Welcome to the famous MPMK Gift Guides and congrats on finding the most comprehensive and easy-to-use toy gift guide on the internet – already viewed over 7,000,000 times!

(If you’re not familiar with our famous lists, learn all about them here)…

As always, instead of focusing on the latest and greatest “it” toy, we’re highlighting the most engaging, entertaining (and even educational) toys for each age group. These are the gifts that have the highest bang for your buck and are going to keep on giving as kids return to them again and again for hours of continuous play.

Happy shopping (and don’t forget to bookmark this list for the next time you’re invited to a birthday party).

Don’t forget – you can check out all 15 of our Gift Guides here!

THE COOLEST TOYS FOR 5- TO 6-YEAR-OLDS

Flying Owleez

$39.99 (4 – 9 years)

The Flying Owleez is sure to be one of the hottest toys of the year so it may be wise to grab it while you can.

The reason? Owleez is the ingenious combination of two toys that have topped the Christmas Toy list in year’s past: Hatchimals and the Flying Fairy Doll.

Like the Hatchimal toys, the Owleez is a robotic toy that expresses a large range of emotions and responds to a child’s interaction. Kids will love taking care of their Owleez and watching as it thrives under their care.

What they’ll really go crazy for, though, is teaching Owleez to fly.

You’ve gotta watch the video on this one- my bet is you know a kid who will totally flip over this one.

One last thing- I appreciate that there’s both a pink and white version of the Owleez, making it a toy that will appeal to both boys and girls. While there are certainly plenty of boys out there who appreciate pink, my sons aren’t among them. The white version will be a toy all three of my kids will enjoy.

Scoots Hand-Operated Drone

$34.99 (5 – 12 years)

If you think your kids will be all in on the hand-operated toy part of Owleez, but not the robotic doll part, then this one’s for them. One of my good friend’s recently texted me this about these, “My son just got this toy for his birthday and it’s a HUGE HIT.”

So I checked it out for this guide and the reviewers agree.

These are a super fun and inexpensive introduction to the world of drones and robotics. They’re super easy to control with just your hands and can be played with alone or in a group.

One of the major “it” toys of the year… If you want a gift that’s sure to impress, this is it.

Snap Circuits Jr

$22.99 (5+ years)

& Snap Circuits

$45.99 (8 – 15 years)

This clever kit is the all-time-best-seller on our gift guides and another multi-award-winner that takes advantage of kids’ natural interest in building toys (like LEGOs) to teach the principles of electricity.

The components aren’t intimidating, snap together simply, and can be used to create a bunch of cool projects. The standard set comes with 60+ pieces to create over 300 different electronic projects. The pieces include snap wires, slide switches, an alarm circuit, a music integrated circuit, and a speaker and are numbered and color-coded to make identifying them easy.

The latest and hottest iterations include:

Snap Circuits Lights – This colorful lights edition puts on quite a show and is another favorite around our house.Just connect any MP3 player and be amazed as your music creates a mesmerizing light display.No two songs will ever produce the same light show. Includes pre-punched patterns for motor, strobe light, and color-changing LED, lighted and glow-in-the-dark fans, strobe integrated circuit, color organ controlled by MP3 player, voice, or finger. Builds over 175 experiments.
Snap Circuits 3D Illumination – Allows kids to go beyond the flat surface to build circuits horizontally, vertically and even upside down. The 3D setup means you can actually build a house and there’s even a projector that projects things onto the wall.
Snap Circuits Arcade – Lets kids actually build – and play! – mini arcade games. There’s also an incredibly cool fan that can be programmed to project any word or phrase onto it with lights.

The components in Snap Circuits combine to create working circuit boards just like the ones found inside televisions, radios, and other electronic devices. (Note: there is a conversion set that turns Snap Circuits Jr into this bigger set when your kids are ready to move up.)

The HUGE popularity of these sets means there are now lots of options to choose from, check out this video for the run down:

For bigger kids, you’ll definitely want to check out the reduced priced Snap Circuits Student Electronics Training Program down this year from $199.99 to $127.45 as well as the Alternative Green Energy Kit.

