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. Horizontal Parenting, a laugh-out-loud funny (and surprisingly clever!) book for parents who would happily do ANYTHING if they could lie down for just a minute. Grab this book, draw some roads on one of your old shirts, hand your kid a toy car, and let them play "Back Street" while you fall sound asleep.
2. A classic wooden doctor's kit so your at-home pediatrician can give you a full checkup when you seem to have slipped into an exhaustion-induced coma. A few bandages (and a few minutes of shut-eye) oughta do the trick!
Doctor's kits are a classic role-play toy that help children better understand their own childhood checkups. Roll play encourages imaginative thinking, social skills, questioning, and reasoning. This beautiful kit includes a stethoscope, medical bottle, ointment gel, syringe, reflex hammer, thermometer scan, thermometer, tongue depressor, and prescription with a doctor's carrying case. Each item is made using renewable sources and non-toxic paint.
Promising review: "My 3- and 7-year-old play with this for hours. It keeps them entertained and it’s super cute. Durable too." —Brittany
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
3. A Lite-Brite set that'll soothe your retro soul. This new version is bigger and brighter than what we played with as kids, but still just as fun! The best part? If you've got a kiddo who is attached at the hip, giving them this toy means they'll be entertained in bed beside you while you have a nap with the lights off. Imagine that!
Promising review: "The mixed reviews scared me, but I couldn't be happier with it. My 4-year-old can push the pegs in with no help at all. The Lite-Brite came with four paper designs. I even bought a 12 pack of extra designs and fit just fine. The holes lined right up with the designs. It is battery-operated, which is nice for travel. The pegs come with a storage case that connects to either side of the Lite-Brite for righty or lefty. The light can stay on, blink, or light up randomly like Christmas lights. I'm glad I bought it, such an improvement on the old one I had as a kid." —Monica Chiarappi (Morann)
Get it from Amazon for $13.78.
4. A burger stacking toy — this delicious toy is gonna come in handy when your hanckerin' for some sleep. Hand this to your little helper with an ingredient card and tell them to wake you up when they make you the "perfect burger" based on the instructions. When they're done? Do it all over again!
5. A 48-piece Melissa & Doug puzzle for big kids who simply need something in front of their faces to distract them. These *quiet* puzzle activities teach kids about space, dinosaurs, sea creatures, and the benefits of giving their parents a power-nap.
Promising review: "I gave this as a birthday gift to my niece (4 years old) and both she and her brother (7 years old) enjoyed it immensely. Both were identifying the kinds of fish from each piece as they put the whole thing together. I thought it would be a great gift, and it was one that more than exceeded my expectations!"—R. Eavenson
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in six styles).
6. A cookie counting game that'll give your home baker a game with a clear beginning and ending (just make sure they know not to bother you until they are finished!). This fun felt toy is easy to play, easy to clean up, and quiet. The only downside? It's so cute you just might find yourself craving some post-nap chocolate chips.
This small biz is owned by crafter Nadia and located in Sydney, Australia. The shop has fabric decor, home goods, crowns, and toys.
Get it from Butterfly Berry Design on Etsy for $21.77 (originally $24.19; available in two styles).
7. Minecraft Uno is sure to keep your iPad generation kiddos entertained and engaged for at *least* 20 minutes. Plus it keeps them off screens at the same time! Win, win. I never thought I'd say this but, thank you Minecraft.
Promising review: "My sons are seven and four and they love Minecraft! I purchased this for my 7-year-old as a birthday present and we play almost every day. So easy to play that my 4-year-old can play too and doesn’t need to ‘be on a team.’ Hours of fun for such a simple game." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $7.57.
8. A LeapFrog picnic basket which might become your toddler's new favorite activity, even if they're just having a picnic in the living room while you snooze. They can dunk shapes through the sorter lid, listen to the darlin' songs and *classic* picnic basket catch phrases, and eventually tote their pretend food over to you once they've packed up their picnic!
