our favorite toys under $25
You don't have to pay a fortune for a great toy or gift!
Selecting toys is more than just shopping; it’s curating a collection of joyous moments and valuable life lessons.
And every child is a unique universe of interests and curiosities. Whether it’s dinosaurs, dolls, or puzzles, tailoring toys to your child’s interests sparks the flame of excitement and encourages exploration and learning.
Toys are the tools to unlock your child’s imagination!
But one thing toys don’t need to be, is super expensive.
Does your preschool have a treasure box, or have you taken your kid to the dollar store? Children get as excited about seemingly little things, as about the big guns.
They don’t know how much money you had to spend, and they don’t care. Because for them the value of a toy is measured in playtime and fun!
So here is our list of some of the best toys for under $25 your little one (from toddler to 1st grader) will for sure love.
TOP BRIGHT magnetic bird feeding game
This is such a fun little game for toddlers. And it’s great for practicing those fine motor skills.
This adorable bike seat has carried countless dolls and stuffs around our neighborhood.
Tigerhu play kitchen accessories
This is a great kitchen set! Especially for the price. It has seen years of play in our house now and everything still looks like new.
SmartMax My First Dinosaurs STEM Magnetic Building Set
These cute, colorful dinos have been a big hit. They offer endless play fun and are easy to connect for those little hands.
We love these bath crayons! They might seem to be on the pricey side for just a couple of crayons, but they’re safe, easy to clean and last forever.
Melissa & Doug farm sound puzzle
Puzzles are always a great toy for little ones! And this one is extra fun with the cute, colorful animals that make sounds.
Make bath time exciting with these colorful pipes! Every pipe is different and it’s so fun to see your little one experiment with them.
A doodle board is a must have! Especially in the car!
We’ve had this one for a couple of years now and you can see that it’s well loved, but it’s still working great. And surviving the toddler years says something, if you ask me.
I could write a whole blog about this tea set!
There is nothing more magical than a tea party!
We’ve had so many with this set. With friends, dolls, stuffies or the dog.
Melissa & Doug wooden jewelry box
This is a cute jewelry box and a craft!
First your little one can decorate it and then store all those treasures in it.
Little Helpers Grocery Day Sort and Play
I love interactive books!
And this one is one of the cutest I know. Go shopping together, sorting and playing with all the felt pieces.
There are actually more books in the Little Helpers series.
Meland kids pretend makeup kit
This one was my daughter’s Christmas wish 2 years back and she still loves it!
It has everything mama’s purse has and this mama loved that it is only pretend makeup!
These trucks have seen a lot of action over the last years! They survive everything, are fast, have real good track and are just fun!
If you have magnetic tiles (and I very, very strongly advice you do), you need these road toppers.
They’re so fun and open up a whole new world of imaginative play.
BLUEY Wackadoo Dice Imagination Act Out The Action Game
This is such a easy and fun game for all Bluey lovers!
Throw the dice and act out what they’re showing. What do you think how an octopus dances?
Crayola Globbles sticky fidget balls
I usually don’t like recommending fidget toys, since everybody has way too many anyway. But these are great and they last.
They stick on windows, stretch super far and if they get dirty you just wash them in warm water.
These patterns blocks have been around forever and the reason is that they’re great!
I used to play with pattern blocks like this when I was a kid.
This set has fun puzzle cards to copy or you can just let your imagination run wild.
Polly Pocket Compact Playset, Otter Aquarium
Do you remember Polly Pocket from when you were a kid? Well they’re back! Or maybe they were never gone.
These playsets are really made for little fingers, but that’s probably why kids love them so much!
Tape of all sorts is a must have in the arsenal of every parent! And how cool is this one? A fast and easy road on the go. Grab the tape and some cars and go to the restaurant, wait at an office or of course use it at home.
It definitely comes off without residue.
Chuckle & Roar – Easel Jr. Magnetic Dry-Erase and Chalk Playing Board
Table easels are amazing!
You need to do something in the kitchen? Bring the easel with you for your little artist.
I have a kindergartener and she loves leaving me little messages and pictures on there or pretend she’s a teacher and do math equations.
This easel also comes with magnetic numbers and letters and is super easy to bring along and store.
If your child likes to build things, these should be right up their alley.
It’s a great toy for helping promote spacial reasoning and problem solving. All that they give you on the cards is a top view, side view, and one more angle. You have to visualize the end result to build it.
LCD Writing Tablet Doodle Board
As I said before, a doodle board is a must have!
This one is great for preschool and older.
Draw colorful pictures or practice writing, press the button and make everything magically disappear.
We got this microscope for Christmas and love it!
It comes with us on walks and the playground and of course we’ve explored all kinds of stuff in our house too. Textiles, groceries, furniture…
If your kids are into imaginative play, walkie talkies are a great toy!
From police, to spies, to astronauts and ground control,… we’ve played it all.
Melissa & Doug On the Go Secret Decoder Activity Set
Who doesn’t like playing detective or secret agent?! This set will be so much fun for your little sleuth! It’s perfect for playing at home or to keep them busy on the go!
If you have a Toniebox, you know a Tonie is always a great gift. And if you don’t have one, get one!
This one is for all the Super Why fans!
We love the Dr. Seuss books and The Cat in The Hat is definitely one of our favorites.
Scooter boards are the absolute best to get your older preschooler or kindergartener moving!
It’s so much fun to roll around on them and it’s great exercise too!
Everybody knows that bubbles are fun. But these big bubble wands bring the fun to a whole new level.
Half of our neighborhood has played with them and they’re a hit for every birthday party.
Flying a kite is something magical and makes for the best family memories.
This kite is really great for kids.
It’s easy to put together and to get up in the air. And it’s a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
Bunch O Balloons Reusable Water Balloons 12 Pack
The reusable water balloons have been my go to kids birthday gift ever since I got them for my daughter last Easter.
Who doesn’t like a good water balloon fight?
And with these you don’t have the annoying cleanup of picking up tiny balloon pieces in the grass after.
Water can be an amazing parenting tool to reset your days, because water play never disappoints to improve the mood.
This little splash pad fits every yard, but offers big fun!
It’s fast and easy to set up and one of my daughter’s favorites when the pool is too cold even in Florida.
Melissa & Doug flower sprinkler
Little sprinkler, big fun!
I remember running through the sprinkler when I was a kid. And it’s so much fun seeing my daughter do the same.
Of course ours at the time was just a regular garden sprinkler and not such a pretty flower one.
There are also plenty of Barbie sets out there for under $25. Here are just a few we like:
Want to see more of our favorite Barbie toys?
And here are some LEGO picks for under $25:
Check out more LEGO sets in Building brilliance: LEGO – every kid’s ultimate play companion.
Games are always a great gift!
And most of them aren’t too expensive.
You can find a longer list of our favorites in my post about the benefits of board games and a couple of special picks right here:
And don’t forget sensory play, art supplies and craft kits!
Some of the best ways to entertain kids, if you ask me.
Here you will find some amazing craft kits and why we love them so much.
And if you’re looking for more crafting supplies, I have you covered too.
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Toys are the tools to unlock your child's imagination!
Find out about our favorite toys and why we love them.