hka-23-ceros-build Purewow’s 2023 Happy Kid Awards: The Best Toys, Books & More

Credits

HAPPY SCHOOL DAYS

The Best Buys for Classroom Fun

DESIGNER: MCKENZIE CORDELL

PRODUCER: STEPHANIE MERAZ

MANAGING EDITOR: CATRINA YOHAY

CANDACE DAVISON

ALEXIA DELLNER

WRITERS/EDITORS: RACHEL BOWIE

If you have a product that’d fit into the Happy Baby or Happy Home categories, please submit it by April 12.

Update: The 2024 Happy Kid Awards will be unveiled in three phases: Happy Baby (launching in June), Happy School Days (launching in July) and Happy Kid Awards: The Best Toys and Games (formerly Happy Playtime, launching in November). As a result, we’re extending our submissions period:

Submissions for the 2024 Happy Kid Awards

Happy Reading

The Best New Kids’ Books (For Babies to Tweens)

The Best Books for Babies

The Best Books for Ages 2 to 4

The Best Books for Ages 5 to 8

The Best Books for Ages 8 and up

happy home

Fun-Yet-Functional Ways to Upgrade Your Space

happy baby

The Best of the Best for the Under-1 Set

Happy Playtime

The Top Toys & Games for Kids of All Ages

The Best Baby Toys

The Best Toddler Toys

The Best Toys for Kids Ages 4 to 7

The Best Toys for Kids Ages 8 and Up

The Best Games for Families

Our winners span the following categories:

So that’s where we started: talking to parents and researching the newest and best-selling products on the market. From there, PureWow editors reached out to therapists, teachers, bookstore owners and other experts to get their recommendations, then worked with two dozen families across the U.S. to test our top contenders, providing honest feedback to help us uncover the best buys out there.

A Happy Kid Award winner needs to be so game-changing that you can’t wait to tell other moms and dads about it.

How Our Winners Were Chosen

PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and the company may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.

Happy kids, happy life? That’s not how the saying goes, but we’re here for anything that streamlines our lives (and brings a smile to even the angstiest tween’s face). Our fourth annual Happy Kid Awards does just that, providing you with a mix of essentials—and all-around fun stuff—for navigating parenthood, all vetted by our readers and editors.

awards

Happy Kid

Jansport Granby

Jansport’s new and spacious Granby style caught our eye for the 8- to 12-year-old set for one very practical reason: The pockets! There are five in total, plus a stand-alone padded compartment that’s perfect for a tablet or laptop. One parent tester raved about the organizational assist: “There’s a place for everything—their books, pencils, phone, after-school snack, after-school back-up snack, you name it.”

Buy It ($50)

State Kane Kids

There’s a reason State wins on repeat: Not only are their bags best-in-class for quality, organization and comfort (thanks to padded straps), but every year, they up the ante on their kid-friendly designs. This back-to-school season is next-level. Choose from glow-in-the-dark! Astronaut cosplay! Puffy strawberries! The challenge: Getting your kid to pick just one.

Buy It (Starts at $90)

Crate & Kids

A new addition to the backpack scene, Crate & Kids’ selection is affordable, stylish and comes in a range of sizes to best fit your growing child. Parents love the roomy interior that easily holds a lunch pail, water bottle, extra layers and a stuffy (to ease the school transition), but also the durable construction and ability to personalize. Did we mention it’s made from recycled water bottles?

Buy It (Starts at $39)

Happy Reading

Happy Home

Happy Baby

Happy Playtime

Happy School Days

the 2023

Best Backpack for Tweens

Best Backpack (Elementary)

Best Backpack (Toddlers & Pre-K)

Buy It ($22)

Homework hasn’t gone fully digital…yet. That’s why we love this color-block file folder set for organizing the various papers that get shuttled home from the classroom or printed out. One set includes eight folders total, all with tabs that perfectly line up. Assign each one a subject—or keep a few extras for group projects throughout the year.

Best Paper Organizer

Ban.do Colorblock File Folder Set

Buy It ($14)

There’s nothing better than a multi-colored pen set, ready for jotting down all manner of creative thoughts. This kit comes with four twin-tone, dual-tip markers, three highlighters, a mechanical pencil and three multi-color ballpoint pens. The student in your life can use it for mind mapping, bullet journaling, traditional note-taking—whatever their learning style requires.

Best For Detailed Note Takers

Tombow Creative Notetaking Kit

Buy It (Starts at $4)

No matter which backpack your child chooses, they can make it their own with this range of iron-on options, featuring a mix of kid favorites (we’re looking at you, Great White Shark) and interesting outliers (we love the orange toad). Each patch is backed with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which means it’s easy to apply. Parent bonus: The personalization makes it a cinch to pick your kid’s backpack out of a pile.

