FamilyFun's 2012 Toy of the Year Awards

Young maestros place up to six tiny plastic instruments (each with an electronic sensor) in the orchestra pit to hear them play together. The real fun comes in switching them around. Replace a violin and a piano with, say, an accordion and a tuba, and the whole tenor of a tune changes—oom-pah-pah Brahms, anyone? With 13 instruments and 15 songs, combinations are endless. Battat Toys, $49.99, Ages 3 and up

Kids can see their name—and much more—in lights with this way-cool glowing art gizmo. Use the stylus to draw pictures and play games on the outside of the dome, then turn on the animation mode and watch the drawings spin like a top. Crayola, $49.99, Ages 6 and up

With its side-mounted steering handles and quick-swivel rear wheel, this lean, mean, kid-powered machine just screams for a driveway slalom course. YBike, $199.99, Ages 5 to 10

With 949 pieces, Lego's monster of a building set has more moving parts than a bat-infested clock tower. "The greatest Lego set ever," raves one mom. "It glows in the dark! It flings spiders! It comes with a car!" LEGO, $99.99, Ages 8 and up

Little Chopped champions will find everything they need in this compact kitchen: 26 pieces of play food and dinnerware, a griddle, a burner, an oven, and sound effects (boiling water, sizzling grill). The best parent-friendly feature: the cooking area turns into a smooth- topped play table, with room to store most of the accoutrements neatly inside. Fisher-Price, $79.99, Ages 3 to 6

Our testers got, well, pumped up by this no-batteries- required airbrush set. Simply put a washable or fabric marker in the spray gun, give the unit a few pumps, and decorate away! Big bonus: when the set's markers run out, just replace them with standard Crayola markers. Crayola, $24.99, Ages 5 and up

How do you improve on a classic? Add 21st-century tech by downloading a special app to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch to boost the fun. Testers loved the app mini-games, such as Get Out of Jail, where players fling Mr. Monopoly, Angry Birds- style, into his waiting car. Hasbro, $29.99, Ages 8 and up

Sports-loving Playmobil fans will give its 22- by 33-inch soccer set a big cheer. Kids move their players into position to set up for the perfect kick or header. For all-important road matches, the game folds into its own carrying case. Playmobil, $59.99, Ages 5 to 10

Don't let their 1-inch stature fool you: these cute-as-a-bug mini racers flash serious speed as they whiz around the twisting track. Scaled up to lifesize, they'd top out at 600 mph. Eat rubber, Jimmie Johnson! Moose Toys, $34.99, Ages 6 to 10

Our testers were leaping around like kangaroos at a sock hop on this electronic pogo. Five built-in challenges, such as speed trials and a freeze-tag version of Musical Statues, kept the fun going for hours. Diggin Active, $49.99, Ages 5 to 10

When assembled, this 41-piece set, a satisfying mash-up of building toy and jigsaw puzzle, forms a display-worthy model city just waiting to be explored by toy cars. Alex Toys, $21.95, Ages 3 To 7

Wholly self-contained (less mess!), this studio is a big improvement over the as-seen-on-TV sets. More than 300 sticker jewels can be placed on the adhesive strips to create cute designs, then kids can stick those decorations on just about anything and, according to our testers, everything. Moose Toys, $19.99, Ages 6 And Up

This rainy-day game is a little like Pictionary for nonreaders. While one player uses a white plastic chain to copy a cloud shape, others scan a set of cards to find the lookalike swirl. Hape/Beleduc, $19.99, Ages 4 To 9

Temporary tattoos just got a little cooler (and a little less temporary) with this creative kit. Ink artists use the six colored markers to customize 38 long-lasting transfers. One 8-year-old tester thought he was hot stuff heading off to camp with his shoulder and leg art, and his mom says she'll never buy ordinary press-on tattoos again. Creativity For Kids, $15, Ages 6 And Up

A cardboard dinosaur is embedded in a stack of boulder blocks in this clever excavation game. There's a hammer and chisel to knock out a block bone side up—just don't knock over the dino! Haba, $36, Ages 5 To 8

