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The Best Gifts for the Holidays

By Elena Epstein, director of the National Parenting Product Awards

Healthy Roots Dolls: Zoe Doll

Meet Zoe, who has learned to love her hair, specially designed with curl power that allows it to be washed and styled with real products. She wants all kids to love their curls too. $79.99, ages 6+, $79.99, ages 6+, HealthyRootsDolls.com

Go! Go! Cory Carson Cory’s Stay & Play Home

Explore every room with Cory, Mama and Chrissy Carson mini characters in this 360° playset. Built just for cars with a pretend bathtub car wash complete with scrub brush, ramps and more. Place any SmartPoint characters (sold separately) on the SmartPoint location to hear them talk, play music and light up. $39.99, ages: 2+, VTechKids.com/product/detail/19477/Go_Go_Cory_Carson_Corys_Stay_and_Play_Home

Smashers Dino Ice Age Surprise

Smash, fizz, build and battle. The giant blue dino egg comes with more than 25 different icy surprises inside. Follow the arctic scratch map through different Ice Age-themed compounds to uncover each piece of your Smash-O-Saur. $24.99, ages 4+, Target.com/p/smashers-giant-dino-thaw-egg-series-4/-/A-79416634

Jambo Books

Give a boxful of children’s books featuring characters of color. Members receive two to three books each month that feature diverse children as the stars of their own stories. Starting at $34.99, ages birth-13, JamboBooks.com

Pets Alive Frankie the Funky Flamingo

Let’s get groovy with Frankie and her hilarious neck twirling, wing flapping movements, while getting down to three funky jams. Includes a surprise flamingo egg with a baby flamingo to keep the party going! $19.99, ages 3+, Zuru.com

FailFix

Takeover the makeover and create head-to-toe transformations. Comes with a new outfit, face and hair tools. Dolls available in diverse styles and body types. $19.99, ages 6+, MooseToys.com/our-brands/fail-fix-brand-page

Cool Maker Hollywood Hair

DIY studio that lets you design your own hair extensions. Load the hair ribbon, press the button and watch as it magically transforms into a cute hair extension. Comes with curler and spray bottle. $24.99, ages 8+, SpinMaster.com

Designed by Me: Color Decor Dollhouse

Budding artists and decorators can bring imaginary worlds to life with a variety of coloring backgrounds and a chimney box of markers. $59.99, ages 3+, KidKraft.com

Purrfect Counting Purse

Soft, multi-textured fabric cat purse comes with loads of personality, accessories and learning content. Learn, pretend and music modes add playful variety. $19.99, ages 6+ months, Store.LeapFrog.com/en-us/store/p/purrfect-counting-purse/_/A-prod80-610000

Real-Action Fire Engine

Features a ladder that extends to more than 2 feet high and rotates a full 360 degrees, a retractable fire hose and more. The truck opens to reveal an exciting command center with all kinds of authentic details built right in—from a radio and a computer to tools and gear. $49.99, ages 3+, LakeshoreLearning.com

Monster Jam Megalodon Storm

A remote control vehicle that can dominate water AND attack land. Performance tires allow you to conquer any terrain—water, dirt, rock, snow—while performing 360-degree spins and wheelies. $49.99, ages 4+, SpinMaster.com

Eloise the Elephant

This adorable pal is knit with a luxe marl gray yarn and has the sweetest baby trunk and little tasseled tail. As part of the cuddle + kind family, each doll sold provides 10 meals to children in need. $68, ages birth+, CuddleAndKind.com/collections/hand-knit-dolls/products/eloise-the-elephant

  1. Dough Parlour Deluxe Build-Your-Own Gift Box

Premium, 100 percent nontoxic, fruity-scented, handcrafted modeling dough that arrives in a whimsical gift box. Select your own scents, colors and educational tools and accessories, to allow for an exciting, sensory play experience. $60, ages 2+, DoughParlour.com

  1. Tonies

Screenless and adorable audio entertainment system full of stories and songs. Comes to life when paired with one of the Tonies characters, including Disney favorites and Creative Tonies to personalize your recordings. $99.99/starter kit, additional Tonies available from $11.99 to $14.99, ages 3-5, Tonies.com

  1. Octobo, the Tech Toy That Teaches

Storytelling meets creative technology with this character-based play platform that transforms screen time into customized, active playtime with lovable interactive plush toys. Filled with games, stories and learning adventures. $139, ages birth-7, Thinker-Tinker.com

  1. Crayola Imagination Art Case

This portable art studio has it all with 115 pieces, packed in a colorful carrying case. Also built into the case are three rubbing plates to create cool textured effects. $19.99, ages 4+, Crayola.com

  1. Ice Hopper

A glitter-filled take on a classic toy perfect for active play. Available in four dazzling colors. $8.99, ages 6+, Kess.co

  1. BUILDZI

The fast-stacking, nerve-racking, block-building game. Be the first to build your tower, but don’t let it tumble. $24.95, ages 6+, ILoveTenzi.com

  1. Batman Launch and Defend Remote Control Batmobile

Race your Batmobile around Gotham City and launch Batman into action. This iconic vehicle comes with an exclusive 4-inch Batman figure. $39.99, ages 5+, SpinMaster.com

  1. Artsy Fartsy

From dragons to dog farts, not much is off limits in this fast-paced, hilarious game where you draw, guess and steal clues. $24.99, ages 10+, ArtsyFartsyGame.com

  1. Drone Home

Launch aliens down the ramps, racing to land inside the drone so they can fly home. Watch out—there’s a delay once you make it in, so others can knock you out. $19.99, ages 8+, PlayMonster.com/product/drone-home

