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An adjustable Ninja Warrior obstacle course that might be the most exciting (and affordable) alternative to a backyard jungle gym or swing set. Kids will climb, swing, flip, and balance the summer away while creating their own unique training course for whatever it is they think they're training for. Life? Yes, training for life.
An inflatable Flybar pogo trick ball just like the one you had as a kid but better thanks to its stronger construction (holds up to 160 lbs.), built-in handles, and a free replacement of the bounce ball if yours does happen to break (like maybe when an adult tried it while the kids were asleep).
A Crayola Inspiration Art Case packed with 64 crayons, 20 colored pencils, 40 washable markers, and 15 large pieces of paper for creative kiddios to bring their art and imagination to the world.
1. A pair of GeoSafari Jr. binoculars designed for inquisitive toddlers and preschoolers that want to be able to look at birds, planes, treetops, and other outdoor high-up things up close!
For ages 3+
Promising review: "Santa brought these for my 3-year-old son. By far his favorite gift. The colors are adorable. The binoculars are easy to hold. My son wouldn't put them down on Christmas Day. We took him to see deer and the look on his face when he spotted the 'kid' deer in his binoculars, absolutely priceless. recommend these to anyone with young children." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
2. An indoor/outdoor galaxy dome tent playhouse made of durable and breathable materials so little tykes (and little Tycho Brahes) can camp out under the shining stars in the sky or the glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to their bedroom ceiling.
3. A Popdarts suction cup throwing game to encourage players young and old to put down the screens and engage with some good old-fashioned family fun (and competition). There's no more satisfying sound than hearing one of these darts stick to a surface!
4. A rechargeable, light-up rocket bubble blower machine because if your kid likes bubbles, imagine how much they'll like blasting 2,000+ bubbles a minute with this thing! Great for birthday parties!
5. A rechargeable kids' karaoke microphone with four voice effects (high pitch, low pitch, chipmunk, and echo) for young crooners to sing along with their favorite songs (via Bluetooth connecting with a music app) or to 30 included Motown hits (like “Superstition”).
6. A set of six stepping stones to take those "floor is lava" games to the next level, be it indoors or out. Helps kids build lifelong balance, agility, and magma-avoidance skills.
7. A battery-operated Discovery Planetarium Projector if your space-obsessed kids want to see the stars (moving or stationary) or planets/galaxies every night from the comfort of their own bed. It's a Carl Sagan-tastic gift!
8. A durable metal Big Dig sandbox digger crane with 360-degree rotation for serious backyard, beach, or playground excavation projects. No permit needed! Just a great prezzie the kiddies will, um, totally dig!
Promising review: "I don't write reviews often but we have had this for two days and my boys (3 and 5) woke up at 6:30 a.m., ate breakfast, and got dressed and hustled outside on a gloomy rainy mid-February morning in Seattle to play with this. They normally fight over whose turn it is, but instead they have been taking turns and playing like civil humans for an hour already. Best toy ever, bought a second one already so they don't have to share because there's only so long siblings can go before someone throws down." —Rk
Get it from Amazon for $40.49+ (available in two colors).
9. A Pictionary Air Harry Potter drawing game where players pick their Hogwarts house, draw HP-inspired clue cards, and use the "magic" wand to actually draw images in the air (that will appear onscreen) for teammates to guess.
10. A Fisher-Price Harley-Davidson tricycle for those littles of anarchy in your life! The durable wheels can handle some off-roading while the secret under-seat storage compartment can store all manner of small items (but ideally snacks).
For ages 2–5 and maximum 55 lbs.
Promising review: "I bought this for my son for his 4th birthday. He has ridden it every day since then and it's to the point it has hardly any traction on the front wheel. He says he doesn't mind as it allows him to drift. This bike has miles on it. And it has held up so well it has blown my mind. I'm leaving the review now as it's time to find something bigger for him as his knees hit the handlebars now. The decals fell off ages ago and it has survived many 'car washes' in its life. When its replacement arrives I will truly be sad to see it go. I've seen some reviews about the seat. His has popped off numerous times and we just popped back in. Easy Peasy. I highly recommend this bike. 100%." —Colleen Masterson
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
11. An inflatable Flybar pogo trick ball just like the one you had as a kid but better thanks to its stronger construction (holds up to 160 lbs.), built-in handles, and a free replacement of the bounce ball if yours does happen to break (like maybe when an adult tried it while the kids were asleep).
