goliath Games
Bobby loves stinky food! Feed him, but watch out – you never know when he’s going to BUUUURRRRP! Real lights and steam will burst from his mouth when he burps! The player with the most points after Bobby burps wins. Innovative “gotcha!” moment with familiar gameplay that kids love. Requires 3 AAA batteries, not included. For 2-4 players, ages 4 and up.
Ready, Set, Sloth!
Ravensburger
Sloths are the slowest animals in the jungle, but a comfy new hammock in the treetops is worth racing for! Climb the trees as fast as you can without falling asleep or breaking a branch. Get to the hammock first to win!
We hope you’ve found a few ideas for the youngsters on your shopping list. Stay tuned in the coming days for gift guides that include more games, STEM gift ideas, stocking stuffers and more!
Robots are never a bad thing.
The Take Apart Dump Truck looks neat .
Robots looks cool and will help them with learning speeds!
Burping Bobby is a game that I need to check out.
Robots and Hedgehog Haberdash both look super cute. Those are the ones I’d want to purchase before they sell out!
Penguin Pile Up looks gun. My kids would love that!
Loved Husker Du as a kid, but for my own kids I’m thinking about getting Kokonana!
I’d have to go with Robots. I think gaming at a young age broadens the mind
I’de like to get Ready, Set, Sloth! for my kids for Christmas. That one looks cute.
Great list, will come in handy
Burping Bobby looks disgusting so my boys would probably love it. Haha!
Penguin Pile Up!
I’d like to get Robots (as mentioned before it looks good!)
My Fairy Garden Fairy Light Garden for my girls.
My nephew loves Rattlesnake Jake!
The Take Apart Dump Truck looks like something the kids at my work would enjoy.
The Hedgehog game!
Pensilly sounds like something kids and adults would enjoy.
I would love to get Ready, Set, Sloth! before it sells out. We love sloths!
I love games that employ memory as a mechanic, so Kokonana looks like fun.
Rattle Snake Jake! Sounds, fun, and has a fun name!
I would like to get the Go! Go! Cory Carson Stay & Play Home before they sell out.
I would tend towards Kokonana.
I’d have to go with Robots.
Magna-Tiles Treasure Hunt
Would like to get before it sells out is the Pick Up & Count Vacuum, my grandson would love this.
I would like to purchase Magna-Tiles Treasure Hunt!
RATTLESNAKE JAKE
I think the Clifford game would be a hit, because of the Clifford movie being out!
We had a toy vacuum cleaner like the one pictured. It made noise and the balls popped around, and there was a light on the bottom of the toy. The kids loved it
The take apart dump truck would be a hit with my boys