33 Things For Kids That Could Be Useful For Adults Too
Age is nothing but a number and a social construct.
We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI β prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
1. A set of magical waterproof fairy lights to hang on your walls or curtains so any room will instantly be transformed into a dazzling aesthetic fairy den.
These lights come in eight modes. Reviewers advise not to untie the twist ties!
Promising review: "These lights are a hit in our bedroom. I wanted vertical hanging lights on our 12-foot-high walls. Makes great ambience and now our two kids want them in their rooms." βRaeanna
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
2. A pack of cat-shaped sticky notes that you can use as bookmarks, memos, or reminders. These cuties will always be here to help!
Promising review: "These cute sticky notes are not just for kids; any cat lover would love them. It makes me smile when I see the cute cat marking my place without destroying the book. Thank you for these cute cats. They bring smiles to others when I use them as gifts as well." βannoymous
Get them from Amazon for $7.99.
3. A heart-touching and comforting Winnie the Pooh vintage-style art print that'll remind you that good days are always ahead.
4. A gorgeous Frozen 2 16-piece dining collection kids will love to eat on β plus, it looks so elegant you'll want to break it out to show off during every meal you can.
5. A Nancy Drew hardcover boxset or a retro set of classic Goosebumps books to take yourself back to middle school and remind yourself how you used to devour these books. Bring your inner reader back!
The Nancy Drew set comes in a slipcase and contains the first 10 mysteries in the series. The Goosebumps collection is the "Scream" collection, which includes five of the most classic and popular books in the series in their original covers, packaged in a retro tin. If you want more than that, get the Goosebumps Classics 10-book set instead!
Get them from Amazon: the Nancy Drew set for $69.95, the Goosebumps "Scream" collection for $23.79, and the Goosebumps Classics collection for $25.90.
6. A laser projector the kid version of you would've probably gone bonkers for back then. With the stars and swirling skies, it'll make any room in your home relaxing and soothing, especially if you've had a hard day. And movie nights? Those will get a lot more magical with this!
Reviewers warn that it's quite bright so adjust it and don't look into the light directly.
Promising review: "This light is so cool. Probably one of the coolest Amazon purchases I have ever made. If you're a '90s kid and had those glow in the dark sticky stars, you absolutely need this light. I bought it as an impulsive birthday cheer-me-up quarantine present for myself. And I'm not disappointed. I've used it everyday day for like two weeks." βChelsea
Get it from Amazon for $49.99.
7. A Kiki's Delivery Service illustrated Jiji journal so lovely you'll be enticed into actually maintaining your journaling habit rather than dropping it. Plus, when not writing, it doubles as cute desk decor, especially if you're a Ghibli fan.
8. These Colors of the World crayons you can use when sitting down with your meditative adult coloring book. Who said coloring was just for kids? Plus, art with inclusivity? Even better.
9. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, a poignantly beautiful book that people of all ages will love honestly. It explores unlikely friendship and lifeβs universal lessons, and reminds you to be kind to yourself and have hope β especially during trying times. The story is handwritten and features over 100 sweet drawings!
10. A Pixar-inspired popcorn machine so that the next time you need popcorn for your Pixar marathon, you can reach for this! It's a fun way to make your popcorn, why should kids get all the fun from this?
Promising review: "Couldnβt resist the adorable outside. Purchased to make popcorn in my preschool classroom. It is one of my favorite purchases! Kids LOVE watching the popcorn pop inside and the outside doesnβt get too hot. Popcorn is delicious and doesnβt burn. We are really enjoying it!" βmsmelly
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
11. A squishy portable night-light you'll love if you need a replacement for your bedside lamp or actually need a night-light for your late night reading, because, well, look at it! With seven colors and light modes, and that cute little face, this is a hundred times better than those "sophisticated" (read: boring) night-lights marketed to only adults. Plus, you can take it with you when you travel!
