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 Dyson Ball toy vacuum that'll 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. 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).
2. A pack of 100 PicassoTiles for parents who find aesthetically pleasing toys a gift for themselves. These magnetized tiles make building and stacking easy-peasy. Plus they are preciously picturesque when the sun hits your kid's masterpieces with the right light.
These are recommended for ages 3+.
Promising review: "I have bought several sets of these for my grandchildren and a set for me. During holidays, grandchildren 3 years to 10 years are all playing together with the Picasso tiles, with a few adults added into the mixture. Easy cleanup, they are magnets so they stick together. Brings out the creativity in everyone that plays with them." —Rita J. Oubre
Get it from Amazon for $47.99.
3. Bluey action figures sure to be beloved by the whole family. We adults know Bluey is actually written with us in mind, after all. BTW, *tons* of reviewers have used these as cake toppers turned toys. Waste not, want not!
Promising review: "I used these for a cake topper for my son's birthday cake. They worked perfectly. They bend at the hips so the characters were sitting on the cake. Plus they were cheaper than the Bluey ones we saw at the party store." —Cassie
Get the Heeler family from Amazon for $11.99 (available in five set styles).
4. A classic Lite-Brite — this nostalgic, retro game is still going to dazzle "kids these days," no doubt!
The battery-powered LED lights work in four different ways, giving each piece a handful of different looks. This particular set includes 200 mini pegs, so don't be afraid to add a bunch of detail!
Promising review: "I'm so glad to have picked this gift for 6- and 8-year-olds. They have a blast and use their imagination. This is a great gift." —Michelle Hayden
Get it from Amazon for $11.69.
5. 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 $8.98+ (available in two styles).
6. A 3D doodler pen so your child can bring their two-dimensional drawings into the real world! This has 15 different filament colors and an activity guide. Use the guide with your child if they like step-by-step instructions or let their imagination run wild!
Promising review: "We got this for our 13-year-old son for Christmas. He absolutely loves it! He gets ideas of things to make with it, and it's the only thing he does for days on end. Great product, with great customer service. Couldn't ask for anything more." —Mike Trowbridge
Get it from Amazon for $64.50.
7. An upgraded version of Twister with a mat that's twice the size of the original game. This'll let more kids in on the fun and make each wacky move even more intense!
Promising review: "I can't believe we used to play on such small mats when I was young. This thing is nice and large and accommodates all who want to play. If your space is small, you just fold over a couple of rows, and you're good to go! The only problem is my kid constantly wants to play and this body of mine just doesn't move that way anymore, so I need to get some play dates going!" —Momof3
Get it from Amazon for $20.38.
8. A pack of 16 Globbles for entertaining active kids who would love throwing sticky stuff at walls and jumping around trying to get them back. The best part? These leave *no* sticky residue! We've done our time with slime and don't need to go back.
9. A corn-shaped Squishmallow so cute and cuddly it just might make *you* feel corny for loving it as much as your kid does.
10. A light-up whale — this cute critter is sure to make bath time ~whaley~ fun! It glows in multiple colors and has a spout that sprinkles water in a cute lil' trickle.
11. A wooden blocks puzzle — this block set is going to delight older children who love solving puzzles and making creative worlds out of tricky shapes.
Promising review: "This is the most popular thing that my fourth-graders have been playing with all summer. They skip over the Bop-It and grab this first! It’s durable and a great challenge. It also leads to some really creative designs! Their spatial relation skills are already improving!" —S. J. Meyer
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
12. A 24-pack of Play-Doh, because this classic set is still a hit for a reason! The best part? It's inexpensive enough that you won't worry about spending a bunch of ~dough~ on a world of colors. Go ahead — get them all!
Promising review: "Play-Doh is ALWAYS a great gift!! My 9-year-old daughter had Play-Doh on her Christmas wish list, so I purchased this 24-pack. There's an assortment of colors including black, brown, and white. I would definitely recommend this product." —Mom of One
Get it from Amazon for $18.49.
13. A pair of GeoSafari Jr. binoculars your observant, pint-sized bird watcher is sure to adore.
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.
14. Candy Land, a board game for early "gamers" who are learning their colors, figuring out how to take turns, and who are willing to do just about anything for a handful of candy.
Promising review: "Easy gift, we played it over and over again. My 4-year-old granddaughter loved this game." —Doris Koine
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
15. A marble run set that'll help kiddos work on their problem-solving skills by creating giant structures you yourself are sure to ~marble~ at.
