Whether you’re holiday shopping for your own children, grandkids, nieces and nephews or beyond, you want to make sure you’re getting them a gift that they’ll be delighted to receive. Luckily, there is no end to the amount of fabulous toys and activities available for school-age kids. Below, we’ve rounded up 20 excellent toys for kids of all ages, from old favorites like PicassoTiles to fun puzzles, cute plushies and more. Keep reading to snag these must-have holiday gifts for the kiddos in your life before they sell out. The last thing you want is to try and pack all your shopping in at the last minute and find that the top items from your kids’ list have already flown off the shelves. AmazonAn air dry modeling clay kitMade with safe, high-quality materials that won't stick to your furniture or rugs, this air clay set includes 90 brightly colored air-dry clays, three clay sculpting tools, and a sealable bag. It's a great way to be creative and spend time using your imagination. It's ideal for kids ages 3-12, or those of us who are big kids at heart.Promising review: "So many colors and the drying makes projects so easy! Lots of family fun days with this! My 5 year old loved making his imagination come to life with the clay! The clay is light and fluffy and easy to work with as well!" — Amazon customerAmazonA festive, customizable gingerbread playhouseStanding over three feet tall, this cardboard playhouse provides an (almost) blank canvas for your child’s imagination — and it's perfectly on theme for the upcoming holiday. AmazonThis nostalgic Care Bears digital petNostalgic toys are having a serious moment this Christmas, and the latest one takes everything we loved about Tamagotchi and gives it a Care Bears twist. It has that sweet '80s charm and features mini-games, animations and daily care moments that can help encourage empathy and emotional awareness.Promising review: "This is one of the cutest virtual pets ever! I ordered all 5! They each have different games! That's definitely a plus! Made with good quality materials! The screen is super crisp and easy to see! The price is right where it should be for this type of vpet. Get it!" — Dorin RodriguezTargetA Magic 8 Ball, for a classic giftWhat's old is new again. The Magic 8 Ball may not talk to you or do your math homework, but it will bring some easy entertainment around decision-making skills.Promising review: "This 8 ball is something I loved as a kid, and being able to play this again as an adult brings back so many memories. Now my four kiddos get to enjoy it as I did. It’s made well and getting answers from it is so much fun. It totally keeps the kids engaged and hearing them giggle while playing with it makes me so happy." — ThearryAmazonA human body puzzleThis 200-piece puzzle includes a book that beautifully details the wonders of the human body. It's a great gift for the budding scientist in your life or for the curious kiddos who love to learn about their bodies. It has beautiful illustrations and is easy for young ones to understand. AmazonA set of three water activity padsHuffPost Shopping's managing editor, a mom of two, swears by these activity pads by Melissa & Doug because they keep her kids "suspiciously entertained" for long lengths of time without the risk of mess. Each of these spiral-bound books features a series of black-and-white images that change colors with the application of water through the included “painting” brush.Promising review: "We got these for our daughter to keep her busy on a 13-hour flight and it worked perfectly! It’s durable and the pens are easy to refill water to. She uses it now for long road trips or when just at home. She got two of them so whenever she’s done with one she got another one that she can paint which gives time for the other one to dry up. It doesn’t tale a lot of space so easy to store with her books. Very good value for money." — Amazon customerAmazonThis Mario Kart remote control racerMario and his friends are more popular than ever following the success of 2023's "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" along with several recent Nintendo Switch titles like Mario Vs. Donkey Kong, Princess Peach: Showtime! and Super Mario Party Jamboree. If you have a Nintendo-obsessed kid who you want to see spend less time staring at screens, this remote-controlled Mario kart is the way to go.Promising review: "I was a bit unsure of what to get my son, but I figured this would be a hit—and boy, was I right. At first, it took him a few minutes to figure out the controls, but once he got the hang of it, there was no stopping him. This thing has some serious speed, even on our carpet! He had an absolute blast making it do crazy tricks, zooming around the house at lightning speed, and doing big circles in the living room. Not only did it keep him entertained for hours on end, but it also brought a huge smile to his face—which, as a parent, is priceless." — kay (This review has been edited. See the full review here.)TargetA set of Uno playing cardsEveryone needs a pack of Uno cards — this timeless game is fun for the whole family. It's a great stocking stuffer and will be enjoyed for years to come.Promising review: "Fun game to play with the grandkids. Easy even for the 5-year-old." — KatAmazonA Stomp Rocket launcher that can launch up to 100 feet (!!)This set includes eight high-flying stomp rockets and an adjustable rocket launch stand. Stomp Rocket is a small business creating fun blaster toys that are powered by kids! It's an early STEM toy that is as fun to use as it is curiosity-inducing.Promising review: "Nostalgia. This was one of my son’s favorite toys. I now bought this for my grandson. What a joy to stomp on something and have a rocket shoot up into the sky. This product is iconic. A winner for any boy or a girl." — StephpeleAmazonA mess-free coloring tabletThis pressure-sensitive doodle board is a must for anyone who travels often or likes to eat out at restaurants with their kids. It's lightweight, durable and can be upsed upwards of 100,000 times, according to the brand. It's a great way to nourish your child's creativity and help them practice independent play.Promising review: "This gets used every single day by my now 2 year old and it still works the same as when we purchased it almost a year ago. It has held up against being thrown on the floor and on the ground outside. The display colors remain bright, it slips into the diaper bag easily because it’s nice and