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Amazon’s October Prime Day promises discounts on everything imaginable — from vacuum cleaners to beauty products. The sale runs for two days on Tuesday, October 8, and Wednesday, October 9. And as with Prime Days past, the sheer amount of stuff on sale can make it difficult to find worthwhile deals on things you actually need or want. So my fellow Strategist writers and I are sorting through the mess to find the ones that are actually good. While they focus on household essentials, fashion, and more, I am concentrating on my particular area of expertise: toys. Below, you’ll find building toys, board games, dolls, pretend-play toys, science kits, and more for kids of all ages. Everything here is at least 20 percent off, and I’ve primarily included toys we’ve written about before or that come from brands we know and love. The holidays are coming up fast, and October Prime Day is a great time to shop for gifts, so I’ve organized the list by price — you can use the table of contents to jump ahead, depending on how much you want to spend. I’ve also done the legwork of researching past sale prices to make sure the ones I’m recommending are legit.
Unless you have a very specific toy in mind that you’re hoping to see on sale, I think the best toys to buy on Prime Day are often basic sets of building toys like LEGOs and Magna-Tiles, because they will grow with your child, keeping them engaged for many years. I also think it’s an excellent time to invest in (and save on) splurge-worthy toys like a play kitchen or balance bike, especially if you can hide it away until the holidays; I’m ogling a gorgeous wooden kitchen from Tiny Land whose price is a little easier to justify at 29 percent off. Finally, I recommend buying smaller toys in multiples — whether it’s mini cans of Play-Doh, like this 36-pack for less than a dollar each, or a bundle of Squishmallows — because it’s a great way to knock out all of the party favors for your kid’s next birthday or have stocking stuffers and Secret Santa trinkets at the ready for every kid in the family.
Sarah’s Silks dress-up toys and play scarves are constantly recommended to us by parents and teachers. This set of rainbow wings is a Strategist favorite and good for kids of all ages.
For crafty elementary school kids, Rainbow Looms are a very big deal. We featured one in our guide to the best gifts for 6-year-olds and today you can get the loom and a big box of bands for under $25.
Magic Mixies are a fun holiday gift because of the exciting reveal experience they offer. Right now, the best deal from the brand is on this magic-potion revealing doll. It comes with special ingredients that you pour into the tube to make your potion. Then you push the jewel-shaped button on top and watch as the liquid goes from deep purple-y blue to clear and your new doll is revealed.
Here’s a classic board game that helps bridge the gap between serious Pokémon fans and the friends and families of said fans who are much less familiar with the trading-card game. It’s easy to learn and fun to play (it’s really just a standard board game with a Pokémon theme), even if you’ve just learned who Gengar is.
There are lots of good deals on Kinetic Sand, including a few Strategist favorites, like the construction site kit that’s over 50 percent off and bulk bag of blue sand. But I am personally eyeing the 10-pack of mini castle molds, each of which have a different color sand inside.
Green Toys is one of the best toy brands to shop on Prime Day, as it routinely offers deep discounts. The recycled-plastic toys are kid and parent favorites that last a long time.
Felicia is part of the original series of Bratz dolls and has the Y2K outfits to prove it. No judgment here if you’re buying her for yourself or an adult collector friend, but at less than $20, it’s also an affordable gift for their 8-year-old daughter.
In addition to Bratz, a handful of Tamagotchis are on sale today. They’re arguably the most iconic Y2K toy and another one that’s popular among kids and adults.
I have heard from dozens of parents that giving elementary- and middle-school children a set of walkie-talkies is a great way to curb screen time and get them outdoors. This set is featured in our guide to the best gifts for 5-year-olds and is currently 44 percent off.
There are a bunch of deals on Magna-Tiles today (the downhill racers set among them), but I like this jungle set because it includes four articulated animals and would make a great gift.
A DIY slime kit is a good thing to have on hand for bad weather or sick days. This one from Elmer’s includes one jar of slime that’s ready to play with and another eight bottles for making a variety of scented and sparkly slimes.
A fold-and-go dollhouse is a great toy for small-space living. This one from Melissa & Doug is a toddler-friendly classic, bigger than it looks, and a great deal at almost half off.
