Hey, cupcake: The Melissa and Doug cupcake kit is an awesome birthday gift for your preschooler.

My kids can play "birthday" pretty much every day. We have a ridiculous number of play cake sets, and if they're not around, my girls are happy to crumple up a piece of paper, stick a Q-tip in it and belt out Happy Birthday anyway. So wh…

Melissa & Doug cupcake set: Still one of the best toys for preschoolers and young kids
My kids can play "birthday" pretty much every day. We have a ridiculous number of play cake sets, and if they're not around, my girls are happy to crumple up a piece of paper, stick a Q-tip in it and belt out Happy Birthday anyway. So when I got a look at the brand new Bake and Decorate Cupcake Kit from Melissa & Doug I knew we had a home run. The latest offering from the most famous little toy company that made it big is another great option in their line of toys that inspire imagination and creativity. Four sizeable wooden cupcakes come with plastic "frosting" little hands can snap on and off, plus sturdy paper liners, a muffin tin, a potholder, and four big wooden candles that velcro onto the tops of the cupcakes. The frosting tops act like dry erase boards, and three markers dressed up like icing tubes let kids decorate the cupcakes--and inadvertently, their hands. Let's just say the markers can be as messy as real frosting, although I'm less inclined to lick my fingers afterward. For under $20, it's a really smart gift for preschoolers or thereabouts. The age reco is 3+ but I am not sure why - the pieces aren't particularly small and my 2.5 year-old can spend an entire day playing with it. Not even exaggerating. In fact if someone would like to come over and sing Happy Birthday with her 600,000 times in a row or so, I could sure use the break. Find the new Melissa and Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Kit at our affiliate amazon with free prime shipping.

More in KidsView all picks →

shannon hale princess in black book and author

Q&A with children’s book author Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is the bestselling author behind The Princess in Black series. It's a favorite early chapter book series for kids ages 5–8 and boys love it as much as girls do. Her newest book, Princess in Black and the Trick or Treating Trouble, comes out just in time for Halloween. We talked with her about it as part of our Q&A author series and asked about a few of her favorite things too.

Explore Build-a-Bear

Some Not-So-Spooky Fun this Halloween

How can Build-A-Bear be used for Halloween costumes? Let kids create a spooky Build-A-Bear sidekick to incorporate into their costume, which can help the costume be enjoyed beyond Halloween.

Q&A with children's author Sophie Blackall

Q&A with children's author Sophie Blackall

Cool Mom Picks readers, we are so excited to launch a new series for you. We are obsessed book lovers over here at the CMP headquarters, and we have a particular soft spot for children's books (even though we're moving our kids into coll…