What are the hottest toys of 2023? Find out in Target's toy catalog

With the holiday season quickly approaching, kids (and kidults) everywhere are making their wish lists and checking them twice. And smart parents have been checking the Target toy catalog and the Target Top Toys list for ideas on what the hottest toys for Christmas 2023 and the whole holiday season. Whether your little ones want to see Bluey or Barbie under the tree this holiday season, there’s a wealth of great new toy options out there to choose from—plus perennial favorites and updated classics.

With Black Friday approaching, the time is right to start picking out the Target toys that will put a smile on their faces. Even better, through tomorrow, November 18, members of Target's free loyalty program Target Circle can take 25% any one toy or children's book. Below, you'll find our picks for the hottest toys of the season. But don't want too long to shop — some of these items are sure to sell out.

1. Pokémon Pikachu 14-Inch Squishmallows Holiday Plush

• Best for: 3 and up

You can’t really go wrong with a Squishmallow. They’re great for a bunch of age groups, work as a stuffie or a pillow, and are just so darn cute. This holiday-ready Pikachu is looking extra adorable in his Santa hat, so he’d be a great toy to throw under the tree this year even without wrapping paper. At 14 inches, this Pokémon is big enough to impress, but still small enough to cuddle at night.

2. Lego Dreamzzz Mrs. Castillo’s Turtle Van 2-in-1 Building Toy

• Best for: 7 and up

An adorably weird pick from Lego’s latest line of blockbuster bricks, Mrs. Castillo’s Turtle Van is just that: A sort of camper/tortoise hybrid, as seen in the new Netflix show LEGO DREAMZzz. Taking place in a world that bridges the real and the unreal, the series is full of wacky sights and sounds, like little creatures made of goo and a giant roller skating bunny. It’s all incredibly cute, and kids will spend hours both building their new creations and playing with them after. Lego bricks reward repeat play, making any Lego purchase well worth the money.

3. Beast Lab Glow-in-the-Dark Reptile Beast Creator

• Best for: 5 and up

One of this year’s hottest toys, the Beast Lab Glow-In-The-Dark Reptile Beast Creator is pretty much just a slightly more mad-science-y Magic Mixie, the surprise toy that’s dominated Christmas lists for the past few years. Kids are invited to throw different powders and potions into Beast Lab’s Erlenmeyer Flask, clicking and turning knobs and levers along the way. Eventually, a surprise monster is “formed” in a cloud of mist, and kids can break their new best friend out of the tube and head out on adventures. It’s a fun and cool-looking activity for the whole family, and definitely one that would wow on Christmas morning.

4. Twister Air

• Best for: 8 and up

A mat-free version of the classic party game, Twister Air uses eight colorful wristbands that sync with an app for gameplay. When music plays on your device, players have to move their bodies to match the colored spots on-screen. The more spots you hit, the more points you get, but be prepared for a lot of twisting, turning, and general silliness. Twister Air is great in groups, but you can play it alone, too, making it the rare board game gift that works on multiple levels.

5. Barbie Dreamhouse Pool Party Doll House with 3-Story Slide

• Best for: 3 and up

Whether your kids saw the Barbie movie this summer or not, they can no doubt appreciate the value of a fun, well-designed Barbie dreamhouse. (Who can’t, really?) This Pool Party Doll House is three stories tall, with a massive slide, all-around design, and 10 indoor and outdoor living areas. There’s even a slide and play area for Barbie’s furry friends, because it just wouldn’t be a cool pool party without pups. With endless play scenarios and about 75 different accessories, this Dreamhouse should entertain your kids for years to come. 

6. Nintendo Switch Game Console

• Best for: There’s really no minimum age for Switch usage, but it’s perhaps most beloved by those 6 and older.

Reviewed’s favorite game console of 2023, the Nintendo Switch has an incredible library of games, a great and user-friendly design, and is supremely portable, meaning you can take it too and from grandma’s house this Christmas, even if she does live over the river and through the woods. Every kid (and grown-up) will love the endless options available to them with a Switch, from games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder to picks from a massive library of games to download online. 

7. Nerf Elite 2.0 Double Punch Motorized Dart Blaster

• Best for: 8 and up

It’s a universal truth acknowledged by all parents that kids love Nerf. While there are plenty of great Nerf blasters out there (and we have a guide to point you to a bunch of them!), there’s just something about the Elite 2.0 Double Punch that puts it a cut above the rest this holiday season. It could be the two rapidly alternating barrels, the quick-fire action that releases 20 darts in a matter of seconds, or the 50 darts that come in the package, meaning you’ll never have to scrounge around behind bushes and couches looking for ammo. NERF blasters encourage movement, exercise, and active play, too, which is a nice perk. 

