As promised, I’ve been working throughout the day to find you the very best Black Friday deals around. While there will be a few more coming out tomorrow, most of them are already here!!

Not gonna lie, I treated myself to a stick vacuum already (such a great deal!)

But enough of me, let’s get to the list… be sure you read all the way to the bottom– I’ve packed a ton of great deals in here for the whole family and, of course, finds from our famous toy gift guides.

Vacuums & Carpet Cleaners

Dyson V7 Animal Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner

$399.99, Now $240

The Dyson stick vacuum is often on the top of everyone’s Christmas list and Black Friday is usually the best time to score an amazing deal like this one- $160 off!

If you want a stick/hand vac but aren’t as worried about having the latest version of the Dyson , Walmart also has the V6 version on Black Friday Sale for only $159.

Honestly, I’ve never seen a price so low and I’m getting one for our mudroom as soon as I finish typing this post.

bObsweep PetHair Robotic Vacuum and Mop

$299.99, now $189.99

I just couldn’t resist nabbing one of these for myself last Black Friday. It gets really good reviews and is an AMAZING price for a robot vacuum AND mop. Plus, I’m loving that it’s specifically geared toward picking up pet hair- a big must in my house.

BISSELL Little Green Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner

$124.99 at Amazon, Walmart Black Friday now $60

Because Kids (and Pets).

Bissell Proheat Advanced Full-Size Carpet Cleaner

$200 Now $88

I never saw myself as the kind that has their very own carpet cleaner but, guys!, it’s over $100 off! And a Bissell- how can I say no?!

BISSELL Big Green Machine Professional Carpet Cleaner

$499, Now $319

And if you wanna go complete professional, there’s that option too.

In the Kitchen

Ninja Coffee Bar Auto-iQ Brewer with Glass Carafe

$169 Now $99.99

I’ve said before I’m a big Ninja brand fan, and this coffee bar auto brewer pulls out all the stops from being pod-free, to offering every size and every type of coffee drink, to even having a built-in frother. And now it’s $70 off!

Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt 9-in-1

$99.95, now $54.95

The absolute genius of it is how quickly it cooks things, even from frozen! So . And, of course, if you went ahead a thawed out dinner than you’ll really be eating in no time.

Plus, there’s a button for most things you want to cook… So

This latest model has too, including the latest 3rd generation technology, the microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, keeps time, and

, though, is that

Check out the reviews and video at the link above and you’ll be sold.

Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade

$269.95, Now $188.95

Pretty sure I don’t need to sell you on a Vitamix at 30% off. If you’ve been waiting to find a deal on one, now is your time!

Farberware 3.2-Quart Digital Oil-Less Fryer, White

$69.99 Now $39.00

Being able to make my own fries with all the taste but a lot less fat? Yes, please!

Blenders

Ninja® Professional Kitchen System

$219.99, now $109.99

We’ve been huge Ninja fans for years. The blender really does do an amazing job on my frozen fruit smoothies every morning (blends like blenders at a much higher price point) and the convenience of being able to make everyone in the family exactly what they want with the handy blender cups cannot be overstated.

Electronics

Amazon Echo Devices

New 2nd Generation Echos, Echo Pluses, Echo Dots & Echo Shows – up to 40% off

We got our Echo and Dots on Black Friday last year and we use them so much – for streaming music and audiobooks, answering the kids’ homework questions, getting recipes or substitutions while making dinner, the list goes on and on… Plus there are tons of fun kid-friendly “skills”.

My kids are currently obsessed with the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style audio book called The Magic Door.

Of course, the new Echo Show with a screen that makes interacting, ordering, and even calling others face-time style will be the big hit this year.

Amazon Kindle Readers

Kindle Fire 7 – ~~$49.99~~ $29.99
Kindle Paperwhite – ~~$119.99~~ $79.99

I adore my Kindle Paper White – if you don’t have one for yourself, I highly suggest it.

The anti-glare screen and automatically adjusting backlight mean I can read outside on a sunny day or lying in bed at night.

I stopped getting headaches once I switched from reading on a tablet or my phone to this.

Why I LOVE regular Kindles for kids:

1) The “Word Wise” Feature will Build Their Reading Skills

Particularly for young readers, Word Wise makes it easier to enjoy and quickly understand more challenging books. This is perfect for my 2nd grader! As much as he loves to read, I know he’s simply skipping over words he doesn’t understand... this genius feature will teach him the words as he goes, without interrupting his reading!

