Gifts for a child who loves pretend play, $50 to $100
Melissa & Doug
Vroom and Zoom Interactive Dashboard
$76.99 at Melissa & Doug
A wooden dashboard with a horn, wipers and indicators that work, so any chair in the house becomes a car for an hour.
Seen at Melissa & Doug, 30 Aug 2026
LEGO
City Fire Station with Fire Truck Toy
$79.99 at LEGO
Named by Good Housekeeping, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Jellycat
Bashful Bunny Graduation Outfit
$60 at Nordstrom
Named by Country Living, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Little Tikes
Bluey Grannies Car Coupe (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
American Girl
Disney Princess Ariel Day Dress, Flounder & Accessories for 18-inch Dolls
$65 at American Girl
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Jellycat
Vivacious Eggplant Bag Charm (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
American Girl
Snowy Surprises 2026 Advent Calendar (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by Good Housekeeping, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Magna-Tiles
Castle Deluxe 48 Piece Set
$69.99 at Magna-Tiles
Enough tiles and castle pieces to build something worth leaving up overnight, and they mix with every other set.
Seen at Magna-Tiles, 30 Aug 2026
Squishmallows
Original 20-Inch Salami Red Dragon (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by The Strategist, 2024.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Jellycat
Graduation Bashful Bunny Plushie
$60 at Nordstrom
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Disney
Princess Porcelain Princess Tea Set
$89 at Potterybarnkids
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Magna-Tiles
Undersea Adventure 58 Piece Set
$89.99 at Magna-Tiles
A large magnetic tile set themed around the sea, for the child who has the plain tiles and has run out of ideas.
Seen at Magna-Tiles, 30 Aug 2026
Jellycat
Plush Little Pup Bag Collection (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Playmobil
Animal Hotel (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Melissa & Doug
Blockables All Around Town Gift Bundle
$59.99 at Melissa & Doug
Chunky wooden blocks that lock into buildings and vehicles, sized for hands still too small for the fiddlier building sets.
Seen at Melissa & Doug, 30 Aug 2026
Lovevery
The Block Set
$95 at Lovevery
A hardwood block set with its own storage box and a book of things to build, the kind of toy that stays in the room for years.
Seen at Lovevery, 30 Aug 2026
Jellycat
Amuseables Soccer Ball (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by The Strategist, 2025.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
LEGO
Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie Toy Car
$64.99 at LEGO
Named by Popular Mechanics, 2025.
Checked 31 Aug 2026
Fisher-Price
4-in-1 Ultimate Learning Bot
$53.99 at Barnesandnoble
Named by TODAY, 2026.
Checked 5 Sep 2026
Magna-Tiles
Pet Playhouse 50-Piece Set (paid link)
$50 to $100 at Amazon
Named by The Strategist, 2026.
Checked 31 Aug 2026