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 pack of three reusable water coloring books — each book has four pages depicting amazing underwater, safari, and farm scenes. And because they'll be using a refillable water pen, there will be no mess to clean up afterwards. Win-win!
Promising review: "My students love these! And I must say us teachers love to play with them too. Very relaxing and satisfying get activity." —Katie Doherty
Get the pack of three from Amazon for $19.69 (available in other styles).
2. A pack of six squishy Crayola fidget balls that they can stack, stick, or sling! The best part is the balls won't leave behind any residue. Whether they're being used as stress balls or as a wall ornament, these fidget balls are a ton of fun!
And when the balls lose their stickiness, just clean them up with soap and water for them to feel like new again!
Promising review: "I play with these more than my kids. As a parent and teacher I absolutely love that I can wash them off with soap and water. They’re really fun and I haven’t noticed them leaving marks on walls or ceilings." —Lauren M
Get it from Amazon for $10.69.
3. A wooden puzzle so they can play a game of Tetris IRL. They can even create fun shapes with the pieces (i.e. a fish, a robot, a flower, and more). And even if they're not into making shapes, there are so many ways to complete this puzzle, it'll surely keep them busy for a good long while.
Reviewers say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3–12.
Promising review: "My middle school/high school students love this puzzle!!! They are constantly asking me to get them out for them!!! Great time filler and works the brain!!" —Rachel2791
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
4. A marble run set because it allows for creativity, problem-solving, and oh so much fun! Your kid will have a blast figuring out how to make their marbles go from point A to point Z. You might have a future engineer on your hands!
Promising review: "I have several versions of this game at my work. I’m a teacher and I wanted to get a set for at home for my own kids. I have to say, this one is very sturdy and I’d definitely order this brand again." —Annonymous
Get the 150-piece set from Amazon for $49.99 (also available in 130- and 300 piece sets).
5. A pack of 15 sun-printing papers — simply place an object onto the paper, let it sit in the sun, rinse the paper, and watch as it changes color to create a long-lasting image. Because this paper is sensitive to ultraviolet light, it lends itself to sun-based investigations!
Promising review: "We used this for a science fair project but I got so much more out of it. I taught my eighth-grade class about white light and the various wavelengths that make up the different colors. As a teacher I will use it in the classroom. It was also fun to just play with." —Bmorgan
Get it from Amazon for $20.99.
6. A sight word Bingo game that can be played any of six ways! Help your kiddo learn to spot 46 super common words with this fun and educational game.
The set comes with 36 playing cards, 264 playing chips, caller's mat and cards, and a storage box.
Promising review: "I love this game! Can’t say enough positive things about it! As a teacher, I recommend it to all friends and family wanting to teach their children sight words in a fun and interactive way. My son loves it and has been learning exponentially because of it! 10/10 🌟 :)" —Malyssa Vizcarra
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
7. A talking kid's microscope for learning about biology and botany. It comes with 60 full color images on slides that can be observed under the microscope with shares facts about what your little one is seeing.
Promising review: "As a science teacher I'm always looking for ways to introduce science to my kiddos at young ages. My 3-year-old got this from Grandma and LOVES it. I love that it narrates and gives facts. Older kids can even answer questions about what they learned. Such a fun intro to the microscopic world!" —Kindle Customer
Get it from Amazon for $33.99.
8. A 36-pack of Play-Doh so they can create models of the creatures and shapes living in their imagination.
Promising review: "This is a great value for not much money. I'm a teacher and I purchase this set for my class twice a year. It's great as a first day of school ice breaker and later on as a Christmas gift. There are enough cans so every child can have a choice and the extra cans go into the prize box. My students love it! This Play-Doh is a nice size that gives kids just enough to make special creations. It leads to plenty of creative playtime fun! Teachers can make it more educational by allowing the children to create and then write about their creations. My second-grade students never complain about creating, writing, and sharing when we use Play-Doh." —CidyLouWho
Get the 36-pack from Amazon for $28.99.
9. A reusable LCD writing tablet if your little artist loves to draw but you don't want to use countless pieces of paper to support their hobby. To get different colors, all they have to do is adjust the amount of pressure they're using!
Promising review: "Teacher approved! LOVE THIS PRODUCT! It is great for guided reading, games in the classroom, and more. My students love it!" —Kathleen Seymour
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in four colors).
10. A National Geographic science magic kit because each experiment is designed to be performed as a magic trick — wand included! Make instant snow or create a square-shaped bubble! The possibilities are endless.
This kit includes everything you need to perform 20 different science experiments! You'll even get a guide for 30 more experiments that can be done with common household items.