Best Backpack Flair

Pottery Barn Kids Embroidered Patches

Buy It (Starts at $48)

The challenge: Finding a lunchbox that’s lightweight, comes with compartments and has a way to keep things cold. This product checks every box (we love the removable ice pack) and then some. The inner tray is dishwasher-safe, the whole thing is leak-proof and microwave-safe and it comes in a variety of too-cool-for-school designs.

Best Lunchbox

Bentgo Kids Chill Lunchbox

Buy It ($12)

Sure, this brand-new snack container is leak-proof, dishwasher-safe and mold-resistant, thanks to a removable inner lining that allows for a deeper scrub. But our favorite detail is the silicone stretch cover which can fit over a whole, unsliced apple. Apples not your thing? There are actually two compartments, if you prefer something sliced or smaller.

Best Snack Container

B.Box Snack Box

Buy It ($25)

The 12-ounce stainless steel and double wall vacuum insulation, inherent to Yeti’s design, guarantee an ice cold sip for at least 12 hours, according to parent testers. (Seriously, we left this thing in a hot car, during an epic beach day.) In other words, it will carry your kids through drop-off and after-school activities and then some.

Best for Keeping Things Cold

Yeti Rambler

Buy It ($150)

From the glare-free lighting to the 10-week battery life, the latest version of Amazon’s e-reader is smarter than ever, and comes with straightforward navigation, thinner borders and faster page turns. Your kid can also sync it with the vast offerings at their local public library and connect it to Bluetooth headphones to enjoy an audiobook on the go.

Best for Bookworms

The Kindle Paperwhite

Buy It ($140)

Little ones dabbling in touch typing? This Bluetooth-enabled keyboard and mouse combo is a great way to dive in, says tech and wellness expert Carley Knobloch. Compatible with all tablets and available in a range of cool color palettes, it has a typewriter feel while staying modern and functional. Our favorite feature: The interchangeable emoji keys, which allow your kid to emote with a single tap.

Best Smart Keyboard

Logitech POP Wireless Keys and Mouse

Buy It ($599)

Sleek and slim, this desk keeps a low—yet purposeful—profile in your child’s room. The set-up is quick and easy, but the multi-purpose design is where it really sings. For example, there’s a place for your kid to hang their backpack on either side (four hooks in total), plus two smooth-gliding drawers, great for tucking away homework essentials or making it a shared space with one drawer per kid.

Best Homework Station

Crate & Kids Gemini Desk

Buy It ($200)

This inkjet printer is a workhorse and is equipped with all the bells and whistles your family’s school-related work requires: It prints, it scans, it copies and does it all wirelessly, so you can print from anywhere in the house. And since it comes with up to two years’ worth of ink, we think it’s a true bargain.

Best Printer

HP Smart Tank 5101 All-in-One Printer

Buy It ($35)

Organization is a life skill, which is why this perfect-for-tweens planner is a stand-out. Kids will love the “about me” section and the ability to track their annual progress with monthly overview pages and space for weekly planning and scheduling. And the playful and gender-neutral covers come with an option to personalize.

Best Planner

Papier Spiral Academic Year Planner

Buy It ($40)

Designed for kids ages 7 and up, these Bluetooth-enabled earbuds are another Carley Knobloch-approved pick for their sealed-in ear fit, which comes with five swappable ear tips for customizable comfort. They’re also water and sweat-resistant, allow for five hours of playtime, plus 19 hours of additional charge from the case. The parent-pleasing part? The decibel level peaks at 85, a kid-friendly max to protect against hearing loss.

Best Headphones

Belkin Soundform Nano

Buy It ($30)

It moves and grooves, and will teach your babe the ABCs and 123s. You can also record and play back your own voice ("mama loves you!") which is pretty freakin’ cute. But our favorite part is how this toy manages to keep infants as young as six months entertained for a solid 15 minutes so mom can finally take a shower.

Best Musical Toy

Fisher-Price DJ Bouncin Beats

Buy It ($11)

This sweet play thing is actually five toys in one: a wooden box, plush bear, squeezable fuzzy ball with chimes, multi-textured crinkle cloth and happy-bear cloth book. Small hands will love fiddling with the different elements and listening to the various sounds, not to mention putting the toys into the box and taking them out…over and over and over again.

Best Sensory Toy

Melissa & Doug Wooden Surprise Box

Buy It ($20)

It has millions of views on TikTok for good reason—this moving musical crab shimmies back and forth to keep your tot entertained during the dreaded tummy time (and beyond). And as an added bonus, our tester said it held the dog's attention too.

Most Viral Baby Toy

Crawling Crab Baby Toy

Buy It ($25)

These large silicone suction toys are ideal for small hands and can stick to strollers, highchairs, bathtubs and just about anywhere else (even on one parent's head…!). Your kid will love playing with the different textures and rattle sounds while you’ll love the fact that they're machine-washable (because, yes, kids will put them in their mouth).