12. A Crayola Inspiration Art Case packed with 64 crayons, 20 colored pencils, 40 washable markers, and 15 large pieces of paper for creative kiddios to bring their art and imagination to the world.
13. A Wiwiurka wood climber triangular rope ladder available in indoor (hung from the ceiling) or outdoor (hung from a tree branch) options that's capable of holding up to 175 pounds worth of children (or possibly one immature adult).
14. A durable, indoor/outdoor ride-on "Up & Down" Roller Coaster to make every day of play (no matter the time of year) a "great adventure" thanks to nine feet of track (as well as an expansion pack for even more room to roll).
For ages 2–5 years
Promising review: "The item is light enough to take apart and move or store. My 2-year-old grandson loves this not just for riding down in the car itself, but he also uses the ramp portion for his own entertainment (i.e., racing his toy cars down it, or trying to use it like a balance beam). It's very sturdy and I feel it is worth every penny spent." —PL
Get it from Amazon for $139.99+ (available in three colors).
15. A Play-Doh Kitchen Creations ice cream truck playset complete with a soft-serve machine, scooping station, and everything else a kid would need to create cool and colorful imaginary desserts. The cash register even cha-chings! And yes, of course, it plays an ice cream truck jingle too!
16. An 18-piece Fisher-Price "S'more Fun" campfire play set that trades all the danger of wood chopping, roaring fires, and grizzly bear attacks for kid-friendly wood accents and soft fabric. Plus no marshmallow and chocolate stains!
For ages 3+
Promising review: "My daughter is almost 4 and has recently gotten into building tents and forts out of pillows. We used my phone to 'make a fire' but I wanted to get her something cute she could play with instead of my phone. This fits the bill and is affordable. It’s cool that you can cut the firewood with the felt ax. The marshmallows are double-sided, one side is uncooked and the other is cooked. It’s also nice that the mat for the fire can double as a picnic pad too. The material seems very durable as well. The box that this comes in is cute and doubles for storage as well." —Christie
Get it from Amazon for $20.85.
17. A STEM-learning Educational Insights Pyxel pet for getting kids into coding and for parents not quite ready for a real puppy in the house. Pyxel has built-in Wi-Fi, which means it will connect to devices without an internet connection (safe and secure). Code 30+ cool tricks and watch as Pyxel changes color, reacts to sounds, and express emotions!
18. A Taco vs. Burrito card game (actually created by a 7-year-old) to turn game night into a food fight by adding "disgusting but adorable ingredients" (via cards assigned point values) to your favorite Mexican meals.
19. A Whirly Board spinning balance board made from Canadian maple skateboard decks topped with grip tape for fun agility training (for kids and adults), especially for those future skaters of America!
20. An adjustable Ninja Warrior obstacle course that might be the most exciting (and affordable) alternative to a backyard jungle gym or swing set. Kids will climb, swing, flip, and balance the summer away while creating their own unique training course for whatever it is they think they're training for. Life? Yes, training for life.
21. A three-chord Loog Mini acoustic guitar so you can start teaching your little punk kid the entire Ramones catalog. Comes with flashcards of chord diagrams and full access to the Loog Guitar app. Hey! Ho! Let's go!
22. An indoor/outdoor hanging seat hammock to give kids a peaceful place to escape to while enjoying the soothing swinging sensations from their own little above-ground nook.
23. A remote-control Freestyle Force Grave Digger so every day can now be "Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!" at the Monster Jam. It's the gift that brings a monster truck rally into your home, without any of the mud or noise (so that's a win).
24. An outdoor ring toss game for developing hand-to-eye coordination and fine motor skills while having a fun (and maybe somewhat competitive) time. Bring it everywhere from the backyard to the park or the beach!
25. A retro-style Schwinn "Roadster" tricycle constructed with an alloy steel frame and an adjustable seat so it's not only built to last but built to grow with it's little low rider. BONUS: bike bell and tassels on the handle bars!