How it works: Short and simple definitions, as well as synonyms, automatically appear above difficult words, so he can keep reading with fewer interruptions.Furthermore, words looked up in the dictionary are automatically turned into flash cards and added to his “Vocabulary Builder”.So when he’s done reading, he can swipe through his vocabulary words, quiz himself with flashcards, and instantly see those words in context.

2) You Can Burrow Titles for Free from Your Library

Many libraries, including ours, allow members to checkout and automatically download titles right onto their kindles. (You can also read these books and all other kindle books on your computer, phone, etc. using the free kindle reading app so you can switch devices whenever you want.)So handy for getting in lots of summer reading- especially during long road trips!

3) They Tell You How Long It’ll Take Your Child to Finish that Chapter

My kids are always asking to just finish one more chapter when I tell them they need to put the book away and go to sleep.So I love the handy Time to Read feature that tracks their reading speed and always displays how long it will take my son or daughter to finish the current chapter.It helps me determine if there really is time to finish that chapter. So smart!

4) It Stays Charged for Weeks

So nice that I don’t have to keep after my kids to keep them charged!

Amazon Kindle Fires

Kindle for Kids Bundle ~~$124.98~~ $99.99
- Includes the latest Kindle without sponsored screensavers, a free cover, plus a 2-year worry-free guarantee

More Tablets & E-Readers

Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet is $69.99 (usually $99.99)
Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet is $89.99 (usually $129.99)
Fire HD 10 Kids Edition tablet is $149.99 (usually $199.99)
Fire HD 10 tablet is $99.99 (usually $149.99)
Fire HD 8 tablet will be $49.99 (usually $79.99)
Fire HD 8 tablet with Show Mode dock will be $79.99 (usually $119.99)

We have always been very mindful about the kinds of screen time we allow our kids at home. Last summer we decided we wanted to buy them each a small tablet for the long road trips we had planned.

After a lot of research, we decided to buy our 5- and 7-year-olds their own Kindle Fires Kids’ Edition Tablets.

Our choice came down to a few key things:

It comes with 1 year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, an essential kid-proof case, plus a 2-year worry-free guarantee – if they break it, Amazon will replace it. No questions asked!
The parental controls are amazing. I have so much flexibility on what my kids can do (only ebooks, only apps, only TV shows or a combination of any of them), as well as what time they can do them or how long they can do them for.
That FreeTime Unlimited subscription comes with ebooks, apps, and kids shows are great quality and there are A LOT to choose from. This means my kids are never bored and, again, I can block any of them that I don’t feel are appropriate.
It’s an open system that is compatible to 3rd party apps. That means I can download things like Angry Birds, Minecraft, or LightBot (a free app that teaches kids to code and is one of my kids’ current favorites).
It comes with all the benefits of the Kindle e-Readers

Hair & Beauty

The gold standard when it come to hair straighteners and this is a killer price!

Rose Gold Glam Gift Set

$74, Now $37.33

Such a fun gift for girls interested in makeup!

For Him

Philips Norelco Shaver 4500 $88.79, $59.99

Lifetime Fathom Paddleboard Lavender, 2-Pack

$1079, $599

Because nothing says “I love you” like investing in an activity you can do together!

and last but not least…

The Toys

Speak Out Kids vs. Parents

$19.99, Now $10.00

Don’t Step In It

$19.99, Now $12.88

Along with Chow Crown and Flick’ Chicken, Don’t Step In It is one of my top picks this year for games guaranteed to supply family fun for all ages.

No matter how distasteful we may find it as adults, poop-themed toys and games are huge right now. The good news in this game is you can spend your turn wearing a blindfold and not looking at the fake poo!

Basically, players take turns blindly traversing the game mat barefoot and trying not to step on the soft and squishy poop.

Like I said, hilarious fun for kids of all ages… and don’t forget to check out the Unicorn poop version too!

Hatchimals Hatchibabies

$54.88, Now $39.97

Nope, the hatchimal craze isn’t dead, not by a long shot. And this year, the more interactive Hatchibabies are where it’s at.

Catch the Fox (Game for the Year for 4+)

$24.99, Now $13.19

I’m nabbing this one for me and my 4-year-old. He’s gotten really into games lately and, while I love them for 0ne-on-one time, I also really appreciate a super simple, fun and quick game that we can squeeze into a 10-minute break.

