Amazon Toy Catalog 2022: Editors’ Top 12 Picks

Editors Favorite Amazon Toys — Verywell Family / Lecia Landis

Here’s how we like to think about shopping for kids’ toys, especially around the holiday season: Just imagine telling your, say, 6-year-old self, that one day you will get to go to a store and just buy toys, without asking anyone else for permission. (OK, we do have budgetary restraints, but don’t tell 6-year-old us that.) When you bring this sense of wonder to the process, browsing through massive lists, like Amazon’s Holiday Toy List, is a whole lot more fun.

Every holiday season, Amazon comes out with a few curated lists of toys to guide your shopping: the Amazon Toys We Love list, which features around 100 of the year's hot toys, organized by age and toy type; the big Holiday Kids Gift Book, the catalog of 600-plus toys that our kids flip through over and over again from October through December, dog-earing their favorite pages; and the Holiday Toy List, which is a sort of portal that will let you search through the retailer’s vast inventory of toys by age, character, and other categories, like STEM or dolls. If it seems confusing, just know that we’ve been professional toy-shoppers for years and we still can’t always keep it straight.

But again, shopping for our kids during the holidays is supposed to be fun, so we’ll help you out a little. The four members of Verywell Family’s commerce team have gone through Amazon’s various lists to make a much shorter list of our own. Here, we present our top 12 awesome, adorable toys that we’re looking to buy for all the kids, big and small, in our lives.

Toys for Babies & Toddlers (0-2 Years)

VTech Baby Lil' Critters Moosical Beads

Amazon

From its plush material to its playful personality, this moose is sure to be a hit with little ones. The stuffed animal is safe to play with from birth, and requires only two AAA batteries to sing more than 30 songs, phrases, and sounds. There’s also an easy-to-grip ring toy around the moose that introduces babies to shapes, letters, and colors. For ages 0-24 months. — Katrina Cossey, Commerce Writer

Price at time of publication: $15

Mega Bloks Green Town Charge & Go Bus Building Set

Amazon

This adorable Mega Bloks set comes with 35 building pieces to create the town’s bus stop and charging station. Littles will love playing with the included characters and a rolling electric bus—all while reaping the benefits of practicing their fine motor skills. Plus, not only are the building blocks made of recycled materials, the toy’s packaging is 100 percent recyclable. For ages 12 months and up. — KC

Price at time of publication: $17

LeapFrog Scout and Violet 100 Words Book

Amazon

Say hello to Scout and Violet, a sweet puppy duo who introduce toddlers to more than 100 words through a variety of categories. Littles simply touch the picture on the page to hear the words, sounds, and more. Bonus: The “100 Words Book” switches from English to Spanish with the push of a button. For ages 18 months and up. — KC

Price at time of publication: $20

Toys for Preschoolers (Ages 3-5)

Bluey Ultimate Lights and Sounds Playhouse and Toy Box

Amazon

Let kids continue the adventures of the delightful Australian heeler family from Bluey, without needing a screen. This playhouse looks so much like the cartoon come to life, while still encouraging plenty of imaginative play. When they press the octopus on the top floor, it activates lights and 50 different sounds and phrases. There’s also a moving dance floor, which no home should be without. The whole house doubles as a storage box for Bluey, Bingo, Chattermax, Nana, their toys, and a tea set—something Bandit would certainly approve of. For ages 3 and up. — Sabrina Rojas Weiss, Senior Commerce Editor

Price at time of publication: $100

Orijin Bees Sweet Puffy Bee

Amazon

If this baby girl’s dimples and curls don’t draw you in right away, the story behind her certainly will. Orijin Bees was founded by Black parents who saw that their daughter was being conditioned by the world around her to prefer Caucasian-looking dolls to ones that looked more like her. They now offer a line of 12-inch baby dolls with varying skin tones and hair textures so that children see themselves represented, as well as the children all around them. Oprah also named the Bees one of her Favorite Things in 2021, and we’re not ones to argue with her. For ages 3 and up. — SRW

Price at time of publication: $50

Blippi Recycling Truck

Amazon

This toy combines two things that are very difficult for many adults to grasp: little kids’ fascination with YouTube sensation Blippi, who has been leading toddlers on virtual field trips since 2014; and little kids’ fascination with dump trucks and recycling trucks. But we grownups can’t complain about educating children about the importance of proper waste management. This toy truck includes an arm that grabs one of two recycling bins, which kids can fill with a little bundle of refuse, then pull the lever to dump into the truck. The truck, which makes seven sounds and phrases, also comes with a 3-inch Blippi figurine for your little one to play with. For ages 3 and up. — SRW

