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 National Geographic crystal-growing kit for a science experiment that's anything but boring. Bonus: Kids will love showing off their stunning crystal collection with the included light board.
The kit comes with materials to grow crystals in eight colors, four silicone growing chambers, and a light display for five crystals. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Promising review: "Daughter is 12 and absolutely loved this!!" —Clint
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $33.59 (also available in a smaller pack).
2. A wireless karaoke mic so pint-sized rock stars can put up *epic* performances in the living room. Parents be warned: you might need to invest in noise-cancelling headphones.
Promising review: "Cute and easy to use. My kids (3, 11 & 12) love it!" —Meagan
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in 10 colors).
3. Light saber chopsticks perfect for the Star Wars fanatics in your life. These emanate a glow that'll turn a sushi or noodle dinner into an out-of-this-galaxy experience.
Promising review: "This was purchased as a gift for a 12 yr old and he loves them." —Leslie
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $10.97+ (available in eight colors and also in two-packs, three-packs, and four-packs).
4. A hilariously adorable Shrek-shaped toothpaste cap that'll actually have your kiddo begging to brush their teeth. 😂
Casual Chicken is a small business based in Irvine, California, that sells an array of unique 3D-printed items.
Promising review: "I highly recommend. I gave it to my little brother and he loved it!" —Country Pickle
Shipping Info: Ships 3–8 business days after ordering. Shipping is free.
Get it from Casual Chicken on Etsy for $9.99.
5. A flying orb with flashing lights that'll cure cabin fever while the kids make it float in the air and boomerang back, leaving them wondering "what is this sorcery?"
Promising review: "Bought this toy for my 12-year-son and he loves it. He was really into the drone toys a few years back and this toy is similar but with a bunch of different features. It keeps his attention for a while as it kind of takes some time to learn and master all the different tricks. Learning how to do it is part of the fun though! Pretty durable, he has dropped it several times and nothing broken yet. The cage is light and kind of bendy so it bounces when it drops and avoids breaks that way. Overall entertaining and a great way to spend a little down time! Would buy again!" —Valerie
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $32 (available in seven colors).
6. A Gravity Maze game to challenge kids to use spatial reasoning to solve the puzzles and figure out how to construct pathways to get the marble to drop to the final cube.
The game comes with 60 challenges that range from beginner to expert so it will hold their interest as they work their way up to the trickier ones.
Promising review: "Brilliant game. I didn't know what to expect when I purchased this game for my 12-year-old son. He enjoys science in the experiments so I thought I would try it. This game did not disappoint. The beginning cards are quite easy but once you start going through the deck of cards moving up in difficulty they become increasingly hard to figure out even for adults. It will definitely get everyone in the family working together!" —Amelia Flynn
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $29.86.
7. A Nintendo Switch Lite that'll definitely become their new fave thing EVER. (Especially after they play Animal Crossing!)
Promising review: "Brought this for my 12-year-old daughter. She was so excited, waited all day, and was in tears of joy when it arrived. I already had ordered Minecraft for her and got a bunch of other games for her. Great handheld device with good graphics and wonderful downloadable games. Shipping was on time and came carefully packaged and you can tell it was handled with care… so happy with this!" —berrymomm
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $199.99 (available in three colors).
8. A giant bubble wands kit to keep kids enthralled thanks to the two-handle wand designed to help 'em make the most ~ginormous bubbles~ they've ever seen.
The kit comes with the giant bubble wand, two pouches of bubble concentrate, and a booklet to help you become a skilled bubble creator!
Promising review: "My 12-year-old daughter loves it! She can make really huge bubbles for her siblings and friends. Makes for great entertainment."—Amazon Customer
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $15.19+ (available in seven styles).
9. A cat-shaped night light because every kiddo deserves a *purrfectly* cute bedside pet. Bonus: This one won't throw shade — quite the opposite.
Promising review: "This cute night light is amazing. The lights are responsive to simple pats on the soft surface. The fact that it is wireless makes it easy to move around. I purchased it for my friend's baby but my 12 year old girl wants one for herself. I'm amazed at how it lights up the area when we took it outside. The colors vary and change. So darn cute!" —aloha stamper
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with two-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in two styles and with or without remote).
10. A pack of Mini Brands mystery balls with five mystery compartments that open up to reveal mini replicas of your fave brands like Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Heinz ketchup and more! I mean, these are literally a TikTok phenomenon with 3 billion+ views and counting.
Promising review: "Buy it Now!!! If you have a little girl in your life [my daughter is 12] these are truly an awesome gift! Can't even lie, I myself love them too. Literally miniature items of our favorite brands. Way too cute!!! Love this item!" —Andria
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with one-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $11.99 (also available in series 3 and series 4).
11. A positive affirmation mirror decal that'll provide the sweetest daily reminders to your child that they are ✨worthy✨.
Interior Niche is a small biz based in Appleton, Wisconsin, owned by a mamapreneur, who specializes in affirmation stickers, doormats, and tags.
Promising review: "I ordered this for my daughter who is starting middle school, so she could start the day with positive affirmations. It was easy to put up, looks great, and the shipping was fast. I’d order from this shop again or recommend to someone looking to make a purchase." —Amber Cruz
Shipping Info: Ships 8 business days after ordering. Shipping is free.
Get it from Interior Niche from Etsy for $24.88 (available in two styles).
12. A screaming goat figurine because any kid will think it's absolutely hysterical to express themselves via this bleating sidekick. Just press the button and it lets out an "AAAHHHHHHHH!"
It also comes with a 32-page illustrated booklet all about goats. Not gonna lie, you're probably going to regret this purchase after listening to a few hundred bleats 😂.
Promising review: "So cute. Bought this for my 12-year-old granddaughter as little gift when her sister had a birthday. The 12-year-old "gets annoyed" at most everything nowadays. This actually made her laugh! Worth the price for that alone." —K. T.
Promising review: "Bought this as a stocking stuffer for my 12-year-old sister and we love it 😂 sounds like the goats on YouTube! Comes with batteries in it." —Anna R
Shipping Info: Available on Amazon Prime with one-day shipping (see Amazon's full shipping information here).
Get it from Amazon for $6.94.