Promising review: "My 5- and 3-year-olds (and me) have spent hours building towers and watching marbles clatter down these chutes, steps, gears and spirals, HOURS! And they’re not bored yet! It’s also educational learning the physics of slopes by experience. Plus, it comes with enough marbles that losing a few doesn’t matter." —Joyce Parker
Promising review: "This is a really neat toy that has provided literally hours and hours of enjoyment for my 4-year-old nephew (and me!). The pieces fit well together, it is very sturdy and stands up well even on carpet. There are an infinite number of ways to build these runs, and this toy never gets boring. Highly recommended." —Becca
Get it from Amazon for $45.99+ (available in three styles).
16. A two-sided Learning Resources "Big Feelings Pineapple" — this toy (and it's matching poster) can teach kiddos about emotions and help them best communicate their everyday feelings.
This includes a pineapple with removable facial expressions (eyes, eyebrows, mouth, etc.) and a poster with 26 different modes they can recreate.
Promising review: "We love this pineapple! It’s been a great help for us when we talk about emotions as a family. I really like the feelings poster (would love if it was a bit larger!) and I love that the pineapple has two sides. Learning Resources products are impressive! I also appreciate the online resources they have (free printables) that can be used with the pineapple. Highly recommend!" —Katie Shuknecht
Get it from Amazon for $10.99.
17. A scavenger hunt that'll save the day when said day is cold, rainy, dreary, and dull. Rather than dreading going outdoors, hang out inside and find random *treasures* around the house. Who knew looking for a laundry basket or slotted spoon could be so exciting?
This is great for kids 2+ and it has 20 double-sided scavenger cards.
Promising review: "A must-have. My 2-year-old son is obsessed. Always asks to play the 'find you' game LOL. Then we play it and every option on the game he actually thinks really hard then says 'come on mommy' and runs me through the house to find the object. Highly recommended from a mom of four." —Britney bansley
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
18. A pack of brightly colored stacking cups — an open-ended (and indestructible) toy with over 70,000 5-star reviews!! Your littlest kids are seriously going to love playing with these. And if you want to play your own game, go see just how many reviewers say, "This is the best $4 I've spent on a toy." Spoiler alert: It's a LOT.
Bonus: These have holes in the bottom for water play and they include a star ring to keep them together when not being played with.
Promising review: "MVP in our toy collection!! Of all our toys, these stacking cups are the ones our 10-month-old reaches for first EVERY time. She is obsessed and has been since she was 4 months old! At first, the rims of the cups were easy for her to practice her grasp, but as time has gone on she has used them to bang together and, finally, to stack. They are easy to clean (I believe they are intended to be a bath toy, although we don't use them that way) and easy to throw in a diaper bag for on-the-go play. If we could only have one toy for her, this would be the one!" —Carmen Lewis
Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $4.99.
19. A toy remote sure to engage your child when all they want is to steal *your* remote and change the channel when the game is on. This plays more than 45 sing-along songs, melodies, sound effects, and phrases.
20. A 12-in-1 solar robot toy kit (i.e., no batteries necessary!) that'll teach your pint-sized engineer about renewable energy while they build robots that'll move on land AND water. Rad.
This is suitable for ages 8+.
Promising review: "I had to work on this together with my son because some steps are difficult for a kid. But the instructions in the manual are nice and clear, which makes the task easier. We have together joined the pieces and made it into the Wall-E type character so far, and my son has a blast with it. He's already inquisitive about what other things he can make out of this. This is my son's first solar powered toy, so seeing him understand the concepts of solar energy transform into kinetic, robotics, assembling things together is rewarding." —David Boido
Get it from Amazon for $32.99
21. A sight word Bingo game can help your kiddo if they are frustrated by these tricky words. You can take away the stress of studying and turn reading into a great game with this clever set!
Promising review: "Our first-grader was feeling really discouraged with her sight words and I've been trying to think of ways to encourage her and get her excited to learn things she doesn't already know. She loved this game! We played with the whole family and her 3-year-old even enjoyed playing (we show her the cards and have her find the word that matches on her bingo card). I think this is a great way to make learning/practicing sight words fun! I am very happy with this purchase and I can see how it would be great for teachers in the classroom as well!!" —Jennie
Get it from Amazon for $9.02.
22. A talking, singing, rainbow poop, which, upon first glance, may not be the toy you want in your house. Guess what? You might be wrong! This thing plays hide-and-seek with your kids — which means a piece of poop just saved you from hiding inside the bathtub for ages. Um...I guess I love it!
Look, potty humor is the funniest thing this side of the second grade. BTW, this runs on two AA batteries (which are included). To play someone hides the toy and it will, ahem, "fart" to give the seeker hints as to where it is. Once it's found, it sings a victory song!