No Stress Chess

$14.99 (5+ years)

When my kindergartner came home from school one day asking me to teach him to play chess, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I was excited because, despite spending a lot of our time together on sports-related activities, I have great memories of playing chess with my dadgrowing up.

On the other hand, I was afraid he was a little young for it and might get frustrated and give up on the game altogether. Enter “No Stress Chess”.

This genius game uses cards to teach young kids how to play in stages. The cards tell you which piece to move, so even children (and adults) who have never played the game can jump right in. The moves for each piece are on the cards as well as on the game board and the first stage makes the game about chance, not skill – you simply draw a card and do what it says, perfect for learning how the pieces work.

Once that is mastered, you can draw 3 cards at a time and decide which one you want to go with to introduce some strategy to the game. Finally, when you’re ready to play chess for real, just get rid of the cards and flip the board over to a traditional chess board.

Chef Club Kiddoz

$34 (5+ years)

I’m a big fan of getting kids in the kitchen early- getting their hands dirty is the best way to keep them eating lots of different healthy foods as they grow. With that in mind, I’ve tried a few different cooking kits for kids in the past. Sadly, I’ve always been disappointed that they haven’t been much more than a normal cookbook and smaller utensils.

When I was sent Kiddoz, though, I was impressed. Not only are the animal-shaped cooking utensils super fun, so are the recipes! These are truly recipes that kids will get excited about AND they’re spelled in a lot of detail using pictures.

So important for our visual kids!!

There’s even codes in the book that will bring you straight to video tutorials. This is definitely the best kids cooking set I’ve seen, highly recommend for the kindergartner in your life.

Heads Talk Tails Walk

$14.99 (3 – 9 years)

When we were first sent this game to review, I thought it would be my kindergartener who would be most excited. That day, though, my 9-year-old daughter had a friend over and they got their hands on it first.

They played with it for a lot longer than I thought they would, and there were plenty of laughs. At the end of the playdate both my daughter and her friend wanted to make sure that I would report in these guides that the game was “a big hit”.

This game isn’t complicated; the gist being a combination of memory and charades. It’s perfect for building visual perception and reasoning skills in preschoolers.

The game pieces also allow for lots of modifications that the whole family can enjoy- our current favorite is to use the head and tail cards as prompts for charades.

If you’ve got kids of various ages in the family, this is one of those rare games that everyone will have fun playing together during game night.

Educational Insights Magic Moves Talking Electronic Wand

$15.99 (18 months – 8 years)

Normally I’m not big on electronic toys with lots of sounds and lights, but when said toy can help my kids get rid of all their pent-up energy inside on a stormy day, it becomes my new best friend.

This inexpensive magical wand uses 90 silly commands (sway, creep, stomp like a dinosaur, leap) and 26 songs, along with a light show to get kids moving.

This is one of those rare toys that’s great for siblings of different ages to play with together (my kids have loved it at various ages ranging from 18-months-old to 7-years old).

It will keep the bigger kids interested (who doesn’t like having the mic and being the star of the show?) while developing listening skills in the younger set along with enriching their vocabulary and ability to follow directions.

Note: If animals aren’t your kids’ thing, there’s now also this gym version.

Magformers Amazing Construction 50 Piece Set

$55.39 (3 – 6 years)

I’m all about magnetic blocks for this age group… they can build such cool things without getting frustrated!

As a mom of a couple of boys who love all things construction, I was also super excited to have this sent to me to review. It packs a lot into one set, including enough pieces for your little builder to make an excavator, a tank truck, buildings, a helicopter and more.

This is the big gift we’re giving to our kindergartner this year and I think he’s gonna love it!

Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone

$31.99 (3 – 9 years)

If you’ve got a singer in the house a karaoke microphone is a great present to consider. We got a karaoke machine for our daughter last Christmas and it has been the best thing ever.

Anytime she has a friend over, they always immediately disappear into her room and start singing away. And she also spends plenty of time using it all on her own.

The only drawback was that it was kind of clunky and my daughter kept losing the cord. This new compact microphone version is brilliant!

