Holiday Toy Guide 2024
The experts at PlayMatters Toys, your family-owned, local toy shop since 1992, have picked this season’s hottest fun and educational gifts. Start with these ideas below, then explore our full color PDF catalog for even more selection. The right toy can help you say what's in your heart!
Babies & Toddlers
At this age, your gift-giving goal might be to stimulate brain development or share something unique that Mom and Dad might not think to buy. Sometimes a gift for the baby serves as a reminder to older siblings that the baby is more than just a cute little burrito, that’s a developing person who deserves new toys. Pay attention to age guidelines for toys, especially when age is still counted in months, to make sure you’re giving toys that are developmentally appropriate for what the child can do.
Little Kids
Typically, with increased speech and motor development, these kids will want to move, build, and mimic how the world works. By age three, the worry of putting small parts and pieces in the mouth is less of a concern for most typical kids, so you’ll see more features and sophistication in toys for this age than for babies. (Children should be supervised!) You can give them toys that work mysteriously, and toys that build knowledge about the world.
Active Bigger Kids
Let's move! Growing up means building strong bodies as well as strong minds, and the right toys can encourage kids to hop, jump, spin, and glide. In cold weather places, like Cleveland, Ohio, we also need to think about great active toys that can work indoors and outdoors. We've selected our active play toys for durability and high "playability," which is a perceived measure of how engaging the toy remains, weeks and months after the first play.
Imaginative Play for Bigger Kids
Kids in grades K-5 are in the optimal age range for pretend play. Even better, kids can enjoy pretend play alone and with someone else. Grandparents can get in on the action when they play with their grandchildren. And as kids forge new friendships with their schoolmates, they’ll want playdates with their peers. Look for toys that support a sprawling imaginary world, multiple people playing together, and toys that can grow as your grandchild’s imagination grows.
Big Impact Gifts
Sometimes, you really want to come strong with a big gift that creates big feelings. These toys usually have long lasting play value, with staying power, high interest, and complexity. These toys can be shared with other children, too.
Plush Toys for All Ages
This has been the year of plush! From high schoolers to royalty, it seems like everyone wants a soft, cuddly friend. We've seen several trends recently: Giving stuffed gifts as a gift for adults, plush toys used as decor items, and giving/exchanging/collecting plush toys, especially Jellycat brand. If you are unsure about what someone may like, plush is a universally safe bet.
Teens & Tweens
Many parents and grandparents say this is the hardest age to shop for because teens can be finicky and into fads adults don’t understand. Here’s what teens do understand—a desire to be listened to, seen, and heard. Toys for this age can serve as a bridge to make a connection with your teen child or grandchild. They will put down a phone to talk with you if you create a space and activity that’s right.
Unique Gifts for Adults
When your (grand)children and their parents are old enough to interact more like peers, there are toys for that moment, too. Think about creating moments that will become fun stories you’ll tell for years to come, as in, “Remember that time we were at the cabin and we played that game together?” That’s a good objective when shopping for adults—memories.