Lil’ Gleemerz Adorbrite Furry Friend

$19.99, Now $15.97

A guaranteed hit for any digital toy lovers you know.

Star Wars FurReal Ultimate Co-Pilot Chewie

$129.99, $99.88

Another hot item in the tech toys genre this year is the newest Fur Real Friend- that’s right, it’s Chewie and, according to the internet, he just might be the cutest thing ever.

If you’re not familiar, FurReal Friends are animatronic animals that have been best-sellers with kids the world over for the last few years.

Previous hits include the less expensive Blazin’ Dragon (who actually breathes “fire”) and My Walking Pup Pet (always SUPER popular with girls in particular).

Chewie features 100+ sound-and-motion combinations, responds in the Wookiee language, laughs and, to get his point across, he’ll often raise his arms as he roars. But this fuzzy pal’s got a tender side, too, making contented sounds when he gets a friendly scratch on the head. And at the end of a long day saving the galaxy? Yeah, he snores!

Seriously, this guys look more like he belongs in a fancy Disney ride then on your local toy shelf!

Bedtime Math: A Fun Excuse to Stay Up Late

$12.88, Now $10.98

When my son was in kindergarten, he really started getting into math and began asking for story problems at night before bed, so imagine my excitement when I saw this book, which contains just that! From the publisher, “Inside this book, families will find fun, mischief-making math problems to tackle—math that isn’t just kid-friendly, but actually kid-appealing.

With over 100 math riddles on topics from jalapeños and submarines to roller coasters and flamingos, this book bursts with math that looks nothing like school. And with three different levels of challenge (wee ones, little kids, and big kids), there’s something for everyone.”

This is a great way to change up story time at night and encourage math skills in kids that are excited about the subject as well as those who need some help getting excited.

Psst – We’re now on the second and third books in the series.

No Stress Chess

$17.99, Now $15.78

When my kindergartner came home from school one day asking me to teach him to play chess, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I was excited because, despite spending a lot of our time together on sports-related activities, I have great memories of playing chess with my dad growing up.

On the other hand, I was afraid he was a little young for it and might get frustrated and give up on the game altogether. Enter “No Stress Chess”.

This genius game uses cards to teach young kids how to play in stages. The cards tell you which piece to move, so even children (and adults) who have never played the game can jump right in. The moves for each piece are on the cards as well as on the game board and the first stage makes the game about chance, not skill – you simply draw a card and do what it says, perfect for learning how the pieces work.

Once that is mastered, you can draw 3 cards at a time and decide which one you want to go with to introduce some strategy to the game. Finally, when you’re ready to play chess for real, just get rid of the cards and flip the board over to a traditional chess board.

WowWee Fingerlings HUGS

$29.99, Now $24.97

This is #1 on my list for my daughter this Christmas, and if you’ve got a kid who loved Fingerlings last Christmas, this one should be a slam dunk for you too.

In fact I got mine on pre-order because like it’s predecessor, I can see this being one that is hard to find come December.

What’s so great about the HUGS, is that they take the cool interactivity of the original Fingerlings (burps, toots, laughs and more) and makes them soft and cuddly!

Learning Resources Mini Muffin Match Up

$24.99, Now $15.99

The first thing to say about this toy is, of course, not to leave a child alone with it if they still put things in their mouth. Once you’re out of that stage, though, this is a truly AWESOME way to keep young kids occupied for a really long time. (One of the few so well suited to the preschool set.)

Moms figured out long ago that letting kids sort things in a muffin tin is a great quiet time activity. This play set expands on that idea by adding in multicolored mini muffins, dice, and cards that can be placed inside the muffin tin for sorting and math purposes.

There are also some interestingly shaped tweezers for fine motor work. All in all this one has A LOT of play-ability.

Mecards

Cars & Mega Cars – up to 27% Off

This is the rare toy that truly is like no other I’ve ever seen.

Imagine if three of the all-time most loved toys in history- Hot Wheels, Pokeman Cards and Transformers- had a baby… you’d have Mecards.

You really have to watch the video to understand the magic of how this works… but basically kids “battle” by each rolling their cars over a facedown card.

What happens next is some crazy cool “magic”. The car not only turns itself into an action figure, it also picks up and displays the magnetic card to show who has won the battle.

Both my son and daughter have gone through big Pokeman card stages, mostly so they could battle, and I just know that my son is gonna flip out when he sees this.