Promising review: "I purchased this set for my daughter's first birthday and she loves it! She loves play food and I wanted to get her a shape sorter. This set has both, is really cute and, best of all, is self-contained! It has three different play settings, two different volume settings as well as "off," isn't obnoxiously loud, and my daughter enjoys it even when it is turned off entirely with no music, sounds or lights at all (for now)! I would highly recommend!" —cmoreland5
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors).
9. A flower building activity set — a STEM-based toy (pun *always* intended) your child can use to make you a lovely bouquet. Make sure to tell them you want *every* piece in place...that should give you plenty of time to run off and sleep while your florist is busy working!
Promising review: "I have bought two sets now and some for friends. Such a great activity for kids! Mine are one and two and a half and they play with these almost every day." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $11.98+ (available in two sizes).
10. A copy of Hear Bear Roar by Eric Carle filled with beloved illustrations and made complete with a full section of buttons that'll read to your child while you get some sleep. Go ahead, let the book babysit a bit.
11. A rubber bubble toy for kids who would benefit from a fidget toy to help them calm down during nap time. These are unreasonably lovely and so soothing you may find yourself asking your child for a turn!
Promising review: "It looks just like the picture. My daughter loves to play with it! Nice and well made." —Juyeon Lee
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in seven styles).
12. A set of three nylon kitchen knives — with these, your sous chef is able to chop 'til they drop (without hurting any of their adorable digits). Give them some edible dough, these knives, and watch as you manage to ~cut~ some nap time into your daily routine!
Promising review: "My 2-year-old was desperate to join me in the kitchen, and I wanted to be sure she was safe. These knives come in three sizes. They are not sharp to the touch but easily cut through most fruits and vegetables! For denser foods like carrots, she needed a bit of assistance, but she was quickly chopping all of the asparagus for dinner!!! We just got these, so I can't speak to durability, but for the price, these seem like a great value for my little chef!" —Nicholas and Zarya Fogelson
Get it from Amazon for $14.91.
13. A beautiful set of stacking cups in earthy, muted tones so you can introduce some soothing ~hygge~ into your home (and sleep schedule). These are made in Denmark and are 100% free from BPA, PVC and phthalates. Cheers to that!
Promising review: "My 1-year-old absolute loves these stacking cups! They keep her entertained for a long time and she likes to look through the bottom cut-puts, giving them an extra feature of fun. The colors are pretty too so it looks so nice on her bookshelf too!" —Trusagi
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in four color combos).
14. A giant bubble kit — if you'd like a moment alone in your home, send the big kids out with this and let them entertain everyone in the backyard. This is so fun you'll feel confident knowing they'll keep playing outside and not ~burst~ your bubble by ruining your snooze.
The kit comes with the giant bubble wand, two pouches of bubble concentrate, and a booklet to help you become a skilled bubble creator!
Promising review: "Love this!! Easy for kids to use — my six-year-old son figured it out pretty quick — and fun for adults as well (my husband and I might have played with it as much as our son did...) Makes amazing bubbles. The bubble mix it comes with is fantastic." —Thomas Durant
Get it from Amazon for $15.95+ (available in six styles).
15. A Crayola Scribble Scrubbie pets pack that can be reused over and over again (unlike one and done toys). This bathtub toy is gonna keep the pet groomer in your family busy coloring, scrubbing, and re-coloring these cute critters. Have you been dreaming of your own long, hot bath recently? Now is the time!
The Peculiar Pets set includes: one Dragon, one Narwhal, one Yeti, and one Unicorn toy, one sparkly scrub tub, one scrub brush, nine washable markers, one standing play mat, and an instruction sheet.
Promising review: "My daughter LOVES coloring, stickers, drawing, etc. so when I saw this prior to her fourth birthday, I thought she would enjoy it. It was a HUGE hit and it will regularly keep her occupied for an hour or so at a time coloring, cleaning and coloring again (with only minor help when asked for more help cleaning and drying). Even my 6-year-old son who doesn't usually color or draw will join her periodically and seems to enjoy it. The markers are short and skinny, great for small hands." —a.b.
Get it from Amazon for $22.97+ (available in three styles).