8. Gabby’s Dollhouse Cruise Ship Playset

• Best for: 3 and up

A perennial favorite of preschoolers everywhere, Gabby’s Dollhouse imagines a world full of magical cats, quirky puzzles, and a main character that seems to never age. While there are a ton of great Gabby’s Dollhouse toys on the market today, the Cruise Ship stands out for its portability and for the way it encourages pretend play. The 18-piece set includes a Gabby doll and a MerCat figure, which can take a dip in the pool before catching some rays under the boat’s umbrella. There’s a smoothie bar, a disco DJ booth, and a sea-view dining room, and if you’re a Gabby completist, you can even dock your Cruise Ship next to another Gabby’s Dollhouse playset using the enclosed ramp.

9. Furby Interactive Plush

• Best for: 6 and up

Kids of the ‘90s and ‘00s will no doubt remember Furby, the massively popular toy that cooed its way into our collective hearts. Now it’s back for a new generation. Using voice activated technology, the Furby can spout 60 different phrases, jokes, songs, and sounds. It can dance, tell fortunes, and project a lightshow, and it responds to all sorts of physical feedback, from pats on the head to fake feeding time. You can comb its hair and dress it up, too, because who doesn’t want their Furby looking its absolute best? 

10. Bluey’s Ultimate Beach Cabin Playset 

• Best for: 3 and up

One of the newer Bluey playsets on the market, the Ultimate Beach Cabin finds everyone’s favorite Aussie pup spending a little time at the seaside with her family. With multiple play areas packed into about 10 inches, the Cabin offers a lot of bang for your buck. It also offers a lot of adorable goofiness, from Heeler family figurines to play with to a tiny toilet and shower to make rude jokes about. There’s a pool for Bluey and Bingo to swim in, as well as a little Jet-Ski for Bandit. 

11. Tonies Paw Patrol Starter Set

• Best for: 3 and up

There are a lot of kid-friendly audio players in stores these days, but if you’re looking for something that’s just great for tactile learners, consider the Toniebox, which lets kids play books, records, and sounds just by throwing a figurine on the top of the (extremely durable) player. This Paw Patrol-themed starter set includes not just the actual Toniebox, but also a pair of headphones and a Liberty Tonie, meaning your kiddo will have at least one story to listen to over and over again right out of the gate.

12. Star Wars R2-D2 201 Piece Model Kit Puzzle

• Best for: 12 and up

Take it from us: There are a lot of great Star Wars toys in stores today. For younger kids, we love the Star Wars Young Jedi Adventures Tenoo Jedi Temple Playset, which calls back to the premiere of the hit Disney+ show. For older kids, though, we’re partial to the 201-piece R2-D2 model, which is part puzzle, part collectible, and all cool.

This cardstock model kit is easy to assemble, requires no tools, and stays together with just a little bit of glue. It’s not something you’ll be able to play with, but it looks great in a bedroom, on a shelf, or at a Star Wars-themed birthday party. The details are amazingly accurate, as well, meaning that even when you’re all done putting this kit together, you’ll still want to spend some time looking at the whole thing up close, just to really appreciate it.

13. Target Toy Shopping Cart

• Best for: 3 and up

Every parent knows the plight of having to tell their kid that, no, actually, they cannot push the cart in the store, lest they plow down other patrons or comically topple huge stacks of cans. But with this tiny Target toy shopping cart, your little one can plow the aisles at home at will, picking up produce and Good & Gather brand products in their (eerily accurate) plastic buggy. There’s a cupholder, of course, for their in-store Starbucks purchase, as well as a seat for their very own baby doll or stuffie. 

14. Lego Friends Autumn’s Horse Stable

• Best for: 7 and up

Another of Lego’s spin-off lines, Friends is remarkable in the way it represents the world around it. With a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and gender expressions, the Friends characters live in an ideal world of hot dog shops and pet rescues. They have homes and apartments and theater schools, all of which are brightly colored, incredibly detailed, and super cute. Autumn’s Horse Stable is pretty much what it sounds like, with Autumn and Aliya figures included to care for a couple of horses, a carriage, and a barn your kiddo can help build. With 545 pieces, this Horse Stable is an impressive build, and one that should eat up at least a few hours of your kid’s winter break.

15. L.O.L. Surprise! Magic Flyers

• Best for: 6 and up

Emerging from a mysterious shaking, light-up bottle, L.O.L. Surprise Magic Flyers actually fly, launching into the sky where you can guide them with a light touch from your hand. Buyers will get one of three Magic Flyers, each dressed and accessorized differently, so if you’re a completionist, you’ll want to collect them all. The Flyers and bottles are both easily recharged so that you’ll be able to launch your flyers again and again, as well as experience the bottle’s magical development.