We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A flower-building activity set — a STEM-based toy that'll help stimulate visual sense, color recognition, and help develop imagination and creativity. On top of all that, they'll love building their very own bouquets and gardens.
Promising review: "I bought this flower garden as a gift for my 3-year-old daughter. She absolutely loves it! She has always enjoyed blocks and this is something different that has kept her engaged for hours! We highly recommend this product to others!!" —Ashley Petersen
Get it from Amazon for $11.98+ (available in two sizes).
2. An easy-to-use Melissa & Doug wooden weaving loom that shows kids that hard work can turn into some pretty awesome things. With this, they'll be encouraged to tap into their artistic side to create their own bags, room decor, and (probably) lots and lots of pet hats. So cute!
For ages 6+ and includes an adjustable wooden loom, oversized wooden needle, craft materials, illustrated design booklet, and 91 yards of rainbow yarn!
Promising review: "I purchased this for my granddaughter, hoping she would be able to develop a hobby. It was fairly easy to put together, and we got started right away. Two days later, she had finished a work of art so beautiful that her aunt offered her $50 for it. It’s small but graces my daughter's wall with its cool textures and colors. I just went online to purchase one for myself! This wall hanging is the envy of our whole family now, and everyone has placed an order with our budding new artist. Love it! You should buy it, and some special yarn. You won’t be disappointed." —Linny B
Get it from Amazon for $42.99.
3. A pack of bright, laminated learning flash cards because they cover just about everything from ABCs and 123s to animals, shapes, and colors. Your little one is about to turn into a little Einstein after a few play sessions with these!
Promising review: "My 2-year-old recognizes all her number and alphabets so she needed something to challenge her. These cards are it. Shapes, colors, number, counting animals — there is so much to learn, and so many games you can make up. A must-have for any toddler." —IG: Pink_confession
Get a pack of 58 cards from Amazon for $13.99+ (also available in a baby version).
4. A nature scavenger hunt game to bring their problem solving skills into full effect. In this wildy fun game, kids can roll one, two, or all three dice and try to find an item that best fits the description. It's technically made for outdoor play, but can definitely work indoors, too!
Rivajam is a small biz based in Frederick, Maryland, that sells outdoor toys and bee-hive-based items.
Promising review: "I bought this for my niece's 7th birthday. Their family loves hiking and visiting parks, so I figured this would be great for those outings and maybe even nice for rainy days (this can be played indoors). She loves it, and so does her big brother! The day after she got it, she was walking around with the bag over her arm like a purse as if she was going to take the game to school (she tried). I highly recommend it!" —Erin Lamb
5. OOOR scavenger hunt cards great for younger kids who are just as curious at heart. This will send your toddler on a "secret mission" to find "treasure" (a.k.a. every day items) laying around the house. This will definitely keep them occupied!
Mollybee Kids is a small, family-owned business based in Pennsylvania.
Promising review: "A must-have. My 2-year-old son is obsessed. Always asks to play the 'find you' game LOL. Then we play it and every option on the game he actually thinks really hard then says 'come on mommy' and runs me through the house to find the object. Highly recommended from a mom of four." —Britney bansley
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
6. A marble run set with ~endless~ possibilities on how to be built by your little ones. And because the goal is to get the marble to run run smoothly through the entire structure, their problem-solving skills will really be tested when playing!
Promising review: "My 5- and 3-year-olds (and me) have spent hours building towers and watching marbles clatter down these chutes, steps, gears and spirals, HOURS! And they’re not bored yet! It’s also educational learning the physics of slopes by experience. Plus, it comes with enough marbles that losing a few doesn’t matter." —Joyce Parker
Promising review: "This is a really neat toy that has provided literally hours and hours of enjoyment for my 4-year-old nephew (and me)! The pieces fit well together, it is very sturdy and stands up well even on carpet. There are an infinite number of ways to build these runs, and this toy never gets boring. Highly recommended." —Becca
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in starter, super, or extreme sets).
7. A LeapFrog 100 Words Book — an interactive way to help build your little's vocabulary in English ~and~ Spanish! All the activities and engaging sounds inside will definitely hold their attention.
Find out why this parent calls it "one of our favorite toys for our son" on TikTok.
Promising review: "This was a recommended product I saw off Facebook and again on TikTok — so I had to see if the hype was worth it. IT IS WORTH IT! My toddler (almost 2) loves the book for the sounds and names of all the categories in the book. This is a great book to gift others with toddlers or to help your little one develop. I love this!" —Megan C.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
8. A National Geographic geodes science kit if you've got a junior geologist in the family! This activity is all about learning the science behind the geodes and crystals that naturally occur on volcanoes. And if all else fails... they'll definitely love smashing rocks with a hammer.