16. A rainbow stacker — why not dare your kids to try and get all the pieces to balance on your back while you lay on the floor? Need more sleep? Just shake the pieces off if you think they're too close to finishing. Evil genius.
Promising review: "This is a great comparison to the Grimm's Stackable Rainbow. It has a flat bottom and great vibrant colors. We use it all the time with other building blocks and Magnatiles. When it’s not being used it makes a great decoration on my daughters desk. All my kids 13, 12, 10, 4, and 2 love building and playing with it. Just be warned it is made of wood so if the pieces get used as weapons it does hurt a bit. My younger girls have used them as so many things. It is one of their most used toys." —lindsey
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
17. A Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek game that'll be a big hit if your kids find anything poop related hilarious. Hide this glowing, talking poo and it'll give clues about its hiding place while they search. If you're feeling ~pooped~ yourself, hide this WELL and tell them they can't wake you until they find it.
Promising review: "Let’s be honest... I have never thought I’d be writing a review for a rainbow poop product in my life. That said I’m so glad for the makers who thought of this game. 😆 💩 🌈 I purchased this for my 4-year-old daughter and 3-year-old twin boys. It has been a huge hit. It's perfect for their age and attention span but really it's fun for the whole family and for us to play with them as well. They love looking for it and listening for the clues it gives while they are searching for it. They also love the silly poopy song it plays and they get to dance to it once they find it!" —Kali
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
18. A scratch paper art set, another super fun find from your own childhood, these are gonna be the perfect solution if you know your kid would gladly draw (all over the walls) while you nap. This solves that problem!
Promising review: "Love it! Love it! My 4-year-old was glued to these for a day and a half and that meant this mommy could finish her work deliverables. My kid is not into painting, crafts, drawing, and all but loved this product so much! It’s very easy to use and creates very little mess (scratching off) and looks nice too. ❤️" —Ana
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three kits).
19. Or an LCD writing tablet that'll let them draw pictures endlessly (without a mess) and make them feel like they finally own their very own iPad (without the cost). Enjoy those screen time-free sweet dreams!
Promising review: "This tablet has entertained my 4-year-old grandson, for hours at a time. He loves that he can erase at will, and that the drawings are multi-colored. I highly recommend this item for 18 months old and up. I bought a pink one for our 18-month-old granddaughter, and she too is just enthralled with it, and the 'power' she has to erase, create, erase, create! They loved them so much, that we bought another set of two different colors, so that they would have them at home as well as at 'Grammy's.'" —Kindle Customer Red Heart
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors).
20. A pack of butterflies and bugs so your bug-loving critters can spend your nap time putting on washable tattoos instead of covering themselves (and your furniture) in stickers.
21. A Dyson Ball toy vacuum sure to both sound (and work!) like a pint-sized version of your own favorite vacuum. That's right — this thing even has suction! Thanks to this, your little mimic will actually help out around the house while playing pretend (and while YOU snooze). Did we all just master parenting??
There's a storage compartment you can remove that'll hold all the debris your kiddo picks up. When they find out they are ALLOWED to tear paper into tiny pieces and then make that paper disaster? That'll entertain them for ages!
Promising review: "Our son is absolutely obsessed with our Dyson (the real one), which is why we purchased this toy Dyson vacuum for his birthday. He's 2 years old, and he is really enjoying having his on 'working' vacuum cleaner!!! He seriously plays with it for hours during the day. Turning it on and off and pushing it through the house just like we use our real vacuum. I would buy this again! It was his favorite gift!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three colors).
22. Toilet Paper Origami — give your kids something new to play with *without* filling your home with a bunch of new toys. And when you *really* need some sleep? Tell them they can wake you up after they've made the toilet paper pretty in all your bathrooms.
Promising review: "This is a delightful and fun book. If you've ever been to someone's home where their toilet paper is embellished, you would be thinking "how do they do that?' This is a fun, inexpensive way to spend some time relaxing and learning toilet paper origami. Who knew? My daughter and granddaughters love it as a craft. Don't bash it 'til you've tried it! You can even leave cute rolls of spare tissue around the bathroom." —Kindle Customer BGCW
Get it from Amazon for $15.39.
