Last Updated on April 19, 2022 by Danielle
What are the best preschool toys of 2016? Find out with our detailed Christmas and Birthday gift guide.
Preschoolers are full of energy. They love to tell stories and run outside and play. A preschooler really needs help with their growing muscles especially their gross motor skills. Any toy that gets them outside will be a big hit.
What are the best gifts for preschoolers? Of course the most popular preschool toys will be ones that have their favorite characters from the movies and TV shows. Our job as parents is to find the right balance of fun and educational.
As their social skills are growing, look for toys that support their cognitive skills, teamwork, and language development. At this age, children want as much to play with their toys as you. Read on for the best toys for preschoolers arranged by category.
Want to see even more cool toys? Check out our most popular Gift Guide on the hot toys for christmas 2021.
Vehicle Toys
For the preschooler that loves anything that goes zoom, these top preschool toys are sure to get them living in the fast lane.
It’s big! It’s impressive! It’s Paw Patrol! What preschooler isn’t going to nuts for the Paw Patrol Patroller? With its impressive size, this toy has that big “Wow” factor. Along with the massive truck, it includes Ryder and his vehicle. When you turn the emblem on the outside, this truck actually opens up to hold 6 Paw Patrol vehicles. There is plenty of room for the entire team to hit the road.
Who doesn’t love Hot Wheels? This thing is so big! There are stickers, five cars, a shark, and even a helicopter! It’s the Hot Wheels set that you wished you had when you were a kid. With 4 levels of non stop action, this massive set has 2 ramps that the cars can race on, sound effects, and even an elevator. The best part? You can park up to 36 cars.
You could say this toy is smashing. Somebody made the Hulk mad because this remote controlled Hulk waves his arms smashing everything in sight. There is no stopping him. If he turns upside down, he just uses his hands to flip back over to continue the mayhem.
This is no ordinary race track. What makes this the Ultimate Speedway? Let’s start with its size. Measuring almost 5 feet long, this thing is huge. You can even rearrange the track in different ways. The coolest part? When the little racecars speed over the track over the action zones and smart zones, the cars will trigger cool stunts like a tilting stunt ramp.Paw Patrol Everest’s Rescue SnowmobileAges 3-8
Who doesn’t love Paw Patrol? Kids love collecting ever single Paw Patrol vehicle that comes out. Paw Patrol fans Everest is finally here. That’s probably all you need to know. This toy comes with Everest, her snowmobile, and a funky looking blue claw.
There is nothing more that little girls love than Shopkins and Ice Cream. This Ice Cream truck has both of them. There are plenty of places to store the little Shopkins inside including a little ice cream fridge. The coolest part? The roof actually opens up and the truck turns into a little ice cream stand.
It’s got Barbie! It’s got a transforming camper! A what! This Barbie vehicle transforms into a 3 story dollhouse complete with a slide and pool. The back door opens up to become a kitchen. Swing open the hood and there is a little bathroom area inside. The coolest part? Barbie can have dinner on the top of the camper in the dining area. Why can’t real campers be this cool?
Got a My Little Pony fan? Combine My Little Pony with remote controlled cars and you get this incredibly fun r/c toy. It’s comes with Pinkie Pie with her fancy little sky blue scooter. You can spin her around or drive her forward. You can even honk her horn! It’s amazing how fast the scooter spins around. The coolest part is the butterfly shaped remote controller which is not only easy to use but so adorably cute.
Do you love cars? Do you love stunts? Then this Little Tikes R/C car is insane. Actually, it a tire. No actually, it is both. The little R/C car propels the tire around as you accelerate. The best part? You can actually perform crazy tricks inside the tire.
Do your kids love Miles from Tommorrowland? Then they will love taking this spaceship to outer space on their own kid powered space missions. It features lights, sounds, and phrases from the Disney Jr. show. The coolest part? Not only is this thing huge, it is actually 3 ships in one. It’s Miles so kids are going to love this.Electronic Toys
Preschoolers love electronic toys. When choosing electronic toys, look for toys that support educational needs. Here are the coolest electronic toys for preschoolers from the latest gadgets to interactive toys that are full of life.
