A toy doesn't have to cost a lot to become your kid's favorite. From little trinkets to colored pencils, sometimes the best way to make a kid happy is to keep it simple. As the holidays approach, it's a good idea to have a plethora of toy options in your back pocket that make for great gifts. Here is a list of some of the best toys, all under $25.
Melissa & Doug Animal Nesting Blocks ($20) are a great and entertaining way to practice hand-eye coordination and learn about sizes.
Coggy Brain Teaser Toy ($15) kinetic game has kids challenge their mind with four different difficulty levels.
Jellycat If I Were a Bunny Board Book ($13) is a fun and superadorable board book that kids will love for years.
Finding the right toy for an infant can seem like searching for a needle in a haystack. Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle and Sensory Teether ($10) is soft with an intricate maze of vibrant, and chewy, cords.
For those of us who wish we could be mermaids, or at least experiment with mermaidlike hair, Douglas Serena Pink Mermaid Doll ($16) is a perfect option.
A personal favorite, these Day of the Dead Wood Nesting Dolls ($20) are perfect for little hands to play with.
A favorite for many, the Lego Minecraft Mushroom Island ($19, originally $20) lets kids build a part of this expansive world.
Nothing says fashionable like being unique. With Design Your Own Sunnies Craft Kit ($15), this kid will be a true fashion icon.
Most of us can't eat sushi every day, but with the Melissa & Doug Sushi Slicing Set ($20), children can pretend to have their own sushi restaurant.
With VTech Drill and Learn Toolbox Playset ($20), children will love pretending to build and create.
Jurassic World Growler Ceratosaurus ($17) is a roaring good time, with lifelike growing action!
After seeing the movie and a few YouTube hair tutorials, little fans will love practicing new hairstyles on the Disney Princess Belle Styling Head Set ($15).
The adorable It toy of the year, WowWee Fingerlings Sophie Interactive Baby Monkey Toy ($15) is like a new best friend.
With the 54-Piece Mini Jungle Animals Toys Set ($11), children can pretend, learn animals, and organize these wild creatures.
Just Like Home Kitchen Set ($20) uses real water to let kids pretend to wash dishes.
Sweet Shop Soft 'N Slo Squishies Macarons ($6) is a toy for infants that is so cute, you'll want the real thing for yourself.
Children will love picking their favorite working trucks with Pull Back Construction Vehicles 12-Pack ($10).
Even though beach time is over for a while, children can still enjoy some summertime action with the Melissa & Doug Sandbox Set ($17), which they can use to make neat geometric shapes.
Get the creative juices flowing from a young age with the Darice 80-Piece Deluxe Art Set ($16).
Let your kiddo's imagination run wild with Educational Magnetic Sticks Building Blocks Toys ($15), which they can use to build any shape their mind can think up.
Babies and toddlers will love playing with BettRoom Wooden Shapes Sorter ($15) and using them to stack and sort different shapes and colors.
This nostalgic toy, SainSmart Jr. Wooden Tetris Puzzle ($13), lets kids play Tetris in real life.
In this fun and simple game, HABA Lumina the Search for Lightning Bugs ($20), players flip cards to try to catch fireflies.
Children will love the bright colors and rhythmic sounds of Playgro Sights and Sounds Music Box TV ($21).