( Manhattan Toy $13 and $30) These are the sweetest dragons and our favorite huggable of the year. They are delightfully soft, squishy and come in a rainbow of colors. They have stitched features - making them a good choice as a first huggable for babies and toddlers. There are also two sizes 10" and 4". If you need something to hug -- get yourself one too. Ages: Infants, Toddlers Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award 2025

( 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

( Playmobil $99.99) Our testers loved this new two level hospital setting from Playmobil. It's a two level hospital complete with an operating room, a patient's room and bathroom. We love that there's a reception desk at the entrance of the hospital. And as with all Playmobil settings, the attention to detail is unmatched. You'll find flowers in the patient's room as well as an IV drip. The operating room has all the special lighting, surgical table and equipment for prete

( 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

( Play Monster $16 & up) It's a big year for this classic gear drawing toy. To celebrate the 60th anniversary, you'll find many...

( Luki Lab $29.99) Pure fun! Our parents liked how easy it was to set up the play area with plastic pieces that click together to form a circle. The plastic tree is filled with all the nuts. On your turn, you press down the top of the tree which release many nuts and this is where the fun begins. Each player has a chimpunk on a stick -- the idea is to capture as many nuts as possible. At the end of all of the rounds, the chipmunk with the most nuts wins. The rounds are fast

( 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