The holidays can be a time of great joy and magical memories, but they can also bring a bit of anxiety. We all want to give the best gifts to the lovely littles in our lives, but how do we know the best toys to get our kids? Well, fear not! As a mom of three boys with WAY TOO MANY TOYS, I’m your girl. I’m a military mom of three, and I move far too often to cart around anything but the most played-with and loved things! I have an almost 8-year-old, a 5-year-old, and a 3-year-old boy, so I’m an expert in finding toys that can work with multiple ages. Most of the toys on my list, I have purchased myself or my kids have played with in real life! There’s a little bit of everything on here, and it’s friendly for almost any budget, so come along with me on this journey through the top toys in my house and all over my floor!

Air Toobz from Fat Brain Toys

The newest favorite in my home is the Air Toobz from Fat Brain Toys. If you are local to Offutt AFB, near Omaha, Nebraska, and haven’t visited this fantastic toy store, you’re missing out! Don’t worry though! You can snag this on Amazon! This is a little bit of an investment at over $100, but it has rechargeable batteries, and on day one in our home, we charged it three times because my kids would not stop playing with it. This also comes apart to pack up nicely for PCS moves. These are sold out at several stores, but some small shops still have them in stock! We also did invest in the expansion pack for extra fun!

Hot Wheels RC Barbie Monster Truck 1:24

These Hot Wheels RC Monster Trucks are the perfect size! We have so much fun driving these inside. There are plenty of different styles of these trucks and it’s simple enough for my 3 year old to drive! These are budget friendly at about $25 and they have a style that will fit anyone’s taste. These are well loved by each and every one of my boys!

Lite-Brite Touch

Recently, my 4-year-old has been very into the Lite-Brite! Talk about nostalgia, but let’s not talk about the pegs that have ended up all over my home courtesy of his 3-year-old brother. We recently found the perfect compromise for everyone in my household with the Lite-Brite Touch! My son recently snagged this at Amazon with his allowance, and it is budget-friendly. This is perfect for car trips, and PCS moves as well. This isn’t a standard Lite-Brite like we had as kids. This one allows you to save images, play three games, and include animations.

LeapFrog Magic Adventures Collection

Is there an avid learner in your home? Look no further than the Leap Frog Magic Adventures collection Globe! It’s interactive and has three different games and a small screen for videos. It provides additional information regarding animals, cultures, habitats, and geography, providing hours of learning. This collection also includes a microscope that was on my oldest son’s Christmas list!

Video Games

Do you have a little one that loves to play video games? My 7-year-old used his reward chart money to buy Epic Mickey Rebrushed, providing everyone with endless hours of family fun! This one is a little darker so I would recommend it for your older kiddos!

If you need something for your younger ones we also recently acquired the Bluey video game and The Hot Wheels Unleashed 2-Turbocharged Game for the Nintendo Switch, and all three of my boys have lots of fun with both of these!

Tonies & Yoto Box

Are you looking to enjoy technology but use fewer screens? Another favorite around our house is the Tonie box. These are travel and PCS-friendly as well! The Tonie is a screen-free way to share stories and songs with your littles! My two younger boys enjoy the Tonie and use it in the car and at nap and bedtime daily. This is also an excellent toy for quiet time. We pay for the monthly subscription through Amazon and enjoy two new Tonies a month!

My oldest child enjoys a similar device, the Yoto Box, with more chapter stories. His Yoto is very similar to the Tonie, but instead of little figurines, it uses cards. Although we have found that they are easy to lose, they are also cheaper to replace! You can make your own cards using audiobooks as well. He enjoys this, and we also do a monthly subscription through Yoto to get two monthly credits. Although these are a little bit more of an investment, I can tell you they have been well-loved in my home for years. We also love these because they offer budget-friendly gifts for loved ones to send for birthdays!

MAGNA-TILES

Finally, here’s another favorite toy in this home: MAGNA-TILES. There are so many types of magnetic blocks on the market, but I can tell you that MAGNA-TILES have held up for at least three PCS moves and are always a favorite. They offer a variety of sets; they also are the toys that we ensure immediate access to because our boys will play with them for hours on end. They also are a lot of fun to take outside and stick to a metal garage door when the weather is nicer!

MAGNA-TILES recently released a Micromags set that is the absolute perfect stocking stuffer! It is shown in the pic next to a regular MAGNA-TILE for you to see the size comparison. These were such a hit, that I will be buying two more sets of the mini size for on the go play!

All of these toys have been played with almost daily for several months to several years. These toys are all relatively compact and easy to move, which is handy for a family that PCS’s every few years. Plus, the bonus of these toys is that they are all educational in some way! I hope these give you some ideas to share with your littles and take a bit of the holiday burden off your plate. Searching high and low for the perfect holiday gift can be stressful, but we are here to help! Happy shopping!

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