A Mighty Girl's top picks of girl-empowering pretend play toys!
Remember spending hours enjoying imaginary play? Most adults fondly recall hours, days, and sometimes years of pretending — from career dress-up to action figure adventures to playing house. These flights of fancy develop all sorts of skills in our kids, from cooperating with other kids to understanding of how our world works, but most importantly, they are lots of fun!
To spark your Mighty Girl's imagination this holiday, we've collected a selection of our favorite pretend play toys. Unlike toys and games that move a storyline in one direction, these flexible toys encourage kids to create — and recreate! — their own stories. Whether she's dreaming of superheroes or space travel, cooking or caring for patients, there's something in our recommendations that's sure to catch her attention and prompt even more exciting play.
For our full selection of toys to encourage pretend play of all sorts, visit our Imaginative Play Collection. For more girl-empowering toys of all varieties, check out our 2017 Girl Empowerment Holiday Gift Guide and our 2017 Holiday Guide blog series.
My Favorite Character: Character-Themed Pretend Play Toys
DC Superhero Trio: Batgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman Costume Set
DC Superhero Trio: Batgirl, Supergirl, and Wonder Woman Costume Set
What hero is coming to the rescue today? You decide! With so many options, and so many of your own super strengths, it may be hard to make a choice. The options are yours when you have the DC Superhero Trio Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman Costume Set. No matter which she chooses, she'll save the day! For another set that gives her multiple heroes to choose from, check out this set of 4 superhero capes and masks for ages 3 to 10.
Doc McStuffins Doctor's Bag Set
Doc McStuffins Doctor's Bag Set
Your stuffed animals and toys have never been more excited to get their check ups. Now your little Doc McStuffins can "practice" her skills and nurture her favorite toys back to health. The set features a bag, play syringe, blood pressure cuff, otoscope, bandage cuff, sticker sheet, and Doc's magical stethoscope, which includes sound and light-up effects.
Rey Action Figure with Speeder Bike
Rey Action Figure with Speeder Bike
For quick transportation on Jakku, Rey relies on her trusty speeder! This set includes a 3.75" hooded Rey figure and her salvaged speeder bike. When the going gets tough, a concealed missile launcher pops up and fires! Fans will love the attention to detail in this set. For more products featuring Rey and other characters from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, visit our Rey Collection.
DC Super Hero Girls Batgirl and Vehicle Playset
DC Super Hero Girls Batgirl and Vehicle Playset
Get ready to save the day with DC Super Hero Girls' Batgirl! Batgirl's transforming vehicle shows off her mechanical know-how: flip down the back and open up the side to create a two-level mission command center, including concealed body armor for the Batgirl figure to snap on when the going gets tough, and a net launcher to catch the villain. For more toys for Batgirl fans, visit our Batgirl Collection.
When I Grow Up: Career-Themed Pretend Play Toys
Smart Shots Sports Center
Smart Shots Sports Center
Got a budding athlete on your list? You can combine sports and learning with this great toy from VTech! Dunk a basket or score a soccer goal while the animated LED scoreboard tracks your progress. Buttons, gears, and pages provide additional activities and produce interesting sounds and music. Kids can imagine themselves scoring the big win with this set.
Servin’ Up Fun Food Truck
Servin’ Up Fun Food Truck
Keep your budding entrepreneur busy with this food truck playset from Fisher-Price! Kids can greet customers, prep food on the grill, work the register, and more. As they play, they trigger lively songs, fun phrases, and more. Three Smart Stages settings let this toy grow with your child, so there's no end to the food-prep fun! The set includes 20 removable play elements, including food, drinks, order cards, and more.
Rocket with Two Astronauts
Rocket with Two Astronauts
Blast off into outer space with this fun rocket ship with two astronauts from Green Toys! This rocket has a detachable top capsule and astronauts with molded-on spacesuits, helmets, and dual-tank backpacks. The rocket's door opens into stairs to the main compartment, and the capsule includes clever details like knobs and gauges. Environmentally conscious parents will also love that, like all Green Toys products, it's made from 100% BPA-free post-consumer recycled plastic and packaged in recyclable packaging.
Dalmation Vet Set
Dalmation Vet Set
Your young animal lover will have great fun with Battat's Dalmation Vet Kit. This 15 piece set includes a vet cage, plush Dalmatian puppy, stethoscope, brush, syringe, thermometer, bowl, tray, pair of tongs, mirror, hammer, blood pressure meter, pair of scissors, ear examiner, and pair of tweezers. Everything fits in the vet cage for easy travel. Take good care of your patients, doc!