Plus, it does so much more than just connect to your phone via bluetooth for karaoke.

It can also be used as a speaker and a recorder plus it has 48 colorful LED lights that flash with the rhythm of the music.

If you’ve got a performer in the family, this is the gift for them!

Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late

$11.29 (4 – 7 years)

When my son was in kindergarten, he really started getting into math and began asking for story problems at night before bed, so imagine my excitement when I saw this book, which contains just that! From the publisher, “Inside this book, families will find fun, mischief-making math problems to tackle—math that isn’t just kid-friendly, but actually kid-appealing.

With over 100 math riddles on topics from jalapeños and submarines to roller coasters and flamingos, this book bursts with math that looks nothing like school. And with three different levels of challenge (wee ones, little kids, and big kids), there’s something for everyone.”

This is a great way to change up story time at night and encourage math skills in kids that are excited about the subject as well as those who need some help getting excited.

Psst – We’re now on the second and third books in the series.

Air Fort

$54.95 (ages 2-9)

This is AMAZING for rainy day play.

Such an easy way for kids to set up a fort- set up (and clean up!) is so simple… like 30 seconds easy. Check out this video to see it in action.

My friend got one of these for her kids last year and she reports that they spend hours inside playing together and on their own. This one is going under our tree this year for sure!

Voice Activated Walkie Talkies

$26.99 (4 – 11 years)

Even better, is the super cool (and super easy to use) voice-activation feature. Making these walkie talkies easy to use for even those kids that have a hard time keeping buttons pushed while talking.

Other cool features include a 3 mile range, a backlight, flashlight feature, and even an alarm system!

Skyrocket Blume Doll

$8.99 (4 – 9 years)

Toys that reveal a surprise have been all the rage for years now and this latest iteration is sure to delight. The first surprise comes when the Skyrocket Blume Doll is first unpackaged.

You child just adds water and watches the doll literally grow out of it’s pot to show off one of several funky and cool hairstyles.

But the reveals don’t stop there.

Along with the doll, there are also over 10 other surprises including a mini friend, secret playset, sticker sheet, and fashion accessories. The outfits and hairstyles can be mixed and matched to extend the fun.

Last, but not least, the flower pots double as a playhouse, a lot like those of Polly Pocket from when we were kids.

The low price of this one makes it ideal for birthday party gifts and as a stocking stuffer this year.

Remote Control Super Friends Transforming Batmobile

$79 (4 – 8 years)

Every year when I put this lists together in October, I always get so excited about a few of the picks that I can’t stop myself from buying them for my own kids’ Christmas.

This year one of those toys is this one for my kindergarten son- it’s just SO cool! Check out this video…

Reviewers report that the remote control is very kid-friendly for little hands and that the generously sized Batmobile moves in a lot of cool ways. Not the least of which is the way it suddenly grows hugely tall with Batman standing on top to shoot bad guys.

I just know kids in preschool/kindergarten/early elementary school are going to be blown away by this one and the Batman lover in my family is going to be thrilled to find it under the tree.

Learning Resources Pretend & Play School Set

$25.99 (3 – 6 years)

This is such a popular toy and it’s no mystery why. Kids absolutely love playing school, especially when they have awesome props like this, and parents love how it fosters a love of learning. We bought it for my 4- and 6-year-olds last Christmas and they play with it ALL THE TIME.

From the manufacturer, “Part of the Pretend & Play line that fosters healthy early childhood development by helping kids interpret and imitate the world around them.

The 149-piece set includes tri-fold board, grade book, stickers, hall passes, dry erase board, hand pointer, crayons, double-sided calendar, double-sided map, and more.” From a reviewer, “I gave this to my 6-year-old last Christmas and it has been one of the most-played-with gifts ever. She is now 7 and she still pulls this out and plays with it all the time. She loves to play school with her younger brother. This set is perfect for 5-8 year olds. Highly recommend!”

Kidoozie Foam Pogo Jumper

$14.99 (3 – 10 years)

The key to a good indoor toy is it’s ability to wear a child out without requiring a lot of space to do so. This soft pogo jumper is an Amazon #1 Best Seller because it does just that.

