Keeping the kids delighted during the holidays can feel challenging, especially when you’re short on time or money. The good news: you can still make children beam without breaking the bank by shopping for items priced at $25 or less.
Budget-friendly toys are so sought-after thatWalmart,Amazon andTarget publish their annual lists of the season’s hottest gifts — and this year’s selections are excellent.
We dug into the best-selling toys under $25 this season and compiled this roundup so you can see what’s trending. Bonus: there are often coupons or promos available that can help you grab these picks for$25 or less.
Note: Prices shown were checked online in November and may change as the season progresses.
23 of This Year’s Best Toys Under $25
Ease your holiday shopping and protect your wallet with these standout toys under $25. The selections below include award-winning items with solid reviews and a track record of being the toys kids actually hope to find under the tree. Pick any of these, and you can feel confident they’ll make it into a child’s favorite toy stash.
Best Toys Under $25 for Babies and Toddlers
1. Coodoo Magnetic Tiles, 40-piece set
Coodoo magnetic tiles are a wonderful option for little builders. These colorful tiles come in various shapes and snap together easily to form houses, castles and more. They support developing critical thinking, concentration and coordination — making playtime educational as well as fun.
2. Munchkin Float & Play Bubbles Baby and Toddler Bath Toy
Because many toys aren’t suitable for infants, bath toys remain a top option. Munchkin’s Float & Play Bubbles entertain little ones during bath time while engaging their senses, like touch and sight.
3. Coolplay Baby’s First Non-Toxic Soft Cloth Book Set
Soft cloth books are a gentle introduction to bright pictures and early words before babies can handle heavier board books. These non-toxic, squishy books are eye-catching and entertaining — ideal for children around 12 to 18 months.
4. LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book, Green
There’s always room for learning, and turning lessons into play helps them stick. LeapFrog’s Learning Friends book introduces more than 100 age-appropriate words via Turtle, Tiger and Monkey. Tapping words plays them aloud, and the book includes sound effects. It’s offered in English and Spanish — great for bilingual homes.
5. Little Tikes Creative Chefs Cookie Kit With Make-It Mix Play Sand
Toddlers exploring food and pretend cooking will love this playset. It comes with 11 pieces for imaginative baking using packets of “cookie mix” — really play sand — to mold cookies. With a rolling pin and a picture-based recipe, it’s sure to delight…just don’t let them actually taste their creations.
Best Toys Under $25 for Preschoolers
1. Squishmallows Pikachu Holiday 14” Plush
Few things cross generations like Pokémon. Squishmallows returns with a holiday-themed Pikachu wearing a cozy blue hat. “Pika Pika” this cuddly companion for the Pokémon fans on your list.
2. FAO Schwartz Fifth Ave. Handbag and Accessories
Little ones love to mimic grown-ups, complete with purses, sunglasses and pretend “phones.” This FAO Schwartz set includes a usable handbag and toy versions of everyday adult items, making it perfect for imaginative role play.
3. Mini Brands Garden Collectible Capsule
This Mini Brands garden capsule is a fun, budget-friendly stocking stuffer. Each mini ball hides a tiny collectible garden piece (made of plastic). There are 18 mini plants to gather, from flowers to orchids and succulents.
4. Wild Manes Candi’s Pink Sugar Crush Carnival Cart
For young horse lovers, this Wild Manes set is a charming pick. It includes a posable horse figure, brush and a pull-along cart. Candi the horse rides along the Sugar Crush Carnival, complete with popcorn, soda and other carnival treats.
5. Melissa & Doug Sticker Wow!
Melissa & Doug deliver again with Sticker Wow!, a value-packed crafting kit featuring polar bears and penguins. The activity pads and sticker stampers are perfect for parties or quiet crafting time, with exercises like counting, matching and number practice.
6. LCD Writing Tablet for Kids
This 8.5-inch LCD writing tablet is perfect for doodling without paper, crayons or markers. The pad is free of harmful chemicals and erases cleanly with the push of a button — no mess, no fuss.
Best Toys Under $25 for Elementary-Aged Kids
1. LEGO Creator 3 in 1 Peacock, Dragon, Butterfly
Each year LEGO offers entry-level Creator kits that expand a growing collection. This three-in-one set builds a peacock, dragon or butterfly — ideal for kids who enjoy imaginative construction play.
2. Barbie World Game Room Set
The Barbie World Game Room Set is an easy choice for elementary-aged collectors. The set includes 19 dollhouse accessories like a foosball table and beanbag chair — a great starter upgrade for a Barbie home.
3. Rubik’s Cube Squish Cube
This is a classic 3×3 Rubik’s Cube with a soft, squishy texture that makes twisting it oddly satisfying. Despite the squishiness, it still offers the same huge number of permutations and one correct solution — a great way to keep kids engaged.
4. Pickleball Blast
Pickleball Blast brings the excitement of pickleball home. This two-player tabletop game uses a wiggling pickle that players must hit to topple spinning targets. Knock down all three and you win.
5. Barbie Mini BarbieLand Fashionistas Dolls
Collectors of Barbie will appreciate these tiny surprises. Fashionista dolls are now miniaturized and concealed inside toy lipstick tubes, keeping the doll a secret until revealed. The full doll stands 1.5 inches tall — affordable enough to buy a few.
6. Kinetic Sand
The Kinetic Sand SquishMotion playset includes a pound of sand, a stamper and five tools. With three sand colors and three stampers for shapes like suns and stars, kids can create, squish and repeat for endless sensory play.
Best Toys Under $25 for Tweens
1. Star Wars Force N Telling Vader
There’s nothing wrong with receiving your fate from the Dark Side. This little Vader dispenses fortunes with 40 possible responses — ranging from neutral to positive to negative. Push his helmet, watch him light up and listen to his prediction.
2. Mr. Beast Lab Mutators Gold Panther
Tweens who follow Mr. Beast will enjoy this Mutators Gold Panther. Kids use purple ooze to coax the panther out of its chamber, revealing the surprise toy inside — a satisfying, slow-unveil activity.
3. Hello Blink Sticker Maker
For kids who love crafts, a sticker maker is a win. The Hello Blink device helps children design and print their own sticker art without ink — using thermal printing to produce up to 80 stickers.
4. Marvel Spider-Man Super Web Slinger
Tweens into cosplay or superheroes will enjoy this Spider-Man role-play accessory. Wearing the globe and attaching the web-slinger allows kids to shoot web-like fluid (similar to Silly String) and enact their Spider-Man adventures.
5. Nerf N Series Pinpoint Blaster, Clip and 18 Nerf N1 Darts
Tweens and teens will enjoy this Nerf Blaster with 18 N1 darts engineered for precision, distance and speed. Kids can stage living-room battles while parents can appreciate that the soft darts are safer to play with.
6. Cool Maker Go Glam Nail Studio
As tweens start showing interest in nail art, this at-home Go Glam Nail Studio is a smart choice. The kit includes guides for easy application and shiny stickers that add holographic hearts, butterflies and more. It can stamp up to 200 nails — great for sleepovers or sharing.
All of these toys offer excellent value and are likely to light up the face of the child you’re shopping for. Whether you favor crafty sets or tech-free classics, every pick here is a solid starting point for holiday shopping under $25.
