Summer is coming to an end, and as you unpack from your vacations and clean out the car post road trip, you’ll all of a sudden remember that school is just around the corner. But fear not: We rounded up the best back-to-school toys and gear for the upcoming year!
From math skills to scissor skills, preschool prep to coding toys, kids can play and learn at the same time with our selection of educational toys. These products will spark kids’ interest in learning, and maybe in some subjects they haven’t explored before. In addition to STEM and literacy, we also called out some social-emotional learning toys, so kids can learn to share, communicate, and more. These toys will get kids back in the swing of learning and make sure they’re starting off the school year strong.
Sprinkled in, you’ll also see some important back-to-school must-haves. Whether it’s Squishmallows shoes, LEGO backpacks, or trusty Sharpie highlighters, your kids will be glad you found them.
Scroll down to see the best back-to-school toys and gear below! (Feel free to use it as a shopping list on the go.)
LUNA STORYTIME PROJECTOR
Luna nurtures little ones while fostering independence with engaging content. Projection, read-along text, graphics, and music provide a multi-sensory story environment.
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MACHIE MOLE SIGHT WORDS
Players grab their handy shovel and dig through the leaves to find words, then read each word out loud for our mole to hear. For every word or picture that matches, they'll earn treasure. The player with the most gold coins at the end of the game wins.
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S-NOTE CREATIVE MARKERS PASTEL HIGHLIGHTERS
These all-in-one creative markers and highlighters are available in assorted pastel colors for note-taking, highlighting, drawing, and more. Use the two-in-one chisel tip to quickly change between precise and broad lines, while the S-Note Duo is a dual-ended marker featuring an additional fine bullet tip to switch between fine lines and broad strokes.
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ELMER’S FLUFFY SLIME KIT
This 4-piece kit contains everything kids need to create the perfect fluffy slime, including two tubes of activator, pink translucent glue, and blue glitter glue.
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3DOODLER START+ ESSENTIALS 3D PRINTING PEN SET
Kids can use their imaginations to draw anything as a 3D object, teaching them spatial awareness and building skills. Charge the pen, insert a filament strand, and start drawing. The newest edition features a 50% faster charge, a slimmer design, and a safety stand-by mode.
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CHOMPSAW
This kid-safe power tool makes cutting cardboard easy. Kids can use it to transform the cardboard into forts, DIY costumes, educational dioramas, and other creative projects.
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PLAYTAB GO
This travel-friendly toy includes two tactile sensory tiles for kids to move, switch, and replace with other Play Tab tiles. It also has a clip to attach to a car seat, a bag, or a stroller.
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CRAYOLA LIMITED-EDITION COLLECTION
Iconic retired crayon colors are back — but only for a limited time. Dandelion, Mulberry, Blizzard Blue, Raw Umber, Lemon Yellow, Orange Red, Violet Blue, and Magic Mint are now available as crayons, markers, colored pencils, and more.
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MY ROBOTIC PET: CODING CHAMELEON
Tweens can build their own robotic reptile that responds to gestures, changes colors, and fires its retractable tongue.
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ADVENTURE PARTNERS PLUSH KEY CHAIN COLLECTION
Pokémon Trainers can catch 29 fan-favorite pocket monsters as plush key chains. Each features a Pokéball-shaped clip.
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TRANSPORT!: VIRTUAL REALITY DISCOVERY GIFT SET WITH DK BOOK
This 96-page activity set uses virtual reality and hands-on activities to showcase the world of transportation, including planes, trains, cars, and more.
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MINECRAFT SNEAKERS
Kids can build up to big adventures in these sneakers! This duo of kicks features a pair of Creeper-themed high tops and a pink pair of slip-ons featuring tons of Minecraft creatures.
Product Facts
- Manufacturer:
- GROUND UP INTERNATIONAL
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CONNETIX 70-PIECE PRO CONSTRUCTOR SET
This set features Smart-Spin technology, enabling magnets to rotate 360 degrees within the tile so that it clicks into place. It includes smaller tiles and a refined color palette so older builders can make more intricate designs.
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SNAP CIRCUITS SPY KIT
With this kit, kids can go on more than 20 spy missions while learning about the science and engineering behind spy tools and tricks, including how to build motion detectors, use voice changers, discover trip wires, and more.
