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. 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.
2. A wooden puzzle equivalent to playing Tetris but in tactile form that'll ~exercise their brain~ without any screentime.
3. And a wooden geoboard that comes with 35 pattern cards to challenge your child's dexterity and imagination while attempting to create shapes using rubber bands. Aaaand as they become more accomplished, they can even recreate the designs on the cards.
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, 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. 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.
12. 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!
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. And a Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game that'll have the whole family in tears from *belly laughing* so hard.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. A DIY puffy sticker kit easy enough for crafty kiddos (ages 6+) to tackle on their own with minimal supervision.
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. A Marvel Avengers Lego Advent calendar that comes with 298 pieces (!!!) to immerse kids in their fave superhero universe as they discover Minifigures of Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Widow, Thor, Captain Marvel, Thanos, and more.
24. 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.
25. A puzzle game in a teeny-weeny tin aka Iota, which is basically Qwirkle in card form.
26. A miniature baking set for the aspiring Dominique Ansel in your life. It's true what they say, "good things come in small buttery, gooey, sugary packages."
27. A scratch paper art set for making you nostalgic for your childhood when nothing was more satisfying than drawing on the surface to reveal the rainbow colors underneath.
28. An affordable drone probably because most kids have been begging for one for months. This will *propel* you to instant fave status.
29. 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.
31. 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.
32. 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.