Build-a-Bouquet Floral Arrangement Playset
Build-a-Bouquet Floral Arrangement Playset
Stack lilies, petunias, and daisies to create your own colorful floral arrangement with this inventive building toy from Green Toys! With 44 brightly colored pieces to play with, there are a vast number of combinations to create. Sort by size, color, and shape, or just have fun creating a nice display. Parents will love Green Toys' commitment to the environment: all Green Toy products are made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic.
Critter Clinic
Critter Clinic
Practice your vet skills with this cute clinic from B. Toys. Six latching kennels with color-coded keys house a cat and dog patient, and the five vet's tools, including a stethoscope and a needle for those important vaccinations, are handy for performing checkups. The clinic also acts as a storage and carrying case for easy cleanup or for play on the go. And parents will love that it's BPA-, lead-, and phthalate-free.
Farm Playset
Farm Playset
It's a busy day on the Green Toys farm! With a barn, a pickup truck, two farmer cows, sheep, pigs, and fences to work with, there's plenty of opportunity for pretend play. All the pieces fit inside the barn, making it perfect for easy storage or on-the-go fun. And, like all Green Toys, this set is made from 100% recycled plastic — with no BPA, phthalates, or PVC — and comes packaged in recycled and recyclable materials.
Story Box Safari Set
Story Box Safari Set
Get ready to build your own safari park with this fun set from Janod! This 19-piece wooden set includes animals aplenty, plus safari explorer and doctor figures, providing plenty of fodder for pretend play. When playtime is done, pack it all up in the storage box that looks like a real safari lodge. Whether she imagines herself as a wildlife biologist, a zoo vet, or an adventurous traveler, this set provides plenty of fodder for the imagination.
Master Workbench Play Set
Master Workbench Play Set
Calling all budding carpenters! The Master Workbench play set from Hape includes all the tools your would-be builder needs: hammer, saw, screwdriver, wrench, vice, angle, screws, nuts, bolts, gears, links and more. The bench is even height-adjustable so it can grow along with her. Kids will love the bright, cheerful colors, while parents will appreciate that it's made with sustainably sourced wood and finished with non-toxic dyes.
Primary Science Lab Gear
Primary Science Lab Gear
She'll feel like a real scientist in this dress-up set from Learning Resources' Primary Science line! Adjustable glasses and an easy-to-wear lab coat will have her ready to imagine herself at the lab bench in no time. It's a great way to encourage STEM in her pretend play. For another dress-up set for budding scientists, check out the Scientist Costume Set for ages 5 to 8.
Scoop and Serve Ice Cream Counter
Scoop and Serve Ice Cream Counter
More than one kid has dreamed of owning their own ice cream shop! She can serve up delicious scoops with this set from Melissa and Doug, which includes 8 wooden ice cream scoops in different flavors and six different toppings. Scoop them up, pop them on the cone, and deliver them to a happy customer! You can even take orders on the reusable menu card. It's a sweet treat that kids will love to use over and over.
Pretend and Play Calculator Cash Register
Pretend and Play Calculator Cash Register
This cash register playset from Learning Resources adds some real math fun to pretend play — the cash register is a working calculator! Total up amounts with the solar-powered calculator, then take bills and make change with the included play bills and coins. And for the modern shop, there's even a pretend credit card. She'll love imagining herself as a business owner with this cash register.
Pretend and Play School Set
Pretend and Play School Set
Class is in session! Set up your very own classroom with this set from Learning Resources. With a map, a white board, a clock, worksheets, and even school accessories like hall passes, report cards, and reward stickers, this set is sure to provide hours of teaching fun. You can even refill your supplies with the teacher supplies set.
Spectacular Magic Show
Spectacular Magic Show
Children love magic, and with this kit from Ideal, your Mighty Girl can learn to perform her own magic act! Filled with over 100 of the greatest tricks and props, this set will teach children to perform the same tricks used by professional magicians, like the cups and balls, disappearing dice, the trading places illusion, disappearing juice trick, incredible appearing hat, magic drawer trick and many more. The suitcase also doubles as a performance table so she can put on a show at a moment's notice!
LEGO Education Space and Airport Set
LEGO Education Space and Airport Set
Get ready to head up, up, and away with this amazing set from Lego's Education line. With this 1,176 piece set, you can build space shuttles, jet places, satellites, and helicopters — plus all the support buildings that they need for their flights. An equal mix of male and female heads provides terrific representation of women in all the careers depicted here, from astronaut to air traffic controller. And for easy storage, the set comes in a container with a transparent lid.