It will keep the kids happy (and get them good and tired) and you won’t have to worry too much about them knocking over your stuff (or each other).

Wonder Crew Dolls for Boys

$29.95 (18 mos – 6 years)

I’ve been talking about the social and emotional learning benefits of dolls for boys for years in our Best Dolls for Girls and Boys Gift Guide, so I was super pumped about the release of this line of dolls designed specifically to meet those needs while staying in-tuned with boy culture.

Created by a therapist and mom, after her son came home from preschool one day and announced that ‘boys aren’t supposed to cry’. Frustrated by many of the messages boys were (and weren’t) receiving and inspired by the way play influences child development, Wider created Wonder Crew to promote social and emotional learning, build confidence and imagination, and empower boys to see themselves as caring, creative and strong people.

I’m totally on board and will definitely be getting both the superhero doll and the extra construction outfit for my son! I also love how each set comes with props for the child to wear too, so fun!

Squishy Circuits Kit

$34.99 (ages 3 – 12)

A few years ago tutorials for making your own electric play dough were popping up all over Pinterest. I would excitedly click on them with the intention of whipping up a batch for my kiddos, quickly get defeated by ingredients I didn’t know how to get, and give up.

I was so excited when I was sent some samples of Squishy Circuits- the answer to my prayers! I’m so excited about the possibilities for teaching the kids about circuits in such a fun new way!

It’s got so much that kids love, i.e. play dough and and things that light up, and there’s a Squishy Circuits app with easy, step-by-step instructional slides and videos for all of your project

This one is a multi-award winner and sure to be a big crowd pleaser!

Hatchimals: Llalacorn

(part Llama, part Unicorn)

$67.00

continue to be one of t

With over 250 sounds and reactions, Llalacorn shrinks down when she’s held; chases her accessory up and down; sings along to music; grows tall to reach the high note and more.

This one is going under the tree for our daughter this year for sure.

Haywire Group Flickin’ Chicken

$19.99 (ages 3 – adult)

I’m always on the hunt for a great game for family game night, or our Christmas Eve tradition of playing a crazy game with the family. The key components I’m on the hunt for are that the game is easy to learn, highly entertaining and suitable for kids (and adults!) of all ages.

This one totally checks all the boxes. Essentially frisbee golf with rubber chickens, players toss the target to get started, then take turns flicking’ their chicken at the target. Sounds easy enough, but these funky chickens bounce and roll, so hitting the target will test your chicken flicking’ skills!

My hope is that this might even be something my older elementary grade son will enjoy doing with his friends at playdates- you know, instead of ALWAYS defaulting to Xbox.

Learning Resources Primary Science Mix and Measure Set

$19.44 (18 months – 6 years)

This set includes a scale, bowl, 3 self-standing spoons and 6 unique cup designs to help children visualize quantities as well as activity cards to guide children in making mystery goo, puffy paint, slime and more.

Because it allows those not quite ready to experiment to get in on the fun too, this is a great toy for siblings of different ages.

Older kids can partake in real concocting while their younger counterparts pour to their heart’s contentment. This is a fabulous toy perfect for playing with at the sink, in the tub, or at the water table.

Qwirkle

$19.95 (5+ years)

One of the best-sellers ever amongst all 350 toys on our gift guides. My son got this strategic domino and scrabble-like game for his 5th birthday and, since then, has asked to play it during our one-on-one time over and over.

Although we altered the rules and points system a bit to adjust for his age, this Parents’ Choice Gold Award and Mensa National Competition winner is still fantastic for working on shape and color recognition as well as pattern perception and spatial and critical thinking skills.

Not long after we brought the game home, my 4-year-old daughter got in on the fun too. I can tell this is one that our family is sure to be playing for years to come.

Mecards

starting at $9.38 (5+ years)

This is the rare toy that truly is like no other I’ve ever seen.

Imagine if three of the all-time most loved toys in history- Hot Wheels, Pokeman Cards and Transformers- had a baby… you’d have Mecards.

