Amazon's 2016 Holiday Toys List for 2-4 year olds

Amazon.com just released their 2016 Holiday Toy lists! Here are some highlights of toys for 2-4 year olds. 

VTech Busy Learners Activity Cube

• Kids learning toy has 5 sides that encourage exploration; 4 light-up buttons introduce animal names, animal sounds and shapes
• Pre-K learning toy has 14 interactive features that develop motor skills; music cube assists babies with sitting up to play
• Motion sensor activates fun sounds when the activity cube is moved to attract attention and encourage crawling
• Early learning center has 25 playful songs and melodies that keep toddlers 6 month to 3 year olds engaged and entertained; comes fully assembled

This looks like so much fun! I think it could be a fun toy for babies too. There's lots to keep their attention!

Melissa & Doug 8-Piece Stainless Steel Pots and Pans Playset for Kids

• Includes colander, pot with lid, 2 pans, 2 wooden utensils, and rack
• Hand-polished stainless steel
• Sturdy looped handles with riveted construction
• Large size for extra-large portions of fun!
• Dishwasher safe

This is one of Froot Loop's favorite kitchen play accessories. These pots and pans are seriously just like the real thing, only in a smaller form. I could totally use these in my own kitchen if I wanted to. 

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Melissa & Doug On The Go Water Wow Bundle Animals, Alphabet and Numbers Paint

• Each book includes themed boards to color and write on, plus refillable water pen
• Exciting animal, alphabet, and number themes
• Reusable pages are white with simple line drawings when dry; filled with color when wet
• Chunky-size water pen is easy to fill, easy to hold
• Compact, spiral-bound format--great for travel!

We take these on car trips and to waiting rooms, etc. Froot Loop and Cocoa Puff both love them. The pictures magically come to life with just water and dry off quickly and easily. It's perfect for the car and for quiet time.

B. Toys B. One Two Squeeze Blocks

• Multi-Functional: Stack 'Em, Squeeze 'Em, You Can Even Chew 'Em! And They Float Too! Perfect To Play With Anywhere.
• Fun & Colourful: 10 Hand-Sculptured, Embossed Blocks With Unique Designs (Animal Shapes & Numbers) On Each Side.
• Educational: Encourages Curiosity And Exploration Through Increased Visual Stimulation For Young, Curious Minds.
• Sounds: The B. One Two Squeeze Blocks Also Produce A Silly, Squeaking Sound When Squeezed For Even More Fun!
• Storage: Comes With A 100% Recycled Plastic Bag That Makes For Easy Storage To Help Minimize Clutter.

Here's another toy that could work for babies and preschoolers. Blocks are so much fun. The littlest babies can just touch and feel them, and then eventually, learn to stack them! These are soft and squishy and are great first blocks for babies and toddlers and preschoolers. 

Educational Insights The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game

• Color matching game for all ages
• Designed to teach matching, sorting, counting, and simple math skills
• Great first board game for a child
• Quick, fun game that can be played continuously in a short time
• Easy setup and cleanup

Oh this game is so much fun. We've been playing it with Froot Loop for over a year now. It's great because the rules are simple, but it's still fun. It's good for color learning, following directions, and also, thanks to the tweezers, great for pincher grasp! I highly, highly recommend this game! 

Magformers Standard Set (62-pieces)

• Set that includes triangles, squares and added pentagons in rainbow colors.
• 62 pieces total: 20 triangles, 30 squares and 12 pentagons.
• Neodymium Rare-Earth Magnets for guaranteed connectivity.
• ABS plastic magnets conform to CE, ASTM, and EN71
• Compatible with all Magformers shapes and accessories.
• ABS plastic magnets conform to CE, ASTM and EN71
• You can create a variety of models with the pentagon added.
• 62 pieces total: 20 triangles, 30 squares and 12 pentagons.
• Instant connection! Instant fun!

We have a cheaper brand of magnet blocks and it really doesn't work very well. We had the opportunity to play with Magformers at a friend's house and I'll tell you, even though they're more expensive, they're worth it. These are so incredibly easy to play with and build with. It's an investment, but kids can play with them for years. I even like playing with them. 

VTech Kidizoom Camera Pix, Blue

• Take real digital photographs with the durable Kidizoom Camera Pix by VTech; real 2.0 mega pixels camera with 4x digital zoom
• The kid-friendly Kidizoom Camera Pix includes all the tools that budding photographers want in a digital camera; durable design protects from drops and tumbles
• Selfie mode detects your face and automatically takes the perfect picture; four built-in games add to the fun; includes a video recorder and voice recorder for more creative ways to play
• Fun photo collage templates in addition to static and animated photo effects enhance your pictures; more than 35 fun photo effects and 4 creative apps; connect to your computer to download all of your creations (Micro USB cable sold separately)
• Built-in memory and micro SD card slot for memory expansion (micro SD card sold separately); requires 4 AA batteries (included); intended for ages 3 to 8 years

If your kids love to take pictures, or are like mine and steal my phone to take 100 selfies of their left eyebrow or of their favorite stuffed animal or the spiderweb in the corner of their room, then maybe this camera is for you! I have actually added this to Froot Loop's Christmas list because I think he'd just go to town with it. 

