Every Christmas for many, many years, children have always asked for the same thing: toys. It’s a staple of Christmas day. The children wake up, rush out to see what’s under the tree, and open up their toys.

Whether the toys are made with new, top-of-the-line technology, or something simple and classic like a Frisbee, children will enjoy anything Santa brings to put under the tree. But you want to be armed with ideas for your gift giving purchases.

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Toy Gift Guide 2017

There are some toys that are perfect for almost any age. Then there are those that are best for specific age groups such as babies, toddlers, younger children, tweens, and teens.

Sometimes, you’ll find that some of the main gifts work best if they have some of the accessories to go with them. These can make great add-ons or even stocking stuffers if you want to make sure they’re all set. Here is our Toy Gift Guide for 2017.

Action Figure Gifts

Ever since the G.I. Joe line of toys was released in the 1960s, action figures have become incredibly popular among young children and even teenagers. They were exciting, and children could stage big battles between their favorite characters from cartoons and movies. Even though children today can play on tablets and computers, many of them still enjoy playing with action figures.

Rescue Bots

One of the most popular lines of toys for younger children is the Playskool Heroes Transformers Rescue Bots. There are a few different ones, such as Heatwave and Chase. Like all Transformers, they go from being robots to vehicles. Because these toys are meant for younger children, they’re very easy to transform without any complicated process. That way you won’t have to help your child with it every time they want to change it.

Transformers

Transformers toys aren’t just available for young children, though. There are more advanced versions for older children, up to their preteen years. These models are much more detailed and more complicated to transform from the robot mode into the vehicle more. Two of the most popular are Bumblebee and Megatron.

Switch & Go Dinos

There are even display figures if you know someone who collects those kinds of things. One line of toys that’s become fairly popular for children is the VTech Switch & Go Dinos. Much like Transformers, they go from being cars to beings, but instead of transforming into humanoid robots, they turn into dinosaur robots.

All of them have LCD screens that change depending on the mode they’re in, either showing a facial expression of the car driver or the eyes of the dinosaur. Children will surely have these on their wish list this Christmas! Especially Blister the Velociraptor and the 2-pack Sliver and Horns.

Hatchimals

While not exactly action figures, Hatchimals are one of the most popular figures children will be asking for this Christmas. The great thing is that each toy is a surprise until it hatches, so it really is a gift that keeps on giving. A few choices are the Glittering Garden Egg and Surprise Twins.

Die-cast Cars

Most little boys love playing with cars. There are Matchbox cars and Hot Wheels. And then there are carriers or bins to contain them or even a 4-Level Garage Play Set.

Also, if they are NASCAR fans, there are die-cast cars for different drivers, like Jimmie Johnson or Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Arts and Crafts Gifts

Arts-and-crafts gifts are great for just about anyone, young or old because they’re a good way to spend some time relaxing and working on something. It’s also productive most of the time. Anyone can pick up arts and crafts fairly easily, and make some pretty interesting things, whether they’re beginners or experts.

Slime

One of the most popular crazes in 2017 among young children is making slime. There are tons of kits available that you can get for your children, with detailed instructions that are easy to follow. The Slime Time Kit from Milliard is a good example. It contains everything you need from measuring cups and containers to the actual slime-making liquids and even dye for the slime.

If your child is a major slime enthusiast, you can get them the basic components to make it themselves without the help of a kit. School glue, Borax, and vinegar should be all they need to start making slime. Go to Preschool Inspirations blog post for instructions.

You can also get them some accessories to bring a little more life into their slime. These could include such things as little foam balls or glitter, which add texture.

Sewing

Another great arts-and-crafts hobby that your children can pick up is sewing. Sewing is very relaxing. It is also a very useful skill because you can fix up your own clothing or furniture if it ever gets torn. Sewing is a great way for your children to spend their time instead of watching TV.

The ALEX Toys My First Sewing Kit is a great way to get started, even if you’re not a child. It provides easy instructions that you can follow and uses real sewing needles and scissors, so it’s the real deal. Also, it contains all of the essentials that your child will need to get started. This includes the fabric, stuffing, threads, and more.

Loom

Another popular crafts trend among children is the loom. Looms let your child use rubber bands to make cool bracelets, rings, and more. The most popular and most intuitive loom available is the Rainbow Loom, which includes instructions and all of the accessories you’ll need to get started. You can get the rubber bands that you need at a very fair price, and in all kinds of colors depending on what design your child wants to make.