Best Portable Toy

Fat Brain Toys Pip Squigz

Buy It ($140)

Sure, you want to keep your baby occupied but what are you supposed to do with the brightly colored monstrosity after their first birthday? Not only does this clever (and tastefully toned) plaything take your child from tummy time (the toys detach) through to toddlerhood, but it also converts into a table and chair so you can use it for many years to come.

Most Bang-for-Your-Buck Activity Center

Tiny Love Boho Chic 5-in-1 Stationary Activity Center

Buy It ($60)

Younger infants will love lying under the arch and batting at the dangling toys while those who can sit unassisted can practice their music skills with the zebra piano. Next step? Crawling. Help baby learn how by clipping the sensory toys throughout the three foot tunnel and watch them go. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself wriggling through too. Coming to major toy retailers near you this fall.

Best for Babies on the Move

VTech 6-in-1 Tunnel of Fun

Buy It ($21)

This 88-piece set is easy for small hands to grip and stack, with eco-friendly learnings about renewable energy (wind turbines!) and energy consumption (electric cars!). It’s also a certified CarbonNeutral product, but mostly, these blocks are just plain old fun.

Best Toy for Fine Motor Skills

MEGA BLOKS Green Town Build & Learn Eco House

Buy It ($100)

This cool counter has all the bells and whistles of a real-deal ice cream shop—stackable scoops, multi-colored toppings, dispensable soft-serve swirls and roll-up waffle cups, plus a reusable menu card and a swivel tablet for payment (credit card included). It engaged our toddler testers with imaginative play for weeks.

Best for Pretend Play

Melissa & Doug Cool Scoops Ice Creamery

Buy It ($13)

This portable treasure chest comes with an octopus and a fish that glow in the dark after charging under a light source. Warning: The charging part takes a few minutes, but the big draw here is that kids can color the ocean creatures and then use the treasure chest as a tub to wash the color away to start again.

Easiest to Clean Toy

Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets Glow Ocean Playset

Buy It ($93)

Whack-a-doo! Fans of the hit Australian kids show will love reenacting games and scenes in this big (it’s 30 inches wide) Heeler family playhouse that features over 50 sounds and phrases from the series. There's even a dance floor to make figures move in case you want to attempt Dance Mode, you know, for real life.

Best for ‘Bluey’ Fans

Bluey Ultimate Lights and Sounds Playset

Buy It ($30)

Hiya Barbie, you wanna go for a ride? Simply toss your kid the (musical) keys to the 4-foot-long hot pink car and watch as they crawl in through the back and pretend to drive. It may not come with many features but it's easy to set up and put away, plus a fun toy for multiple kids to enjoy at once.

Best Barbie-Themed Toy

Barbie Convertible Pop-Up Tent

Buy It ($250)

It’s a stroller, push tricycle and toddler trike all-in-one, and it folds up with the click of a button. With its sleek and minimalist design, not only will your kid have the coolest ride on the block, but it’s also compact enough to fit into your car or an overhead airplane bin so you can take it with you wherever you go.

Best Ride-Along Toy

Doona Liki Trike

Buy It ($30)

A digital pet you can actually...pet? Believe it. Bitzee uses oscillating LED lights to make its pets animate before your eyes, and they respond to swipes, shakes and your touch. Better yet, kids can collect up to 15 pets with a single device—which kept our testers busy for days (and days).

Most Innovative Digital Toy

Bitzee Digital Pet

Buy It ($11)

Part mystery reveal, part science experiment—and all kinds of awesome. Elmer's Squishies are as fun as DIY slime, only the end result isn’t so messy. Mix up the goo, pour it into the mystery boxes, and within an hour, you have two squishy characters to unbox. Our testers loved the sensory play and the big reveal, not to mention the chance to collect more boxes (and the 78 other characters that go with it).

Coolest Hands-On Craft

Elmer’s Squishies

Buy It ($14)

Featuring softer, easier-to-pose limbs and a larger-scale body (13.5 inches vs. the typical 11), this fresh take on Barbie won over our preschool testers, who immediately asked if they could keep her forever. Not only is she cuddlier, she’s easier for little hands to dress and pose, sparing parents from nonstop requests to swap out shoes or change her dress.

Coolest New Doll

My First Barbie

Buy It ($60)

Moms and Dads will want in on this boat-racing game, which puts two people head-to-head in a race around the inflatable obstacle course. Kids as young as four had no problem mastering the controls (even if they preferred to simply steer the boat in circles) and their parents appreciated that the course deflates and packs up easily, taking up as much space as a lunch box or textbook.

Most Fun New Racing Toy

Sharper Image Hydro Park Remote Control Boat

Buy It ($20)

That isn’t just a space rover—it’s a microscope, extending grabber and magnetic crane too. Little Tikes’s latest set of all-terrain vehicles, like this rover, are designed to sneak a little learning into kids’ imaginative play. The end result is an engaging toy that gets them to explore the world around them a bit deeper, one backyard adventure at a time.