Green Toys Airplane, Red

• Made in the USA from 100% recycled milk jugs
• US supply chain reduces greenhouse gas and saves energy
• Phthalate and BPA free
• Great size and weight for little hands
• Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning

We are huge Green Toys fans in this family. This airplane is one of the toys we own and the boys constantly fight over it. It's just so simple and clean and great for small hands. If your kids love airplanes or vehicles or the like, this toy definitely is for you!

Melissa & Doug Service Station Parking Garage

• Wooden two-level carry-all service station and parking garage
• Includes car wash with roller and drying strips, numbered parking area, gas pump, garage with doors, elevator, and 2 painted wooden cars
• Elevator moves up and down to bring cars to upper parking area, parking booth gate lifts and lowers, and platform slides through car wash
• Gas pump hose fits into cars for fast fill-ups
• Encourages fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem solving, and imaginative play

Froot Loop just got this for his 4th birthday. It was his favorite present I think. I should have waited and had him open it last because he didn't want to open any other presents. He just wanted to play with this parking garage. He played with it nonstop for days after his birthday. It's extremely well made and there's lots of activities in it. It also works with other Melissa and Doug vehicles, which we have quite a few of. 

Potato Head Playskool Mr.Potato Head Tater Tub Set

• High quality toys for children all ages
• Made using safe materials
• Tested for quality and durability
• Tater Tub set includes a Mr. Potato Head potato body and fun features
• One potato lots of funny faces
• More than 15 pieces
• Parts are compatible with other Mr. Potato Head and Mrs. Potato Head toys (each sold separately)
• Set includes 1 potato body, feet, 4 pairs of eyes, nose, 2 ears, 3 mouths, tongue, baseball cap, 2 arms, mustache and storage bucket with lid

Amazon tells me I ordered this two years ago! I thought Froot Loop would go bonkers over this set because he had a Mr. Potato head and he loved to play with it. Well, he was excited about it, but then he didn't really play with it much again. I'm going to take it out and reintroduce it to the boys. 

VTech Go! Go! Smart Wheels Blast-Off Space Station

• It's all systems go for learning with the Go! Go! Smart Wheels Blast-Off Space Station by VTech; pretend to launch the rocket ship into outer space or turn the star to send it through the black hole
• Includes a variety of manipulative features that strengthen motor skills and teach the concept of cause and effect; 6 connecting track pieces
• Roll the SmartPoint rocket ship over five SmartPoint locations to hear different phrases, music or fun sound effects; teaches the letter R and the name of the vehicle
• Collect other Smart Point vehicles and connect to other Go! Go! Smart Wheels playsets (sold separately) to encourage your child's creativity

This is on Cocoa Puff's Christmas wishlist. He loves the Go! Go! Smart Wheels and Smart Animals sets and we have so much fun setting them up. Plus, he loves outer space, so this is kind of the best of both worlds! 

Green Toys Fire Station Playset

Spark imaginative play with the Green Toys Fire Station! This playset has everything your little firefighter needs to save the day, including a fire station, fire engine, firefighter cat characters, rotating water cannon, command center, and stackable bunk beds. Open and close the doors to both the front and back of the station, help the cats slide down the fire pole, and race to the rescue in the fire engine, all while helping to develop fine motor cooperative play skills. All pieces fit inside the fire station, so clean-up and storage is a breeze, and the built-in handle makes it easy to take all the fun on-the-go. 

Another Green Toy makes my list! My little guys love Fire Trucks! 

Magnetic Stacking Train

• 11 Pieces; train engin, train car and 9 blocks with built in magnets
• No need for special tracks, this train can go anywhere
• Stack the blocks any way you want, they stay together for the entire journey
• Sanded silky smooth with a vibrant, glossy finish

This toy just looks like fun. My mom picked up a block train set and both boys played with it almost every day we were there. This looks like such a fun way to combine blocks and trains.

Play Doh Create N' Store Big Bucket

• Great for storing doh and tools
• Vacuum sealed lid
• Includes 6 cookie cutters, 1 playmat and 3 oz. Doh

Oh, Play Doh! We have a few different sets, but Froot Loop doesn't like touching the Doh himself, although he will use the tools on it if I put it out for him. Cocoa Puff is learning how to play with it too, but he's still a bit freaked out by it. 

Well, that's it for this age group! Be watching for other age groups coming soon!

What is on your kids' Christmas wishlists this year?