Last year at Christmas, my in-laws brought out a large box of Hot Wheels cars that were my husband’s when he was little. The blue plastic case, with the 80s logo on the front, housed about 20 or so little vehicles, each one tucked into its own tiny compartment. While the toy cars clearly had some, uh, mileage on them, they had held up pretty well, considering the fact that they were probably thirty-something years old.
My twin boys, who were just 2.5 years old at the time, immediately started pulling out all of the cars, and vrooming them all over the floor. They loved them, and continued to go back to them, even after they’d been spoiled by our generous family’s abundant flow of gifts. My husband was psyched — we had the next generation of Hot Wheels fans.
It’s nice to know that the classics have not only stood the test of time, but keep getting better as well. When I was looking around for gifts for both my boys, and my nieces and nephews, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many familiar toys still alive and kicking. Some of them have been updated with such crazy-cool features, it kind of made me wish I was a kid again.
With the holidays coming up, I rounded up some of the best old school gifts for your little ones, many with a modern twist. You can start your shopping list here…
*This slide show is sponsored content.
Classic Toys That Make Great Holiday Gifts
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Hohner Kids Toddler Music Band
Encourage an early love of music with this set, meant for pint-size musicians. It includes a xylophone, drum, and various bells so they can really make some noise.
$42
Photo: Amazon
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Fire HD Kids Edition Tablet
Kids can play games, read books, take photos, and more on this cool kid-friendly tablet.
$149
Photo: Amazon
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Nintendo 3DS XL System
From the car to standing in line, kids can play all their favorite Nintendo games in, you guessed it, 3D!
*$199.99
Photo: Nintendo
*MSRP: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Actual price may vary. Use Parental Controls to restrict 3D access for children 6 and under
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Doodle Pro Classic Doodler with 2 Stampers
If you loved your Magna Doodle when you were a kid, you'll want to get the newest version, the Doodle Pro, for your kid. It’s got the same tethered pen and two stampers, but with a cool, updated design. And it's no-mess drawing!
$18
Photo: Fisher Price
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BARBIE® Glam Camper™
Camping has never been this glam -- then again, this is Barbie we’re talking about!
$89.99
Photo: Mattel
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Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Diggity Dog Mickey
Mickey Mouse seems to be a multi-generational favorite, but young fans of the TV show will love this talking -- and dancing -- toy. He not only has over 12 different phrases, but he does the "hot dog" dance as well.
$20
Photo: Fisher Price
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Thomas and Friends My First UNO King Size Card Game
UNO is a classic game that’s been around forever. Now you can introduce your kids to the game, which has large-scale cards with their favorite Thomas and Friends characters.
$7.25
Photo: Amazon
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BARBIE® Dreamhouse®
Barbie’s posh digs have gotten a glam makeover, with fully furnished rooms, fun lights, an elevator, and (of course) an awesome closet!
$150
Photo: Mattel
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Pet Grooming Set
The American Girl dolls can now have their very own pets, from cute Corgis to fuzzy Poodles. This grooming set allows your little girl to give her new plush doggy the pretend pampering it deserves.
$30
Photo: American Girl
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Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk
So many little girls -- and boys -- love dress up. While we used to sneak into our parents' closets though, your little ones can actually don pint-size costumes of their own. This set includes four different princess gowns -- Belle, Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty -- and comes in its own trunk.
$29.99
Photo: Amazon.com
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Imaginext Deluxe T-Rex
Plain old dinosaur toys are taken out of the prehistoric age and blasted right to the future with this Imaginext line. The T-Rex makes cool sound effects, and it comes with removable robot gear, a projectile, and an armored action figure.
$25
Photo: Fisher Price
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Imaginext DC Super Friends RC Transforming Batbot
Okay, this toy pretty much has everything. It’s a Batman robot that can transform into a Bat tank and it’s also remote-controlled. It's both a superhero toy and a Transformer. Seriously, what else could a little boy want?
$70
Photo: Fisher Price
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Magical Tea For Two
Every little girl loves a tea set, and this one will really get her imagination going with tea that actually disappears as she pours.
$19
Photo: Fisher Price
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3-in-1 Bounce, Stride & Ride Elephant
As the name suggests, this colorful, musical “grow-with-me” toy has three different functions -- it’s a bouncy seat for babies, a walker for first steppers, and then a ride-on toy for older toddlers. You’ll get years of use out of it…and more bang for your buck.