This science kit includes four natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, one display stand, and one learning guide.
Promising review: "My daughter is 10 and this kept her busy for HOURS! She had so much fun and was excited every time she got a glimpse of what might be inside. A couple of them were pretty cool, while the rest were just white. She didn't care, she loves them all. She was so proud to gift them to her grandparents." —Michelle
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three sizes).
9. A clever sight word Bingo game sure to make the sometimes frustrating task of teaching sight words and turning it into a fun, family friendly game of Bingo.
The set comes with 36 playing cards, 264 playing chips, caller's mat and cards, and a storage box. This version is a fun twist on the classic, but instead of calling out numbers, the leader calls out words (there are 46 most-used words), players search their cards for a match and place a red chip on the match. Once a player has covered the spaces on their card needed to win, they call BINGO!
Promising review: "Our first-grader was feeling really discouraged with her sight words and I've been trying to think of ways to encourage her and get her excited to learn things she doesn't already know. She loved this game! We played with the whole family and her 3-year-old sister even enjoyed playing (we show her the cards and have her find the word that matches on her Bingo card). I think this is a great way to make learning/practicing sight words fun! I am very happy with this purchase and I can see how it would be great for teachers in the classroom as well!!" —Jennie
Get it from Amazon for $12.99 (also available for telling time, counting money, rhyming, colors/shapes, and US states).
10. A Craft-tastic "Make a Fox Friend" kit perfect for the little one who shows an interest in sewing and fashion. This kit will teach them the basics of sewing and help them put together an entire wardrobe for the new stuffed bestie, that yes, they'll have to make themselves, too!
Each kit comes with six garments, eight accessories, kid-friendly plastic needle, thread, a fox, and easy-to-follow instructions. For ages 5+.
Craft-tastic is a woman-owned small business based in Michigan. All there products are focused on teaching kids new skills and limiting screen time.
Promising review: "This craft was a hit! The fox was very easy to put together and it turned out so cute! You have to make the tutu by tying a bunch of knots but other than that all of the clothes are ready to go and do not require sewing! The fox came with a little fabric bag to conveniently store it for travel. The materials in the craft are good quality and hopefully will last a while. My daughter loved this little cute fox!" —Olivia O.
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (also available in mouse, koala, and bunny versions).
11. A Fire HD kids tablet specifically designed for their little (and very clumsy) hands. The durable case will keep the device safe, while the content on the device will keep your kiddo busy with enriching books, games, videos, and more. It even comes with a year-long Amazon Kids+ subscription!
Promising reviews: "My 3-year-old loves his tablet. It has been teaching him so much. He’s learning puzzles, and shapes and colors. We took it on the plane and downloaded videos. Best buy in a long time." —Abigail Dunham
"Got this for my niece and she loves it. Her parents aren’t big on screens but they wanted something to use when my niece is cooling down, or she wants to watch something and her baby brother is napping, or simply car rides...It’s really good at tailoring recommendations for kids, filtering age appropriate content, and parental controls (screen time, communication access, even to distinguishing between gaming, reading, learning, and videos)... Also I will note that it does differentiate between usage time and allowed time. So you can do six hour screen time, with the child allowed to use the tablet from 9 a.m.–7 p.m., and you can also break up those six hours to 2-hour video, 1-hour reading, 3-hour games, etc...Definitely recommend." —Jessy
Get it from Amazon for $139.99.
12. And an Osmo Little Genius Starter Kit (compatible with Fire Tablets and iPads) designed to make learning fun and interactive for your little one. The kit includes preschool learning toys that'll get them excited to learn and have them walk away with fine motor skills, verbal proficiency, empathy, spatial reasoning, creativity, and imagination. More than 10,000 reviewers agree!
Promising review: "This product is a lifesaver! The little ones can be endlessly entertained and I don’t feel guilty because they are learning! We haven’t turned the TV on once since we got this. I am looking forward to taking this with us to grandma’s house and on plane trips. The portability factor is really great! The quality and design of all the game pieces are very high. My husband is really impressed with the graphics. This is now my go-to gift for all the littles in my life!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (available for iPad and Fire Tablet).
13. A Paint By Sticker kids book that helps craft time be a tad less messy with no paint on walls (...or clothes or furniture) and still be a really fun time for little ones because, hello, stickers!! This method of art helps them learn numbers and problem solving skills, too!
For ages 5+.
