( Corolle $90) One of the sweetest dolls of the year! Corolle's new Maëlys is a 14" doll that is styled so perfectly. She has a multi-layer chambray skirt with sa lovely pink hoodie sweatshirt (with a unicorn on it). A matching pink headband and silver metallic sneakers. She is one of four new dolls in the Poupee collection: there's a blond, red head and brunette as well. Pricey but will become a favorite. Available at FAO Schwarz. 3 & up. Preschoolers Oppenheim Toy Po

( Corolle $90) Corolle can always be counted on for very special dolls - the kind you remember as you get older. The new Cleopée is a 14" doll that is styled so beautifully. She has a navy tulle skirt with silver metallic polka dots. A sweet sweater with a heart that has a tiny floral pattern that's picked up on her headband. And our tester loved the silver metallic shoes. She is one of four new dolls in the Poupee collection: there's an African-American, red head and brune

( Play Monster $17 & up) It's the 60th Anniversary of Spirograph and to celebrate the company has introduced many new versions. We love the Spirograph Junior the best. The set comes with a frame that holds the bigger gear in place which makes it easier to use the smaller gears inside to make your spirograph art. The original Spirograph came with pins (can you believe it?) to hold the big gear in place. Now the sets come with putty -- which is fine. None of them include a boar

( Tytan Toys $39.99) Our Disney and Mickey Mouse fans loved this new magnetic tile set that includes three wheeled- bases that connect like train cars. There are then an assortment of magnetic tiles to build your train with -- including squares, rectangles and triangles. The set also comes with stockers for added decoration. 38 pieces in all plus three sheets of stickers. These tiles are compatible with other magnetic tile sets. Our testers also loved this company's Micke

(Basic Fun $34.99) Your classic TONKA Dump Truck that's ready to load, haul and dump your cargo with it's lifting bed. The bed is still made of steel while the other parts of the truck are made of plastic. The "Next Gen" aspect of this truck comes from the bolder more modern design of the front cab. The Dump Truck is a great choice for the sandbox and backyard pretend play. 3 & up. Ages: Preschool Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award 2025

( Peaceable Kingdom $19.95) Finding first games for older toddlers can be challenging which is why we were so delighted to try Patch's Pockets. It is just on the target for young players learning about taking turns. We suggest that you play this cooperatively to start. The box holds the carrot patch. Players take turns pulling the carrots (they have different colors) and matching them to the oversized Bunnies that have a pocket on their overalls. The pockets are also one of

( Mindware $21.95) Here's an interesting add-on for playing with Magna-Tiles. While box shows magnetic tiles, you must provide your own - none are included in the set. The forms attach to the tiles with two different illustrated roads to use on your tiles. Now for some, this will take away from the open-ended, abstract play that magnetic tiles encourage. For others, the more detailed and realistic "road" will be appealing - it becomes more of a puzzle to have the roadway c

( Mag na-Tiles $69.95) A wow-wee set of Magna-Tiles that our testers loved because of the different variety of pieces. The tall triangles, the balconies, the tall door - were all fun to build. This is a 48 piece set that also includes a dragon (another plus with our testers). We still think if you're just starting out with Magna-Tiles an open-ended set is a great idea. We also recommend the Magna-Tiles DLX Classic Set ($119). Ages: Preschool, Early School Years Oppenheim

( Melissa & Doug $144.63) A wow-wee kind of gift for preschoolers that love to pretend to cook like their folks. There's a lot to do here with both a pretend grill and a pizza oven that's a combination of wood with plastic features. The set comes with lots of pretend food including wooden shrimps, fish and meat (with one side raw and the other side cooked). And of course there's a wooden pizza pie that you can add topping to as well. Our testers loved that the dials made a

( Super Smalls $32) Hands down the jazziest swim goggles we have ever seen. Everyone wanted a pair (including all of the adults). They...