In fact, every year when I start working on these guides I vow that I will not buy anything for the kids yet… Nevertheless, 4 of these Mecard sets are on the way to our house as we speak.

Each vehicle comes with 3 cards and I’m thinking a good starter pack for would be 4 vehicles (which will come with 12 cards). To see the true magic of these cards, you have to check out the video above- you will be sold!

The last thing I really like about this set is that the cards make it really easy to tailor the game to the age of the player– you can keep it super simple for preschool and kindergartners and much more complex for elementary aged kids.

Melissa & Doug Dust! Sweep! Mop! Set

$29.99, Now $22.49

One of the most surprising things about having toddlers and preschoolers is seeing how much they absolutely LOVE to clean! We’ve had

We’ve had a broom and dust pan set for years and it’s always been super popular. The kids really enjoy breaking it out to help with clean up when the opportunity arises or just using it to play pretend. Every toddler we know has this set and totally adores it and around 18-months-old our son started completely freaking out if he can’t find it.

This year, though, I’m thinking of upgrading and totally eyeing this Melissa & Doug Cleaning Bundle- it comes with so much amazing stuff!!

You can also buy The Spray, Squirt, and Squeegee Set at a very reasonable price.

Not only will my toddler be able to sweep, mop, and dust to his heart’s content- he will also get to spray, wipe, scrub, and even squeegee. Do you KNOW how much toddlers love, love, love to spray and wipe down windows, cabinets and anything else they can get their hands on?

Basic Lite Bright Magic Screen

$19.99, Now $14.97

I admit, I’m a total sucker for a retro toy that I, myself, loved as a kid. But more than just that, I know from experience that it will keep my kiddos busy for hours.

Hasbro Connect 4 Shots Game

$19.99, Now $15.99

A gloriously smart combo of Connect 4 and the ultra popular Bounce-Off… this game of strategy and luck is equal parts exciting and goofy fun.

Talk about the perfect rainy day activity and just the thing to pull out for family game night. This one’s ideal for a range of ages and interests, it’s sure to be at the top of lots of kids’ Christmas lists this year and will lead to hours of good ol’ fashion family fun.

Nerf Rival Artemis XVII-3000

$49.99, Now $24.98

‘Cause you can’t really go wrong with a huge nerf guy for under $25!!

Anki Overdrive Fast & Furious Edition

$169.99 Now Only $99.99 (Ages 7 – 14)

If your kids like hot wheels, they are going to lose their minds over this next generation high-tech racing toy. Players use smartphones to steer the cars on the extra large track which can be constructed into 8 different “battlefields”.

That’s all great, but here’s what’s ridiculously cool… The A.I. cars actually race on their own, meaning your kids can race against them and don’t need a friend to play with!

If this doesn’t get your kids excited about tech, nothing will… You can also upgrade later on with track extensions, new cars and the new supertrucks.

From the manufacturer, “Open the box and build your battle track. The Anki OVERDRIVE app automatically handles everything else, from getting you connected, to teaching you gameplay, so you can start playing immediately. It’s effortless by design… Duel friends or artificially intelligent opponents. 25+ different A.I. personalities know your every move and make split-second tactical decisions based on their environment and objectives.

The more you play, the more upgrades and items you gain, and the better you fight back… These aren’t just cars. They’re robots programmed for battle. Control them with your smart device and take down opponents with an array of weapons, from plasma cannons to flamethrowers. It’s pulse-pounding play, made possible through state-of-the-art tech and it’s an experience unlike anything else.”

LeapFrog Scoop & Learn Ice Cream Cart

$39.95, Now $34.95

This was the total sleeper hit of Christmas for my preschool-aged son last year!

I’ll be honest, when my son went crazy for this thing in the store, I thought it was kinda a plastic piece of junk but NO!

Endless dramatic play options keep him and his friends (and even older siblings) busy for so long. The scoop’s magnetic & the cash register reads the recipe cards and gives step by step instructions.

There are even lots of voice prompts, including counting, and a coin slot… I’m telling you, this gets pulled out EVERY. SINGLE. PLAYDATE.

Paw Patrol Sea Patroller Transforming Vehicle with Lights and Sounds

$59.99, Now $36.39

When I saw this Sea Patrol boat/land vehicle in person the other day I was surprised by how big it is and my toddler immediately ran to it and proclaimed, “This is all I want for Christmas!”… So there’s that.