Promising review: "These kitty lights are super adorable, super fun, and super loved by my kid. I bought this light as a gift for my daughter for her birthday... she loves it. The kitty is soft and squishy, the light colors are bright and pretty, and it has a good battery life... I loved it so much that I bought another for a friend's daughter. Great little light." βKMMR
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
12. A 100% natural geode kit because what's better for dealing with stress than literally breaking rocks? The crystals inside are just the cherry on top!
This kit comes with 10 breakable rocks.
Promising review: "Weβve only opened the first rock but Iβm already impressed. Normally these end up being duds but this one was really spectacular and large! My son is four and heβs excited to open the rest for his collection." βHeremeow
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
13. A three-pack of modeling dough with plant-based ingredients β not only does this bring back nostalgia but also gets you immersed into art in a literal hands-on way! Mold anything, make some decor for your work station, the possibilities are endless. Plus, some shipments come with stickers!
The Dough Project is a small biz founded by a preschool teacher in New York City. Their aim is to create a way kids can play that parents can feel good about, which is why their dough is organic and all-natural.
"I've been using these jarred doughs for a couple weeks and lemme tell you: You don't have to be a kid to enjoy playing with them. They're super easy to mold and smooth into shapes, smell nice, and have cute illustrations under each lid. I can't recommend this stuff enough! The dough gets a little dusty and shriveled when left in open air (peep the caterpillar pic) but you can preserve your creations with a layer of Glossy Mod Podge." βRebecca O'Connell, BuzzFeed Editor
Get a pack of three from The Dough Project for $19.99 (available in four colorways).
(If you'd prefer to mix up your own dough, get the DIY pack here.)
14. A miniature baking set so you can whip up adorable bite-sized meals whenever you fancy! It's something kids and adults alike will coo over and fans of Tiny Kitchen will def love this. Plus, if you're a science nerd, you'll love this even more β the included booklet explains the real science behind every recipe so geek out!
The set comes with a storage tin, rolling pin, wee-knife, pizza/dough cutter, mixing spoon, three wee-spoons, mixing bowl, pizza/pie pan, pie server, sheet pan, silicone cake and cupcake molds, two silicone finger mitts, and 48-page recipe book. The recipe book comes with explanations on how the food chemistry works so it's great for newbie food scientists.
Promising review: "I gave this to my sister for Christmas and she immediately used it to make mini treats with the kids. They LOVE it! I just kept getting texts and pictures from them about how functional and FUN it is." βLeslie Palmer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
15. These mess-free paint sticks so you can paint to your heart's content without all the mess that comes along with it! It's a great way to relax and maybe even try out a new hobby.
Get a 24-pack on Amazon for $19.65.
16. Or these double-tipped animal highlighters that'll make journaling, scrapbooking, and any kind of writing a lot more colorful. Your notes and lists will be so much more fun to read!
Promising review: "I bought these for my office, I was getting bored of using the same standard highlighters at work, so I decided to buy these to add more personality to my desk, and I was very pleased, they're very cute and work great, I was a bit worried about the yellow highlighter being to opaque since I've never used this brand and have had bad experience with other yellow highlighters (different brands) but that was not a problem for these. The caps are also perfect, they come off easily without you having to struggle to open them (unlike the thick Sharpie highlighters)." βAndrew & Roxana
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
17. A very neat and handy National Geographic wood model kit to get your hands and brain busy during quarantine.
Promising review: "Great for those who enjoyed Lego as a kid and those who can be careful! These models made the perfect gift for my husband. He loves everything space related and was a Lego kid growing up. I told him he would need to be quite gentle with these parts (as reviews mentions they break easily) and as someone who has a hard time being a gentle giant, his big hands are able to handle the small parts with care and mindfulness. He is overjoyed with these models and canβt wait to display them at work!" βAmazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
18. A Yoshi egg bath bomb with a big surprise inside that both child and adult will be sure to love because there's no age for being a Mario fan. The figurine makes great desk decor! And I know you need a relaxing bath right about now. This fun bath bomb will be the perfect excuse for some self-care!
BellBathBombs is a Virginia-based small biz that sells handmade bath bombs in fun and quirky shapes.