Do you want to bring home a pony for Christmas? This is no ordinary My Little Pony. Furreal Friends Starlily is the most realistic pony toy ever with over 100 life like movements. Her eyes blink, her wings flutter, and she even makes loveable cooing sounds. The best part? She responds to your child’s touch.
There is nothing more that young boys love than dinosaurs. What’s your favorite dinosaur? Standing 2.5 feet tall, this Imaginext T Rex dinosaur is intimidating. You wouldn’t believe how huge this toy is. When you press his power pads, he actually comes to life with lights, sounds, and actions. The coolest part? He actually walks.
Kids can strap on the VTech Kidizoom camera wherever they go. How awesome is that? This wearable camera is like a Go Pro Hero camera for kids. It has all different kinds of mounts including a flat mount, bike, mount, and even a waterproof case. Whether it’s basketball, skateboarding, or snowboarding, it goes only any adventure your kid goes on.
Parents got smart watches but what about kids? For preschoolers, the coolest way to tell time is with the Kidizoom Smart Watch. It comes loaded with apps built specifically for kids. VTech has given it an update this year with more memory, which means kids can take even more pictures and movies.
Everyone’s favorite pup is now an interactive toy with over 130 phrases. Simply press his badge and he springs to life. The coolest part? Inside his backpack he’s got a net launcher, working microphone, and even flashlight. Paw Patrol fans will not be able to go on any adventure without him.
It’s Power Rangers! It fires missiles! It’s huge! At 28 inches, this toy has got that big “Wow” factor. There are four activation points on Megazord that activate all kinds of fun play features when you turn the little Power Ranger figures on them. His chest actually opens up, revealing cannons behind them. How freaking cool is that?
Who doesn’t love dogs? Look at this guy. He is beyond adorable with his big eyes and floppy tongue. This little pug bounces on his hind legs, pants, and barks just like a real dog when you pet his head. It’s puppy love!
What a fun way to learn about colors! Although this looks like a microphone, this is not really a microphone. When you touch the bottom of the microphone to any color, the toy is somehow able to pick up the color. It will then play a fun song about that color. The coolest part? It can detect color on just about anything.Learning Toys
The best educational toys for preschoolers will allow them to get ready for kindergarten. You want to find learning toys that help develop their cognitive skills.
You can finally get your iPad back with the LeapFrog Epic. With an Android based operating system, LeapFrog has come out with a full featured quad core tablet for kids. The best part? There are no more cartridges to buy as all the apps can be installed directly from the tablet.VTech Write and Learn Creative CenterAges 3-6
Remember the Magnadoodle? This is sort of like that but far more advanced. With this learning toy from VTech kids can learn to write letters and draw objects step by step. With over 40 objects to draw and animated instructions, kids will be artists in no time. The best part? It teaches kids how to write both upper and lower case letters.
Arts & Crafts Toys
Arts & Crafts toys are great for helping preschoolers calm down, develop their fine motor skills, and express their creativity. Children this age can build fine motor skills molding things out of clay or even using crayons.
It’s got PlayDoh! It’s got Rainbow Dash! What could be better? With this PlayDoh set, kids can create and style Rainbow Dash’s hair. The fun part is making her hair all different colors using different colored PlayDoh. The best part? Kids can even cut the hair with the cutting tool or twist it into braids. Rainbow Dash never looked better.
Would you like to be a hair dresser? PlayDoh Crazy Cuts gives kids the ability to create cool and funky hair out of PlayDoh. After placing the PlayDoh inside one of the 3 characters, let them have a seat on the barber’s chair. Then it’s time for you to get to work. Turn the crank and watch their hair grow. The fun part is cutting the PlayDoh hair off with the PlayDoh scissors. Now your kids don’t have to cut off their doll’s hair. Yay!Crayola Color Wonder Stamper Ages 3-6
Wouldn’t you love a crafts activity for preschoolers that isn’t messy? The Crayola Color Wonder Light Up Stamper takes the mess out of creating fun stamps. How? It uses wonder paper. The colors only appear on the wonder paper so parents don’t have to worry about stains.
