Best New Toys 2023: Trending & Popular Releases for Boys and Girls

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From fun to educational, these new releases are set to become the hottest playthings of the year.

It's a lucky time to be a kid: Just when we think the toys couldn't get any more sophisticated, innovative, imaginative and all-around fun, dozens come out that set the bar ever higher.

Every year, experts from the Good Housekeeping Institute get a sneak at the slate of toys and games headed to shelves. While these haven't yet been called into the Labs for testing with either adults or kids — both of whom weigh in on the year-end Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards — the offerings have been impressive.

These are the toys our staff predict will be the hottest toys coming out in 2023. What's big for this year? Similar to last year, there are educational toys and STEM sets that give kids hand-on experience with topics that fascinate kids, from astronomy to magic. "Kidulting" is also huge, and a lot of what will be on shelves this year are meant for parents and kids to enjoy together (or for parents to enjoy by themselves after the kids have gone to bed). Similarly, nostalgia is at an all-time high, so look for re-launches, re-vamps and new twists on toys from the past. Older kids are still into everything DIY, and the tiny-ficiation of everything into collectible mini forms continues unabated.

A lot of the favorites have come out already, so if you're looking for a gift for kids, check out these new offerings.

This mini Vespa-lookalike is the cutest — and we're flipping out over the fact that a toy friend can ride in that back seat. It's a foot-powered ride-on that lets a toddler practice balance and have some active fun. It's launched in time for the summer outdoor season, but preschoolers can ride it around indoors as well. If it gets dirty just hose it down! Ages 18 months to 4 years

Collect pocket-sized versions of all your favorite Disney characters from Cinderella to Wall-e with Doorables new Squish'Alots series. Blind bags are a favorite amongst both gift givers and receivers since everyone gets to join in on the fun of the surprise of unwrapping. Each pack comes with either four, five or six collectible Doorables in tiny mystery bags. These squishy figures are great for carrying around since they come in their own collection case and don't take up too much space, plus there are 50 different ones to collect. Ages 5+

We’ve seen "busy bags" handcrafted on Etsy and love that Bizyboo has finally made the concept toy-shelf-official. Keep one of these in your carryall to pull out anytime you need to distract or calm your kid. Each of the 12 Bizyboo characters has objects hidden inside that kids can seek by prodding and pushing the beads around. They search for hidden objects and match them to those shown on the included card. It helps their focus and concentration and also, as the name suggests, keeps them busy. Ages 3+

This latest brain game challenges kids to look at drawings and then build the 3D contraptions described. If they do it right, the marble should be able to run the maze and land in the red cup at the end. A kid can work on it on their own or it can be a group project, giving your child the chance to lead or help problem-solve with others (even if the "other" is simply Mom). Warning, it is complex and may have you wondering if you're smarter than a fifth grader. Ages 8+

This toy combines two meg-trends of the year: DIY and mini-everything. Each surprise ball comes loaded with tiny food and accessories. That's fun enough on its own, but the food is actually ingredients that you get to "make" into a dish. Once you assemble them, you set them in UV light until the resin hardens into one, solid figure. Each ball even comes with a little table where you can display the final product. Ages 8+

Combine finger knitting with Squishmallows to get the ultimate fun activity! This kit teaches you how to make cute and stylish accessories for your favorite 8" or 10" Squishmallows (which are not included). Not only can you make all of these fun accessories without any knitting needles or other tools, but the ultra-soft yarn is the perfect addition to your ultra-squishy stuffed friends. Each kit comes with instructions on how to make a headband, crossbody bag and hoodie for your Squishmallow, as well as two balls of soft yarn. Plus, if you're more of a visual learner, you can hop online and watch the step-by-step video tutorials. Ages 6+

Playmobil figures are great on their own, but these sets let you mix and match the parts into different combinations — they say each box has more than 1,000 possible combos. It includes six different pirate-themed bodies, along with different heads, limbs and accessories to do a switcheroo on. In addition to pirates, there are My Figures sets with Horse Ranch, Rescue Mission and Magical Dance themes. Ages 5+

Little STEM enthusiasts have long been wowed by GeoSafari Jr.'s Talking Microscope, which offers scientific facts about 60 zoomed-in images of plants, animals and other items here on Earth. Now, they can gaze out beyond our planet's border with GeoSafari Jr.'s Talking Telescope, which uses real images from NASA. Kids can look with both eyes — no need to try and squint or close one — and the voice of Emily Calandrelli from Emily's Wonder Lab on Netflix offers fun facts about what they're seeing. Ages 4+

Your little ones can turn their bedroom into a safari with this unique SUV truck. Not only do the spinning car wheels double as working binoculars, but the headlights become a handheld flashlight. Plus, the back wheel can be popped off and used as a working compass. All the pieces snap back into place to create a portable toy that has no trouble exploring indoor and outdoor terrain. Ages 3+