23. A TikTok-famous grape cutter — ask your helpful oldest child to meal prep for lunch while you and the baby snooze. If you give your kid this gadget and an entire bag of grapes? You might just be napping all afternoon!
Promising review: "Such a TIME SAVER! OMG I’m OBSESSED with this product! Let’s me cut grapes and olives for my toddler EFFORTLESSLY. Amazing product. DEFINITELY worth the purchase, especially for me since my daughter loves to eat grapes daily and most times more than once a day. This has made it so easy my husband and I almost cried hahaha." —Makeda
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
24. An I Spy bag that'll be great entertainment when you're so tired you can't sit up straight. Hand this to your pint-sized spy and have them try and find all the different toys inside. It's surprisingly difficult, and fun!
Joyful Bundles is a small business that makes fun, handmade children's products like pocket pillows, blankets, and towels.
Promising reviews: "This seller is amazing. I asked for an additional I spy card and she went above and beyond to provide one for me. Thank you!!" —Rebeka N.
"So worth the money spent. 5- and 6-year old approved." —Alyssa
Get it from Joyful Bundles on Etsy for $15.99 (available in more styles here).
25. A pair of GeoSafari Jr. binoculars your observant, baby bird watcher is sure to adore. Place them by the window and tell them to wake you up the very MOMENT they find a wolf...walrus...three-winged bird...you get the idea.
Promising review: "These are absolutely the best for preschool-aged children. There is no need for adjustment. You just look into the binoculars and see a clear image. My son used these this past summer for getting a closer look at the hummingbirds at our feeder. We also took these with us on nature walks. He really enjoyed using them and after a full summer's use, they are still in great shape. Anything that makes a child curious about nature and the environment gets an A+ in my book." —Rachael P.
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
26. A Melissa & Doug activity book with a pair of safety scissors (that won't cut up anything valuable in the house) so your most, ahem, destructive child can get out their energy with a creative activity that'll fine-tune their fine motor skills.
Promising review: "Scissors skills are important both in and of themselves and because it strengthens the hand muscles to be used for learning to write. My 4-year-old LOVES this book. We received it this week and she has used it for a couple of hours each day. Many of the pages are cutting things out and putting them together (four-scoop ice cream cone, pizza with pepperonis, the components to build a house or a car, puzzles). We've used tape or glue to put the components together. This book is interesting enough to have caught the attention of my older children as well, although I make them let her do the cutting. :D Would make a great gift as it is so unique." —Mom of 7
Get it from Amazon for $7.99.
27. A wooden puzzle — this clever set is basically like playing Tetris, but in tactile form. Are you trying to find for more ways to sneak in some shut-eye without screen-time? You're looking at it!
Reviewer's say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3–12.
Promising review: "This is so cool. Very educational and analytical. My 5-year-old loves it. It is definitely a brain puzzle and so much fun too...even adults have fun with it. I enjoy it a lot as well. It is now our favorite puzzle. Everyone in the family loves it. A great STEM gift. Definitely recommend." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $8.98.
28. An indoor-friendly scavenger hunt game that'll save the day when you feel like you'd trade your first born for a five-minute nap. This game gives your kids a chance to be extra creative by finding things that are "scratchy," "warm," "fuzzy," and more! Put your feet up and have your kids bring you each item while you rest. You know what? Have them bring you a drink while they're at it.
Promising review: "These are a lifesaver for us during the quarantine. My 7-year-old is enjoying challenges that I time, having to find five things to match five cards in five minutes. There are also two games with instructions that are fun. My kiddos are being so creative finding things. My son found a compact mirror and breathed on it to steam it up for 'steamy.' Hooray for igniting thinking skills. Grandma gets involved finding silly things that make the kids crack up. I love the bag they come in and that it’s a compact card game that can be played anywhere." —Jami Lilo
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
29. A Melissa & Doug reusable puffy sticker activity book — this is gonna be such a hit with your kid you might become jealous of a sticker sheet. Kids love stickers. Stickers with a storyline? Even better.