What happens if you mix cupcakes with the fun of Play-Doh? You get this sweet Play-Doh set. Give your Play-Doh cupcakes a ride on the Ferris wheel. Don’t forget to add the frosted Play-Doh toppings and sprinkles. The cupcakes look so colorful and yummy. Too bad you can’t eat them.Dolls
Preschoolers love dolls. Right now just about every preschooler is obsessed with anything Frozen.
Disney Descendants Signature MalAges 3+
Who didn’t watch Disney Descents when it aired earlier this year on the Disney channel? We are now getting poseable dolls based on the show, which might be the next biggest thing in the doll isle. This is Mal, the daughter of Maleficent. This 11 inch doll beautifully captures Mal from the TV show with a leather jacket, cute purple tunic, and multi colored leggings. The only problem? She might be difficult to find for Christmas.
Last year’s singing Elsa doll was super cool, but did she sing the entire “Let It Go” song? Girls’ dreams finally come true with Sing Along Elsa. Not only does she sing the entire song, the doll sings a duet with children. Place the microphone near her lips and she sings. Move it way and let your child take over. Now they really won’t be able to let it go.
Frozen fans will love this bicycle play set. It has Elsa, Anna, Olaf, and a musical bike. When you put Elsa and Anna on the bike, they can actually pedal the bike. How awesome is that?
Remember the part in Frozen where Elsa shoots ice out from her hands. The Disney Froze Ice Power Elsa doll can actually shoot snowflakes from her hand just like in the movie. Let it go! Let it go! Don’t hold it back anymore.Disney Frozen Fever Elsa DollAges 3-10
If you don’t already have Frozen Fever by now, you will after seeing this new Frozen doll for 2015. It’s is actually based on the animated short “Frozen Fever” that aired earlier this year. Just like in the movie, Elsa’s got on a beautiful spring gown to celebrate her sister’s Birthday.
Disney Frozen Fever Anna DollAges 3-10
It’s another Frozen doll! You can’t have Elsa without Anna. The two of them are inseparable. It’s Anna’s birthday! What will she wear? Anna has got on her Birthday outfit from the animated film “Frozen Fever.”
What little girl doesn’t love horses and Barbie? With this doll, Barbie can actually go horseback riding. With press of a button, Barbie can actually jump on her horse and start riding it. That’s not the coolest part! Once Barbie performs her gymnastic move, the horse will start walking on its own.
In her existence, Barbie has had more careers than just about any doll. She is already a princess. Now she is heading to the stage as a rock star. You can make her sing by pressing her necklace. The coolest part? When you raise her arm, her skirt magically flips around, transforming Barbie into a rock star. Is there anything Barbie can’t do?Disney Royal Ball Cinderella DollAges 3-10
Was your little one a big fan of the Cinderella movie of 2015? With a ravishingly beautiful blue royal gown, flowing blonde hair, and even a glass slipper, this doll looks like it came straight out of the Cinderella movie. She’s enchanting.
What little girl doesn’t want to be a mommy? Little mommies can make pretend treats and feed it to this Baby Alive doll that has over 30 responses. This time around the food is made by cutting food shapes out of playdoh. Simply stick the playdoh food into her mouth to feed her. The funny part? She actually poops playdoh.Plush Toys
These soft and cuddly toys make the perfect bedtime pal.
Who doesn’t love Doc McStuffins? For girls that love taking care of sick toys there is the Disney Take Care of Me Lambie. This plush doll comes to life with over 50 different responses. Best of all, it includes all the Dr. tools kids need to make Lambie feel all better.Minions Bob with Teddy BearAges 4+
Okay, isn’t this the cutest teddy bear ever? The Minions are super cute but this little guy is on another level of cuteness. I mean look at him. He’s got a little teddy bear of his own. Not only does he talk when you squeeze his hand, he is soft and cuddly. The best part is when you hug him, his cheeks glow red along with his teddy bear’s cheeks. Aw, they are blushing.
Holy moly! The Care Bears are back. It’s been 32 years since they originally came out. These aren’t the Care Bears we grew up with. These plush toys are animated and full of life. You are going to want to collect them all. Why? If you have more than one, they actually sing together.