It smells like lemon lime and comes with one Mario figure.
Get it from BellBathBombs on Etsy for $11.95.
19. A giant 1-pound bag of marshmallows to have at your disposal the next time you're craving marshmallows in your hot chocolate β or even in your cereal! Are we supposed to be boring once we grow up? We deserve marshmallows in our cereal too.
Promising review: "Buying these charms was one of the best decisions of my life. The bag is twice the size of my head. The marshmallows are aesthetically pleasing and delicious. It's everything I ever wanted in a snack." βAmazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $10.99.
20. A handcrafted all-natural soap bar in the shape of a cute animal. Because they're made for kids, the ingredients like butters and olive, lavender and coconut oils means that each one is moisturizing and safe enough to use on your whole body and face! Perf for sensitive skin.
Zaaina is a small bath and beauty company founded by a South Asian woman! It focuses on clean products made with simple ingredients that don't irritate sensitive skin. All products are natural, handcrafted, and cruelty-free.
Get it from Zaaina for $6.99 (available in six animals and three quantities).
21. The cutest hand-painted porcelain trinket dish purr-fect for all your rings, studs, and little things.
There are dog options too!
MadeByHakashi is a small biz run by an illustrator who lives in the Netherlands! They have cute stickers, ceramics and more.
Get it from MadeByHakashi on Etsy for $12.57+ (available in four styles).
22. These cute squishy toys for squeezing when you need to distract yourself.
Promising review: "Had to order them for two stressed teens and an overactive elementary school kid. All of them love these little stress relievers that they can squish to their hearts content while focusing on something other than the anxiety they feel. So glad I bought them." βCheryl C. Malandrinos
Get a pack of 16 squishies from Amazon for $9.98.
23. A striking and therapeutic etching book so you can unwind by scratching away the lines with the provided tool to reveal colorful flowers, plants, and animals like magic. You get to decide how much detail and color you want to etch!
An introduction describes how to etch the scenes for best results, and examples of finished pieces are included so you can reference them.
Promising review: "This is definitely different than the normal scratch-off books and it is testing my creative abilities. I'm normally one to enjoy following the lines, but with this, the end result is entirely up to you. There is no right or wrong! While on some pages there is more to detail than others, I think this purchase was well worth it. I think it is really helping me to think outside the box and to concentrate more on the negative space and what I can do with it. For anyone that loves scratch books, here is a product to change how you look at it!" βkayla
Get it from Amazon for $13.18.
24. A mini waffle maker that'll whip up cute heart-shaped waffles so you can start breakfast with a dose of love and smiles or show off your love for the person you make them for...meaning yourself, of course π).
Promising review: "Adorable waffle maker for someone who doesn't need to churn out a big breakfast spread in limited time. I got this as a gift for my 12-year-old daughter, who is becoming exceptionally interested in cooking and baking. The waffle maker is adorable, so we got major points for that; it's also very easy to use, with no bells and whistles β not even a power switch. The iron plates are very nonstick, and hopefully will stay that way. For a family of four, we found the most efficient way to make waffles for everyone was to make as many waffles as we could as quickly as we could β two minutes or so will give you a pale but cooked waffle. Once you've stacked up a decent number of waffles, load them up into the toaster oven and you'll have a nice tall stack of hot, crispy waffles all at once. :-)" βK. Lee
Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (also available in round or pumpkin shapes).
25. A writing book that'll give you over 600 little prompts that range from incredulous to witty so whenever you need a spark of inspiration or want to practice expressing yourself better through writing, you can turn to this.
Promising review: "This is a FABULOUS book. I purchased it for my 10-year-old son who loves to write stories. It's definitely geared towards the teenage (or older) crowd. Heck, I will probably keep it for myself because the questions are mature enough for even a mom to complete and have fun with! It's a GREAT way to help kids (or adults) get into the habit of keeping a daily journal/diary. Only with this book you don't simply write about your day...you have a new question to think about and answer each time you open it! I can't WAIT to start it!" βKatMom
Get it from Amazon for $11.17.