We love a good geography game, and this one reminds us a bit of one of our favorite apps, Stack the States, but it's mercifully screen-free. In Scout It Out, you get clues about a state (as in, "What is known as The Sunshine State?") and the first player to correctly guess wins a Game Card and a Bonus Token. Your goal is to get to five Game Cards. It's designed for 3 to 6 players (one player is always holding the cards and reading off clues, the others are competing) and the average playtime is a half-hour. It comes with a map of the USA. Ages 7+

Kids can get the outdoor kitchen most adults dream of with this 62-piece play set filled with food, condiments and grill tools. There are so many ways this fosters imaginative play: Items like the steak, chicken, hot dog and veggie burger look uncooked on one side and have grill marks on the other; kids can use dials to raise and lower the pretend flames, there's a slot on the side to make it a pizza oven, the smoker has a chimney for wood chips and there are holes in some of the pieces so kids can check the temperature with a pretend thermometer. Forget tea parties — imaginary BBQs are where it's at! Ages 3+

In time for this year's live-action Disney The Little Mermaid movie is a new Ariel doll modeled after the lead actress Halle Bailey. (It's an accurate likeness, she's beautiful!) This Ariel has both the long red hair and shimmery mermaid tail kids will want. For the "kidadults" who may have seen the original in 1987 there's also a three-doll collector set that includes King Triton and the witch we all love to hate, Ursula. Ages 3+

Another trend our toy experts saw everywhere? Color-changing toys! This play set gets in on the act with color-changing mermaid tails for both Gabby (her tail is removable) and MerCat. You can activate it by giving a squirt from Squiddy Kitty. The set also comes with a slide, a wading pool and accessories that foster imaginative play. Bonus: Super-fans who already have Gabby's Purrfect Dollhouse can turn this room into an addition by attaching it with the slide's ladder. Ages 3+

This adorable controller can be your little one's first foray into gaming and is especially fun for kids to play with and imitate their parents or caretakers if they've seen them use a regular gaming controller. Inspired by the beloved show CoComelon, this controller features over 25 phrases, along with fun lights, colorful easy-to-push buttons and great sounds effects like the CoComelon "Finger Family" song, to keep your little one entertained for months. Ages 18 months +

Kids who saw The Super Mario Bros. Movie over and over again this spring will jump at the chance to bring their favorite game into the real world. Part of LEGO's Super Mario Adventures line, this set lets kids use LEGO bricks to build out an ice level, complete with a Fliprus that shoots ice balls, a snowman whose head can be knocked onto a Koopa Troopa and a baby penguin who needs some fruit. This works best for those who already have a LEGO Super Mario Adventures Starter Course (and they have them for Mario, Luigi or Peach), which comes with a figure with screens in its eyes and belly that can react to the levels in real-time. The figures also connect to the LEGO app, which will keep track of how many coins were collected. Ages 7+

Washing the dishes is most fun if you are a toddler fully immersed in your pretend-play world, especially since the faucet works when you fill it with water. Your preschooler can wash the plastic dishes and watch them change color. There are 15 play pieces including a colander, sink caddy and scrub brush. The play sink even has a decorative flower. It comes with the two batteries to get it started. If you don't want the faucet to run you can just fill the little sink basin, and if you really need things to stay dry just ask that your kid pretend there's water. Ages 3+

No, it's not your average Dungeons & Dragons game, with the Dungeon Master and the long-running campaigns and all that. Instead, this is more of an escape-room style game, where the players are invited to play cooperatively to solve a mystery. It still has plenty of elements that fans love about regular D&D, including the ability to create characters, battle monsters and acquire loot. But this one is designed to be played in around 90 minutes, which might draw in younger players. Ages 12+

Meet your new best friends, Peety and Penny! These stylish dolls feature an impeccable fashion sense, 4C textured hair and five points of articulation in their bodies so they can pose and move with ease. Designed to celebrate short hair, these dolls are perfect for growing or starting your collection. Both 11-inch dolls have unique, removable accessories, fun backstories and personalities to inspire kids to embrace their true selves. Ages 3+

To give, love and collect: The Living on the Veg series of fresh fungi (a.k.a "fun guys") and various vegetables are soft plushes decorated with fuzzy or glittery fabrics, available at Walmart now and other retailers later this year. Each character (a mushroom, shown here, and later there will be a corn and a radish, for instance) has a big personality via silly facial expression and backstory written out on the tag. Ages 3+

Never fear, preschoolers still learning your phonics: Elmo is here! Your little one presses the big Elmo head to start lessons about the letters. The chunky alphabet pieces come out and have fun pictures underneath, such as Oscar under the letter O. You and your kids can then assemble letters on the pretend school shelves, near Cookie Monster, to practice spelling and sounding out names and words. This It comes with the batteries needed to start. Ages 2+

Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.

Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People, covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor's degree in journalism and psychology and a master's degree in journalism.

Rachel Rothman (she/her) is the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she oversees testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also manages GH's growing research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. During her 15 years at Good Housekeeping, Rachel has had the opportunity to evaluate thousands of products, including toys and cars for GH's annual awards programs and countless innovative breakthroughs in consumer tech and home improvement.

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

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