Who doesn’t love the Disney Palace pets? These Bright Eyes plush toys actually have electronic eyes that magically light up. She responds to your touch. If you pet her on her head, she will open her eyes. If you tickle her chin, she starts talking. To put her to sleep, pet her back. With her light up eyes, she makes a good bedtime pal especially for preschoolers who are still afraid of the dark.Disney Frozen Ultimate Olaf PlushAges 3+
Who wouldn’t want to give Olaf the Snowman a big warm hug? While he is completely soft and cuddly, this is no ordinary plush toy. He actually comes with a remote controlled snowflake controller that can bring him to life. When you bring him to life, he talks, blinks, moves his eyebrows, and even sings his “In Summer” song. The coolest part is he has wheels underneath him and tracking technology that allows him to locate the remote control. This means he can follow your child wherever they go. How cool is that?
Did you watch Disney Pixar’s Inside Out? Fans of the show will recognize Disgust from the movie. This super cuddly plush toy has all of the attitude of the character in the movie. When you press her hand, she will say different phrases from the movie. Dollhouses
With their growing imaginations, preschoolers are ready for a new type of play. Dollhouses encourage them to pretend and role play.
Remember the scene in the Frozen movie where Elsa created the Ice Palace with her magical powers? How cool would it be if girls could be just like Elsa? With Elsa’s Ice Palace, they can. The coolest part? When you turn the crank, the castle grows to over 3 feet tall just like the movie.
Looking for that big “Wow” gift from Santa, the Barbie Dreamhouse may be it. This huge 3 foot tall Barbie house has seven rooms including a freaking garage. It is so big that Barbie needs to use the working elevator to go between the floors. The coolest part? You can stick your Smartphone into the TV holder and actually use it as a screen. How cool is that?
It’s got My Little Pony! It’s got Princess Celestia! It’s got a huge castle! My Little Pony fans are going to love this grand 3 story palace. It is grand in every way possible. This very large castle has several rooms and fun little accessories. The best part? It has a real working elevator that the ponies can ride to the top.
How cute is this? It is a My Little Pony play set shaped like a book that is perfect for the travelling Pony fan. It even closes up into carrying case with a handle. In addition to the Rarity pony, it includes over 20 fun play accessories including perfumes, combs, hangers, clothes, and more. The coolest part is that there are cardboard pages inside that girls can flip just like a real book. When you flip the page, you can change the scene between a spa, bedroom, and fashion boutique.
It’s got Jake! It’s got a pirate ship! It’s got firing missiles! Arg. Matey. It could only be the Disney Captain Jake Might Colossus play set from Fisher-Price. Hop aboard this 2 foot tall rolling pirate ship that actually opens up into a play set with 4 levels of play. The best part? Kids can fire plastic coconuts with the cannon.
If you have a fan of Peppa the Pig their eyes will light up when they see this play set. Even Peppa needs a home to stay. This simple portable 13 inch house comes with 3 figures and furniture. It actually opens up so that you can play with the 4 rooms inside.
Here’s a cool little “flip” on the classic dollhouse. It might look like an ordinary Ocean Cruiser, but when you flip up the side, it turns into a little dollhouse.
What little girl doesn’t like playing Doctor with her sick toys? Fido the Dog is sick and it is up to kids to make him feel better. What can you use? Try the Doc McStuffins Pet Vet Checkup Center which comes with everything your little doctor needs including a stethoscope, kid-powered EKG, otoscope, play thermometer, brush, and bandage sticker dispenser.Whisker Haven Lights PawlaceAges 4-15
Fans of Palace pets would love to see this palace from their favorite show under the Christmas tree. It’s not a palace. It’s a Pawlace! Laughs. Based on the new animated short Whisker Haven Tales, this castle is fun for all the little Palace pets with 3 levels of play. It includes one little palace pet figure-Dreamy. Kids will love to use the 17 different play pieces to decorate inside the castle. The coolest part? It has an escalator that lights up.
Is there anything more fun than a play set shaped like a Birthday cake? This 3 tiered play set comes with an exclusive character, Surprise Party Curls. Invite all your Mini Lalaloopsy dolls over for this silly party. Not only is there a spinning cake, it plays fun party music. The best part? It has a play light up candle that kids can blow out. How cool is that?Pretend Toys
Preschoolers want to imitate mommy and daddy. These pretend toys will give preschoolers a real sense of accomplishment.