For ages 2–4
Promising review: "Assembly instructions can use improvement as we had one part we had to do over — overall, assembly went well. This is a sturdy tricycle and we expect it to last through years of use. The 3-year-old granddaughter absolutely loves this tricycle. It’s easy for her to pedal and is quite easy to steer. As soon as she started she was all grins! Adult supervision is needed at first. If the steering is turned too quickly, the tricycle can tip if it’s not on level ground. We found that the back of the tricycle is too wide for riding in the house unless you don’t mind paint scratches on the walls and molding in the house. That’s okay because the tricycle is light and small enough to load in the car and go to the park." —DES
Get it from Amazon for $109.99+ (available in nine colors).
26. A Hape Quadrilla Super Spirals building blocks set for all the marble madness and Rube Goldberg goodness a kid could possibly enjoy.
27. A Cake-N-Bake Challenge game that challenges burgeoning bakers to "make those cakes as fast as they can." Kids get to ring a bell (they love that) and the winner gets to wear the chef's hat.
For ages 4+.
Promising review: "This is one of the best games I've ever bought! It's so fun to play with friends and family of any age and it left us laughing the whole time. The set up is a breeze, the instructions are succinct and easy to understand and there's no plastic packaging which is a ginormous plus in my book. The cake pieces are made out of foam so there's no annoying hard plastic clanking sounds when playing so the only loudness comes from the players cheering. I love that there are multiple levels of play depending on how difficult or challenging you want to play at, and I can see my family never getting bored of playing because of all the options." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $27.99.
28. A "Build 'N Race" slot car race track set compatible with "all major building block brands," which means kids can customize their rides (beyond the included car and truck) as well as parts of the track.
For ages 6+.
Promising review: "I set the track up and had fun with the kids which is what it's all about. We put little Lego people in the cars and made custom vehicles which is really fun. The truck was more top heavy than the car which made it a little more difficult to control, but you can pull that piece off and go custom. The track is not long enough to really need full speed or turbo for the most part. Expect to be returning cars to the track, a lot...Mastering the jump is tricky. I like that it has a few different pieces to add building blocks onto." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $47.29+ (available in three sizes).
29. A two-sided, A-frame art easel with chalkboard, magnetic dry-erase board, storage, and paper feeder for aspiring artists who are still experimenting with their preferred mediums. Plus it's a great way to teach kids about writing "thank you" notes!
30. Or, an easy-to-clean, double-sided inflatable easel (ideal for outdoors but indoor friendly too) with more than enough room for multiple kids to paint at the same time.
31. A 19-piece outdoor explorer backpack kit for taking the creepy out of creepy crawlies while teaching entry-level entomology. But we all know the toy insects will be used for practical jokes. This gift has it all!
32. A stainless-steel framed trampoline with enclosure net because if the kids are going to be jumping around all summer long with endless Popsicle-fueled energy, they might as well be outdoors and contained.
33. A super-safe Droyd Weeler electric mini-bike boasting a max run-time of up to 45 minutes (on a 6–7-hour charge), which is just enough for kids to have fun riding and for parents to not have to hold their breath too long while watching!
For ages 6+ and maximum 132 lbs.
Droyd is a new brand that I had the chance to kick the tires on just as their electric bikes were hitting the market. First of all, this bike is a beauty! The retro-inspired design and colors are a real eye-catcher. But, most importantly for parents, the safety features are on point! There's a slow-start throttle so the bike doesn't take off too quickly. And there's a speed limit control to help ease kids into riding: the low-setting is 6.2 mph and the high is 10 mph (which is pretty darn fast). The bike weighs about 40 pounds and comes mostly preassembled (you just have to install the handlebar and kickstand). There's a lifetime warranty on the frame of the bike, 60 days on the battery pack, and six months on the motor and all other electrical components. Throw in that LED headlight and this bike is a pretty solid investment in fun!
Promising review: "It was an easy assembly and came with the tools to put it together. I like that it has a fast mode and a slower mode. It would be nice to have a peddle alternative incase the battery dies. It does have a battery charge meter. A light switch on the right handle to turn on and off a large LED headlamp. The left handle has a lever for a rear disk brake. The left side has a kickstand on the rear wheel. To turn it on there is a key and a switch, it keeps the kiddos from getting into trouble with it. It has a different set of keys for the speed setting, which is located on the right side by the seat. All in all it is well made, fast charging, enjoyable mini bike." —Torrey P.
Get it from Amazon for $349 (available in two colors).
And here's "Uncle" Moe with his "Million Dollar Birthday Fries" (which are extremely hot) to add to the summer celebration...