Promising review: "I was looking for a game to play at our 5-year-old's b-day party, which had ages 5-15, and this was an absolute hit! All the kids loved it and we even got in on the fun for a few rounds. I can see this being very popular in our house on a regular basis. It's nice to get the kids up and active looking for it rather than just sitting playing a game. Countless people of all ages can play. When it was just the two older boys they timed themselves to see who could find it faster. It was very entertaining just to watch them too!" —Lisa Meade
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
23. A Fat Brain door pong game — a fun (and functional!) alternative to classic Ping-Pong. This works with one or two people, and there's no need to set up a table or catch runaway balls. Just attach it to a doorway, adjust the length of the string, and ping that pong!
Promising review: "This toy is fantastic! My 9- and 7-year-old say it is the best toy we have bought them in a while. It has kept their attention and keeps them off screens. It's perfect for burning energy on cold, rainy days when we can't go outside. I also love the fact that there are no loose balls lying around so I don't have to worry about the dog eating them." —aw7
Get it from Amazon for $31.95.
24. A 24-piece Melissa & Doug pet vet play set that'll be loved by the animal lover in your life. This includes all the tools your kiddo needs to make sure their stuffed animals are happy and healthy! Including, adorably, a cone of shame.
Promising review: "My 2 1/2-year-old has not stopped playing with this since Christmas morning, definitely a favorite gift. I love the bag for all the storage of small parts! This toy teaches curiosity, compassion, fine motor skills and so much more. I love Melissa & Doug toys and this one does not disappoint. My child is now playing doctor and caring for her animals (and dolls, and everyone else) and asking really great questions as a result. You won't be disappointed in this purchase!" —Kayla Phillips
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
25. 5 Second Rule for family-friendly game nights everyone can win. The rules are simple — the results are not! You pick a card, read the topic, and then start timing! Each person has five seconds to name three things that fit the subject. Get ready to be tongue-tied by something as simple as sandwich ingredients. Good luck!
This game needs three or more players and is suitable for kids ages 10+.
Promising review: "This is a quick paced, fun game. There's no limit on the amount of players. We played with eight people. It's easy to keep score because the winner gets a card each round, so we counted the cards at the end to see who won. You can change that to start a new round when someone gets five cards. It’s flexible." —L. Heydenburg
Get it from Amazon for $21.99.
26. An interactive steering wheel by Melissa & Doug to give your mini Formula1 driver. This has satisfyingly realistic features like a steering wheel, ignition key, beeping horn, hazard lights, GPS, and more.
Promising review: "This toy is extremely well built and sturdy. It has a surprising amount of buttons and activities on it, all that are decently relatable to real world driving. My son loves the steering wheel and how it just turns and turns with no end, no matter which direction it’s turned. He hasn’t quite figured out all of the buttons yet, but so far he’s learned the steering wheel, the horn, all four radio station buttons, the gear shifter, the red racing button, and the hazard flashers button. He hasn’t learned the turn signal lever, the air conditioning vent, the ignition key, the gas gauge timer, the fog lights, or the gas flap on the side. He’ll get there though! He plays with this toy every single day, most of the day. I’d definitely recommend to anyone with a fidgety toddler like ours!" —Hunter
Get it from Amazon for $46.49+ (available in three styles).
27. A dancing, talking cactus toy that's a TikTok sensation for a reason! This ridiculous and darling toy repeats the noises and words you say while lighting up and dancing. Older kids love it, little kids are baffled by it, and adults just might enjoy it more than anyone else!
Promising review: "I saw this on Instagram and HAD to get this for my baby nephew for the holidays. Let it be known, the only people more excited about this gift than me were my sister and brother in law who literally said 'yes!' and high fived when they opened it for him because they also saw it on Insta and wanted to get it for their youngest so bad. It was a huge hit with not only my younger nephew, but also with his 4-year-old brother. Both of them would dance with it and copy its movements, and it was really amusing seeing them enjoy the copy-cat feature. Best gift we ever gave and I highly recommend! It can take a beating if my young nephew was able to handle at 8/9 months :)" —Dov Baruch
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in nine styles).
28. A ThinkFun Gravity Maze falling marble logic game that'll help kids develop useful spatial reasoning and planning skills. This new take on a traditional marble run maze is, ahem, a-maze-ing.
For ages 8+.
Promising review: "The concept is simple. Pick a card based on difficulty. Set up the board using the diagram on the card. Each block has black dots on the ends to dictate direction. Once set up it is up to the player to figure out how to get the marble from the start to the red finish block. The card has a solution on the back. This is by no means the only solution. The card also shows on the front the color and orientation of the blocks they use for the solution on the back. For Christmas, we spent at least two hours taking turns. The younger kids (6–10) picked the beginners' cards. Teens and adults picked the higher-difficulty cards. One word of caution is to be careful placing the blocks as the board is plastic and the block holders can become deformed or break. Overall a great quick game to add to the collection." —Joe G.
Get it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in four styles).