Tweens don't have to be fans of Project Runway to appreciate this paper fashion kit. Use the pattern pieces (boatneck bodice, A-line skirt, ball gown) to create designs from the 20 sheets of patterned paper, then add ribbons and spangles for make-it-work looks. Klutz, $24.99, Ages 8 And Up

Fancy feathers are all the rage for stylish hair, and this kit comes with everything needed to make at least 12 chic accessories, including hair clips, headbands, ponytail holders, feathers, fabric flowers, and jewels. Creativity For Kids, $20, Ages 7 And Up

Super-cute, super-furry Super Grover doesn't miss a thing as he zips overhead, powered by little hands. Special sensors help him add sound effects: whooshing wind, birdsong, truck horns. It all makes for a fantastic flight of fancy for Sesame Street fans. Playskool, $29.99, Ages 3 To 6

Equine enthusiasts and building buffs alike adored this 416-piece playset. Testers saddled the two horses to take on the jumping rails, then awarded tiny ribbons to each. After feeding and grooming the mares, the Lego ladies retreated to the hayloft hangout. Lego, $49.99, Ages 7 And Up

A knight is only as good as his armor, and our brave testers judged this padded fabric breastplate far superior to knavish plastic costumes. It's handsomely detailed and comfortable even during battles with dragons. The top add-on accessory was the mace, a plush spiked ball and chain. "My son slept with his," reports one sire. Additional pieces, including helmet, shield, sword, and lance, sold separately. Haba, $33, Ages 3 To 6

This fortress features every medieval must-have: clanking gates, catapults that really shoot, and a secret treasure stash. At the turn of a switch, shutters slam shut, a disk-spitting eagle cranks into position, and a Scottish voice cries out, "Protect the castle!" Fisher-Price, $59.99, Ages 3 To 8

In this bewitching balancing act, sorcerer's apprentices carry marbles across a game board and toss them into color-coded cauldrons. Hidden magnetic stumbling spots make it easier said than done—you may really start to lose your marbles. Playroom Entertainment, $30, Ages 5 And Up

Testers loved the whole Frankenstein-ish process of this lab. Lower the lid of the coffinlike device onto the doll and ink her with washable tattoos, one detachable body part at a time. With 100-plus tattoos, kids can play mad scientist over and over. Mattel, $39.99, Ages 6 And Up

Based on works by van Gogh, Monet, and other artists, these stencil projects give kids the tools to make art that's too good for the refrigerator. Beautifully presented, clearly explained, and, according to one enthusiastic mom, "less challenging than paint by numbers," the kit may have you measuring that space over the sofa. Kidzaw, $29.99, Ages 5 And Up

This tough truck boasts tools for building objects from play-doh ... and a bruising wrecking-ball to pulverize finished projects. Hasbro, $19.99, Ages 3 To 8

Playmobil always rocks the details, and its prehistoric playset is no exception. Tester favorite features include a spear that can be used to catch fish from the pond and stick-on cave paintings. Playmobil, $69.99, Ages 4 To 10

A 4-year-old we know donned this silky shirt, cape, and mask and proceeded to rescue everything in sight: dolls, stuffed animals, younger siblings, even her mom. Phone booth not required. Melissa & Doug, $29.99, Ages 3 To 6

This 48-piece set made a big splash with our young judges. They found it a snap to create a slew of colorful corals and crustaceans. K'nex, $20.99, Ages 3 To 6

Imagination takes wing with these sturdy, simple airport vehicles. Testers loved coupling and uncoupling the caravan, loading luggage, boarding passengers, and clearing the plane for takeoff. The best part? No bag-checking fees. Melissa & Doug, $24.99, Ages 3 To 7

A fast-paced word association game, Word Snag has players flip a card to reveal a category, such as "On the Farm," then roll a set of lettered dice. To score, kids shout out objects whose first letters match the category and the dice: Barn! Broccoli! Baby goat! Pressman Toy, $12, Ages 8 And Up

Originally published in the November 2012 issue of FamilyFun magazine