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What’s not to love about local toys?
Who knows toys better than the owner of a toy store? In the spirit of adding some magic to the season, we chatted with the owners of six local toy and game shops. They told us which toys and games are selling fast for the holidays.
Here are the top picks for holiday gifts for kids, courtesy of Rob Pickering of Snapdoodle Toys & Games in Greenwood, Kenmore and Redmond; Pamela Powers of Magic Mouse Toys in Pioneer Square; Laura Schneider of Meeples Games, a local gaming café and game store in West Seattle; Scott Cooper of Blue Highway Games on Queen Anne; and Brittney Geleynse of Clover Toys in Ballard.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in December 2018, and updated in December 2020. All prices are subject to change.
Infants–age 4
Go Away Monster! by Gamewright, recommended by Meeples Games and Blue Highway Games. Kids love this award-winning board game, which combines conquering fears with finding the missing pieces of a bedroom game board. $14.99
Hanna Honeybee by Haba Games, recommended by Blue Highway Games. Preschoolers turn flowers into honey while learning dexterity and patience. $24.99
Jellycat stuffed animal, recommended by Snapdoodle Toys. These stuffed animals out of London are the softest, sweetest and most loving whimsical versions of animals; for every kid who never says no to another “stuffie.” Starting at $22.50
Loulou Lollipop silicone teether, recommended by Clover Toys. Who says a necessary item can’t be beyond adorable? You’ll want a llama and a sloth for your little one’s collection of natural rubber or silicon teethers from this Vancouver, British Columbia, company. $26
Grimm’s wooden toys, recommended by Clover Toys. Handcrafted in Europe, these wooden stacking toys can be turned into an array of useful items, from tunnels and tiny houses to rocking chairs for beloved dolls and stuffed animals. Starting at $20.99
Corolle baby dolls, recommended by Clover Toys. Your toddler will love that this vanilla-scented baby doll is exactly the right size for snuggling in their arms. $49.93
Ages 5–7
Plus-Plus construction toys, recommended by Snapdoodle Toys. Toy store owners tell us customers can’t stop creating creatures and objects with these little plastic shapes that look like plus signs. These manipulative, brightly colored building blocks are made in Denmark. $9.99
Squishies, recommended by Snapdoodle Toys. Satisfy your child’s tactile wish for a squeezable and scented toy that slowly rises to show off its cute factor. From Japan, these squishes come in a plethora of shapes, from unicorns to boba balls. Starting at $10.99
Rhino Hero by Haba, recommended by Meeples Games. Adults and kids love building skyscrapers with this award-winning game. $14.99
Giant T, rex by Schleich, recommend by Clover Toys. Standing nearly seven inches high, this toy will be your dino fan’s new favorite. $19.99
Outfoxed! by Gamewright, recommended by Meeples Games. This clever detective game has players find suspects and use deduction to figure out which one is the sly fox-thief. $17.99
Holiday puzzles by Piatnik, recommended by Magic Mouse Toys. Work together as a family to put together these charming holiday puzzles from Europe. Start at $22
Kwik Stix solid tempera paint, recommended by Snapdoodle Toys. While a Kwik Stix looks like a cool crayon, it’s actually a tempera paint stick, which means painting doesn’t have to be super messy. $24.99
Power Blox building sets, recommended by Magic Mouse Toys. With E-Blox’s plug-together bricks and modules, kids build items that light up and make sounds, such as a working FM radio or an airplane propeller that spins at different speeds. $32.99
Ages 8–12
Go Nuts for Donuts by Gamewright, recommended by Meeples Games. Victory is sweet as players collect crullers and glazed doughnuts while playing this card game. $15
Santorini by Spin Master, recommended by Blue Highway Games. This mythic game celebrates the island of Santorini. $29.99
Dragonwood by Gamewright, recommended by Blue Highway Games and Meeples Games. This Mensa Select pick is a game of dice and daring that both kids and adults love to play. $14.99
Kingdomino by Blue Orange Games, recommended by Blue Highway Games. In this game, winner of a German “Game of the Year” award, each player builds a kingdom using domino-style pieces. $21.99
Labyrinth by Ravensburger, recommended by Blue Highway Games and Meeples Games. Players move around the shifting paths of the labyrinth in a race to collect various treasures during this slightly abstract maze game. $31.99
GraviTrax Starter Set by Ravensburger, recommended by Snapdoodle Toys and Magic Mouse. With this modern mouse-trap game, players design and build their own three-dimensional marble runs and experiment with gravity, magnetism and kinetics. $59.99
Teens
Coup by Indie Boards & Cards, recommended by Blue Highway Games. Become the head of a city-state in this card game that’s all about bluffing and reading other players’ tells. $14.99
Women March! puzzle by eeBoo, recommended by Magic Mouse Toys. Find Gloria Steinem in this colorful commemoration of the 2017 Women’s March. $21.99
King of Tokyo by IELLO, recommended by Blue Highway Games. Players are giant monsters vying for control of Tokyo in this Yahtzee-style dice-rolling game. $42.99
Personal pinball game by Brio, recommended by Magic Mouse Toys. Give your game-loving teen a throwback with this personal pinball game. Great for younger kids, too! $59.99
Kickboard Compact interchangeable scooter, recommended by Snapdoodle Toys. This scooter lets riders carve like they’re riding a skateboard or a surfboard, thanks to two wheels in the front and a great suspension system. $179.99