LEGO Women of NASA
LEGO Women of NASA
Build a tribute to some of the ground-breaking women who took American into space with this much-anticipated set from LEGO Ideas! This fan-designed set features astronomer Nancy Grace Roman; computer scientist Margaret Hamilton; astronaut and physicist Sally Ride; and astronaut, physician and engineer Mae Jemison, each as part of a vignette depicting their role with NASA. It's a wonderful way to inspire the women in STEM of future generations!
The Perfect Spot to Play: Play Houses and Play Spaces
Easy Playhouse Castle
Easy Playhouse Castle
Why not give you child their very own castle — one she can decorate herself! This cardboard castle from Easy Playhouse is easy to assemble, and it's reversible, so kids can draw, paint, or color on both sides of each piece. Two doors, four large windows, and four turrets provide fun details, while the 32" square interior provides room for more than one ruler, knight, or magician to play!
Cedar Playhouse
Cedar Playhouse
Open the door to her own little world with this easy-to-assemble cedar playhouse from Cedar Summit! This house comes with a play kitchen, two chalkboard panels, a working doorbell, and lots more fun accessories. Pre-assembled hinged wall and roof pieces made from pre-cut, pre-stained, and pre-drilled lumber make this a one-day project for two adults, and parents will appreciate that it's made with FSC-certified cedar.
Medieval Castle Playhouse
Medieval Castle Playhouse
Decorate your own castle with this playhouse from Box Creations! This cardboard structure is easy to assemble but sturdy enough to stand up to serious play. At 52" long, 43" wide, and 40" wide, it's big enough for multiple kids to play and decorate together. Four markers are included, but you can also bring in your own craft supplies to make the castle whatever you imagine. For an additional option, Box Creations also makes a Pirate Ship Playhouse.
Pop-Up Play House Tent
Pop-Up Play House Tent
You can have a fun play space in seconds with this pop-up tent from GreEco, which is perfect for indoor or outdoor spaces! At 4 by 3.5 by 3.5 feet, it's just the right size for several preschoolers to play, and the spring frame and removable roof makes it easy to put up and take down. Parents will appreciate the handy storage and carrying case, and the fact that it's lead and phthalate free, while kids will love the colorful graphics that inspire imaginary adventures.
Deluxe Puppet Theater
Deluxe Puppet Theater
If you've got a budding entertainer in your house you know it's always show time! This wooden puppet theater from Melissa and Doug gives them a perfect place to show off their stuff. It has a sturdy, non-tip base and plenty of room inside for a puppeteer or two, and the stylized theatrical graphics and plush, velvety curtains will inspire creativity. It even includes a clock with movable hands and a chalkboard panel for playbill information.
Fort Building Set
Fort Building Set
Is there anything more fun that building your own fort? This kit from Fort Magic provides plenty of pieces to create the fort of her dreams? 3 different sizes of curved sticks, 4 different sizes of straight sticks, 5 different connector shapes, and 100 fabric clips allow kids to build a wide variety of shapes and sizes of forts, and the included 24-page manual provides plenty of inspiration for their building.
Busy Days: pretend play toys inspired by everyday life
Put and Peek Birdhouse
Put and Peek Birdhouse
Get ready for some put-and-take play with this cheerful birdhouse from Manhattan Toy! This fun fill and spill toy features four colorful birds that all have different textures, and the easy-open roof and door on the house are perfect for tiny hands. Kids will love comparing their own birds to the birds that visit their back yards — and since the fabrics are surface-washable, they're easy to keep clean.
City Life Carpet
City Life Carpet
Get ready for a drive through the city with this carpet from Learning Carpets! There are plenty of roads to take and sights to see: kids will drive past a hospital, fire station, post office and more. The roads are well sized for most play vehicles and the material is tough enough to stand up to both indoor and outdoor use. A non-skid backing adds extra safety while kids play! It's the perfect backdrop for all of her city adventures.
Little People Loops 'n' Swoops Amusement Park Playset
Little People Loops 'n' Swoops Amusement Park Playset
Take your toy vehicles for the ride of their life! Your Fisher Price Wheelies cars can loop, swoop, and swerve with this 2 foot tall amusement park playset. Cars zoom down two roller-coaster ramps, triggering lights and sounds and braving the gravity-defying 360 degree loop! Wheelies are perfectly sized for little hands, so your little one can enjoy lots of fun vehicle play.
