The T.S. Shure ArchiQuest Architectural Elements ($30; ages 4+; amazon.com) contains more than 50 wooden blocks, in fresh shapes and bright hues, that young builders loved stacking up — and knocking down.

With Moose Toys Fortune Cookie Maker ($25; ages 5+; amazon.com) young bakers can mix and roll real dough, heat it in the microwave, and form it around fortunes they write. The best part: devouring their own creations.

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The portable Hexbug Hive Habitat Set ($35; ages 3+; amazon.com) lets kids customize a bi-level maze, then see mechanical bugs run amok. Its 35 easy-to-assemble pieces link with other sets to create an arena that will amuse for hours.

An affordable alternative to die-cast models, Jakks Pacific Power Trains Auto Loader City ($40; ages 5+; amazon.com) had boys and girls assembling 18 realistic-looking feet of track for a five-train motorized locomotive.

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Techno Source's Glow Crazy Doodle Dome ($20; ages 3+; amazon.com) gives little Picassos magical privacy as they sketch on the tent's walls using a green light wand. When the mess-free art fades, it's time to start all over again.

Pack the Playmates Shellraiser ($35; ages 4+; amazon.com) vehicle with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ($10 each; sold separately) and send the reptiles on a wild, imagination-fueled crime-fighting spree. A new TV series is now attracting another generation.

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Puzzle fans got a kick out of creating critters from Techno Source Codee ($8; ages 7+; amazon.com), a twistable chain of interlocking blocks that, when kids followed the coded formula, formed a bright flamingo, scorpion, or robot, to name a few.

The Moose Toys Micro Chargers Loop Track ($20; ages 6+; amazon.com) is perfect for superfast freewheeling fun. Tiny collectible cars, charged in as little as nine seconds, shot to incredible speeds for thrilling play.

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Older kids adored Playmobil E-Rangers Headquarters ($130; ages 7 to 12; amazon.com), a command center with a swiveling LED spotlight for imaginative scenarios. A working solar panel (it operates a fan) instills eco ideals.

Constructing a motor home replete with two dolls, bikes, and a surfboard made Lego Friends Adventure Camper ($30; ages 6 to 12; amazon.com), a popular pick with our testers. They were also fans of the Lego Creator Street Rebel set.