Price at time of publication: $25

Toys for Bigger Kids (Ages 6-9)

Magic Mixies Magical Crystal Ball

Amazon

The Magic Mixies Cauldron was the toy of the year last holiday season, and this year the company has upped the ante. Children of all ages—and adults, too—can cast a creation spell, jiggle the included wand, and watch in amazement as the crystal ball fills with mist to unveil a Magic Mixie plushie. After the big reveal, kids can use the fortune-telling mode to ask questions or use the game mode to play and interact with their new friend. The crystal ball can be reused many times with a Magical Mist Refill Pack (sold separately)—simply place the plushie back in the crystal ball, add the magic potion, and hit the reset button to perform as many reveal tricks as they please. It can also be used as a night light that glows for 30 minutes before shutting off automatically. For ages 5 and up. — Hildara Araya, Commerce Editor

Price at time of publication: $85

Osmo Creative Starter Kit (for Fire or iPad)

Amazon

This ingenious toy combines hands-on exploration and digital technology through different games and activities created for kids ages 5-10. Our favorite one is the Monster game, which allows the child to draw on the creative board and see how Mo, the game’s friendly monster, pulls their drawing from the page onto the screen and interacts with it. The Monster game also lets kids create time-lapse videos and teaches them how to draw complex images. The Osmo Creative Kit includes a base and reflector, a creative board, erasable markers and fuzzy pouch, and the apps that are needed to get started. The Osmo doesn’t require Wi-Fi connectivity, but you will need an iPad or Fire Tablet to play (and be sure to select the right tablet when making your purchase). — HA

Price at time of publication: $70

Wakanda Forever LEGO Set

Amazon

“Wakanda Forever,” the new Black Panther movie, is coming to theaters in November, but its toys and merch are already on the shelves and selling like hotcakes. After the death of King T’Challa, Shuri, his super-smart sister, rises to the protagonist role in both the movie and this exciting LEGO set, which features the Skirmisher submarine and King Namor’s throne room. Designed for children ages 7 and up, the 355-piece set also includes three minifigures: Shuri; King Namor, fearless leader of the underwater world; and the Talokan warrior Attuma. Even without the Marvel movie, this LEGO set is pretty exciting. — HA

Price at time of publication: $35

Toys for Tweens (Ages 9-13)

3Doodler Start Essentials 3D Pen Set

Amazon

This kid-friendly 3D pen allows young artists to bring their doodles to life with the click of a button, which releases PCL plastic that kids can shape into jewelry, their favorite cartoon character, and more. Since the rechargeable pen doesn’t get hot, it's a safe, burn-free alternative to a glue gun. The filaments come in a variety of colors so kids can get creative with their designs, and the included transparent mat helps them get started and learn how to use the tool. The 3D pen not only helps tweens get creative, but it’s useful for learning STEM concepts, too. It can also be shared with younger siblings above the age of 6 for added family fun. — Phoebe Sklansky, Associate Commerce Editor

Price at time of publication: $47

Throw Throw Burrito

Amazon

Dodgeball meets card games in this lively game designed for two to six people. Players must try to match cards while dodging (or throwing) squishy burrito toys. Perfect for a birthday party or family get-together, the game comes with two foam burritos, 120 game cards, and some fun stickers. (Just make sure to remove any fragile items from the line of fire before playing!) For ages 7 and up. — PS

Price at time of publication: $25

5 Surprise Mini Brands by ZURU (2 Pack)

Amazon

If you’re on the hunt for stocking stuffers for your tween, look no further than these miniatures from Mini Brands. Each of the two capsules have five surprise miniatures of popular food items your kid is likely a fan of, such as a tiny BabyBel cheese wheel or a box of Bagel Bites. There’s also the chance to unwrap a special metallic or glow-in-the-dark miniature or a fun accessory—like a shopping cart or grocery bag—for some added suspense. For ages 5 and up. — PS

Price at time of publication: $14

Why Trust Verywell Family

Sabrina Rojas Weiss, Hildara Araya, Katrina Cossey, and Phoebe Sklansky make up Verywell Family’s commerce team. As moms and aunts (and former kids) themselves, they often say that fantasy toy shopping is the best thing about their jobs.