thin, but thick enough to survive tantrums. We love writing numbers and the alphabet and drawing shapes, it’s easy to use and a fun toy/tool." — MSAmazonThis set of 100 Picasso tiles More than 36,0000 people have bought and rated this toy, which has a cumulative rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars — almost unheard of! Suitable for kids ages three and up, it comes with 100 geometric magnetic tiles and a playboard so kids can take their creativity to new heights. Promising review: “This is by far one of the longest lasting toys in terms of quality and level of engagement for my little one. First, the amount and variety of shapes/pieces included are enough to be creative and complex without having to buy additional sets to build decent sized structures. Secondly, the strength of the magnets is good — strong enough to keep the creations from collapsing, but not overly strong that it would be difficult for toddlers to pull them apart. And the true test…it has been kid-handled for years and still intact!My kiddo has been using these for years since toddlerhood and can be entertained for more than an hour! The level of motor skills and problem solving skills have definitely improved with the use of these tiles. I also have used them to help with speech and vocabulary since it’s such a highly preferred toy. Definitely would recommend.” — S.AmazonA set of ultra-popular BunMo Poppin' PipesThese sensory tubes are wonderful stocking stuffers and can be enjoyed by young kids for many years. They stretch, bend, connect, and make shapes, letters, spirals and more, which can help with fine-motor skills, grip strength and coordination, among other things. This large four-pack is designed for kids ages 3 and up, and is beloved by parents as well as children.MaisonetteA sweet metal tea setIt doesn't get much lovelier than this beautiful pink vintage-inspired tea set. It is made of durable tin in assorted pastel colors with sweet designs. It has everything your little one needs for the fancy tea party of their dreams.AmazonA Christmas Lego setFind out why this Lego set has a near-perfect 9.8 out of 5-star rating. It includes a special letter, Santa's sack, a colorful sticker sheet and an elf minifigure, along with 224 pieces. It's fun to build and serves as sweet holiday decor once finished. Promising review: "Good price and really cute design. Bought for all of our grandchildren for a surprise December 1 gift to build, play with and/or decorate with." — Dana BellAmazonThis kinetic sand dessert-making kit Kinetic sand is so darn satisfying to sink your fingers into. It helps kids explore their senses and many find it soothing to play with. This kit is especially a fun one because it allows kids to make their favorite treats, like ice-cream sundaes, waffles and ice-cream sandwiches. And get this: It’s even scented like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. No wonder it has more than 14,000 ratings from shoppers. Promising review: “My grandsons play for hours with this set. I always play the customer and enjoy every minute. It’s easy to clean up and fun to use.” — MG AmazonThis easy and hilarious card game More than 50,000 people have bought and rated this insanely popular card game, which has a cumulative rating of 4.8 out of five stars on Amazon. It’s super easy to play and each round takes only 10 to 15 minutes, so you don’t have to worry about anyone getting bored. It’s fast-paced and hilarious — everyone will be cracking up! Promising review: “Kids love this game! I feel like I need protective handwear to play because my kids take it so seriously. It's fun and very engaging. My son especially loves it; he is learning to read so some of the games my older daughter likes are out of reach. The game is durable and holds up to many slaps. The game also goes back into the box easily so it doesn't get ruined and cards are harder to lose. I am looking at other games from this brand because Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is so fun!” — lauryell812AmazonThis mini karaoke machine This mini karaoke machine seems expensive, but it’s only $32. It connects to phones and tablets via Bluetooth and comes with two microphones — perfect for duets. If you have a future Broadway star on your hands, this is the perfect gift.Promising review: “I won’t lie, I was definitely influenced to buy this after seeing it on here. I absolutely love this small karaoke machine. It's so light and portable. I charge it maybe two times a month and we use it for hours on end, singing with both mics. The battery life is amazing. The microphones are such good quality and they are so fun to use when we change the voices on them. The LED colors on the actual speaker are bright and fun; they definitely set the mood when we sing. You have to charge the speaker and mics separately, but I don’t mind because the battery life on this is amazing. We use it for parties and to listen to music. It’s loud, which shocked us. The Bluetooth connection is very simple to use. We either play our own music and sing or we just play music on the TV and sing. Either way, it is amazing.” — Irene CardenasAmazonA plush peek-a-boo puppy plushieThis huggable plush is as cozy and comforting as it gets, and it's especially beloved by younger kids, like my son, who love pressing the buttons on its feet to hear songs and phrases. Its fur is super soft, and his ears wiggle sweetly while singing or talking.Promising review: "Good for all littles! Yes!! My grandson just turned one and my granddaughter is 22months old. They both love it!" — Christina R. AmazonA relatively small air hockey tableWho doesn't love air hockey? This table is designed for two-player usage and has that special air flow to help the puck magically hover over the field. It has a bold design that is sure to inspire hours of play.Promising reviews: "I bought this for my kids “elf” to give with some homemade hockey jerseys and tickets to a local hockey game and they loved it! It’s super fun, the air blows well. Great quality!" — AimeeWalmartThis build-your-own-robot kitKids will have so much fun constructing this robot that they won’t realize they’re developing STEM skills in the process. It transforms into three different action heroes, so it’s like having three toys in one.Promising review: “This is a perfect building set. Not too big to get bored and not too small to build and be done too fast! Perfect for a third grader and super fun to play together!” — Tiffany