You really have to watch the video to understand the magic of how this works… but basically kids “battle” by each rolling their cars over a facedown card.

What happens next is some crazy cool “magic”. The car not only turns itself into an action figure, it also picks up and displays the magnetic card to show who has won the battle.

Both my son and daughter have gone through big Pokeman card stages, mostly so they could battle, and I just know that my son is gonna flip out when he sees this.

In fact, every year when I start working on these guides I vow that I will not buy anything for the kids yet… Nevertheless, 4 of these Mecard sets are on the way to our house as we speak.

Each vehicle comes with 3 cards and I’m thinking a good starter pack for would be 4 vehicles (which will come with 12 cards). To see the true magic of these cards, you have to check out the video above- you will be sold!

The last thing I really like about this set is that the cards make it really easy to tailor the game to the age of the player– you can keep it super simple for preschool and kindergartners and much more complex for elementary aged kids.

Crayola Inspiration Art Case

$18.99 (3 – 12 years)

This 150 piece art set gets great marks for everything from its special looking case that keeps all the components snapped in place to the quality of the art supplies inside.

If your child is getting serious about art, this gift will show them you are proud of their burgeoning skills and it’s sure to thrill.

My son and daughter seem so much more motivated to create since they received their own art case- and I’ve been pleasantly surprised that the attractive case has them always picking up their art supplies and taking care of them with pride.

Fort Boards

(ages 4 – 10) starting at $61.99

Kids LOVE making forts and, I gotta say, I‘m a big fan of anything that will buy me a solid hour or two of busy time.

What I’m not the biggest fan of? The beating my couch cushions take when my kids get into fort-building mode.

That’s reason enough alone to love the Fortboard kits but there are quite a few other reasons too.

First is all the super cool kinds of forts you can build. After Fortboard sent us two boxes to review, my kids started with the instructions for making a house on their website company’s website. Next up was the submarine.

After a little trial and error, they pretty quickly got the hang of it and, let me tell you, they were pleased as punch about their new fort– which they insisted stay up for a week. That was fine by me as it resulted in TONS of cooperative dramatic play.

Next up was the submarine and the castle, both of which were equally successful. By then, even my 3-year-old was able to build stuff with these on his own. His current favorite is to make cubes, which he calls “bombs” and use them to knock down stacks of even more cubes Angry Birds style.

Fast forward a few months and they’re now building their own master creations like that 6-wheeler semi-truck pictured up top. It’s become a thrilling game to challenge each other to see what they can build next.

The second thing to really love is the ingenious ways these boards can connect in different ways to create all sorts of angles, and even curves.

The secret is the connector arm that can be moved to join the boards in different ways (and teach your kids about angles in the process).

It’s so innovative, in fact, that it’s won multiple awards and even a Microsoft Small Business Contest.

The final thing I love about Fortboards is how compact they are when it’s time to put them away. Unlike with their competitors’ sets, there are no awkward polls to store (and no polls for kids to hit their siblings with). Everything tucks into a box and neatly stores under a bed or in a closet when playtime is done.

Like other fort sets, this one is spendy but if your kid is a builder it’s worth the investment, especially if you’re looking for something great for play dates or for siblings to play with together.

The standard set comes with 60+ pieces to create over 300 different electronic projects. The pieces include snap wires, slide switches, an alarm circuit, a music integrated circuit, and a speaker and are numbered and color-coded to make identifying them easy. These components combine to create working circuit boards just like the ones found inside televisions, radios, and other electronic devices. (Note: there is a conversion set that turns Snap Circuits Jr into this bigger set when your kids are ready to move up.)

Pie Face Game

$14.88 (2 – 12 years)

This super fun game has been a huge hit ever since it debuted. We got ours for my son’s 8th birthday and had the best time playing with it.

The premise couldn’t be more simple; spin a number, put your face in the holder, crank the number of times that you spun and see if you get a “pie face”.

Because kids love getting dirty and silly, this one is always a winner. Everyone from my 2-year-old son to the grandparents was rolling on the ground laughing.