Promising reviews: "My 4-year-old is homeschooling with me and I'm always looking for fun ways to teach her the basics. She's not really a "worksheet" kind of girl. She does love stickers though..... and art.... So now she must learn numbers in order to play with stickers and create art! The concept is so simple, it's revolutionary!!! MORE STICKER BOOKS PLEASE!! I want to get one with sight words next!" —Vira
"We received this today and my 5-year-old immediately completed the first puzzle! I have never seen her run through her numbers so fast! AND it was lots of fun! Also got some morning down time as she needed minimal help. Definitely recommend!" —AK
Get it from Amazon for $8.95 (also available in Zoo Animals, Outer Space, and more).
14. A scissor skills activity book complete with kid-friendly scissors and tons of crafty activities that'll get their creative juices flowing and their motor skills right. There's no way they won't be eager to try out the mazes, puzzles, animal art, or sequencing activities in this gem.
Promising review: "Must-have for toddlers. My 3-year-old loves doing these cutouts, and I enjoy them as well. The pictures are vibrant and pleasing. The puzzles are fun. The scissors are wonderful for small hands." —Holly
Promising review: "Must-have for your toddler needing to learn scissor skills! And they actually cut, so long as you are holding the scissors straight (which teaches your child proper form). Will have to eventually move on to a bladed scissor, but these are perfect for learning." —L. Anderson
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
15. A PlayShifu Educational Globe that helps them explore just how big the world is while learning geography, environmental science, general knowledge, social science, and cultural sensitivity.
More than 9,800 5-star ratings for this interactive globe!
Promising review: "This is an amazing Educational Toy and tool! My 9-year-old 3rd grader was able to unbox, follow the instruction booklet and install the Orboot App on her own. It is extremely user-friendly and super fun! Your child can select what grade-level activities to interact with which is great. My kiddo enjoys the interactive games/lessons very much. As an Educator, I feel this would make an excellent addition to any classroom! My daughter loves it and we are very happy with our choice. The passport, stamper, and sticker book are very well thought out. The Orboot would definitely make an excellent gift and or addition to your educational or homeschool programs." —SNLFL
Get it from Amazon for $54.96.
16. A Melissa & Doug wooden cleaning play set with adorable mini versions of all the essential cleaning tools. It'll teach your kiddo to clean up after themselves while making it feel like playtime! Honestly... this is really a gift for you.
Set includes a mop, broom, dust pan, dust brush, duster, and a stand.
Promising review: "These are just what I needed! I bought these for my 1-year-old and while I know she’s not quite ready to really be cleaning, she really tries to help me when I’m doing it. I figured why not grab her her own set to foster some independence and start helping her momma out lol. The stand is easy as pie to assemble, literally stick it in and go. It’s totally functional as well. We haven’t tried the mop one out for real, but it is absorbent because she’s used it while I was Swiffering. Packaging for this product is great as well." —Danae Baptiste
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
17. A soap and bath bomb-making kit that doubles as a fun chemistry lesson and a way to get them excited for bath time. (Did someone say genius?) Your future scientist will get to create their own spa time fun by mixing tons of ingredients and fragrances together to make up to 10 soaps and bath bombs shaped in various fun designs.
Complete kit includes: Citric acid, baking soda, Epsom salt, crystallized sea salt, 4 liquid colorings, 2 fragrances, baby oil, 8 soap wax blocks, glitter, tools (3 teaspoons, 4 beakers, 10 pop sticks, pipette, 8 single-sided molds, ball mold, wooden spa spoon) salt scrub jar, surprise charms, gift bag, stickers, aaand a learning guide. For ages 6+.
Promising review: "I got this for my 9-year-old since we are homebound. She enjoyed that she could make the soaps and bath salts however she liked. The scents are wonderful, not too strong but not weak. The instructions were easy to read and follow. We were not able to master the bath bombs, they crumbled on us, but it was still fun to make and experiment." —Kelly Gates
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
18. A VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker (with over 74,000 5-star ratings might I add) for your little on of the verge of walking. This is a great way to incorporate learning physically and mentally, as it features fun learning games that involve counting, music, shapes, and more.
Promising review: "Great for babies learning to sit. Keeps them engages and looking upward. My baby is now standing and trying to walk and loves to pull herself up on this thing! The wheels have a resistance setting so it doesn't go too fast. Best on carpet when they're starting out. The front comes apart too, so even babies who don't like tummy time can have something to look at if you detach the front and put on the floor for them! Best toy that will last for stages of baby development!" —Meet The Jacksons
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in four colors).
19. Or a VTech activity desk parents say that their kids "play with for hours!" The interactive learning board teaches vocabulary words, numbers, and more — but if you flip the desk up, your kiddos will have a chalkboard, an easel, *and* storage!
This desk comes with five activity pages, turns into an easel or chalkboard when you flip it over, has over 100 vocabulary words, and 20 activities. It also has an attached telephone and music player that makes sounds.
