Our gift to you this holiday season is a stress-free shopping guide for the hottest playthings of the year. They topped our kid testers' wish lists!
Colorfall
Bryan McCay
Dominoes are making a comeback this year. Follow the instruction cards to set them up; then knock them over to see Lady Liberty, a rainbow, and much more. 8 years+, $45; marblesthebrainstore.com
Rubik's The Void Puzzle
Bryan McCay
Apparently, taking the middle out of the cube makes it harder to solve. Who knew? If your kid did, this puzzler is probably the perfect stocking stuffer for him. 8 years+, $16; winning-moves.com
Suspend
Bryan McCay
Surprisingly addictive, this balance game requires a steady hand. Hang all the wires form your pile first to win. Psst! It's not as easy as it seems. 8 years+, $17; melissaanddoug.com
All Duct Out
Bryan McCay
Duct tape is all the rage, and this trendy set gives your fashionista enough multicolored tape and patterns to make a whole wardrobe of stylish purses and accessories. 7 years+, $28; alextoys.com
DJ Rock Dock
Bryan McCay
Attention future engineers! Learn some tech basics and come out with your very own set of speakers. The kit contains everything kids need to build a working MP3-player dock. 8 years+, $20; smartlabtoys.com
Pet Science
Bryan McCay
Don't forget about your child's furry friends. The Dog School and Kitty College kits come with a guide for training pets and making toys like this Cat Activity Center. 7 years+, $20 each; intplay.com