  1. Courtney Doll, Book and Accessories

American Girl’s first historical character in three years is an avid gamer growing up with her blended family in California’s 1986 San Fernando Valley. She’s a total ’80s girl whose big, bright and bold ideas inspire today’s girls to find their inner hero. $140, ages 8+, AmericanGirl.com/shop/p/courtney-doll-and-book-and-courtneys-meet-accessory-05bun03

  1. Rainbocorns Sweet-Shake Surprise

For the first time, Rainbocorns sings, talks, speaks and repeats. Sporting iconic jelly hearts filled with goodness and delight and six new characters, each offering 15 layers of fun surprises. $34.99, ages 3+, Target.com/p/rainbocorns-sweet-shake-surprise/-/A-79402060

  1. Squeakee the Balloon Dog

An interactive balloon pet that’s part dog, part balloon. Bursts with personality with more than 60 sounds and movements—barking, sitting and scooting. Includes multiple touch sensors and responds to voice commands. $59.99, ages 5+, SqueakeePets.com

  1. Horse Club Mia’s Vaulting Set

Help Mia prepare for her first competition with the help of the vaulting set by Schleich Horse Club. $29.99, ages 5-12, Schleich-s.com/en/US/horse-club/products/horse-club-mia-s-vaulting-set-42443.html

  1. Veterinarian Practice with Pets

Lovingly treat a variety of animal patients back to health. Includes x-ray image hanging on the wall, examination table, doctor’s case and much more. $59.99, ages 3-8, Schleich-s.com/en/US/farm-world/products/veterinarian-practice-with-pets-42502.html

  1. The Animal

An unboxing truck where the Animal can claw and climb over anything in its way—including its own box. The Animal transforms from powerful 4×4 truck to beast. The Animal can be placed back inside its box, and the entire unboxing can be repeated over and over again.

$39.99, ages 4+, SpinMaster.com

  1. Blue’s Clues & You! Really Smart Handy Dandy Notebook

Learn what’s new with Blue and Josh! Includes 14 light-up app icons to introduce colors, counting, shapes, weather, health and hygiene, and phone, music and mail apps for pretend play. $14.99, ages 2+, Store.LeapFrog.com/en-us/store/p/blues-clues-really-smart-handy-dandy-notebook/_/A-prod80-610700

  1. Scribble Scrubbie Pets Grooming Truck

Features a working spray pump that easily allows kids to wash their pets and doubles as a storage solution. $19.99, 3+, Crayola.com

  1. Back to the Future: Dice Through Time

It’s up to you to help Doc and Marty repair the space-time continuum before time paradoxes unravel the very fabric of the universe. Jump in your time machine, complete events, return items and help restore temporal order. $29.99, ages 10+, Target.com/p/back-to-the-future-dice-through-time-board-game/-/A-79396332

  1. DinoMazing Egg Decorator

Explore your inner paleontologist with this dynamic craft kit that’s two activities in one. Decorate and then crack open the shell to discover a surprise collectible covered in colored slime. $25.99, ages 3+, Eggmazing.com

  1. RC Crane with Building Section

This functioning crane can hoist heavy building materials up and down and rotate up to 360° to the accurate location for building to continue. Includes two figures, RC compatible crane, RC remote, building materials, safety helmets and more. $99.99, ages 5+, Playmobil.us/rc-crane-with-building-section/70441.html

  1. BRIO Smart Tech Sound Action Tunnel Travel Set

This 37-piece interactive toy train set uses Smart Tech Sound technology that allows the battery-powered Record & Play Engine to communicate with its surroundings. Multicolored lights, motion and sounds enhance the imaginative play. $199.99. Ages 3+, Brio.us/products/brio-world/travel/smart-tech/smart-tech-sound-action-tunnel-travel-set

  1. Disney Hocus Pocus: The Game

Work together to stop the Sanderson sisters from draining the lives of Salem’s children by ruining their potion before the sun rises. $19.99, ages 8+, Amazon.com/Ravensburger-Disney-Hocus-Pocus-Cooperative/dp/B086B89SB4

  1. The Little Mermaid Tubby Time

Make bath time playful with Tubby Time, a shape-matching storytelling game with fun puzzle play. $14.99, ages 3+, Amazon.com/60001870/dp/B086B7JDWY

  1. Spirograph Scratch & Shimmer

Create amazing art in a whole new way. The glitter gears and wheels can be used with your own pens and markers on regular drawing paper as well $19.99, ages 8+, PlayMonster.com/product/spirograph-scratch-shimmer

  1. Trailz

A lighthearted take on a strategy game where teams of shrooms and slugs face off to outsmart and out-maneuver each other. $14.99, ages 7+, PlayMonster.com/product/trailz

  1. Honest History

An adventure magazine for young historians published quarterly as a place for kids to explore the past and discover stories of people who changed the world. $17.95, ages 6–12, HonestHistoryMag.com

  1. Hello Amigo/Hello Friend

A fun, bouncy bilingual song from 123 Andrés’ Grammy Award-winning album, now brought to life in a whole new way that’s perfect for story time sharing. $8.99, ages 1- 6, 123Andres.com/product/hola-amigo-book

  1. Silly Skaters Unicorn Inflatable Ride-On Toy by Kid Trax

Make playtime fun and fanciful with this soft, inflatable unicorn on light-up roller skates. $39, ages 1-3, KidTraxToys.com/

For more product reviews, visit NAPPPAAwards.com.

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