(VTech $34.99) Let us preface this review by saying, it comes with a lot of pieces, it has a lot of buttons to push and it can make a lot of noise. That said, our preschool testers really loved it. What they particularly loved was how easy the scanner works. You just pass the object over the scanner -- and just like at Trader's Joes -- it makes a beep. The toy comes with a paper shopping bag, tons of plastic food as well as cardboard "food" you construct. There is also money

(JustPlay Toys $79) Our preschool testers adored Gabby, the latest animal from the FurReal collection of interactive dolls from JustPlay Toys. The showy "watch Gabby grow" was fun but not the main draw for our testers who loved how the Tiger made noises when she was feed. Gabby will also roar back -- (not in a scary way) and she will also burp when she's had a lot of pretend drinks. You can reset Gabby to her baby size and then activate her to grown again which was our first

( 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