The set includes three reusable puffy sticker activity books with dress-up, princess, and mermaid themes. Each book comes with 65+ reusable puffy stickers.
Promising review: "These are perfect sticker books for younger kids and toddlers because of the puffy stickers. The stickers aren’t very sticky, but that’s why I like them. My 2-year-old can play and play with them and I don’t have to worry about them damaging my coffee table! Also, they make great gifts and are wonderful to bring on planes or to restaurants to keep kids busy!" —RaeK
Promising review: "I know all kids are different but these kept my toddler busy and interested like almost nothing else I bought during this shelter-in! She has had for weeks and continues to go back and reuse quietly for up to 30 minutes by herself! We've tried some other similar products, but these stickers are so easy for her to peel off and they stick over and over again. Very very happy with this pretty simple product!" —Stephanie McCullen
Get a set from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in two styles).
30. A mix and match game that'll let your tiny tots create their own wacky critters! Hopefully designing an aligazebra from the top down helps them sit still a second.
The set includes 20 pieces.
Promising review: "The box is a lot heavier than I expected but the quality is so nice so I understand why. I loooooove it. It's perfect for my 2-year-old son" —Nadia Felder
Get it from Amazon for $17.49 (available in three styles).
31. A LeapFrog animal book that's frequently on the Amazon bestsellers chart. The interactive book is gonna teach your kid fun facts about all kinds of critters and it'll even sing songs in both English and Spanish. You can't do that, so go ahead and just let the book parent while you have a lie-down.
Promising review: "This talking book is hands down the best thing I bought my daughter. She was a bit delayed in speech and since buying this book she’s been spitting out new words left and right. It responds well to touch and the pages are very durable which is great in the hands of a toddler!" —ApL
Get it from Amazon for $16.25 (available in five styles).
32. A pack of parachute toys — these may become your new favorite thing if your kids are full of energy. Have them drop these, run down the stairs and retrieve them, and then run back up all those stairs to do it again. Over and over. Or at least until nap time.
Promising review: "Durable and NO tangling! Leagues ahead of dollar store parachute men. Used for a game at a birthday party where 7-year-olds threw them off a balcony and tried to land in a corresponding colored circle for a prize. They LOVED it. Very satisfied." —Sarah
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $7.29+ (available in two styles).
33. A toddler busy board designed to help develop fine motor skills. This zips closed so you can use it to keep your child busy on long drives, at the doctor's office, or in bed (while you pass out).
This board has various zippers, snaps, buttons, and strings to help your child learn to tie their shoes and get dressed.
Promising reviews: '"My 1-year-old loves it and it will grow with her with so many different things to master. Super handy for in the car or at other people’s houses. Lots to do with no mess." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in five colors).
34. A reading block with flash cards that'll grow with your child. When they're babies, the double-sided cards are helpful when identifying new items (cat, bat, kid) and as they grow up they'll be able to use the entire set to help with spelling and reading. Who doesn't love an educational, noise-free activity?
Promising review: "This has been perfect for teaching my 4-year-old how to blend phonics sounds. The cards are two-sided so this toy can grow with your kids, which I love. When they are learning to spell, you can flip the cards over and have them practice spelling. This is made of wood, which I love, and seems to be well made. Would make a cute gift!" —Kristin
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
35. And finally, a nap-time need, Crayola Globbles (sans sticky residue) that'll cling to the wall when your child throws them and slooowly drop down...tricking your kids into being patient after they've tossed these as high up as their little arms can manage.
Promising review: "Amazing toys! My 1- and 2-year-old LOVE them! They scream 'sticky balls!' and run around throwing them on the fridge, windows, cabinets, walls, etc. Easy to wash and air-dry, and don't lose their stickiness! My new go-to gift! Love them!" —Rachel
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $9.57 (also available as a 16-pack).
So, where do you hide from your kids to snag an uninterrupted nap?
