Every year, TIME's editors and correspondents work together to compile a collection of the most interesting and groundbreaking new products and innovations for the Best Inventions list. As holiday season approaches, the TIME team has pulled out a selection of 10 best game and play items from the list that would make a perfect gift for the parents, little ones, and fun-lovers in your life.
—DoonaDeluxe car-seat-to-stroller system
The Doona changed the baby-transport game by transforming from an infant car seat into a stroller with the press of a button. The Doona X takes that innovation further, featuring three stroller positions—Sit, Relax, and Lean Back—with a near-flat 159-degree recline. The X also features better shock-absorption, smoother wheel release, an adjustable headrest and no-rethread harness, and a handlebar with two height settings. —Beth Ann Mayer
Buy Now: DoonaX on Doona
Hapiko Stickerbox
Dream up your own stickers
The global smart AI toy market is projected to grow from $18.52 billion in 2025 to more than $55 billion in 2035. “But when you see the wave of AI toys and every single one is basically a chatbot in a teddy bear, [it’s] like, ‘Who asked for this?’” says Stickerbox CEO and cofounder Arun Gupta. His invention—a small, red handheld box—puts AI to work more purposefully, designing stickers based on verbal user prompts (“Cowboy cat playing guitar”), then printing them in black-and-white for coloring. The box comes with 265 stickers and eight colored pencils, and features built-in filters to block unsafe suggestions. —Patti Greco
Buy Now: Hapiko Stickerbox on Amazon
—Spin MasterNostalgic brainteaser
Combine the iconic, confounding Rubik’s Cube puzzler with the classic, compulsive Tetris video game and the result is Spin Master’s Rubik’s Tetris. As with the traditional Rubik’s Cube, players wrestle with arranging the small square pieces into a 3 x 3 x 3 square. But here you’re not solving for solid-color sides, you’re building Tetris shapes—the game’s signature green, purple, yellow, red, and dark-blue S, T, O, Z, and J-shaped Tetriminos. The toy is a Level 4 out of 5 solve, says Spin Master vice president of product development Randy Klimpert, so players should brace for a challenge. —Richard Eisenberg
Buy Now: Rubik’s Tetris on Amazon
—Thames & KosmosThames & Kosmos SolarFlower
Mesmerizing STEM kit
Inspired by kinetic museum sculptures, botanical model kits, and the “kidult” toy market (adults now comprise 28% of global toy sales), the 114-piece, 11” SolarFlower has motorized petals that spin as long as the sun shines. Looking like a rippling carnation and run by a solar-powered gear, the robotic bloom comes in four colors: Golden Sunrise, Ruby Ripple, Sapphire Swirl, and Purple Majestic. “Our whole thing is about teaching kids and families about engineering,” says Ted McGuire, president of science kit and board game maker Thames & Kosmos. “But we definitely know there are adults who build these just for their own enjoyment." —Richard Eisenberg
Buy Now: Thames & Kosmos SolarFlower on Amazon
—Hugo Yu for TIMEA fun smartphone alternative for kids
Some 106 countries and 39 U.S. states now restrict cell phones in schools, and a societal push to delay giving smartphones to children has gained steam in recent years. Tin Can, a Wi-Fi-enabled landline network for kids, has provided a fun new route to independence, instead of focusing on what they're losing. “It’s pretty incredible to see how much Tin Can has become a part of kids’ lives and fostered real connection,” says CEO Chet Kittleson. The brand's latest release includes a limited-edition Technicaller Clear phone, Twirly Cord Charms, and a Contact Keeper—a slick, modern take on the Rolodex with tradable cards. —Emma Barker Bonomo
Buy Now: Tin Can on Tin Can
—Courtesy of SkylightSkylight Buddy
Digital chore tracker
Buddy, a touchscreen bedside alarm clock designed for kids, turns chores like brushing teeth and picking up toys into—almost—fun. With playful nudges and star rewards, the kid-friendly task advisor, aimed at ages four to 10, empowers independence and healthy routines. Parents manage Buddy, which includes a built-in alarm clock, sound machine, and nightlight, along with a daily to-do list—but notably no games or sounds that suck kids into screens—via mobile app. “We’re taking these nags out of parents’ hands and putting them on Buddy so chore completion feels special and warrants a celebration,” says Anubhav Sarkar, vice president of Skylight. Parents who travel or work late can even send a message to their kid via Buddy. —Richard Eisenberg
Buy Now: Skylight Buddy on Myskylight.com
—The LEGO GroupBuild with interactive bricks
Lego bricks are an iconic part of many kid’s formative years, and have likely raised entire generations of future engineers. But they remain analog, and most STEM pursuits now involve technology. Smart Play levels Legos up. It adds sensors, powered by a chip smaller than a Lego stud, to the traditional bricks that detect nearby tagged objects and minifigures, then triggers dramatic sound and light responses, letting kids program their own creations. The system, which features more than 20 patented technologies, launched in March with a series of—what else?—Star Wars sets. —Chris Stokel-Walker
Buy Now: Lego Smart Play on Amazon
—BoardBoard
Digital games for the whole family
The Board leverages the visual engagement potential of a gigantic iPad with the appealing tactility of board games. The idea for the 24-in. device came to creator Brynn Putnam, founder and former CEO of at-home fitness startup Mirror, during the pandemic as a salve for digital fatigue. The subscription-less console comes with seven games designed for groups of players ages 6 and up, which mostly resemble classic arcade games. Here, however, players shoot oncoming asteroids by sliding a physical starship piece around the Board. —Kevin Cortez
Buy now: The Board on Board
—Analogue, Inc.Nintendo 64 resurrected
Nothing can recreate the joy of playing "GoldenEye 007" as a kid, but Analogue 3D, a modern-day Nintendo 64, comes close. The console lets users play N64 games with their original cartridges and controllers, using FPGA hardware instead of emulation software—the standard for retro machines—so there’s no lag during play. Picture-wise, it delivers 4K resolution while offering display modes that mimic the look of classic tube TVs. And unlike the original N64, Analogue supports save states, which means gamers can pick up right where they left off if their character dies near the end of a level—no 1997 meltdowns necessary. —Jessica Sager
Buy Now: Analogue 3D on Analogue.co/3d
—Mars, IncorporatedMars Non-FD&C M&Ms
Naturally-dyed candies
What if instead of being made with Red No. 40 or Yellow No. 5—which some people can have adverse reactions to—M&Ms were dyed with beet juice and turmeric? Well, guess what: in August, Mars started selling a version of its classic candy without artificial dyes, using those and other natural ingredients to color its red, orange, yellow, and green chocolates. “We’ve been working on it, honestly, for decades,” says Jaime Boyes, head of R&D at Mars Snacking North America. The trick was not only finding the right plant-based pigments, but also figuring out which would work on a massive production line. Mars has yet to crack the code for blue and brown. —Matthew Huff
Buy Now: Dye-Free, Non-FD&C M&Ms on Amazon
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