Promising review: "This is the second set I’ve gotten for my grandson. He really enjoyed the first one and I think he is equally excited to try the second one even though they are the same. The first time I gave it to my grandson he was 6 and now he’s 7. I think it would be fine for older children too because they can learn about geology. I am a retired teacher and I can see great educational value in this toy." —KLB
Get it from Amazon for $29.99.
11. A virtual learning system for preschoolers if you're looking for content developed by educators to keep your toddler entertained. There are over 20 fun songs to sing along to and over 60 storybooks to listen to. This system even keeps track of the curriculum milestones, so it can offer the appropriate next lesson for your learning little one.
Promising review: "This is a great learning toy for kids. It repeats itself, and the animals on the screen talk slow and make sure to clearly pronounce the words. My wife was a Montessori teacher and was hesitant on this toy. But after looking at it she loves it. And the book that goes along with it is another great learning tool. Our son is 14-months-old and even though he isn’t ready for the book at night we look at the book with him pointing out letters and saying the words. We both highly recommend this product!" —Shawn
Get it from Amazon for $229.
12. A set of massive bubble wands that'll keep your kids entertained all summer long!
The set also comes with instructions on how to make the BIGGEST bubbles possible! It's great for kids of all ages.
Promising reviews: "Love this product!! As a schoolteacher it has been a huge hit with my students (and coworkers)!!" —Jana Rainwater
"Since my kids and I won't be going anywhere this summer, I was looking for things to keep them entertained in the backyard and came across this product. My kids loved making bubbles and it was easy for everyone to do." —Khadya
Get it from Amazon for $15.95.
13. A DIY solar-powered robot kit so your little engineer can build any of 12 different robots!
The kit includes 190 pieces, a solar panel, and detailed instructions.
Promising review: "I am a teacher and also a grandmother of a second-grade boy. I searched and reviewed many STEM projects that will help to keep my grandson challenged. I ended up purchasing this kit and have not been disappointed. The quality of this product is amazing and it will do what it says. Children need to get away from computer, video games, and phones so they can take an active role in critical thinking, problem solving, and being creative." —Patricia Lovely
Get it from Amazon for $20.69.
14. A sand "baking" play set to encourage exploration and creativity. So bring it with you on your next beach adventure and let your little one make you mudpies and sandcakes galore!
This set includes: three shell-shaped measuring cups, an octopus whisk, a crab mixing spoon, a turtle lid/sifter, and a mixing bowl.
Promising review: "This is a great hit with my swimming students. The kids love to pretend they're making soup and use the water to measure and play. Great little kit." —Sallie K. Smith
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
15. A National Geographic geodes kit — this great STEM adventure will leave your little one dazzled! When they break open any of the 10 rocks included, they'll reveal the gorgeous crystals inside. Read along with the guide to learn more about how each geode was formed.
This science kit includes 10 natural crystal-filled geodes, one pair of safety goggles, three display stands, and one learning guide.
Promising review: "Got this for three of my grandkids, it was a huge hit. My kids have sent pictures of them on their adventure finding geodes. As a former science teacher, this was music to my ears." —Glenda Oquinn
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two other styles).
16. Kid-size binoculars if your little one is a burgeoning bird watcher. Support their self-propelled learning and curiosity with these!
Promising review: "I am a biology teacher and avid birder. We feed many different species in our backyard, and my 4-year-old granddaughter wants to look at them with binoculars also. Even the tiny pair that we have was too difficult for her to focus and use. These have a preset focus of 2x and are incredibly easy to use. If you don't like the neck strap (which is a breakaway strap) just replace it with a wide piece of ribbon. A very good buy. Highly recommend it." —Judith A. Pilgrim
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
17. A pair of child-safe scissors and activity book with 20 pages worth of fun shapes for your kid to cut. These plastic scissors were designed to encourage correct form so you know your little one will be OK when they eventually graduate to adult scissors.
18. A set of eight colorful stacking cups they'll have so much fun building up and knocking down. It'll also help them practice counting so they can finally tell you exactly how many cookies they want.
Promising review: "We purchased these after my 1-year-old wrecked havoc on his first set of nesting cups. His first set broke, creased, bent, and broke. But these looked very durable and I was excited about the link to secure them together. We've had these for about two months now and they are still in perfect condition. I have washed them in the dishwasher, they have been bath toys, and I used the link to secure them to our diaper bag. These are hands down the best quality of nesting/stacking cups I have found and are so affordable! I'm a toddler teacher and a few sets of these are definitely on my wish list!" —Kinsey Moore
Get it from Amazon for $6.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.