What little girl doesn’t love makeup? The Little Cosmetics pretend makeup is the closest thing to real makeup. Everything looks and feels real complete with the packaging. The most amazing thing? It is not real and will not appear on the skin.Educational Insights Design & Drill BrightworksAges 3-12
It’s got drills! It got lights! Your kids won’t be able to get enough of this cool kiddie drill with real power tool action. The coolest part? The pieces light up.
Construction Toys
Simple construction sets with easy to follow directions are perfect for preschoolers. Construction toys are not only great for expressing creativity, but they also help preschoolers with their developing fine motor skills.
LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick BoxAges 4+
With 790 regular Lego pieces, this classic Lego set lets preschoolers build whatever they want in any color they choose. There are windows, doors, base plates, wheels, and more. The best part? Lego got around to adding pink , purple, and just about every color you could think of.
LEGO Juniors Spider-Man HideoutAges 4+
There are 2 things that boys love more than anything else in the world. Legos and Spiderman. The Spider-Man Hideout is the must have Lego Junior set of 2015. It’s got Spiderman! It’s got the Green Goblin! It’s got 3 amazing vehicles! These Lego Junior sets are great for preschoolers because they feature actual Lego pieces, but the builds and instructions are so much simpler.
LEGO Juniors Fire SuitcaseAges 4+
Your little firefighter will love the Lego Junior Fire Suitcase. This set includes 113 regular sized Lego pieces. With the picture instructions, it is easy to build the helicopter, bike, and base station. The coolest part? It comes in a little red suitcase with the pieces inside. Every little firefighter needs this.
LEGO Juniors Supermarket SuitcaseAges 4+
How adorable is this? Why didn’t Lego think of this sooner. This little set comes in a little pink carrying case. The instructions make it easy to build the little supermarket out of the 134 regular sized Lego blocks.
Board
As preschoolers are developing social skills, board games are great for preschoolers since board games encourage turn taking and following rules.
Spot it! Disney FrozenAges 3+
Mix Frozen with Spot It! and you get this fun award winning game. Frozen fans will adore this game. Basically there are 55 different cards with 8 Frozen themed images on them. It is hard to believe but between any two cards there is always just one matching image. The first person to spot the match keeps the cards. The player with the most cards at the end wins. Your kids will have fun yelling out, “Olaf,” “Anna,” “Elsa,” and more.
Okay this game is so fun. It’s like Russian roulette only with pies. Spread whip cream on the pie arm. Then it is time for fun. Spin the wheel to decide your fate. Put your head in the contraption. Then twist the little rod that same number of clicks and pray you don’t get slammed in the face.Action Figures
There is nothing more that preschoolers love than role playing with their favorite action figures.
How would you like to build your very own light saber? For the first time Blade Builders lets any Star Wars fan create just about any light saber they want. With different sized blades, hilts, and color crystals, there are so many combinations.
It’s Star Wars. It’s Playschool! What could really be better for young Star Wars fans? Every little kid dreams about owing the Millennium Falcon. This version is huge with trap doors, a cockpit area, and even a moveable ladder. It’s even got little figures of Han Solo , Chewbacca , and R2-D2. The coolest part? It features a handle that allows kids to “fly” it.Jurassic Park T-Rex Action FigureAges 3-7
Dino fans will love this cute TRex action figure. When you push down on TRex’s back, his eyes light up as he chomps with his jaws. The best part? You can make TRex eat the included human figure for dinner.
Who doesn’t love Frozen? This little Frozen Jewelry box is the cutest thing ever and makes a great gift for any Frozen fan. It features the song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” The coolest part? Anna and Elsa both build Olaf as they twist back and forth on the top of the jewelry box.
The Elf on the Shelf is a timeless holiday tradition enjoyed by millions of families. It comes with a little blue eye elf doll and a little story book. The story is the little elf is watching over children to figure out if they are naughty or nice. Every night he leaves to report back to Santa. The cool part? Parents move him around at night making it look like the elf left.
Here is a cool twist on the classic marble run toy. It is like a toy rollercoaster with little yoyo shaped spinners. There is a lot action and movement. The little pieces spin and flip around the track seemingly defying gravity. The best part? It is all kid controlled.
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