$45
Photo: Fisher Price
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Medical Kit
A doctor kit is an essential toy for kids, not only because it allows them to role-play, but it also makes that trip to the pediatrician’s office a lot less scary. This one comes complete with stethoscope, thermometer and syringe, as well as a carrying bag…maybe for house calls.
$16
Photo: Fisher Price
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Bedtime Story Shadow Puppets
The nighttime story routine is a whole lot more interesting with these unique shadow puppets that allow you to give visuals with the tales you tell. The set includes a castle, princess, fairy, dragon, and more.
$20
Photo: Anthropologie
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BARBIE® Holiday Doll
There’s been a new holiday Barbie doll every year for the last 25 years. This year’s doll is even more sparkly and fun!
$39.99
Photo: Mattel
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Shake-n-Go Speed Boat
Forget the bath squirters and those boats that simply bob around. Shake this bath toy, then let it go, and watch it zoom across the water.
$14
Photo: Fisher Price
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Little People Animal Treehouse
The Little People line has been around since the '60s, and just continues to grow, with an updated look, sound effects, and a steady stream of new playsets. With a swing and a slide and baby animals to care for, this treehouse is guaranteed to keep little hands and minds busy. Also, it closes up easily for storage, minimizing your playroom clutter.
$25
Photo: Fisher Price
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Thomas & Friends Trackmaster Avalanche Escape Set
Even our grandfathers played with train sets, although I doubt they were quite this high-tech. With this build-it set, a motorized Thomas will chuff through a spooky cave, over a rickety bridge and then literally fly through the air. What a fun ride!
$65
Photo: Fisher Price
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Disney Princess Glitter Glider Castle Playset
Cinderella is sort of the OG Disney Princess, but with this toy, she's had a bit of a makeover. On her Glitter Glider wheels, she literally skates through her castle, going down slides and gliding across a moving dance floor.
$39.99
Photo: Mattel
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Melissa and Doug K’s Kids Take-Along Shape Sorter
When on-the-move with your baby, less is more, but you still need to keep him or her entertained. This compact shape sorter has two activity sides, nine blocks, and its own small carrying bag for easy traveling.
$19.99
Photo: Melissa and Doug
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Grow-With-Me Sit-to-Stand Scooter
Before your kid starts riding a bike, he or she will likely see some big kid on a scooter and have to have one. What’s great about this “grow-with-me” option is that little ones can start out sitting. Then, when they're older and more comfortable, you can adjust the handles so it becomes a regular scooter.
$50
Photo: Fisher Price
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BARBIE® Doll and Feed & Cuddle™ Tawny™ Horse
Give the girl who loves horses this sweet duo for the holidays (Tawny even moves like a real horse!).
$44.99
Photo: Mattel
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Smart Phone
Push-button toy phones are so 1984. No, these days, babies and toddlers only use the smart kind. This one comes with pretend app tiles that they press to hear music, numbers, and more.
$10
Photo: Fisher Price
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Hot Wheels Track Builder 5-Lane Tower Starter Kit
With this starter set, little ones 4 and up can create several different tracks, then send their Hot Wheels cars racing down ramps and jumping through flames. Only one car is included, so add the 9-car gift pack of cars for extra fun.
$24.99
Photo: Mattel
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Grow-With-Me Kitchen
A play kitchen is perfect for building your child's imagination. This colorful, durable option not only grows with your child, but it also has a ton of knobs, doors, and activities to keep him or her engaged for hours.
$80
Photo: Fisher Price
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Matchbox Car-Go Controllers Dump Truck
It might look like your typical toy truck, but this large dumper comes with a smaller version that actually acts as a remote control.
$19.99
Photo: Mattel
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Bitty Baby by American Girl
Your preschooler might be too young for the full American Girl experience, but you can still get her the baby doll version. Each is available with different hair, skin color and eye color, so you can get one that’s a perfect match for your daughter. Plus, it comes with an accompanying book.
$70
Photo: American Girl
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Super Sounds Soccer
Budding athletes can work on their growing soccer skills with this game net that adjusts to their playing level. It also makes sounds and shouts “Goal!” when your little one scores -- a built-in confidence booster.
$32
Photo: Fisher Price
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Kid Kraft Bead Maze Cube
Activity cubes are great for helping young toddlers improve their fine motor skills. This one from Kid Kraft has wood beads, mazes, a shape sorter, and gears to encourage the fiddling of tiny hands.
$32.99
Photo: Kid Kraft