Crayola Rock Painting Set

(ages 3 – 14) $19.99

At first glance, this rock painting kit may not look like much, but don’t let the unassuming presentation fool you. This toy is gonna be a BIG WINNER in your house. Here’s why…

First, with clubs like “Seattle Rocks” or “Richmond Rocks” (insert your town’s name) popping up all over the country, rock painting is all the rage with the kindergarten and elementary school set these days. (And, of course, preschoolers will love it too with a little help from mom or dad.)

These fun clubs encourage families to decorate their own rocks at home, hide them somewhere in town and then join a facebook group to leave hints about where you left your rock and also to get hints on where to find other rocks around town.

This is a family activity that has so many beneficial elements for your kids. They get to flex their investigative skills in your community while being creative, social, giving and adventurous. Plus, they spend time with the family (and maybe even learn a little about using the internet safely with you).

Ok, so clearly I’m into the rock clubs- but even if you’re not, your kids will still love painting rocks for their own homes or just for sharing with friends. And if they’re gonna do it, THIS is the kit to get.

The biggest thing about this kit is that it comes with a tub to keep everything in!!! This is major! The one thing I do not dig about rock painting is the potential for half-painted rocks, paint and brushes scattered all over the house. This will keep it all contained!

It also comes with a lot of things other kits don’t, like 8 very cool shimmering metallic markers, a paint mixing tray, and finishing glaze. Of course, it also comes with acrylic paints in white, black, brown and the primary colors.

At first, I thought that didn’t seem like enough colors but then I watched the video above and realized the idea is to use the primary colors to mix your own secondary colors. Another learning element great for preschoolers and kindergartners!

Dueling Double Stomp Rocket Kit

(3+ years)

and Ultra Stomp Rocket

$19.00 (6+ years)

My kids both got to play with this at science camp this summer, during their study of physics, and fell in love. They both, my son especially, get a little hyper in the afternoon and I knew we’d all love having this around for them to stomp to their hearts content in the backyard. Lucky for us, we got one for C’s 6th birthday and I was absolutely right.

The concept is simple, stomp (or jump) on the launch pad to send a foam tipped rocket up to 200 ft in the air. I like that both sets come with 4 rockets so the kids get to launch multiple times before running around to pick them all up and do it all over again.

Obviously the glow-in-the dark aspect of the Jr. Glow Kit is pretty cool. Siblings will love going together, and not having to take turns, and hosting friendly competitions with the Dueling Double Stomp Rocket Kit. In summary, these simple battery-free toys are multi-award winners and get great reviews. Plus they’re cheap – gotta love that!

Twistz Bandz Rainbow Loom

$15.79 (5+ years)

Billed by many as “the runaway toy of the year” a few years back, this award-winning loom is the most exciting thing to happen to kid jewelry since the advent of the friendship bracelet.

Using a special loom and the multitude of colorful twistz bandz that come in this kit along with a myriad of video tutorials available on YouTube, kids will spend hours happily creating with this fun kit.

My daughter has been playing with her kit for years now. This is easily one of the biggest “bang for your buck” toys we’ve ever bought.

PlasmaCar

$54.99 (3 – 8 years)

Check out the stellar reviews on this one and you’ll be sold. It’s a cool space-age car that’s powered solely by wiggling the steering wheel. This multi-award winning toy is one that will be enjoyed by kids of all ages for many years. Enough said.

Lulu Jr. Book and Comic Book Making Kits

starting at $17.95 (5 – 12 years)

These award-winning kits allow your children to author, illustrate, and publish their very own book hard cover book. My daughter and I have been making books together at home for a while now so I’m excited to surprise her with this kit allowing her to make a professionally printed book.

I also love the comic book making kit for kids who need a little encouragement in the areas of reading and writing. From the manufacturer, “Lulu Jr. allows children to become published authors, encouraging creativity, strengthening literacy and building self-esteem. Your child writes and illustrates their own original story that will be printed as a full-color, hardcover, professionally printed book.