Coolest New STEM Toy

Little Tikes Big Adventures STEM Toys

Buy It ($120/quarter)

Parents couldn’t stop raving about Lovevery’s quarterly kits for four-year-olds, which offer a solid mix of “really smart, age appropriate toys that focus on your kid’s budding urge to be independent,” as one mom told us. Each box fits a different theme, based on where a child is developmentally and emotionally, though families loved the activities geared toward frustration management most.

Most Engaging Educational Toy

Lovevery 4-Year-Old Play Kits

Buy It ($35)

This fall, be on the lookout for Thames & Kosmos’s Spy Labs: Forensic Investigation Kit, which comes with everything kids need to solve various “crimes” while conducting up to a dozen experiments. They’ll uncover clues with a UV light, make their own fluorescent solution, lift fingerprints, spot counterfeit bills and more, providing hours of gameplay—and the inspo they need to consider a future career as a PI.

Best Toy for Curious Minds

Spy Labs: Forensic Investigation Kit

Buy It ($25)

Back in our day, we had to weave bracelets by hand. But we'll drop the curmudgeon act in favor of this easy-to-use toy, which our kid testers loved for how quickly they could make (and remake) all kinds of friendship bracelets. (In fact, their one gripe was that they wished they had more beads—despite the fact that the kit comes with a whopping 170.)

Coolest New Bracelet Maker

Cool Maker PopStyle Bracelet Maker

Buy It ($37)

Skateboards are cool on their own, but there’s one thing that can make them even better: When the deck is a dry erase board, letting kids doodle their own designs—or have friends tag it with their own messages and designs. The neon-like markers show up on the black and white parts of the board, so the only limit to your kids’ creation is their own imagination.

Best Toy for On-the-Go Kids

Wipeout Dry Erase Skateboard

BUY IT ($34/KIT)

Toys that teach coding are great in theory, but they’re often so involved that playing with them becomes tedious, fast. Not so with Nextmaker’s STEM kits. Each kit features videos to guide kids through creating a robotic toy—which can then play up to five games with them. Parents appreciated that the tutorials didn’t give away every step in the process, leaving room to problem-solve.

Most Engaging Subscription Box

Makeblock STEM Subscription Kit

buy it ($7)

Mystery ball toys are nothing new, but this twist takes things to new levels of fun. Instead of simply unboxing a toy, kids can try their hands at making one. Inside each sphere are all of the “ingredients” to make resin foods, ranging from bowls of cereal to boba teas. The end result can double as a dollhouse accessory or—as some testers found—tinkered with and turned into locker magnets, earrings or charms.

Best Toy for Aspiring Chefs

MGA’s Miniverse Make It Mini Food Line

Buy It ($23)

Most dolls are aimed at imagining a particular career; HBCyoU Dolls fill the gap, focusing on what it takes to get there. They feature a range of skin tones and hair types, providing representation while enhancing a kid's cultural identity, as they proudly show off the historically Black college or university they attend (or OK, the one you attended, because why not show your alma mater some love?).

Most Inspiring New Doll

HBCyoU Dolls

Buy It ($25)

This parent’s review speaks for itself: “It’s so stupid and impossible to win, but we kind of can’t stop playing.” Challenging but not frustratingly so, Pigs on Trampolines is the kind of surprisingly addictive game your kids will want to play again and again. (And maybe steal the pigs to play with on their own, because they’re kind of squishy and pretty stinkin’ cute.)

Best for Competitive Types

Pigs on Trampolines

buy it ($15)

You’re on a quest of epic culinary proportions: Pull a monster card, then race to draw ingredient cards to “finish the order” and create the grossest burger ever, featuring garnishes like crispy fried ants and sewer spinach. Players of all ages couldn't help but crack up playing this fast-paced game, which is great for toting on family vacations and road trips.

Best New Card Game

Monster Chef

Buy It ($30)

It’s all fun and games until someone flips the board. That's often the case with board games, as competitive spirits turn into flared tempers. Slumberkins’s new board game upends that, requiring players to work together to help the Slumberkins characters get to the Feelings Tree in the center of the board. Along the way, you'll draw cards and take on challenges that affirm, inspire and teach you about one another.

Best New Cooperative Play Game

Slumberkins Feelings Adventure

BUY IT ($25)

Summer is far from over, and there’s no better way to soak up the great outdoors than with this fiendishly fun game. At first glance, it looks like your typical bean bag toss, but if you hit the penalty zone, you’ll get blasted with water. You’ve been warned. Expect your kid to try to convince every friend, neighbor and family member at the next cookout to play a quick round, squealing over the splashy surprise.

Best New Outdoor Game

Nerf Super Soaker Toss ‘N Splash Game

Buy It ($20)

If you’re looking for a low-stakes game that leaves everyone feeling more connected in the end, you’ve found it. Adults and kids alike enjoyed playing this game, which features a simple premise and setup: Draw one of 200 question cards, read it aloud and have everyone write their best guess of how you’d answer it on a dry erase board. In the process, you’ll discover who knows you (and everyone else) best.

Best Game for the Whole Family

Who Knows You Best?

Buy It ($10)

It’s a TikTok sensation for a reason—OK, several. It’s compact, easy to play and makes you think on your feet. Oh, and it’s technically ten games in one, with each being a variation of the basic premise: match the color and letter on one side of a card with a category on the other. In one game, for example, you may be tasked to name as many cars as you can starting with the letter “m” (Maserati! Mustang! Mini!).

Best Party Game

Tapple 10

Buy It ($16)

Isn’t it so relaxing watching your baby feed herself? Said no parent ever. This silicone bib takes care of (some) of the mealtime work thanks to clever straps that hold on to your kid’s utensils. Translation? No more bending down to pick up a spoon for the hundredth time and less yogurt smeared on the floor.

Best Mealtime Helper

Busy Baby Bungee Bib and Eating Utensils

Buy It ($299)

It may be hard to imagine, but one day your baby will be big enough to sit in a big kid chair...and help you chop zucchini for dinner. This clever 3-in-1 infant seat, regular chair and kitchen helper will see you through ages 6 months to 7 years old, and folds away easily when not in use.

Best High Chair

ErgoBaby 3-in-1 High Chair

Buy It ($110)

Making homemade baby food seemed like a good idea...until you realized how difficult, messy and time-consuming it is. Enter this genius appliance that won't hog precious counter space and steams, blends, chops and purees ingredients with just a touch of a button, plus warms up milk or formula. And did we mention it's also self-cleaning?

Best Food Maker

Quark Quook Baby Food Maker

Buy It ($180)

As any new parent knows, sleep is everything. And not getting enough of it is the worst. This easy-to-set-up portable crib cover makes any room pitch dark for your baby, thereby helping them (and therefore you) get more sleep. There’s even built-in pockets for monitors and sound machines. The only downside? They don’t make them for adults.

Best Sleep Aid

The SlumberPod

Buy It ($40)

Say goodbye to squirmy diaper changes with this hilarious piece of headgear that entertains baby while you wipe. Yes, you will feel ridiculous while wearing it but your baby (and anyone within view) won’t be able to stop laughing, and is there anything sweeter than that sound? It can also be used as a crib or stroller mobile and a sensory rattle.

Best Diaper Changing Aid

The Dingle Dangle

Buy It ($800)

You want options? This user-friendly stroller seamlessly converts from a single to a double, and boasts more than 20 different configurations. Going grocery shopping? Move the stroller seat down and attach the shopping basket up top. Got two toddlers who want to face out? Or face each other? Done and done. Bonus points for coming with a giant canopy and a cup holder.

Most Versatile Stroller

Cybex Gazelle S Travel System

Buy It ($150)

This pediatrician-recommended humidifier keeps air moist to help ease cold and flu symptoms, plus hydrates dry and eczema-prone skin. But the best part? Thanks to mold-inhibiting technology, this humidifier is a serious game-changer, with easy-to-clean parts and a container that never gets icky.

Best for Sick Days

Canopy Humidifier

Buy It ($12)

We loved how easy-to-hold this one was, plus the fact that it's dishwasher- and freezer-safe. But our favorite feature is that it is a single part teether, meaning that it won’t get moldy like other big-name teething brands (looking at you, Sophie).

Best New Teether

Miraloop Teething Toy

Buy It ($198)

This baby swing sways side-to-side with five speeds, is Bluetooth enabled to play music from your phone and packs flat for easy storage. We loved that the seat pad and head support are reversible and machine washable, plus the fact that it’s more affordable than the typical smart swing.

Best Baby Swing

Munchkin Bluetooth-Enabled Swing

Buy It ($622)

We tracked in dirt and let spilled coffee and bits of Play-Doh dry on the floor—and Yeedi made them all disappear. But it was the separate 3.5-liter clean water and waste water tanks that really won us over; they allow the machine to scrub the whole house—twice—without needing to be refilled. (Oh, and the robot can detect and dodge rugs in mop mode.)

Best Robot Vacuum/Mop Combo

Yeedi Mop Station Pro

Buy It ($30)

Your Swiffer has become the ultimate cleaning time-saver—and its latest creation underscores that. The multi-surface mopping pads really scrub your floors, so there’s less back-and-forth on your part, and they trap dirt. What’s more, the handle is padded for a more comfortable grip, and it folds flat against the base of the mop, so you can squeeze under beds and vanities without issue.

Coolest Twist on a Classic

Swiffer PowerMop

Buy It ($7)

Post-basketball practice socks are no match for this odor remover, which is equally effective at removing excess detergent from clothes, leaving them soft, not starchy. Our tester was amazed at how it revived dull clothes’ color (another perk of the residue remover) and removed a funky smell from the washer (since it can also remove buildup from nooks within your machine, according to the brand). We’re sold.

Laundry Lifesaver

Downy Rinse & Refresh

Buy It ($2,609)

Picture this: A washer/dryer combo that takes up as much space as one machine—because it is one machine. Which also means you don’t have to wait around to flip your laundry. And it’s spacious enough to fit king-sized bedding, cleaning and drying a full load in less than 3 hours...all while being 50 percent more energy efficient than the standard dryer. What a time to be alive.

Most Innovative New Washer/Dryer

GE Profile UltraFast Combo Washer and Dryer

Buy It ($5)

Soaking dishes is a thing of the past with this heavy-duty spray dish soap. Simply spritz, let it set and even the most glommed-on grease wipes away. We found we used less water, since we just needed to rinse pots and pans, and had to scrub less overall. Win-win.

Cleaning Must-Have

Dawn Powerwash Dish Spray

Buy It ($38)

The get-ready scramble is chaotic enough; this bamboo organizer streamlines things, keeping your foil, plastic wrap and parchment paper right in place. Precision cutters make it easy to tear off a piece, sans jagged edges, and the whole thing can be stowed in a drawer or hung on the wall or inside a cabinet. It's no wonder this chic organizer was designed by a parent, for parents.

Best Lunch-Making Timesaver

Bamboo Foil and Plastic Wrap Organizer

Buy It (Starting at $1,399)

Its Scandi-chic design is just the beginning; the Cradlewise Smart Crib has earned rave reviews for its gentle (and quiet) bouncing motion, which lulls babies to sleep. There’s a built-in baby monitor in the bar overhead, and it converts from bassinet to crib, so you get up to 24 months of use out of it–which puts it ahead of another pricey product which shall go unnamed.

Most Innovative New Crib

Cradlewise Crib

Buy It ($40)

You don’t need a Toniebox (aka the storytelling audio player toddlers are obsessed with these days) to enjoy this night light, though it will help you get the most out of it. Beyond offering four brightness levels, when paired with the device, the squishy lamb can play melodies and be used to record and share your own bedtime stories.

Coolest New Night Light

Sleepy Sheep Night Light Tonie

BUY IT (STARTING AT $30)

Whether you’re shopping for crib or twin sheets, The Company Store’s kids line doesn't disappoint. The cotton percale bedding is ultra soft and durable, withstanding wash after wash without pilling. There are a range of designs to choose from (fairies! planets! cottagecore-appropriate gingham!), all in muted tones that dial up the fun in a room without overpowering it.

Softest Kids’ Bedding

The Company Store Organic Cotton Percale Bedding Set

Buy It ($25)

Found: The swaddle people will be clamoring to buy off your registry (and you’ll want to give to every expecting parent you know). Not only is it silky soft, but the muslin fabric is airy and breathable, not to mention machine-washable. You can choose from 19 delightfully illustrated designs on Amazon, though we’re partial to the map-like nod to New York.

Most Giftable Baby Blanket

LouLou Lollipop Muslin Swaddle Blanket

Buy It ($799)

Rounded chairs have been trending, but this one pulls double-duty as a (genuinely comfy) nursery chair. It glides! It swivels! It features a matching lumbar pillow! And as great as it looks, it marries form with function, featuring a stain-resistant fabric, adjustable head support for more comfortable middle-of-the-night feeding sessions and a built-in USB port so your phone can stay up as late as you are.

Sleekest New Nursery Chair

Nurture & Gliding Swivel Chair

BUY IT ($89)

We’re not saying your kid will magically clean his room with the help of this woven frog basket, but we are saying he might be a little more compelled to when putting away toys involves letting the amphibian gobble them up. Each basket is handmade in India using non-toxic dyes and natural cotton.

Most Enchanting Organizer

Lorena Canals Fred the Frog Basket

BUY IT ($250)

An air purifier that isn’t an eyesore?! You better believe it. The Dupray Bloom can double as a planter or accent table, with 13 accent colors to choose from to match your decor. Most impressive, though, is that it features top-notch, medical-grade HEPA filtration and works in spaces up to 1,517 square feet.

Most Innovative New Air Purifier

Dupray Bloom

BUY IT ($65)

Every inch of your home has been taken over with kid stuff, but that doesn’t mean it has to be plastered with Peppa Pigs and Blueys. Case in point: Lalo’s bathtime essentials, which provide a sophisticated spin on baby-washing must-haves, from a silicone spout cover (to prevent their noggins from getting bonked) to knee- and elbow-saver pads that provide ample cushioning as you battle to rinse out shampoo.

Bathtime Must-Have

Lalo Bathtime Essentials Bundle

BUY IT ($135)

Your kid’s last three goldfish have met an early end, but she really wants to care for...something. Why not harness her inner gardener? Horti’s three-month subscription kit provides you with everything you need to grow and propagate a low-maintenance houseplant. Our tester relished in the achievement of getting a plant to thrive—and her parents enjoyed adding some greenery to the house while teaching responsibility.

Coolest Way to Get Kids into Gardening

Horti “My First Plant” Subscription

buy it ($9)

If you’re new to the Mrs. Peanuckle series, welcome to the alphabet-focused party. The latest addition celebrates Earth—and all the ways we can take care of it and protect it from climate change. Expect bright illustrations and clever terms (A is for atmosphere! Q is for quake!). Better yet, it’s a book that grows with your child as their knowledge (and Earthly interests) expand.

Best ABCs

Mrs. Peanuckle's Earth Alphabet

Buy It ($21)

This impressive anthology of author and illustrator Eric Carle’s greatest work is captivating for little ones who are getting their first exposure to classic characters—such as the Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear—that will soon become favorites. Pages and pages of never-before-seen art are also mixed in.

Best Animal Encyclopedia

Eric Loves Animals (Just Like You!)

Buy It ($8)

In a brilliant, silly riff on the beloved children’s nursery rhyme, “The Wheels on the Bus,” the tuk tuk taxi in India also rolls through town picking up and dropping off passengers and helping them get on their way. But there’s a lot of excitement, too: Elephants spraying water and a mega fireworks display. Baby and parent will both get a kick out of this smart and rhythmic redo.

Best Reboot

The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk

by Mrs. Peanuckles

by Eric Carle

by Kabir Sehgal & Surishtha Sehgal

Buy It ($9)

Is this the best-ever use of lift-the-flap? Prepare for loads of baby/toddler giggles as you and your little one try to guess the animal…based on their butt. It’s a challenge that’s age-appropriate, meaning the animals are common enough (“Whose bottom is covered in stripes?”), but still somehow feels informational and will definitely make any reader laugh out loud.

Best Humor

Wild Bottoms: A Lift the Flap Book

by Lisa Stubbs

Buy It ($11)

For parents looking to do anything that aids their infant’s speech development, this book is a top pick. According to Katie Sterbenz and Carly Tulloch, pediatric speech language pathologists and the experts behind @weetalkers, the words in this book—which gently reinforce a bedtime routine—are rhythmic and repetitive, two things that are great for aiding natural speech development.

Best for Speech Development

When Stars Arise

by E.G. Alaraj and Martyna Czub

buy it ($16)

A numbers-driven homage to The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak, this book stars Salmon, the counting elephant, who has but one demand: That the reader only count as high as one—that’s the max. A little too easy, right? Well, maybe the reader can figure out a way to outsmart the book and count to 100. Let the fun begin.

Best Counting Instructional

How to Count to 1

by Caspar Salmon

Buy It ($20)

This book starts with 100 mighty dragons living together high atop a mountain. But when a mega wind blows half the dragons away, a mass exodus ensues and so begins a spectacular read-aloud about the entire gaggle’s whereabouts. (For example, 10 dragons became surfers in Hawaii; the oldest and youngest dragons took a train to NYC to start a band.) Kids will love following the entire arc—not to mention, the silly conclusion.

Best Laugh Out Loud

100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli

by David LaRochelle

Buy It ($15)

This book poses a unique question for your kid to answer on every page. Some have answers, some don’t; some spawn a different reply each time (“what did the lion get the lamb for his birthday?”) while others challenge assumptions (“which of these ladies just robbed a bank?”). Bottom line: You’ll love witnessing your child’s expanding take on the world—and their silly and contemplative minds.

Best Conversation Starter

Twenty Questions

by Mac Barnett

Buy It ($15)

An ode to the aunties: When a little girl’s overbearing yet overly enthusiastic extended family descends, they come with a zillion questions, hand sanitizer and plans to go to the quilt museum. It’s a lot. But even when this family reunion escalates to the point of absurdity (hint: wolves get involved), the book is a humorous reminder of why, despite all the wackiness, our relatives still spark a ton of joy.

Best Extended Family Shenanigans

Oh No, The Aunts Are Here

by Adam Rex

Buy It ($14)

Hats? Just fancy things you buy at a dressy store? Not according to this book, which challenges readers to think outside the box when it comes to seeing ordinary objects in a brand-new light. Case in point: Raspberries may be tasty, but they’re also snug hats for fingers—even better, pajama bottoms make the best dangly hats. This book is clever and fun, but also the perfect tipping point for creative minds.

Best for Wild Imaginations

Very Good Hats

by Emma Straub

Buy It ($14)

Perfect for kids just entering the chapter book realm, this buzzy book—which feels reminiscent of Frog and Toad—follows two best friends who spend a lot of time together and accept each other, warts and all. In other words, neither is perfect, but ultimately, they just want each other to be happy. With four interconnected stories to tell, this book is heartwarming and genuine, but has a healthy dose of humor, too.

Best Family Read-Aloud

Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories

by Jarvis

Buy It ($9)

From the writer behind the InvestiGators series comes a new spinoff featuring the co-workers of everyone’s favorite super-agents. First up? Cilantro the Chameleon, who finally gets the job she’s been coveting: a field assignment—except, oops, she’s literally in the middle of a field with orders that feel pretty vague. Or are they? Full of punny humor, your blossoming reader won’t be able to put this one down.

