20 toys from the Melissa & Doug Black Friday Sale you’ll thank yourself for buying

This thoughtfully-designed pick from Melissa & Doug combines two of our must-haves for one-year-olds: A push toy and a shape sorter. The Wooden Shape Sorting Grocery Cart allows them to perfect their walking skills while encouraging their problem solving, shape and color recognition and imaginative play as well. They’ll be strolling the aisles with a coffee in hand in no time!

Ms. Rachel and Melissa & Doug?! A match made in heaven. This set of traditional blocks incorporates letters, numbers, pictures, and activities inspired by Ms. Rachel’s engaging style of fun and learning. Let them build and play solo or get involved by pulling out the activity cards and playing alongside them.

Disney concession stand worker, reporting for duty! This adorable wooden Disney food counter from Melissa & Doug is packed with features that are sure to delight both servers and customers. The just-big-enough stand comes with a variety of snacks to dish up as well as a magnetic menu to showcase the treats of the day, play money and a lanyard to make their role official.

Many a road-trip and restaurant meal have been saved by these little miracles. (Which also make the perfect stocking stuffer!) Just fill the reusable “paint brush” with water and let them go to town revealing the colors hidden in the pages. When it dries, the color disappears so they can do it all over again. There’s a ton of styles to choose from and they even come in bundles you can split between stockings. There are a bunch of different themes to choose from too!

Let your little artist’s creativity flourish with this wooden double-sided easel that will take them from first scribbles to preschool masterpieces! This simple, yet functional, easel features a magnetic chalkboard, dry erase board, refillable paper dispenser and a tray for storing paints and other art supplies. It’s sure to become a playroom staple!

For babies, we love the Bubble Tea Take Along Toy which offers an engaging mix of textures and colors, complete with a plush cup, a squishy ‘whipped cream’ lid, and satisfying pineapple and strawberry teethers. And for some peek-a-boo action, there’s a cute little mirror hidden under the lid!

If you’ve ever given your babe a box of tissues, you know what happens–they’ll pull out every single one. Of course then they try to eat them and playtime is over. Just like the irresistible joy of pulling tissues from a box, this taco set invites little hands to discover and spill out its colorful, crinkly fillings. Each squishy piece, from the plush taco shell to the toppings, is a feast of textures and fun for sensory play. Ideal for curious infants and toddlers who are developing fine motor skills, this Soft Taco Fill & Spill is a delightful mix of learning, exploration, and the simple joy of emptying and filling.

Few toys are more versatile than a big ol’ box of wooden blocks. And while there are thousands of sets out there, we recommend this simple 60-block set from Melissa & Doug. The blocks come in a variety of shapes that are perfect for building anything they can imagine and durable enough to hold up for generations.

This is one of our absolute favorites for quiet play time! The rug is big enough for two kiddos to play with together and with 49 wooden pieces to set up and zoom around, there is plenty to keep them busy.

One of our top recommended Montessori toys, this colorful, kid-sized set looks just like the real thing and includes a wooden pretend play broom, mop, duster, brush and organizing stand. The red dustpan conveniently clips into all handles.

Finding a toy that inspires young kids (especially siblings) to cooperatively play is like striking gold—which is why the Fresh Mart Grocery Store from Melissa & Doug is truly a gift the whole family will appreciate. The concept is really so cute: On one side, the “shopper” can find items from their make-believe grocery check-list and add them to the conveyor belt. Then the “worker” can ring up everything in the bagging area with help from a beeping scanner and cash drawer. Made with the high-quality materials we know and love from Mellisa & Doug, the Fresh Mart will get your kids excited about hours of imaginative, screen-free play. (Note that accessories are sold separately!)

This easy-to-play balance game is perfect for family game night! Using a steady hand players take turns adding the notched wire bars to the stand. As the sculpture takes shape, the balance shifts and be careful! One wrong move can send the whole thing tumbling. It’s an awesome game for hand-eye coordination and cognitive skills but it’s also just plain fun.

The doctor is in! From checking up on their stuffies to caring for a “sick” sibling, this doctor’s kit comes with 25 realistic patient care essentials to administer shots, check reflexes and more. When they’re OOO, everything can be stored in the handy tote!

My kids are 13 and 19, and it’s possible some of these instruments still exist in my house somewhere. They’re a fun addition to music time and dance parties or marching in their own neighborhood parade. And bonus! They come with their own wooden box for storage.

I cannot say enough good things about this best-seller. Held together with velcro tabs, these sliceable fruits are oh-so-satisfying to cut up and put back together. It makes a great addition to the Farmer’s Market stand we mentioned above, but also makes a great toy all on its own.

Ok, so this one won’t fit under the tree, but it looks adorable with a bow around its neck standing next to it! At over 4 feet tall, this plush giraffe is the stuffie to end all stuffies. We loved it as nursery decor and as the years pass it becomes a regular part of play time. (Especially since it doesn’t protest joining in dress up time the way the dog does.)

The wooden countertop play sets from Melissa & Doug have topped our lists for ages. They’re incredibly thoughtfully designed, virtually indestructible and every editor who has had one insists their kids have played with them more than any other toy in the house. This year they’ve released a brand new chocolate factory version which is sure to be just as big a hit as any. Kids can mix and match the play candy shells and tops with a variety of fillings as they move the sliding conveyor, flip fidget switches, push a lever and turn a dial to drop the finished product right into place. The set comes with boxes to package up their confections, play money, a double-sided sign and a reusable activity card. And because it’s just as fun to order chocolates as it is to make them, it’s a great gift for siblings as well!

Order up! Create piled-high, deli-fresh pretend play sandwiches with this 52-piece sandwich counter which includes wooden meat and cheese slices, felt toppings and sandwich roll, wooden dressing bottle, play chips, cookie, and drink cup with insert as well as play money. It’s a super fun way for kids to practice counting, sorting and fine motor skills.

Toddlers get endless joy and satisfaction through the cause and effect of dropping things. That’s why we absolutely love this fun wooden tower toy! They can spend hours rolling and stacking the six double-sided wooden GO Tots friends discs and make them tumble, twirl, and zigzag down the wooden town house tower. It’s just the right height for use while sitting or standing and easy for a couple kiddos to play with together.