Aside from that enthusiastic endorsement, there’s also a lot more to love about this one. First, the Sea Patrol spin off show of Paw Patrol has been a HUGE HIT with the toddler set so many of them will be familiar with these characters and excited to see them.

Also, it’s super cool that the wheels drop down to change the ship into a land vehicle and there are lots of cool accessories like the moveable crane and attachable cage as well as the Rescue ATV.

There is so much potential for great imaginative play, and quite possibly unheard of amounts of quiet play, here!

Paw Patrol – My Size Lookout Tower with Exclusive Vehicle, Rotating Periscope and Lights and Sounds

$99.99, $69.97

And if you have a Paw Patrol fan at home, you’ll also want to check out this. The size alone is really exciting but it also does a lot of cool stuff that I could see stimulating imaginary play for long bouts of time.

Paw Patrol Ultimate Rescue Fire Truck with Extendable 2ft Tall Ladder

$59.99, Now $44.44

And don’t miss the super fun fire truck too!

Razor Power Core 90 Electric-Powered Scooter

$117, Now $97

The battery powered Razor scooters have been at the top of my elementary aged kids’ Christmas list for a long time, our neighbors have a pair and they’re a blast.

Baby Alive Potty Dance Baby Exclusive Value Set

$59.99, Now $37.97

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Love to Play Puppy

~~$19.99~~, Now $12.99

We got this guy as a hand-me down from friends whose kids had outgrown him. The puppy’s a cuddly and engaging first friend.

He has two modes – learning and musical and identifies body parts, colors and sings lots of fun songs when various body parts are pushed.

All three of our kids have loved him (even 7 month M already) and we whole-heartedly agree with one reviewer who wrote, “For $20, he is very interactive and elaborate…. he counts, names body parts and colors, has funny sayings, and sings many songs (ENTIRE songs). He’s funnier, more educational (and cuter) than “Tickle-Me-Elmo”–minus the annoying voice.”

Cozmo by Anki

$179.99, Now $149.99

There are all the other robots on the market… and then there is Cozmo.
I have never seen anything like him and, trust me, you haven’t either. He’s basically a real-life Wall-E that you can bring home to the kids.

He has the things you want in this kind of toy; i.e. a very cool and continually growing programming platform and a free app that’s iOS and Android device compatible so kids can learn to code. But he also has SO MUCH more.

Thanks to artificial intelligence, Cozmo can express hundreds of emotions (his face is just like Eva’s from the movie Wall-E). From curious to clever, persistent to playful, he has personality x 10.

He also has facial recognition that allows him to get to know your name, face, and quirks. And best of all, he continues to evolve the more you hang out with him.

He’s not just a novelty toy though (I already mentioned he can help your kids learn to code and program) he’ll also play games with you.

In fact, Cozmo is a game-playing machine. Literally. Whether lifting his Power Cubes or challenging you to games like Quick Tap and Keepaway, he’s always up for action. And in Explorer Mode, Cozmo lets you guide him through his environment to see what he sees — day or night. Cozmo’s skills and games are constantly updating, so the fun never runs out.

If you’re even thinking about a robot for the kids this Christmas, this is the one to get- you won’t be sorry!

Kidkraft Vintage Kitchen

$120.00 (12 mos – 6 years)

In Pink: Walmart $89.88

In White: Amazon $99.99

The play kitchen is a quintessential play toy that I would recommend for every child if you have the space and budget. Seriously – EVERY CHILD.

There are so many different ways kids can play with them – cooking at home, setting up a restaurant, having a tea party, going shopping and unloading the groceries, etc.

Just last night, in fact, I brought home some kid-friendly cooking utensils and before I had even gotten them unpacked my kids had set up a restaurant game with the kitchen; my 8-year-old wrote out the menus, my 6-year-old cooked the food, and my 2-year-old made the deliveries. It kept them busy all night!

In case you are wondering, we bought this for our oldest kids when they were 1 and 3 and couldn’t be happier with it six years later.

I really like the look of the thing and I think the vibrant red is nicely gender neutral. Despite a small footprint, this kitchen still has all the amenities a kid could want and both my kids enjoy regularly playing at it simultaneously.

(Side note: people sometimes ask if kids will get too big for this smaller kitchen – mine are 95% percentile in height and haven’t had an issue). If you’re looking for a big wow gift from Santa, this could very well be it!