29. A craft kit — this is going to be ~sew~ fun for creative kids who would love making their own new best friend.
Promising review: "I'm so impressed at the thoughtfulness of this craft!! This is a beginner level, perfect for my 6-year-old's attention span. The only sewing is to attach the front of the fox to the back in order to stuff. I was worried it might be too easy, but it was great. The instructions are clear, the holes all line up, and there is plenty/extra yarn. The accessories and clothing are too cute and the details and variety are awesome for a beginner sewing craft. The only part that she needed extra help with was the tiny little backpack to hold the baby fox. If you think about the time it would take to design and cut out all of these pieces, it's definitely fairly priced. I hope they come out with more animals because we want to make another!!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three kit styles).
30. Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers for kids who like playing rough and parents who would like them covered in Bubble Wrap 24/7.
PSA: Make sure helmets are worn during bump-offs.
Promising review: "Great for the kids. The kids have been playing with this for hours. One of them even asked if they could sleep in it. It’s great for winter indoor fun. I highly recommend this product." —RyanAndFaith
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
31. A Kinetic Sand construction site complete with kinetic sand, a dump truck toy, and a working crane with wrecking ball and bucket attachments. This magic sand stays easily contained in the kit, so your construction worker can spend hours in a mini sand box without making a mess while they make their masterpieces.
32. A rainbow puzzle ball your inquisitive kiddo is sure to have a ~ball~ playing with! To "win" they must match all eleven balls to their corresponding color rings by pressing and sliding the balls through the open slots. Goood luck!
Promising review: "I was doubtful that my 5-year-old would like this, but took a chance. It took him a little bit to figure out how to push the balls around, but once he got the hang of it he didn't put it down for days. It challenged his thinking and also was cause/effect solving too. It was perfect for our car trip. Great purchase!" —Timothy Mitchell
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
33. A bestselling Little Tikes trampoline for kids who are going to bounce off the walls if you don't find another way to use up their energy indoors soon.
Promising review: "I have a wild 3-year-old who has more energy in one day then I've had in my entire life. From sun up to sun down he is ON. Unfortunately, we don't have a yard and we can't always make it to the playground. We picked this up for him hoping that it would help him get some of that energy out on days that we're stuck inside. We've had it for 8 months and it has been a lifesaver! I was worried about it taking up too much space in the living room but it's not bad at all. It's wide enough for him to jump comfortably, but not big enough to be an eyesore or get in the way. When I catch him trying to climb on the couch or run around too wildly, I just give him a quick reminder to jump on his trampoline instead. It's a win for both of us since he has a safe place to let that energy out and I'm not scolding him because he's jumping on things he's not supposed to. He is about 40 lbs and 40 inches tall and he doesn't seem to be growing out of it anytime soon. It was easy to put together and has held up beautifully! It's never tipped over and we've never had any accidents with it. I am so thankful we picked this up for him because it helps keep all of us happy and sane." —Ana
Get it from Amazon for $70.36.
34. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza that'll be loved by kids who love all things adorable (just look at those little foodie faces!). Plus, it's fast-paced and a cinch to learn!
This game works with two to four players. Just deal out the cards and make sure everyone keeps their deck face-down. Take turns by putting a card down in the middle of the table, saying one of the words "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza," in that order. If the picture on your card matches the word that's said, everyone slaps their hand on the card in a pile as quickly as possible. The last person on the pile has to take the stack and add them to their cards. Whoever runs out of cards first wins!
Promising review: "Ridiculous in a good way! I was skeptical about how much I would enjoy this game being in my mid-30s. But it's a lot of fun! Easy to learn, easy to play, my 8-year-old has lots of fun with it. It's a great family game with the potential to be a late-night more adult-oriented event if you’re picking up what I'm throwing down. Cheers!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $9.84.
35. Otrio — a fun game you can give your children if they love playing Tik-Tac-Toe and need a bigger challenge. This is simple, but the strategy involved is a great way to spark strategic thinking.
To win, players must get three circular pieces of their color in a row in either ascending or descending order; get the same-sized pieces in a row; or get three concentric pieces in the same space, but beware of other players attempting to block you!
Recommended for two to four players ages 8+.
Promising review: "Perfect game for all ages. My 8-year-old daughter, 12-year-old son, and 70-year-old mother enjoyed playing together for hours." —A. Rosen
Get it from Amazon for $29.39 (also available in plastic).
36. And finally, a classic Mr. Potato Head so fun you and your kids may end up wanting to take it with you everywhere you go (even, believe it or not, sky diving!).
Promising review: "We purchased this with the intent to build it completely in freefall skydiving. We were able to successfully build 3/4 of it and it held up perfectly against 120mph. The pieces stayed in place no problem. I would highly recommend this product and will purchase this again should we accidentally lose all the pieces over time (image above, right)." —William O.
Get it from Amazon for $18.92.
Me *before* seeing all the great toys and games in this post:
