Each holiday season brings new hot toys for kids to obsess over — and this year’s options are cool, creative and oh-so-much fun.
To help you determine which toys will actually be on kids’ lists this year, we turned to some of the people who know best, the retailers selling the toys. Each year, many top retailers, from Amazon to Target, release lists sharing the hottest toys of the year. Below, we’re highlighting some of those picks along with some top toys from our first-ever Best Toy Awards.
Keep reading for all the hottest picks of the year.
Shop TODAY Best Toy Awards winners
Our editors couldn’t believe how magical this reveal toy was! Once you open it, you add water to the jar, gently shake it for about 30 seconds and then a plush friend appears! There are 20 different characters for kids to collect.
They’ll step into the director’s chair with this kit from Lego. It comes with tons of pieces, including mix-and-match character faces, props and fold-out backgrounds that they can use to create their own stop-motion movies.
They can hatch their own prehistoric creature with this epic toy. The action starts when they place the egg in the tank and add water. That kicks off a color-changing reaction, which ends with the shark bursting out of the water. The Megalodon toy is super fun on its own, but kids can also repeat the hatching experience over and over again.
They can turn their wildest ideas into stickers with this fun toy, which uses AI to bring their creations to life. According to the brand, it uses thermal printing to create the stickers, so they’ll never run out of ink.
Amazon’s 2026 Top 100+ Toys list
The bracelet-making studio is in session. This kit makes it easy for them to create colorful rubber band bracelets. According to the brand, it’s built with clear components and instructions so kids can create the jewelry on their own without adult assistance.
Meet Peekimo! The cute, shy and curious friend can be attached to their belt buckle, backpack and more, so they’re never without him. Peekimo responds to sound and touch and has over 100 reactions.
Yes, your favorite princesses are American Girl dolls now, and Elsa was a top pick on Amazon’s list. The doll features Elsa’s signature braid and outfit and has a movable head and limbs.
Target’s Bullseye’s Top Toys 2026
Calling all future Target shoppers! They can practice getting the best deals and snagging their favorite products with this cute shopping set. It comes with a shopping basket, Bullseye foldable bag and play smartphone that displays the “Circle app.”
This is the ultimate gift for slime-obsessed kids and tweens. It comes with everything they need to make five different scented slimes, including mix-ins and charms.
Not only will “Paw Patrol” fans love the Rocky figure and his recycling truck, but they’ll be equally obsessed with the inflatable dinosaur that pops up at the press of a button. The dinosaur can be removed from the truck, too, so kids can play with him completely on his own.
Macy’s Top Toys list
The KPop Demon Hunter craze isn’t dying down anytime soon, and this singing doll made multiple hot toy lists this year. The Rumi doll is ready to take the stage in her outfit that looks just like the movie — and she’ll even sing the smash hit “Golden.”
This toy guitar — which was also a Shop TODAY Best Toy Awards winner — is the perfect gift for the future rockstar in your life. With the interactive strings and frets, they can play different guitar styles, including electric and acoustic, play games and create their own melodies.
This is like the Barbie Dreamhouse, but for Bluey fans. The biggest Bluey house to date, it features five stories and plenty of accessories and rooms for them to explore.
The Toy Insider Hot 20 Toys list
“This Super Sizzlin’ Kitchen Playset is so fun,” The Toy Insider’s editor-in-chief Ali Mierzejewski told us. “I’m really in love with it. It’s got tons of accessories that it comes with [as well as] Play-Doh and molds. But to me, the best part is the pasta maker: It’s just so cute and so on-trend!”
“The reason why we picked this one was because it’s that really great Melissa & Doug quality at an affordable price point,” Mierzejewski said. “We also love that the Cheery Lane playsets are modular. So you’re not locked into how the house is built. You can move things; it’s got movable furniture as well. [And] you get all these accessories inside.”
“Parents can trust that this is going to be a really great ‘wow’ gift at the holidays,” Mierzejewski shared about this ride-on toy. “You know, adults get cars with bows on them all the time. So why not our kids, too?”
How we chose
We combed through the hot toy lists that are currently available from top retailers and toy-focused publications and selected a handful of the best products from each one.