Squishmallows are as popular (and collectible) as ever — especially the small, five-inch-size ones that don’t take up a whole bed. This set of ten would make a great gift for one special tween or fun stocking stuffers for a bunch of cousins.
This epic series of adventure novels — there are 97 books in all — has become a big hit with children ages 7 through 12. This Dawn of the Clans box set is the fifth in the series and includes six books.
Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio says her two children “freaking loved” this very discounted little ice cream cart so much and for so long that she is now handing it down (on a temporary basis) to her 2-year-old niece. Eventually she plans to store it in the attic for potential future grandkids.
If you’re sick of Advent calendars full of candy or throwaway toys, try this one. Each day for 24 days, kids get to open something science-y, from collectible gemstones to experiments like growing crystals and making test tubes glow.
Strategist contributor Youngna Park included this 20-percent-off, glow-in-the-dark modular marble run in her guide to the best building toys.
Among the many Barbie collaborations I have seen since the movie’s release, this remote-control car remains my favorite. It has room for two Barbie dolls and is fun to drive, even without RC experience.
Melissa & Doug make some of the best and most affordable kids’ dress-up clothing. So if your costume trunk doesn’t already have an astronaut outfit, today’s a good day to get this one on sale.
There are always LEGO sets on sale for Prime Day, but I think it’s a better investment to stock up on the open-ended sets while they’re discounted.
Ticket to Ride, on sale today for almost half off, is the least annoying strategy game and the one that’s easiest to learn.
If you’re willing to spend a bit more on Magna-Tiles, this builder set is a also a great choice at 30 percent off.
The ultra lightweight foam on this remote-control Monster Truck means you can drive it over people’s feet or legs without hurting them. It also makes the truck less likely to damage your floors or walls.
Barbie’s camper van might have looked different when I was a kid, but the idea is a classic and an incredible gift, especially at over 50 percent off. This one transforms into three different vehicles and comes with tons of accessories like fishing poles, marshmallows on sticks, a picnic table, and even tiny toothbrushes.
Yoto audio players are among the most recommended by parents as they offer screen-free fun and educational content for kids. They are engaging for a wide range of ages and can function as a 24-hour family-friendly radio station, daily podcast, nightlight, and alarm clock.
At the moment, my almost-2-year-old son prefers playing with his Toniebox over the Yoto, probably because the figures look more like toys. Not only that, but he’s been able to use it independently since he was around 11 months old. This is an awesome starter set for Spidey fans and a very good discount.
I learned to sew at a very early age and loved spending full weekend days experimenting and making outfits for my dolls. This on-sale Singer sewing machine would make an excellent gift for tweens, or teens.
American Girl dolls rarely go on sale, so this soccer-playing gal is an especially great deal.
I recently saw this Playmobil Junior Cinderella Castle set at a toy fair and was tempted to stay and play with it for a while. It’s designed for children as young as 1 — the pieces aren’t tiny choking hazards like with the “regular” Playmobil line — and it has lots of surprises, like castle parts that rattle when you shake them, a removable dress for Cinderella, and a real working slide.
This adorable LEGO Duplo set comes with 11 pairs of adult and baby animals and their natural habitats that span seven continents. It’s a wonderful way to encourage language development and fine motor skills at the same time.
If you’ve got a toddler who’s climbing everything in your house, like I do, this on-sale Montessori-style indoor play gym from Avenlur will help redirect all that excess energy and help them master balance and climbing skills.
It is weirdly hard to find an affordable and nice-looking wooden mud kitchen. But today you can get this one for $100 off.
There are lots of great play kitchens out there — but if I had the money, I’d buy a wooden one with a retro vibe. This one from Tiny Land Toys is still a splurge, but if you’ve had your eye on one like it, now’s the time to pounce.
Strider bikes are some of the most popular balance bikes for kids because they are durable, easy to ride, and have a high resell value. This isn’t the cheapest I’ve seen them, but it is a solid discount on a toy you’ll have for years.
Lots of tweens and teens will appreciate a pair of Apple AirPods Pro over any toy, and this is just about as cheap as they get.
Strategist writer Lauren Ro and I both own this Kiwico water and sand table. It’s much nicer looking than traditional plastic water tables, and more fun to play with as an adult.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
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