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MS. RACHEL FIRST WORDS TALKING FLASH CARDS
This electronic flash card reader features Ms. Rachel’s blue overalls and her soothing voice. Designed to aid with pronunciation and memory building, it includes more than 100 flash cards with practical words and corresponding drawings.
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TAMAGOTCHI PARADISE
With more than 50,000 possible characters to nurture, kids can use the zoom lens to explore their characters on a celluar level, then zoom out to explore the planet. Dock two together to play with a friend.
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MAGNA-TILES RAIL RACERS 33-PIECE SET
Kids can build and race with this magnetic tile building set. With the new Rail Racers pieces, kids can build bridges, ramps, and rails for the ball to roll down. All of this set’s pieces are compatible with other MAGNA-TILES sets.
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FISHER-PRICE BIG LITTLE FEELINGS: THE SHARING KIT
Parents can teach toddlers about kindness and sharing with this hands-on kit. The kit includes a pretend ice cream playset, a monster plush, a custom board book, and a mini-course about social-emotional learning.
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SNAP 2 IT
Each player races to be the first to snap a path between their light and the communal battery. Build the circuit path solo or play competitively with up to four players as everyone learns the basics of electricity.
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ROBOTIC DRAGON BANK KIT
Construct your own mechanical coin bank that's shaped like a dragon guarding a treasure chest as they learn about electrical conductivity, gears, and other mechanisms. When they place a metal coin in the dragon’s mouth, it completes the electric circuit, and the dragon’s wings flap and its jaws shut to store the coin.
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DOUBLE BANANAGRAMS
The classic Bananagrams game now has double the tiles. This double pack lets up to 16 players play.
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PUMA X SQUISHMALLOWS COLLECTION 2.0
Join seven Squishmallows as they take the form of a comfy, sporty shoe. Soccer-playing mushroom Malcolm, cutie banana Junie, yogi cactus Graciela, purple cow Carina, magenta Bigfoot Moxie, adorable pineapple Maui, and Cam the Cat inspired this new line.
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THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR BAKESHOP
In this easy-to-learn game, with special illustrations from The World of Eric Carle, 2-4 players can flip the cards to find matching baked goods, ringing the included bell once a match is found.
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EMOTIONAL SUPPORT LATTE
These cuddly plush lattes feature heartwarming expressions for kids to identify and relate to their emotions. The set includes five pumpkin spice latte plushes.
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HERSCHEL SUPPLY X LEGO COLLECTION
Kids can take their favorite building sets on the go with these backpacks, bags, lunchboxes, and pencil cases inspired by classic LEGO bricks and LEGO Botanicals sets.
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TALKING ROCKS AND MINERALS: A FACT-PACKED GUIDE TO GEOLOGY
This picture book rocks — literally! Pebble the Rock Reporter is after the scoop on the geology, and the other rocks and minerals are ready for their close-up. Filled with fun facts and puns galore, kids can learn the origins of their favorite rocks and even how to spot them in their everyday lives.
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LEGO RULER WITH MINIFIGURE
This versatile ruler includes 28 authentic LEGO pieces in various colors. Kids can assemble a fully functional 12—or 6-inch ruler that measures in inches and millimeters. Add the included minifigure to lend a hand with measurements, or customize your ruler with extra bricks.
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SKILLMATICS SNIP, SNIP!
Designed with 3 levels of progressive difficulty, this kit guides kids step by step — from cutting straight lines to curved and zigzag patterns, and finally, cutting out shapes with confidence. It includes an activity booklet with 25 cutting activities, two child-safe scissors, and a glue stick. Available in different themes.
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MATH MAESTRO
Make Music Count is a math experience taught through playing songs on the piano. Kids can solve real math equations where the answers are musical notes to immediately play on the piano in the lessons. It comes with two workbooks (addition and subtraction), a 49-key piano keyboard, and the free Make Music Count app.
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STICKI ROLLS JUMBO STICK
Kids can use these reusable stickers for decorating walls, mirrors, desks, and more. Collect all 72 designs featuring holographic effects in various rarity levels. Peel, place, and reposition without damaging surfaces or leaving sticky residue.