Play-Doh

Don’t forget classic arts and crafts like the Play-Doh kits. You can get big sets of multiple colors or specific sets with a theme, such as the kits where they can make Despicable Me Minions or pretend they’re a dentist pulling fake teeth made out of Play-Doh.

Dolls and Accessory Gifts

Dolls are just as popular if not more popular among children than action figures, especially among young girls. Different styles of dolls have been around since ancient times, allowing children to make up their own stories and use their imagination.

Barbie Dolls

Even in late 2017, dolls are still very popular among little girls, making them great Christmas gifts. The easiest go-to doll is any of the Barbie dolls. There are tons of different kinds of Barbie dolls available, with accessories that let your child customize them just about however they want.

You can get Barbie dolls with all kinds of different fantasy themes. Examples include things like mermaids and fairies, as well as real-life themes such as weddings and careers. There’s a Barbie playset that dresses her up like a doctor, complete with scrubs, a stethoscope, a table, and two babies to care for. Or the Barbie with Newborn Pups playset. You can get all kinds of outfits for all kinds of careers, from fashion model to firefighter to pilot.

There are also tons of Barbie accessories available, such as the Barbie convertible. Your children can pretend they’re driving Barbie around from her job to her house, and it even comes with seatbelts to teach your children proper driving safety. You can also get SUVs, Campers, and even an airplane.

Baby Dolls

Of course, Barbie dolls aren’t the only dolls out there. One of the most popular kinds of dolls out there is the baby doll. The La Baby from JC Toys is a great example, because it’s light, small, and comes in various skin tones. You can get little bottles that the doll can hold on to, which simulates feeding a baby in real life. Also, you can get strollers so your child can take them around outside. These dolls can teach your children compassion and nurturing and can prepare them for how to hold a baby for real.

One of the more advanced baby dolls on the market is the Baby Alive series. The Baby Alive dolls will all actually eat, use their diapers, talk, and in some dolls, move and crawl around. For some of the dolls, the food is reusable. But if your child loses it, you can always get more. You can also get replacement packs of diapers, so they can keep playing with their Baby Alive.

Electronic Gifts

Electronics have greatly improved the quality of toys nowadays, adding sounds, lights, and other feedback that makes toys more interactive. These responses will make your children a bit brighter and more creative. It adds a whole new level of fun to your child’s toys.

Pac-Man

One great example of an electronic toy is the plug and play classic games. Most are very easy to use and great for any children, young or old. They’re little joystick boxes that you can plug into the TV and play classic 1980s arcade games. For example, the Pac-Man Connect and Play lets you play Pac-Man as well as a few other classic games.

Atari

You can also get your children an Atari Flashback console, which does the same thing and comes with almost 100 Atari games. The Atari Flashback is a bit bigger than one of the smaller plug and play games, but it includes a lot more. This makes it a great thing for parents and children to bond over, especially if the parents grew up playing those games.

Cozmo Robot

One amazing gift for children that like to work with technology and computers is the Cozmo robot. Connecting to an app on your phone, you can control and interact with Cozmo. You can even level him up and get upgrades for him. All kinds of games can be played with Cozmo by using the included Power Cubes. You can get your child accessories to go with Cozmo, such as storage cases and screen protectors. These come in handy if you have pets or young children that might scratch the screen or get a little too rough with it.

Sort & Discover Activity Cube

If you have much younger children, you might consider getting them a VTech Sort & Discover Activity Cube. The Activity Cube has 5 sides with activities built in that help your baby develop their motor skills and learn basic things like colors, numbers, and more. Your baby can learn how to recognize shapes such as squares, circles, triangles, and stars. All of the corners have been rounded for safety, so you don’t have to worry about your baby being hurt.

Musical Gifts

Another great electronic toy for little children is the VTech Musical Rhymes book. Each page has interactive elements that help develop your child’s mind, and it also plays songs that they can learn, such as Old MacDonald Had a Farm.

There are many musical gifts you can get a child in your life. They range from drum sets (electronic or traditional) to gifts like karaoke machines – which children love to use for things like family fun night or sleepovers.

Remote Control Gifts

Many young children take up similar interests to those of their parents, or things they’ve seen on TV or movies. Naturally, there are plenty of people out there that are interested in cars, especially if their parents were the same way. Many love playing with R/C cars because it’s so much fun.

