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 wooden puzzle equivalent to playing Tetris but in tactile form that'll ~exercise their brain~ without any screentime.
2. And a wooden geoboard that comes with 35 pattern cards to challenge your child's dexterity and imagination while they create shapes using rubber bands. Aaaand as they become more accomplished, they can even recreate the designs on the cards.
3. A DIY puffy sticker kit easy enough for crafty kiddos (ages 6+) to tackle on their own with minimal supervision.
4. A sight word Bingo game; if you've ever asked yourself, "How do I take the frustration out of learning sight words and make it FUN?" then this game is for you.
5. A giant wooden Connect 4-style game you'll wish you'd had when you were a kid because it'll take family fun to a whole other level.
6. A splurge-worthy Toniebox starter set, a shockproof, intuitive speaker cube that even the youngest kids can use on their own. Turn it on, pop a Tonie on top (aka fave characters like Elsa, Simba, and more), and it instantly starts playing songs and stories.
7. A Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek game, which involves hiding a fake rainbow-colored poo that says "yoo-hoo" and gives other hysterical clues about its hiding place. Kids who delight in toilet humor will get a total kick out of this.
8. A Tamagotchi Pix that's even cooler than the '90s version, with futuristic features like a color screen, camera, and ability to *go on playdates* with your virtual pet by connecting to a friend's device.
9. And an upgraded Lite-Brite just like the one you probably had when you were a a child — with a bigger screen and more pegs to inspire the kiddos to create illuminated art.
10. A National Geographic geodes kit that'll blow any junior geologist's mind and give them an excuse to smash rocks with a hammer.
11. Pixicade mobile game maker to turn screen time into a creative STEM activity by letting kids turn their own drawings and concepts into playable video games (build up to 1,600 video games). They can sketch the game on paper, snap a pic of it, and then play an animated version on their phone or tablet.
12. Otrio, a twist on the classic tic-tac-toe sure to become a game night favorite with all ages — from your 8-year-old nephew to Grandpa Joe.
13. A Lego movie activity kit to unleash any aspiring filmmaker's creativity. Prepare to be impressed when they get the hang of making short stop-motion videos (using their phone, tablet, or computer) in no time!
14. A marble run set for providing 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.
15. And 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.
16. And a Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game that'll have the whole family in tears from *belly laughing* so hard.
17. A Fat Brain door pong game, a fun alternative to classic Ping-Pong without needing to set up a table or collect runaway balls off the floor. Just attach to a doorway and adjust the length of the string, so the kids can challenge each other to impromptu games when they're stuck inside.
18. A Melissa & Doug activity book with a pair of safe scissors to channel their (*cough* destructive) energy into a creative activity that'll put their fine motor skills to the test.
19. And a Melissa & Doug Paw Patrol Double-Sided Tabletop Easel that'll inspire creativity in SO MANY WAYS with a magnetic dry-erase board, chalkboard, pull-down paper roll, activity sheets, and wooden magnets. In other words, just the thing little artists need to make *pawriffic* art.
20. An inexpensive Pop2Play foldable indoor slide that LITERALLY pops up in minutes to instantly turn any room into a playground when it's raining outside. Plus, it folds down flat for easy storage once playtime's over.
21. A 360-degree-rotating 3-in-1 LED globe, constellation map, and night-light to make it possible to explore the world and stargaze from the bedroom.
22. And a beginner microscope STEM kit that gives off serious grown-up vibes and comes with a starter metal microscope and everything else a budding scientist needs to examine bugs, leaves, and fascinating world of nature around them.
23. An Air Hogs Super Soft Jump Fury, a beyond-cool remote car that jumps up to 22 inches high but lands super soft — meaning kiddos can show off its epic jumping action to make their buddies jealous without damaging walls or furniture.
24. A puzzle game in a teeny-weeny tin aka Iota, which is basically Qwirkle in card form.
25. A scratch paper art set to make you nostalgic for your childhood, when nothing was more satisfying than drawing on the surface to reveal the rainbow colors underneath.