26. These no-tie lock laces so you can walk and run without worrying about tripping over untied laces ever again! All your sneakers will become slip-on sneakers now β just slip 'em on and go!
Promising review: "I can't believe just how pumped I am over these shoelaces! They make me wanna slip my shoes off and on just because I can! They make my shoes more comfortable than I could have ever imagined (due to the elasticity). I have them set up to just the right amount of tightness to where I can just slip my shoes on and off without having to adjust them at all (and they are plenty tight). Welcome to the 21st century! βdm925
Get it from Amazon for $7.99 (available in 13 colors).
27. A duck bath mat that's not only cute but will keep you from slipping in the tub, which none of us want.
28. A very helpful and friendly cat-shaped note dispenser that looks like it could also be your therapist. Even when you're having a bad day, you'll have something to smile about.
It comes with a pad of sticky notes but you can buy replacement ones when you run out.
Promising review: "I love this cute little sticky note holder! Cats are my favorite to begin with and getting to have one on my desk to hold my notes is purr-fect. It has a great weight making it so as you pull notes from it; it doesn't move and the bottom has rubber grips so it won't scratch any surface it will be placed on. On top of that, replacing the notes is easy since as the notes dwindle, there is a button behind that you just push in and slide the new notes over." βUnlit
Get it from Amazon for $9.79.
29. An SPF 50 baby sunscreen, which means it's great for sensitive skin. Sunscreen can easily irritate but this easily-absorbed one won't!
Promising review: "I prefer using natural sunscreens for many reasons, so I was happy to be able to try this one. It's a zinc-oxide based formula that's good for sensitive skin. My skin gets irritated by some of the chemical-based sunscreens, so I found this one to be more gentle. It's also fragrance-free, which is ideal for those with allergies to scents, or who just don't want a sunscreen that smells like coconuts or perfume. The sunscreen goes on smoothly, and is easy to spread over the skin. It leaves skin soft without a sticky feeling or white residue. The three-ounce tube size is compact enough to bring along to a beach, park, pool, or other outdoor activities. I'm happy with this sunscreen, and enjoy using it to protect my skin in a more natural way." βEva
Get it from Amazon for $11.10.
30. A way too cute flash drive for happily storing all your precious memories in a safe place.
Promising review: "I bought three of them to put my mom's story of her life from an old audiotape I had done 20+ years ago. They are perfect since my mom was born in Japan 90+ years back when her dad was in the Navy and stationed there. These are such cute little figures and I know my brother and sister will each love to have one with mom's life story." βLouLou
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
31. A bottle of talc-free Burt's Bees baby powder because it's soothing and keeps your skin soft, smooth, and dry. Its for-babies formula means it's safe enough for more ~adult~ uses, like setting makeup, sprinkling in your hair as dry shampoo, freshening your underarms, and more!
Promising review: "My husband suffered for years with athlete's foot. He complained of burning sensation and tried all types of medications. He started using this every day dusting directly on feet before putting on his shoes. This healed his burning, cracked, stinky feet." βTeresa Mendoza
Get a three-pack from Amazon for $19.53.
32. A pack of suction cup cat phone holders that'll be very happy to hold your phone at a moment's notice!
Promising review: "I bought a set of these adorable cats for my friend and a set for myself. The suction cups worked well for attaching the cats to my phone. I also attached a couple of them to the inside of my car window. It seems they're quite sturdy. They're certainly cute and colorful." βJulie C
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $9.99.
33. A tube of Boudreaux's Butt Paste β it contains zinc oxide, which is great for diaper rash but can also be used for minor burns, cuts, and chafed and chapped skin. Yay for baby-friendly formulas!
Promising review: "I have used for everything BUT diaper rash! (No kids.) The zinc oxide will heal just about anything and this product contains a very concentrated amount. Use this instead of Neosporin for any cut, burn, or bug bite." βMJ
Get it from Amazon for $4.68+ (available in two sizes and packs of three and six).
These are all quite useful, don't you think?
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.