Naughty or nice: Here are the hottest holiday toys for kids in 2026, per experts and parents
Believe it or not, the holidays are just around the corner.And you know what that means: shopping season has begun.For parents of little ones, the stakes are even higher.
As a shopping reporter and first-time mom, I know the pressure to pick out the very best gifts — and this year, the options are almost too good.In an effort to put together this guide, The Post also consulted Ali Mierzejewski, Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Insider, for insights into some of the hottest gifts of the year.Mierzejewski has been covering the hottest toy trends in the industry for years and knows exactly what to look for when it comes to holiday gifting.“We know that a lot of the classic heritage brands — like Fisher-Price, Crayola, LEGO, Play-Doh, Barbie, and more — are always going to be big hits,” explained Mierzejewski.
“But with new trends, like the spike in the popularity of squishy toys, other brands are becoming more and more household names, like NeeDoh and Squishmallows.”Beyond the brands, Mierzejewski also suggests looking to pop culture for toy inspiration (think The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Toy Story 5 items from Disney).Fortunately, there’s no shortage of great kids’ toys for every age, budget and personal taste — whether your little one is a die-hard doll fan, lives for ripping open hatching surprise toys or has a slime obsession that has been slowly taking over your home.Trust us, there’s a toy for every kind of kid — and yes, even some things the parents might enjoy playing with, too.
Below, find the 21 hottest toys of the year, per expert recommendations and parent reviews.Mierzejewski says this is a great pick because Elmo is a universal crowd-pleaser.“Whether it’s kids or adults, hearing this brand-new Tickle Me Elmo laugh himself into giggle fits will have everyone laughing along with him,” she shared.She also points out that it’s the 30th anniversary of the original Tickle Me Elmo, “so it has a nostalgic appeal parents will love.�...