You choose whether to mail your completed book pages to them in the included prepaid envelope, or you and your child can create the book online. The final product showcases your child as the published author on the book’s back cover using our ‘About the Author’ feature. With Lulu Jr.’s award-winning book-making kits, IlluStory Junior, My Comic Book and My Awesome Book, children can realize their potential as an author and artist. With 800,000 kits sold and over 15 industry awards, Lulu Jr. is the ideal destination for young authors. “… For younger kids, also check out the low-tech Create Your Own 3 Bitty Books kit that allows them to make three of their own mini-board books for only $10.

LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Kits

starting at $11.24, (age varies by kit)

This is another series of kits, much like the LEGO City collection with the difference being that each kit can be used to create 3 totally different things. My son thinks this is especially awesome and I did a lot of research to find the perfect set for his 6th birthday.

We settled on the LEGO Creator 31011 Aviation Adventure and we were not disappointed! The photos don’t do justice to the sheer size of this thing! That and the number of pieces involved in the build truly make this the next level in LEGO builds. Plus it actually has moving parts (pull back the landing gear to make the propellers move, slide the cockpit windshield back and up to insert and remove the two pilots, etc.). My son has been playing with it non-stop for weeks and he still hasn’t even gotten to the boat and helicopter he can build with this set. This toy has already given us hours and hours of fun and promises to give lots more – a great investment in my eyes.

Hot Wheels DIY Track Creator Kit

(18 months with parents help – 12 years)

This is a very unique item on these gift guides in that I’m recommending you buy a couple of simple sets (listed below) and package them together to make one really awesome gift.

I totally get that some of the Hot Wheels sets out there are super fun for kids (our favorites are still featured below).

However, one of the things I really love about hot wheels is the idea of the kids going crazy with them, building all kinds of unique and interesting tracks down the stairs, under the table, and etc. So if you’re considering a big Hot Wheels gift for your kiddo, I really encourage you to think about putting together this suggested DIY gift instead of buying one expensive track setup.

I promise, it will buy you so many more hours of engagement than a bells-and-whistles set that really only does one thing. This kit was my son’s big present for his 7th birthday , minus the cars as we had plenty of those. Of course, you can add or subtract from it to make the perfect sized gift for your space/budget too.

Here’s what I’d put in mine if starting from scratch:

Hot Wheels 20 Car Gift Pack $21.63

A decent set of small hot wheels are a must for us. They’re great for playing with the toy garage also listed here or for using with blocks, up-cycled paper towel rolls, and even painter’s tape tracks in all kinds of innovative open-ended play. Of course, when playing with these with young toddlers, be on the lookout for any loose parts that may be a choking hazard. We’ve never had a problem but it’s worth noting.

Hot Wheels Track Builder Stunt Box $22.49

Allows to design, create and customize their very own track challenge using a variety of stunts, track layout options and key track essentials that all work together. This set includes 35+ customizable pieces, including 6 pieces of orange track, 16+ bricks, 2 curves, a launcher, multiple connectors, and a Hot Wheels vehicle

One reviewer wrote, “Bought for 6 year old grandson and he loves it. Well made, flexible pieces so it can stay together and remove easily. He added it to other pieces and things around to make ramps. Keeps him busy a long time.”

How Wheels Track Builder: 15 Feet of Straight Track $9.99

To really expand the possibilities, I would also highly recommend throwing in one or two of these straight track sets. 18 track connectors, including an assortment of 9-inch tracks, 12-inch tracks and track connectors to make up to 15 feet of straight track.*Post contains affiliate links.

Still want more ideas? Don’t forget to check out all 15 of the MPMK Gift Guides, organized by your child’s age:

For the hottest toys of the year see:

Plus, the rest of our guides organized by interest:

Tens of thousands of parents use these lists every Christmas to find the perfect gift!

If you like these recommendations, I encourage you to pin or bookmark them for later when you’re ready to start shopping.

I would also love it if you forwarded the list to your parenting friends or shared it on facebook – trust me, your friends will thank you for the help and you get to be the cool mom (or dad) with all the best resources. It’s a win-win.

Also, don’t forget for even more recommendations and alerts when we spot our gift guide items on sale:

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