26. An affordable drone because most kids have probably been begging for one for months. This will *propel* you to instant fave status.
27. Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers so adults can referee (or participate in!) impromptu battles in the yard or living room that'll elicit nonstop silliness and laughs.
29. A battery-free race track for putting their fine motor skills to the test as they figure out how to get the car through the obstacles by using levers and buttons. The coolest part? There's a magnetic helicopter waiting to pick up the vehicles.
30. A Purse Pet aka an interactive pet full of ~purse-onality!~ It has 25 sounds and reactions and actually blinks, blows kisses, and responds to questions. Little fashionistas won't get bored anytime soon with this chic and sassy sidekick.
31. A pack of parachute toys ingeniously designed not to tangle, despite being tossed excitedly from the top of the stairs or a balcony over and over.
32. A Stomp Rocket launcher that'll teach the kids basic physics (without their suspecting it!). They'll have such a *blast* as they jump on the launch pad, count down to liftoff, and watch the rockets soar up to 200 feet high.
33. A sink with a working faucet and ~real running water~ that'll get them way too excited about washing dishes. The best part? The toy dishes change color in warm water. (It might even teach them to help IRL).
34. A scavenger hunt so you can send bored toddlers on a mission to discover *treasure*, aka toys, books, clothing, furniture and other objects around the house.
35. A Disney Princess necklace activity set with more than 30,000 5-star reviews (!!!) that'll make any child feel like true royalty.
36. A solar-powered DIY robot kit so young STEM enthusiasts can get the *gears* in their head turning as they build 12 different types of moving robots.
37. An LCD writing tablet that'll encourage future Einsteins to practice their numbers and letters. They might even consider trading their iPad for this cool gadget.
38. A Wiwiurka triangular rope ladder you can hang from the ceiling or a tree branch to provide endless opportunities to swing, do acrobatics, or yell: "I'm taking off in the spaceship!"
39. A set of Crayola Scribble Scrubbie pets that can be reused over and over again (unlike one-and-done sets). This will keep budding artists busy coloring the cute pets, scrubbing them, and coloring all over again.
40. A foam pogo jumper far safer that the good ol' pogo stick, with a sturdy foam base to stand on, so little hurricanes can burn off their energy hopping from room to room as grown-ups secretly wait their turn.
41. A flower-building activity set — a STEM-based toy (literally and figuratively) to make the imagination of horticultural enthusiasts blossom while creating bouquets and gardens.
42. The Big Dig Sandbox Digger Excavator Crane that swivels 360° — basically a dream toy for any construction aficionado. They'll have a blast sitting on it, scooping sand and snow all year long (Now the Blippi song is stuck in my head: "I'm an excavator, hey, dirt, see you later...")
43. And a construction-themed folding play set with kinetic sand, a dump truck toy, and a working crane with wrecking ball and bucket attachments, so they can dig, build, and crush to their heart's content without making a colossal mess indoors.
44. A giant bubble wands kit to keep kids and grown-ups *mesmerized* thanks to the two-handle wand that makes the most ~ginormous bubbles~ they've ever seen.
45. A Crayola light board so budding artists can see their imagination come to life just like an immersive Van Gogh exhibit.
46. A Craft-tastic "Make a Fox Friend" kit for budding crafters 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.
47. A paintable squishies kit that comes with paint, glitter and the most adorable unicorn, rainbow, and narwhal — all just asking to be bedazzled and squeezed.
48. A rainbow-colored saucer swing guaranteed to add a pop of color to any room and become the kiddo's fave ~hangout~ spot in the playroom or yard.
49. Or a sensory swing designed with an extra spring, allowing bouncing up and down in addition to swinging — ideal for endless aerial acrobatic fun. Do they make an adult version?
50. A Lily & River foldable wood climbing triangle that'll not only keep your little whirlwind from climbing everything, but will also ensure they're all tuckered out after a chilly day spent indoors.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.
Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!