Best Early Reader Graphic Novel

Agents of S.U.I.T.

by John Patrick Green

Buy It ($13)

When a father takes his kids on a cosmic road trip, backseat squabbles occur. But dad quickly offers context, charting a “tour” through space and time that illuminates the many fights that have come to pass on Earth over similar territorial issues. (If you hang a left at the moon and look back 78 years from Venus, you’ll see our entire planet was at war, he notes.) It’s a brief history of the world as told by a poetic dad.

Best Dad Perspective

Meanwhile Back on Earth…

By Oliver Jeffers

Buy It ($14)

Developing readers get the chance to deep dive into the midnight zone of the ocean where they are on the lookout for the ever-elusive giant squid—one of the hardest to spot ocean animals. But here’s the fun part: The choices they make along the way have the potential to forever alter their path and ability to achieve their goal. This STEM-based read is the perfect intro into the career of a marine biologist.

Best Choose Your Own Adventure

Search for a Giant Squid

by Amy Seto Forrester

Buy It ($17)

This book connects readers with Harlem—an epicenter of African American culture—and the traditions and icons born there that have gone on to shape the world. It’s also a favorite of Cee, who runs Helping Kids Rise, an online community that highlights positive representation in children’s books: “The intricate illustrations and thought-provoking details will keep readers coming back to this one time and time again.”

Best History

H Is for Harlem

by Dinah Johnson

buy it ($15)

Perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket and Roald Dahl, this quirky tale begins with a Swift Family Reunion where Shenanigan Swift’s aunt gets a deadly shove down the stairs. Everyone assumes she did it—especially since every family member’s name includes a definition they’ll likely grow to match—but she’s hell-bent on catching the killer.

Best Murder Mystery

The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels

by Beth Lincoln

Buy It ($14)

Told from the perspective of the book itself, this narrator has a few things to get off its chest before it can begin: For one thing, how it feels to be judged by its cover and what it’s really like when a reader bends the page corners back (the nerve!). But it also has a story to tell about a book that’s never been read and how it springs to life in the hands of a curious reader.

Best Surprise Narrator

The Book That No One Wanted to Read

by Richard Ayoade

Buy It ($12)

An ordinary middle school girl named Ellie becomes extraordinary after a freak earthquake arms her with magical powers. But when a viral video reveals her “gift,” she’d do anything to go back to blending in. But bigger things are afoot, especially if her best friend—who Ellie might have feelings for—has anything to say about it.

Best Modern Superhero

Ellie Engle Saves the World Herself!

By Leah Johnson

buy it ($15)

A follow-up to The Ice Cream Machine, this book features six explosively inventive stories that all adhere to the same title-turned-prompt. For example, the New York City hotel where a reclusive guest seems to have spontaneously combusted; the traveling circus where a young girl becomes the assistant to a death-defying human cannonball. This book captures the power of the pen—just don’t be surprised if your reader picks one up.

Best Short Story Collection

The Human Kaboom

by Adam Rubin

Buy It ($13)

The next installment in the Witches of Brooklyn series, this one follows Effie to summer camp. She was just getting a grip on magic…and now she has to trade her friends for mosquitos? Ugh. Emma Straub, author and founder of the Brooklyn-based bookstore Books Are Magic, gives it high praise: “I love these witches and so does every kid I know! Yes, I live in Brooklyn, but this series appeals to anyone who ever wanted a few powers to go with their adolescence.”

Best Graphic Novel Series

Witches of Brooklyn: S’more Magic

by Sophie Escabasse

Buy It (Starting at $1,399)

Its Scandi-chic design is just the beginning; the Cradlewise Smart Crib has earned rave reviews for its gentle (and quiet) rocking motion, which lulls babies to sleep. There’s a built-in baby monitor in the bar overhead, and it converts from bassinet to crib, so you get more than a few months’ use out of it–which puts it ahead of another pricey product which shall go unnamed.

Most Innovative New Crib

Cradlewise Crib

Buy It ($40)

Coolest New Night Light

Tonies Sleepyfriends

BUY IT (STARTING AT $30)

Softest Kids’ Bedding

The Company Store Organic Cotton Percale Bedding Set

If your product fits the Happy School Days or Happy Reading categories above, please submit it by May 1.

If your product is a toy or game—or fits a category within the Happy Playtime section above—please submit it by August 1.

To submit a product for the awards, email happykidawards@purewow.com and include the following information:

Name & short description of the product (2-4 sentences)

Link (if available)

Photos

Pricing/availability

Launch date (While we focus on products launched after Aug. 1 2023, we accept submissions of brands’ tried-and-true bestsellers as well.)

There is no cost to enter a product for awards consideration, though we may ask to receive up to three samples to have families test and provide feedback on. If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to email our team.

If you have a product that'd fit into the Happy Baby or Happy Home categories, please submit it by April 12.