Best Toys of the Year 2014

Your baby will have a ball springing up and down on the seat of the Fisher-Price 3-in-1 Bounce, Stride & Ride Elephant, or toddling behind it when she's a newly upright citizen. The big ears crinkle, and the toy can play a bunch of songs and phrases to keep her attention. 9 months+, $45

Three textured friends are fun to pop in and out of this smiling Earlyears Forest Friends Shape Sorter. One of our baby testers found them oh-so-squeezable! 9 months+, $25

It's easy to inflate the colorful Mamas and Papas Sit & Play Activity seat for your little one's enjoyment, then deflate the insert so you can store it away. 6 months+, $40

Colorful, intriguing Manhattan Toy Skwish Stix sticks to your high chair or floor-seat tray for virtually drop-proof fun. 6 months+, $24

Twilight Buddies Fox, from CloudB, is a cuddly friend by day and projects soothing stars on the ceiling at bedtime. "It's great to use at night, and easy to take to Grandma's," says Dawn Savas, mom of Kira, 1. Birth+, $30

Even little fingers can easily grasp the Explore & More Roll Around Rattle, from Skip-Hop. 3 months+, $8

So lovely! Roll acorns down Janod's wooden Nutty Ball Track and bells chime. 12 months+, $45

Galt's Nursery Trampoline is a hoppin' good time. It's low to the ground, plus nice and stable; just have your toddler hold on while he hops! 12 months+, $65

Build toy food with your toddler using Lego Duplo's Creative Picnic, then use your creations for some imagination games. 18 months+, $25

Switch out his hat and Playskool's Sesame Street Let's Imagine Elmo starts a new game. He counts, sings, giggles, and as always, responds to hugs! 2 years+, $40

This gorgeously decorated Wooden Block Castle is a great value from Walmart's brand called Spark. Create. Imagine. 18 months+, $13

This counts! VTech's Smart Shots Sports Center keeps score and cheers kids on. "Anything that my son is allowed to kick a ball at wins in my house!" says Erika Janes, mom of 2-year-old Wylie. 12 months+, $40

Manhattan Toy's splurge-worthy wooden Tree Top Adventure table has four toy-covered sides. Great for two or more kids to play together! 12 months+, $100

Hand Sign Alphabet A-Z tiles feature letters on one side and American Sign Language pictures on the other. The wooden tiles, from Plan Toys, are made in an eco-conscious factory that strives for zero waste. 2 years+, $30

For the first time, you can design your own Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway Engine. Pick the color, name, and number, and it will be mailed to you along with a keepsake book. 2 years+, $35

Twenty-one wooden blocks make up this wooden Stack & Pull Train, from Manhattan Toy. 12 months+, $30

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Puppy's Smart Stages Train has 50-plus phrases and songs. 6 months+, $35

This Wooden Pull Along Shapes turtle is from Walmart's line called Spark. Create. Imagine. 18 months+, $12

The John Deere Barnyard Shape Sorter's door opens to spill all of the pieces out and start again. 18 months+, $16

Such a brilliantly simple idea! Make a road or track for toy vehicles using PlayTape from InRoad Toys. We had a young tester create a highway in seconds! 3 years+, $8 to $13 per roll

Disney's Sofia the First Talking Magical Amulet offers gentle lessons on friendship and manners. 3 years+, $15

Form a dollhouse or a town from Mega Bloks' Barbie Build 'N Play Rooms. 4 years+, $10 each

A full 27 inches long: Melissa and Doug's Snake Jumbo Stuffed Animal. 3 years+, $50

This sweetie obeys commands! Guide Hasbro's FurReal Friends Get Up & GoGo My Walkin' Pup Pet through the special leash. 4 years+, $60

This Radio Flyer Cyclone challenges riders to use their arms to build momentum. 3 years+, $60

Kids have to twist like a pretzel to play Disney Junior Super Stretchy, by Wonder Forge. 3 years+, $17

Moving fast with a loaded spatula wins the Pancake Pile-Up! Relay Game from Educational Insights. 4 years+, $18

