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 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.
2. 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.
3. A classic Melissa & Doug ice cream station, which has *served* up many delicious opportunities for pretend play for my daughter, who takes the whole business of setting up shop, asking "what kind of ice cream do you want?" and creating a variety of cones and sundaes so adorably seriously.
4. A wooden puzzle equivalent to playing Tetris but in tactile form that'll ~exercise their brain~ without any screen time.
5. An affordable drone probably because most kids have been begging for one for months. This will *propel* you to instant fave status.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. A Dyson Ball toy vacuum with realistic sounds and pretty decent–working suction that'll make little helpers want to clean the house nonstop. But hey, who's complaining?
9. A set of Lego French Bulldogs so next time your kids ask for a pet, you can give them these to build.
10. An LCD writing tablet that'll encourage future Einsteins to practice their numbers and letters. Added bonus: They might even consider trading their iPad for this cool gadget.
11. 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.
12. An InnyBin for a challenge that any curious tot will relish — to plunk chunky shapes through the elastic bands into the cube and then pull them back out (all while fine-tuning motor skills!)
13. Otrio, a twist on the classic tic-tac-toe that'll become a game night favorite with all ages — from your 8-year-old nephew to Grandpa Joe.
14. A 100 Words Book that'll interact with budding scholars and help build their vocabulary in English and Spanish.
15. 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.
16. A Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game that'll have the whole family in tears from *belly laughing* so hard.
17. A Disney Princess necklace activity set with more than 30,000 5-star reviews (!!!) that'll *charm* any little diva.
18. 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.
19. A Lego set so your kids can spend their afternoon building a double-decker bus instead of arguing over the iPad.
20. An interactive The Floor is Lava game that'll create a sense of urgency in couch potatoes, leaving them with no choice but to jump to the right foam pieces to pretend to escape the hot molten lava.
21. A rainbow-colored saucer swing guaranteed to add swirling pops of color and become your toddler or teen's fave ~hangout~.
22. A remote control stunt car that'll zip its way into any thrill seeker's heart with 360 degree spins and ability to maneuver through any situation — carpet, hardwood, grass, dirt, or gravel (even obstacles!).
23. 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.
24. A 360-degree-rotating three-in-one LED globe, constellation map, and night-light that'll make it possible to explore the world and star gaze from the bedroom. And, the night-light emits a celestial glow that even 8-year-olds will love.
25. A National Geographic geodes kit that'll blow any junior geologist's mind and give them an excuse to smash rocks with a hammer.
26. 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.
27. A construction-themed folding play set that comes 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.
28. A pack of Mega Bloks so rambunctious tykes can construct towers...and knock them down. Parents will also have peace of mind knowing they're jumbo sized to reduce the risk of choking.
29. A large castle tent with sheer drapes and starry lights for an enchanting hideaway that'll impress even the most hard-to-impress princess on your list.
30. And just in case you don’t already own it, 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.
31. A flower-building activity set they can use to create a beautiful garden of their own even if it's absolutely dreary outside — and they can do it without going near any soil (a parenting win, TBH).
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 $13.98+ (available in two sizes).