BRIO My First Railway Beginner Pack
BRIO My First Railway Beginner Pack
She can ride the rails with this first railway set from BRIO! With wooden track sections that are easy to put together and take apart, as well as colorful pieces like a rainbow bridge and a brightly painted train, there is plenty to appeal to toddlers and preschoolers. Plus, this set is compatible with other wooden train sets, so as her collection grows she can build the railway of her dreams!
LeapFrog Number Lovin' Oven
LeapFrog Number Lovin' Oven
Discover the perfect recipe for number learning fun with this play oven from LeapFrog! Little ones can move the number slider to learn about time and temperature, cut food into 2, 3 or 4 equal pieces to build math skills, and press the chef's hat to count and sing along to lively songs. Plus, 16 fun ingredients provide plenty of pretend-play fun for would-be bakers. It's a great way to combine imaginative play and a little extra learning in one toy.
Green Toys House Playset
Green Toys House Playset
Two little mice have everything they need in this house playset from Green Toys, including a bed, a bathtub, table and chairs, and even a cheerful yellow convertible. The movable stairs can be placed anywhere on the second level, so kids can change around their house to suit the day's play! Plus, parents will love that it's made from 100% recycled plastic with no BPA, phthalates, or PVC — and it's even dishwasher safe!
Fresh Fruit Salad Set
Fresh Fruit Salad Set
Make a nice, refreshing fruit salad with this colorful set from Learning Resources! Pineapple rings, berry clusters, kiwi slices, strawberries, and orange slices... they all nestle inside a beautiful watermelon boat. Dish some out into the bowls and enjoy! The 18 pieces in this set encourage vocabulary development, and they're big enough to be safe for toddlers to play with toys that model delicious, healthy eating.
Green Toys Tea Set
Green Toys Tea Set
Invite friends to a make-believe tea party and brew up an imaginary pot of tea with Green Toys' tea set. This 17 piece set includes tea pot with lid, sugar and cream bowls, 4 cups and saucers and 4 teaspoons. Mom and Dad will love that all Green Toys products are made in the USA with 100% post-consumer recycled plastic, making this an eco-friendly way to enjoy an imaginary get-together.
Green Toys Car Carrier
Green Toys Car Carrier
Get ready for some big-time vehicle play with this car carrier set from Green Toys! Three colorful mini cars fit in the trailer of this car carrier, which has working ramps when it's time to load up. With no metal axles or small parts, it's perfect for littler kids, while parents will love that it's made in the US of 100% recycled plastics.
Service Station Parking Garage and Car Wash
Service Station Parking Garage and Car Wash
Have plenty of vehicle play fun with this all-in-one service station and parking garage from Melissa and Doug! Park the two wooden cars in the garage, or pull them through the car wash. Don't forget to fill up at the gas pump. Then, open the sliding doors to let the mechanic take a look and make sure everything is in top condition. With a built-in handle, this set is easy to store or take along for on-the-go fun.
Uptown Espresso Kitchen
Uptown Espresso Kitchen
KidKraft's Uptown Espresso Kitchen has a hip, modern look that young chefs are sure to love. This wooden kitchen is full of fun details like a cordless phone and a chalkboard for writing notes or the day's menu. It's big enough that multiple children can play at once, but the design allows it to be placed against a wall to save space in the playroom. What will they cook up today?
Farmers Market Color Sorting Set
Farmers Market Color Sorting Set
This set of play food from Learning Resources doesn't just give her a chance to enjoy some delicious pretend play: it also teaches color recognition and sorting skills! Five baskets allow kids to sort the fruits and vegetables by color: red, orange, yellow, green, and purple. Twenty-five high-quality and realistic plastic food pieces provide plenty of sorting fun, and kids will love expanding their play food collection with this vibrantly colored produce.
Wooden Sushi Set
Wooden Sushi Set
Bring international cuisine to your play kitchen with this set from Melissa and Doug! With a variety of sliceable sushi selections, wasabi, ginger, and even a pair of chopsticks, there's lots of pretend play potential in this set. The knife even makes a satisfying chopping noise as it "cuts" through the Velcro connections. Sushi fans young and old will love this set.
Additional Recommended Resources
- For more toys to encourage creative play, visit our Imaginative Play Collection.
- For our full selection of toys of all varieties, visit our Toy Collection.