Press Here: The Game from Chronicle Books encourages kids to work collaboratively to build colorful patterns. 3 years+, $20

A balance beam that's sized just right! It's an exciting challenge for little feet to navigate this PS 2014 Balance Bench from IKEA. 3 years+, $50

Treating stuffed animals is seriously fun with Doc McStuffins Get Better Talking Mobile pet clinic. "I like the vet toy because it has wheels and I can take it to the park to play," says Emily, 5. 3 years+, $50

A colorful way to reinforce counting: Melissa and Doug's Wooden Stack & Count Parking Garage. 3 years+, $20

Add flavoring to treats made in the Olaf Snow Cone Maker by Jakks Pacific. 4 years+, $25

When you raise the arm of Jakks Pacific's Snow Glow Elsa, "Let It Go" plays. Plus, it comes with Olaf! 3 years+, $35

A toy tester fave! Belt out tunes with the Disney Frozen Cool Tunes Sing-Along Boombox by KidDesigns. We had kids singing duets with this. 3 years+, $30

DigiBirds, by Spin Master, respond to your whistle and harmonize together. Sit them down, or wear them each on a ring! 5 years+, $30 for three

Zoomer Dino, also by Spin Master, is cute but naughty, bumping things and burping. However, get him fast, last year's Zoomer dog sold out! 5 years+, $100

In Bounce-Off, by Mattel, players race to copy a pattern. 7 years+, $18

Sew Cool, by Spin Master, helps kids turn out simple crafts with a safe sewing machine (they can't touch the needle!). Extra activity packs are sold separately. 6 years+, $35

Dough that acts like paint! This Pliable dough is nice and forgiving, making Hasbro's Play-Doh DohVinci Style & Store Vanity Complete Design Kit fairly frustration-free. 6 years+, $20

Kidizoom Smartwatch from VTech teaches time and is also a digital camera! 4 years+, $60

Kids can customize cool cars using Design Masters Super Charged Sketchbook, by Wooky Entertainment. 7 years+, $10

Max Tow Truck, by Jakks Pacific, can push or pull up to 200 pounds, and it says phrases as it goes. One tester sat in a ride-on toy behind this and it towed him. Fun! 6 years+, $60

Makes for wild story lines! Lego Friends Jungle Bridge Rescue set comes with people, animals, and vehicles. "My friend and I built the helicopter with the people inside. It was cool," says Madelyn, 7. 7 years+, $30

Kids put circuits to work when they use the Deluxe Roominate kit. It comes with all you need to make a simple room, but encourages kids to scour the house for pieces they can repurpose so they can build even more. 6 years+, $50

Experiments get personal with The Human Body Science Kit from Thames and Kosmos, which helps kids examine their fingerprint, teaches them to build and use a stethoscope, and more. 5 years+, $40

This is how animation works! Kids watch a story jump to life with GoldieBlox and the Movie Machine. 6 years+, $30

Snap a pic of your kid's Lego Fusion Town Master creation using your tablet or smartphone, and it zaps into the game app, where it's added to your child's virtual town. The app encourages kids to keep building! 7 years+, $35

Kids use Crayola's My Virtual Fashion Show to first draw a design, and then snap its picture with an iPhone to see it come to life on a virtual model walking the runway. 6 years+, $40

Wash-out glitter hair highlights? Irresistible with the Deluxe Hair Chalk Salon from Alex Toys. "I added streaks to my hair and to my little sisters' hair," says 9-year-old Lucy. 8 years+, $25

Kids can create Mini Pom-Pom Pets from this Klutz kit. 8 years+, $20

The Lego Movie inspired this elaborate Lord Business' Evil Lair. 8 years+, $70

The remote-control Hot Wheels Street Hawk both rolls and flies. 8 years+, $60

Your photos, downloaded and printed, are used to populate Hasbro's My Monopoly board. 8 years+, $20

WowWee's MiP carries things on his tray and can be directed via app or by hand. "I love MiP. I can tell what he wants by his sounds!" says 9-year-old Joe. 8 years+, $100

Originally published in Parents magazine in November 2014.