We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A marble run set that provides endless possibilities to build creative structures — all while developing their problem-solving skills. They'll be ~ah-mazed~ at the results when the marbles roll through the mazes they create.
3. A wooden puzzle equivalent to playing Tetris but in tactile form that'll ~exercise their brain~ without any screen time.
4. A Crayola light board so budding artists can see their imagination come to life just like an immersive Van Gogh exhibit.
5. Or a glow sketch pillowcase that'll actually make the kiddos look forward to bedtime. The only downfall is parents might catch them creating luminescent doodles under the blanket while pretending to be fast asleep.
6. A water bottle decorating kit they can bedazzle to the max with sparkly glitter gem stickers — basically the 6-year-old equivalent to J.Lo’s blinged-out Starbucks cup.
7. A National Geographic geodes kit that'll blow any junior geologist's mind and give them an excuse to smash rocks with a hammer.
8. A set of 100% biodegradable water beads that soak up water to magically expand into bouncy jelly-like balls. Parent reviewers have used them for an at-home foot spa and filled balloons, pools, and water tables — the squishy fun is endless.
9. An UNO Minecraft card game if you've ever asked yourself "What is the appeal of Minecraft?" TBH, this might not answer the question, but the combo is sure to be a hit with diehard fans.
10. A pack of velvet scrunchies in a ~a sweet ribbon-tied bag~ that'll add instant glam to any ponytail — and because one can never have too many scrunchies (especially when you can get 60 for under $10).
11. A rechargeable karaoke microphone boasting four voice effects, 30 classic songs from yesteryear, plus the ability to connect via Bluetooth because, let's be honest, all they really want to sing is their favorite Moana or Frozen tune.
Promising review: "I so love this karaoke mic. It was a birthday gift for my 6-year-old son and I can’t stop using it myself. Straight out of the box, it was ready to use. We actually fight over it. Paired well with my phone. We are loving this lil gem." –Keisha C
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in six colors).
12. A blob seal pillow that'll stare the whole family down with its grumpy face, making them alternate between fits of giggles and an inexplicable need to cuddle it.
13. A wallet-friendly nerf blaster with more than 18,000 5-star reviews (!!!) perfect for declaring war on the parents or, you know, tormenting siblings...repeatedly.
14. A keepsake jewelry box with a unicorn that spins to the Somewhere Over the Rainbow tune and comes with a necklace and bracelet. It's basically all the precious stuff childhood dreams are made of.
15. A Craft-tastic "Make a Fox Friend" kit that comes with everything budding crafters need to make an adorable fox stuffie along with glam accessories (while learning basic sewing skills!). They'll especially love changing their foxy friend's outfits over and over.
16. A Razor scooter here to majorly upgrade their outdoor playtime, since they'll be able to zip across the driveway, sidewalk, or block in a fun little flash.
17. A self-balancing hoverboard with LED lights and Bluetooth speakers so they can vibe to their fave tunes while cruising around looking like the ~epitome of coolness.~
18. A fort building kit for stimulating any future architect's imagination so they can engineer igloos, rockets, and castles and then giggle and scoot in their "secret hiding place."
19. A Magna-Tiles set because studies have shown it'll hold any kid's attention wayyyy longer than most toys. JK, but seriously, any parent who has bought this cool building set will attest that it's worth. every. penny.
20. Or a classic game of Jenga — IDK what's more fun, stacking the blocks higher and higher or watching them topple down.
21. A pack of flying rings that'll put old-fashioned Frisbees to shame — they're 80% lighter, fly straighter, and have a hole in the middle making them easy-to-catch for little hands. (Oh, and they float in water.)
22. A non-toxic, washable makeup kit every future Insta influencer (who keeps getting caught using their parent's expensive makeup) would love to have in their arsenal.
23. A three-in-one 3D illusion night light that'll summon the superpowers of the Earth's mightiest heroes to vanquish any imaginary evil forces lurking in their room.
24. A remote control stunt car that'll zip its way into any thrill seeker's heart with 360-degree spins and the ability to maneuver through any situation — carpet, hardwood, grass, dirt, or gravel (even obstacles!).
25. An ice-cream-making kit so they can learn about science in the yummiest way possible!
26. An animal card game for a ~wildly fun~ family game night that'll challenge the squad to ask up to 10 questions to guess the animal on the card. Psst, the kiddos will memorize all the fun facts on the cards to win (but, hey who's complaining?).