Promising review: "This is an awesome educational tool for toddlers. It's easy to use and not only that, as your LO gets older and learning more, you can purchase additional Vtech slide-in activities that teach math, social studies, science and much more. Your LO will definitely be ahead of their classroom or ready whenever they do start school with this Vtech Activity Desk." —Mere
Get it from Amazon for $64.99 (available in two colors and regular or frustration-free packaging).
And grab more activity mats for the desk, too!
20. Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers that helps start their reading journey by introducing a few three-letter words at a time and gradually building in difficulty as the books continue. The story will keep them engaged and they'll be *so* happy they finished an entire book on their own!
The set comes with 12 books.
Promising review: "My 4-year-old daughter has known letters and sounds since just past her second birthday and could 'read' a few sight words, but she had a hard time mastering the process of sounding out a word. For the last two years, she would read the word 'stop' as 'sss- tuh- ah- puh,' but didn't understand how to really blend the phonemes. But somehow, as soon as we got them for her, Bob Books finally unlocked the part of her brain that could really solve the puzzle of phonics! I'm thrilled by the amount of progress we've seen in just TWO DAYS-- going from 'getting' phonics, but not really reading, to completely consolidating and understanding the two concepts. She's also very suddenly taken up a lot of initiative in independent writing and spelling. I couldn't recommend these books more highly. They are a miracle!!" —Juniper
Get a set from Amazon for $14.
21. A kids' origami kit with easy-to-learn instructions on how to create one of the coolest art forms there is. The kit includes 54 different projects (and 55 pieces of paper) that will soon have your home looking like an origami museum.
For ages 4+.
Promising review: "I gave this to my 7-year-old nephew for his birthday. He wanted to open it shortly after, and we worked together on the spaceship. Turned out great! (Even though we had to go back and refold a couple of times. 😉) Durable paper, plus it was pretty easy to follow once you got the hang of it. It's nice that because of the printed paper, it feels like you've got something before you even start, which is encouraging. The end product is really cute!" —Jodie Jurgens
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
22. A pack of brightly colored stacking cups any baby will *gladly* spend time playing with every day. Each set comes with cups numbered one through eight to help with number recognition and to get them to practice counting. Bonus point for being extra durable!
Bonus: These have holes in the bottom for water play and come with a cute star ring to keep them together.
Promising review: "The best [money] I have ever spent! Such a simple and inexpensive toy that has entertained my 10 month old so much and has been his most used toy so far. He has been playing with these since about 5/6 months old and he just comes up with new ways to enjoy them which has been so much fun to watch him discover. He started by just grabbing them and tasting them. Now he puts them inside of each other, looks for other toys to fit inside them, and pretending to drink out of them. I know this is a long review for a $4 item, but I really want to express how great such a simple toy can be. I will be buying this as an add on for every baby gift/shower that I need!" —GW
Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $11.40.
23. A Smart Lab human body toy with 21 removable body parts and super fun squishy organs! It's perfect for kiddos who are fascinated by human anatomy.
Promising review: "Great learning toy. I got this for my kids (7, 9, and 11) while we are studying the human body for science and they are obsessed with this! They want to play with it all the time and can sit there for hours. They have learned so much just by playing with this toy and reading the book it came with." —Jacqueline
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
24. And lastly, a Pixicade mobile game maker — a creative STEM activity that might just be the coolest thing on this list. This allows kids to turn their own drawings and concepts into a playable (!!) video game! All they need to do is sketch the game on paper, snap a pic of it, and then play an animated version on their phone or tablet. So cool, right?
This game comes with washable markers, instruction and quick start guides, and three activity books that cover 50 game design concepts, 30 instructional activities, and over 100 example games. You also need to download the Pixicade app available for iOS and android. The app only requires a camera and an internet connection. (iOS 8.0 and up, android 6.0 and up).
Promising review: "Man I love this thing, but my 8-year-old and 6-year-old sons love it even more. We’re those parents who are a little fanatic about 'screen time' with our kids. Let me tell you something, MOST of the time is spent with the kids building their game. The markers, paper, and most importantly their imaginations of drawing new games are 90% of the fun because they know that their drawing will eventually ~come to life~ on the iPad. It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true. The different colors are used to create different things that the game automatically recognizes on paper — e.g., use 'red' to draw hazards; use 'green' to make your character that can move, etc. My boys draw anything and, like magic, the screen brings it to life and the remaining 10% blows their little minds (and the parents minds, too). Not really sure how it works, but we have a giant notebook full of different drawings and games, two boys who can’t stop using it, and two parents who are totally OK with this kind of 'screentime.'" —Lil
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two styles).
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.