Your children can set up tracks, obstacle courses, stage races, and more. A great starting R/C car for toddlers is the Cartoon R/C car from Liberty Imports. The controller is very easy to use, with only two buttons: forwards and turn left. It doesn’t go too fast, so you don’t risk your child scraping furniture or walls.

If you have a bit of an older car enthusiast, you can get them something a bit more realistic. There are many scale models of popular supercars out there that are R/C controlled and drivable, such as the 1/14 scale Lamborghini Sesto Elemento from Midea Tech. It’s a very accurate replica of the real thing, and you can use the remote control to drive it around anywhere. There are also models of the Bugatti Veyron, BMW i3, and Porsche 918 Spyder.

Riding Gifts

Some children aren’t as fond of just controlling a little electric vehicle. They want to be in the driver’s seat, actually going along with the car. Luckily, there are plenty of ride-on gifts that you can get your children.

One of the most classic and well known riding toys is the Little Tykes Cozy Coupe. If you don’t recognize the name, you’ll likely recognize the toy – the red lower part and the yellow top part of a little cartoon car.

Children can have tons of fun with these in their yards and driveways. For children that like something a bit more realistic, the Peg Perego John Deere tractor is the way to go. It has an electric motor and a real acceleration pedal. The tractor brakes automatically when the child lets off the acceleration pedal, so they can avoid unwanted accidents. This tractor has a real, functioning FM radio in it, so your child can listen to their favorite tunes while they cruise around the backyard. It has two forward speeds and one reverse speed, going about 5 MPH at its fastest. Our boys loved this when they were younger. Grandpa was so happy to get this for his boys. We then passed it on to another family who enjoyed it, and then they have also passed it on. So it has lasted a long time.

There is also a motorized pink vehicle for girls. It includes working headlights, horn, seat belt, an FM radio and mp3 connection.

Educational Toy Gifts

When you have a young child, it’s important that you get them learning at an early stage. This will help them with successful learning later in life. However, you want to present educational material in a fun, enjoyable way. Not just sitting your toddler down in front of a whiteboard and trying to teach them. There are tons of educational toys available that will help your child go above and beyond and excel in academics later in life.

One really good tool for young children is the LeapFrog Scribble and Write. It uses a stylus pen and an interactive screen to help teach your children how to write the alphabet and numbers. Your child can select numbers, capital letters, and lowercase letters. Once they do, they can press one of the letters to practice writing, and the screen will show an outline of the letter. Then, all they have to do is trace it. This allows them to develop muscle memory and better motor skills.

Science

For older, more scientifically inclined children, they’ll love the Scientific Explorer Mind Blowing Science Kit. It includes everything your little scientist needs to perform some basic, but amazing experiments. This includes an easy-to-follow guide, all of the safe-to-use chemicals, and the laboratory equipment. Children will develop a better understanding and appreciation for STEM fields.

Another great educational toy gift is the Snap Circuits Jr. Electronic Discovery kit. Using two AA batteries, your child can power a circuit board and understand how circuits work. It’s great for beginners because it’s been safety proofed. This is perfect because your child doesn’t run the risk of electrocuting themselves. Although it only includes 30 parts, there are over a hundred projects. This will certainly get any child interested in engineering and physics.

If your child is a rock collector or likes spending a lot of time outside, they’ll be fascinated by the National Geographic Geode Exploring kit. Geodes are naturally forming rocks that are full of crystals on the inside. This kit includes 10 real different ones, along with all of the safety equipment your child will need to get it all done safely. Also, it comes with a booklet that explains how to identify geodes and other basic information. It’s a great way to learn about geology and how the world works.

Building Blocks

Do you remember playing with blocks as a child? My how times, and blocks, have changed. There are so many choices.

For younger children, there are Melissa & Doug Wooden Blocks with 100 blocks in 4 colors and 9 shapes. Or the Mega Bloks 80-piece Big Building Bag.

Duplos

Ages 2-5 will enjoy the Duplo All-in-One-Box-of-Fun set with 65 pieces. Included are a boy figure and a dog. Your child can make a house, wagon, tree, and more.

Legos

Legos are a perfect choice for any child (or adult). Our house is full of Legos! The boys, even as teenagers, love Legos. But then again, Mom has a soft spot for them too. There are so many different options. Some include City collections, Lego Friends, Star Wars, etc.